Moon Safari – The Gettysburg Address

Whatever I may have first thought, the classic, symphonic sound of progressive rock is not dead. While I may not always appreciate the paradox by which many bands have regressing back in time in order to be ‘progressive’, taken on a purely musical level out of context, it’s impossible not to see some great bands crawling out of the woodwork. MOON SAFARI is a band many proggers will have at least heard of. Their second album ‘[Blomljud]‘ is still hailed as one of the best prog albums of the new millennium, and for good reason. With influence of GENESIS and THE FLOWER KINGS readily evident, MOON SAFARI make some damned fine music within their particular brand of prog, and it’s showcased perfectly in ‘The Gettysburg Address’. While I’m rarely enthusiastic about live albums (and especially double- disc live albums at that!) MOON SAFARI’s recording of their 2011 ROSFest headline is about as close a true concert experience as one can get, without actually being in the theater that night and seeing it live.

At an hour and a half long, MOON SAFARI pull no punches with ‘The Gettysburg Address’. Normally, I would condemn a live album for being this length; after all, why make something so long that listeners may need to schedule bathroom breaks in between? In the case of MOON SAFARI, it works, not only because of the music’s quality, but because it is an earnest attempt to recreate a ‘concert experience’. Many live albums tend to be a ‘best of’ performance collection from a tour, but the recording here is a single take, appropriately beginning with the ROSFest host mildly introducing the band, and complete with some affable banter in between tracks. Even the band being heckled at one point in the performance simply adds to the feeling of ‘being there’, and that’s not something many live albums are able to pull off.

Speaking of the actual music that goes along with the album, MOON SAFARI’s sound is at times a little too cheery and upbeat for my own taste, but there’s never a moment where the musicianship and orchestration dips in quality. Especially considering that this is a single take without pause, the sheer precision and tightness of the performance is nothing short of amazing. The opening instrumental ‘Moonwalk’ and epic final ‘The Other Side of the Sky’ might be my favourite parts of the show. Of course, none of this material is ‘unique’ to ‘The Gettysburg Address’, but this live recording certainly compliments the existing compositions. The recording sound is so pristine that one might be fooled into thinking it’s just a very organic-sounding studio recording. That’s the magic of ‘The Gettysburg Address’; it manages to capture the experience of a live setting, without the setbacks usually suffered by live albums. My only potential gripe is that the performance essentially reprises what may already be heard on a studio release, but the power of everything is emphasized here. Without a doubt, MOON SAFARI and ‘The Gettysburg Address’ is one of the most impressive life albums I’ve ever heard.

Tracklist:

Disc 1
1. Moonwalk (11:39)
2. Lover’s End Pt. 1 (6:56)
3. A Kid Called Panic (14:34)
4. Yasgur’s Farm (8:45)
5. The World’s Best Dreamers (6:30)

Total Time 48:14

Disc 2
1. Dance Across the Ocean (8:01)
2. Heartland (6:05)
3. New York City Summergirl (4:57)
4. Other Half of the Sky (31:00)

Line-up:

* Pontus Ǻkesson – Electric Guitar and Vocals
* Sebastian Ǻkesson – Organ, Mellotron, Percussion and Vocals
* Simon Ǻkesson – Lead Synthesizers, Grand Piano, Organ, Mellotron and Vocals
* Tobias Lundgren – Drums, Percussion and Vocals
* Petter Sandström – Acoustic Guitar and Vocals
* Johan Westerlund – Bass Guitar and Vocals

Links:

http://www.moonsafari.se/

Tunisia – Two False Idols

BEN CRAVEN was one of 2011’s breakthrough prog artists. Whether it was his singer- songwriter approach to progressive rock, or simply the lavish Roger Dean (of Yes fame) cover art, his ‘Great and Terrible Potions’ was one of the more acclaimed releases of the year. Although I sadly never got around to listening to CRAVEN’s work when it was hot off the press in 2011, a re-release of his estranged debut gives me a chance to redeem myself. If ‘Two False Idols’ is any indicator of what his later work is like, then I am sure I will be giving Mr. Craven quite a bit more of my listening time in the future.

