Category: Reviews

Review – Golden Caves – Collision – by James R Turner

A few years ago I saw a band on tour with the Darkness called Do Me Bad Things, my brother, who is almost as good at finding music that I like as David Elliott recommended them to me. Their USP was 5 different vocalists, mixing a trio of female vocalists with soul and a metal vocalist from the ‘tramp shouting in a dustbin’ persuasion, they were so good and their musical range was so diverse it inspired me to buy the album.

After one album they disappeared without a trace, leaving one great album and bags of potential.

(Romy)

I mention them now because listening to ‘Collision’, the debut album by the insanely talented Dutch band Golden Caves (out on Freia and distributed over in the UK by those nice chaps at Bad Elephant) remind me of Do Me Bad Things, if not musically then vocally, and the kicker here is that instead of needing three killer female vocalists, they have just the one, the soulful and versatile Romy Ouwerkerk whose stunning work throughout this album brings these 9 songs to life.

Formed in 2013 at the Dutch University Codarts in Rotterdam, they have been building a huge following at home, and with songs as great as this on an album that’s been honed to perfection over the past 4 years, you can see why.

(Alex)

Proving that the future of contemporary prog is very much in the hands of the youth (like the UK’s Maschine, or Saul Blease) they take the template and have crafted 9 well written and performed prog songs, with no room for lengthy epics or deviations, none of these songs get much over the 5 minutes mark, proving that sometimes less is more.

This 5 piece band have instead of filling a CD because they can, have put their heart and soul into this record, with the songs leaving you wanting more instead of thinking ‘is it over yet?’ and includes reworkings of their singles, the superb My Demons Hunt, and the simply sublime Bring me to the Water.

(Elise)

When they slot together with tracks like Doctor’s Prescription, Mother and the excellent closing When the Rain Falls, you know that this is a band who have a lot to say musically and have the confidence and skills to bring it off.

There is a great mixture of heavier guitar from Alex Ouwehand, whilst the keyboard work from Elise Polman shines throughout, and the anchors of the band Erik Stein on drums and Tim Wensick on bass allows the fluidity of the guitar and keyboards to take off.

(Erik)

As I mentioned earlier it’s Romy on the vocals that is the real revelation, soulful, rocky and on all tracks highly emotive, she is another of the new generation of progressive female vocals like Verity White or Kim Seviour who has an instantly recognisable voice, and who is firmly putting the case that contemporary prog is as much a females game as any other genre.

(Tim)

This is a mature and striking debut album from a supremely talented young band, who, based on the skills shown here and the maturity on this record, have a lot more to give, and are more than capable of making a massive impact.

If you’d not guessed so far I love this record and would put it down as the debut album of the year so far.

Released 24th March 2017

Buy ‘Collision’ in the EU from FREIA Music

http://www.fmls.biz/product/golden-caves-collision-2/

Buy ‘Collision’ in the UK from FREIA Music UK (Bad Elephant)

 

Vinyl Review – Paul Menel And The Essentials – Spare Parts For Broken Hearts – by Progradar

I blame Billy Idol…

It was 1986 when the CD revolution was gaining pace and I bought my first music system with a CD player, a Panasonic system with the works, twin tape decks, graphic equalizer, record deck, you name it. I bought it from Quay Televison in Bridlington which, over thirty years later, is still standing, unlike my vinyl collection!

The first CD I bought was Billy Idol – ‘Whiplash Smile’ and from that day on,the writing was on the wall for all my cherished LPs which I’d collected over the last 7 or 8 years. My first record player was a hand-me-down from my parents. One of those old Sanyo music systems that looked like someone’s sideboard but played the music really well to my young ears.

Well, thanks to Billy, my CD collection expanded and I ended up selling all my vinyls to Smugglers Records for what now seems a pittance.

Fast forward 30 years and a certain Chris Topham of Plane Groovy (also a Virgin Airlines pilot I’ll have you know) messages me and ask me if I’d like to start reviewing vinyl. I have to admit I was a bit of a naysayer when it came to the new vinyl revolution and wasn’t 100% certain but I agreed to give it a go.

The album in question was the 3rd release from ex IQ vocalist Paul Menel and true to his word, Chris sent ‘Spare Parts For Broken Hearts’ over post-haste, arriving just before my new record deck!

Here is the PR stuff about this new album:

“This album, the first from Paul Menel and his new band, The Essentials, represents a further step in Paul’s musical evolution from his early days with 1980s UK proggers, IQ. It demonstrates well his growth as an artist and as a man, not frightened to face his demons and to confront the emotional challenges of life in the early years of the 21st century.

Ably supported by his band, The Essentials, featuring the powerhouse rhythm unit that is Tim Churchman on drums and Steven Swift on bass, this album has again been produced by the legendary Gavin Monaghan – renowned for his work with Robert Plant and Peter Gabriel among others.

Appropriately to be launched on Valentines Day 2017, the album takes us on an emotional journey into maturity, with catchy songs set to become earworms and which talk of love lost and found and the trials of life.

It’s a toolkit for those looking to mend a broken heart & go on the next phase of their life journey with Paul and his band at their side as part guru, part fellow traveller, part court jester reminding us not to take life too seriously…

Available initially on vinyl and download only through Vinyl Specialist, Plane Groovy“.

The first thing that strikes me is the quality of the packaging, the artwork by Graeme Bell is visually stunning on the cover and the vinyl centres themselves and it comes with a stylish lyric and credit sheet, it definitely feels a quality product to me.

Now, the music. Before I talk about the songs themselves, please remember this is the first vinyl I have played in a very long time. My ears have become used to a diet of clinical mp3s and compact discs so the first thing that struck me is the warmth and quality of the music as the needle tracks the grooves. It almost feels alive and what others would see as possible imperfections, I see as being an essential component of the sound.

