German titans return with a cracker.
There are some bands for whom the phrase "the best album since" usually represents something of a kiss of death. The need of some critics and fans to relive a classic moment means that the later releases somehow never really hit the mark, simply because they are lost in comparison. The best example I can think of is AC/DC, who have been cursed with the "best since Back In Black" for every album over the last twenty years, or so.
This is the danger inherent for Sylvan, the hugely talented German outfit, for Posthumous Silence from 2006 is such a titan of an album, such a work of genius that, quite honestly, it really is impossible to think that they could ever scale such heights again. Thus, Presets & Force Of Gravity, both excellent albums in their own right, suffered a tad in comparison with that marvellous album.
And so to 2012, and Sylvan bring us a massive 90 minute slab of music in Sceneries. Unlike its famous predecessor, this is not a concept album, per se, but, rather, five individual pieces of music and musings each individually inspired by the five band members personal experiences or thoughts. At this point, I would point out that the lyrics are available as a free download on the band's website, and well worth it it is too.
I don't like it a great deal when a band spells out for me exactly what the lyrics mean. I like to place my own interpretation on what the lyrics might mean, and, more importantly, what they mean to me as an individual and as someone who has always tried to relate his most important music to personal experiences in life. Thankfully, in the interviews I have seen, the band have left it to the individual, to the extent that I still do not know which band member inspired which movement. Thus, what follows is my personal take on these lyrics.
The Fountain of Glow is, to me, an expression of love conquering all of the nasty, selfish, and greedy tendencies that abound in the world, and that love will, eventually conquer all. Sentiments that would lie well, I think, with Jon Anderson fans, and whilst the lyrics do not contain his "other world" expressions (some would regard that as a good thing), they are, to me, suitably poetical.
The second movement is Share The World With Me, a beautiful paeon to a lost friend (a very close friend) whilst exploring the incredible power and beauty that the planet has to offer, as experienced during a particularly intense walk.
The Words You Hide tells me of a story that is timeless in rock music, that of anger at the words spoken at a loved one, whilst then endlessly regretting the words never spoken, the latter, of course, being the ones you truly wished to speak.
Chapter Four is The Waters I Travelled, a rather nightmarish dreamscape portraying the power of the ocean, and its power to consume.
Lastly, we have Farewell To Old Friends, which, to me, are quite the most inspirational lyrics as a dedication to war, and the feelings it can bring, I have seen since Roger Waters at his peak. This is the story of how an old war veteran could inspire and bring hope to a younger man, in spite of all the horrors witnessed, and how, as a race, the light and a better way are there for us, if only we could take the chance. It is, in essence, a celebration of life itself.
There we go. Those are the musings of this particular reviewer. At this stage, most readers are probably thinking, "all very well, pal, but what about the bloody music?". Words, really, almost fail me. I cannot think of an album since Oldfield's Tubular Bells I & II where a piano, the simple piano, has been at the heart of all around it. And from such delicate keys, this band have woven a work which is just about as powerful and emotional as it is possible for an album to get.
Fans of Marco Gluhmann's ability to soar and drip the entire room with layers of emotion, in both his delicate, quiet, moments and his powerful cries (which put Ronnie James Dio at his loudest to shame) will not certainly not be disappointed. This is just about the most emotional and incredible vocal performance I have heard since, well.....Posthumous Silence. The conclusion of Share The World With Me, especially, simply has to be experienced in a very dark room, with the speakers turned up to the maximum, because this man's vocals, backed by the most incredible guitar work, combined with a wall of sound, are really quite astounding, and send shivers running down one's back.
Talking of a wall of sound, I think I have said before of the band that the only act I can compare them with in terms of being able to simply fill a large space with pure sound (and this includes the numerous passages where we have merely piano and vocals) is Genesis in their pomp. You know, albums such as Wind & Wuthering, where the feel and sound of the work was as important as the songs themselves. The only other modern act I can think of that come anywhere near are Pendragon in their finest moments (and fans of that great band will find much to love here).
This album veers from delicate, to downright heavy, with passages of the most incredible symphonic power that it is somewhat difficult to believe that it was created by five blokes, rather than a full orchestra.
So to conclude. It is with utter certainty that I say that this album is Sylvan's finest since the remarkable Posthumous Silence (there, I said it!). Not only that, though, this is an album which simply has to be experienced in its own right and is such a powerful emotional experience that it leaves the listener incredulous and breathless, emotionally drained, at its conclusion.
This is the sound of progressive rock in 2012, and delightful it is, too. Whilst its length will preclude you having it on every single day (unless you have a lot of spare time), it is one that you will return to time and time again, and one which demands to be listened to as a whole.
If you buy no other album in 2012, make sure it is this one. I can describe it as no less than an utter masterpiece. An incredible performance by an incredible band.
IO EARTH - MOMENTS
Looking back at this review, I think it is fair to say that this album represented the height of this outfit’s power for me, and they never got close to it again.
IO Earth's self-titled debut was a massive highlight of 2009, a sprawling epic of a work which gave the project founded by Dave Cureton & Adam Gough an excellent start to what I hope will be a long and fruitful recording career. Now, three years later, we have the "difficult" second album, one I have been looking forward to as a highlight of the year.
Has it delivered? Yes, in spades. This is the sound of an outfit (and it is very much an outfit, rather than a duo with guests) at the absolute top of their game. I would also state that in Claire Malin, who is utilised to more effect on this album than the debut, they have found a singer whose voice is to absolutely to die for. Just listen to her stunning performance on Live Your Life Part 1 for evidence. A simply incredible performance backed by the most delicate piano and guitar you can imagine in a record.
It is clear to me that the plaudits rained upon IO Earth by the prog community worldwide are fully deserved, and it is equally clear that regular touring and taking their time to push out this second LP have paid dividends.
Whereas the first album was a huge concept, the band have on this work, managed that difficult feat of putting together a set of themes, without true "concept", that run together to create a work that demands and deserves to be heard as a whole. If you are looking for influences, then I would cite Led Zeppelin, Steve Vai (very much present in much of the guitar lead work), more than a touch of Mostly Autumn (fans of that great band will find much to admire here, from all parts of their career), and a very healthy dose of Middle Eastern music (the title track, especially, has a strong flavour of this), together with the same symphonic wall that made the first album such a treat.
Not only this, but they have also created a work which is instantly and lastingly accessible. The Live Your Life segment is in two parts, and moves from the aforementioned pastoral opening piece, to an expansive and, at turns, symphonic & classic rock piece. This is quite possibly the finest thirteen minutes of diverse and full sounding rock you will listen to all year.
On Drifting, we have Gregorian chants introducing us to the main segment (I did say there were many influences!) which is deeply moving with a very catchy beat and features an incredible trumpet solo all combining to create an almost ethereal feel to proceedings. Cinta Indah initially carries forward this mood, before becoming quite the most powerful symphonic rock piece, full of swirling keyboards, ethnic voices, and riffing guitars and rhythm section telling us the story of a beautiful, and lost, love. Quite incredible, and I can think of no better person that Malin to tell us the story.
Brothers is a wonderful mean and moody instrumental piece (the only one on the album) and is equally powerful with a heady mix of symphonic effects, flute, and saxophone (which swirls and screams to powerful effect), together with a massive performance by drummer Richard Cureton. This is followed by Come Find Love, which sees the return of our Monkish friends, accompanied by a repetitive one line vocal drenched in a trancey beat that puts me of mind instantly of more than a couple of happy nights spent in dance tent's after imbibing a bit too much. It will not be to everyone's tastes, for sure, but fans of high quality trance music will love this.
