Russian virtuoso pianist, composer and arranger Gleb Kolyadin is perhaps more well know for being part of iamthemorning with Marjana Semkina but he has also released some impressive solo works and ‘the Outland’ is his latest.
Gleb describes the creation and themes of the album thus, “Its main outlines were formed during the covid isolation in 2020, but they are still relevant now. In all the madness that is happening on the planet, it is sometimes critically important to create your own world, to find the spirit of a hermit in yourself in order to look at what is happening from the outside with a different understanding. This is Outland – a world within a world, assembled from disparate fragments.”
The album is described as, “a six-movement symphonic suite (of course, in a prog/jazz-rock vein).” and Gavin Harrison (drums) and Vlad Avy (acoustic guitars, electric guitars) complete the ensemble, although there are some other very fine musicians who contribute, such as Tony Levin, Tim Lefebvre and Zoltan Renaldi.
This release is a fine collection of intricate musical pieces that all combine together to create a beautiful whole. There is a feeling of calm and sophistication that runs throughout the brief forty-one minute running time. Gleb’s elegant piano is key to everything here, although the stylish and refined drumming of Gavin Harrison is a huge contributor to the overall welcoming vibe of this album.
The ten minute wonder of opening track Voyager sets the scene perfectly, this is classical music for the those who appreciate something with more modern and experimental feel, which is exacerbated by the rather wonderful Ascension with its wistful and ethereal rise and fall created by the amazing clarinet. Cascades is a very moving solo piano piece that leaves a trail on your heartstrings and Mercurial is a more strident and direct track that builds and builds into something rather special that dances across the ether in a rather magical fashion. Apparatus has a proper 1980’s instrumental vibe to it, well to my ears anyway, it’s urgent, yet melodic, tone is captivating and draws you along as a willing participant. This all too short inspiring musical journey is brought to a close by the elegant notes of Hermitage, a charmingly bewitching way to bring things to a satisfying conclusion.
In a world where dark seems to be inexorably striving to push out the light, musical gems like ‘the Outland’ are a beacon of light in the darkness and show that music can heal that which is broken and, above all, music is life affirming.
‘Making Shore’ will lift your spirits from any post new year blues that you might be troubled with, for this album is simply glorious. Well, it’s been a long time in is its realisation and, finally, the third Damanek album is nearly upon us. It will physically be released on the 13th of January 2023 and I can envisage big success for the band with this fantastic collection of songs, eight in total, in two distinct sections. Part one has seven songs of middling length and with various themes, part two is one thirty minute epic, consisting of five parts, which is an exploration of alternative realities and time travel.
The band consists of a core unit of Guy Manning (lots of keys, lots of acoustic instruments (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki), percussion and vocals), MarekArnold (saxophone, keyboard) along with Sean Timms (keyboards, vocals, percussion, mixing and production duties). They are aided by a veritable who’s who of modern Neo-Prog. These include half of Southern Empire, that’s Cam Blokland on guitar and Brody Green on drums, also present are Ralf Dietsch of Cyril, Jonathan Barrett (ex The Tangent bass player), Riley Nixon-Burns (trumpet) and Linda Pirie on flute and piccolo.
Together these folks make truly special and spacious music that has a familiar feel alongside new sounds and textures. The music is rich and lush with melody woven strongly throughout. It is an album that will draw you into its orbit and will give you a satisfying musical journey that will take you from Mount Everest through the Great Barrier Reef , an American heartland and finally on a journey into a world of memories, hopes and desires. All are to be discovered within it tracks so buckle up for the ride of the month if not the year, such is the strength and stature of this album.