There is a permanency to vinyl that you don’t get from anything else and I dismissed this with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders for such along time. I was absorbed in the packaging, artwork and lyric sheet for along time and the simple act of lifting the needle to put it on the LP for the first time is joyous in its own way.

The first notes of ‘Til Dawn Rolls In’ immediately grab my attention, an upbeat and absorbing track with some excellent sax work from Sam Rogers and great backing vocals from Emma Skipp and Kaytee De Wolfe. It has a cultured pop song feel to it but one that is much more intricate and intelligent than the usual fare we are given and would not have been out of place in the 80’s alongside Duran Duran, Simple Minds and the like. Like the bastard son of the Stray Cats and Chris Isaak, there is a warped rockabilly feel to the gloriously dark Strife with its dirty guitar riff and Paul’s edgy, knowing vocal delivery. It’s a song with a real raw immediacy to it, pared back and dangerous and I really like it, on vinyl the sound almost leaps out from the speaker to assault you.

With a graceful piano and a vocal that Paul Carrack would be proud of, Walk In My Shoes is one of many highlights on the album. A real 90’s songwriter’s classic track. Haunting keyboards and backing vocals add lustre and polish to this brilliantly classy song. I’m sat at the keyboard swaying in time as I write these words, it walks the right side of cheesy but I am seeing big hair and even bigger shoulder pads and an audition for that classic 1990’s Volkswagen advert theme. The edginess returns with Crash And Burn, a song that has  a real 60’s tone to it, even a Bond theme feel with its big band strings and echoing drumbeat. You’ll love the guitar sound too and Paul’s vocal is mesmerising and dominant,especially on the catchy chorus. This is elegant pop music for adults with a mature overtone and an over 18’s certificate, imagine a dark nightclub in London’s soho and a singer in a sharp black suit, his trident voice cutting through the smoky atmosphere and you won’t be far wrong. Compare notes by playing the mp3 and then the vinyl straight after and you can literally feel the extra dimension that the latter gives to the song.

Humour is brought to the table by the Man of Steel and Kryptonite, a lighter 60’s sounding song with a levity at its core. The dancing flute of Mat Taylor gives it a playfulness and Ben Drummond’s rhumba guitar adds a sassy overtone. Paul’s powerful vocal is aided and abetted by the wonderful backing of Ange Lloyd and the song bounds along with glee right until the close. There’s a cinematic expansiveness to the jazzy Pedestal, a stylish song that really showcases the songwriting ability of Paul Menel. There is a standout performance by violinist Julianne Bourne and the whole song just feels like it should be the soundtrack to some stylish and clever movie that has to include a drive in a classic Ferrari on the Amalfi Coast, such is its passion and verve.

Bloody hell, what’s happened? The music has stopped…. Oh, yes,it’s the end of side one, hang on while I go and change it over!

Side two, now there’s something I never envisioned saying two months ago, opens with They Call Her Leaf, a song that will illicit comparisons to a certain tall Scottish singer  and this is not surprising seeing that Paul was the lead singer of IQ in the 1980’s when the neo-prog movement first started and Marillion were contemporaries. It’s a powerful, anthemic track with fantastic backing vocals from Vix Vox and a chorus that soon becomes a definite earworm. There’s bombast and not a little bit of grandiosity and Paul gives a definitive vocal performance. You know those tracks that kept turning up on E.L.O albums? The ones where Jeff Lynne was channeling his inner 50’s rock n’ roll star persona? Yes? well Paul gives us his own version with the superb title track Spare Parts For Broken Hearts. It’s a rocking tune that just takes the lead and never lets up, there’s accordion and violin joining in with his demonstrative vocal that shows us the broad palette that this splendid musician has.

Blues and jazz combine on the rollicking The Pleasures Of Vicarious Vengeance. A guitar sound that George Thorogood would be jealous of and Sam Roger’s uber cool sax are the ultimate driving force on this energetic, funky song and you just have to let your hair down and join the fun. Atmospheric and moody, Hey, Did You Hear About Paul takes a more serious tone with Paul’s vocal becoming more serious and thoughtful. Jake Henry gives gravity to proceedings with his smooth keyboard playing and an 80’s neo-prog nunace from Tim Churchman adds flavour to everything.

A tongue in cheek 80’s Let’s Dance period David Bowie influence is what I get from I Told My Last Lie Today, the driving piano beat, accordion and funk infused guitar just make you want to dance and there’s some great vocal flirting between Paul and Vix Vox. Paul Menel shows he can wear different musical faces with ease and skill. A really upbeat song that is fun of fun and wants you to get down and join in with the party. The final song on what has been a really riveting and enthralling musical journey is the wistful Happy Face, a track that could have come straight from a West End musical with its theatrical feel. Jake Henry’s keyboards and piano give it a simple grace and Paul’s voice with it’s emotional edge is really touching. Duel saxophones from Sam Rogers and Andy Sax add the requisite jazz notes and Bryan Corbett brings his trumpet to this amazing listening experience, the silence that descends as you hear the crackling of the needle end is actually quite deafening.

So, I really have to come to two conclusions here and I’ll talk about the actual songs and album first. Paul Menel and The Essentials have produced a musical experience that is brilliant and enjoyable from the first note to the last.There’s humour, pathos and emotion in spades and it’s a varied and immersive listening journey. It’s an album that I will be listening to a lot that’s for sure.

Now Paul and Chris Topham have a lot to answer when it comes to vinyl. Is it a better listening experience than CD or mp3? To my ears there is a warmth and connectivity to vinyl that you just do not get with the other formats. My enjoyment of this album was definitely enhanced by the vinyl experience, the packaging and the listening. And, curse you Mr Topham, I now have twenty further vinyls to backup that verdict!!

