To Follow Polaris is the thirteenth album released by The Tangent, and two years since the hugely impressive Songs From The Hard Shoulder, this one having the notable feature of being played in its entirety by guiding light and founding member, Andy Tillison, and I read somewhere that he had never played bass guitar before. Now, given that in Jonas Reingold he has one of the finest exponents of this instrument of all rock music history, this was a brave move, and as we shall make clear in this review, it has more than paid off. The album has been recorded with the full blessing of his band colleagues and does not signify a change in the longer-term Tangent policy.
There are six tracks, which includes a radio edit of the opening track and an hour of the type of quality music we have always associated with The Tangent. It is a joy to listen to. Most of us mortals struggle with just the one instrument. The Tangent website for this album lists twelve different keyboard hardware alone. Staggering, really.
So, The North Sky opens at a nice eleven-minute epic length for us, Polaris, of course, being the pole star pointing the way to geographic north, a lode star used by humans for navigation purposes way before we ever thought ourselves dastardly clever sods by inventing things like iPads and watches, the constant in an ever changing and dangerous world. This is a bright and breezy song, full of hope that Tillison will find everything he is looking for. The trademark quality keyboards swirl and create a sonic landscape, which is quite dirty in a Trespass sort of way in patches, the guitar riffs are bright, heavy in parts, the bass thuds and leads a rhythm undercurrent with some very impressive sticks, and when just short of eight minutes in Tillison gives us the most delicious melodious bass melody, you simply cave in to the whole experience. I like the conviction in the vocals, and this is such a positive song to these ears.
A Like in the Darkness follows and is a more thoughtful and introspective affair, with woodwind produced on a Roland wind controller providing for a gorgeous passage with an acoustic guitar lifting matters to the vocal telling us that so much is going on in this desperately worrying world of ours, but most mortals are reduced to simply seeking “likes” in the midst of war, climate change, poverty & etc., Tillison doing what he does best, an exposition of life as it is. The final couple of minutes are introduced with a frenetic explosion of noise – take a listen to this embedded below.
The Fine Line begins with the loveliest pastoral scene, organ, guitar, and light percussion recalling a perfect English spring afternoon. The bass melody on this is something the master himself would be extremely pleased with in a nice track. I especially like the keyboards Tillison produces with “the fine line” lyrics themselves before we get a sultry guitar riff. The song itself seems to be a commentary on the lies we are fed by the media masquerading as truth, there being a fine line between truth and obfuscation.
The uber-epic on this album is The Anachronism, which is something old fashioned belonging to a period other than that in which it exists. Given that we are in a general election here in the UK, think Jacob Rees-Mogg, and you will be somewhere near to the meaning of the word, although, of course, other beatifically more explicit words are available! How does it feel to go to sleep with Putin on your mind, as millions of our fellow humans do? The opening spoken word talks about a world in which we are born seemingly perennially on the verge of collapse, and knowingly referencing the understandable anxiety so prevalent in modern society. Musically, this is a fascinating mix, veering from heavy post rock, to swing, to genteel barroom jazz, around some symphonic rock skirting along with darker electronica, pastoral music in the vein of BBT, and a bass lead riff bringing Squire himself to mind whilst following the North Star, so a fascinating mix of styles and moods, but consistently bloody wonderful, exceptionally played and produced and never once losing the listener’s interest. A nation divided? Well, yes, but not intelligent rock aficionados’ listening to this track. I have embedded it below for those of you who have not yet heard it. Get a coffee, biscuits, listen to a genius at work, and take yourselves along to either https://www.thetangent.org/ or https://insideoutmusic.bandcamp.com/album/to-follow-polaris and treat yourselves. Progressive rock at its very best.
The Single finishes the original music on the album in a bright and breezy manner with its time capsule bringing to life moments of the past and should really be something big on chart radio. That it won’t be is more a commentary on modern sensibilities than the quality of the music here, featuring some wonderful Hammond work, swirling keys, very clever drum sounds, throbbing bass, and simply a track that brings a smile to the face, racing along at a breakneck speed as it does.
To close, I have embedded the radio edit of the opening track for you to enjoy.
This album is a joy. It is the sound of an artist who refuses to stand still, constantly challenging not only himself, but also us as fans and listeners, providing for deeply held views on the state of the world and humanity, but measured against the constant of that polar star. It is pretty much an essential album and cannot possibly be recommended too highly.
A last word – we are living in a period of quality music unprecedented in my opinion, and The Tangent are an important part of this.