Following the succesful launch event for the release of their debut album ‘Unsongs’, Manchester band Mothertongue have released a video of them performing a track from the album – ‘Perfect Zero’ – recorded at the gig at The Castle Hotel in Manchester on the 8th of April. The video was filmed and produced by the band’s drummer John Simm.
‘Unsongs’ is 13 tracks that make up an inspirational, progressive-pop melting pot with touches of punk and ska thrown in for good measure. Along with drummer Simm, the band consists of Louis Smith (guitar, vocals), Mark Wall (guitar), PhilDixon (guitar), Will Holden (bass) and Andy Malbon (trumpet).
With its incisive, intelligent lyrics and first-class musicianship, ‘Unsongs’ is unlike anything you will have heard in recent years. The music will lead you on a roller-coaster journey of acid jazz inventiveness that’s a big heap of noisy and light and also includes a lot of brass because everyone likes brass, right?
‘Unsongs’ was released through Bad Elephant Music 15th April 2016.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
– William Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able to believe it. I don’t believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.”
– L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
So, there you have two different schools of thought, good old Bill Shakespeare was basically saying that it doesn’t matter what you CALL something, it is what that something ACTUALLY is that matters (well, that’s the way I interpret it anyway).
Yet the differing opinion is that the name can make a difference to how we interpret something and how we actually react to it. Names that give negative connotations can actually inhibit where names that give a positive vibe can add appeal.
I know what you’re thinking, “What is he waffling on about?”, but this very conundrum came up earlier this year for the band formerly known as Progoctopus. The band’s moniker was seen as being detrimental to their progress as if there was an unwritten law that any band should not have the word ‘prog’ anywhere within its title.
This wasn’t just the general public and listening audience, those that make up the mighty cognoscenti of Progressive music had said it was so.
So, what did the band do? well, here’s a clue…..
So, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the reborn Oktopus and the changes didn’t end there either.
Original singer Jane Gillard, who sang on the band’s well received debut (as Progoctopus) EP ‘Transcendence’ left the line-up and, to the surprise of many, was replaced (in an almost Genesis style) by guitarist Alistair Bell, making Oktopus a ‘power trio’ completed by drummer Tim Wilson and bass player Samuel C. Roberts.
The band have married the traditions of progressive music with stellar contemporary musicianship and big production values in performance, song duration or tongue-in-cheek humour.
Look, I’ll be honest here, I’m a big fan and friend of these talented musicians (hell, I even wrote the press release) but, as ever, this will be a very objective review and I won’t let my ties cloud my viewpoint, okay?
Discord (Approach) is like a musical Amuse-bouche for the album, a little bit of music which is served before the rest of the album to stimulate the musical appetite. A slow burning, disturbing appetite stimulator at that too!
Now onto the main feature and the first track released from the album, Eyes Open. A frenetic and intricate opening of carefully choreographed disharmony between guitar, bass and Tim’s manic drumming paves the way for some tasty, punk infused, jazz-funk. The staccato riffs and stylish bass provide a counterpoint for Alistair’s actually rather impressive vocals, this lad can sing and sing well. The driving force behind the punchy music is the ever present drumming of Tim Wilson who has some metronomic skill behind the kit. There is an upbeat, tongue-in-cheek feel that runs throughout, especially on the rising chorus that becomes a real ear worm. Never a track to rest on its laurels though, the elaborate jazz/prog fusion section is quite an involved trip for your ears and mind and adds some cerebral gravitas, a great start to the album.
Title track Worlds Apart is a full-on jazz infused prog-fest from start to finish. Here the musicians get to show off their not inconsiderable prowess and you get flashes of Alistair’s Aeon Zen persona with his skilful guitar playing (albeit utterly jazzed up rather than ‘heavy metalled’). Stylish jazz lounge drumming from Tim (light cymbal tapping ahoy!) and some silky smooth bass from Samuel all add to the feeling of panache, the vocals having a touch of the laconic and ironic Ben Folds. Busy and energetic, this song takes you on an enjoyable series of twists and turns that leaves you with no idea of where you’ve been or where you are and not caring anyway. A labyrinthine guitar solo leaves a smile on your face as this jazz/prog fusion special closes out.
The Adventures of Jerry Troutmonto (Part 1) is a humour filled three minute instrumental homage to a (possibly) fictional character. A musical smorgasbord of wilful guitar wankery, frenzied drumming and maniacal bass playing. Alistair is having a field day with his fiery licks and unabashed noodling and his partners in crime give him the canvas to perform on.
Haru, a mid-album break of oriental pipes and mysticism. Just over one minute where you can step off the world and take a break in its peaceful and ethereal atmosphere and come away emotionally cleansed before taking on all comers once more.
The Hand On Your Shoulder begins with real laid back and chilled vibe, gentle guitar and vocals being the artist’s utensils. But this is Oktopus so the calm and collected doesn’t last for long and we set off on another convoluted journey, this one with a decidedly darker shade of fun and games. The vocals have a more serious tone and the whole song has a much more grown-up and sober atmosphere. Shut the door and leave the kids outside, this is where it gets deadpan and no prisoners are taken. I like the contrast between the light and the dark that this track invokes, it’s clever and no-nonsense.
So the final part of this thirty four minutes of musical mayhem and japery, Minotaur, begins with another slice of the funktastic, restless prog/punk/jazz fusion as the guitar slaps you in the face with some pin sharp riffing, the drums do what the hell they like (as usual) and the bass tries to restore some semblance of order. Alistair gives another excellent vocal delivery, he has some lungs on him this lad, and you are sucked into a thoroughly enjoyable vortex of tomfoolery and horseplay from which you emerge laughing hysterically and with your eyes not quite focused. However, if you look below the thin veneer of humour, merriment and gaiety, you will find three musicians who really know their stuff and this prowess is on display for all to experience on the dextrous and inventive instrumental section running throughout the middle section of the track. The last part of the song is all about the ‘power’ in power-trio as the guitar hits you with some seriously heavy riffing, the drums mount a final attack and Sam’s bass acts as the conductor and hold on for the little surprise in the last sixty seconds or so….