Released 14th February 2017

Buy ‘Spare Parts For Broken Hearts’ from Plane Groovy

 

Review – Big Hogg – Gargoyles – by Craig Ellis Bacon

On their 2nd LP, ‘Gargoyles,’ the Glasgow-based Big Hogg mine a rich vein of post-‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ sounds, including psychedelia, Canterbury folk/jazz/proto-prog, and the background music for those dance interludes that showed up in every 60’s movie regardless of whether the film was a musical. It’s a weird and wonderful ride.

While the music encompasses a range of influences, the songs do not come across as genre-bending or as mash-ups; rather, the album comprises myriad variations on the sounds of 1967-1969 that nonetheless cohere as a unique and idiomatic Big Hogg approach. The opening three tracks well establish this programme. Solitary Way blends folky acoustic lines, male and female vocals, and flute as a musical bed over which the drums, bass, brass, and electric guitar alternately lay down their own grooves. Vegan Mother’s Day takes a funkier guitar-solos-and-horn-showcases-galore approach, while Augogo begins with jazz arpeggios to delight the clientele of any smoky underground cafe before launching into a flirtatious mod bit seemingly intended for Bob Fosse. Each mood and tempo gives way to another at exactly the right time; the changes come across as perfectly choreographed movements rather than the butting in of a new dance partner.

Like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, ‘Gargoyles’ is a fun and thrilling ride, though it’s not quite safe as milk. The mood is ⅔ mellow trip and ⅓ psychotropic provocation as the band incorporates the punch of ‘Chicago Transit Authority’ with the Judy of ‘Dark Side of the Rainbow’. The album is shot through with a smattering of the supernatural (or perhaps simply a pagan approach to the natural?) that occasionally turns menacing, as on the imprecation of The Beast (A witch in the streets/And a woman gone loose…Burn the witch/Go up in flames) or the droning refrain and wailing at the end of Devil’s Egg, which strongly resembles the hypothetical conjoining of Frank Zappa with Drimble Wedge and The Vegetation. And the (mostly) innocuously-titled My Banana contains a rather anthemic and hooky chorus that you won’t want the children singing at school (Fuck off!/And give me peace/I want my life back/And my energy). Still, the sense of mischief is folded into quite a bit of fun and cheeky humour, as exemplified by many of the song’s titles (Vegan Mother’s Day, Drunk On A Boat, Waiting For Luigi, My Banana).

There’s really little to quibble over in this set, as the compositions, arrangements, performances, and production are all quite superb. Both lead vocalists serve their songs well, and the brass, flute, and wurlitzer sound like established members of the family rather than guests seeking accommodation. I will note that a few songs in the back half of the album employ a quick-fadeout that sounds to my ears like the band lacked direction in how to finish the tracks off. But on the whole, everything flows together nicely and the album nearly demands to played on repeat.

Big Hogg have really done it: ‘Gargoyles’ is one of the more unique, fun, and singular releases I’ve heard in awhile. The album fully inhabits that 1967-1969 period without coming off as retro, and it’s at least as upbeat as it is offbeat. Don’t fear the strange and unfamiliar, folks; embrace the weird and the wonderful. There are plenty of sing-along hooks and smile-inducing horn breaks here to carry a new listener through the initiation, and once you’re in, you’ll have twice as much fun as your benighted friends. Recommended for fans of progressive music, jazz, Bob Fosse dance sequences, Peter Cook & Dudley Moore films, boozy halloween parties, and Stonehenge.

Released 31st March 2017 on Bad Elephant Music.

Buy ‘Gargoyles’ on bandcamp

 

Review – Vicinity – Recurrence – by Progradar

“I have a small inkling that we could be listening to a band that could, if not should, turn out to be a big hit. The way the songs just flow perfectly, the brilliant musicianship and that fantastic voice all deserve success on a major scale. Vicinity stands comparison with any of the new bands out there and would not be awed by the greats. For a first full length album, Awakening is really rather good. I suggest you go out and buy it….now.”

I wrote those words back in October 2013 about Vicinity’s debut release ‘Awakening’ and it wasn’t until I got a message from vocalist Alexander K. Lykke recently that I realised how much time had passed since its release. Isn’t it about time we had a new album from these talented Scandanavians?

Funnily enough, that’s what Alexander was wanting to talk to me about, did I want a promo copy of their new album ‘Recurrence’, due to be released on the 21st of April? Of course I bloody did!!!

Fast forward a few weeks and here is the review…

First, a precis of the press release…

Vicinity are Alexander K. Lykke – Vocals,  Kim-Marius H. Olsen – Guitars,  Frode Lillevold – Drums,  Pierre-Nicolai H. Schmidt-Melbye – Bass and Ivar A. Nyland – Keyboards and Synths.

The Norwegian progressive metal band Vicinity is back with a follow up to the critically acclaimed album ‘Awakening’ (2013), put on best newcomer lists by several webzines and Norwegian national radio (NRK P3). Their new creation, ‘Recurrence’, is a concept album that debates the cyclic nature of humanity, both as a whole and at more personal levels, while highlighting both the technical- and melodic aspects familiar to the progressive metal genre.

With ‘Recurrence’ the band set out to make an album that would be more than just the sum of its tracks, and envisioned an album where the songs would float into each other. The major theme of the album, lyrically, became: the cyclic nature of the human condition. Within that theme the lyrics explore and challenge topics like dementia and memory, and whether the world might be a better place without what humanity has become.

The band wanted to challenge themselves technically, but always keeping the songs and the album as a whole in focus. The result is an album of six tracks, varying in length from 5 to 22 minutes per song, in the tradition of bands like Circus Maximus, Threshold, Arena and early Dream Theater.

So, sounds very promising from the Press Release but let’s get right into the nitty-gritty and form our own opinion shall we?