The albums first track is A Mountain Of Sky, a song about that most famous of summits, Everest. The sound is very clever in that it captures and conveys Tibetan sounds and is very evocative of that area, the song has a driving beat and rhythm to it and is as epic as the mountain itself, with a strong chorus and some strong guitar lines woven within its running time. The soundscape is everything you could want from Damanek making this epic track a superb statement of intent and it bodes very well for the rest of the album. The ethnic feeling percussion, woven with the expressive sax work of Marek Arnold, is a joy to hear and means this song really has a swing and a groove to it, even the cod reggae section works well. There is so much to enjoy before the song ends on a graceful guitar break, simply a brilliant opening to the album, it’s fabulous stuff. Back2Back is about how humanity has pushed the world into a difficult situation regarding the climate of the earth and its repercussions for us. There are very thought provoking lyrics within this song and there is also a further fantastic guitar solo. Noon Day Candles is a plea for a fairer share for all and contrasts our scientific and technological achievements with our unwillingness and inability to feed the worlds children. This is a very fine song and whilst it’s words are earnest and challenging the music is well balanced with the questions and pleas the song asks and raises.
This album is proving to be challenging in its subject matter and lyrics, never a bad thing in my opinion, it is good to have to think about these issues. Americana is a song about a fictitious American farm in the heartlands that is struggling with the demands of the present age, climate Change and poverty. Farming is not easy as anyone who has watched Clarkson’s Farm can attest, the song is short and direct.
There are then two songs of the sea interrupted by a song about dementia, In DeepBlue (Sea Songs Pt.1) is a very personal one for Guy as it about his youngest son who, despite having Asperger’s, decided whilst on holiday in Greece to go scuba diving. This song is Guys musings on his bravery and determination to have a go at it. He managed to accomplish his goal and this made Guy very proud of his son’s achievements. Reflections On Copper is a more sobering song, focusing as it does on the increasing number of people who are being affected by, and living with, dementia. Dementia is a cruel illness and disease that can take many forms, I personally am affected by vascular dementia as the result of a stroke meaning my neural pathways have been damaged by the stroke and whilst that dementia is mild at the present time, it may not stay that way, only time will tell so the sentiments expressed are certainly relevant to my own life. Crown of Thorns (Sea Songs Pt.2) is about how the Great Barrier Reef is being affected and how, again, climate change is affecting the balance with an increase in the Crown Of Thorns starfish who normally eat that faster growing coral which gives slower growing species an opportunity to catch up. Climate change has affected this though as the coral eating starfish have increased in outbreak proportions. This song concludes the first half of the album
The second section is the multi part Oculus, split into an overture and four acts. This is a very interesting and somewhat difficult song to digest but is best heard as a complete track (about thirty minutes in total). The song is about alternate dimensions and realities. This is a most interesting concept and this piece reflects that curiosity in a very well balanced manner. It is also a cautionary tale in that we can hear a warning that we perhaps need to heed and to consider. Of the four acts One is the scene setting, Two is the adventure, Three is the consequences of the action and, finally, Four is the redemption and return to normality. The song is epic and the story is illuminating and yet cautionary at the same time. The music in all acts is subtle and exciting and the piece ends with urgent horns and a dazzling guitar solo that bring it all together in a gracefully and satisfying manner with a well executed door slam to conclude proceedings.
This album has so much to commend it, great subject matter, challenging & thoughtful lyrics and superb & inspired playing. It certainly is a winner to these ears, a sublime, intelligent and articulate work of art, I urge, nae demand, you to pay attention and add it to your listening pleasure.
Verbal Delirium are a Greek progressive rock band who formed in 2006. They have released four albums to date ‘The Imprisoned Words of Fear’ (2016), ‘From The Small Hours Of Weakness’ (2013) and ‘So Close And Yet So Far Away’ (2010), with ‘Conundrum’ being the latest, and second with Bad Elephant Music. This release is definitely interesting, mixing heavier elements with articulate vocals and sounds to create great music. This is my first exposure to the band and here are my thoughts on the album.
The album has eight tracks which vary in length and in style, ranging from brief vignettes like Falling with its Saga like sounds, especially in the vocals by Jargon, through to epic pieces like The Watcher and Neon Eye Cage, which are both over nine minutes in duration. Musically the sounds range from semi-choral to Beatles-like parts, elements of prime Queen through to jazzy inspired sections with saxophone and clarinet and violin and epic, partially ambient, soundscapes all tied together with a solid rock beat and groove. All this together makes for a unique and satisfying listening experience. The team of Jargon on vocals, George Pagidas on bass, Stratos Morianos on keyboards, Vasilis Armaos on drums and GeorgeKyriakidis on guitar are a sensationally tight and focused unit who together bring this great music to life.