So, what’s changed with the moniker? Perhaps a more mature and concise feel to the reckless abandon and boisterous energy? Alistair steps up to his vocal duties with aplomb and these three musicians deliver an exciting, high strung and irascible thirty four minutes of near perfect jazz-infused prog that leaves you asking, “What happened to the rest of the album?”, it’s that good!
“If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.”
‒Ludwig Wittgenstein
Music, we think, transcends mere language. A song sung in a tongue not our own can still mean as much whether you understand the words or not, in fact it can add something to the enjoyment due to the mystery of its meaning.
However, when it comes to instrumental music, it is all written in the same language….or is it?
I’m not saying that I’m a complete expert but I do like a lot of instrumental music and, to my ears, you can sometimes tell where the artists call home. Maybe it’s just a knack or maybe there is something to be said for each country or region having its own signature iconic sound?
Well, as soon as I heard the first notes of SDANG!’s second release (and first full-length offering) ‘La malinconia delle fate’ I had this high energy duo pegged as Italian and found that I was subsequently, correct in my assumption.
What gave the game away? The irrepressible, slightly madcap and frenetic playing by these two accomplished musicians resonated with me in a way I had felt before, usually when delivered by Italian musicians.
‘La malinconia delle fate’ is a record full of dreamy atmospheres, explosive dynamics and a concentrated energy that defies easy classification. It is a happy island of memories and hopes and of things getting hectic and yet, is full of sentimental complicity.
Nicola Panteghini (guitars) and Alessandro Pedretti (drums) are musicians who were involved in the national music scene for a long time. Sharing many thoughts and a common love of music, they have returned to the musical background of their youth: grunge, heavy metal, stoner rock, prog, post rock and math rock.
Working on their own original compositions, they released the debut EP ‘Il giorno delle altalene’ in April 2014 and, from October 2015, have been working with Marco Franzoni (Bluefemme Studio) on the much anticipated follow up.
It is not a question of gender, label, fashion or style, it is a matter of sensations, feelings and emotions. SDANG! want to tell stories through their music.
‘La malinconia delle fate’ is thirty-six minutes of intense instrumental music that demands your attention throughout. The extended soundscape that these musicians create is quite remarkable considering that there are only two of them.
Delving into the six tracks, opener Primo Giorno Di Scuola has a subdued opening, lulling you into a false sense of security before the atmosphere builds and then these two musicians create a cacophonic wall of noise that just blows you backwards. Edgy, funky and full of angst, you ride along on wave of chaotic good humour, not caring where you will end up next. Alessandro’s drumming has an intensity that almost gives it a life of its own and Nicola seems to be able to sound like a whole band or one calming influence, seemingly at will. Full of laid back lulls and energetic turbulent highs, it is a instrumental thrill ride of immense proportions. Get your breath back and have a rest for a while as the elegant opening tones of Martina take over the narrative in your mind. Once again, these stylish refrains are brutally cast aside by the interjections of a monstrous wall of sound created by the crushing riffs of Nicola’s guitar and the colossal drum beat that Alessandro creates. The lovely, peaceful sections have a wistful note to them, calm and collected, a complete juxtapose to the deranged power that this duo can unleash and it is an addictive interplay.
Stevie Ray Vaughan met Eddie Van Halen and they recruited John Bonham on the kit, that’s the immediate thought that goes through my mind at the start of Astronomica with its 70’s blues-infused riffing and thunderous drumming. A real wild musical ride of prodigious proportions that is brought bang up to date by the spaced out, psychedelic interludes that are dropped in throughout. A real mind-bending track that takes you up some blind alleys before laughing in your face and buggering off to leave you utterly bemused at your predicament. Scrivimi Una Lettera Tra 9 Anni begins with low key staccato riff, edgy, tense and nervous that leaves you on the edge of your seat. It then opens up into a real bluesy early Led Zeppelin influenced piece of music where the booming guitars and thunderous drums create a massive musical mosaic before seamlessly transforming into something that could have come from the mind of Steve Vai or Joe Satriani. A musical journey through differing sonic landscapes with edgy riffs, extended guitar runs and frenetic drumming that takes no prisoners yet offers a deeply involving musical experience.
Buckle up, it’s time to put the pedal to the metal. To my ears, 100 Metri Al Traguardo is a shameless homage to the guitar greats. Vai and Satriani would be happily tapping their feet to the hard rock riffs while simultaneously reaching for the copyright infringement rule book. I jest really, this is a fun filled, no holds barred jaunt that powers along at a fair lick. There is a segue into a sombre, unhurried section that seems to be slightly at odds with the convivial feel of before but it eventually comes together in your mind and makes for a rather impressive track as it plays out. So we come to the close of the album and all too soon a ending it is too. The final, and title, track La Malinconia Delle Fate begins in an unhurried, pensive manner before someone lights the blue touch paper and Nicola’s guitar signals the off with a hard-edged and repetitive riff, ably backed by the blur of Alessandro’s drum sticks as they thrash the skins. There is a skittish, agitated feel to the music, interrupted by the occasional calm moments of candour and clarity. Its is the forceful and dynamic parts of the song that really grab you and demand your compliance that stand out for me though. A driving force of nature that brooks no argument and lays waste to all before it before its inexorable advance. As this compelling piece of music comes to a close it is the imposing power of this commanding duo that is left burnt into your psyche.
An aurally stimulating release that will impress all who hear it, ‘La malinconia delle fate’ is stimulating, thought provoking and, well, just damn good fun. You will struggle to hear a better thirty-six minutes of purely instrumental music this year.
On 2nd May 2016 “La Malinconia delle Fate” LP will be released by following labels: Acid Cosmonaut, La Fornace Dischi, Dreaminggorilla, Taxi Driver Records and Totem Schwan.
