Label: Unicorn Digital Inc. Release Year: 2016 Country : Quebec, Canada Genre : Progressive Rock
Band Members
Sylvain Descôteaux – Vocals, Keyboards Michel St-Père – Guitars Michel Joncas – Bass, Taurus Bass Pedals William Régnier – Drums, Percussions Johnny Maz – Keyboards
Huis (“home doors” in french, and “house” in dutch) . This is a very appropriate name for the band that comes out of Montreal, Quebec Canada. Their beautiful atmospheres and great rhythm sections make you feel right at home with their music and compositions. Their 2016 release Neither In Heaven is a solid confirmation of how music can more than just move a person but make them feel at home within the album or project.
Coming off the heals of their previous album of 2014 Despite Guardian Angels, the band has returned with a much more atmospheric and darker composition that is Neither In Heaven. Huis’ Neither In Heaven is a wonderful cocktail of the dark portions of Rush’s Caress Of Steel , Hemispheres and 2112 meets Rush’s Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves.with a slight Pink Floydian flavoured atmosphere. For a band that appears as neo progressive on the surface, Huis certainly has a whole other side that is out right dark and heavy. The heavier progressions hit you by surprise and force more involvement from the listener. The listener is enveloped in between progressive atmospheres, warm rhythm sections and heavy almost metal like guitars in certain areas throughout Neither In Heaven.
The first track, the self titled track Neither In Heaven, begins as a heavy brooding piano passage almost liken that of dark chamber music. it is the perfect beginning for the album as it is the first of a few instrumentals. Neither In Heaven opens its namesake up well in the arrangement before track two Synesthesia.
Synesthesia begins with a heavy bass/drum rhythm section before the darker yet neo progressive elements of the keyboards and guitars come into play. Sylvain Descôteaux – Vocals, Keyboards brings such a warm and dark sound to the vocals. His vocals are very unique and he definitely has carved out his own harmony and sound. The bands backing vocals perfectly accompany the lead vocal on this one. This track also has such a quality to draw in the listener for the duration of the rest of the album with various keyboard, acoustic guitars and rhythmic sections interchanging. The audience has no time to get bored. The guitar solos and keyboards are just as important of a instrumental harmony as the vocals are.
Insane begins with some serious heavy bass/drum rhythm section that Michel St-Père – Guitars perfectly lays back in harmony with the rhythm section. Insane is one of those instrumentals that remind me a lot of Rush’s YYZ or Enchant’s Progtology. Insane continues with the beautiful atmospheres created on the keyboards.
Even Angels Sometimes Fall is opened with the clean synth atmospheres along with the very deep bass and drums lock in step. The guitars take on a very Pink Floyd Momentary Lapse Of Reason vibe. Michel St-Père – Guitars has a heavy David Gilmore style about him. Johnny Maz – Keyboards is like a Richard Wright to Huis as a band collective.
Entering The Gallery begins with the effect of a door opening before going into a beautiful keyboard passage. This is soon followed by a very straight forward hard driving progressive hard rock sound that is almost symphonic. Very warm vocals come into play and this track takes your mind on a 3:41 mini adventure. This track is arranged in such a way on Neither In Heaven that it is almost like turning the album over to another more heavy darker side.
The Man On The Hill explodes into a almost progressive metal passage in a style that Dream Theater used on Falling Into Infinity with a track like Burning My Soul. Make no mistake here Huis still stay on point with their own unique sound despite the comparison there. This one has some very heavy handed progressions and time signatures to perfectly match the dark lyrical content. William Régnier – Drums, Percussions & Michel Joncas – Bass, Taurus Bass Pedals totally stand out as the backbone on this track with poise and brilliant musicianship. This reminds me a lot like a progressive version of Dokken’s The Hunter. It has a very dark conclusion as well.
The Red Gypsy opens with the guitar in a almost Latin progression before it is met by the keyboard and warm vocal. About the 1:00 mark it goes the way of a more traditional progressive song yet leaving heavy Latin style progression passages. The Red Gypsy also sees the band really let it loose almost in a heavy progressive AOR vibe with the various vocal and instrumental breaks interchanging in and out of one another.
Memories starts out with a beautiful piano and vocal harmony. The lyrical content is very introspective and reflective in nature. The synth style keyboards and piano make for a perfect partner for the acoustical guitar in the intro. The track then takes on a more ballad style song. A closer listen and the audience can easily be swept away into another level of listening experience. I had a very powerful experience with Memories myself.
