Sherwood, Billy: Divided By One

Billy Sherwood has certainly had a busy year. Besides joining Yes and the unenviable task of replacing Chris Squire on their latest tour, he has released a number of albums in recent months; The Citizen, The Collection and 2014's Divided By One, originally made available as a download only. Apparently the people have spoken, you know the saying 'ask and you shall receive'. One thing about Sherwood, he always has the fan's best interests at heart.

I have been digging into this one for a while now and I can safely say if you like Sherwood's music in the past this one should also do the trick. Conversely, Divided By One will not likely gain any new fans either. His melodic approach to songwriting is stamped all over the disc as catchy melodies abound and unlike The Citizen he plays everything himself. A true solo album in every sense of the word. It was also recorded, mixed and produced by Sherwood. Say what you will, the man certainly has talent.

The overall mood of the album is uplifting, definitely showcased in the first track "On Impact". Upbeat string synths inundate the sound, as well as Sherwood's melodic bass and vocals. As is so often the case his voice is heavily layered which may be good or bad depending on your taste. I personally don't have a problem with it and I have always liked his subtle Gabriel inflection. For a more psychedelic pop approach "The Scene Comes Alive" is a nice tune with an atmospheric blending of guitar and keys while "No Stone Unturned" offers a little more crunch in the guitar department and a faster tempo. "Between Us" is a moody ballad with more psychedelic undertones taking us to the undeniably catchy title track where Sherwood channels his poppier side.

The most progressive track is the album ending "End Of An Era" where the changes and tempos are trickier and the sound is slightly more complex while still retaining his patented melodic approach.

Whether you like him or not Sherwood remains a highly prolific figure in the world of progressive music and I for one applaud him for his hard work and dedication. For Sherwood fans Divided By One earns an excellent four stars.

Track Listing:
1. On Impact
2. The Scene Comes Alive
3. No Stone Unturned
4. Between Us
5. Divided By One
6. Sequence Of Events
7. Sphere Of Influence
8. Here For You
9. Constellation Codex
10. End Of An Era

Added: February 24th 2016
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist's Official Site
Hits: 1603
Language: english

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