Gentle Knife II | Clock Unwound Album Review September 2017
Gentle Knife II | Clock Unwound
Label: Bajkal Records
Release Year: 2015
Country: Norway
Genre: Progressive Rock/Art Rock/Folk/Eclectic Prog
Band Members
Astraea Antal – Flutes/Woodwinds and Visuals
Pål Bjørseth – Keyboards/Vocals/Trumpet
Odd Grønvold – Basses
Thomas Hylland Eriksen – Saxophone & Woodwinds
Veronika Hørven Jensen – Vocals
Håkon Kavli – Vocals & Guitars
Eivind Lorentzen – Guitars & Synths
Charlotte Valstad Nielsen – Saxophones
Ove Christian Owe – Guitars
Ole Martin Svendsen – Drums/Percussion
Brian M. Talgo – Samples/Words/Vocals/Visions & Artwork
Contact Links
Gentle Knife Official Facebook Page
Gentle Knife Official YouTube Channel
Track Listing
Prelude: Incipit (Instrumental)
The Clock Unwound
Fade Away
Smother
Plans Askew
Resignation
It is always a very curious anticipation when a band releases a second album. The term ‘Sophomoric Jinx’ always enters the conventional discourse. This is so especially true when the band puts out a very ambitious and colossal debut album. This is exactly what Gentle Knife did in 2015 with their debut. The typical cliched comparisons always come into the conversation along with a much higher expectation. The band has safely avoided all these cliches and stereotypes with their second album Gentle Knife – Gentle Knife II – Clock Unwound.
Gentle Knife are now made up of 11 very different yet interesting members that make up the beauty of the sound of the band. Veronika Hørven Jensen – Vocals has replaced Mina Oz for this run of Gentle Knife. However that takes nothing away from the vocal quality within the female narrative. If anything it adds more depth to the band. Although it may have a hint of being a conceptual piece, this album this time around has more of a common theme to it instrumentally. The band also returns with a greater maturity to the songwriting process, the production and growth as individual musicians. The six tracks that make up the album are a true testament of a band growing and maturing. Now for a track by track analysis into this ‘Orchestral Labyrinth’ known as Gentle Knife – Gentle Knife II – Clock Unwound.
Prelude: Incipit (Instrumental) opens up the album with a beautiful piano that works in harmony with the trumpet. This combination brings about almost a very ‘Baroque’ style about it displaying influences from Handel, Bach or even Vivaldi style registers within this opening composition. This track also allows the listener to get settled in for the remainder of the album.
The Clock Unwound transitions very seamlessly and smoothly from Prelude: Incipit (Instrumental) with a elegant opening guitar solo. Immediately the saxophone and other woodwinds, along with the a heavy prog guitar, begin to establish a very unique and signature sound for the band. Soon a thunderous drum/bass rhythm section enters in with more a tuned down chord progression. The male vocal comes into the narrative and seems filtered through a megaphone. The keyboards are of a more modern style, however playing perfectly on time with both the stringed section and rhythm sections. The woodwind instruments add total depth and layers to the composition as well. The band certainly knows how to hook a listener and keep their attention for the duration of the track. The female vocal narrative gives the track a very heavy hint of RIO or (Rock In Opposition) / Avant Prog vibe with the way it appears diminished in the composition and structure. The band even plays well with off rhythm section time signature beats on this track as well. Towards the end of the song their is a beautiful eclectic mix of jazz fusion with the alto saxophone and progressive chord patterns.
Fade Away starts off with a semi electric guitar in a atmospheric isolation before the flute comes in and adds a beauty and depth to the song. This opening instrumental works on perfect time to the isolation of both the male and female vocal narrative. The horned woodwind sections remind much of Gentle Knife’s peers Thank You Scientist where there is a huge and beautiful cacophony of various stringed. rhythm and horned sections all in perfect harmony making the track a trek into the spirit of the listener.
Smother comes in with a very up tempo rhythm section that is soon met with a overlaying atmosphere created by both keyboards and other woodwind instruments. The female vocal narrative comes in in perfect time with the drums and the male vocal follows in suit shortly after adding more vocal depth to the song. This song is lyrically about somebody’s best intentions and trying may not be the best for them. From here there is a beautiful jazz style chord progressed passage with the female vocal carrying much of the middle of the song. This is all rounded out with a neo progressive keyboard enabling such a atmosphere.
Plans Askew opens up with a vast pastoral acoustical folk styled guitar that sets the tone for the composition. The vocal sounds both isolated yet in harmony to the instrumental. The woodwind instruments alongside with the rhythm section opens up and sets the heavier more up tempo portions as the song progresses. Throughout the track the bands steadily builds layers upon layers towards a plateau before transitioning onto different chord progressions that would lead to a beautiful duet between the male and female vocals.
Resignation has much of the same instrumental narrative to it. This instrumental narrative starts out with a big rhythm section that increasingly builds as the track moves forward. The track adds layer upon layer with the various instruments that the individual musician brings to the table as a collective. This track also is arranged perfectly as the final song on the album. Although the song seems steeped in melancholy, it still has a smooth instrumental backdrop. It is that backdrop that allows the lyrical content done through spoken word.
For a sophomoric effort this is a masterpiece. Gentle Knife have now firmly set themselves up to be a major progressive rock unit going forward for the next 10 to 15 years. Clock Unwound will be looked at as one of those pivotal albums that will be talked about in the evolution of progressive rock 15 to 20 years from now. Due to the band’s continuous maturity I am giving Gentle Knife II Clock Unwound a 5/5.
