A stunning, and staggering, piece of modern progressive rock, this album from German band Sylvan deals with the almost impossibly sad subject of a review by a father of his dead daughter's diary - she killed herself.
Throughout, much in the way that Marillion's Brave did, the narrative is relentless and tells a huge story, but in a sensitive and understanding manner.
The vocals by Marco Gluhmann are exceptional throughout, and his bandmates create a wonderful musical pastiche which, to these ears, is extremely original.
There are some very heavy phases, but, in the main, the album is filled with huge melodies.
I regard this album as being essential in terms of a wonderful modern band pointing the way forward for the future of the genre. Taking their influences from, but certainly not copying, the classic bands, and wrapping it all in an album which can be listened to by a whole new generation perhaps sympathetic with the extremely sad story told.
Very highly recommended to all reading this review.
The Flower Kings – Paradox Hotel
To 2006, and another double album from The Flower Kings. This album, probably more than most of the others, is the reason why I have taken so long to review the band's output since buying all their works. It takes a long time to not only appreciate, but also to be able to make an objective review.
The first thing to say is that it is a wholly symphonic album, and if you detest that, there will be nothing here for you to change your mind. For those of us who love the sub-genre, it is a real treat. Rather than attempt track by track, I will list my highlights from this ambitious work.
As ever, the album is marked by the epic tracks it contains. The first is Monsters & Men, clocking in at over 21 minutes long. This takes a great deal of listening to, and patience is hugely rewarded. There are some sublime melodic moments, interspersed with at times incredibly quiet piano, vocals, and then heavier passages. When Stolt begins his vocal contribution, I swear he has never sounded better. I love the way that the climax builds down rather than up.
Jealousy is a beautiful ballad, where Stolt's vocals & Bodin's gentle piano complement each other perfectly.
Hit Me With A Hit is an uplifting, fast tempo treat, which I believe was released as a single.
Pioneers of Aviation is one of my favourite instrumentals of all time, not just by this band. Organ has very rarely sounded better in creating a thorough wall of sound, and combined with swirling synths and tasteful guitar, these combine to produce a great opening, which then morph into an altogether trippier feel, before developing into a pure rock out. The organ solo at the end is sublime. There is no greater compliment than to describe it as Wakeman-esque.
Selfconsuming Fire has a lovely acoustic guitar to open, and there are some sensitive and fragile vocals to follow, with mellotron backing to good effect.
End On A High Note is the second track of the album over 10 minutes long, and ends CD1 in exactly the way that the song title suggests. It is an incredibly catchy song and makes me really wish that record stations & producers entertained the thought of 10 minute singles - if this were the case, this one would be a smash hit! If you are not tapping your feet and feeling incredibly happy at this one, you are no longer alive - simple as.
Minor Giant Steps opens CD2, and this one weighs in at just over 12 minutes long. This one, again, I find very uplifting, with some fantastic guitar work especially, fun synths, great vocal harmonies, and bass lines by Reingold just to remind us all just how good he is.
Man of the World is another great catchy shorter song, at just under six minutes. This one is definitely led by Reingold's bass guitar pounding away and is at turns amusing and uplifting.
Life Will Kill You first attracted me really because of its poignant, and ultimately true, title. This is a heavy song, very much in the mode of classic 70's heavy rock, albeit with some strange sounding vocal effects in tow.
The Way The Waters Are Moving returns us to the very simple, and very effective, combination of piano & Stolt's vocals. A lovely, moving piece of music.
What If God Is Alone has the most incredibly moving opening section, with the band seeming to yearn for the answers to the ultimate questions and dialogue they pose with this entire concept of life's cycle - thankfully, when the lyrics/vocals arrive, they don't spoil this at all. Some of the finest seven minutes of prog you will ever listen to, the ending guitar solo is to die for.
Blue Planet at just under 10 minutes closes the album in quite some style, with lyrics in the form of a commentary which reminds me a little bit of Waters alien in Amused To Death talking about the planet in the past tense, but perhaps not so scathing or bitter as that opus. The music itself brings together nicely all the strands previously evident in the work.
As with most TFK double albums, there are undoubtedly fillers, which do distract somewhat from the excellence of all else, including, I am afraid, for me, the title track, which strikes me as being an unnecessary harder track.
Very highly recommended to all who love that grandeur and supreme musicianship in their symphonic prog.