The final two tracks, Finest Hour and Turn Away (the latter being the only "true" epic on the album, clocking in at over eleven minutes long) feature the voice of (arguably) Great Britain's finest leader, Winston Churchill. What is beyond all doubt is that it is easily the said man's finest hour on a rock album since appearing on Supertramp's Even In The Quietest Moments. Turn Away contains more of the Orbital & Ozric trance influences used to such good effect on Come Find Love, before developing into a more traditional classic rock and expansive track, pulsating, and never less than thoroughly engaging. Turn Away is a fine way to close, a track with complex layers and decidedly dark, almost funereal, in tone. You need a few listens to enjoy the contrast between the male monologue and Claire Malin's more familiar tones, but it is worth taking the time to do so, for the vocals are backed by some incredible instrumentation, piano, string effects, synths, and others creating a wall of sound that we knew they could effect so well on the debut.
This is a superb album. It is dark in places, certainly thoughtful, intelligent (the final tracks evocative interpretation of a Britain battered by war and led by Churchill is especially well done), very well performed and produced, and the whole is never anything less than hugely accessible and a joy from start to finish. It takes many listens and is a work in which the discerning prog fan will find something new on each listen, I suspect, for many years to come. I most certainly will be listening to it for many years.
My final thought is this. If this incredible sound and musical journey is what this band have come up with after only two albums, just what are they capable of producing in future releases with more experience? I can only drool in anticipation.
Buy it. Utterly essential rock music for today's progressive rock fan.
MOSTLY AUTUMN - THE GHOST MOON ORCHESTRA
Solid, but not ground breaking, release.
The Ghost Moon Orchestra is the latest release by perennial British band, Mostly Autumn, and the second to feature the talents of Olivia Sparnenn. In my review of this album's predecessor, Go Well Diamond Heart, I speculated whether that or this follow up would be the one to really break the band into the big time where I, for one, feel they properly belong.
Well, sadly I think not. Does this mean it is a bad or disappointing album? Not a bit of it. It is recognisably Mostly Autumn with those familiar lilting female vocals, some excellent musicianship by the usual cast of thousands, and, of course, the unique vocals of Bryan Josh and his trademark guitar sound. It is just that I can't see it breaking the band beyond their, admittedly frantically loyal, fan base, and that is a little bit of a shame.
However, it certainly doesn't seem to bother Josh or his cohorts. He has a musical vision, and he very doggedly and admirably sticks to it. Some of the mainstream press reviews I have seen seem to suggest that this is Mostly Autumn doing an Opeth, i.e. that they have morphed into a kind of metal prog band. I personally don't see that at all. Yes, there is a harder edge to much of this material, but not really any more than in albums such as Storms Over Still Waters. In essence, tracks such as Drops Of The Sun and The Devil & The Orchestra are tracks which take a great deal from classic heavy rock bands such as Rainbow and Purple, with a great deal of the Josh progressive treatment added in. In other words, they rock, and they rock extremely well, and I personally welcome the direction, and that is speaking as someone who joined because of the wonderful folk and Celtic rock tendencies shown in classics such as Passengers.
However, those tendencies are not gone. Take the lush and lovely title track, which has some beautifully delicate piano and a lovely flute turn by Anne Marie Helder, all accompanying a wonderful female vocal. Also take the fragility of Things That We Notice.
The main feature here, in fact, is just how good those vocals are. I know that Josh's vocals are an, ahem, acquired taste (I personally like them), but no one can doubt at all that this is the album which well and truly showcases Olivia's exceptional talent as a vocalist. She shines throughout, and is a joy to listen to, equally adept at the fragile and the powerful, of which there is a good mix everywhere here. Witness especially her performances on the chorus of King of the Valley, a rip snorting carousel of a track which she makes her own and the stunning Wild Eyes Skies. Heather Findlay? Who she?
The album is a loose sort of concept about some ghouls and ghosties congregating around a campsite and was inspired by one of the apparently frequent such trips the band members enjoy under the stars. No doubt there were some interesting substances inhaled as well, but here Josh shows how good he is as a storyteller, and, to me, this can actually be regarded as very much a follow up from his exceptional solo album in spirit and feel. This especially applies to the wonderful This Ragged Heart, a track featuring lush harmonies between the two main protagonists in addition to a moving main vocal from Josh himself, backed up by a musical piece that cries out its solitude and yearning. Quite exceptional stuff, alongside the equally impressive Tennyson Mansion, which rocks and emotes in equal turns, and has at its heart some incredible symphonic keys backing a huge electric guitar solo.
So, what we have here is another very good release from this great band, who keep motoring on and on in much the same spirit as days of yore. If you enjoy them, you will find a lot to enjoy here. If not, well I don't think this will persuade you much otherwise, but for those readers who are looking to see what the band are like for the first time, or after a lengthy absence away from them, this is a very good place to start. Yes, there is a harder edge to much of it, but there is also much of that English and Celtic folk that we took to all those years ago.
GAZPACHO - MARCH OF GHOSTS
Deep and highly enjoyable album.
The latest from this classy Norwegian act has garnered exclusively positive reviews from across the prog and rock world.
The praise is deserved, and all the more so since this bunch have released March Of Ghosts on the back of three exceptional albums in Night, Tick Tock, and Missa Atropas.
This album is not a pure concept, but rather a collection of stories which, as the title suggests, revolve around encounters with ghoulie ghosties and things that go bump in the night. As with previous releases, the band bring together the themes brilliantly, and on this, the album is wound around four tracks called Hell Freezes Over, much in the same way as Marillion did with Marbles, which was not, contrary to popular opinion, a concept album. All four of these tracks are superb, but I swear that the third one was coated with sheer emotion prior to being released and played through my speakers.
Of course, we have noted in the past similarities between Hogarth-era Marillion and this band, a fact openly and keenly acknowledged by Gazpacho themselves, although, for the life of me, I really do not see the similarity between Jan Henrik Ohme's vocals and Steve Hogarth's. For a start, one sounds English to his core, whilst the other is Nordic. Perhaps it's me, but I think on this album the overt musical similarities are not so profound as on previous releases. Oh, for sure, there is the commonality in that the band utilise complex soundscapes and are able to manage that very difficult trick of allowing the music itself to convey the same powerful emotions as the vocals & lyrics, but in terms of the sound of the album, this is very clearly the sound of a band with extreme confidence taking forward their influences, writing, and performing experience, and melding all into something unique. This is an album which sounds like Gazpacho, and none other.
For no better example, take What Did I Do?, a track which evokes the painful memory and emotion of a poor lost soul, with a choral vocal and plaintive violin accompanying a musical backdrop which, on the first few listens, sounds like a collection of simple chords, but is, in reality, a mood all in itself.
There are some very nice Celtic sounds immersed in the work, and overall, the feel of the album is, despite the title and subject matter, a much more uplifting offering than previous ones. The performances are never less than excellent, and the production is just what you would expect, superb and crystal clear.
