The album opens with a short instrumental piece called Opening Move, which will introduce the un-initiated to Rowen's guitar style. The big melodic bends he throws in immediately grab hold, and Perkins adds to this strident opening with a retro synth solo. There is something atmospheric, yet powerful, about the piece and it really helps to set the tone. Things then transition into My Shadow Walks Alone, the first true song here, which is driven by a crunchy guitar rhythm and Cassells' punchy drumming. Much of the album is quite atmospheric, with subtle guitar leads and textures, but this song feels like more of a hard rock statement. The guitars are never quite this 'in-your-face' again, and Box instantly shows how strong a vocalist she is with an understated, yet smooth vocal performance. This is clearly Rowen's album, and I think Box appreciates this by never really attempting to steal his spotlight, but her musical vocals really add to the overall presentation. As this is a guitarist's solo album however, there are unsurprisingly lots of little instrumental flourishes here and there. Leads cut through the mix every so often, and a melodic solo sees the man himself really shining. Following on is Feel Like Letting Go, which is driven by a big organ riff from MacDonald and some loose bluesy playing from Rowen. He co-wrote the song with fellow York-based musician Jimi Anderson who fronts his own AOR act. Unsurprisingly, the song has a bit of an overly melodic rock feel with a soaring stadium-filling chorus which sees Box really come into her own with a dynamic performance. Interestingly, Anderson recorded his own version of the song on his debut album Longtime Comin' which was released last year. The two songs only really share the chorus, so it is really interesting to see how two individuals have taken something which they have clearly created together and then each turned it into their own distinct song. As a big AOR fan, this song really resonates with me. It is easily the most instantly memorable song on the album, and the chorus has barely left my head for the past month! While it probably is not the best representative of the sound of the overall album, it is a great piece of pop rock that will never fail to make me smile! Up next is a version of the Breathing Space oldie On the Blue Horizon which appeared on the Coming Up for Air album back in 2007. This is a stripped-back acoustic version which sees Rowen's subtle acoustic plucking and Box's smokey vocal take what was an expansive rock ballad and turn it into something that you can imagine being sung around a campfire. I really like the song, and this stripped back version is a lovely listen, but I am not sure there was a real need to re-record it. I do miss the bigger arrangements of the original, but crucially the song still works in this new format.
The Reason Why is a bit more upbeat, with a stabbing keyboard rhythm and a fluid, groovy bassline from Teasdale. Despite my comments earlier about this clearly being a guitarist's solo album, Rowen seems to take a bit more of a backseat here. I have listened to a lot of guitarist-led projects over the years, and have sat through some of Yngwie Malmsteen's more self-indulgent recent works where it seems the art of songwriting has long been forgotten, so it is refreshing to see that this album puts quality songwriting above showboating. That said, Rowen still knows when to let rip and explodes into a stunning guitar solo about two thirds of the way through which really showcases his signature style. Time to Leave is somewhat similar, with a jaunty keyboard riff that sounds somewhat Toto-esque, but with more prominent guitar work. The keyboards dominate, but the slightly off-kilter guitar playing really adds to the overall sound. This is another song that really pushes the vocal melodies to the fore, with another infectious chorus. While I do not think that Box is the most diverse of vocalists, she really knows how to create an earworm! There is something instantly likeable about her vocals, and this bouncy chorus is a moment where she really shines. Up next is Lure of the Siren, which easily sees the album at its most progressive. The piece is over 10 minutes long and goes through many movements, opening with a strange vocal loop that soon gives way to a fairly simple acoustic guitar line. Guest vocals here are provided by Donna Maria Bottomley, who's fragile shimmering voice tackles the first two verses; while Box takes over once again when the song ramps up with a meaty guitar riff and a heavier tone. The two often trade vocals throughout the song, and the two singers' styles really compliment each other - giving the song a swirling, haunting quality. Bottomley's voice reminds me a little of former Leaves' Eyes singer Liv Kristine's tones, and in fact some of the more atmospheric pieces of the song remind me a little of that band's sound. The big guitar and synth solos throughout make the piece into a real prog epic, packed with lots of ideas to justify the song's length. Despite this, the song belongs to the two singers in my opinion, who really make the song as good as it is with their stunning performances. Carousel is a more stripped-backed piece, filled with keyboard work by Cottingham. Touchstone fans will know that Cottingham has a great sense of melody in his keyboard and piano work, and that is no different here with the song being based on a relatively simple but instantly memorable piano backing. This is a great backdrop for Box's vocals, while the rhythm section provide a sombre beat. Again, there is not much in the way of prominent guitar work here, instead Rowen lets Cottingham's work shine. There is even a synth solo from Perkins instead of the guitar solo, making this piece a real keyboardist's dream!
Trick of the Light is another melodic feast with a chorus to die for and a great guitar crunch that really drives everything. While this is not a 'heavy' rock album by any means, the occasions that Rowen does break into a somewhat tougher rhythm stand out as a result. It works really well to add some dynamics to the album, which is largely atmospheric in tone, and that really helps to keep things feeling diverse. Radiance is a fairly long album, at over an hour in length, so these subtle changes in tone really help it from getting stale. For me, this song is all about the chorus, with the gorgeous guitar melodies really bringing the best out of Box's vocals. Love is Like a Rock is probably the most truly guitar-driven piece here, with a tough bluesy riff that dominates the song. Despite there being quite a lot of guitar solos throughout the album, this is probably the song that really sees Rowen cutting the loose the most. There is a fairly lengthy instrumental break here that starts off with some tough lone guitar riffing that reminds a little of something you might hear on an early Led Zeppelin piece. This then transitions into a bluesy solo, before turning into something altogether more progressive with Perkins' keyboards joining the mix to allow the two of them to create a sonic tapestry of intricate melodies and soundscapes. As I said previously, this is an album characterised by tight songwriting - so it is nice to see Rowen letting his hair down a little here with an explosive burst of pure inspiration! The album comes to a close with the fairly understated Shine, which features some spoken extracts of W. Somerset Maugham's The Razor's Edge. With all of the big songs having already been and gone, Shine feels like a lovely little cool down piece with simple piano melodies, some last guitar flourishes, and Box's emotionally-charged vocal delivery. In some respects this feels more like an old Breathing Space piece, as the soaring, lengthy guitar solo really sounds like something that would have been found on Coming Up for Air. Fittingly, it is this guitar solo that closes out the album. While Box often feels like the focal point with her excellent vocal contributions, Rowen stamps his ownership on the album and the eleven songs here with this last guitar assault. The melodies pour out of the speakers with ease, and it brings the album to a soaring close. Overall, Radiance is a fantastic debut release from Rowen, who's hard work has more than paid off. Self-released efforts rarely sound this polished and the cast of supporting musicians have really helped him to realise his dream. Hopefully this will not be the last we see of him!
The self-released album was released on 1st September 2018. Below is Rowen's official promotional soundclip for Trick of the Light.
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