Blackfield V

Blackfield

Pink Floyd and the Moody Blues were/are two acts that, regardless of whether they were writing angry rock songs or emotional balladry, managed to drape everything in a delicious shroud of lush melancholy. While Blackfield has nowhere near achieved that level of multiplatinum success, the duo — the never-not-working Steven Wilson and Israeli pop hero Aviv Geffen — are masters of gorgeous sorrow. The first two Blackfield records are masterpieces. Wilson took a backseat on albums three and four to concentrate on his solo career, and his absence was significantly missed. But he’s returned for “Blackfield V,” and the decidedly equal partnership and its chemistry are back in delicate balance. With 13 tunes loosely tied to an oceanic theme — including the superb “Family of Man,” “Life is an Ocean,” “October,” “Undercover Heart,” “From 44 to 48” and “Salt Water” — “Blackfield V” is lovely, luxuriantly produced, wonderfully conceptualized and performed. A heartening and welcome return to form.