It’s a known scenario. One sits in their own studio in the lockdown and tinkers with ideas but has the mild impression of gradually losing it. After twenty years of full throttle, you’re feeling run down, yet the head is still racing. Well, it’s a known scenario if your name is Kalle Wallner at least. To take a break, however, that has never been an option. So the ideas, fragments and motifs piled up and on an indeterminate evening he took a step back and had to accept the fact that he had an instrumental album on his hands. That’s pretty much how ‘Voices’ came about, the now fourth solo album by the busy musician from Freising/Bavaria, perhaps better known as the guitarist in the perennial prog band RPWL.
Pragmatically numbered serially, the album is mainly an instrumental where the individual tracks are always related to and intertwined with each other. The one track out of the seven that contains vocals being Three, where Arno Menses of Subsignal lends his cultured vocal to proceedings.
Opulence has always been an integral part of Wallner’s solo work and that is ramped up to the max on this excellent work, thunderous riffing being another and that is present and correct in spades! There’s an energy infused in every note on the album, starting with the high-tempo momentum of One with Yogi’ Lang’s delicious keyboards lending some gravitas to Kalle’s powerful, monolithic sounding guitars. What you always get with this superb musician is tons of melody though, the often riotous and dynamic guitars giving every note an edge but a very tuneful one. Two is another plethora of monstrous riffs that combines with Marco Minnemann’s mighty drumming to deliver an all-encompassing, forceful track that has a definite thoughtful underbelly at times. The calming sections where Kalle’s guitar takes things back a notch are a touch of genius and lay a veil of refinement over things.
As already mentioned, Three is the one and only vocal track on the album but it opens with a stirring guitar from Kalle over Marco’s potent drumbeat. Arno Menses has a voice just made for tracks like this and he puts in a stellar performance on this pensive, slow burning song, especially on the electrifying chorus, it’s the emotionally intense guitar playing that is the highlight though. There’s a funky note to the opening of Four that gives it a vibe not unlike Faith No More, all staccato notes, fat grooves and a restless drumbeat. Kalle’s piercing guitar lends a contrast to that alt-metal feel, the guitar solo towards the end is inspired, it’s a clever and inventive piece of music.
Five basically sees all the musicians turn things up to 11 and is an incendiary four minutes of compelling and authoritative music where everyone just seems to be having an utter blast! I really like Six, Kalle Wallner has always been an excellent musician and songwriter but, here on ‘Voices’, he really seems to have gone up another level. The songwriting is superlative and his guitar playing just gets better and better. This piece of music is reflective and contemplative while also having the satisfyingly punchy foundation of guitar and drums when things start to get serious.
Seven.Out is a thoughtful almost melancholy eleven minutes of wistful serenity and closes ‘Voices’ perfectly. The most intimate and heartfelt piece of music on the album, Kalle gets to show his more softer and sensitive side on this track with piercing, fervent guitar lines that really touch your heart and soul. There’s a sombre and plaintive edge to his guitar work and the meditative drumbeat mirrors this, it really leaves you in a reflective and thoughtful mood as this exemplary record comes to a close.
‘Voices’ is fifty minutes of utterly immersive music that really gets under your skin, there is an immediate need to listen to this bewitching album again. At times mesmerising and at others thunderously magnetic, I’d say it’s possibly this enigmatic musician’s finest piece of work in his twenty-six year career, it really is that good!
Originally feted for release in November 2021, the second full length release from the Swedish Prog Rock project Jonas Lindbergh & The Other Side is now being released by InsideOut on February 18th.
This album has been in my possession for a very long time now so I have time to really get into it at every level and I feel I have really got to know it like a friend so feel eminently qualified to write this review. First, however, some history…
This Progressive rock project from Stockholm, Sweden was founded in 2012 by bass player, songwriter and producer Jonas Lindberg.
It all originates back to 2008 when the EP ‘In Secret Pace’ was recorded as an exam-project at the Music Academy in Piteå, Sweden. But, as term, ended Jonas moved to Stockholm to pursue a career as a freelance musician and the idea got put on hold. In 2012 ‘In Secret Pace’ was finally released on digital platforms as Jonas started to work on new material.
This time the lineup featured a 5 piece band and the second EP ‘The Other Side’ was finished and released in 2013. The project was named Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side from the title track of the album after its release. Jonas contributes bass, backing vocals, keyboards and guitars, Jonas Sundqvist (lead vocals), Jonathan Lundberg (drums), Calle Stålenbring (guitars) and Michael Ottosson (keyboards). Two more musicians, Nicklas Thelin (guitar) and Jenny Storm (vocal) later joined for the live shows.
