The Emerald Dawn are back with their 4th major album release. The new album, To Touch the Sky, was released March 20th, 2021.
The Emerald Dawn was originally formed in Edinburgh, Scotland; from band members: Tree Stewart on keyboards, piano, flute, acoustic guitar, and vocals; Ally Carter on electric and acoustic guitars, tenor and soprano saxophones, keyboards, and vocals; David Greenaway on fretless and fretted bass guitars; and Tom Jackson on drums.
The band has a discography of 4 studio albums, full of the long epic, progressive rock songs, I love. “The Emerald Dawn paints images or tells stories that stimulate the imagination and takes the listener on unforgettable musical journeys”. Yes indeed!
On to Touch the Sky, they complete the journey through three massive progressive songs, full of immense keyboards and atmospherics. It is perfectly riffed with electric and acoustic guitar, pounding bass, and solid drumming.
Every song is a long symphony of thought – provoking, and stirring music. There are not a lot of lyrics or vocals, but what they use is very impressive and emotional.
The opener, “The Awakening”, the shortest of the tracks at 11:15 minutes, is full of soft piano played with the support of excellent drums, heavy bass, mixed well with stellar lead guitar and some of the year’s best keyboards and synths. Simply amazing. Yes, it does sound like an awakening. Tree Stewart sings “While all are sleeping and none is stirring, the silence of the night. While some are dreaming, none has woken, soon will be the dawn. Now one awakens, his eyes are open, soon will come the light”. An adventurous journey of keys, guitars, and drums ensues, with a rhythm you might associate with waves.
“And I Stood Transfixed”, sounds like a greatest hits of Pink Floyd collection. It opens with a heartbeat, like Dark Side, and then warm, soft 12 string guitar brings back memories of Wishing You Were Here. Followed closely by the powerful keyboards and electric guitar you may remember from Animals. Soft drums and bass help fill out the soundscape. Soprano saxophone joins in, and you have the three best albums Pink Floyd made during the 1970s. Later, Tree Stewart sings, “And I stood transfixed. And I stood transfixed. And I stood, ah. And I stood, ah, transfixed”. Yes, I did too when I first heard PF’s Dark Side, Wishing, and Animals. Although this is beautiful, especially the added flute, it is not Pink Floyd. It is original and more peaceful and ethereal.
“The Ascent”, is the longest track at over 22:17 minutes, opening with beautiful piano and keys. Tree Stewart, plays flute, as more of that wonderfully overwhelming keyboards and synths sound washes over you. Tree Stewart sings, “To stand before it, in all its glory, to see its beauty above the clouds, Will we make it? To find a bold path, that takes us higher, far above vast and misty shrouds, to face its cold wrath with inner fire, and then at last to touch the sky”. Yes, live life to its fullest, no matter the costs. A wonderful theme. Tree Stewart concludes, ”It was our duty to touch the sky”.
This is a wonderful, dream epic and ethereal journey to touch the sky and live life to its fullest. Put on your headphones and take the journey with the Emerald Dawn, and touch the sky.
The album was engineered, produced and mixed by Ally Carter at Dragon Studio, World’s End, West Penwith. Cornwall. To Touch the Sky is wonderfully illustrated with inside and outside cover paintings by Tree Stewart © 2021 Katrina Jane Stewart.
Track List:
1. The Awakening (11:15)
2. And I Stood Transfixed (15:07)
3. The Ascent (22:17)
https://theemeralddawn.bandcamp.com/album/to-touch-the-sky
https://www.facebook.com/TheEmeraldDawn
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtryA78xED0mHw6mXhZLYJA