I will not review this track by track, because I feel that this is an album which has to be experienced as a whole, and it is, in reality, a collection of songs which merges into one (again, just like Marbles). However, I will say that if I hear a better track this year than Gold Star, a lush track which segues from a lilting Celtic opening into a more heavy and reflective piece, and one which is deceptively commercial, then it will be a very good track indeed. Further, Marie Celeste is so good, it takes you to the deck of that doomed vessel, and is recorded as a folk prog track, with natural and native Celtic sounds right to the fore. The violin simply cries, and the guitar riffs and crashing bass & drums evoke the disaster perfectly. Simply brilliant.
To summarise, this is another excellent release by an excellent band, and the way that they are progressing and developing, it can surely only be a matter of time before they release a masterpiece that will blow the collective socks off of the prog world. As it is, this comes pretty damn close, and the only rider I will attach to this is that it is an album which needs to be listened to a number of times and requires patience and a deep appreciation of the emotion that music can bring. Not many will "get it" the first couple of listens.
There are eleven tracks here, with the longest at just over six minutes in length, but, as noted before, in reality what we have here is 50 minutes of music, to be enjoyed as one.
MARILLION - SOUNDS THAT CAN’T BE MADE
An album which contains two of my all-time favourite tracks.
Sounds That Can't Be Made is the seventeenth studio album by the band who, when they started their long road in the 1980's, were once considered as the leading lights of a new wave of prog, and who, latterly, have created a cottage industry and business model (based around the web and a ridiculously loyal group of fans) that is the envy of many artists.
So, where are this great band, who I unashamedly call my favourite band, now?
In this review, I will go a little back to front, as it were, and commence with the final track, The Sky Above the Rain. One of three tracks that clock in in excess of ten minutes (the shortest of the eight tracks is 5:47 minutes long), it is built around a very gentle Mark Kelly piano loop. What follows is a piece of music that demonstrates the power of music, and, yes, progressive rock music, to move one, and to reduce otherwise sober people, to tears. As with tracks such as Invisible Man, Sky.. is a track in which Hogarth bears his soul. The story, and what a story, revolves around a loving couple who still adore each other, who have clearly been through the full and complete journey that most couples make in life. Except, she, who still loves him, doesn't want him physically. He still wants her physically, still loves her, and so puts up with the situation, because "what else can he do?" He yearns for the clear blue sky, above the cloud that dominates his present life, the blue sky that signifies happiness and a life that is complete.
As with all the finest Hogarth lyrics, his four colleagues rise to the occasion with aplomb. This is a performance that is wrought with feeling, from the aforementioned Kelly loop, to Rothery, who plays with such feeling that it is impossible not to be carried away, to a rhythm section that carries all with it. When the song descends into the quiet of Kelly's piano, you pause for breath. And then, as a complete surprise, the track bursts into its outré, a symphonic piece of pure majestic sound that has the subject yearning for his blue sky, his happiness, his soul, and his life.
I regard this track as the finest this great band have ever released, it is that good. It is a majestic piece of music. It is so utterly, and achingly, beautiful that you really do wonder at the genius that produced it.
So, is the rest a let-down in comparison? Not a bit of it. The opener, Gaza, is, of course, the one that has attracted the most "debate", and the band are on record for their concern that it might alienate more than a few people.
Political comment is not, of course, a new thing for the band. Fish positively oozed it. I always regarded Hogarth, though, as a little more subtle. Witness the incredible Easter from his first album with the band. And so it is with Gaza. I have, for many years, despaired at former "comrades" in the Labour Movement with their blind adherence to the "Palestinian Good, Israeli Bad" mantra, never realising the utter irony of left wing activists wishing to destroy a Jewish state.
Hogarth avoids this completely, for his lyrics are a humanitarian cry, written from the child's viewpoint of growing up in utter poverty, with the reality of death all around, whilst also making an intelligent nod to the fact that every stupid and pointless weapon thrown will result in tens more sent back. When he cries that "To live like this, it just ain't right", he is spot on the mark, because it isn't right. It is not, however, as simple as that politically, and that is where Hogarth gets it spot on, because a child simply doesn't understand the politics, he or she just knows that there is no hope and cries out for a better life. Musically, it is a seventeen plus minute prog epic. The Rothery solo thirteen minutes in is to die for, whilst I don't think that Ian Mosley has ever been so dramatic and forceful on his drum kit. The whole piece cries out with sound, and the very knowing and intricate Middle Eastern sounds incorporated are very welcome and represent an intelligent move forward for this band.
The title track follows, and is, to me, simply the finest moment that Mark Kelly has ever had with this band. It is said, by the great man himself, that he will spend a whole day tinkering with one tiny sound in order to get that note right. Well, thank God for pedantry, because this whole track is built around his keyboards, and they have never sounded so lush. Hogarth himself gives a purposeful performance, whilst the remainder of the band collaborate to provide a massive backdrop.
Pour My Love is the one track where I pause a little to think. It doesn't seem to fit in well with all else around it. It marks the lyrical return of John Helmer (it is an old lyric) and has an almost funky feel to it. Enjoyable, but not classic.
Power is one of those tracks that the Hogarth era has produced so well. It is well in the vein of commercial tracks of the past, such as You're Gone, and was the first track released to the world via the band's website. Hugely enjoyable, and, as with a lot of similar tracks, comes out better in the live experience.
Montreal is basically a blog of the Marillion Weekend (a fan event featuring a number of live sets over a weekend, and where Marillion nuts can immerse themselves in their beloved obsession) set to music, and what stunning music it is. A definite collective effort, it provides us with a loving pastiche of a city and set of people (fans and others) to whom the band clearly love and appreciate, whilst also giving us an insight into the wrench of leaving loved ones behind. In its feel, it is perhaps the closest track on the album to Happiness Is the Road, which is no bad thing at all. Kelly again shines, Rothery's touches are loving, Mosley thumps out, whilst Trewavas proves once again just why he is the finest bass player in the game at present, utilising his instrument as a lead. At fourteen minutes, this is another prog epic from a band who were supposed to have left such things behind when a certain Scot walked into the wilderness. That was always nonsense, and this album proves it so.
Invisible Ink is a deceptively simple track, which begins with a Hogarth monologue underwritten by some extremely good keyboard work, and is, again, a track which would have sat comfortably on Happiness Is the Road. When, two minutes in, the track bursts into life, it becomes one of those infuriatingly catchy foot-tapping numbers that the band has always done so well.
Lucky Man just about says it all for me. This is a very personal account by lyricist and band, with a musical backdrop instantly recognisable as Marillion, of just how fortunate a position they find themselves in. It is the story, set to music, of how they can continue to make creative music free from the shackles of record company interference, how they are fortunate enough to have a fearsomely loyal set of fans, how they have financial stability, and personal joy. In fact, this track is just about the perfect summary of the band in 2012, and I imagine it will also be a good hit live (it was not on the setlist I saw earlier this month). The riffs themselves are uplifting, and all in all, this is the sort of track that would cheer up the most miserable day.
So, how to rate such an album? Well, it is easily their best since the immense genius that was Marbles. It is an extremely consistent album, one that combines some exceptional pieces of music with some enjoyable pieces and manages to fit them together into one seamless whole, in much the same way as both Afraid of Sunlight and the criminally undervalued Radiation did.