First published under the ‘band’ name TUNISIA, BEN CRAVEN has re-released ‘Two False Idols’ under his own name, presumably in the hopes to give t some more deserved attention. Before 2011, it’s safe to say that BEN CRAVEN was fairly unknown, even to up-to- date proggers.The choice of musical style on ‘Two False Idols’ may give a reason as to why the progressive music scene did not instantly pick him up. While many bands in prog nowadays are ever increasingly incorporating more accessible, melodic material into their music, few ever go so far as to bring commerce-worthy sounds into their work. That’s not to say that BEN CRAVEN’s music would fit into a pop radio station’s schedule too well, but some of these songs are very down-to-earth. ‘Two False Idols’ is of course graced with its fair share of prog; ‘Golden Band’ (split into two parts for this rerelease) is a great showcase of his memorable melodies overtop an eerie synth hook. ‘Captain Caper’ is CRAVEN’s charming attempt at psych-pop, and I cannot help but feel reminded of DAVID BOWIE while listening to it.

The ‘pop’ sounds manifest themselves most clearly in BEN CRAVEN’s unmistakable singer-songwriter approach for many of these tracks. Although Floyd-derived spaceyness is infused in most of the material, the upbeat song ‘Enough About You’ could have easily come out of the BARENAKED LADIES’ catalogue. ‘Not Me It’s You’ is another one that’s plenty of fun, but alas, the enjoyment wears thin after a few listens, and they feel out-of-place in the context of what is otherwise a fine piece of Floydian space-songwriter rock. With that being said, ‘If You Knew’ is arguably my favourite track on the album, and it’s about as singer- songwriter as it gets!

Although its length of fifty-something minutes is pretty standard for an album, something about ‘Two False Idols’ feels like it overstays its optimal length by about ten minutes. Nothing on ‘Two False Idols’ makes me want to turn the album off, but- save for the modified ‘Golden Band’ duology- BEN CRAVEN’s debut sounds more like a collection of songs than a put-together album. There’s no denying that the man’s got a great hand at songwriting however, and he’s got a pretty decent voice to boot. For most of you who may have overlooked this debut when it first came out, or have never heard BEN CRAVEN’s work at all, this remixed edition is a very enjoyable experience.

Tracklist:

1. Enough About You (4:24)
2. Great Divide (5:49)
3. Captain Caper (5:08)
4. Over (4:07)
5. If You Knew (5:41)
6. Not Me It’s You (4:40)
7. When (5:20)
8. Golden Band (8:30)
9. Look Away (6:37)
10. Celeste (3:17)

Line-up:

* Ben Craven – vocals, all instruments

Links:

http://bencraven.com
http://bencraven.bandcamp.com

Alias Eye – In-Between

Despite the fact that their most publicized selling point is the fact that their singer Phillip Griffiths is the son of BEGGAR’S OPERA’s Martin Griffiths, ALIAS EYE proves to be a strong force in an area of progressive rock too often burdened by cheese and tedium. Having been around for a decade or so, this band’s fourth album enjoys the sort of experience and maturity that could only come with playing together for so long. Although ALIAS EYE’s focus on melody in prog rock takes a little warming up to, ‘In Between’ is a notable album from this German-based act.

Although it may seem counterintuitive to think that a focus on melody would mean that ‘In Between’ takes time to grow, it’s simply not something that many bands under the prog rock banner aim for. When they do, alas, the result is one which often leads to bland power rock with the occasional synth solo, presumably in an attempt to convince listeners that whatever they’re hearing is prog. There is not a song on ‘In Between’ where ALIAS EYE do not build around bombastic vocal melodies and choruses, but there is a much greater ambition than the arena rock drones that first made me wearing of prog’s melodic face. Although those starved for song suites and half-hour flute solos will stay hungry here, the songwriting manages to find a fairly comfortable balance between more conventional ‘rock’ songwriting, and more left-of-centre arrangements. To the seasoned progger, many of these experiments (like the title track’s flirtation with jazz) will seem tame, but taken in the context of such concise songwriting, these small leaps of ambition may seem more adventurous than they actually are.