I Held begin with some thick lush melodies of instrumental atmospheres compounded with almost choral like vocal harmonies. Soon followed by that is a straight away progressive rock instrumental section. There are some very creative unusual but contemporary time signatures that border like psychedelic progressions.
Nor On Earth opens up with a very ethereal style progression. Soon there is a warm neo progressive vibe about it. The guitar tracks and keyboards exchange in between layers. The vocals are very warm. This is arranged perfectly on the album as the last track. Nor On Earth has a little bit of every element that every track had before it on Neither In Heaven. Nor On Earth is also one of those tracks that allow for the listener to really absorb what they just experienced on the album itself. In between various time signatures it gives the track and ultimately the entire album time to breathe.
To be candid Huis’ Neither In Heaven really was a surprise to me. I had some preconceived notions of this just being just another neo progressive album. I was wrong Huis has so much depth that Neither In Heaven is a genuine modern masterpiece. Neither In Heaven is a heavy innovator of the evolution of progressive rock. This gets 4.5/5 for genuine depth with honesty.
I must admit Red Bazar have taken me quite a bit by surprise. They totally embody a vast ray of vintage 1970’s progressive rock influences and sound. They certainly have proven this again with their latest and most recent effort Tales From The Bookcase. They have brought a serious panoramic of various progressive styles from that era into the 21st Century with modern elements. Tales From The Bookcase is also their first effort with vocals on the album as the band is joined by the soulful Peter Jones on this one.
The bands panoramic sound ranges from Yes and Genesis on the ethereal end to King Crimson, Rush and Deep Purple on the heavier end. Much like Yes and Genesis the band has such lyrical elements to paint motion pictures on the tapestry of the mind of the listener. On the heavier end of Rush, King Crimson and Deep Purple they add that 1970’s almost proto stoner rock vibe. The band even goes into soulful vocal styles such as Paul Rogers of Bad Company.
Tales From The Bookcase is a thematic concept album where the album does not really take on a full concept but rather a common theme and thread. The come theme and thread are stories inspired by actually stories and events or the potential of them happening thereof. I will point out various highlights from every track of Red Bazar’s Tales From The Bookcase.
In The Beginning starts off Tales From The Bookcase with a very dark psychedelic passage. The synths remind me very much of Jon Lord in most Deep Purple Mark 2 albums with late 1960’s American Psychedelia in the fashioned of The Doors meets The Jefferson Airplane. The guitar has a beautiful ethereal atmosphere to support In The Beginning.
Queen Of The Night Part 1 explodes in the progressive passage of early King Crimson meets Deep Purple Mark 2 with a very heavy rock progression backed by Peter Jones channeling his inner soulful Ian Gillian ,John Wetton and Paul Rogers. While some bands have chosen to go neo progressive, Red Bazar are not afraid to unleash a heavier sound. The listener will find this throughout Tales From A Bookcase. The rhythm section very brooding and heavily orchestrated especially towards the end. The bass sounds like a backing vocal at times.
Calling Her On begins with a very soulful and psychedelic vibe especially in the vocal department. Peter Jones is making himself a serious vocal force to be reckoned with about now in the album. The band relies heavily on heavy rhythmic guitar sections trading on and off. This track is one of many on this album inspired by a book or tale. Lyrically it is a introspective and personal reflection work. The track takes some nice breaks and allows the listener to breathe in the story both on the instrumental and lyrical portions.
City And The Stars opens with a beautiful piano passage with a very warm inviting vocal. This track takes on layers and atmospheres of guitar, bass and keyboard tracks making a very soothing performance and allowing the composition breathe. This track is inspired loosely by many various futuristic idealistic novels. The vocal harmonies are excellent. Towards the end the band takes a trip back into the heavy zone that is more of progressive hard rock.
Lights Of Home opens up with one Mr. Mick Wilson performing a rhythm clinic with the way his fingers dance of the bass to open the track. That is soon joined in harmony with a wonderfully warm lead guitar of Andy Wilson. Soon Peter Jones joins in on vocals that take another dynamic. The crystal clear backing vocals run well in harmony to the lead vocals. Another dynamic of the track is actual guitar solo’s that seem hit and miss in progressive rock these days. Another great dynamic to this track is all the vocal content that appears for a 12:22 track. Usually the longer the song the longer the instrumental. This however is not the case with this one. It balances as much lyrical content as it does instrumental.
