I am a huge fan of John Mitchell, the man behind Lonely Robot. I am glad he does all of these projects outside of Arena. What projects? Lonely Robot is one but also he’s had supergroup Kino and the resurrected It Bites. Each benefit from Mitchell’s immense talent. The songwriting is always TOP notch. He’s a great guitarist for sure, but I really love his distinctive vocal style. “A Model Life” is the fifth Lonely Robot album and possibly the best so far.

Lonely Robot was initially conceived as a musical trilogy but InsideOut pushed for more. And I am glad they did. From the opener “Recalibrating” which has a bit of It Bites pop to it to the interesting “Digital God Machine” that has odd verses coupled with a big chorus. Mitchell can really write a chorus! He really writes great melodies, honestly some of the best in music today. Yes all music. I said it!

The big ballad is something Mitchell is a MASTER of. “Starlit Stardust” fits that mold and it’s one of the best songs his written. It sits nicely along side songs like “Crystalline” or “In Floral Green.” Just a great song. The sheer insanity of “The Island Of Misfit Toys” proves that he is willing to push his sound while never losing the plot. Another favorite of mine is the title track. Power, melody and great lyrics. I love the early 80s Genesis style of the arrangement too.

It’s hard for me to even come up with new ways to express just how strong this album is musically. Even the short “Mandalay” is essential and not filler! “In Memoriam” closes the album in style. It’s stark and fragile musically but once again those fucking vocals CUT through it all. Brilliant way to finish it. “A Model Life” is John Mitchell taking Lonely Robot to the next level. I actually didn’t think that was possible but he did it. An album like this is essential for anyone who loves melodic modern prog.

Rating: 9.5/10

Tracklist:
1. Recalibrating
2. Digital God Machine
3. Species in Transition
4. Starlit Stardust
5. The Island of Misfit Toys
6. A Model Life
7. Mandalay
8. Rain Kings
9. Duty of Care
10. In Memoriam

Label: Inside Out Music
Release Date: 26 August 2022