In 2015 the band began working on their first full length album and released “Pathfinder” in 2016 to great reviews. Jonas immediately began writing new material in the following months. But due to heavy touring with lots of other commitments the project got put on hold until 2019, when the band finally started recording a follow-up album.
The new album features the same lineup as on previous albums along with a few more guest musicians. Returning on a few tracks is Simon Wilhelmsson (drums) who some may remember from the first EP, as well as Jonas’s brother Joel and Roine Stolt on lead guitars. Missing is the band’s keyboard player Michael Ottosson who sadly passed away in the summer of 2020, leading up to Jonas taking on full keyboard duties for the album.
So now you know the history of the band, let me tell you why you just have to buy this album…
‘Miles From Nowhere’ is one of those albums that just puts a huge smile on your face, there’s symphonic prog in the vein of Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic and The Flower Kings in absolute spades but it is all grounded on some seriously good hard rock foundations with guitars that Richie Sambora would be proud of and keyboards that just ooze quality like John Lord at his absolute best. It is a triumph of pomp and circumstance, overblown and bloody brilliant!
Staccato guitars open the seriously catchy Secret Motive Man and you first hear the elegant vocals of Jonas Sundqvist. A funky, folky song about a man who’s intentions aren’t entirely clear, odd time signatures combine with some seriously good drumming and harmonised vocals to die for. As opening album tracks go, this one is of the highest quality and the keyboards and guitars work beautifully in tandem. Short (in prog rock terms) but very sweet, Little Man is a refined slice of music with a rarefied air as it begins but it soon opens up with Jonas’ soaring vocal (harmonised to perfection, naturally) on the chorus and the tastefully strummed guitar just adds to the feel. There’s a brief lull punctuated by keyboards before the guitar rises up in a stunning 80’s hair metal solo that just blows you away, a fantastic track.
The second longest piece on the album, Summer Queen is an epic based on the four seasons, originally written in 2003 by classmates Jonas Lindberg and Joakim Wiklund. This song is an exciting thrill ride of peaks and troughs that never lets up and is graced by the wonderful lead vocals of Jenny Storm. A slow burning opening never hints at the headlong rush to come as Jenny’s ethereal voice is first heard, it’s jaunty and wistful but the energy is building up, bursting to get out and the fantastic keys finally let loose with vibrancy and intensity. What follows is pure brilliance, a song that leads you on a mysterious, primeval journey through nature with ardent guitars and mesmerising keyboards leading the dance. Oceans Of Time has an almost medieval feel to the opening keyboard strains before the music bursts out in a torrent of keyboards, drums and thunderous guitars. This compelling and potent track is highlighted by stunning guitar solos from Calle Stålenbring, which punctuate it with moments of pure intensity, and keyboards that just seem to have a life of their own. It’s a track about an ending of a relationship in the form of a ship on a stormy ocean and you feel drawn into the story as if you’re really there.
The simple, rarefied opening notes of Astral Journey lend a polished aura to the song, a relatively concise instrumental which is almost like a moment in calm after the marvellous maelstrom of the previous tracks. Restless, skittish keyboards then take over, aided and abetted by an edgy, restive guitar before the two blend together seamlessly to bring things to a close. Why I’m Here is the closest we get to mainstream track on the album and is a short progressive song in 7/8 time about stalking, sung by Lindberg. This song features lead guitar from Jonas’s brother Joel and its jaunty feel belies the subject nature. Fast paced and sprightly, it passes by in no time at all, leaving a wry smile on your face and has another blinding guitar solo that leaves you slack jawed in admiration.