Sunset For A New World starts you off with a beautiful semi electric guitar passage. This is soon joined by some very inviting and warm vocal harmony to perfectly accompany the instrumental. This track completely allows the listener to soak in the album as a whole with two more songs. The semi acoustic guitar in the solo brings this and the album to another dimension.
Almost Over appropriately title for the second to the last song. This one begins with a ghostly style vibe. The keyboards are great the way they can depict a foggy atmosphere before the guitar adds a layer of warm to the passage. Soon the vocal comes in pulling at the mind strings of the audience. This track is 11:00 solid minutes of various layers upon layers of instrumental and vocal elements. The harmonies tighten up a lot in this one. The solo around the middle of the track is one of tower audio assault blending the best of progressive hard rock with mild neo progressive influences.
Queen Of The Night Part 2 opens up with a sort of Peter Gabriel vibe especially with tracks like Games Without Frontiers and Excellent Birds with a lot more progressive meat on the marrow of the progressive skeleton. This track really starts out with such organic elements and adds to them layering time signatures and progressions with every passing second to minute. Between Queen Of The Night Part 1 and Queen Of The Night Part 2 here it can make for a wonderful surprise live if the band chooses to play it in its entirety. Queen Of The Night Part 2 builds and concludes the story with such grace and poise. There are so excellent breaks to allow the listener to really comprehend what the band is conveying. The bass does a beautiful job as the backbone to some of the break passages.
I was very surprised by this album. Red Bazar made a excellent transition from being a total instrumental band to a vocal oriented progressive hard rock convincingly. With the band as a vocal oriented entity now I firmly believe that the band will be able to expand their fan base. Red Bazar are among some of the best modern bands that will be able to carry posterity in prog music to carry it well towards the middle half of the 21st Century. Red Bazar Tales From The Bookcase gets a 4.5/5.
Label: Seacrest Oy, Musea Release Year: 2016 Country: International Genre: Progressive Rock
Band Members
Marco Bernard – Rickenbacker Basses, Project Coordinator Steve Unruh – Vocals, Violin, Flute Kimmo Porsti – Drums And Percussion, Audio Engineering With : Stefan Renstrom – Keyboards, Arrangements David Meyers – Music Composer Tom Donocourt – Keyboards, Music Composer Chip Gremillion – Keyboards, Music Composer Ken DeLoria – Music Composer
And Special Guests:
Jojan Ollen – Electric And Acoustic Guitars on ( She/Plight of the Swan/The Demise) Karmen Alan Shilkoh – Electric Guitar (Inception) Jon Davison -Vocals (She) Steve Scorfina – Electric Guitar (Preludin) Richard Maddocks – Narration (The Demise) Keith Christian – Vocals (The Demise) Mark Trueack – Vocals (The Demise) Linus Kase – Saxophones (The Demise) Llorian Garcia -Electronic Bagpipes (The Demise)
Sometimes in the Prog Rock Community certain releases and recordings are all about timing and their respective due dates. This is certainly a fact for The Samurai of Prog Lost and Found. Dusted off from old cassette recordings or reel to reel recordings from band jam sessions, the six track 2 CD set were once and for all given the light of day. The Samurai of Prog present a very 1970’s vintage progressive rock sound with some very modern elements and sensibilities. Lost and Found carries all the signature hallmarks of vintage late 1960’s to 1970’s progressive rock supplying the listener with tracks from 2:00 minutes + to 57:00 minutes + in length thus giving a full journey and audio experience motion picture in the theater of the mind of the audience.
The Samurai of Prog’s core unit of Marco Bernard, Steve Unruh and Kimmo Porsti have definitely come to the table with a cohesive plan and vision for Lost and Found. For as ambitious as the band appear on Lost and Found, they are also very modest as to allow every passage, progression and time signature to breathe and allow the listener to absorb what they are listening to moment by moment. The band were very keen on eliminating most of the compression that sadly ruins a lot of great music nowadays. Throughout my review I will be doing a analysis on each track and for the first time ever the brilliant packaging of the physical CD.
The Artwork Of Ed Unitsky
The artwork of Ed Unitsky on The Samurai of Prog’s Lost and Found reminds me a lot of the world of Gentle Giant, especially their 1970 debut self titled masterpiece. When you open the gate fold to the CD there are three men who represent the three core members of The Samurai of Prog, Marco Bernard, Steve Unruh and Kimmo Porsti. The two jacket sleeves for the two CD’s is like that of vinyl where you have the sleeve covering the wax, except in this case it is more like cardstock jackets with tasteful and appropriate depictions of the respective music presented on each CD. The artwork of Ed Unitsky really does reflect the collective personality of Lost and Found as a whole.
