GORDON REID: Aliens

Released : 2000

Label : DeJaVu

Catalogue number :

DV-GRCD-001

Total playing time : 52’46"

Tracklist:

The final frontier (2’31") / Aliens of the sea (6’22") / Pawel’s dream (6’13") / Forests of the deep (5’42") / The sea dragons (6’23") / The stars, like sand (7’58") / Grace under pressure (7’02") / In the dreamtime (4’03") / Nautilus (7’)

Musicians:
Gordon Reid : all instruments
Nick Magnus : vast improvements to the drums and percussion
Clive Osborn : guitars on tracks 4, 8 and 9

Website:

www.gordonreid.co.uk

Lovers of keyboards and cosmic sidesteps will be thrilled to learn that the debut of Gordon Reid, Aliens, might just be their favourite cup of tea. In fact the album is the soundtrack of the film Aliens Of The Sea, a film about the wonderful world of life under he sea (the film has been released on video and DVD). By using Nick Magnus as producer everything sounds very crisp, clear and interesting, mainly because this album is like the extension of Magnus' own work. His knowledge is also positive in the percussive department. A song like "Aliens Of The Sea" has some of a dreamy Pink Floyd mainly due to the wonderful guitar and the perfect timing.

In '78 Reid was a member of the band Mirage and if we go for that name then obviously music-wise Reid must come close to the melodic intensity of Camel. After Mirage, Reid went on to create the band Déja Vu with lyricist Ian Oakley, the man who is currently webmaster for both the Flower Kings and Transatlantic websites. During "Forest Of The Deep" you feel like a fish in the water, lovely swimming amidst the coral-reefs just before Clive Osborn comes to life as a true Neptune by means of his guitar playing which settles between Andy Latimer (Camel) and Gary Chandler (Jadis). Reid and Osborn could already be heard on the sampler Rites Of The Ancient Sampler - The Mellotron Album. Although this album has long been sold out, you can still find their collaboration "Julia" on Gordon Reid's album Painting Imperfect Pictures. But let's concentrate once again on Aliens where the arrangements are in the same league as those of Vangelis. In "The Sea Dragons" you both hear the Vangelis from his Chariots Of Fire period and the piano which made Elton John's "Song For Guy" immortal. Sometimes you can also see Gordon Reid's music as a more experimental version of The Enid and that's mainly because of his sensitive texture (and also the fact that Nick Magnus once was a member of The Enid?). This instrumental album perfectly fits the underwater images yet as a "stand alone" you can certainly enjoy this wonderful album, which can be ordered through the artist himself (see website info).

Reviewed by: John 'Bobo' Bollenberg