Review Summary: Defying all expectations.
Tim Bowness shyly started his solo career twenty years ago and only over the next decade it grew into his main project. While he was always at the helm, the music was usually written by multiple artist friends, helping shape his visions. Most of the times, they were seasoned musicians who have collaborated with a plethora of artists in the progressive rock, jazz and/or ambient fields. Peter Hammill (Van der Graaf Generator), Hugh Hopper (Soft Machine), Peter Chilvers (Brian Eno, Karl Hyde collaborator), Adam Holzman (Miles Davis collaborator), Nick Beggs (Kajagoogoo), Andrew Keeling or Porcupine Tree’s Colin Edwin & Steven Wilson are just a handful of names that breathed life into Tim’s compositions. So, it’s understandable why he let them unfold their magic on his ideas. However, lately the singer expanded his role, playing Mellotron and synthesizers on various tracks.
Powder Dry represents Bowness’ first actual solo LP, taking care of everything all by himself. The only guest is longtime partner, Steven Wilson, who took care of the mixing duties. Right from the beginning, the overall sound is quite the opposite from what we’ve come to expect from Tim. Electronic elements abound, there is very little guitar presence and most of the tracks are under three minutes long. Although there are a number of immediate cuts, it took a few listens for the record to sink in as a whole. The more aggressive songs, if you can characterize them as such, hit different than his past material. “Rock Hudson”, for example, goes from a simple, industrial-tinged sequencer and drum combo, to melodic choruses. The vocals feel as passionate as ever and this is one thing that will never change on any of his projects. Meanwhile, “Idiots at Large” toys with quiet-loud dynamics, throwing noisy synths amid soft, plucked percussion pads assisted verses, whereas the title track features a Mellotron lead continuously disrupted by dissonant guitar. By the end, they become an enveloping wall of sound. Also, closing ditty, “Built to Last” drops harsh synth notes out of nowhere after two minutes of hushed yet uneasy lullaby-like melodies. Each of these tunes will take fans by surprise. Still, the man was always open to experimentation, as witnessed in No-Man’s evolution over the years.
Nevertheless, these comprise just roughly one quarter of
Powder Dry, the rest of the numbers ranging from minimal instrumentals to ballads or even a couple of pop/new wave moments. From the more familiar type, “A Stand Up for the Dying”, “When Summer Comes” and “This Way Now” capture that melancholic, longing sentiment he crafts so well, despite featuring only what seems to be Mellotron and pale piano chords. Moreover, “Ghost of a Kiss” takes cues from Depeche Mode’s book, unfortunately it lacks punch or a second segment, aiming for a late night mood instead. The one encompassing, 4-minute song, “I Was There” boasts a busy drum pattern alongside synths that might include the guitar notes too. Closest to 2022’s
Butterfly Mind’s style, this is probably the most conventional part you’ll get from this LP. There are inconsistencies mainly due to the sketchy nature of the record. The interludes don’t do much, while a handful of tunes need a richer structure in order to develop an immersive atmosphere. As a result,
Powder Dry is similar to reading pages from a diary, some entries describe full stories while others share only a few scattered thoughts. Nevertheless, I appreciate Tim for discarding all guest appearances and the idea of a comfort zone to truly realize his own vision. I am sure it was a constant learning process for him too.