The Unwritten Manifest gets us off to a cracking start with an excellent, urgent riff and stylish keyboard tone. It’s almost 80’s in its feel before we have a break and we set off on a hell-for-leather prog-metal fest of impressive licks and dynamic, powerful drumming. Alexander’s vocals seem to have got even better, his voice soars and he has no trouble hitting even the highest notes. I’ve been listening to a lot of Ultravox recently and Ivar’s synth playing doesn’t half remind me of Billy Currie and gives an additional dimension to the band’s sound. At times the vocals even venture off into Symphonic Prog territory and Alexander just takes it all in his stride. a pretty impressive opening to the album it must be said!

We segue straight into Phoenix and the guitar and keyboard opening does give that feel of something arising, Phoenix-like, from the flames. The technical ability of these guys is second to none and you feel they are really getting into the groove on this track as it flows immediately and perfectly. There’s a compelling and pressing feel to the vocals and a persuasive dynamism to the whole track as it continues to transfix you with its addictive guitar riffing and keyboard runs. You want vocal harmonies, you got them in spades my friend and Pierre-Nicolai’s impressive bass playing drives everything along, aided and abetted by Frode’s weighty drums. A highlight is the superb guitar run from Kim to wards the end, this song comes in at a tad under eleven minutes but it flies by in a haze of singular musical excellence to leave you breathless at the close.

So, imagine someone came up to you and said “Write me an archetypal Prog-Metal track with an addictive, soaring chorus, catchy riffs and a dynamic rhythm section and, while you’re at it, throw me in some more intricate, proggy sections…”, humour me here, okay? Then I’m pretty certain that if you came up with Mountainfall they’d class you as the prog-metal version of Diane Warren. Yes, from the first note, this track really is that good, there’s an immediacy to it that never fades, no matter how many times you listen to it (and, trust me, I’ve listened to it a LOT!), it is near prog-metal perfection. It is on this song that Vicinity prove what I’ve been thinking from the first listen to the album, they really have stepped up many leagues and should be classed in the top echelon of acts in this genre. The chorus is an insane earworm, you just will not be able to get it out of your head, Kim lets fly with some incredible guitar playing and Ivar makes the keyboards talk to you in improbable ways. Add in an uber-tight rhythm section and you really couldn’t ask for any more!

A relatively short track at five and half minutes, Extinction is a super-cool song that mixes classy riffs and edgy vocals to give it an instancy that sits perfectly alongside another chorus from the Vicinity book of memorable sing-alongs. It moves through your atmosphere at the speed of sound (see what I did there?) dragging you willingly in its wake. The drumming is that intense and hyper that you wonder if Frode had to grow an extra pair of arms to be able to do it but, no, it’s just his innate ability, crikey, these guys can really play!

These’s another immediate segue into Immaterial Failure and the prog-metal juggernaut takes a breath with a more laid back introduction. Slow and measured it may be but it’s still mighty imposing. There is a feel that this song is building up to something more monumental and profound. Alexander has a more emotive feel to his vocal delivery and the rest of the band are in absorbing mode, each note resounding in your ears, especially Pierre-Nicolai’s descriptive bass playing. The foot is lifted slightly off the break pedal for a short while to add  a more pressing edge to the song but that moderate, deliberate fundation remains. We are treated to a scintillating solo from Kim-Marius’ fiery guitar and more of that cultured bass playing, these musicians can do restrained just as well as they can rock your socks off.

There’s no pause as we make the transition into The Long Goodbye, the longest and weightiest track on the album. A polished introduction consisting of Alexander’s haunting vocal laid over an ethereal piano note mesmerises you before a wistful guitar takes up the mantle. The blue touch paper is then lit and the energetic drums join a compelling, staccato guitar to drive things along, Prog-Metal epic? yep, here we go! Vicinity may have been influenced by early Dream Theater, Circus Maximus and the like but they are creating their own signature sound which is wholly evident on this intense, superb track. High notes are hit with precision on the vocals, the riffs almost have a life of their own and the bass and drums have a vibrancy that is electric to hear and feel. It’s almost as if this song compresses time, it may be over twenty-two minutes long but never outstays its welcome as its gravitational pull draws you in and doesn’t let go. Trust me, you will find yourself reaching out for the volume control to ramp it right up and your neck will ache from all the nodding along to the beat you will be doing. Vicinity can do intricate and complex as well as anybody but it is there for a reason, not just for showing off, there is a section towards the middle of the track where this is very apparent. This song, like the rest of the album, is a very absorbing listen as little nuances makes themselves known with repeated listens, giving the listener an insight into the music and the ethos of the band. So, I’ve come to the end of the album, what do I do now? Well, like a fantastic drive down an incredible road, there is only one thing to do, turn round and do it all again, just press play…

(All live photos by Geir Khile Hanssen)

It may have been three and a half years but the wait for a new Vicinity album has been well worth it. A slice of Prog-metal brilliance which you want to return to again and again, ‘Recurrence’ is a great achievement and shows that this band have now become a force to be reckoned with in the genre. Chock full of addictive earworms and musicianship from another planet, it should be on everyone’s wishlist!

Released 21st April 2017

Pre-order ‘Recurrence’ here

Review – Norrie McCulloch – Bare Along The Branches – by Progradar

“Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another “What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

“There is no surer foundation for a beautiful friendship than a mutual taste in music.” – (paraphrased from a quote by P.G. Wodehouse)

I’ve spent a large proportion of the last 3 or 4 years waxing lyrical about my musical discoveries and sharing them with the world at large (whether they liked it or not) but I’m man enough to admit that even I discover music from recommendations from friends and acquaintances.

I discovered the wonderful Scottish progressive rock band Abel Ganz through my friend (and now colleague) at Bad Elephant Music, David Elliott and that has opened up a wealth of new musical treasures that have been brought to my attention by the wonderful guitar player Iain Sloan who, as well as playing with the Ganz boys, lends his not inconsiderable talents to a few other Scottish artists including The Wynntown Marshals and Findlay Napier to name but two, enabling me to dig out these musical treasures too.