The Samurai of Prog’s sound carries a vast collection of influences ranging from Yes, King Crimson, Gentle Giant and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. The lyrical content is a perfect compliment to the instrumental orchestration and production. Although this is not billed as a ‘Concept Album,’ the engineering and production are very concept minded in scope and arrangement. CD 2 with the 57:18 track The Demise could take on a very in depth conceptual appearance in nature as it takes up the entire second CD. Now let’s explore The Samurai of Prog’s Lost and Found.
CD 1
The Samurai of Prog’s Lost and Found opens up with two back to back instrumentals with Preludin and Along The Way. These instrumentals are both effective for both old and new fans alike. They give the older fans and listeners a wonder melodic reminder of who The Samurai of Prog are. It works for the newer fans in a way that the instrumentals are a great way for a newer audience to find out the band’s sound and presentation.
Preludin opens with a beautiful rhythm section with the violin and flute wonderfully tracked in harmony with the melody. It is almost in the vein of Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull at many times throughout the track. Preludin also has a 16th Century appeal about it as well. This track contains some basic progressive time signatures however this is a warm up for the journey to come in Lost and Found. Around the 4:35 mark the piano comes into play heavily with the violin and flute giving Preludin another layer of progressive excellence. Throughout the whole project the listener will also notice that the band allows for every instrument to be heard and breathe.
Along The Way begins with a beautiful stand alone piano passage. This really serves well to even the harsh of critics. The piano passage is allowed to breathe and serve as a prelude to the next track the 20:02 epicInception. Along The Way is sort of like the melodic trailer for the 20:02 film about to be shown in the theater of the mind with Inception.
Inception elegantly opens with a flute and keyboard combination that is appropriately layered and engineered on top the rhythm bass/drum section. There is a method to the band’s madness and at about 1:40 mark the lyrical content comes in to carry the listener off into a epic journey of harmony between the lyrical section and instrumental portion. Inception reminds me so much of the classic progressive rock epics such as The Revealing Science of God: Dance of the Dawn and The Remembering (High the Memory) from Yes’ Tales of Topographic Oceans, Genesis Suppers Ready, Tarkus from Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and Pink Floyd’s Echoes with a sprinkle of Gentle Giant over top of it.
The keyboards early on during Inception take almost a Kraftwerk electronic vibe before they move towards the more traditional progressive rock pattern of being a highlight over a very deep rhythm section between the bass and drums. The vocals have that distinct Gentle Giant vibe that they breathe and steer away from the compressed and rushed vocals or long vocal lines.
She (Who Must Be Obeyed) has many reminders of Yes’ And You And I and Heart Of The Sunrise. The vocals take a very high alto soprano personality much like Jon Anderson did with the Yes’ tracks I just mentioned. This one has has deep lush profound rhythm melodies that place a lot character on the track. This track takes on a mild orchestral vibe with certain breaks and passages as well. The last half or 6:00 minutes plus, the track takes on a heavy Celtic old world sound with modern elements and sensibility in certain places.
Plight Of The Swan opens with a nice beautiful piano passage with warm vocal melodies and harmonies. Soon it takes on a very heavy 1970’sKing Crimson meets Gentle Giant sound. The thunderous almost proto thrash instrumental passages meeting a very articulate vocal harmony. The Hammond style synth takes on a more complimentary element to accompany the bass/drum rhythm section. The keyboard also serves a quiet mild element while the isolated vocal harmonies are at play. Plight Of The Swan is a very traditional progressive hard rock piece in its very nature.
CD 2 (The Demise) 57:18
The Demise
The Demise is a mini motion picture film for the prog minded. It gives the collection of the 2 CD set of Lost and Found a conceptual landscape. It begins with a narrative which sets this epic up to begin to paint that picture on to the tapestry of the listeners mind. The lyrical content in a nutshell is about a society in jeopardy whose leaders send on magistrate out to begin to restore order from chaos. On top of the opening narrative the track on the musical side is broken up in to 36 parts like 36 minichapters of a novel telling a very captivating story.
The first 15:00 to 20:00 minutes the track is like Yes joining Gentle Giant and King Crimson to bring a very heavy handed progressive rock epic to a vast progressive rock audience. The old school Hammond Organ style keyboard blended with the flute sounds new again recorded with modern methods in hand to bring something satisfactory to many progressive rock audio palettes. Around the 21:00 mark the track reflects more of a classical symphony orchestration with the various progressions, time signatures and passages. The band has this uncanny ability to take both stringed and horned sections that are inside a symphony and transcribe those melodic narratives to the instruments they have before them.