BE PROG! MY FRIEND FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE FINAL BAND IAMTHEMORNING
CO-HEADLINERS STEVEN WILSON & OPETH
MAGMA, BETWEEN THE BURIED & ME, ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN, THE PINEAPPLE THIEF, TEXTURES, OBSIDIAN KINGDOM, EXXASENS
1ST – 2ND JULY
Barcelona based festival Be Prog! My Friend have announced the final band for this year’s line-up. Russian progressive duo Iamthemorning who released their new album ‘Lighthouse’ earlier this month will join the likes of co-headliners Steven Wilson and Opeth as well as Magma, The Pineapple Thief, Between The Buried and Me and many more. Vocalist Marjana Semkina comments:
‘It’s a great pleasure for us to join the amazing line up of Be Prog! My Friend this year – such a lovely surprise at the very last moment. It’s a great pleasure, but also a great challenge. We’ll be playing the chamber set with our string duo (cello and violin) and some percussion, and you can’t get more different from other bands on the festival. So, we’ll see how the audience responds to such a huge contrast and our almost classical sound. It will be our first appearance in Spain and first big prog festival – wow, so many things for the first time. Very exciting.’
Since its inception in 2014 the Barcelona based festival Be Prog! My Friend has played host to the likes of Anathema, Devin Townsend,TesseracT, Camel, Meshuggah, Katatonia, Riverside, Isahn and Alcest.
Taking place in the beautiful open air surroundings of Poble Espanyol, the site is one of the most important landmarks of tourism in Barcelona. By day the Catalonian hotspot is an architectural museum and on the first weekend of July it will play host to some of the world’s finest progressive bands.
Sponsored by Metal Hammer and Prog Magazine, 2016 will see Be Prog! My Friend co-headlined by Steven Wilson and fellow progressive heavy weights Opeth.
Friday 1st July Is a free entry show only for those who have purchased tickets for the Saturday. This will also now take place at Poble Espanyol having been moved from the Sala Apolo concert hall to meet demand. The line-up features Steven Wilson’s label mates The Pineapple Thief who will be joined by the highly rated Icelandic band Agent Fresco and Barcelona’s very own Obsidian Kingdom and Exxasens as well as the newly added iamthemorning.
The line-up so far:
Friday 1st July, Poble Espanyol:
The Pineapple Thief, iamthemorning, Agent Fresco, Obsidian Kingdom, Exxasens
Saturday 2nd July, Poble Espanyol:
Steven Wilson, Opeth, Magma, Between The Buried & Me, Anneke Van Giersbergen, Textures
Be Prog! My Friend takes place in the heart of Barcelona and with an airport only 12km away, regular, cheap flights make it an easy festival to get and from the UK. Bands will start playing from mid/late afternoon each day which will also mean visitors have plenty of time to explore the stunning city of Barcelona while they are there.
Listening to The Rube Goldberg Machine and I’m transported back to the halcyon days of the Summer of ’77. The energy and fizz on their debut takes me back to that much quoted “year zero” of music.
Which, in my humble opinion,was not a year, or even two , but a gradual realisation that “punk” was a gimmick and the talented musicians were those producing “new wave” or “post punk”. After the initial media “sturm und drang” of those naughty Sex Pistols boys being sweary on National TV , “Punk” became a tabloid fad.
Post Punk – where Mancunians discovering sequencers, New York loft dwellers discovering duelling guitars and Trustafarians in waiting discovering reggae.We were all touched by the “punk” paint. I grew up in Swindon. We had XTC ,they embodied this brave new world, mixing Punk energy with New York brittle guitar and dub bass lines.
The Rube Goldberg Machine would have slotted between XTC and Television in my small but tasteful collection back then.
There are also some very Floyd / Porcupine Tree sounds here too, the title track has a very PT vibe, all jazz bass and restrained vocal, Roger meets Steven and they put the world to rights over the course of the track, managing to fit in a tasteful piano and guitar interlude, a solo and a coda with a very acoustic refrain which added another band to the list that they link to in my head– The Decemberists. This track could be fitted into ‘The Crane’s Wife’ set without a seam.
The next piece, In Symmetry, continues in this Folk / Prog vein, mined so well by The Decemberists.
It’s not bucolic English Folk Prog from the books of Tull and Fairport, but the more widescreen Small Town American folk/ Roots world, all Decemberists literate and Big Head Todd Bluesy.
Music does this to me. My head joins the dots between bands. I still think like a DJ / producer. If you like this track, then listen to these people. Bought that? Then you should proceed to this point and listen here.
Television influence the swirling twin guitar sound, all sinuous leads attacking and counterattacking each other.
The introduction of track 7 (Times Square), an instrumental tour de force of guitar layers definitely makes me want to go and dig out my ‘Marquee Moon’ album, or to be more precise, Richard Lloyd’s post Television masterpiece ‘Fields Of Fire’:
https://youtu.be/UkGc9sOvcM4
Sorry about that. If the Wallet Emptier allows that clip, then you get the idea of where my head went whilst listening to the album…..
I’d detail more tracks but this is an album that plays as a whole, the mood and structure of the sounds entice you into their world, a bit bleak, a bit miserable seeming, but never dull, always guiding you through their labyrinth with atmosphere and melody.
As well as this Post Punk vibe, there are excellent vocal harmonies, a sprinkling of electronics and all wrapped in a clean mix that allows their stories told here to capture the listener and take you into the machine.
In the machine there is a Captain sat nursing a drink playing a card game which he wants to lose so he can blast off into space, he seems ambivalent about the quest but more concerned about his cards!
The last track is not a million miles from Mr Chuckle Trousers in feel, a gorgeous melody with layers of cymbal thrashing behind the mix, all about a man afraid of “my own shadow”, scared of heights and being haunted by life in general .This is very HCE territory, but those guitars weave a spell of almost Crimson intrigue. The track builds to an “epic” climax with the guitar taking up the mantle and swopping and soaring.
Did he fly? Did he crash? You decide.