Strange is a 2006 release by Julian Julien, a French artist. Julian contacted a little while ago asking me to review this album, something which came as a bit of a surprise to me (a pleasant surprise, but a surprise, nonetheless), given that out of the numerous reviews I have written, not one has fallen into the Rio/Avant Prog category. I am known for a few things, but my knowledge of this sub-genre is not amongst them.
So, given this, how would I take to it? Well, I am pleased to say that my reaction to this album is one of distinct pleasure. It is very good, with a wide range of sounds, excellent musicianship, and a delightful eccentricity that delights the more you listen.
The album also manages that rather difficult feat for a work almost devoid of any lyrics by transporting the listener to the place where the song intends. As no finer example, I cite the marvellous Cirque. Julian's keyboard work is exemplary on this, and you see before you the animals rushing around the ring, and the trapeze artists swirling. He saves his best keyboard work until last, though, on the superb untitled/bonus track on the CD, where, at the denouement, his organ playing is a joy.
There are some very talented musicians appearing here as well. I love the violins of Andre Jarca & Koo Young-Euu (they shine on Charlotte, a joyous track which I interpret as a homage to a loved one), Garik Heorhi-Anishchanka plays some lovely cello, the sitar of Michel Guay adds a very welcome World Music feel to proceedings, Djamel Laroussi is a good guitarist & bassist, the tabla of Apurbo Mukherjee adds a vibrancy to What's Democratie? in particular, and in Karim Toure we have a world class percussionist.
The voices and the whole mid Asian feel to What's Democratie? more than adequately convey the question the author is seeking to answer, although I suspect that it is as much beyond him as the rest of us.
My personal favourite on the album is the five and a quarter minute long Cosmos, a journey which has at its heart a vibrant piano, together with upbeat drums and effects, and mournful strings combining to create its own space to allow the mind to picture its trek. I'm sure that Julian would not mind me stating that this is the one track that comes closest to the type of eclectic symphonia that bands such as King Crimson made so well in the heyday of the early 1970's.
The longest track on the album is the seven-minute title track, Strange. Laroussi's guitar work is a joy here, and the whole track has the feel of a band effort, rather than a mere solo artist with backing. It is a smorgasbord of avant experimentation and ethnic interpretation, so strange indeed, but all rather enjoyable. The bassline and piano lead holding it all together are fantastic.
Other highlights include the beautiful sound of Tinananana, full of Eastern promise, some wonderful sampling effects and keyboard work on the warm Sophie, and the soulful and melancholic Nocturne Indien, which I understand to be based upon a French film of the same name. The strings and sampling on this are an absolute delight, and it never once loses the attention of the listener.
So, my first foray into the world of Rio/Avant, and what I will say is that for fans of this music, this album comes very highly recommended. However, perhaps more to the point, for those of you who very rarely dare to move out of the symphonic world of prog, this one might well tempt you to explore a little bit more daringly. It certainly will with me. I also think that those of you who enjoy releases by labels such as Real World will find much to enjoy here.
It is not a masterpiece, by any means, but what it is, is a very intelligent piece of work, and one that, to my great surprise, only caught my attention wandering with noodling on a couple of occasions.
DECEMBERISTS - THE CRANE WIFE
I bought this one on the back of Hazards of Love, one of the finest LP's I have purchased in recent months. I am very glad that I did, for whilst I do not think that it cries out "classic" and "essential" in the same manner as its successor, this is still a mighty fine piece of contemporary American folk prog, and in the context of what followed, a clear and unmistakable marker as to the heights to which the band were aspiring.
The story of the album itself is based upon an old Japanese folk tale, and if you research band leader Colin Meloy's interviews on the subject, you will find a fascinating read.
This album is a pure folk fan's joy. That American folk is infused with prog sensibilities, and combined, it creates a marvellous story, sound scape, and some quite exceptional playing from a group of very talented musicians. For no better example of how to create an acoustic, modern folk pastiche, look no further than the epic track The Island.
Then, if you prefer a jauntier ride, with magnificent female vocals mixed with the main Meloy story, listen to what follows, Yankee Bayonet.
At the heart of everything, though, as with Hazards Of Love, is the spellbinding storytelling. I don't think that Colin Meloy would ever win any major awards for his vocals. However, saying that, his style and ability to tell his stories are nothing less than ideally suited to the works he has written and performed.
It is an excellent addition to any prog rock collection.