June 4th is to mark the six months since SPIRITS BURNING‘s latest album "The Hollow Lands" – the second collaboration between the American prog collective and English fantasy master Michael Moorcock – has seen the light of day, and it’s going to be the date when the ensemble’s new record is out. But “Evolution Ritual” will not be the third chapter in “The Dancers at the End of Time” trilogy – although Moorcock plays harmonica on three songs here and Don Falcone, the band’s mastermind, has already started working on the the musical adaptation of “The End Of All Songs” which he plans to release in 2022. As of the forthcoming offering, comprised of fresh pieces, it signals the group’s embracing of acoustic sounds.
“The concept was to do an instrumental album with songs built around acoustic instruments,” says Don. “As the songs developed, and I ended up inviting lots of violinists and wind/reed players, many of the songs took on a folk feel – European or Americana – with elements of prog, jazz, soundtrack music and experimental sprinkled throughout the record. While it may be a stretch for some listeners, I hear elements of, or felt influenced by, THIRD EAR BAND, “The Long Hello” series by the VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR family, KING CRIMSON of “Islands” period, DEAD CAN DANCE, and even GODSPEED! YOU BLACK EMPEROR. One of the things that all of those bands and projects have in common is a sense of folk, or acoustic sounds, and that is at the heart of this album. Plus, I was able to get a couple of musicians associated with some of those bands.”
There are usual suspects and familiar faces on “Evolution Ritual” that include the HAWKWIND alumni Alan Davey and Bridget Wishart, Peter Knight of the STEELEYE SPAN fame, VDGG’s David Jackson and Graham Smith, Albert Bouchard of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, SOFT MACHINE’s Theo Travis and former violinists with KING CRIMSON and CURVED AIR – respectively, David Cross and Darryl Way, as well as the recently departed Steve York. And this is how it’s going to look like (read the review):
Evolution Ritual
1. Evolution Ritual
2. Caves
3. The Laws Of Umber
4. Abandoned Habitat
5. The Dream Find
6. Far & Away The Lands Escape, Bias Of Recency
7. Strolling Into The Future
8. Shadow Language
9. Seasiders
10. Lookout Point
11. Outside Worl
12. Your Better Angels
13. As The Sky Was Being Painted
14. Theatre On The Other Side Of The Sea
15. Alternating Universes
16. Spruce
17. Night Of The Moon Dial
