The progress of Britain during World War Two
is an unlikely topic as any for a musician who never had any first
hand experience of the world at war. However, 32 year old
Saunders has written a 77 minute epic that chronicles
the prelude of war, life on the home front through the battlefields
to final victory. Quite timely in view of this years VE and VJ
commemorations, but rather than deliver a barrage of ill-constructed
songs and second rate meandering, Saunders very
nearly beats Roger Waters at his own game by
producing an extremely mature work that celebrates the humour,
futility and pain of war in much the same way the film Hope
and Glory achieved this fine balance.
However, whilst Saunders conveys
an atmosphere of despair not dissimilar to The Final Cut,
it is difficult to distinguish, even though it has a weighty production,
whether or not there is enough conviction behind his sentiments.
A Promise of Peace, merely by its subject matter
and heavy concept, can leave you feeling it is merely a very clever
late period Floyd imitation that hasn't got the
guts Roger Waters puts into his work.
Reviewed by Glenn Povey.
