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For his second solo studio album, Dave Kerzner maintains the air of melancholy that permeated 2014’s New World. There are plenty of big name guests here, including Steve Hackett, Nick D’Virgilio, and Colin Edwin, but the influence of Pink Floyd looms large over the proceedings. From the downbeat mood of Trust and The Truth Behind to the use of snippets of dialogue and the overall concept expressing Kerzner’s dismay about the state of the world, which is straight from the Roger Waters’ songbook, Static can feel like a contrafact to one of Floyd’s epics. The songwriting is consistently strong, the production is lavishly full, and there are tracks where Kerzner forgoes ennui for a moment to rock out. Reckless is one of the strongest examples on that front thanks to the vigorous drumming of Derek Cintron, alongside the snappy groove of Millennium Man. The album concludes with the five-part marathon of The Carnival Of Modern Life, blending musical ambition and existential angst. Kerzner has great songs and an abundance of talented players backing him up. Perhaps it’s time for him to step out of the shadow of the giants who inspire him.

After starting his writing career covering the unforgiving world of MMA, David moved into music journalism at Rhythm magazine, interviewing legends of the drum kit including Ginger Baker and Neil Peart. A regular contributor to Prog, he’s written for Metal Hammer, The Blues, Country Music Magazine and more. The author of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction To The Martial Arts Film, David shares his thoughts on kung fu movies in essays and videos for 88 Films, Arrow Films, and Eureka Entertainment. He firmly believes Steely Dan’s Reelin’ In The Years is the tuniest tune ever tuned.