Third time's a charm for Craig Padilla (keyboard, synths, electronic, programming) and Marvin Allen (guitars) for their aptly titled 'Weathering The Storm' collaboration, which expands upon the duo's previous collaborations on the Spotted Peccary label. While the tendency to slip into a comfortable formula might seem all too tempting, Padilla and Allen still manage to create an interesting, varied work that doesn't sound like a carbon copy of their previous efforts. They throw down the gauntlet with "The Prodigal Sun," the opener and longest track on the album (18:55) with burbling analog electronics, soaring krautrock space guitar and Tangerine Dream style sequencers that build and multiply. Holy smoke! Is this reminiscent of the best '70s space rock or what? I could have listened to a whole album of this stuff, but the guys have other ideas.

After that much intensity, you might want to chill for a bit, and "A Matter of Time (part 1)" will help you do that. Obviously transitional, Marvin tones down his guitar a lot, but his superb playing still shines through. It's more atmosphere than anything else, but still melodic, serving as the intro to "Aquatic." It's plenty liquidy, and reminds me just a little bit of Edgar Froese's 'Aqua' album. This is a very mellow piece until the end, where it seems like the flood is bearing down. "Sunflowers in the Wind" begins with just guitar and electronic atmospherics but builds into something really special when Marvin overlays melodic lead lines. Craig's synth arpeggiation toward the end adds a nice touch. The title track is the second longest on the album (10:12) and maybe the most psychedelic, largely due to Marvin's echo-treated slide guitar. (Always loved that sound.) Great stuff!

"A Matter of Time (part 2)" is yet another brief transitional track leading into "Onwards and Upwards," a track of seemingly endless ascension until you hit the plateau where the view from the vista is all-encompassing. Here the guys work in tandem to reach their music summit, and of course, they do. Final track, "Liquid Heave (part 2)" is a continuation of the last track on their first collaboration, 'Toward The Horizon,' which, while reminiscent of it, is more fully realized than Part 1. 'Weathering The Storm' is an absolutely timely concept not only in terms of the actual weather (climate change, tornadoes, floods, etc.) but also the socio-political climate as well. Although Padilla and Allen have really hit their stride on this album, I think they've only hinted of what they're capable of. Definitely recommended.