Short Reviews [Alta Forma - 2025 - "Trajectory"]

This is the second album I have heard from London-based Canadian Antoine Fafard this year, the other being ‘Quadra Spherium’ which was released under his own name, while here we have Alta Forma back with their second album, following on from 2022’s ‘Spatium & Tempus’ which has the same line-up of Antoine (bass, guitar) joined by JK Harrison (vocals, keyboards) and drummer Todd Sucherman. I have been aware of Antoine for years, initially through the band Space Out, while JK is a Grammy winner and Emmy and Golden Globe nominee who was longtime keyboard player with Brian Wilson, and Todd is best-known for being drummer with Styx for the last 30 years. Quite a line-up, but none of that matters if the music doesn’t stand up to the promise, but here there is no problem whatsoever as this is a crossover commercial progressive rock release which is a delight from beginning to end. Musically this does have a grounding in jazz, but one can tell that JK and Todd have been playing together for decades as they link in tight, providing both a rock and pop sandwich to the jazz noodlings on the guitar, which is heavy on fusion, and then over the top we have JK’s smooth vocals. He has a wonderful tone and range, and the often long-held notes are quite the contrast to what is often a jagged arrangement, yet instead of the two styles clashing they come together in perfect harmony, meaning it is never too sweet yet also never too sharp. This results in an album which is compelling and somewhat challenging yet also commercial and quite American AOR at times. The more this is listened to properly the more one realises there is a great deal going on, both with the music and the lyrics which can be quite thought provoking, and the result is a modern release which is always interesting, and quite different from much of the prog scene as it is both lightweight and heavyweight at the same time, with deft touches here and there which continue to make it fascinating. I have yet to come across the debut, but if it is like this then I need to do some digging as this is very enjoyable indeed.