This album is not a work of genius in the same way as Brave & Marbles were. Having said that, for a band to even produce one such masterpiece, let alone two, is a rare thing. What this album is, though, believe me, is the sound of a band still forging ahead creatively and emotionally after well over 20 years as this particular collective. It is the sound of a band not afraid to court controversy, not afraid to open their hearts (both musically & lyrically), and still, very proudly, at the heart of Britain and the world's progressive rock movement. Those, in my opinion, are reasons enough for us to count our blessings.
SQUACKETT
BONKERS NAME, BUT THE PROTAGONISTS ARE ANYTHING BUT.
Regrettably, the wished for future collaborations could not be realised.
Well, after a fair old while of gossip, half news, and promises, the official collaboration between two of progressive rock's titans is upon us. Whilst Steve Hackett guested on the rather enjoyable Chris Squire Christmas album a couple of years ago, this, it is safe to say, is the first "real" co-written and performed project, and I, for one, sincerely hope it will not be the last.
Of course, there will be more than a few out there expecting something akin to Selling England on an Island next to Topographic Oceans, i.e. a symphonic paradise, taking us all back to the glory days of yore.
I am actually mighty glad that this is not what we get. For a start, those days are now 40 years behind us. Both of these supreme musicians have released a wealth of material since then, most of which bears hardly any resemblance to such albums.
Instead, what we get here is a meeting that reflects the written and musical skills in 2012, and I have to say that some comments I have seen that Squire is underwhelming in terms of contribution, effectively guesting on a Steve Hackett solo album, are rather wide of the mark. Oh, for sure, there is much of a feel of Hackett's recent work in a few tracks, certainly the excellent opener, the title track. However, plastered all over this work are the trademark melodic bass sequences of Squire (still the supreme master of making a bass guitar sound just like a lead instrument), and also his vocals, so often understated or relegated to a harmonic role with Yes. Indeed, one of my favourite recent Yes tracks was the marvellous Can You Imagine, itself a hangover from the aborted XYZ project with Jimmy Page, and so witness here his excellent vocals on Tall Ships especially, a track which has the feel of much of the second part of Fly From Here, but, in my opinion, benefiting strongly from Hackett's input. In addition, the duo sound exceptionally strong vocally on Aliens.
My personal favourite is actually the shortest track here, The Summer Backwards, which, on first listen, sounds almost exactly like such recent Hackett tracks such as Rebecca. It is only when you listen more, hear that lilting Squire bass and his unique vocal harmonies backing Hackett's gentle lead that you realise that Squire really has brought so much more to this project.
We should also mention the strong input, again, from Roger King, Hackett's keyboard player and co-writer. It really is hard to imagine a Hackett project without King now, and his work here is utterly solid.
There is a bit of everything here. Some harder moments, some familiar Hackett moments, some Zeppelin & Beatles influenced moments, some nods to glories past, and Yes style signatures, but, most of all, this is the sound of two legends utterly comfortable in each other’s company, and more than content to release an album which also plays to some strong commercial sensibilities. For no better examples, hear the enjoyable Divided Self, and the exceptional closer, Perfect Love Song, which positively exudes emotion. It is somewhat hard to imagine them writing such a track in 1973, and the world, in my opinion, is all the better for the fact that they do so in 2012.
Lyrically, both are also on top form. I especially love the lyrics to Aliens, which explores the concept that "little green men" are, in fact, visitors to Earth from our own future.
So, a triumph. No, it is not a masterpiece, but it is an excellent album which should grace the collection of any self-respecting prog fan. Let's hope for a commercial success which, we are promised, might lead to a tour and further future collaborations.
BIG BIG TRAIN
ENGLISH ELECTRIC - PART ONE
I have waited a long time, with many, many listens, before reviewing this, the latest release by Big Big Train, which, if the reviews and ratings are to be believed, is one of the finest prog rock releases of all time.
Let me say straight away that this album contains some of the finest progressive rock I have heard this, or, indeed, in many a year. At its best, which is on most of it, it has the feel of much of what drew me to the genre in the first place, that wonderful English pastoral sound. The Genesis comparisons are, perhaps, rather obvious, but, to these ears and mind, it is more in the fact that a track such as Uncle Jack is so marvellously quirky and, well, English in the Genesis or Python sense.
The utter highlight of the album, and a very strong contender for track of this decade thus far, is Judas Unrepentant. In fact, as I will explain later in this review, it was only at this stage of the album that I really sat up and took notice on first listen. The harmonies, staggeringly strong vocals by David Longdon (who is surely becoming one of our finest), the fusion of classic and modern progressive soundscapes, particularly on keyboards, make this ridiculously enjoyable and strong. Everything flows easily into each separate movement, and that flute solo.....well, Gabriel has his natural successor in Longdon. The use of strings and woodwind is also exceptional. A symphonic masterpiece, no more, no less.
Of course, much of this here is a paeon to a fast disappearing English countryside, much as Selling England was to a disappearing society. The gorgeous Upton Heath is a smooth, very beautiful, example, and, if you close your eyes and use your imagination, you can see yourself walking on the Dorset heathland. It is a brave band, indeed, who make so much use of traditional orchestra instruments, and, again, this lot do it with such aplomb in a gentle, folk prog, setting. I also admire deeply here, and elsewhere, the choral vocals.
Another trick this lot manage so well is the sudden change of mood. So, we go from a beautiful walk to something altogether more sinister and menacing on A Boy In Darkness. Doom laden in its low key sounds, you jump when the chorus simply explodes with a sinister symphonic energy. This all supports some of the most intelligent lyrics you can imagine, because the subject matter is a report into conditions in a 19th century colliery, and the exploitation and deaths of young boys "sent down the pit". This is social commentary translated into musical darkness at its best, and, again, it reaffirms the band's position to me as the natural successors to Genesis in this era. To call them some kind of neo-prog tribute is both lazy and, actually, plain wrong. They are much more than that.
And, from this, we are taken to the delightful, cheery, bouncy, almost pop psychedelic joy that is the album's closer, Hedgerow. Of course, the subject matter is easily deduced, but the effect on the aural senses is one of sheer joy, almost an orgasm for the ears and mind. The singing is quite incredible, and the pace of the band never falls below that of relentless foot tapping, especially the guitars, and the strings are used to great effect again. The reprise of the vocal harmonies at the denouement has you almost weeping with the sheer joy of life and all around us.
So, with such praise, why do I rate this album as an excellent one, out of step with those colleagues who rate it a masterpiece? It is simply because, as joyful as the tracks I have written about above are, I actually find this to be too inconsistent to merit that accolade. Take the opener, The First Rebreather, as a good example. There are bursts of that Longdon voice (which I first fell in love with on Martin Orford's great The Old Road), there is some stunning guitar work, especially, but I find this strangely inconsistent as a track, or, I don't know, maybe trying to be a little bit too clever, because the shifts in time signatures I find to be confusing and, frankly, unnecessary. When it is good, it is very good (and the bass playing is especially good), but it is not only confusing, I also find, after some thirty odd listens now, it to be rather dull in parts, and find myself losing my attention in places. You never have that on a masterpiece.
I also feel the same way about Winchester From Giles Hill. It starts off beautifully with deep flute, some lilting vocal harmonies, and a jazzy feel on rhythm, but, I don't know, I find it very difficult to keep going throughout the track. The main vocal section sounds strained, and parts of it are, well, dull again. The strained comment also applies to parts of the otherwise sublime Summoned by Bells, which does feature some lovely brass in fusion with haunting guitar at the close.