All the tracks are short, sharp shocks, none of this twenty minute epic school of thought here. KISS song writing – Keep It Simple, Stupid. Hooks abound, the songs feel that they will come across well live, there they can flex their wings and let it all go.
In conclusion, it is another fine album from Bad Elephant.
At this rate I may just send David Elliot a standing order. Is there a loyalty card? Do we get stickers? A Panini album of BEM artists with a special scratch’ n’ sniff page for Tom?
Indulge me, if you will. Imagine a School of Rock but based around Progressive Rock and all its associated sub-genres. What classes would take part in there? Intricate guitar solos?, mind-bending keyboards?, fantastical lyrics about orcs and fairies?
And what artists would have attended this august establishment? Could Yes, King Crimson, Pink Floyd and Genesis have been some of the star pupils and then prefects as the likes of Marillion, Pendragon and then Porcupine Tree became the next young minds, eager and willing to learn?
Well, if there was a class in the modern version of the school for ‘huge and extensive riffing’ then Augsburg’s DANTE could well be at the top of the class. Having listened to ‘When We Were Beautiful’, their follow up to the impressive ‘November Rain’, I cannot help but notice the huge, mountain sized guitar riffs that emanate from the majority of the songs.
It is not overpowering but it is definitely one of the main features of the record and this band, the other being the, possibly, controversial cover…
Is a half naked woman acceptable on the cover of a relatively mainstream record in this day and age or is it just not politically correct? Well, the cover to DANTE’s certainly stimulated some heated debate when it was shared on social media. To me, I feel it just about stays on the right side of being a bit sexist and, in reality, we should not let it detract from the main question, is this album any good……….?
DANTE are Alexander Göhs (vocals), Markus Maichal (keyboards), Christian Eichlinger (drums) and Julian Kellner (guitars).
‘When We Were Beautiful’ is their fourth album, following 2008’s self-released debut ‘The Inner Circle’, 2010’s ‘Saturnine’ (released through ProgRock Records and 2013’s Massacre Records released ‘November Red’.
The release of the last album was clouded by the death of co-founding member, and bass and guitar player, Markus Berger. That is how death not only became a topic of the new album but also the driving force of the creative process, expressed in songs like Finally, where the band bid farewell to their friend in a harrowingly beautiful way.
‘When We Were Beautiful’ is released through Gentle Art Of Music.
Right, onto the main course and the seven tracks that make up the album…
Rearrangement Of The Gods opens with an ominous note, a brooding tone before Christian’s drums herald the appearance of the first tasty riff. The guitar wails with a plaintive note, a slight dissonance or a cry for help that pierces your mind. A convoluted and intricate progressive section follows before overlaid voices take up the mysterious narrative. Alexander’s distinctive vocal joins the fray, backed by that insistent heavy riff. He has a voice that could divide opinion, it is harsh and straightforward but I feel it matches the music perfectly with its almost industrial tone. He shows he is no one trick pony on the impressive chorus where his voice opens up magnificently to harmonise with the others. It’s quite and insistent track on the verse, driving you back like a finger poked into the centre of your chest but opens up into a huge soundscape everytime the superb chorus makes a return. Throw in some excellent keyboards, especially on the vibrant and energetic solos, and some combustible guitar licks and an extended and rather fiery solo and you have a rather intense and powerful opening to the album. A rather catchy, addictive and heavy riff opens Ambitious with a wry smile and a wink, hard-edged drumming and a forceful bass line add a solidity and a burst of 70’s keyboards give it a knowledgeable air. The vocals come in with that assertive and emphatic edge. A dark, dense and monumentally hefty song that somehow still seems light on its feet. It bludgeons its way into your affections with its direct heavy metal edge yet, the short, elaborate guitar and keyboard/piano runs and the chugging, industrial instrumental sections keep its progressive roots firmly on show.
Monster riff? go on then, the opening to Beauftiful Again nearly knocks you off your feet with its ferocity. A labyrinthine and heaving metal maelstrom that feels like it carries the weight of the world on its broad shoulders. A real progressive melting pot that cools down slightly for Alexander’s vocals to take the lead. Earnest and pleading, he gives some real gravitas to the song. The harmonised chorus is really rather superb and gives an excellent counterpoint to the imposing might of the guitars and drums. It’s like a musical version of a scorched earth policy, removing any unnecessary detritus from its path as it fires through. DANTE show they are more than just some notable riffing as a delicate piano note descends upon the track, catching you unawares, before drifting away as the influential wall of sound returns. There is a heartfelt feel to the vocals and piano at the start of Until The Last Light Breaks In, giving you pause but, what’s that? yep, you guessed, another towering, hell for leather riff takes over, aided and abetted by some harsh keyboards and we are off on another riff-fueled musical white water ride. A fleet footed and convoluted instrumental section threatens to overwhelm you before things calm down a little. There’s a passion in Alexander’s voice that matches the fervency of the music and it rises and falls in both tempo and emotion. A seriously involved and emotional listening experience that includes some ferocious and potent guitar work from Julian (the solo is actually mind-bending) and leaves you feeling both sated and drained as it comes a to a close.
There’s a mysterious feel to the beginning of Let Me Down, it stutters slightly with an electronic and industrial resonance. A staccato riff powers in, along with some Hammond organ, to give it that hard edge again. This whole section has a feel of some virtuoso musicians having a rather exciting jam session and you nod your head in appreciation. The vocals have a profoundly heavy character to them as the song keeps moving off into distinctly prog-metal territory. Weighty guitar riffing and drums that could knock an elephant off its feet give the song a real density at its core, like both the immovable object and the irresistible force. Julian is given free rein and makes the most of it, his guitar playing is immense on this song and leaves you almost slack jawed and this is matched by Markus’ utterly absorbing and exuberant keyboards. I bet this track would be awesome live. Sad Today is the shortest track on the album but, perhaps, the most profound. A gentle piano and tender, compassionate vocals give you a lump in your throat. A song like this could feel a little out of place among the heavy riffs and thunderous rhythms but the band carry it off perfectly. Wistful and serene, it leaves you rapt in a sad and nostalgic atmosphere.