Iain also plays with the talented Scottish folk musician Norrie McCulloch and it is through his recommendation that I sought Norrie out and am I glad that I did, discovering that he was just about to release his new album ‘Bare Along The Branches’. 

‘Bare Along The Branches’ is Scottish Singer/Songwriter Norrie McCulloch’s third full-length album in as many years and is the follow up to 2016’s acclaimed ‘These Mountain Blues’. Featuring a backing band of regular collaborators: Dave McGowan, Stuart Kidd and Marco Rea with Iain Thompson and Iain Sloan also entering the fold for this new recording.

The album captures McCulloch writing about the human spirit, folklore, growing and belonging. A chance meeting with a Russian photographer gave him the albums cover imagery, its title and a new artistic relationship.

The album opens with the atmospheric Shutter with it’s melancholy driving piano line and echoing drums. Norrie’s world weary vocals take up the tale and you are immediately engrossed in the song. The banging shutter is the soundtrack to someone’s downward spiral, akin to a bell tolling and adding a slightly mournful note to this downcast, wistful tune. Like a well travelled troubadour Norrie’s brilliant voice just draws you in to the tale and the excellent music keeps you enthralled. Little Boat has a nostalgic feel to it from the first note, the delightful guitar tone is complemented by some wonderful keyboards and McCulloch’s sentimental vocals (channeling his inner Van Morrison)  give a feel of longing and remembrance. It’s simple beauty is utterly captivating and uplifting, a look back at time when life was simpler and uncomplicated perhaps? When music is this good, why bother making it convoluted and arduous, the engaging Hammond organ being a case in point, I’m left with a knowing grin on my face as it comes to a satisfying close.

The opening to the wonderfully whimsical Lonely Boy is sublime and reminds me of why I love music so much, that keyboard note immediately grabs your attention and your heart. It develops into a brilliant song of reminiscence and sepia tinged memories. There is an emotive depth to this track, brought to the surface by Norrie’s heartfelt, earnest vocals, full of warmth and succor. The chorus is serene and tender, demanding that you sing along and reflect on your own past. Bluegrass, Americana, Country and Folk all combine to brilliant effect on Frozen River. A song of loss but one with an upbeat feel, epitomised by the whipcrack inticate notes eminating from the banjo and mandolin. It fairly speeds along and the skill of the musicians involved is something special, all held together by the vocals of Norrie McCulloch, a voice that is proving to be very special indeed.

A gentle acoustic guitar introduces Safe Keeping, a song full of emotion and sentiment, a story of life in a small town, the ties that keep us there and the battles to break them. A descriptive guitar sits in the background, played with a deft, sophisticated skill. There is a pared back sincerity to the song, a simplicity that has an infinite depth to it and the unadorned vocals sit perfectly alongside giving the whole song an uncomplicated grace. Country blues personified and with a great lap steel guitar running through the centre, Never Leave You Behind has the feel of a good time song played by good old boys and wouldn’t be out of place at The Grand Ole Opry. There a touch of Willie Nelson to the vocals and I’m just left tapping my foot and singing along to this feel good tune.

While researching for the album I got talking to Norrie about the next track This Time which, to me, is a favourite due to its simplicity and honesty. He had this to say,

“I’m surprised at how many folks are liking that song from the album, I was very close to leaving it off but nice that it seems to resonate with people.”

Well I’m exceedingly glad you did! Kept down to basics with the eerie, haunting pedal steel of the talented Iain Sloan, the beautiful and unforgettable piano of Dave McGowan and Norrie delivering a near-perfect vocal performance, this is a song that will live with me for a very long time. There’s a stark grandeur to this track, a primal honesty that has lasted the ages and it makes you stop and listen. The elegant music and sublime, rarefied vocals linger long in the memory after the final, exquisite note plays out. Turn To Dust is a wonderful, simple tribute to Norrie’s mother who passed away shortly before this song was recorded live and solo on acoustic guitar. It’s a remarkably personal piece of music and you almost feel as if you are intruding a little on his grief but you feel the deep, amazing love a son has for his mother in every note and I feel privileged that he felt he could share these feelings with us. I’ll not lie, there’s a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat as it comes to a close. A laid back country blues tune with a harmonica note full of pathos and not a little sorrow, Around The Bend brings to mind depression era America and a small town with dusty streets full of care-worn wooden buildings. The vocals mirror this feeling perfectly, people carrying a world full of issues on their shoulders but the music has a stark grace to it as if beauty can be found in any situation. The lap steel and banjo add even more poignancy to the song, giving hope that redemption may indeed be found ‘around the bend’.

(Photo credit David Morrison)

The last song on the album is the bare simplicity and atmospheric refinement of Beggars Woods, a piece of music as timeless as it is elegant. There’s an echoing wonder to the guitar playing and a captivating tone to Norrie’s vocals, the song needs nothing more as it weaves its plaintive way through your heart and soul, pulling you along in its wake.

“When this life’s got you bare along the branches…”

A song about opening yourself to life, to all the good and bad that you will encounter, cleanse your soul and become something more. The incredible guitar solo feels full of pain and remorse and yet there is also a small bud of hope and a promise of redemption. Remember, nothing is set in stone and you make your own path, whatever you may have to overcome.

Music has become a way of life for me and it is releases like this that define my life and give it meaning. Norrie McCulloch writes songs that are mini works of art, songs about life and death that we can all relate to on a personal level. ‘Bare Along The Branches’ will take you on an admittedly stark and yet ultimately uplifting musical journey that will leave you in a much better place than when you first started.