Phillip Griffith’s voice is arguably the highlight of ALIAS EYE’s sound. While the instruments- particularly the guitar- are handled very well, Phillip’s voice is the focal point of the songwriting. To his credit, he sounds much like his father Martin (of BEGGAR’S OPERA) who also makes a cameo on the album. Coincidentally, Martin Griffiths offers his vocals on a cover of his own band; the minor hit ‘Time Machine’. Not to mention that this song feels a cut above the writing on the rest of ‘In Between’, it is very cool to hear the collaboration between father and son, although the two admittedly sound a little too similar to totally tell apart.

The softer, piano-driven ‘Stars Shall Fall’ is another great track here. Not only does it feature some of the best vocal work on the album, the piano and additional keyboard work are lushly orchestrated. It also works as something of a divide between two stylistic ’sides’ of the album. Up to this point, ALIAS EYE plays a fairly conventional form of rock, made ‘proggy’ with its use of synths and light experimentation. Where ALIAS EYE arguably have the most promise here is on the second half of the album, which takes their melodic brand of prog and boosts it into a relative stratosphere of experimentation. ‘All The Rage’ is a head- scratcher after a relatively grounded string of rock songwriting; fusing metal, dance music, pop and funk into something oddly reminiscent of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. ‘Take What’s Mine’ could be interpreted as what SUPERTRAMP would sound like if they were playing DREAM THEATER-style progressive metal. All in all, it does not feel like the band lose their bearings completely on the second half, but they definitely save the wealth of their risk-taking for late in the album, and it’s frankly a fair bit more engaging to listen to.

From a progressive rock standpoint, the music of ALIAS EYE is tame and at worst, harmless, although that may be judging too harshly. Where the band’s strength lies is their penchant with melody, and their skill with fusing elements of prog canon into songwriting that feels neither pressured nor forced. A deceptively eclectic album from a band I’m glad I took the time to warm up to.

Tracklist:

1. Arabesque
2. Break What We Know
3. In-Between
4. Time Machine
5. Indentured Pride
6. Stars Shall Fall
7. All The Rage
8. Distant Memories
9. Take What’s Mine
10. The Blink Of An Eye

Line-up:

- Tilmar Fischer / keyboards
- Philip Griffiths / vocals
- Ludwig Benedek / drums
- Matthias Wurm / guitars
- Frank Fischer / bass

Links:

http://www.aliaseye.com/

Rush – Headlong Flight (Single)

RUSH was probably the first band I ever really got into. ‘Moving Pictures’ was the first record I ever bough, and one of the first ‘big’ shows I ever went to was RUSH. Bottom line; this is a band who earned my love years ago, and regardless of what could ever happen in the future, they have made some of my favourite albums in rock music. Going strong for the better part of half a century, RUSH may also be distinguished by the fact that they have not given up their pursuit of inspired, powerful, and most importantly, relevant music. ‘Clockwork Angels’ is RUSH’s nineteenth album since their debut in ‘74, and when I heard the first couple of tracks from the album about a year or so ago, I was all the more excited. While ‘Caravan’ and ‘BU2B’ only stoked the fires of my excitement, this ’single’ tends to work the opposite direction.

‘Headlong Flight’ is a seven minute track with lyrics apparently concerning the band looking back on their career nostalgically. Although this has all of the potential to be something great, ‘Headlong Flight’ feels aimless and lacking the conviction I would hope and normally expect from RUSH. RUSH have lost none of their instrumental talent; after a superfluous spacey intro, the drums erupt and it’s made clear that the holy triumvirate have lost none of their skill. Although RUSH have been pursuing a more modern rock oriented style in recent albums, the guitar work often alludes to earlier points in their career, specifically the tones of their golden prog era. Whether this is simply meant to fit the theme of the song or more indicative of the album as a whole, it seems like an unfair goad in the case of ‘Headlong Flight’. The sounds are here, but the songwriting is not; the instrumentation is well managed and very rock-oriented, but the vocal melodies overtop feel like they were thrown together in a matter of minutes.

Although the instrumentation of RUSH is as strong as ever, Geddy Lee’s voice seems to have taken a toll. Although I am of the belief that his matured voice has given him some of his best ever vocal performances, it’s clear that the cannot sing the ‘high notes’ with as much conviction. While I have always appreciated his voice in the past, Lee and RUSH as a whole now have we wondering if ‘Clockwork Angels’ will be the excellence that ‘Caravan’ suggested it is, or something like this; nostalgic, functional, yet uninspired.