Rather profoundly, the last track on the album is Finally. Electronic sounds open the song and then Julian hits you right in the solar plexus with a huge riff. The song erupts with the drums driving things along, adding a steely edge to the coruscating guitar work. A whirlpool of progressive tinged musical chops holds you in its sway, keyboards swirling around your head and the guitar seems like a barely tame wild animal seeking to escape its cage. The vocals seem to bring order tot he chaos, Alexander taking centre stage and dominating proceedings while that melting pot of musical virtuosity carries on behind him in a slightly subdued manner. Yes, it is still a heavy song but it has a aged feeling of experience and patient wisdom. The guitar fires at you, over laid by a jumble of spoken voices, the chorus is quite addictive in its emphatic delivery and you get a feeling that the whole album has been leading up to this final outpouring of emotion. You have to applaud the excellent musicianship going on between your ears, these guys can really play their instruments exceedingly well, emphasised every time they decide to go off on an absorbing progressive jam (which they do frequently). As this song (and album) come to a close, it is the farewell to their fallen friend that takes over and the passion, pride and grief are all too evident, especially on the solo that is full of fervor, remorse but also love and joy.
Slightly controversial cover aside, ‘When We Were Beautiful’ is a superb and fitting tribute. The music is not dominated by the plethora of riffs, rather it is accentuated and complimented, these guys are outstanding musicians and it is evident in every note that they play. If you like your progressive metal with a little something extra, you are going to love this album, I did.
Some musicians have a discernible skill for balancing notes with the nuances and gaps between them to great effect, those who spring to mind readily, the eclectic talents of David Sylvian, Talk Talk and current exponents, the quite wonderful, iamthemorning. They also imbue a sense of melancholy but not misery, which I find are two quite independent entities, with a sweetness that lifts rather than lowers the mood. Though heart rending, at times it can make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck and a tear well in the corner of your eye. The delicate beauty of it, whilst fragile, has the power to swell your heart.
Whilst probably not well known to some, multi-instrumentalist Kristoffer Gildenlöw may be better recognised for being a member of Pain of Salvation, along with his brother Daniel, and a string of other projects. There are further similarities with the haunting qualities of the respective vocals of the above artists, and they also sail down a similar musical stream.
His previous solo album ‘Rust’ met with some acclaim and paved the way for his latest solo effort, the sublime ‘The Rain’ which is a concept album portraying the struggles and life of a man with dementia – Alzheimer’s disease. Each song deals with different memories, emotions and ideas and, though he thankfully has no personal first hand experience, Kristoffer says he was intrigued and these songs reflect how he thinks he would feel if he one day had to fight dementia himself.
He is backed, as he was on Rust, by a talented group of guest musicians adding everything from string arrangements to accordion in creating this latest offering.
The mood is set from the off, by the sounds of rain falling and thunder rolling in the distance. After The Rain pt2 creates an atmosphere with Kristoffer’s hypnotic vocals as our protagonist tries to grasp what is happening to him whilst on Holding On pt.1 he clutches at fading memories of a love, knowing fate will wrench this affection from him but, in the hope it will revisit him before the end comes.
Piano encourages him to reminisce over summer days on Seeking The Sun pt.1 as further memories are washed away with rain like choral backing and sombre tones, buffered gently by Seeking The Sun pt.2 (Petrichor) as it dances one last waltz before fading.
Again delicate keys carry Worthy in a lullaby to the visions of approaching final moments, reconciling with past demons, and a hope for a peaceful passing.
Strings stroked and plucked, evoking shimmering showers as vocals harmonise with a singular line repeated for Holding On pt.2 only to be washed away again by the downpour.
A quiet urgency is created in the vocals of See It All. A yearning to see as much as he can and to hold on to those memories for as long as possible as the time slips away.
The storm grumbles in the background over the piano, soothed away by weaving strings as acoustic guitar lifts the Peripheral Memory, with whirling sound effects and swaying accordion coming to the fore on this instrumental passage.
Kristoffer’s rhythmic vocals on Breathe In, Breathe Out attempt to ease the pain and control a gaining panic as voices float in and out of consciousness, in a struggle of acceptance.
With a brief respite of recognition for a loved one, perhaps for a final time, In The Evening, the overwhelming emotions are tainted with the knowledge, despite all good intentions and promises, that you will lose them and not see the journey through together. Guitar tugs and piano ripples attempting some understanding and explanation as angelic vocals drift toward It Was Me, a stand against what is happening, a refusal to give in and go quietly, hanging on and fighting for every precious moment as the drums march out the track; a cut connection on a phone line signalling the close.
The clank of metaphorical chains and dragging weary footsteps enslave with oppressive despondency as Kristoffer attempts to shake the dark stormy mood hanging over him, steel and electric guitar baring themselves to the wild torment of Rain, and no hope of respite.
Acoustic chords as She comforts him in the final minutes of existence. Caring, loving, a fleeting last recognition the mind offers as synth like passages lead the way to a destination heralded by the waiting angelic voices.
Electric piano and echoing vocal All For You in this brief farewell.
A moment we will all inevitably reach as the finality of life in The Funeral pt.1, a prayer before a fond instrumental goodbye in The Funeral pt.2 and the door closes with finality.
If none of the above musicians and sweet melancholy are to your taste this may not quench your musical thirst, but for those who relish this sort of music it will be nectar. For myself, I could drink it in all day, it’s a beautiful album which rewards further with repeat listening.
Spofify, is it the Death Star of streaming that could, one day, lay waste to what most of us (of a certain age) perceived to be the music industry? Or, is it being lambasted unfairly? Is it the modern musical world’s way of allowing more people to find music that they like (despite only paying the artists an absolute pittance for their work?).
