Richard Barbieri - "Stranger Inside" Review

Artist/ Band: Richard Barbieri
Title: Stranger Inside
Label: Kscope
Year of Release: 2008
Offical Artist/ Band Link

The Review:

British keyboardist and composer Richard Barbieri is best known for being in two bands, Japan (a new romantic style band) and Porcupine Tree (a progressive rock band he joined in 1993). He has also collaborated with the likes of Robert Fripp, Ryuchi Sakamoto, Holger Czukay as well as all of his former Japan band mates. In 2005 he released his first solo effort entitled ‘Things Buried’ and a follow up called ‘Stranger Inside‘.

I received Richard’s second album, ‘Stranger Inside’. Just like with his work in Porcupine Tree, Richard’s style is atmospheric rather than a soloist. The album is based in atmospheric passages with some exotic pulsating dance rhythms. I would compare this to the ambient side that Porcupine Tree was exploring around the ‘Signify’ album.

Two musicians that Richard worked with are involved in the behind -the-scenes aspect of this album. First is former Japan band mate, Steve Jansen (who mixed ’Stranger Inside’) and Porcupine Tree main man Steve Wilson (who mastered the album). The ending result sounds nothing like the latter. Since I haven’t heard what Japan sounded like, I can‘t compare. Overall, this is an amazing album that will appeal to fans of the ambient side of progressive music.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on February 28th, 2009

Tracks:

01. Cave

02. All Fall Down

03. Hypnotek

04. Decay

05. Abyssn

06. Byzantium

07. Morphia

08. Retina Blur

09. Stranger Inside