I first became aware of Texas musician Leon Alvarado in 2014 with the release of his third album Music From An Expanded Universe. Alvarado is back with a new album titled The Future Left Behind. Alvarado (keyboards, sequencing, drums, percussion, launch control voices) is joined by Billy Sherwood (lead and rhythm guitar) and a couple of other guests including Rick Wakeman who provides a Moog solo on one track.
I found the last album to be more in line with Alan Parsons while the latest is in the symphonic rock vein and very cinematic in nature which suits the album's concept. In a dystopian future the planet Earth has been ravaged by pollution and overpopulation. Those who are wealthy have a chance to leave the planet and live in the colonies; space cities in orbit around the Earth as well as on the moon and Mars. The others are left behind at their own peril. There are no lyrics but there is an album running narrative explaining the story by Canadian Steve Thamer who has a perfect voice for the role. There are a total of fourteen tracks, half of them short narratives and the other half full-fledged symphonic prog with electronic and spacy elements adding a little variety. Tracks like "Launch Overture" mix a massive amount of keyboards with staccato riffs adding meat on the bone and the spacy "Journey Into Space" are excellent. Fine use of keyboards highlight the symphonic "The Ones Left Behind" while the exquisitely played "Among the Stars" has a lush and dreamy atmosphere before the guitar takes on hints of fusion and the groove intensifies. The pretty "To Be Loved" is another highlight featuring fine acoustic guitar from Johnny Bruhns. The last track "The Star Seekers" has an electronic pulse that harkens back to The Alan Parsons Project.
I found The Future Left Behind to be a totally absorbing listen from the first note to the last. Hopefully the word will get out as Alvarado has made a thought provoking album that should appeal to many of our readers. Highly recommended.
Track Listing:
1. Preface (1:16)
2. Launch Overture (6:10)
3. A Voyage… (0:49)
4. Journey Into Space (2:39)
5. Weightless (2:24)
6. Hard Choices (0:50)
7. The Ones Left Behind (6:14)
8. Life In The Outside (0:55)
9. Among The Stars (6:06)
10. Much Ado About… (0:36)
11. In Our Quiet Orbit (6:36)
12. To Be Loved (2:43)
13. A Silver Lining (0:39)
14. The Star Seekers (3:28)
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I first became aware of Texas musician Leon Alvarado in 2014 with the release of his third album Music From An Expanded Universe. Alvarado is back with a new album titled The Future Left Behind. Alvarado (keyboards, sequencing, drums, percussion, launch control voices) is joined by Billy Sherwood (lead and rhythm guitar) and a couple of other guests including Rick Wakeman who provides a Moog solo on one track.
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