I hope I have put across here adequately the fact that this is an excellent work, with a great deal to commend itself to fans of progressive rock. 90% of it is simply to die for. This line-up will, I earnestly hope, continue to bring us joy for many years to come. I especially welcome the participation of Dave Gregory, probably the finest musician to come out of the New Wave era. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending it to those who are thinking about buying it. It is excellent. It just ain't a masterpiece. Bet you the next one is, though!
FOURTEEN TWENTYSIX
Yet another album review in which I prove to the world that my powers of prediction are utterly hopeless. Still a fine album, though.
I was looking forward to the release of this new effort by Dutch outfit, Fourteen TwentySix. I regarded its predecessor album, Lighttown Closure, as an excellent album if a little bleak. That album was, essentially, a solo vehicle on the part of the talented Chris van der Linden. In Halflight Our Soul Glows, by contrast, is very much a band effort, with the other four members now contributing fully to proceedings.
As with Lighttown Closure, this is an album which demands many listens before putting fingers to keyboard for a review, and the listener is rewarded for such patience.
Aside from the increased involvement of band personnel, the main difference between the two albums is the more accessible nature of this one. For sure, there are some desolate moments here, notably the extremely bleak Sleepwalker which features an incredible blend of sound effects accompanying a doom-laden guitar riff. The album also continues the post- rock sensibilities on tracks such as For A Second, reminiscent to me of some of Radiohead's more tuneful moments in the past ten years or so.
The overall mood, however, is far brighter, and this is a healthy progression (pardon the pun). It's not a bundle of laughs, far from it. Not for this outfit the playful lyrics of an Ian Anderson. I refer here, however, to the overall textures of the music itself. As enjoyable as Lighttown Closure is, it is not an album that you will play regularly - you have to be "in the mood". By contrast, In Halflight.... is an album that I have played, and will continue to play, on a frequent basis. The longest track, The Crossing, is sublimely brilliant and will be a clear highlight of 2012 with its excellent lead guitar, throbbing rhythm, and build-up of huge intensity, before the climax takes us down gently with a beautiful acoustic section.
There is not one track in excess of six minutes on the work, but the band have managed to create a body of work of which the tracks segue into a whole. Take the wonderful acoustic guitar solo of Noon which effortlessly seams into the electronic mournfulness of Hollow, a standout track which combines bittersweet vocals/lyrics, tremendous synth effects, piano, and a throbbing, relentless bass, and drum riff at its core.
In addition to the band personnel, there are two guest appearances on the album. Every Line features Mick Moss of melancholic outfit Antimatter. This track is the first single from the album, and is a very effective mix of soundscapes, riffs, and Moss lending very distinctive vocals to a dark track. It is, perhaps, appropriate here to give special mention to Martijn Jorrisen's brilliant bass playing, very much at the fore here, but never anything less than effective throughout the album.
Secondly, we have Rush Run, a track which starts with a massive rush of noise before settling into a lovely vocal by Vera Dirkx, whom I have not had the pleasure of hearing before but would like to in future. This is a track of contrasts, because the band provide us with an almost industrial wave of noise before a piano introduces Vera singing an exquisitely fragile vocal. It is only 1:50 long, and is, perhaps, the only track where I wish a greater length had been given to us.
It is always dangerous to make predictions in this business, but I genuinely believe that, on this form, Fourteen TwentySix could develop into one of the most important, and, crucially, commercially successful, of the modern European progressive rock artists. Yes, there are shades of Porcupine Tree, Floyd, and Crimson in here, but, really, it is impossible and pointless to classify this act, for what we have here is utterly unique, marvellously performed, and thoughtful with commercial sensibilities (Little Diamonds has you tapping your feet and nodding your head relentlessly).
This album is very much a move forward from the opener, and is never anything less than interesting, thoughtful, and entertaining. Time has clearly been taken in perfecting the various sonic landscapes provided to us, and I for one hope that this patient work will be rewarded.
The album is available as a download for the ridiculously cheap price of £3 from the Bandcamp site for the band (this is where I purchased it), and a digipack CD is to follow shortly.
Very highly recommended modern progressive rock.
i AND THOU
Extremely enjoyable album with a guest spot by Steve Hogarth.
A project by Jason Hart, a US musician who has worked with Marillion, I got this CD shortly after its release at the end of 2012.
There are a host of guest stars on this cd, and the last track, Go Or Go Ahead, features lead vocals by Steve Hogarth himself. This is my favourite track here (I am a sucker for H!), but I should here draw attention to the vocals on the longest track on the album, Hide And Seek, mainly by Hart, but featuring Keren Ann, who, with Hart, draws in the light symphonic mood perfectly. The two of them sound very good together when they harmonise. It is a deeply satisfying love song.
Perhaps the most famous guest is one who doesn't actually perform but is responsible for the gorgeous artwork on the cd sleeve, one Annie Haslem.
There are only five tracks on here, but we still have a full length CD. Opener Speak sets the tone perfectly, a gorgeous slab of Genesis influenced music twelve minutes plus in length. It is, btw, Genesis at their most reflective and pastoral. Think of the quieter passages in One For The Vine, and you will be about spot on. In fact, the similarities are so close, I imagine some might accuse Hart of being a retro artist, and nothing else, but that wouldn't be an altogether fair criticism.
The album never really moves beyond second gear and is deeply insular and reflective. That is not, though, to take away from the fact that it is very well played and is just about perfect listening for those moments in life when you want it quiet and introspective.
This album is still available from those nice chaps at Prog Rock Records, Wales, via Amazon, and is strongly recommended for those of you who like it quiet and thoughtful.
Really rather good, and a fine addition to any music collection.
STEVE BROCKMANN AND GEORGE ANDRADE. Airs – A Rock Opera
A rock opera which I loved at the time and is still played ten years later.
"Opera. A dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre. The performance is typically given in an opera house, accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble."
Rock opera. The above, but in a rock music setting. This is what is presented to us in Airs - A Rock Opera by the duo of Steve Brockmann & George Andrade. Thinking of some of the more famous exponents of such an art form, namely The Who, Queen, The Kinks, Jeff Wayne, and David Bowie, amongst others, they have a hard job of living up to what is probably the hardest type of concept and recording to pull off successfully.
Have they done so? The answer is an emphatic yes. This is an exceptional album, both in terms of its music and, as importantly, the story behind it.
The heart of the story lies in tragedy, as with most of the finest operas. Owen Doane, whose family have lived and held important positions on their small island since 1664, rolled through a stop sign and drove a car carrying a mother and her nine-year-old daughter into a stone wall. The girl, Hannah, ends up paralysed from the waist down and, thus, confined to a wheelchair. The family business, pulling stone from fields before harvest and building walls after milling grain, collapses under the strain of supporting Hannah's needs.
The opera follows Owen as he returns home from prison and embarks on a journey of initial confrontation with his family, and thence to a journey of personal redemption utilising the inspiration of the beautiful wheelchair bound girl, his former girlfriend, and the wind and the air by flying his father's "magic" kites. At the close, he is free, at one with the air.
It really is very moving and reminds me strongly of some of the finest American fiction exemplified by John Irving (albeit without the sexual variations!).
The music, performed by Steve Brockmann, who is a longstanding and highly respected German multi-instrumentalist, with guests, is every bit as good as the story which lies behind it, with the words provided by George Andrade, the lyricist behind the excellent Anabasis debut album in 2011.