Released 24th February 2017

Buy ‘Bare Along The Branches’ from bandcamp

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review – Pallbearer – Heartless – by Shawn Dudley

Doom is a primal element of heavy metal, one of the tributaries that has been feeding the genre since Black Sabbath recorded songs like Electric Funeral, Black Sabbath and Under The Sun. The glacial pace, the mournful minor key, the rafter-rattling riff and the brontosaurus stomp of the rhythm section are essential ingredients. While the style has seen many changes over the years and numerous subgenres have formed around it; the core is still the same, still intensely powerful and in the right hands can still sound just as relevant as it did nearly 50 years ago.

However, it’s also a fairly simple form that requires adherence to certain elements to maintain the qualities of the form itself (similar to blues, you can only stretch it so far before it ceases to be blues). For every truly unique band in the genre you have another 50 that are seemingly happy recycling Sabbath and Candlemass riffs ad nauseum with minimal individuality. Despite those odds truly inspired bands do occasionally come along and progress the genre forward; while simultaneously staying true to the established roots. Pallbearer is one such act.

Hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, Pallbearer has attracted an enviable amount of exposure over the past 5 years. Their debut album ‘Sorrow And Extinction’ was immediately hailed as a classic doom metal release; their purity of approach and obvious love for the genre was evident from the beginning, as was their unique spin on it. Their stock rose even further with the impressive follow-up ‘Foundations Of Burden’ in 2014, another widely praised and discussed album that ended up high on many best-of-the-year lists. Their combination of crushing heavy riffs, clean melodic vocals and progressive rock-influenced arrangements helped them create an identifiable niche in the genre and their sound was maturing at an impressive rate. Now with ‘Heartless’ they’ve crafted their singular personal statement, an album that takes all the promise shown on their prior releases and delivers an album that is distinctly Pallbearer.

The expansion of their sound is immediately discernible in opening track I Saw The End. The arrangement is more spacious and airy than the wall-of-sound approach on their prior albums; the guitar sound is a little lighter, a little drier than what they’ve employed previously. Instead of the riff being the driving force here it’s the melody of the song that carries the forward momentum. It attains a rare balance of accessibility without compromise, still carrying the heft the genre requires but with deft subtlety. The lovely vocal arrangement of the bridge section recalls the classic 70s mainstream progressive rock of Kansas or Boston while the ending instrumental segment with its gorgeous interweaving guitar lines had me simultaneously thinking about Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy at their most melodic.

The first single Thorns increases the weight a bit, the guitar sound leaning a little more toward the crush heard on their earlier releases, but with a newfound economy in the arrangement. At 5:25 it’s one of the most economical songs in their discography and demonstrates how quickly their songwriting has matured.

Lie Of Survival and the album-closing A Plea For Understanding are unabashed doom ballads. Heartfelt, majestic and fiercely emotional, these epic tracks unfold at a gloriously deliberate pace that gives the listener ample time to savor their beautifully detailed arrangements. One of the most obvious improvements on ‘Heartless’ are the lead vocals of Brett Campbell. His clean, melodic approach has been a defining element since their debut, but his confidence level has been growing exponentially with each release and he has fully come into his own on ‘Heartless’. He sings with passionate authority throughout, but his performance on these mellower excursions are the real highlight of the album and his tasteful restraint ensures they never fall into the trap of histrionics that ensnares so many metal vocalists. The same taste and restraint carries over to the impressive guitar work; from gentle classical-inspired sections to soaring, melodic leads, Campbell and fellow-guitarist Devon Holt have both put in career-best performances on ‘Heartless’.

The centerpiece of the album is the nearly 12-minute epic Dancing In Madness, Pallbearer really gets to show off the breadth of their sound on this piece. It begins fully in Pink Floyd territory, a beautifully lush wash of an arrangement tailor-made for a David Gilmour-esque flight of fantasy guitar solo. Then the mood turns more oppressive as the guitars enter in funeral-march lockstep and the psychedelic-tinged vocals add an air of disquiet to the proceedings. At the halfway point the first truly aggressive doom riff appears, a harkening back to their earlier sound, here made even more powerful by the unexpectedness of its arrival.  The gang vocals that accompany it adding the perfect touch of cathartic menace.  Then acoustic guitars segue us into the mournful final section.

Cruel Road offers the most unabashedly “metal moment” of the album with its galloping NWOBHM-inspired riffs and 80s style prog metal elements (bringing to mind Fates Warning among others). It is followed by the superlative title track, an 8-minute distillation of Pallbearer circa 2017 and my personal favorite on the album.

‘Heartless’ is also a great-sounding album.  With a more expansive soundstage than the overly-compressed ‘Foundations Of Burden’, the spaciousness of the mix allowing the very detailed arrangements to fully come alive. As cliché as it may be, ‘Heartless’ is the kind of album you need to slowly absorb, as the details become more apparent with repeated exposure. I’m sure a certain element of their fanbase might be disappointed that ‘Heartless’ isn’t quite as dark and heavy as their prior albums, but it’s such an organic evolution I hope they can come to appreciate the artistry of it. What I hear is a group reaching the next level; ripe for continued crossover success and deserving of the hype.

Released 24th March 2017

Buy ‘Heartless’ from Nuclear Blast

 

 

 

Review – Barock Project – Detachment – by Gary Morley

I discovered the talented Italian band The Barock Project after Nellie Pitts recommended their album ‘Skyline’ to me.

I took a gamble and sent her a postal order (or was it a cheque?). Anyway, the sound of young Mediterranean youth playing their hearts out soon won me over. They then upped the ante with an excellent live album, ‘Vivo‘. Live, they were even stronger, with some real power to their collective elbows.

They’ve now returned with their new album and it’s another quantum leap forward.

The old school vibe of the ‘Skyline’ project has been toughened up, the band are now firing on all six cylinders, and if the automotive metaphor was to be stretched to burst, this is a pole position worthy band ready to accelerate away from the pack.

