Short Reviews [Dave Bainbridge - 2025 - "On the Edge" (of What Could Be)]

I have been fortunate enough to have been listening to David's music for more than 30 years now, and if there was ever an album which brought together all his different threads into one glorious tapestry it is this. He has produced a double CD which is simply essential to anyone who has enjoyed his different takes on Celtic rock, his work with commercial progressive elements, as well as well as including jazz, modern classical and ambient soundscapes. His old Iona bandmate Troy Donockley (Nightwish, Auri, The Enid, Midge Ure, Maddy Prior etc) is back on Uilleann pipes and whistles, while his touring partner Sally Minnear again graces us with vocals, and indeed much of those involved also played on the excellent "To The Far Away". A musician of Dave's quality and experience always has plenty of friends to call upon, and here we find drum master Simon Phillips (Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Toto, The Who, Mike Oldfield, Protocol, Hiromi and many more), Iain Hornal (solo artist, Jeff Lynne's ELO, 10CC etc), Randy McStine (solo artist, Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree), Ebony Buckle (solo artist, Solstice), Jon Poole (Cardiacs, The Wildhearts, Lifesigns), David Fitzgerald (Iona co-founder), Frank van Essen (Iona, Martin Garrix, Within Temptation, Auri, Barbara Dickson etc), Rachel Walker (renowned singer of Scottish Gaelic folk music). While the four ex-Iona members may not have all been in that band at the same time, they all have a certain mindset and style which comes through on this album. In total there are seven vocalists on this album, and we get wonderful singing not only in English, but also in both Scottish and Irish Gaelic. This is one of those releases which is timeless in its style, demanding to be played only when the listener truly has time to do just that, preferably on headphones, being taken to that world where the person on the cover stands on the side of the hill gazing into the northern lights and wondering at the majesty of the world and how insignificant they feel. We get the southern lights down here, and I am always in awe when they appear, and that is what this album captures, that impression of being a tiny speck in the vast cosmos which is opening up and showing its wonderful and frightening beauty. The title cut contains incredibly powerful lyrics, commencing with 'I am here, I am here, read the note within the tome, a voice from the past breaking through into the now, to comfort those who mourn for the passing of our kin, by reaching through the veil to a spirit deep within'. Immediately we are taken into a story of import, layered arrangements allowing Troy to shine, bringing it all together, and then gradually more vocals come in and we get rising electric guitars taking over from the acoustic, while Lifesigns bandmate Jon Poole demonstrates his wonderfully eclectic bass playing, taking it upon himself to drive counter melodies which work so well with nuances and different tonal aspects. This album feels like a culmination of all Dave's work to date, and the more it is played the more there is to discover within what is a truly majestic and awe-inspiring release. Truly essential, this covers a great different musical areas, all wonderful and full of delight.