There are five movements in the work, and I would say that it is essential that the work be listened to as a whole, rather than in pieces. Only by having the whole story do you even begin to appreciate the beauty behind it.
Musically, there is a great deal going on. The opening suite, Fateful Days (the longest on the work at 7:37 minutes), is a pastoral masterpiece, with a gorgeous piano accompanying the incredible Paul Adrian Villarreal describing Owen's journey home by sea, full of reflection and regret. I was, in truth, hooked as soon as I heard this. It is one of the strongest openings to an album I have heard in a long time.
There is, though, plenty more going on. The music, as a good opera should, reflects the mood of the story. So, on Kites we have a mournfully poignant acoustic guitar and piano informing us of Owen's aching regret and fear of meeting his Maker. Flight, a true highlight, is grandiose, with a tremendous riff and great drums backing Cornelius Kappabani as Owen. When Owen battles with the kite, the synths take over, soaring into the air with the kite itself.
There is pure opera on Current Events, with Owen and his bitter brother (bitter at the loss of the family business and fortune which had stood for so many centuries because of Owen) verbally sparring. The riffs and rhythm section are dark and heavy as Owen leaves home.
Annabelle, the track dedicated to Owen's former love, who loves him still and suffered the loss of an arm through cancer, is a very complex track, and, in parts, is about as near to the pomp, majesty, and commercial sensibilities of neo-prog as the album gets.
Singer Floor Kraavijanger excels as Annabelle with Gordon Tittsworth as Owen on The Center. She still loves him, and the gentle opening sequence reflects that, before the piece becomes heavy to reflect the intimate and heated discourse between the lovers.
For me, though, the biggest delight in the whole album is the introduction of Hannah, the girl wheelchair bound owing to the accident, on the track which bears her name. If, like me, you are an absolute sucker for a gorgeous female rock vocalist, then check out Antila Thomsen's performance, which has at its heart a lovely, delicate, and fragile beauty. Here, Owen helps Hannah achieve flight with the kite herself, and the dramatic backdrop to this sets the scene perfectly.
On Airs, there is, to me, a passage of music that appealed to the late 1960's/early 1970's fan inside me, with music evocative of the Deep Purple, Kinks, and Who music of that period.
She Flys is gloriously happy as the wish of flight is fulfilled.
On Grounded II, we have some prog metal in all its fiery glory, with passages that bring to mind the best of Iron Maiden, without ever being stereotypical.
For fans of the symphonic, check out the lovely Kites II, which starts with a lovely piano piece, before a soaring guitar solo takes centre stage.
Speaking of which, Spock's Beard fans will absolutely enjoy Flight II, in which Alan Morse delivers just about the perfect guitar movement. Morse does not, however, have the entire track to himself. Kappabani excels as Owen, singing and describing perfectly a loud, proud man who will find his freedom in the air.
When we get to Owen, the closer, we have a denouement as gorgeous as the opening track, one which tells us of the freedom attained by Owen, at one with the air, with the accepted past now well and truly behind him.
So, a massive mixture of music here, ranging from the pastoral, to the symphonic, to the operatic, to the downright loud and proud metal, each reflecting the story they tell.
All the vocalists put in great performances, and I should provide a special mention for Jochen Ohl who is excellent on drums throughout. I must say, though, that this album will ensure that I seek out more of Steve Brockmann's work, because he proves himself to be an incredible multi-instrumentalist. His keyboards, especially, would grace the presence of any major prog band on the planet today, they are that good.
There will be people reading this review who will, no doubt, be tempted to pick up a free download on a pirate site or a cheap one on one of those Russian sites. Please don't, and not just because of the argument (extremely valid as it is) of artists deserving to be paid properly for their work. There is a more fundamental reason, and that is that this album is as much a work of literature as it is music. The story of Owen is one that has deeply moved me, and will, I feel, appeal to those of you who enjoy the best of modern American literature. If you get it legally, you get the sumptuous booklet with the full story and lyrics.
To summarise, this is an excellent piece of work, and I for one sincerely hope that it does not prove to be a one-off collaboration by these two, because they clearly excel in each other's company.
At the start of this review, I mentioned some classic artists. This album might not be iconic in the fashion of Tommy, War of the Worlds, Preservation, or A Night at the Opera. I'll tell you what, though. It most definitely is worthy of being mentioned in the same breath and takes the dear old Rock Opera to fresh heights in a modern rock setting.
STEVE HOGARTH & RICHARD BARBIERI - NOT THE WEAPON BUT THE HAND
Interesting collaboration between Marillion & Porcupine Tree alumni.
This is a collaboration between Steve Hogarth, Marillion's lead singer since 1989, and Richard Barbieri, the keyboardist with Porcupine Tree. Barbieri did, in fact, guest on Hogarth's excellent solo debut, Ice Cream Genius, but this is the product of joint efforts. It should also be stressed that people reading this expecting me to describe a work bringing the best of these two excellent bands into one glorious Marillion meets PT will be somewhat disappointed, for this excellent album bears hardly any resemblance to the duo's day jobs, which I state as a good thing. In fact, much here actually bears more of a resemblance to one of Barbieri's previous acts, Japan. Throw in some other interesting guest spots, notably Dave Gregory of XTC (who also appeared on Ice Cream Genius) and Chris Maitland on drums, and what you have here is something rather unique.
This album has, perhaps surprisingly for what are the loyalist bunch of fans on God's earth, attracted a bit of sharp criticism on the Marillion fan forum, with one correspondent going so far as to describe it as boring. Is it? No. What it is is thoughtful, complex, at turns deeply dark and disturbing, and at others uplifting, but never anything less than interesting for those who appreciate something a bit different.
I love the opener, Red Kite. This is a very strong piece of music, and one that, perhaps, resonates with me strongly as a resident of Wales. For this magnificent bird was wiped out in my country for many years until its reintroduction, with special status, a few years ago, and it is thankfully now thriving, spreading all over the gorgeous Welsh countryside. The keyboards and Hogarth's lyrics beautifully and poignantly describe the majesty of this wonderful creature, I personally have spent many a moment watching this bird "hanging in the air" whilst allowing the world to rush by, and the lyrical and musical interpretation of these moments is spot on.
A Cat With Seven Souls follows, featuring a pulsating bass line and interesting sound effects providing an almost dreamy/trancey backdrop to a track which reminds me of Japan to a degree, and is a meditational dialogue. The distorted riff and vocals at the close are rather disturbing.
Naked is another slow burner, and deeply reflective. I take the lyrics to mean bearing one's own soul, rather than a stripping of the physical form. The "don't let them see me like this" passage is very dark, and the piano, especially, reflects this mood very well. The alto pitch accompanying comes across as a cry for help. The track fades out to percussive and synth sound effects, somewhat exhausted after the crescendo that preceded.
Crack steps up the tempo, with something as far removed from Marillion & Porcupine Tree as it is possible to get. A song with the blues at its heart, with Hogarth's voice distorted at times to add a menacing undertone, as he invites his subject to leave. This is a very complex piece of music, whose riffy late section needs to be played very loudly in the dark to get the full benefit. The close is mesmerising with urgent bass and drums vying against a chant.