While the first six tracks are exceptional in their own right, they lead us up to the utterly amazing final, title track. A twenty-five minute epic of such utter majesty, full of intricate instrumental progressive pieces in odd time signatures, intense rock in the style of Deep Purple, fusion inspired choruses, insane guitar solos and vocals that just have to be heard to be believed. The first near-seven minutes is an instrumental section where it seems everyone has just been told to go and enjoy themselves and just deliver some exceptional and impassioned music and, boy, do they ever! Part two sees Jonas Sundqvist’s voice centre stage and is more melodic, almost Beatles-esque section, more subtle, with some elegant guitar playing from Nicklas Thelin which adds to the more cultured mood. Not had enough harder edged rock for your money? Well hold on to your hats, part three sees us off and running with John Lord smiling over us as the keys provide the backdrop to some ridiculously good guitar playing (Calle Stålenbring take a bow please) and amazingly harmonised choruses. Lindberg himself steps forward to deliver an emotionally strung ballad, A sort of reflection upon what has happened lately in life, in part four and plays all the instruments, supported by Maria Olsson on percussion. The final course is to come and you are not left wanting, overtures, majestic anthems, memorable melodies and hooks abound everywhere. The build up to the finale leaves you bursting with anticipation, it’s done so well and then Jonas’ delivers his final coup de grace and probably the vocal performance of his life, the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, it is really that good! Then, just when you think things surely can’t get any better, you are treated to an epic guitar solo from the ‘Flower King’ himself, Mr. Roine Stolt and the song just goes orbital. Holy cow! what a bloody fantastic and amazing finish, I’m left mentally exhausted and spent as what has been one of the best musical experiences I’ve ever had comes to a satisfying close.
I have listened to this album so many times that I have actually lost count, it is the best example of symphonic progressive rock you are likely to hear in a very long time. I like it that much I have ordered the vinyl and the best compliment I can give is to say that, while I am not a musician and never will be, if I could have only ever made one album, I really wish it could have been this!
InsideOutMusic are pleased to announce the signing of Russian progressive rock newcomers Velcrocranes. The band’s debut album ‘What If I Die’ will be released on the 29th April 2022 via their new label home. Watch a teaser here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn1V07X1n5w
Started out as a small jazz ensemble created originally for practice, it wasn’t until they discovered the music of Porcupine Tree and the malleable world of progressive rock that their true sound came into focus. This new, expansive direction was the future of Velcrocranes.
In 2017, the band would begin playing live shows for fans in their local music scene, which, at that time, still largely consisted of covers – mixed in with new material that the group was diligently working on. In 2018, the band release d their debut EP, ‘Afterlife’, which featured the songs “Hold Your Breath” & “Afterlife”. The tracks would bring the stirring and ethereal vocals of Efim Kolitinov into the forefront, as well as the harmonious guitar leads of Liza Kotova, who serves as a primary songwriter for the group, and the intricate arrangements from Alexander Papsuev.
On their debut full-length, ‘What If I Die’, Velcrocranes remain true to the foundation that they’ve carefully laid in recent years – while showing little restraint for reaching into the bag of tricks to delight their listeners. Speaking about the creative drive behind the themes explored on the LP, the band says, “We imagine the main idea of the album as changing as the listener goes along. Our goal was to draw a parallel to the way your understanding of life’s meaning, your values and choices, and your perception of death change during your lifetime.” The debut album also features keyboard contributions throughout from Adam Holzman (Miles Davis & Steven Wilson): “We’d been trying a lot of different options until at some point we got desperate enough to take a chance and write to Adam … which was totally worth it because he just hit the spot! He managed to keep our original ideas, embellish them and beautifully highlight the genre features.”
The artwork for the band’s forthcoming debut was created by Carl Glover of Aleph Studio, known for his work with Steven Wilson, Frost*, Marillion & more. The band comment: “The idea behind the cover artwork is as simple as it is effective. It seems to emphasize the focus on the intellectual and metaphorical vs concrete and corporeal – this, together with the minimalistic color scheme, blends in just perfectly and echoes the music.”
‘What If I Die’ will be released as Limited CD (with bonus track), Vinyl LP + CD & as Digital Album. Pre-orders will begin on the 25th February.
Ethereal, Indie-folk musician Jo Beth Young (fka Talitha Rise) announces the release of Electro-Folk single BRIGID, the first song from her new album Broken Spells’ The track is a distinctive departure from her previous work, infusing a more upbeat, electronic landscape bringing home to February, inspired by the Celtic Goddess BRIGID.
A taster of what changes and atmospheres may be to come in her first album under her own name, to be released later in 2022.