I reviewed this after listening to it and conversing with a friend of the band as I listened, she was able to answer questions as they popped into my head-Amazing thing, technology.

Listening to Luca’s amazing piano playing, typing a query as I listen and someone hundreds of miles away answers it, the ultimate footnotes to the album. A new angle here, an interactive listening session

One example being my comments about that piano playing:-

Me: “he’s certainly versatile, from rippling flurries of classical notes to almost jazz chords

And traces of Jools Holland piano on The The’s “Uncertain Smile”:

My “source” – “Oh he’s amazing, classically trained, you can tell, he’s a real pianist, not a computer geek who prods keys”.

I’ve listened again and the depth of musicality is being uncovered.

Track 3, Happy To See has a pure Jon Lord Hammond solo that is pitched perfectly before the guitars slice through with a very Steve Luthaker tight controlled solo with a hint of Francis Dunnery in the note bending climax

There are hints of the “not singing in my native tongue” in the closing part of the song, but the vocals are still enunciated beautifully and the instrumental canvas is a pleasure to lose yourself in.

My source filled me in on this too.

Luca, who writes, plays keyboards and produced the album also sang on all the tracks as in a Spinal Tap type “gardening accident” the band lost their vocalist and front man during the recording of this album.

In the best Prog tradition, following in the footsteps of that short bloke from Genesis and that American drummer with the Italian name that now plays with the quintessential British Prog band, he stepped up, and knocked off an albums worth of vocal, as you do.

There is another vocalist on the album too, a Mr P. Jones, Esq. that many of you know from his appearances fronting the lovely Tiger Moth Tales and the noisier Red Bazaar.

All these multi talented people, gathered together on one album, the sum is even greater than the parts.

I must confess to “assisting” with the lyrics of one track, but my involvement was very peripheral, merely a view of the lyrics written out in English, I was happy to be of some use as the lyrical flow presented here is a credit to Luca’s resolve to “get it right” and sing in a natural way using a second language so yet another string to his bow!

One Day starts with some neo classical guitar figures, before switching to a 12 string sound, a real “classic Prog” vibe here, my initial point of reference was BJH, there is that element of lush pastoral beauty to the melody , the classical piano underpinning adds to the “feel”.

It’s the classical background that comes over here, with a splash of flute bouncing across harpsichord and yes, it does go a bit Jethro Tull in the middle eight, but in a good way.

Secret Therapy starts with Tablas and fast acoustic guitar runs, along with a grand piano, in fact the more you listen, the more instrumentation you find in the mix.

Production is lush and warm, none of that awful tinny drum heavy sound that blights much modern rock, no here we have a soundscape constructed by someone whose palette expands beyond drums, pro tools and auto tune.

Rescue Me is very poppy with a catchy little riff.

It Bites almost, or should I be referencing Frost* now?

I could go on, but the beauty of this album is that it encapsulates you in it’s own universe completely.

You want to listen all the way from start to finish without skipping a track.

There are some beautiful guitar parts too, nothing too flashy or show boating, but they flow organically with the songs, they’re not bolted on or shoehorned in as is the case with some material.

There’s some melodic underpinning of the songs from Francesco on bass that enables the instrumentation to spread out and fill the room.

I get the feeling that this album was made by a band of friends in a room all at the same time, the old school way.

The way Bob Dylan and the Band recorded the basement tapes – music made for the joy of making music together. Like that album, we are privileged that the creators wish us to share their world.

Released 20th March 2017

Buy ‘Detachment’ direct from the band.

 

 

Review – Pandora – Ten Years Like In A Magic Dream – by David Elliott

I received this album to review without any preconceptions, save for the knowledge that the band are Italian, and I was greatly excited to dive in head first and try something new to keep the process fresh. My intention was to write a first listen ‘experience’ piece and then to reflect on this after further play-throughs, however there was a problem – I was worried about the ‘Englishness’ of the title.

My fears were confirmed when I realised that this album has vocals sung in English and my experiences are not great in the area of foreign bands not singing in their native language: Men of Lake I am looking at you! (one track reminds me of them, hence the reference). Anyway, I scrapped my initial approach after my first experience of the singing here.

Why sing in English, oh why?

Is it purely a commercial consideration if English is not your native tongue?  Unless a singer has a fantastic voice or personality (to compensate by emoting) it rarely works. For Pandora we have male and female vocalists who, I can confidently say, sound infinitely better when singing in their native language.  They both have good enough voices but, and this is probably a personnel thing, they fail to convey enough emotion to lift the music when singing in English.

Low end blues!

The expression ‘throwing in the kitchen sink’ applies to ‘Ten Years…’ we have new tracks, old tracks and cover versions here. The arrangements and compositions are also multi-faceted and stop-start and are perhaps being overly progressive for progressive rocks sake. The overall sound is heavily orchestrated and; to coin a new expression(?) ‘oversynthed’. The lead lines are too clean and don’t appear to sit well with the music. To exaggerate this there is a lack of both bass in the production, and also bass guitar in the mix. Many modern bands from Italy excel in the bass guitar department and the lack of such strength here is disappointing.

Cover versions…..Hurrah!!?

Nearly half of this record consists of cover versions, and whilst these are interesting and well done I ask myself the question why perform and publish them over original works? We have presented here Second Home By The Sea, Man of 1000 Faces, Ritual – Part 2 & Lucky Man plus a snippet of The Lamb Lies… A diverse selection of classics with enough deviation from the originals to be worth exploring, however, all suffer from the above mentioned vocal and production issues.

Advice:  Give it a listen if you can and stay open-minded

 In summary, this is actually a reasonably enjoyable recording that does improve with many plays, and it does have its own voice and style, it is just unfortunate that some of the execution and decision making drops it below the premium level that is being set; and perhaps demanded, by this listener.

