CD REVIEW: William Shatner – Ponder The Mystery

Shane | 2 January 2014

CD REVIEW: William Shatner – Ponder The Mystery
Cleopatra Records
8 October 2013
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
6.5/10

William Shatner – Star Trek’s Captain James T Kirk – has created a prog rock concept album with the help of Yes’s Billy Sherwood, together assembling an impressive cast of musicians to pitch in on the project.

Shatner is no stranger to the recording studio, having released The Transformed Man way back in 1968, though his interpretation of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds from that album is considered more of a laughing stock than a minor druggy classic.

Having collaborated with the likes of Zakk Wylde on 2011’s Seeking Major Tom album, this time round he enlists the help of Steve Vai’s stunt guitar, Mick Jones, Al Di Meala, Doors guitarist Robby Krieger, Edgar Winter and prog legend Rick Wakeman, who all contribute suitably classy performances for Shatner to speak, rather than sing, over.

He’s been quoted as saying he approaches a song like an actor, rather than a singer, and this – as with all of his previous albums – will not be for everyone’s tastes… but it’s actually not all that bad! It’s also his most personal album to date, being the first for which he has written lyrics himself.

If anyone can pull off a latterday prog rock concept album it’s the Captain of the starship Enterprise, and if you can overlook the slightly preposterousness and pretention of it all, you just might find yourself liking it too.

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