Jo Beth Says:
“I wrote and created Brigid very late at night on IMBOLC eve itself last year (St. Brigid’s festival on February 1st). I had been working on thenew album for some months and hit a real wall in inspiration, especially production wise. For some reason that night, and maybe it was because of it being Imbolc itself, I felt a new energy and started experimenting with loops and beats, something I’d never attempted before. Content wise, It’s as close to a love song as I might ever write and is about finally breaking through and getting out of dark time or rut or finally uniting or reuniting with someone or something that you feel deeply connected to on soul level. Imbolc is when Persephone is said to come out of the underworld and bring spring to the earth each year. Part of Brigid’s folklore is that she will knock on the door three times that night and if you let her in you let healing and the spring into your life also. It felt very apt and after all of us have been through such a strange time on the planet, it felt like an omen of hope and that there really may be something to look forward to!“
The track features Devon based Cellist Ben Roberts (Abrasive Trees, Evi Vine), beat maker and producer Matt Blackie, and her co-collaborater John Reed from the NIGHTSONG project on lap steel. All the parts were recorded at a distance between the UK and the cottage Jo was living in at the time in the West of Ireland.
Her new album BROKEN SPELLS will be out later this year, the release date of which is not yet confirmed, but there is much more to come from the album yet! DIGITAL DELUXE RELEASE
The single will be available on all major streaming platforms but will also include a Deluxe release on her music glue website as a Digital Deluxe version on MP3 and WAV format.
Jo Beth’s new album Broken Spells will be the first official release under her own name and not under her previous stage names of Talitha Rise and RISE . It features members of her touring band ‘The Abandoned Orchestra’ as well as long term collaborator Peter Yates (Fields Of The Nephillim). Recorded and Produced between England, Ireland and Spain, the album is a thematic exploration of ‘spells’ breaking from both the personal and collective point of view. She has been working on the record since she finished touring her last album STRANGERS in 2019. Interestingly, and perhaps spookily, during recent times, and after having named the new album, Jo Beth found out she was the descendant of Isobell Young – a Scottish woman who was accused, persecuted and executed for witch craft in the 1600’s. With the upcoming pardon of Scottish witches on the horizon, Jo Beth has recently been interviewed by publications such as The Sunday Times and Daily Mail on the subject and her feelings on creativity, healing and the end of persecution for women in particular.
Tracks from the new album will appear on upcoming film The Clear which is currently being produced in the UK.
Retreat from Moscow originally hail from Cardiff, Wales, UK and gigged extensively from 1979- 1981. Fast forward 40 years and the band of core members, Andrew Raymond (keyboards and more), Greg Haver (drums and more), Tony Lewis (bass and more) and John Harris (vocals and more) reformed in 2019 to start recording old and new material for a new album, ‘The World As We Knew It‘.
The roots of their music is influenced by the progressive giants of the 70s but their sound nods more to the 80s new wave of progressive music with strong melody, big keyboards and choruses, and soaring vocals.
“It is somewhat ironic that after releasing our first single in 1980, Retreat From Moscow have waited forty years to produce an album only to have the proposed launch postponed by a worldwide pandemic.” says guitarist, John ‘Harpo’ Harris. “Yet from those early, heady days at school listening to bands like Genesis, Tull, King Crimson, Camel and Caravan, even though the journey has been a long one, it has been worth the wait.”
2022 has started with some very good album releases and Retreat From Moscow have joined that heady mix with what must be considered as one of the best recent debut albums. There are nods to the progressive greats and to the heights of Neo-Prog in the late 80’s and early 90’s but, throughout this impressive release, the band resolutely follow their own direction.
There’s power, poise, precision and subtlety throughout. ‘The World As We Knew It’ may be forty years in the making but it impresses at every turn. Opening track TheOne You Left Behind prowls along with a menacing atmosphere, the dynamic rhythm section and hard edged guitars driving the song along and John Harris’ dynamic vocal providing the focal point. Radiation is fleet of foot and a genuinely feel good hard rock romp with a proper feel of nostalgia, the guitar work from Harris is just sublime. The wick is turned down a bit on the delightful neo-prog infused Henrietta, invoking Fish era Marillion but with the band’s own signature sound front and centre. Andrew Raymond’s silky keyboards are all over this elegant song and just add to the good natured mood that this record engenders.
Raymond’s skill is central to the opening of the vibrantly upbeat I’m Alive that screams 70’s prog at you at full volume. I honestly feel that anyone who has great progressive rock in their blood will absolutely love this album, the songwriting and musicianship are just top notch! Constantinople brings an oasis of calm and sophistication to the album. The vocals are restrained and the music, especially the beautiful flute and passionate guitar, sophisticated. The longest track on the album, coming in at over eleven minutes, Home, tells you all you need to know about this accomplished band. Their songwriting is excellent and their skill even better, a sublime listening experience that envelops the listener and draws them in to their expertly crafted musical world. Not a note is wasted and every song is an utterly absorbing experience. That hard rock edge returns to Armed Combat, moving away from the more progressive arena to deliver a track that wouldn’t be out of place on any 80’s rock album. It may just be me but the bass, drums and keys just shout Level 42 and I just love it! anyone else?
