When an album features Al Di Meola, Trevor Rabin, Vernon Reid, Joe Satriani, and Marty Friedman you know it’s going to be a corker. To make this reviewer squeeze with joy is that Outlanders is actually Tarja Turunen. Tarja is accompanied by Torsten Stenzel.
Outlanders (earMUSIC) isn’t a casual listening album. It isn’t for driving or partying. It’s a cerebral, must set the right ambiance, multi-layered tome. Dare I say, Outlanders is an album for musicians and audiophiles. Yes, there is an element of snobbery here. But it’s well earned.
The cover of ‘World in My Eyes’ featuring Vernon Reid is haunting and ethereal. The guitar is distorted, which adds another layer of unease. ‘The Sleeping Indian’ is this Funk, Industrial, Spoken Word/Rap, heady, walking thru sheer curtains in blue light composition. Having Joe Satriani on guitar adds a sultriness to the track.
‘Land of Sea and Sun’ featuring Marty Friedman is an updated version of yacht rock. It’s fresh, full of sea spray, and sounds like being on a sailboat in the open waters. ‘We Own This Sky’ and ‘Never Too Far’ stray into Enya territory. The songs are beautifully crafted. The listener gets lost in a dense forest of emotion, colour, and movement. The songs are light, easy on the ears, and fully enveloping.
Overall, Tarja and her wonderful guest artists weave a wonderous world full of fantasy. The compositions are intriguing and complex, yet one wonders aimlessly from one song to the next. You can stop to smell the roses, so to speak. Outlanders brings a sense of contentment to the listener as the album is full of grace and repose.
Buy the album here:
9 / 10
VICTORIA ANDERSON