MARK MURDOCK – False Readings (2023)
MARK MURDOCK is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, mostly drummer, known for being the brainchild behind the rock / fusion band CYMBALIC ENCOUNTERS. Since 2012 Murdock embarked on his solo career creating several critically successful studio albums.
Now he’s releasing “False Readings“, where Mark recruited more guest musicians than he has ever before, including all musicians from legendary prog act NEKTAR, and renowned guitarist Fernando Perdomo from OUT TO SEA among others. As happened with Murdock’s previous works, American singer Tim Pepper (THE ID) handles all vocals, a young musician with a voice timbre recalling British rock singers from the Seventies / Eighties.
“False Readings” is melodic crossover prog, quite commercial and accessible akin MARILLION early FISH era, ROBERT BERRY, ALLIANCE, TREVOR RABIN, etc, influences heard on songs like ‘Until I Reach the End’, ‘Distant Sirens’, ‘Volatility Swaying’.
For the end, two last songs ‘The Extremities of My Dreams’ and ‘Ending World Overture’ are quite different, much more progressive and elaborated, still retaining the ‘song format’ around the 4 minutes long.
A fine dose of Eighties sounding commercial proggy with nice melodies throughout.
Highly Recommended
01 – Distant Sirens
02 – Volatility Swaying
03 – Remain in Darkness
04 – Until I Reach the End
05 – Pure as the Driven Snow
06 – False Readings
07 – Symposium of the Greatest Failures
08 – Singularities
09 – The Extremities of My Dreams
10 – Ending World Overture
Mark Murdock – drums, keyboards, synthesizers
Tim Pepper – vocals
Fernando Perdomo – guitar, bass
Ron Howden – drums on songs 3 & 5 *Courtesy of Nektar
Derek ‘Mo’ Moore – bass on song 2 *Courtesy of Nektar
Ryche Chlanda – guitar song 2 *Courtesy of Nektar
Kendall Scott – synth solo on song 6 *Courtesy of Nektar
Ken Hall – guitar on songs 1, 6 & 7
Katsumi Yoneda – electric guitar on song 5
Dave Juteau – guitar on song 3
Daniel Kubota – 12 string guitar on song 7
BUY
cymbalicencounters.bandcamp.com/album/false-readings