Your Beautiful Face is a highlight of the album, and its lyrical core. The guitar work is deceptively simple, sublimely backing a spoken lyric prior to the main section kicking in. The tone of the song at this stage is, to me, more upbeat, and I believe it to be a love song, speaking of happy, loving, times, prior to the close where it becomes deeply reflective on past beauty and the hand which destroyed that beauty. Essentially a love poem set against music, this is thoughtful and quite unlike virtually anything else you will hear this year.
The longest track on the album is Only Love Will Make You Free, clocking in a over eight minutes long. The start reminds me of a Talking Heads track whose name I forget, but then develops into a piece which is perhaps the closest to a "traditional" Marillion song, circa Marillion.Com or Anoraknophobia. Even so, saying this, it is hard to imagine the band themselves performing it in the fashion presented here. I love the lyrics, imploring us and the world to reject war, hate, and pain, and embrace love. The vocal effects on top of the lyrics are deeply complex and lifting, and the symphonic keys set against a throbbing rhythm give rise to easily the most upbeat track on the album. After a few listens, the true beauty of the track really shines through, and there is one hell of a lot going on in here. There is a passage which, by contrast, is dark and forbidding before the main section kicks in again to close the track, lifting spirits once more.
Lifting The Lid is experimental, strange, and full of sound effects. I can only describe it as New Age music for the 2010's, with some lovely ambient soundscapes being created and, for once on the album, I don't feel that Hogarth's vocal lead really matches this. I know, it's a sin to say it, but this might have been a more effective track had it been left as an instrumental with the more effective vocal effects left in. It is, also, extremely dark as a piece of music.
The short closer, the title track, returns us to the reflective passage of Your Beautiful Face, at old age, well past beauty, with the hand that fired the deed, not the weapon itself, truly responsible.
So, who would this album appeal to?
Well, certainly if you are not a fan of Steve Hogarth already, this album will do nothing to convert you. Also, if you are looking to get laid with a new partner tonight, this might not be the best album to play him/her.
It is a deep and complex affair, but one that is rewarded with repeated listens. It is a collaboration between two of modern progressive rock's finest exponents and minds. Just don't go exploring the inside of those minds too much. What you find might not, I feel, be to your liking, as this is, in the main, very dark.
It is excellent. It is different. It is a sight better than you might first imagine, and fans of eclectic prog, certainly Hamill and VDGG might find a lot to enjoy here.
3RD DEGREE - THE LONG DIVISION
Unexceptional fare.
I have listened to this quite a few times prior to setting out my review. There is a reason for this.
It is not unusual for a reviewer to listen to an album a couple of times and think, I don't really like this. Indeed, that is the case with many of the albums which I now regard as being classics. Sometimes, it takes time to really appreciate a work of art. However, after the sixth or seventh listens, I was still rather ambivalent. What kept pulling me back to give this album a fair "chance", and, by extension, a fair review were the two tracks I thoroughly adored.
The short instrumental, The Millions of Last Moments, featuring guitar work to die for, and the exceptional closer, which is consistently excellent and flows constantly, A Nihilist's Love Song, both prove, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that these guys can play, write strong material, and move you.
However, after umpteen listens commuting to work, I really must reach the conclusion that those tracks are, by and large, the exception on this album, rather than the rule. Does that mean this is a bad album? Not really. It is just that much of it is, to these ears, too inconsistent, and too........bitty (not a good word, I know) to convince. Half the trouble is, I feel, that they do not really know what they are trying to achieve in their sound. For when they are good, they are very good. The more expansive passages flow beautifully, and it all comes together. These, though, are in between main passages which grate somewhat.
As for the lyrics, as has been raised by other reviewers, they are overtly political, and none too complimentary about the system where the band hail from. They could be summarised as being a "plague on both your houses", i.e., Republican and Democrat. The bulk of the album is, in truth, a fair old rant against both. Nothing wrong with that, of course, and much of it reflects a fair bit of my disenchantment with modern politics, and I say this as one who spent years as a political activist (although not in recent times). It also follows in the wake of a proud tradition of rock music raging against "the machine". Having said that, the likes of Pink Floyd produced superlative and memorable music to accompany the rants. Whatever else this band are, they are not Pink Floyd.
So, to summarise, this is a good album, but not one I could wholeheartedly recommend. There are some very good passages. I, for one, have been left with wanting more.
STEVE HACKETT - GENESIS REVISITED II
A decent addition to the artist pension pot scheme, but nothing artistically new.
The first Genesis Revisited album, which I am yet to review, is a gem, mainly because Hackett added his own unique touches and changes to some old favourites, and previously unreleased tracks as well. So, I was really looking forward to this release. I pre- ordered the cd, which arrived at my house with a signature by the great man himself, so it was worth it just for that. I have listened to this album umpteen times prior to setting down some thoughts, but no matter how many times I listen, I reach the same conclusion, and that is that, whilst you really cannot go wrong with source material as superb as this, all we have here is a cover album with knobs on.
It pains me to say this, and I should stress that this does not make it a bad album, far from it. It is just not a special album, and it certainly does not contain the originality of its predecessor, because, with the addition of a few additional acoustic guitar bits, this is, instrumentally, a carbon copy of the originals, albeit with a very deliberate mix which accentuates the guitar bits of a certain Mr Hackett, mainly at the expense of much of the Banks keyboard bits of the originals.
As I said before, the source material is superb, and there is a fair bit of bravery here, in that who would, on any Genesis compilation, include, let alone start an album, with Chamber of 32 Doors? It is a damn good version as well. I would also say that much of the Gabriel era recreations are more akin to the Collins era recreations, a la Seconds Out. Again, I stress, I love these. Seconds Out is a masterpiece, and I really enjoy Collins era Genesis. It's just that I do not think that these versions really add anything to the pantheon.
Finest track, by far, is the sublime Blood on the Rooftops, with Gary O'Toole recreating his fine live version on disc. Ripples remains a beautiful piece of music, but Amanda Lehmann, whilst having a lovely voice, does not, to me, come anywhere near recreating that melancholic, yearning, vocal of Collins on the original.
And therein lies the problem. The album has a cast of thousands. My favourite guitarist of modern times, Steven Rothery, appears on the Lamia track, which is, again, a bold statement that the album is designed more for Genesis fans rather than pop passers-by. I, though, would rather that the collaboration was on original material, because there is a simple fact here. That is that Gabriel and Collins (yes, Collins), were so fantastic and unique, that any attempt to cover them is, really, bound to end up in a poor comparison contest. And that is what we have here, a covers album, albeit one with one of the original protagonists and a host of stellar guests. A cover album, though, nonetheless.
So, whilst I marvel still at the music that, to me, exemplifies symphonic progressive rock, whilst my hair stands up when I hear some of those staggering movements, whilst I sing along at the top of my voice, I am left with one thought. It's life Jim, but not as we knew it (pardon the paraphrase).
In fact, as a longstanding fan of Hackett solo material, my favourite tracks here are the final three, and the ones unfamiliar to most listeners, A Tower Struck Down, Camino Royale, and Shadow of the Hierophant. The former is a cracking instrumental, which has a riff racing along and is in the finest tradition of eclectic Hackett. Camino Royale would sit nicely on any Hackett solo work, and is a nice bluesy track, with commercial sensibilities. The closer is lovely, with Lehmann giving some lovely vocals, and Steven Wilson guesting on guitar, and John Hackett providing a lilting flute.