Nowadays, I would say that I sit firmly in the seat of the former but, in days gone by, it would have been fair to say that I discovered a lot of music by the use of this algorithm that is seen as the very essence of evil in some quarters.
To be fair, I wouldn’t have discovered Long Distance Calling if it hadn’t been for Spotify with its memorable green logo. By using the ‘similar artists’ feature built into the software, I came upon many artists whose music I enjoy today, this German prog infused industrial metal outfit among them….
Where other bands vainly tried to live up to wannabe-avantgarde terms like retro-futuristic or Post-whatever, LONG DISTANCE CALLING lived in their own bubble from the very beginning. After emerging as an instrumental Rock band of wonders with their soaring debut ‘Satellite Bay’ in 2007, the Münster based outfit quickly earned a genre defying fan base, touring with everyone from Deftones to Anathema and Dredg. They never stood still and always did what their music demanded – even if it meant to welcome a permanent vocalist in their ranks, a trick they pulled in 2012 by adding Martin Fischer to their line-up.
2008 saw the ‘090208 Split’ EP which was followed by 2009’s ‘Avoid The Light’. The eponymous ‘Long Distance Calling’ was released in 2011, ‘The Flood Inside’ in 2013 and, lastly the ‘Nighthawk’ EP in 2014.
David Jordan (guitar), Florian Füntmann (guitar), Janosch Rathmer (drums) and Jan Hoffmann (bass) are joined by Norwegian vocalist Petter Carlsen (replacing Fischer) and Marsen Fischer (keys, piano, electronica) on their latest extraordinary musical odyssey ‘TRIPS’.
A stunning album carefully translating old structures into a new universe, a marvel in its own right. What used to be an amalgamation of the band member’s eclectic tastes has now become a many-headed beast, a Janus figure feeding off Rock, Metal, Alternative and Pop – and Prog, to be exact: ‘TRIPS’ is not so much a continuation of established virtues, but a bold move into the unknown……
The album opens with Getaway, an electronica tinged instrumental that makes your ears prick up almost immediately with its flowing keyboards that invoke dystopian scenes. The edgy guitars and insistent drum-beat open up into a really retro feeling tune, almost akin to Kraftwerk meeting Tool in a dark alleyway and having a jam session. My memories of Long Distance Calling were supremely heavy industrial and instrumental metal so this is a real chip off a new block for me and I really like it’s addictive nature and upbeat feel. Reconnect carries on with the electronic aspects of the music but, this time, with an edgy and urgent tone. We also hear Petter’s stylish vocals for the first time. This guy has a great range to his voice, he can do earnest pop music right the way up to heavy metal and do it very well indeed. The track has an almost ‘stadium rock’ vibe to it (if a lot heavier), you can imagine this powerful and echoing industrial music filling any arena that the band would choose to play at. The strident, twin guitar sound, thumping bass and energetic drums all add to the impressive dynamism.
Rewind is superb, there, I’ve said it. A slow burning, pensive, mournful track that builds up gradually to finally erupt, volcano like. Petter’s opening vocal is low down and ardent, the piano adding a sombre note. The vocals become more impassioned, the virility of the music following suit. The monstrous chorus with the weight of the world upon it is really rather good. It is a brooding piece of music, perhaps formed in the forges of the bleak musical hell but they have realised a thing of stark musical beauty. It may be dark in places but it just adds to the attraction, really rather impressive. Now, Trauma, that’s more like the Long Distance Calling that I remember. A thunderously powerful instrumental with huge riffs carved out of granite. You know, this would scare small children if they stumbled across it by accident, I love it. There is a monstrously large soundscape at play here and one these guys know extremely well. The band have expanded their musical nous immensely but, boy, do they do heavy instrumental prog-metal as good as anybody out there. Even the laid back, almost cultured interludes are magnificent.
Lines begins with a touch of Porcupine Tree, intricate musical interplay and Petter’s dynamic vocal but, that’s where the comparison ends as the whole thing is blown apart by a rapid drum beat and discordant guitar note that heralds a real heavy thrash metal attack on your senses. A breakneck guitar riff and a rhythm section founded on something illegal don’t give you time for pause or even a breath and, bloody hell, is it addictive! An idiotic grin plastered across my face, I’m really enjoying the carefree attitude to the music. Sleek, cultured interplays break the speed-fest and give you time to think, the squirreling guitar solo is excellent but, it’s the riff-fest we’ve come for and we will not be denied or disappointed. Coming in at under two minutes Presence is almost a musical palate cleanser after the hell-bent musical barrage of the previous track. A laid back, calm and collected voice-over with a wistful and pensive note and very tasteful.
Skillful electronica returns with another instrumental, Momentum, the drums providing focus before some rather sci-fi inspired keyboards and a probing guitar take on the mantle. Intelligent and clever it may be but, it never loses sight of the core progressive and metal roots of the band. There is a real feeling of exploration of the unknown to the song. In places it actually reminds me of Public Service Broadcasting’s last album, ‘The Race For Space’. It plays along with a metaphorical ‘wry smile’ on its features, all playful and fast paced. Once again you see the band taking a big step away from what they had become known for and becoming a much more rounded package because of it. Towards the end the guitars and drums become much more pronounced and give it a harder edge, mixing the old with the new. Plans opens with a mournful, almost funereal tone. Dark-edged and slightly mysterious, Petter’s vocal only adds to the uncanny feeling. A haunting and jangling guitar adds an uneasy aura and the electronic effects an eerie undertone. The languid pace and unearthly vocal do nothing to ease the feeling of dread, it is deliciously spine tingling and then it is as if the beast has been unleashed. The guitars, drums and keys march on in a steady immovable fashion, where this is leading to, you have no idea. Crunching riffs arrive, the drums go up a notch and you are in the middle of musical maelstrom of incredible force. It throws you from side to side, caring nought for your safety and, yet, you do not fear anything, this is where you belong and want to be.
