Blackfield
IV

"Less" Steven Wilson, "more" Aviv Geffen: even though the ingredients are the usual ones, this time the amounts change and the dish becomes quite bland. Really a shame: the return of Blackfield disappoints expectations. A little over half an hour, that is, the duration of the flimsy work, is enough to certify that Wilson's progressive disengagement from the project (a disengagement, in truth, already long announced) weighs heavily on the outcome of "Blackfield IV".

Abundantly drenched in cascades of keyboards, the album is entirely composed and produced by Geffen. And it shows. The Israeli keyboardist maneuvers between "Coldplay-esque" echoes and lots and lots of sweetness. It seems that guitars are also present on the album, but the news has yet to be confirmed...

Fortunately, Wilson steps in occasionally, singing and playing in "Pills", probably the best episode, elevated by an unforgettable refrain and a kick-ass ending. The Porcupine Tree leader is also present in "Jupiter" (but the launch video is better than the piece). Perhaps to compensate for Wilson's absence, Geffen calls in valuable guests: but in "X-Ray", Cavanagh of Anathema grapples with a track that calling easy-listening is even an understatement. As for the guest appearances of Donahue (Mercury Rev) in the very short "The Only Fool Is Me" and Brett Anderson (Suede) in "Firefly", I guarantee they will not go down in history.

The rest, which oscillates between the decent and the absolutely dispensable, is sung by Geffen, and from "studio", at least, does not annoy. Live, however, he struggles a lot, but at most, we will address the issue next February when - it seems - Blackfield will come on tour in Italy.

In short, for the undersigned, an authentic disappointment, increased by the expectations following Wilson's excellent last solo work. But, if we want, the issue is precisely this: the hyper-active "porcupine", engaged in a thousand projects, withdraws here and only provides the (few) guitars and voice in two tracks. If he had put in a bit of heart as well, "Blackfield IV" would sound entirely different.