Tracklist:

1. Headlong Flight (7:20)

Line-up:

* Geddy Lee – vocals, bass and keyboards
* Alex Lifeson – guitars
* Neil Peart – drums and percussion

Links:

http://www.rush.com/

Helheim – Heiðindómr Ok Mótgangr

Although never having achieved the same degree of popularity, Helheim may be best compared to Enslaved, not only in terms of their Viking ancestry and topical content, but also in regards to the way they have developed over the years. Originating as a fairly run-of-the- mill Viking black metal act, they have moved in an increasingly progressive direction with their sound. ‘Heiðindómr Ok Mótgangr’ represents another step in their career; a cleanly produced, diverse and impressive celebration of their culture.

Like Enslaved, Helheim focus their efforts on creating a vast, epic sound that attempts to capture the sound and custom of the Viking people. In this regard, Helheim are dedicated, and convey the pride of their ancestry powerfully. The album opens up with a combination of black metal canon and war horn orchestration, a pairing that pops up several times throughout the album. Arguably the greatest strength that ‘Heiðindómr Ok Mótgangr’ has going for it is that it takes the listener through a number of different moods and angles without sounding inconsistent or patchy. Based on much of my experience with this style, Viking bands tend to keep their songwriting narrow, composing a batch of incredibly similar pieces and drilling down one angle or mood of Viking culture until it’s exhausted and begging for a coffee break. Most of the time, this ‘angle’ tends to revolve around the culture’s penchant for warfare and alcohol consumption. I would not say that Helheim gives an all- encompassing glance into the culture- there’s no reference here to the 793 AD equivalent to changing baby diapers- but the darker sound on the album is more successful at transporting a listener to what was decidedly an incredibly dark time in human history.

Helheim’s production has developed with their musical style, and though black metal generally favours less bells and whistles in its production, ‘Heiðindómr Ok Mótgangr’ is remarkably refined. In terms of effectiveness, this is a bit of a double edged sword. The production does wonders for the more subtle arrangements such as the horn work and moments where Helheim go experimental with their sound, but the black metal feels robbed of some of its atmosphere. This does not draw away from the intensity of the music, however; the riffs are beautifully arranged and performed with vigour. Although the music on ‘Heiðindómr Ok Mótgangr’ rarely possesses the sort of composition quality that would thrust it into the realm of excellence, Helheim’s varied approach to Viking metal stands out above many of their peers. There is anger, melancholy, darkness and light to soak up on ‘Heiðindómr Ok Mótgangr’, and the variety of styles only serves to give the work greater lasting value.

Tracklist:

1. Viten og mot (sindighet) (7:37)
2. Dualitet og ulver (5:57)
3. Viten og mot (stolthet) (6:16)
4. Maðr (5:51)
5. Viten og mot (årvåkenhet) (6:55)
6. Element (6:40)
7. Nauðr (4:01)
8. Viten og mot (bevissthet) (5:09)
9. Helheim 8 (4:37)

Line-up:

* H’grimnir – Vocals, Guitar
* Noralf “Reichborn” Venås – Guitar
* Ørjan “V’gandr” Nordvik – Bass, Vocals
* Frode “Hrymr” Rødsjø – Drums, Programming

Links:

http://www.helheim.com/

Airbag – All Rights Removed

Although there is a vast range of sounds, styles, and sub-styles, I think I can reasonably divide prog into two major schools; one that appeals to the mind, and one that appeals to the heart. Cue Rush’s ‘Hemispheres’ reference. Of course, it’s virtually impossible to have only one of the two, but most bands lean towards one of those more than the other. In the case of Airbag, they are firmly rooted in emotion. Although performed and produced excellently, there is very little display of technical wizardry, nor are there the sort of complex structures that one may come to expect from progressive rock proper. Although the music on ‘All Rights Removed’ is conveyed through longer songs, it’s a journey dominated by atmosphere and melody over anything else. Without setting toes into the cheesy anthem territory of AOR, Airbag’s second album is among the most emotionally stirring albums of last year.