This jazzy element is most clearly espoused in title track Conundrum which really has a bounce and a spring in its step. Likewise, The Watcher also impresses with its use of Hammond Organ to swell the sound along with its Saga like vocals and the fiery guitar of George Kyriakidis, whose playing enlivens and grabs the attention throughout the track. The song is epic in style with a growing intensity that runs through the track. It’s a song you need to hear for yourself as it really makes a statement for the band, showing their dexterity in the composition and their skills to realise the piece. It really is a slow burner of a track but certainly impresses me, as does Neon Eye Cage, which opens with gentle electric piano and a graceful vocal from Jargon sounding not unlike Mika on this section. The song gains both pace and power with a unique guitar and keyboards exchange taking the song forward. I really like this sound, it’s different and fresh sounding, adding great dynamics to an already intriguing sound palette, there is also a fine guitar break at the six minute point which I find very melodious. This ends with strong bass and keyboards before resuming again to reach greater heights with more doubled guitar lines moving to the piano to take us to the end. The return of the electric piano tones and even more ‘Mikaesque’ vocals conclude this most fascinating piece.
Fall From Grace is the album’s last track, this reintroduces the Saga like vocals over graceful piano lines and orchestrations before a sturdy drumbeat begins. This song is a slower paced track but it has a strong melody and is very impressive sounding with another scorching guitar break lifting the track significantly. The guitar is very expressive and striking with lots of space and time allowed for it to soar as the song plays, it is all rather fine really. The vocalist Jargon is fabulous on this album and his vocals are both clear and strong with great phrasing and articulation and these really do make an impression.
I would say this album is rather fine indeed and is a grower that warrants attention and one that really is deserving of a wider audience. The prog world can be very insular at times and its fans can sadly be closed to great new music. Hopefully they will discover that which can be heard on this very rewarding album. I was certainly taken with it and can recommend it to open minded music lovers, it is highly impressive and deeply rewarding.
This album has been quite a long time in arriving so its title, ‘Evolver’ is very apt. In real terms this is the follow on from the Valdez album, ‘This’, from 2017. Their plans for recording the follow up were drastically altered, initially by a line up change and then followed by the impact of the pandemic, which meant everything changed. The result being a name change for the band to Tribe of Names. ‘Evolver’ is the delayed result and what an album it has turned out to be, the new line up and name seem to have worked out well as this album is full of genuinely progressive music and some fine tracks.
Opener Tribe Of Names begins like an 80’s synth pop number but this is soon replaced by some solid bass lines and jangly guitar then latterly by some solid, meaty guitar riffery and an epic soaring guitar line which is all underpinned by that funky bass line and that’s all in the initial 3 minutes of starting! This is solid and exciting music to hear, it has lots of Rush type elements and guitar playing reminiscent of Alex Lifeson. I believe guitarist Karl Eisenhart started by learning Rush songs and still plays in that style, well he certainly learned his chops! The song is a great one with lots of odd time signatures and a great solo from Karl that plays toward the end of the track, a very strong opener. They Live To Cry is a more subdued piece, again this has elements of Rush running throughout but is all so well handled that it doesn’t really matter, This in not a tribute though, more it feels influenced by Rush, although not overly so. The song has great melody and music and I really like it.
Liar Liar has a strong and dominant bass part with touches of guitar arpeggios and linear playing. This is a shorter but no less interesting track and is great sounding too. Everyday Hauntedis another brief track filled with sustained guitar tones over a swelling keyboard, an echoed vocal adding menace and interest. This is an intriguing piece of music with tremolo guitar notes adding to the weirdness, all very strange but brilliantly so. We are then back in somewhat familiar territory with White Nile, a track that builds in intensity with lots of drum crashes and rumbling bass over guitar tones that could be straight out of La Villa Strangiato, another great track to be influenced from. The strident opening part gives way to a more mellow section of moody music, this is a highlight of the album thus far, excellent performances and solid and inventive playing from all parties.
