North Star by Pendragon

North Star by Pendragon, 2023 EP.

 

Pendragon (meaning "dragon head") is an English neo-prog band founded in 1978 and active in the progressive rock scene. They include Clive Nolan, whom we discussed on the occasion of the release of his recent album,  Siege by  Imaginaerium.

 

North Star is a beautiful, rich, and poetic EP, with a pastoral, acoustic feel that complements their previous album, Love Over Fear, with a neo-prog sound, this time focused on acoustic guitar and atmospheric keyboards with a dreamy style largely due to the skill of Clive Nolan and Nick Barrett.

 

An immersive and poetic EP that, with guest Johanna Stroud and her female backing vocals and violin, achieves a high level of emotional engagement. Barrett's classically inspired acoustic guitar solos remind me of some of Steve Hackett's acoustic work.

 

Only 24 minutes of music, but it's well spent: folk references, bucolic, and dreamlike atmospheres, of which Pendragon are masters. The EP consists of four tracks, a suite divided into three parts, and a final track.

 

- North Star – Part 1: A Boy And His Dog is both ethereal and nostalgic, with a pastoral feel created by great acoustic guitar work, backing vocals by Johanna Stroud, and great guitar solos by Nick Barrett.
- North Star – Part 2: As Dead As A Dodo is a faster, more dynamic section on an American country-folk sound, with an excellent chorus.
- North Star – Part 3: Phoenician Skies returns to a calm, relaxed mood with gorgeous acoustic guitar, an exceptional organ solo by Nick Barrett, and great vocals.
- Fall Away is a beautifully romantic and melancholic song, with delicate Spanish-style acoustic guitar work that converges on a ballad with Clive Nolan-esque synthesizers and gorgeous female vocals.

 

The album is beautiful, the artwork is beautiful (Pandragon have accustomed us to this too and have not disappointed us), and the silkscreened B-side is also beautiful. Highly recommended!

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.

Tracklist

1. North Star - Part 1: A Boy and His Dog (8:31)
2. North Star - Part 2: As Dead as a Dodo (3:18)
3. North Star - Part 3: Phoenician Skies (5:59)
4. Fall Away (6:28)
Duration 24:16

LineUp

- Nick Barrett - guitars, vocals, additional keyboards, and programming
- Clive Nolan - keyboards (except on 3)
- Peter Gee - bass
- Jan-Vincent Velazco - drums and percussion

Featuring:
- Johanna Stroud - backing vocals, violin
- John Barnfield - lead keyboards (3)