The keyboard passages throughout The Demise are as if they share a intimate kinship with the style of Rick Wakeman’s Journey To The Center Of The Earth. The Demise continues to draw the listener into the story in such a way as to allow the passages to breathe so the listener can really absorb both the lyrical portion and instrumental portion evenly transporting the listener into the world the band created here.
At around the 40:00 mark the bagpipes fire up as if a old world Celtic king is being welcomed home from a battle on the war field. It begins to wrap up the absolution of the story as a collective. The final 17:00 minutes allow for the listener to be enveloped into the elaborate ceremony and pageantry of the moment in the world the band created for this kingdom. If the listener gives The Demise full attention they can definitely become immersed into another dimension, a vacation in the mind to a different world.
There is a quote or a saying that goes something like this, “It is not where you start in life it is how you finish.”The Samurai of Prog with Lost and Found are the perfect example of this. For having such a rocky and rough start on tape and going through the digital metamorphosis to the final product, the band surely had not only a clear vision but the courage to finish this collection of songs. They also remained totally on point of their objective and now the world can enjoy the epic journey that is the collection of tracks on Lost and Found. Do not be surprised if this winds up in my Top 5 of 2016 as it is a very heavy contender for Album of 2016 with me. This gets a 5/5 for excellence.
Thank you Marty Dorfman at The Waiting Room with The Prog Doctor at House of Prog again !!!
Label : Independent Release Year : 2016 Country : Finland Genre : Extreme Progressive Metal
Band Members
Andreas Hammer – Guitar, Vocals Jani Konttinen – Hammond Organ, Mellotron Jouko Lehtonen – Bass Guitar Jari-Markus Kohijoki – Drums
Additional Performances on final track A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring. Joonas Pyhtilä – Drums on Carved In Ashes Alma von Creutlein – The Many Voices of the Godmachine
To be completely honest with you, Perihelion Ship is perhaps one of 2016’s and progressive metal’s best kept secrets. Perihelion Ship has only been together since 2014 and has released A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring independently. This band that hails out of Finland must of had a progressive rock and progressive metal time capsule they dug up in Helsinki. I mean this band here embody all of the hallmarks of early progressive pioneers such as Yes, Genesis, Can and Amon Duii II with the modern metal elements of DEATH, Katatonia, Dream Theater and Opeth, also drawing inspirations from dark progressive bands such as Anekdoten and Änglagård.
Perihelion Ship have totally stripped out glossy keyboard elements that seem to over saturate the progressive metal market in exchange for the vintage Hammond organ and Mellotron giving them a very unique and dark sound not heard of since Opeth’s towering opus Ghost Reveries was released in 2005. Jani Konttinen – Hammond Organ, Mellotron seems to be channeling a inner spiritual voice of Jon Lord meets Rick Wakeman with a slight avant-garde twist of Irmin Schmidt of Can.
Perihelion Ship’s extreme element comes in with the ferocious and beautifully done vocals of Andreas Hammer. Andreas’ vocals are like a wonderful cocktail of Chuck Schuldiner DEATH meets early Katatonia Jonas Renske and Pre- WatershedMikael Akerfeldt of Opeth. He perfectly balances the ‘death growls’ with the cleaner vocals throughout A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring. This is also done with the blistering bass/drum rhythm sections of Jouko Lehtonen – Bass Guitar and Jari-Markus Kohijoki – Drums as well as a blistering down tuned rhythm guitar. Do not let the 50:02 , five track modest length of A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring deceive you. It is more loaded than most of the lighter more ambitious progressive music out there. Now let’s look at some highlights of Perihelion Ship’s A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring.
Misplaced Rainfall begins with a very eerie and dark Hammond style passage. Soon this is joined in with a very dark and brooding acoustical guitar followed by an all out metal assault. The galloping passage with all its twists and time signatures really straps in the listener for the journey to come. After the 2:50 mark the dark clean vocal sets up for another dark acoustical passage before exploding into a full on extreme death growl that is used both as a vocal and instrument. The Hammond organ gives this a very brooding yet dark sound. Misplaced Rainfall is arranged perfectly on the album due to the fact it shows many dimensions to the band’s sound and delivery.