A gently meandering piece of music, Moving Down is wistfully serene and a pure gem. One of the best songs on the album, the thoughtful vocals and reflective music are just wonderful and just check out that guitar solo, it’s just heavenly. Perception is another fast moving track with a definitive hard rock edge that this outstanding band do so very well. Guitar, drums, bass and keys all work in perfect harmony to give John’s vocal a perfect backdrop to work on. Have 70’s Genesis arrived in the building as the first notes of Mandragora echo in your speakers? You’d be excused for thinking so as this exceptional track ebbs and flows, yet another song where Retreat From Moscow give their own unique slant on what has gone before. All good things must unfortunately come to an end and the album comes to a close with the elegant composure of Don’t Look Back. A slow burning opening with more of that exquisite flute and impassioned vocals gives a restrained tone to the song, everything tranquil and peaceful. The tempo increases though and the song opens up into something impressively fluid and mercurial, Andrew Raymond’s keyboard solo adding another layer of class before the guitar joins in to add fervour and passion, it’s a glorious ending to the album.
Robin Armstrong’sGravity Dream Label has accrued a pretty impressive roster in a short period of time and the outstanding Retreat From Moscow are another high calibre artist to join him. In ‘The World As We Knew It’ they have crafted an album that is creative, inventive and inspirational, it is a breathtaking debut that will grace many end of the year ‘best of’ lists and one that the band should be rightfully very proud of.
An album made by the fans, for the fans. That’s how you could describe this new TDW album in a simple way, but that wouldn’t tell the whole story, as the eighth TDW album entitled ‘Fountains’ has become something unexpected indeed.
Spurred on by an all too familiar worldwide pandemic and an urge to keep moving forward after releasing the well-received album ‘The Days The Clock Stopped’ in December of 2020, main songwriter Tom De Wit took the possibility to quickly write new material that would become this very record. Written, recorded and produced in a record tempo for Tom’s standards, but also fuelled by a very special ingredient… Song input from the fans who preordered the last album and helped to make it all possible!
Multiple songs on this new offering are based on suggestions given by TDW fans in 2020 when they preordered ‘The days…’. Tom told the fans that if they gave him a subject and basic idea, he would write a song based on those ideas and 6 songs on this album came to be based on these very concepts. Added to this were 4 songs written by Tom that all formed a loose theme tying everything together.
When asked about the theme of the album, Tom described it as follows:
“This album has a few themes that form its framework. We have been through the wringer as creators & mankind in general, so I made songs about staying hopeful even when life beats you down, understanding the human value of real art over just blindly staring at sales numbers and marketing and more. My life has been a constant, crusade against hollow art made for profit only.
The highest goal for me is to make something that invokes a real response. I think this represents that to the fullest. People often get sidetracked by the business side of things, but at the end of the day it’s our creative fountain that keeps us going. Yes, you have to take your career seriously, yes you have to think of these things, but for me the music and the creative adventure ALWAYS comes first.”
‘Fountains’ is something of a departure for Tom, while still most definitely a progressive metal record. It has a lighter touch and more left-field influences that give it a real upbeat and fresh feel but, as you will always find with musicians like Tom, the songwriting comes first and this album is chock full of what the youth call ‘bangers’!
From the powerful opening notes of title track Fountains the intent is obvious but every aggressive guitar line is wrapped in the talented songwriting skills of Tom De Wit who brings a subtlety not often seen on albums of this genre. The staccato electronics and fast paced speed metal infused rhythm of Inner Enemy contrasts perfectly with the subtlety of the much more dulcet tones of Hope Song I and its feel-good factor. The potency of Gratitude Song is tempered by the fine vocals and excellent chorus and I am a big fan of Hunter’s Eyes, one of Tom’s best compositions, the inclusion of the flute paying in tandem with the hard edged guitar as the song opens is just genius! This is progressive metal for the thinking man and I really get the feel that Tom and his fellow musicians had a blast recording this album.