The Last Unsung Girl is slightly different with a quirky sound, rhythm and melody. Coupled with its mixed time signatures this is certainly distinctive and yet oddly compelling with a great guitar line after which we get a funky bass and guitar section leading to a fine solo from Karl. This is an album whose songs will creep up on you and take a real grip on you, it’s certainly stirring stuff. Mayfly is another guitar led piece with more crunching guitar lines underpinned by a sympathetic bass. There is much beauty to enjoy here, it is very accomplished and well delivered by the band and another somewhat satisfying song. The final and longest track, Dirt On The Inside concludes this excellent album with its extended run time giving lots of room for the music to evolve without constraints, the slower opening section being allowed to build in its intensity for the initial four minutes. This leaves you waiting for the track to explode into life, which it does around the four minute mark where the guitar line surges forward with power in a dramatic manner before some solid bass runs are joined by guitar unison lines with tremolo again. The pace increases again to another excellent solo with the band firing on all cylinders. This is a most impressive track with lots going on musically and it all sounds really effective, there follows a slower, less intense, part which allows guitarist Karl to play some sustained guitar lines before reprising the earlier solo as the song draws to a solid close.
This album should appeal to folks who miss Rush as it explores similar territories. Overall, this is a very strong and musically diverse album with powerful statements and an excellent sound. The sleeve by Mark Buckingham is also very noteworthy and interesting, I heartily recommend this great album.
It doesn’t seem to be that long since the Arc of Life debut album that introduced the world to the venture formed by Billy Sherwood and Jon Davison of Yes, along with Dave Kerzner and Jimmy Haun on keyboards and guitar respectively. Well, this album is more ‘Yes’-like than the previous record was and I loved that album. ‘Don’tLook Down’ is more familiar sounding with Jon Davidson being in especially good form and giving Billy Sherwood a fine platform for his inner Chris Squire to shine through, as it does here on the opening track Real Time World. This song has quite a nod to Tempus Fugit from Yes’‘Drama’ album and features a rather muscular bass part to propel the track along with some spacey guitar lines from Jimmy that together add up to a very strong and engaging piece from all concerned. When you add Dave Kerzner’s epic synths, you have an excellent slice of this latest Yes offshoot, in fact if Yes decided to call it a day, Arc of Life could quite easily fill that particular void easily and would continue to create challenging new music of their own, as this album of six tracks can testify. I really like this song and feel its authenticity is commendable in being ‘Yes’ like without being derivative and it has enough of its own strength to warrant attention on its own merits.
Don’t Look Down follows and has strong vocal harmonies and a suitably gracious guitar line from Jimmy. Again, Jon sounds flawless on this song and much attention to detail has been used here to make a truly harmonious sound, creating a memorable song with a strong chorus. All Things Considered is quite a funky little piece with excellent bass runs from Billy and good keyboards from Dave, although it’s tone is a little lighter in touch. There is a lot happening musically within its five minute duration, including a very ‘Howe-ish’ guitar tone and solo that has touches that Steve would be proud of. The track is fairly understated but has substance as does Colours Come Alive that follows. this is a brooding track that slowly builds into its intensity and depth until towards the end where it gatherers pace and intensity. It’s another good song with great keyboard textures and tones, a fabulous guitar section from Jimmy and an elegant bass section towards the end that captivates you.
