One of the fabulous surprises for me in my musical journey was the appearance of Sanctuary by Robert Reed in 2014.
Robert Reed – The Multi Instrumentalist, composer , producer
and guiding light of the Welsh band Magenta and through various solo projects
(under various names other than his own – Kompendium, ChimpanA, Kiama) –
produced Sanctuary 1 as an exercise in long form instrumental music. He used
his love of Mike Oldfield as his template. Many saw it as a tribute to Oldfield
– but it wasn’t intended to be a tribute or homage. It was a ‘doff of the hat’
to one of his biggest influences and musical heroes. And he pulled it off with
a sense of elan that I didn’t think was possible in these musical times. It was
a fantastic piece of work
that was just begging to be followed up with another record in the same format.
opening of Sanctuary 2
So, using the same template as Sanctuary 1, Rob Reed has
produced the follow up, Sanctuary 2. This time he has added another of his heroes
into the mix – David Bedford. David worked with Oldfield since his early days
in Kevin Ayers band and through his various solo work such as Rime Of The
Ancient Mariner, The Odyssey, Instructions For Angels and Star’s End.
Indeed, the opening lines of Sanctuary 2 have David Bedford
written all over them. And what a great opening it is. Stringed Keys with a
tremendous deep sonic boom which certainly gives your bass speakers a workout.
Sanctuary 2 - Side 1
Rob Reed has looked to Sanctuary 1 as a starting point and
built upon the sound. Adding more textures and colours whilst keeping to the
spirit of the original. I was lucky enough to have heard some of the early
mixes where I described the sound as being Sanctuary 1 but wearing velvet and
brocade and he’s stuck with this in the final mix. It really is a beautiful
piece of music.
Rob has once again taken on the role of multi
instrumentalist as he once plays the vast majority of the instruments himself
but has, this time, taken the opportunity to broaden the soundscape with the help
of former Oldfield drummer Simon Phillips. The drums within the record lift it
up to musical heights that the first Sanctuary just hinted at.
The danger of the follow up mirrors the work of Oldfield
when he followed up Tubular Bells with the more pastoral and delicate, Hergest
Ridge. But Rob Reed has come up with a beautiful collection of melodies
contained within the two sides for Sanctuary 2.
With legendary producer Tom Newman again working on the
project, Rob has the opposite problem to Oldfield. With his pop sensibility for
melody, he has had to cut down on the number of melodic passages contained
within the work and to develop a melodic and cohesive whole, rather than adding
another melody.
It’s hard to describe a long form piece of instrumental music.
Suffice to say, it ebbs and flows, takes you to highs and lows, is
contemplative in passages and euphoric in others. The whole range of emotions.
But it is very much a ‘human’ record. The recorders of Les Penning and the
vocals of Synergy and solo vocals of Angharad Brinn further define these human
moments in the layers of sound that swirl around you.
The album is certainly several steps forward from the
original Sanctuary but keeps the same uplifting spirit as the first. Epitomised
at the end of side 1 where Rob’s soaring guitar dances around the solid beat of
Phillips’ driving beats while vocals, keyboards and Tubular Bells join in the
euphoric melody as the musical reaches its climax.
The Sanctuary albums show another side of Rob Reed. The
delicate, folky side of his nature. Sanctuary 2 has more of this flavouring
than the first album and side opens with a lovely acoustic guitar melody which
develops using vocals and glockenspiel and finally electric guitar and bass.
Which then breaks into a lovely flamenco styled acoustic section. The whole
album contains many musical twists and turns like this as it weaves it’s way
through the various themes.
Rob has certainly used the skills of Les Penning to it’s
maximum effect and you can tell both musicians are enjoying themselves as
they’re playing. It’s one of those instrumental albums where you’re only a few
bars away from a memorable phrase or theme that sticks in your head after only
a couple of listens.
If you look back over the years, a lot of instrumental based
albums normally save all their best ideas for side one and often side two pales
in comparison. Not Sanctuary 2. The themes and performances in side 2 are of
equal quality to side 1.
And I must say the quality of the playing by Rob himself is
exceptional. Known as a keyboard player, his work on bass and particularly
guitar, is getting better with each album. I think the original Sanctuary album
meant more to Rob in terms of proving to himself what he capable of than all of
his earlier work. I may be wrong and I’m sure he’ll tell me if I am. But I can
see the growth in confidence both in his playing and approach on Sanctuary 2.
I was lucky enough to have been at the very first
performance of Sanctuary live at Real World in the summer. To hear it live it a
totally different experience. But how I chose to listen at home is through my
5.1 Surround Sound system. Music like this is made for Surround Sound and
sounds absolutely breathtaking as the instruments swirl around you. If you have
this facility at home, make sure you get a 5.1 copy of the album.
So, Rob Reed has shown that Sanctuary 1 was no fluke. He’s
bettered it with Sanctuary 2. Is there going to be a Sanctuary 3? Who knows.
Rob is obviously comfortable within the long form musical format but whether he
feels he has explored those ideas enough, only he knows. Personally, I’d like
to see him produce a third. Possibly with a more orchestral leaning maybe. Only
time will tell. But if Rob Reed chooses to leave it at two – I’ll be happy as
Larry with what he’s achieved and relish the prospect of his next musical move.
Twitter - @robreedmagenta
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