The brooding Anthracite has an aura of latent power and barely hidden menace about it. A calm exterior that hides something much more primeval and is another highlight of this ever impressive release. We return to the progressive metal arena again with the driving intensity of Another Choice, Another Universe and it suddenly hits me that we have got over halfway through the album and there’s barely a hint of the growling vocal that this genre is so well known for and, for this reviewer, its absence is a boon and not a hindrance. Thing go completely out of the door with the insane shenanigans of Graveyard Boogie, a track that wouldn’t be amiss on something like ‘The Rocky Horror Show’, it is ghoulishly brilliant! Traveller is imbued with potency, a hard edged offering that ventures into heavy metal territory without ever forgetting its roots in the progressive side of things. Things come to close with the epic Hope Song II which is a thunderous romp that barely pauses for breath, taking you on a spirited and potent journey through all that is good about this band.
‘Fountains’ delivers on every level, a brilliant collection of songs that engages the listener and immerses them in TDW’s rather intriguing world. As a creative force in the progressive metal arena, there aren’t many who exist at the same level as Tom De Wit and that is evident in every note of this captivating and absorbing release.
“Following on from the success of their debut album – ‘A Sèance of Dark Delusions’ and their documentary / soundtrack project – ‘Amplify Human Vibration’, the mysterious Nordic Giants emerge from hiding with their second studio album simply entitled – ‘Symbiosis’ set for release on 4th February 2022.
Symbiosis represents the interdependent relationship of all life. The union and blending of polar opposites, the harmony created when two different elements combine, not just in nature or in a philosophical sense, but at the root creative level.“
Rôka and Löki state,
“We start with a pure idea, we take all the emotions that live inside us, that are buried deep within the sub-consciousness mind and give them the opportunity to shine through in musical form. Much like our first album – Symbiosis is a multi-layered album, It’s going to be hard to understand the depth of emotion, or spirit of the album on the first listen or even the second. But hopefully even on the 100th listen there may still be new layers revealing themselves to you.”
I do like it when the PR information about a new album really whets your appetite and builds the anticipation of its release. I am a huge fan of Nordic Giants so, after first reading the above, I really couldn’t wait to get my hands on ‘Symbiosis’ and to hear what the mysterious duo had in store for us.
I needn’t have worried, this new release is an absolute stunner, the band’s signature journey into the light and dark, the ambient and the powerful and the ethereal and the earthly is present and correct but subtly different. There is beauty and and almost extraneous feel to the album and it takes this enigmatic duo to another level of brilliance. The music flows around you, taking on a life of its own as it infuses your very being with an otherworldly touch and delivers an almost ‘out of body’ experience.
There is nothing quite like Nordic Giants, their unique take on music encompassing a broad tapestry of weird and wonderful sounds, from vintage analogue synths, Tibetan bowls and even a Carnyx horn. The haunting vocals of Freyja and Alex Hedley adding a haunting grace and ghostly refinement to the tracks Spheres and Faceless respectively, ‘Symbiosis’ is, however, a predominantly multi-layered instrumental album.
The stand out tracks are the exquisitely divine Hjem and gloriously resplendent calm of Spires of Ascendancy, two pieces of music that will take your breath away with their simple brilliance. Opener Philosophy of Mind harks back to the power of ‘Amplify Human Vibration’, Anamorphia has a strident and headstrong confidence at its core, Convergence is a confident trip into a subtle and refined electronica and Infinity closes the album perfectly, opening with moments of languid, laid back grace and ending with a powerful and compelling dignity .
There are hidden depths to this album and it is one that requires multiple listens to discover all of its passion and emotion, its spirit and its essence. 2022 is going to be a vintage year for excellent music and ‘Symbiosis’ will be right there at the top of the list come the end of the year. Nordic Giants plough their own determined furrow and just get better and better with every release.
I truly did not know if I could write these words and review this album without the huge shadow of David Longdon and his tragic, untimely death hanging over me and influencing the words that this critique would be comprised of. Music, however, had different ideas and the overwhelming feeling of joy that emanated from my first listen to the last album that the wonderful Mr Longdon would ever record with one of my all time favourite bands, Big Big Train, just seemed to salve my soul and relieve me of the feeling of loss that had hung over me since it happened.
Featuring the band’s new line up of David Longdon on vocals; Gregory Spawton on bass; Rikard Sjöblom on guitars, keyboards, and vocals; Nick D’Virgilio on drums and vocals; Carly Bryant on keyboards and vocals; Dave Foster on guitars; and Clare Lindley on violin and vocals, ‘Welcome To The Planet’ carries on the resurgence of the band first heard on last year’s brilliant ‘Common Ground’.