The Emperor Idea opens up with a straight on progressive death metal passage that reminds me a lot of Opeth’s Demon Of The Fall. It is one relentless pounding of time signatures and passages combined with a brutal deathy vocal quality that could rival any band on the planet. The Emperor Idea fluctuates in and out between brutal complex time signatures backed by the growls with highly harmonic and melodic clean vocal principals. The Hammond is just as present as well as any other instrument on the album. This one has a heavy Deep Purple vibe about it.
Fool of White Antlers begins with a beautiful soothing guitar and rhythm section with a warm clean vocal allowing for the listener to really settle in for the other half of A Rare Thunderstorm in Spring. This calm and lucid passage has the appeal to a older more traditional progressive audio pallet while appealing to the modern progressive scrutiny. It has many twists and turns like a progressive roller coaster in the rhythm section building towards a heavier sound and passages. This ends with a elegant ‘death growl’ as both instrument and a vocal.
The Poet From The Mad Moon begins with a smooth guitar intro with a synth produced vocal chant almost like a mini choir before setting up the clean vocal passage around the 1:00 mark. The Hammond organ commands the full attention of the listener giving the track a very vintage and haunting atmosphere. This track is a perfect bridge towards the fifth and final self titled track A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring.
A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring incorporates all the hallmarks of a vintage progressive rock epic clocking in at 21:07. A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring wastes absolutely no time getting into the very heavy progressive time signatures and very metal elements. This one is blistering from the beginning note to the last and final note. The first 2:00 minutes are blistering before lowering down with a lush acoustical guitar passage with a tastefully done spoken word carrying over it. With grace and poise the band starts to sound like 25+ year veterans with forming only two years ago in 2014. A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring sounds like the beautiful union between Dream Theater’s A Change Of Seasons meets Opeth’s Black Rose Immortal. It has many sections and various bridges that join those sections like the perfect progressive puzzle. The band does this in such a way to allow the listener to breath and absorb every note and passage written recorded and produced. It balances both the death growl’s and clean vocals perfectly. A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring as the self titled track also paints a motion picture inside the theater of the mind of the listener the more the listener is involved with the track itself.
For a band just together only two short years, Perihelion Ship has definitely made one of the biggest statements for a debut album in extreme progressive metal and progressive rock history. A Rare Thunderstorm In Spring is the strongest debut ever in the history of the extreme progressive death metal genre. It is stronger than even Opeth’s Orchid and Katatonia’s A Dance Of December Souls. The fact this was all we written, recorded, produced and financed without the help of a record label is reason I give this a 5/5 for sheer excellence and independent quality.
Label: English Electric Recordings Release Year: 2016 Country: UK/International Genre: Progressive Rock
Band Members Andy Poole – Bass, Keyboards Greg Spawton – Guitars, Keyboards, Bass David Longdon – Vocals, Flute, Banjo, Mandolin, Organ, Glockenspiel Dave Gregory – Electric Guitar Nick D’Virgilio – Drums Danny Manners – Double Bass Rachel Hall – Violin Rikard Sjöblom – Keyboard, Guitars, Vocal
Some bands think they have to have something new and fresh every year. Other bands live by the notion that quality is better than quantity. Big Big Train are the perfect example that quality wins over quantity. With only nine albums to their credit over a 25 year career, Big Big Train are one of those prog bands that places the emphasis strong on substance. In 2016 with their new release Folklore this becomes the apparent case.
With the time and space in which Big Big Train put out a new album is like two lovers that grow more fond of one another. In this case it is Big Big Train and their fan base. Equipped with world class musicianship, Big Big Train are NOT just another ‘Supergroup’. They are a band that has worked to niche out their own individual sound with its various world renown musicians. Folklore reinforces this very fact.
Folklore is very strong on writing, recording, production on both sides between melody instrumentally and vocal harmony. For those unfamiliar with Big Big Train was founded in 1990 by Andy Poole – Bass, Keyboards & Greg Spawton – Guitars, Keyboards, Bass and later joined byDavid Longdon – Vocals, Flute, Banjo, Mandolin, Organ, Glockenspiel . David comes to the table with a Peter Gabriel era Genesis vibe about him yet with so much more. Big Big Train have all the hallmarks of classic symphonic progressive rock with folk , medieval and renaissance sophistication. All those elements are subtly put together with a touch of flair and tasteful consideration towards the listener.
Folklore the title track and opening track on the album opens up as if they simulated transcribed symphony orchestra on traditional progressive rock instruments. It soon takes a very Celtic turn. The background harmonies are coordinated like a mini choir giving Folklore warmth and depth inviting the listener into the rest of the album.