The penultimate song, Let Live, is another mid length track that opens with dynamic guitar and bass parts and has a strong rhythm to it. It is satisfying to hear this band firing on all cylinders and with heaps of energy. This is a faster paced song with much urgency to it. Again. the bass is fairly pivotal to the track and it is welcome for that alone, it really is good to hear the energy and craft to these songs as this bodes well for the future of the group. Maybe this will have an impact on the activities of their parent group, giving them some much needed impetus to their own activities? Arc Of Life concludes the album and is the longest track on the album which gives lots of room for some interesting musical passages. This is definitely the case for the opening minutes of the track which again include some powerful bass playing, something the main Yes band has been missing for a couple of years now, Billy’s bass growls like a wild bear on the prowl and it really makes the overall sound full and prominent. The song moves through several phases but with that prominent bass running throughout, reminds me of Awaken from ‘Going For The One’ for some reason. Jon is in very fine voice once more, this track is really impressive and it certainly has the time to explore its sound, making this an intriguing conclusion to Arc Of Life’s second album, will there be a third? That remains to be seen but, hopefully, there will be a positive enough response to this album that will encourage further activity.
Duncan Parsons is the drummer for the John Hackett Band and bizarrely the bassist for Joanne Harris’sStorytime band, ‘On Earth, As it is’ is his latest album of original material.
The album is not a concept as such, although it has songs that share a common central theme. Much of the music is performed by Duncan, although he has managed to get assistance from some very interesting guest musicians like John Helliwell of Supertramp, Dave Bainbridge of Iona and Lifesigns and his fellow John HackettBand members Nick Fletcher and John Hackett himself, who both add graceful parts to the lengthy opener Heaven, the album’s longest track at twenty three minutes. The song opens with seven minutes of instrumental music before Duncan’s vocals join in. This is intoned with a pulsating synth bass line which is very ethereal sounding, there is then a section of massed non-verbal vocalisations which add to the atmospheric nature of the track. Then follows an acoustic guitar section which which dissolves into deep keyboard bass and more vocalisations along with Lizz Lipscombe’s string playing. An urgent bass then picks up the pace and creates a strong platform for Nick Fletcher’s fusion guitar part in which he shreds wildly and, as always, immaculately with a great clear tone. This then gives way to synths that lead to another guitar outburst from Nick that takes the track towards its conclusion, the guitar playing on this section is breathtaking, very fiery and highly impressive. The song ends with synths and guitar lines playing, a really strong opener.
This Day follows and has plucked guitar harmonics from Duncan and bass from the legendary Leland Sklar, whose bottom end anchors everything together wonderfully. The track has Duncan playing a washboard and also John Helliwell elegant clarinet. This has a very satisfying jazz elements to it and the saxophone from John also impresses highly. Fissures of Men is a short, dynamic piece featuring violin, viola and cello all set against a sparse piano but it all sounds really good. This is followed by another shorter track, Finish Line, which alludes to a fractured and possibly broken relationship but, ultimately, the song is about how we choose to be.
Unnecessary Kindness opens with an acoustic guitar and is largely a solo guitar instrumental track and very accomplished it is too with plenty of shades of Anthony Phillips in evidence here, at least to these ears. Three Sixteen is more muscular in tone with some crunchy guitar and a simple, but effective, solo halfway through that is ended by the cello as the vocals begin again. This is followed with a mournful violin and some jolly flute as a contrast then a solid tap on what could be a cowbell leads to the last verse of the song. There’s not a little urgency and a comfortable yet easy guitar line leads to the song’s conclusion. This is a very good track indeed, a clear winner. Lead Us Not is another shorter track with the solid bass of Leland gracing proceedings again, along with the graceful flute of John Hackett. The song seems to be about temptation and how we battle with it and how it leads us to where we don’t wish to be.
There is reprise of the earlier Fissures of Men track but it is only very brief, this leads to the last and second longest track, Valediction (Power And Glory) which closes the album out. This song features John Steel on various guitars and is a very atmospheric piece of music with lots of good sounds and textures. It is all fairly free form in nature but very well assembled, with some fabulous acoustic guitar interjections and a great solo that moves over the sumptuous backing and it all sounds really impressive. Along with Heaven, these two epics bookmark what is a most impressive collection of tracks that certainly makes you think as you listen to this fine album. It is one that most folk will be largely unaware of and more’s the pity, as this is a highly intelligent and articulate album of music.