I know I won’t be the only reviewer (and fan) of the band who feels that Big Big Train had been treading water a little bit since the release of ‘Folklore’ back in 2016 but ‘Common Ground’ had hinted at a reinvention of the band and the best music they had created since the groundbreaking ‘Underfall Yard’ from 2009. ‘Welcome To The Planet’ has continued that return to the heady heights that the band reached and could well be one of their best releases ever.
The wonderfully upbeat opening track Made From Sunshine, complete with elegant vocals, a chorus to die for and an incredible guitar solo, shows where the band are heading. The brass is simply sublime and the song left me with a nostalgic tear in my eye. The energy that flows throughout the brilliant Connection Plan, all driven along by the dynamic violin, infuses the track with a high tempo, feel-good rhythm and had me singing along at the top of my voice.
The fact that the album only has one song over seven minutes in length does not detract from the enjoyment in any way, there’s a feeling of musicians being let off the leash to just go and enjoy themselves and, boy, do they ever! making us, the listeners, the eager beneficiaries of this expansive approach.
My enjoyment of the music is tinged by melancholy as the shadow of the larger than life Longdon is always just there, out of reach. Listening to the gorgeous Lanterna seems to banish those feelings of sadness, almost as if David is willing you to just enjoy the music, like his final gift to us all. The songs starts in an ethereal and whimsical vein before opening up into a jubilant and heartwarming musical journey, simply delightful. The graceful, elegant (and criminally short) strains of Capitoline Venus give David’s voice the stage to work his magic on us once again and I have to admit that, on first listen, I did shed a tear or two.
A Room With No Ceiling, penned by Rikard, is a proggy instrumental that fuses all that’s best of the band with a touch of psychedelia at the start before it launches into an accordion infused, merry romp. Proper Jack Froster is the band’s Christmas track from 2021 and takes their pastoral progressive rock and transplants right in the middle of a medieval festive ode. To my ears it is one of the better Christmas songs of recents years and deserves its place on the album, if being a nod to BBT’s past, rather than a glance in the direction they are now heading. The second instrumental on the album is Nick’s engaging Bats In The Belfry, a very impressive take on the drum and bass solo that is oozing character and personality from every note.
There’s always moment of calm, poise and pause on a Big Big Train release and the enchantingly refined Oak and Stone fills that brief for this album. Achingly stylish vocals and a wonderfully laid back piano give the song a sumptuous feel. It really is seven minutes of pure class from these masters of the genre. Now, onto the intriguing final track on the album and a song that could be the most polarising that the band have ever released. Title track Welcome To the Planet is totally different from anything that has gone before and, to my ears anyway, is utterly brilliant! Exuding atmosphere and ambience, it is a theatrically inspired piece of music that takes the band in a totally different direction. With an almost ensemble vibe, the song relies mainly on Carly’s powerful and charismatic vocal performance to drive it along but the wistful and nostalgic music gives a 70’s prog feel to everything, reminding me of Pink Floyd at their height of fame, and there’s surely nothing wrong with that, is there? This track closes the album on a triumphant note and maybe hints on a the future direction than Big Big Train could take, I love it!
The tragedy of David’s death has hit the BBT community very hard and this new album should be the catalyst for the healing process to start. It is a fitting tribute to wonderful man but, and this is the important bit, it is also a sublime collection of songs from a group of talented musicians who are, once again, right at the top of their game. Whatever the band decide to do, they have given us one of the best albums of recent years and a totally memorable start to 2022.
Alex Lifeson is no stranger to the concept of evolution. As a founding member of Rush, he’s been able to explore more musical ground than just about any other guitar player out there – taking rock to new progressive heights throughout the decades and always in the most wildly inventive of ways. His influence can be heard on countless bands around the world, from indie shoegaze and math rock to heavy metal and beyond. Over the last few years Lifeson has been focusing on a new project that, no matter how well-acquainted you are with his discography, will undoubtedly shatter all seeds of expectation and blow the mind. That project is Envy Of None.
The new band, also featuring Coney Hatch founder/bassist Andy Curran, accomplished producer and engineer Alfio Annibalini and singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne, will be releasing their self-titled debut album on April 8 via Kscope. Its 11 tracks – which ricochet between various shades of alternative, experimental and synth rock – throw surprises at every turn, twisting dark melodies against contemporary pop hooks. Lifeson himself is proudly aware of how little of it crosses over with the band that made him famous.