London Plane keeps Folklore wide open for a general progressive rock audio pallet with its warm semi acoustical intro. London Plane brilliantly creates such a atmosphere where even new fans of Big Big Train can get a essence of the lucid sophistication Big Big Train uses in its verse, bridges, time signatures and pure old school organ style keyboards. Around the 5:38 mark it takes a slight a subtle heavier turn ever climb towards various time progressions.
Along The Ridgeway begins almost in the vibe of a old jazz standard yet with modern progressive rock elements. This is one of the more eclectic tracks on the album. It is as if they have incorporated portions of 1940’s Big Band orchestra to the modern filter of progressive symphonic rock. There seems to be a conceptual theme building on the album. Many various songs of folklore. At the 3:41 mark a Jon Lord style Hammond Organ element shows up on the keyboards. The lyrical content starts to really allow the listener to think and breathe at this point of the album. The song gently ends as a jazz standard with a mini choir supporting it.
Salisbury Giant starts out in a more modern yet traditional progressive mindset and does it gracefully. It has the heavy warm rhythm section that is running parallel with the very atmospheric stringed section. Once again the band really utilizes harmony as its core strength of this track like every track on Folklore.
The Transit Of Venus Across The Sun opens up with extreme symphonic splendor. It sets the listener in a concert hall waiting for the conductor or band in the case to take its target audience on a mini journey. The intro is so heavily laced with symphony orchestral elements it gives the listener the atmosphere they are preparing to watch a vintage black and white film or going to some recital of sorts. The beautiful use of off time signatures with the vocal melodies and harmonies work both as vocal and instrumental pieces as the heavy jazz elements once again resurface.
Wassail has a very unique rhythm heavy opening old world Celtic intro. Wassail has a very old 15th to 16th century message with a modern progressive renaissance rock element. The rhythmic sections of the drum/bass are very tastefully noticeable. The violin gives a sense of gratitude to the string section. By this point of Folklore you really start to get just as involved with the lyrical arrangements much like the instrumental time progressions. Wassail is a great example of true storytelling with the appropriate instrumental signatures.
Winkie is definitely old world with a modern twist from the start to finish. The galloping intro gives the effect of a man on a horse riding out to get word out as was custom before horseless carriages or automobiles were invented. Winkie is very ironic that the old world instrumental sound is carrying a very modern story and message without getting lost in the intended translation.
Booklands is the epic of Folklore. It starts out with a very polite and inviting guitar based intro before taking a very 1970’s Genesis vibe. The background vocals are brought out and displayed both as a well balanced vocal harmony while maintaining the integrity of the instrumental melody. Lyrically Booklands is the most modern track in its story form. There are some really nice percussion portions with subtle stringed portions that still allow the listener to digest the track without being overwhelmed. The vocals on Folklore at this point are some of the most soulful I have yet to hear in 2016 with this style of progressive rock. Towards the mid point the band really gives a solo clinic of various time signatures.
Telling The Bees is arranged perfectly as the final track on Folklore. It really puts the album in perspective where the listener or even the tightest critics can stop and reflect over what they have heard on the album. Telling The Bees is a very modern yet traditional progressive rock track with much emotion. It also goes out as one of those feel good moments that many people can appreciate as it goes out on a very up tempo vibe.
After hearing Folklore I feel I have come away with a better knowledge of what Big Big Train embody as a band collective. If you have been a long time fan Folklore is the perfect album to embrace and welcome the band back with. If you are new to Big Big Train than Folklore is a perfect introduction to the great body of work the band has created over the last 25+ years. I also believe that the band has added high quality music to its massive body of work that can be very fun for the audience in a live concert setting. I give Big Big Train Folklore a 4.5/5 .
In a portion of the world where there is much turmoil and uncertainty comes a melodic beacon of hope and light. This band is known as The Light Year. Coming out of the area between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea in the country of Georgia, it is certain that no matter how much turmoil, progressive rock has tentacles in Georgia.
The Light Year Steps Of Life is one of those progressive masterpieces that come from out of nowhere once every 5 to 10 years. The Light Year are a band at the crossroads of Enchant and Transatlantic meets Pain of Salvation and Porcupine Tree. The Light Year combine very modern neo progressive elements with vintage hard rock/heavy metal with a twist of vintage progressive rock elements. The Light Year combine Arabic, Oriental and near Eastern influences with Western power progressive rock/metal elements.