Released 30th November 2016

Buy ‘Ten Years Like In A Magic Dream’ from Amazon

Review – Firmam3nt – Firmament – by Emma Roebuck

“A four piece Instrumental band from Madrid who mix genres like Postmetal, Progressive, Sludge, Doom, Experimental… Our debut homonymous album is out now via Nooirax Producciones. Music for fans of Intronaut, Mastodon, Russian Circles, Opeth…”

I am an eclectic soul musically, maybe even a hoarder of music. I still have the original copy of the album of Disney’s Jungle Book on vinyl and my Thunderbirds maxi singles from the 60s. The result being I have physical collection of a true reflection of the development of my musical taste and how it has evolved since I was knee high to a phonograph. My boss Martin at Progradar seems to love sending me curve balls from the extreme ends of the musical spectrum that fits the loose term progressive. (It’s true, I do – Ed.)

Firmam3nt, hailing from “Mordor” (aka Villalba, Madrid) are one such band and their debut album from 2016 landed in my inbox last week. They are a four piece instrumental band consisting of Jorge Santana (Drums & Percussion), Alberto Garcia (Guitars), Txus Rosa – Guitars and Sergio González (Bass).

I honestly think the description from the top of the bandcamp site does them an actual disservice. The image musically is one of constant thrash and hammer & tongs metal when, in reality, that tells maybe 50% of the story. I will explain as I go along but this album is not constant chord of doom and despair but is, in fact, far more nuanced and subtle.

This is a four track album with the primary points of the compass as titles.  Representative of the varied influences of the band or the mixed direction of travel they represent.

North opens with a riff of Sabbath proportions, the very essence of ‘the end of the world apocalypse’ travelling into a riffola of rich variety playing in the very metal pond then, inside three minutes, turns into a semi-classical themed electric guitar mellowness which cuts in unexpectedly, pleasantly surprisingly too, before the riffology cuts back in again, not letting you get too comfortable. This is pure guitar driven interplay and these guys are tight as a “gnats Chuff” (to paraphrase a friend). They sound like they know each other well musically and trust each other to follow where things may lead and land in a good place. In a few seconds under 14 minutes they travel a very long way and end this track in a double bass drum rolling thunderous attack that is not for the faint hearted.

The other tracks all fit this pattern, reflecting well crafted instrumental pieces with fine soloing from the guitarists Alberto and Txus. Textured layers with lots of time changes and unexpected lulls in the pace keep the ears interested enough to revisit the album.

The last track South reflects the slow and softer side of the band a lot more. Call it the Southern winds, light and warm, then building up into a storm of intensity closing with a piano that fades to a close.

I played it through about 10 times before considering how to address the review and found enough for me not to want to rush this out and do the band a real disservice.

Who is the audience for this album for then? It’s not for those with a pastoral bent or with a rigid idea of progressive music. If you like The Fierce and the Dead, the darker Porcupine Tree, older Opeth, and bits of Mastodon too then you will get something from this album. Like all instrumental music, if you are looking for songs or easy themes you are not going to find them. It is pure emotional response that gives the interpretation. It is also very hard to wax lyrical over insight and meaning for the same reason.

Released 28th July 2016

Buy ‘Firmament’ from bandcamp

 

 

Review – Tom Slatter – Happy People – by David Rickinson

Tom Slatter – ‘Happy People’.

I started off this review by writing a load of overblown drivel about Steampunk Troubadours and Stalinist Dystopias.

But then I stopped, because I realised there is not a lot that needs to be said about this album.

It is BRILLIANT.

What can I say about this album that doesn’t sound hyperbolic? It is, glorious, filled with horror, tenderness, despair, love, grime and beauty. Whilst being much darker and more serious than any of Tom’s previous albums, it is imbued with a humanity which hasn’t been as obvious before (unless songs about men transforming themselves into machines counts as humanity).

I have suspected for a while (since first hearing Rise Another Leaf from “Three Rows of Teeth”) that Tom actually has a large romantic streak running through him. On this album he has really found this voice – songs such as Satellites, Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said and Fire Flower Heart highlight this.

By the third song Satellites, with its lovely bass line, the album really gets into a stride which doesn’t then let up until the end.

Flow My tears, The Policeman Said is, I think, about a once honourable man who is now lost in some nightmare Gulag. I may be wrong. But it is superb, full of little musical flourishes and curlicues.

Even Then We’re Scared with its hint of a Black Sabbath “War Pigs” riff tells of how even with guns, fire, prayer, walls, databases and hiding under our blankets we are still scared of unnamed monsters.

“If you’ve got nothing to hide, then why should you be worried? There a price to be free…”, I don’t for a minute believe that Tom approves of the way our world is turning. I would love to hear the last 20 seconds live, as a 10 minute wig-out by a full band.

Fire Flower Heart is imbued with a delicate poignancy, lamenting the loss of a love who could possibly prevent disaster. Or maybe she would encourage him to press the button?

I get the feeling that all Tom’s previous works were a flexing of musical muscles, practicing for the real thing. This album is the real thing.

In no small part, I suspect that the excellence of this album is due to the work of two particular people – Jordan Brown and Daniel Bowles who between them played bass, keyboards and guitar and provided production expertise. They have found a way to get the best out of Tom.

Michael Cairns’ drumming contribution is tasteful, thankfully never overpowering the songs.

There is a strength and depth to the musical arrangements throughout the whole album – everything has a purpose to it.

Bad Elephant Music continue to astound me with the excellence of their releases. If there was any justice in the world, Radio 6 and Jools Holland would be full of music like this.

I cannot recommend this album highly enough.

Tom Slatter – vocals, guitars

Daniel Bowles – backing vocals, guitars, keyboards

Jordan Brown – bass, backing vocals, keyboards

Michael Cairns – drums

Suzette Stamp – backing vocals

Released 17th March 2017.

Buy ‘Happy People’ from Bad Elephant Music at bandcamp