When David Longdon died suddenly and unexpectedly from a fall last year, the world of music was deeply saddened. His loss, especially as he was gaining respect and stature as a fine frontman, singer, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist and visionary part of Big Big Train, was both unexpected and shocking. David had also finally, after many years, begun to gain both widespread acclaim and respect, furthermore he had found satisfaction in his life with partner Sarah Ewing. His legacy thankfully remains with this album that was 90% complete at that time having now been completed by his friends as a tribute to a good man, a Brave Captain, to coin one of his songs.
This album is different because of his passing but it is still a good listen, even if it is painful, for what has gone and for what could have been in his future. Thankfully, Big Big Train have chosen to continue, albeit in a different configuration and one that pays tribute to their deeply missed colleague.
The album is not actually very long in duration but it has flashes of brilliance and will need several plays to really understand, which is fitting really. It opens with IntoThe Icehouse, an instrumental, ambient piece of birdsong and minimal piano tones playing almost a lament. Watch It Burn is rather upbeat and urgent with an almost indie sound to it, all jangly guitar lines which lead into a memorable chorus. This is a fine second track and it is a joy to hear David’s voice as he swoops and soars in a familiar manner, the song is certainly stirring with some great guitar.
There’s No Ghost Like An Old Ghost has a strong vocal and great lyrics. The song talks about hidden feelings that haunt you as they continue to effect you. This is a very personal song and its lyrics reveal much about who David was, so it’s good that he found peace with Sarah, even though that was ended abruptly. The Singer AndThe Song continues the autobiographical tone as this track is about how singing his songs enlivens and satisfies him. This song also has a graceful guitar break that adds to the power of the words. Forgive (But Not Forget) is a further revealing song that deals with the hurt of a failed relationship. Sangfroid follows and is another song about relationships and their transient nature, this track has great lyrics that are really heartfelt and poignant.
The album’s longest track, The Letting Go, is about loss, which is painfully ironic as David died not long after its completion. The song deals with a difficult issue, letting go of grief and moving forward. Accepting the change that has occurred and facing it bravely whilst keeping the memory alive, even though the loved one has gone. A situation many listeners will have had to do for themselves with the loss of David himself. The song then enters a haunting melancholic flute section backed with piano as David sings “The Letting Go” over an ever increasing drum pattern which, in turn, leads to sustained chords and it’s a suitably strong ending to an excellent track. The final track, Love Is All, is a far gentler piece as David exorts us that love is all that matters and, indeed, it does matter and if you find it then work hard for it, treasure and guard it as love is precious and vital to us all.
So the album ends positively and with a strong message of hope that we can all accept and employ in our own lives. So from the tragedy of David’s death, we can find hope and purpose and celebrate his memory with this fine collection of songs. David will certainly be missed but his legacy lives on in his recorded works and this album will certainly be a part of that legacy that he leaves us.
This is a difficult album if you knew the man but it’s wonderful to hear what he had been working on in these days before he left us. Give it a spin if you can and enjoy it for what is is a fine collection of promise and, ultimately, of hope.
Formed in 2012, The Aaron Clift Experiment is a multi-faceted band that blends influences from classic rock (Rush, Pink Floyd, King Crimson), modern rock (Porcupine Tree, Opeth), jazz, and classical – all anchored by a dedication to high-quality songwriting and musicianship. Progradar has described the group as “one of the most impressive progressive acts currently on the scene.”
The band’s upcoming 4th album, ‘The Age of Misinformation’ is one of the most eagerly awaited prog albums of 2023. A conceptual work about the destructive power of lies and the search for truth in the face of overwhelming odds, “The Age of Misinformation” marks a high point for the band’s lyrical ambition, musical creativity, and emotional resonance.
The band’s 4th album is a conceptual work about the destructive power of lies and the search for truth in the face of overwhelming odds.
Band founder, Aaron Clift, explains: “During the COVID lockdown of 2020 – 2021, my friends, colleagues, and country went through an incredibly challenging time, and I knew that I had to say something about it. ‘The Age of Misinformation’ is The Aaron Clift Experiment’s document of that era.”