So, how to rate this? Well, since the material is so good, and the performances so competent, it could never be anything less than a really good album. However, in this reviewer's opinion, for the masterpieces, go back to those 1970's originals, the ones which are still proudly gathering dust on vinyl in my hall cupboard. In fact, let us be honest here. There is absolutely no artistic merit in releasing this album. It is a pension fund effort.
The Minstrel’s Ghost - The Road to Avalon
Thoroughly enjoyable concept prog in the vein of Wakeman.
The Minstrel's Ghost is a project that has as its founder Blake Carpenter, and he first came to my attention when he posted a couple of You Tube videos of this, the second recorded release under the project. I was struck not just by the music, but also by the sheer beauty of the artwork that accompanied it. If you get the chance, you really must look.
Anyhow, when Blake asked me to undertake a review, I gladly accepted. The subject matter is, of course, those Arthurian legends of Ye Olde Englande (or Wales. It depends upon where you live!). Naturally, many people might be forgiven for wondering just whether the world is ready for yet another slab of such stuff - after all, in the 1970's, a certain Mr Wakeman entertained us all with his own take on the legend, and very successful it was too. Having said that, I personally find that, as good as it was back then, it has rather dated, which is not particularly surprising given that it utilised the cutting-edge technology of the time, and this has moved on to the nth degree since.
And Carpenter and his very able band of merry knights give us a wonderful musical scenario, steeped in the latest digital technology and soundscapes. As concept albums go, this one very deftly avoids the easy pothole of the silly and twee, not a particularly straightforward task given the subject matter. Instead, this is a mature and serious piece of art, and I particularly love the "death of Arthur" sequence that closes the album, with sensitive vocals and an expansive rock drama that recalls the best of classic rock. In fact, the only quibble I have is that I don't find the battle effects shortly onto Part Two to be wholly necessary, given the fact that the music itself is more than capable of projecting this. However, this is a minor moan on my part.
On his debut work, Dreams Things True, Carpenter handled all of the instruments. On this, wisely for such an ambitious project, he has had help, although it has taken twelve full years from the time a short song called Avalon was written for it to come to fruition. Appearing with him are Zoltan Csorsz Jr (ex-Flower Kings) on drums, Colin Tench (Corvus Stone & Bunchakeze) providing some wonderful guitar work, Troy James Martin (LeeAnne Savage) on bass, and Marco Chiappini (Gandalf's Project) contributing keyboard work.
Having said that, Carpenter is really at the centre of all things, and the pleasant surprise that strikes you immediately is just how damn nice his rather distinct voice is - think Art Garfunkel in a prog setting (this is not a joke, by the way), and you won't be that far off. As mentioned before, the lyrics themselves tell a good story, not a twee one, and musically it is precisely the type of expansive, colourful, and symphonic progressive rock I love. Full of swirling keyboards and intricate guitar work, all backed by delicate and complex rhythm section which allow the story to flow along. If you are a fan of modern thrash, metallic, gloomy prog, then you should avoid this like the plague. If, however, you, like me, sometimes just like to sit back and allow an extremely pleasant piece of music to wash all over you, then I cannot recommend this highly enough.
In addition, the cd is worth buying simply for the sumptuous artwork, provided by Ed Unitsky. If you go to the homepage for Carpenter, you can find a link to Unitsky's own page, and well worth a visit it is, too.
Some of the music sent to reviewers by artists is exceptional, mostly it is very good, and you get the occasional stinker. This one is well and truly into the excellent and very pleasant surprise category, and I have no hesitation in praising its sheer warmth and enjoyable listening experience.
In fact, in closing, I can't help thinking that the old Maestro Wakeman himself, might, actually, rather enjoy this, and also think to himself.....this isn't that far off what I would have recorded if I was still that young bloke from the 1970's transplanted to 2012.
My thanks to Blake for providing me with an official pre-release MP3 download. The cd itself is released in December but can be pre-ordered from the website now. Go on, treat yourself with that money gift from Aunty for Christmas. I think you will enjoy.
MUDWAY - SOME STRANGE STORIES
Promising album which, regrettably, did not manifest itself in future success.
This debut effort from Italian outfit, Mudway, reached my attention when they were proposed for addition to Prog Archives when I was a member of the neo prog team. Whilst active for a little while mainly doing covers, the band have now reached the point where an expression of their own music became important, and the finished product can be listened to as a stream from their website. I understand that an official download facility for the album will be available soon, and I, for one, will be getting this.
For whilst this debut will not, by any stretch of the imagination, set the prog world on fire, what it does do, to these ears, is put down a very important marker that this is a serious band who deserve our attention, and who will, I have no doubt, improve and be successful with each successive release.
Some Strange Stories is completely self-recorded, and self-produced, and, as is common with such works, cannot possibly be compared in terms of production values with the likes of Steven Wilson, but I am happy to report that it is more than adequate as a listening experience.
The album opens with First Night, a nice breezy opener, classic prog with commercial sensibilities. The guitar work is impressive, backing some pleasant, if quirky, keys.
Earthificially Intelligent must take the title for best named track of 2012, and I really like this song. My only minor quibble is that it tries, perhaps, a little too hard to produce a "futuristic/AI" sound, but, nonetheless, the bass & drums keep pace fantastically, with a nice piano as lead. The vocals strike me as being very much in the vein of classic Italian prog, and this is a strong, enjoyable track.
Mud & Rubble is a quirky, keyboard led track, slightly reminiscent to me of the type of quaint stuff early Genesis put out such as Harold The Barrel. It is rather strange, but funnily addictive, and I particularly like Matteo Salamon's guitar work at the close.
Seeking To Believe is the longest track on offer at 7:51 long. The main opening section is warm & lush, very much in the mould of classic symphonic progressive rock from the 1970's. As it progresses, it develops into a more complex and slightly darker flavour. with a very good bassline, and very good drumming work by Leonardo Alessandro Patruno, moving the track along very nicely to effectively back a fine guitar lead and complex keyboard overlays.
El Bombastico is, well, a strange story. The highlight here, and possibly of the album, is the closing keyboard passage, which is strikingly loud, almost industrial, and, well, bombastic.
Caramel is a track which takes me back to the 1980's in tone and execution, almost, in parts, to some of the better works released by the likes of John Foxx & Gary Numan, with doses of latter-day Genesis and early Floyd and Van Der Graaf thrown in for good measure. I also think that sections of this track were influenced strongly by IQ, particularly in the Dark Matter incarnation of the band. Again, the keyboards provided to us by Paolo Santambrogio, backed by Matteo Salamon & Giampaolo Filippo Parravicini, are a joy to listen to, and this is a thoughtful, deceptively complex track.
The shortest track here is What Mist Takes, and this has a heavier feel to much else present, but still indomitably quirky. Much is in line with classic 1980's prog, although the end is utter chaos.
We finish with Blasted Imagination, which is a relaxant after the chaos which preceded it. The only way I can describe this track is by saying that it really should be on the next Van Der Graaf Generator album. It is a tribute to that band, and Hamill in particular, to this reviewer's mind, and the only thing it lacks is the mad woodwind a la Jackson.
So, what we have here is a promising start to what I hope will be a prolific career. I would thoroughly recommend that you go to the band's website and give this a few listens, and I have no hesitation in stating that it is a good album. With success, and an appointment in the production room for the next album, this band might well be worth keeping an eye out for.