We have arrived at the near thirteen minute instrumental climax of the album, Flux requires more than one listen to plumb its herculean depths. It is a psychedelic trip of excess and grandeur building from a humble opening. Lay back, turn out the light and let the twin guitars wash over you as they build the scene and the story. The drums and the bass are the punctuation in a musical odyssey too big for mere words to describe. The opening minutes are quite hypnotic and mesmerisng as this unique musical tapestry opens up to your inner heart and soul. It gives a feeling of treading water, no rush and no need to be any where else than hear, listening to the song. The guitars clash and then the pace quickens as you are pulled out of your near-trance, a new urgency abounds as the drums pick up the beat. The track begins to ebb and flow, quiet sections seamlessly segue into intricate, guitar based, interludes as you are delivered a veritable musical extravaganza to explore. It is said that, on ‘TRIPS’, the band utter the wish to travel through time, to relive certain moments, but also to undo certain things they said, to spend more time with lost ones they once held dear. While making this album, five grandparents of members in this band died and a baby was born. This left its marks on them and only adds to the fact of what a strange and fascinating thing time actually is and it is explored in full on this memorable closing track.
A monumental exercise in making music, a huge, herculean creation of impressive proportions yet, deep at its core, there is an overlying vestige of humanity and everything that makes us great, ‘TRIPS’ is Long Distance Calling’s most impressive effort to date and reminds me of why I liked them all those years ago. Very good indeed.
Music is an art form and cultural activity whose medium is sound and silence. The common elements of music are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm, dynamics (loudness and softness) and sonic qualities of timbre and texture (which are sometimes termed the ‘colour’ of a musical sound…
Or, if you want to get more personal about it, Victor Hugo once said:
Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent…
In any way, music is an intangible thing, you cannot touch it, only your ears translate the tiny pressure waves of sound into what you think the notes are. Music, to me, is an inspiration and part and parcel of my everyday life. I can’t live without it and I have music that helps me appreciate the highs and music that helps me get through the lows.
Some music has a beauty and grace all of its own and that is what I am here to talk to you about now. Today’s review is the new album from the Russian duo iamthemorning…
Formed in 2010 in St Petersburg Russia, iamthemorning features pianist Gleb Kolyadin and the charismatic vocals of Marjana Semkina. The band self released their debut album in 2012 before signing to Kscope and releasing ‘Belighted’, their first record for the label in September 2014. In 2015 they toured Europe with labels mates, the art-progressive outfit Gazpacho last year.
As with ‘Belighted’, the engineering and mixing on ‘Lighthouse’ is handled by Marcel van Limbeek (Tori Amos) and self produced by Gleb and Marjana. The album also features guest musicians Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson) on drums, Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree) on bass and additional vocals on the album’s title track by Mariusz Duda (Lunatic Soul, Riverside).
‘Lighthouse’ is a rich and eclectic album, with echoes of classical music, the Canterbury scene, northern folk, jazz and electronic sounds. Featuring a story of the progression of mental illness, the album takes the listener through the stages with the story’s central character, her attempts to fight it, temporal remission leading to a final breakdown. Lyrically, the works and lives of Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath inspire the album.
Recorded across London, Moscow & St Petersburg, the core instrument of the band, the grand piano, was recorded in Mosfilm Studios Moscow, the largest and oldest studios in Russia. Founded in 1920, Mosfilm is renowned for recording orchestras for soundtracks for the most famous Soviet-era films, including works by Tarkovsky and Eisenstein.
The album artwork for ‘Lighthouse’ was created by watercolour artist Constantine Nagishkin who the band have previously collaborated with before.
I Came Before The Water, Pt.1 is a short track with a decidedly ethereal quality. Marjana’s spellbinding and beautiful vocal just grabs your heart and, backed by delicate strings, it just leaves you full of emotion. There is more of an urgency at the start of Too Many Years, Gleb’s driving piano driving the whole song on at a fair lick. Marjana’s earnest vocal joins the ivories to give you a melting pot of desire and heartfelt passion. The song opens up with the stylish rhythm section of Gavin Harrison and Colin Edwin to become an intelligent and incisive narrative that holds your attention. The swirling strings add an admirable backdrop to this impressive tune that insinuates itself into your psyche. The next track Clear Clearer begins with a wistful note, a winsome tone that Marjana takes up with her captivating vocal. The driving piano once again stops the track from becoming too delicate and lacking substance. The lovely little vocal interludes whee the lines are repeated just leave a charismatic smile on your face before Gleb’s piano and some rather tasty keyboards add another veneer of class and let the track run out with a knowing nod. The charming and absorbing intro to Sleeping Pills is provided by yearning vocals and an a delicately played piano to leave you with a feeling that something momentous could be about to happen. Here Gleb gets to be centre stage with his artistic fingers directing the music, the haunting strings and breathy vocals adding a light alien feel of otherworldy-ness. The track begins to rise to a powerful crescendo, leaving you transfixed and left in awe.
Libretto Horror is a pared back little piece of chamber music inspired beauty. The vocals dance around your mind and Gleb’s piano holds court over everybody. It is transfixing with its simple and uncluttered delivery. There is a feel of wild abandon to Marjana’s voice and it adds a little bit of the unknown, I like it. Now onto the wonders and delights of the title track, Lighthouse. The song opens with a meandering piano and graceful, guileless vocals from Marjana that bewitch your very soul. It works its way around the inside of your mind, holding your attention, slowly brooding as the track builds to a zenith and the introduction of Mariusz Duda. The song takes on a smoother vibe with the delicious vocal interplay between Marjana and Dariusz, iamthemorning definitely seem to have matured with this new release, there is less of a gossamer feel to their sound. The music has a sophisticated and cultured feel to it, there are layers and layers of intricate depths that slowly reveal themselves and it is showcased perfectly on this brilliant track. Harmony invites you into its own little world. The delicate soundscape brings to mind a bright summer day with birds and butterflies aimlessly traversing the skies and leaving you feeling like you don’t have a care in the world. Music used to create a picture in your mind, a world set aside from the one you’re really in, subtle and very clever. The piano then begins, Gleb’s playing is brilliant and almost takes on a life of its own, it is mesmerising and enchanting and I find that I have stopped whatever it is that I was doing just to make sure I don’t miss a note. The song steps up another level with the quality bass and drums of Colin and Gavin added to a sleek guitar to give this classy instrumental even more kudos, a very creative and perceptive piece of music. The opening to Matches brings back that pared back, more simpler feel where Marjana’s delightfully unadorned vocal joins Gleb’s piano to deliver an aural delight. The rhythm section then joins in to give it a feel of classical mixed with jazz and it works exceedingly well, the music seeming to evolve, becoming more complex than it was before.