Aaron notes: “For ‘The Age of Misinformation,’ we wanted to do more of everything: record music that was more intricate, more melodic, and more diverse than anything we had done before. I’m really happy with how we pulled it off, but above all, I love how the album explores a concept that reflects the events of our current world. There are songs all about frustration with the crazy state of politics, but there’s also a renewed sense of optimism in other songs – knowing that there’s always a light at the end of the cave.”
I’ve always found The Aaron Clift Experiment to be a band that can mix genres with consummate ease and blend various styles with aplomb to create their own signature sound. A new album from these talented musicians is always something to look forward to and ‘The Age of Misinformation’ is no different.
Title track, and album opener, The Age of Misinformation, is a hard rocking, in your face, diatribe about lies and misinformation and it gets its point over with Aaron Clift’s hard-edged vocals and the staccato guitar and drums of Anthony Basini and Pablo Ranlett-López respectively. This fast paced track takes hold of you and never lets go as it drags you along in its wake. L.I.A.R is a cleverly constructed track of different moods and emotions. The sophisticated layers of music create a lingering tension that is only relieved when Aaron’s soaring vocal intercedes. These guys have some serious musical chops and Anthony’s guitar work is rather tasty indeed and Clif Warren’s accomplished bass playing holds everything together splendidly. Well, what can I say about Bet On Zero? Coming in at over 10 minutes it could be described as an epic but this quasi jazz/prog/rock fusion piece is much more than that and the inclusion of Big Wy’s Brass Band gives it more than a touch of the ‘big band’ sound. Simply put, you won’t hear anything like it this year, guaranteed and, if someone had told me about the song before I heard it, I just wouldn’t have believed it could work but work it does and, oh, how brilliantly! Dark Secrets is another deliciously dangerous song that imbues a certain sense of drama and mystery through it’s urgent music and forceful vocals.
Rise seems to appear out of the shadows like a beacon of light and lifts the sombre mood as it wafts elegantly across your mind. Intricate melodies and gorgeous keyboards linger in the mind before the track changes tempo and becomes more compelling and pressing, culminating in another impressive guitar solo from Anthony Basini. The Color of Flight is just a gorgeous piece of music, the wonderful string quartet giving elegance and a wistful, ethereal quality. It literally dances across your heartstrings with its dreamy, wishful yearning and Aaron’s vocals are soft and contemplative, simply brilliant. Málaga takes the string quartet in a totally different direction, a modern, impelling song that moves along at a fair clip with an airy, hopeful atmosphere and the violin solo is just genius, adding, almost, a Latin American flavour. The album closes with the balladic wonder and calm of Weight of the World, a tender, passionate piece of music that really will touch your soul and this is where Aaron’s vocal and keyboard skills really get to shine. It is a fitting end to what has been a thoroughly enthralling experience.
There’s intelligence and creative brilliance running throughout this excellent album. These gifted and inventive musicians have not only given us some fantastic songs but also a wonderfully potent piece of social commentary. ‘The Age of Misinformation’ is without a doubt The Aaron Clift Experiment’s finest album yet and they will start 2023 with what is going to one of the year’s most superlative releases.
Released 6th January, 2023.
You’ll be able to order the album here from 6/1/23:
Downriver Dead Men Go is a cinematic post-rock band from Leiden, the Netherlands. Their highly anticipated third album ‘Ruins’ has just been released. DDMG previously released two critically acclaimed albums: ‘Tides’ in 2015 and ‘Departures’ in 2018, gathering a loyal and ever-growing fan base. Both albums feature a mesmerizing, atmospheric, melancholic sound, ranging from post-rock to touches ofprog and dark wave.
I’ve been a long time fan of the band from my association with FREIA Music through my work with Bad Elephant Music and every DDMG album is a dense, imposing and highly melodic musical experience.‘Ruins’ takes that base and ramps up the tension to 11, a dark, brooding and utterly magnificent musical encounter that will linger long in the memory.
