Blackfield II

Blackfield is a collaboration between Steven Wilson (no introduction needed) and Aviv Geffen. This is their second CD as you might expect from the title. If you are familiar with their first CD then this one will not be a major surprise to your ears. What you have here is great songwriting, infectious melodies, pop sensibilities and prog nuances. This is by no means a progressive rock album but it deserves to be heard and will still appeal to many progheads.

Why? Because Mr. Wilson and Mr. Geffen know how to write. It's a gift that is very evident as soon as you hear the first sounds of song #1. Everyone who knows me knows that I think Steven Wilson is the greatest musical talent of our time. He is amazingly versatile and has a seemingly endless array of ideas in his brain that somehow work no matter what style of music he is playing. He can play psychedelic, heavy progressive rock, ethereal ambient, techno, straight ahead rock, and pop with equal aplomb. Of course, the Porcupine Tree stuff is my favorite but to be able to write and play so many other styles is staggering and not something attempted by most musicians today.

And while I know Steven Wilson's discography quite well, I am less familiar with Aviv Geffen's history. I do know that he is hugely popular in other parts of the world especially in his home country of Israel. But, from his work with Blackfield I can certainly see his talent. Many of the songs on this album were written - music AND lyrics - by him.

My favorite track on the album, "This Killer", is written by Geffen. This song simply crushes me. The melancholy chord changes are stunning in their simplicity and emotional impact (Think "Dark Matter" yet mellower). Wilson's voice is in fine form and the harmonies with Geffen are meticulous. The gorgeous harmonies have become a Wilson trademark and they stand out on this song and throughout the album. So, based on the sound of this song I was surprised to find out that Geffen wrote it.

Another great track is the closer, "End of the World", also written by Geffen. As you might surmise from the title, it is not exactly an uplifting song but as Steven Wilson has said, some of the saddest songs in the world are some of the most beautiful. This song exemplifies that sentiment. Here is a sample of the lyrics from this song:

"It's the end of the world
It's a prison for dreams and for hopes
And still we believe there is god
It's the end of the world
We're dead but pretend we're alive
Full of ignorance
Fools in disguise

In your room doing nothing
But staring at flickering screens
Streets are empty
But still you can hear
Joy of children turned into tears
Disease hides around every corner
Quietly still
Wait for the moment to hit
We forgot what is touch
What to feel"

I can imagine that some of Geffen's lyrics are a result of the place he lives in this world.

The entire album is solid and, of course with Wilson in charge of the mixing and production of the disc, it sounds phenomenal. The various instruments are perfectly mixed and you can listen to whatever instrument you want during the song.

All in all, this second CD by Blackfield may be even better than their first. As a whole, it appears to work better from beginning to end. The way the songs fit together provides for a more coherent album sound.

No ratings here but the album is Highly Recommended. If you click on the "Blackfield II" title you will connect to their myspace site and can listen to a few tracks from this album (Once, Christenings, and 1000 People). I really like "1000 People". Be patient and don't expect Blackest Eyes!

You can also check out their website at www.blackfield.org