Heartfelt, emotional and purely delivered vocals open Belighted giving it a contemplative and melancholy feel. The tinkling of the piano keys and the mournful strings only add to the plaintive and sad feeling. However, beauty and grace can be found in all situations and it is thus with this tastefully refined track. It does feel sorrowful and it leaves your own heart open and bleeding but with a feel of something sublime that has been lost and you feel bereft by its loss. The first track released from the album was Chalk and Coal and it made me sit up and take notice. Perhaps a more radio friendly song but defiantly non-mainstream. A powerfully building opening with Gleb’s slightly discordant piano and the haunting vocals leaving a slightly ominous atmosphere, only added to by the eerie trumpet playing. I get a feeling I’m in the middle of a musical version of an Edgar Allan Poe novel as a slightly off key guitar and that forlorn trumpet leave you slightly on edge. It is subtle and clever stuff and really gets your mind working overtime. I Came Before The Water, Pt. 2 revisits the refrain of the opening track on the album but, this time, with a much more sparse feel, Marjana’s anguished vocal opening the song as a lone note. The feeling of grief presses down on you, almost overwhelming, as the strings seem to tear your heart apart before the song closes out all mysteriously. The final track on this majestic musical journey is Post Scriptum, a mellow track where Gleb’s piano directs proceedings. Colin Edwin’s bass is much more demonstrative and emotive, driving the track on. There is a feeling of a lament at the heart of the music, it closes out the album with a slight note of mourning but doesn’t detract from the wonder of what you have just had the pleasure of listening to.
‘Lighthouse’ is an amazing musical journey from the first note to the last. It is bewitching and beguiling and removes you from your everyday life to a place of wonder. Darkly captivating, it is not all sweetness and light but is a musical legacy that iamthemorning can build on and the ‘Lighthouse’ can light the way. These two exceptional artists have now moved into the major leagues and it is well deserved, album of the year? why not!
I don’t review an instrumental album for ages and then two arrive at once, it’s like the old London buses analogy!
This time it was a message from fellow Yorkshireman Cai Sumpton, following on from my review of Flicker Rate,
Hey there!
If you like post-rock then you might like my band People As Places As People. We just released our debut EP ‘For the Time Being’ on 180-gram marbled translucent blue vinyl last month!
Well, you know me, I’m a sucker for instrumental music so I was never going to turn it down. I really like good album art too and I thought the album cover was quite intriguing.
So, who are People As Places As People? To be fair, they are not very forthcoming, about all I could glean was that they are, “an instrumental post-rock band from Halifax, England.” (Yorkshire, that’s a good start).
The band consists of Cai (guitar), Cameron Gledhill (guitar and piano), Ryan Fairclough (bass) and Sam Whyman (drums).
Looks like it will be a case of the music doing the talking then….
‘For The Time Being’ is a 3-track EP. It’s quite long for an EP at thirty minutes so, without any further ado, let’s dive in and see what we’ve got…
Opening track Preta begins with delicate strummed guitars giving a low key vibe. The drums join in and it is a rather pleasant place to be, evoking hazy and carefree summer days. The music seems to make its own course, like a gently bubbling little stream, across your sensory synapses. The rhythm section of drums and bass act like a guiding hand, keeping everything on course. A nicely judged and uncomplicated journey through a musical world of wonder that takes a turn into a darker arena, a powerful riff and thunderous drumming adding an insistent urgency, as if the peaceful world of before is suddenly threatened by the sinister unknown. The furrowed brow is replaced, once more, by calm serenity yet an intricate guitar line never lets you settle before the huge soundscape returns, this time with a harsh, coruscating edge. This is clever musical storytelling.
Because That’s The Only Time There Is begins with another huge and monstrous riff before settling down into something much more poised and tranquil. To me, it has a nostalgic, sepia tinged feel, evoking thoughts of times gone by with its languid and unhurried pace, more emotive than the fierce aura of the first track before. All of a sudden, it changes tack into a staccato and edgy tone, the guitars chopping at each other and the drums intricate and solid, this assault carries on for a while before it seamlessly moves back into that original peaceful and easy tempo, all sweetness and light. Both the songs seem to have had a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character to them, making them unpredictable and interesting and this track transforms once more with a veritable mountain of a riff that knocks you clean off your feet, leaving you breathless and dazed, really powerful stuff yet never being anything less than melodious.
The final track of this instrumental trilogy is Dutch Boats and it opens with a slightly plaintive note, high pitched, short sharp picks of the guitar metronomically resounding in your mind. It builds momentum slowly, a wistful and contemplative tune that has a strong yearning ambience to it. It leaves a sentimental footprint on your soul, leaving you longing for something you just can’t put you mind to, perhaps golden days of long ago. It has a beautiful, if melancholic air, like a fragility that is only one step from breaking. Ethereal and almost insubstantial, it wisps across you mind, transfixing and hypnotising you. What happens next makes your hair stand on end, the dominant and compelling rise of the music hits you right in your solar plexus as this track leaves a forceful and lasting statement of intent and, as the last notes fade away, I can’t help but to feel a little sad and overwhelmed, that’s the power of great music.
It is not easy to make instrumental music that can touch the listener and resonate at their very core but these Yorkshire lads can do it with aplomb. You immerse yourself in every note and become intricately involved and, if that’s not what music is all about then, why do we bother?