However, it was only when singer Maiah Wynne became involved that this truly started to feel like a band destined to go somewhere. Her haunting melodies and soul-baring intensity is – by the admission of her own bandmates – what truly brought this music to life. All things considered; she is a star in the making… “I sent over an early version of the song Shadow,” explains Andy Curran. “When I played what she’d done back to the others they were like, ‘Who is this crazy talented person?!’”
The album’s first single, Liar, is out now. Its industrial beats, driving fuzz bass and atmospheric guitars concoct a seductive swirl indeed – thrilling in ways closer to the darker art rock of Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle than anything these musicians have been known for prior.
“Mariah became my muse,” continues Alex Lifeson. “She was able to bring this whole new ethereal thing through her sense of melody on tracks like Liar and Look Inside. After hearing her vocals on Never Said I Love You, I felt so excited.I’ve never had that kind of inspiration working with another musician. When we say she’s special, it’s because she’s really fucking special!”
“One of my favourite things about these songs is the intimacy of them,” reveals Maiah Wynne. “It makes them feel different and more honest. There are some heavier songs too, like Enemy, and then tracks like Kabul Blues, that sound completely different to anything else.”
The album closer, Western Sunset, which was penned by Alex Lifeson in tribute to his dear friend Neil Peart. It’s a highly emotive piece of music to honour a man deeply missed by the rock community at large, and even more so by those who were lucky enough to know him. “I visited Neil when he was ill,” says Alex Lifeson. “I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There’s a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process. It had meaning. It was the perfect mood to decompress after all these different textures… a nice way to close the book.”
It’s a book you’ll almost certainly want to be reading. Envy Of None’s self-titled album is due for release on April 8 via Kscope.
Ltd Edition deluxe version – presented in a gatefold sleeve with a blue coloured vinyl LP, 2 CDs including a 5 track bonus disc, 28 page Booklet with exclusive content
CD – includes a 16 page poster booklet
LP – on black vinyl / baby blue coloured vinyl (North America exclusive) / white coloured vinyl
Following on from the success of their debut album – ‘A Sèance of Dark Delusions’ and their documentary / soundtrack project – ‘Amplify Human Vibration’, the mysterious Nordic Giants emerge from hiding with their second studio album simply entitled – ‘Symbiosis’ set for release on 4th February 2022.
Symbiosis represents the interdependent relationship of all life. The union and blending of polar opposites, the harmony created when two different elements combine, not just in nature or in a philosophical sense, but at the root creative level.
This collection of songs blends light with dark, moments of ambience with power and the subtle with the mysterious – themes that Nordic Giants continue to experiment with extensively over the years. Rôka and Löki state,
“We start with a pure idea, we take all the emotions that live inside us, that are buried deep within the sub-consciousness mind and give them the opportunity to shine through in musical form. Much like our first album – Symbiosis is a multi-layered album, It’s going to be hard to understand the depth of emotion, or spirit of the album on the first listen or even the second. But hopefully even on the 100th listen there may still be new layers revealing themselves to you.”
As a whole, the album encompasses a broad tapestry of weird and wonderful sounds, from vintage analogue synths, Tibetan bowls and even a Carnyx horn, to some familiar guest vocalists in the form of Alex Hedley and Freyja – adding their haunting and ethereal sounds on top of what what is predominantly a multi layered instrumental album.
These symbiotic themes of union and interdependence don’t stop just with the music, but are continued throughout the album artwork. Working closely with photographer Neal Grundy, they had many discussions of which material combinations and elements would help symbolise the message. By combining different paints into water they were able to photograph and capture some amazing results, which can only be described as an interlacing synergy of the natural with the supernatural.
Symbiosis, which includes the studio album and live tour – aims to pay homage to 10 years of Nordic Giants live performances & music, and as those who have seen the live show will attest, it is a visceral experience that goes far beyond the normal descriptors.
Each mind-blowing performance involves a selection of hand picked award-winning short films projected alongside the music, and each are a work of art by themselves. Whether live action or animation, experimental or narrative, each resonates and will stay with you in its own way.
Seeing Nordic Giants has been described as akin to a religious experience: the multi-screen visuals, powerful strobes and exquisitely timed accompaniment create a whole that is far greater than the sum of its parts.
Tickets are now on sale now for the 2022 UK tour with Årabrot, which will include songs from the new album, as well as a mix of older songs spanning the last 10 years! Expect Brand new films as well as some older classics – to shock, awe and inspire! Rôka and Löki state – “Imagination can take you anywhere and we hope this album & tour will transport you to otherworldly places!”