Steps of Life begins with a powerful progressive symphonic instrumental track called Tornado 1 which starts off like the opening of a cinematic production. Tornado 1 has various hooks and instrumental melody. It reminds me a little of Liquid Tension Experiment at times. Tornado 1 charges right ahead in a progressive frenzy setting up track 2 Steps to Life.
Steps of Life starts off as a well articulate Acapella voice composition. At about the 1:16 mark the keyboard comes in with another layer to add to the vocal melody. At the 2:35 mark the track gains a acoustic guitar layer to be joined by the rhythmic section at the 3:35 mark. At about the 4:30 mark the track takes on a Peter Gabriel rhythmic vibe building the track to a up tempo track at this point. About the 5:35 mark it takes on a Spock’s Beard sounding track. At the 7:15 mark the track takes on a neo progressive vibe much like the band Enchant.
Tornado 2 starts off with a thunderous rhythmic section. The keyboards are executed quite well as a percussive rhythmic instrument instead of the status quo stringed sectional style instrumental. Tornado 2 like Tornado 1 is a instrumental in a cinematic style. The album starts taking on a conceptual sound at this time. Tornado 2 has some seriously heavy fusion elements going on with the composition all the through much like Planet X or Gordion Knot At 4:55 mark there appears a choir as more of a chant instrument even more so than a vocal.
Steps Reprise is a very well arranged and well placed track to bridge into the next track Side.
Side opens a lot like Yes with lush vocal layers engineered with a well rounded rhythmic section and the keyboard and acoustic guitar giving the track absolution. At the 2:35 mark the track really takes a very up tempo melody to harmony exchange. Side goes in and out from up tempo one moment to a down tempo the next moment. Side has that later Pink Floyd sound of the 1980’s. This track has some light alternative elements to it as well.
Dark Times starts out with a serious down tuned alternative sound. The vocal takes on a abstract atmosphere through a minimalist filter. Dark Times displays a less in more attitude and with various time signatures and breaks. With every break pause the track adds or subtracts various layers. Towards the end the track is blistering with some very heavy progressions and time signatures.
Damskerland is a mellow acoustic track. Although the vocals are being sung here they also sound a little in the realm of spoken word making it easy for the listener to grasp the story of Damskerland. This has almost a Dust In The Wind style about it.
Love Without Love begins with a sitar oriental sound to start off with this mini epic. About the 2:32mark the track takes on a mellow guitar atmosphere. The warmth of the vocals appear to be filtered through the keyboard although they are not. Love Without Love reminds me of a little longer Kayleigh or Easter from Marillion. It has a great flute at the 6:45 mark and rain stick sound giving it a really heavy near to far Eastern sound. At the 8:44 mark the track takes a symphonic approach almost like a movie soundtrack. This is perhaps the most eclectic track on the album.
Digital Dream opens subtly with a fade in drum percussion passage. Soon they electric guitar and keyboards take on a very heavy jazz prog fusion vibe. This track is like Buddy Guy and Miles Davis and Steely Dan rolled in one. The track soon breaks instrumentally and a spoken word section appears right before the free form prog jazz fusion takes off again. At the 4:30 mark the track takes on a vibe progression like Pain Of Salvation with the vocal arrangement.
My Lord picks up right where Digital Dream left off however, with a more distorted progression. The vocals sound heavily like John Wetton in King Crimson. The band even ventures into areas of funk with their progressions. At times it sounds like the instruments are talking back and forth from one another. There is a lot of twists and turns you do not know where the band is going with the track. About the 5:00 mark this track drops off some for a refined piano and keyboard atmosphere. Soon after sounds of nature like the birds in a forest chirping give the track depth and emotion. The character in this story starts to quietly question life on a lyrical level. About the 8:00 mark there is some heavy psychedelic elements instrumentally supporting the lyrical narrative. The track ends with a nice fluid cinematic ending.
Sky Way starts with a beautiful lush piano intro as if the instrument is isolated. Soon a partial spoken word partially sung vocal comes in. Soon after a calm guitar and languid rhythm section kicks in and the track takes almost a ballad style. This is a track of personal reflection lyrically. Sky Way has potential for the listener audience to sing this back to the band in a live setting.
Tornado 3 is a overall reflection of the album. Little portions of every track before it appear within the span of a 1:15. This is a heavy 1:15 as well.
The Light Year have made a statement on Steps of Life. This band mixes a little bit of the old with the new to form there own unique sound. The even bridge Eastern and Western musical styles into a well craft progressive music brew. I am giving this album a 4/5.
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