LONELY ROBOT – The Big Dream [Digipak +3] (2017)

To be released tomorrow, “The Big Dream” is the title of the second album by LONELY ROBOT, the fascinating project created by producer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist John Mitchell (It Bites, Frost*, Arena et all).
We were really impressed on this blog by Lonely Robot’s debut, and this new offering is similarly amazing.

Whereas on the first album, Mitchell brought in a number of guest musicians and vocalists to bring his compositions to life, now has a firm band around him. He again plays all instruments (bar the drums) here and there, but there’s a stable line-up including the ever reliable Frost* bandmate Craig Blundell on drums, bassist Steve Vantsis who has been a long time collaborator with Fish and whose Tilt album Mitchell mixed, and the eminently quotable Liam Holmes on keys.

After a two year wait we get the second part of the trilogy from Lonely Robot, this “The Big Dream”, where the story continues and it is best explained by John Mitchell himself – “The Astronaut wakes up from a cryogenic sleep but finds he’s no longer in space, and is instead in a woodland area surrounded by a group of strange people with animal heads! It’s a little surreal, a little ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ to some extent.”
The album benefits from a big Sci-Fi feel, with ‘Prologue (Deep Sleep)’ ushering in the album and following on from where ‘Airlock’ started the debut album off.

Musically, Mitchell doesn’t venture far from Lonely Robot’s previous album, his classic melodic progressive rock roots, or his influences from his current bands which include Frost*, It Bites, Kino, and Arena.
Mitchell has a melodic, yet deliberate, voice. Following the melodies and wrapped in the keyboards, the vocal arrangements have a largeness to a full bodied warmth. Also, Mitchell is a master at using his keyboards to create atmosphere, whether for basic synth orchestration or something more ethereal, fitting his astronaut.

The most catchy songs here, and personal favorites, are ‘Awakenings’ and ‘Sigma’ both benefit from memorable melodies and choruses. Craig Blundell’s drumming is something else on ‘Awakenings’, simply jaw dropping.
‘In Floral Green’ is a lighter moment and Mitchell’s melodic singing greatly add to the song. He does really excel at producing these gentle and melodious songs, with ‘Hello World Goodbye’ being another fine example on this album.

The title track links back to the debut album with the plea to the lonely robot to come home and is the ‘prog epic’ on this album, although John Mitchell never goes for those endless noodling songs beloved of some progressive artists.
The relentless beat and special effects vocals on ‘Symbolic’ took a little while to appreciate, although the guitar solo is one of many fine ones throughout the album.

The conclusion is rather simple. With “The Big Dream”, Mitchell’s Lonely Robot has created another creative and entertaining album of melodic progressive rock. The theme of sleep / stasis and what happens during it, runs throughout the album and like any good lyrics gets the listener thinking long after the music has finished.
The whole record holds together perfectly and yes, it is another release I am sure that will make my year end top-fifty albums with ease.
Fascinating to see where the next and final musical installment of the Astronaut ends up, until then we have “The Big Dream” to savour and enjoy.
HIGHLY Recommended

01. Prologue (Deep Sleep)
02. Awakenings
03. Sigma
04. In Floral Green
05. Everglow
06. False Lights
07. Symbolic
08. The Divine Art of Being
09. The Big Dream
10. Hello World Goodbye
11. Epilogue (Sea Beams)
DIGIPAK BONUS TRACKS:
12. In Floral Green (acoustic version)
13. The Divine Art of Being (acoustic version)
14. Why Do We Stay? (feat. Kim Seviour)

John Mitchell (Kino, It Bites, Arena) – vocals, guitars, keys, bass
Steve Vantsis (Fish) – bass
Craig Blundell (Frost*) – drums
Liam Holmes – keyboards
Bonita McKinney – backing vocals
Kim Seviour (ex-Touchstone) – guest vocals

PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06WLQX3PH
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