The guitars have that monolithic feel, as heavy and hard as age old granite yet hauntingly melodic at the same time. The music has a timeless grace to it, a melancholic leviathan that has a different concept of time or space than we do and has just awoken from an ageless slumber. There’s a wistful, desolate beauty to the songs starting with the timeless elegance of title track Ruins and the sparse grandeur of Secret. The sorrowful and plaintive pain evident in Helpless and Line in the Sand gives the tracks a thoughtful and mournful stateliness and the widescreen, cinematic magnificence of longest track Cruel World is a heart-wrenching joy to behold. The album closes with the short hypnotic apprehension of The Lie and you left feeling almost bereft.
‘Ruins’ is an album of varying emotions, stark highs and solemn lows, it’s a reflective and meditative work of art that is the ultimate soundtrack to a cold and rainy day spent in front of a roaring fire and, in my opinion, is simply superb!
I first came across Phi Yaan-Zek as many others may have, through the pages and tracks on Prog Magazine, although at that time it didn’t really grab me. I was probably on a different musical phase ,as is often the way with me. However, I recently read a review of his latest album from a writer for The Progressive Aspect whose eloquent words piqued my interest, hence this review.
In all the years of my life I have never really been a big fan of Frank Zappa, although I can clearly see his influence in this music. I certainly like it here, for sure, and definitely in the humour contained within these tracks. Phi is certainly a very fine musician and can play a very mean guitar line when required. He also enlists an extraordinary cast of collaborators, like Andy Edwards and John Jowitt of Frost* and he also has a couple of Aristocrats in tow to give this music much flair and finesse.
It has strong touches of psychedelia along with certain hippyish elements, but these are woven into the overall sound of the album. I am certainly highly impressed by all of this excellent and exciting music, it is all wonderfully produced with excellent guitar skills on display. The music also has jazz elements at times, giving the sound a definite jazz/fusion blend.
An outstanding track is track Wickety Wickety, which is a cross between a rumbling song, something like Nelly The Elephant but with brass embellishments. It is rather a fun piece but utterly engrossing and captivating. This whole album is different, it is definitely a positive sounding album and will imbue feelings of well being and contentment. Above all, this music is good fun and we should all be glad of that, especially at this time. Also notable is Anomaly Temporal with an almost reggae swing and spoken vocal from , this also has a touch of Star Trek to it and rounds out with an excellent instrumental finale.
I really enjoy the instrumental flourishes that abound throughout this very imaginative album, it really is a fascinating and captivating listen. Phi is a very fluid guitarist, think of folks like Steve Vai and you won’t be far off the mark, but he is also very melodic in tone and, whilst he can shred with the best, he works for the track, not just to stun.
This is clearly shown on My Favourite UFO which combines his fine guitar virtuosity with a strong tune to fine effect. This track has a dreamy type of sound and reminds me of 10CC in parts, it also has great bass from Bryan Beller of TheAristocrats. The song speeds up towards its conclusion and this proves very effective, as is the vocal from Ellie Williams. The next track Floating gives room for some free reign musical improvisation which is taken by Phi with Mike Keneally in tow, along with the fabulous and dynamic Aristocrats rhythm team of Beller and Marco Minneman. With Phi’s guitar floating over the top most efficiently and effectively, it really is a sublime piece of intent delivered really well.
Final track The Puffball That Ate My Village is another monster track with a similar pace to Wickety Wickety but with fiery guitar interjections and interplay between Phi and Chanan Hanspal, who play off against each other in a six string orgy of soloing. It’s all highly effective, especially with Andy Edwards‘ drums and Steve Lawson’s majestic bass playing that anchor it all together seamlessly. The song also features lots of guests adding chant type vocals, which really sounds good. When this track end there is a brief pause of about 2 minutes before A reprise of opener The Interdimensional Garden Party plays, this is a fitting close to an exceptional album but wait, there’s more as there is a brief untitled track that is basically the words spoken backwards deliberately.
This is a truly entertaining album with fabulous music and performances throughout. Definitely one of my album of the year contenders, outstanding. In a year that has seen so many really good albums, this one can truly stand tall and proud and I recommend it without hesitation, especially for its weirdness and sense of fun.