The style of ’shoegaze’ (which proggers may be familiar with through Alcest or Slowdive) and the post-punk melancholy of The Cure are both players in the style of Airbag. I would not say that ‘All Rights Removed’ feels, well, ‘removed’ from a lot of melodic prog archetypes, but they do a much better job of sounding sincere and atmospheric than most ‘neo-prog’ acts I’ve heard. Best demonstrated through the abundant bluesy guitar work on the album is the influence of Pink Floyd. I have said that Airbag values melody and emotion over complex compositions, but there is the much-longed for sense of ‘epic’ in ‘All Rights Removed.’ Although one might not get the impression from the track listing (which explicitly cites the last song as a standalone epic), the album seems to run as a fifty minute piece of music. In fact, the music itself gives little indication that any of these songs stand on their own. For instance, the central melody of the opener title track segues into ‘White Walls.’ It’s aspects like this that puts Airbag on the radar.

The music is not much varied or surprising, but it matters little when the album benefits from such a charged flow. Airbag lean towards a mid-pace melancholia, led forth by the Hogarth-era Marillion-like vocals of Asle Torstrup. Some proggers may find that ‘All Rights Removed’ does not fulfil the quota of notes that need to be played per minute in order to be considered real prog. This is meant to be taken as facetious of course, but this degree of lax atmosphere and melancholic, melodic focus should not be dismissed. Airbag have really impressed me here, in short. Steering clear of the often cheesy 80’s kitsch that many bands of this sort fall into, there is a great deal to admire with this band’s second album.

Tracklist:

1. All Rights Removed (8:59)
2. White Walls (5:19)
3. The Bridge (6:20)
4. Never Coming Home (9:00)
5. Light Them All Up (3:01)
6. Homesick I-III (17:21)

Line-up:

* Anders Hovden – bass
* Asle Torstrup – vocals, programming, keyboards
* Bjørn Riis – guitars, vocals, keyboards
* Henrik Fossum – drums
* Jørgen Hagen – keyboards, programming

Links:

http://www.airbagsound.com/

Troy Donockley – Messages

Troy Donockley is a legend of Celtic music; particularly in regards to his work with the uilleann pipes. Before I had even heard the name, I was already familiar with his brilliant musicianship; he is the player behind the Celtic instruments in Finnish symphonic metal band NIGHTWISH. While perhaps best known for his tenure with the Irish prog-folkers IONA, Donockley has also had a warm solo career. Sadly, ‘Messages’ is the first thing I’ve heard of this artist, although I’ll make sure that it’s not the last. Although this best-of compilation only serves as a gateway into Troy’s music, it succeeds enough at attracting me to the man’s music that I will soon be hearing more of what he has done.

Although I may not give ‘Messages’ a high rating, it is only because the compilation feels too long for its own good, and that its status as a ‘best-of’ keeps it from having any significant start- to-finish coherence. The music itself is fresh to me, yet probably best rated on the albums from whence they came. A far cry from my initial experience with Donockley’s performance in Nightwish, his work here is mellow, calmed, and arboreal. The Celtic ambiance of Enya came to mind once or twice while hearing the music, which generally rests upon Donockley’s flute or pipe playing to row it along.

Troy Donockley’s music here is not necessarily prog, or even rock, for that matter. Instead, what we have is a warm collection of lush Celtic soundscapes, ancient melody, and the artistic talents of a man who easily deserves the recognition he has received. As a compilation though, ‘Messages’ fails to achieve the goal of a best-of; to get his music across quickly and concisely. Instead, this is a fairly drawn out ordeal, and due to the fairly uniform sound of the music, the music’s magic can be lost once someone becomes too accustomed to the Celtic energies. Ultimately however, this is perfect for anyone who has never heard Troy Donockley play before, and enjoy Celtic folk music.

Tracklist:

01. Sights
02. For Him Who Will Never Return
03. Now, Voyager
04. Fragment
05. Orkahaugr
06. Finlandia
07. Dunmail Rising
08. Pursuit of Illusion
09. Tunnels
10. The Procession

Line-up:

* Troy Donockley – all instruments

Links:

http://www.troydonockley.co.uk/

Dynahead – Youniverse

Along with their fellow countrymen in MINDFLOW, DYNAHEAD give me the impression that Brazil’s progressive metal scene is one marked by the eclectic approach of its bands. This is not to say that this group contrasts polka-funk-ambient with metal and traditional gamelan instrumentation, but rather that they find influence from a number of different sounds within the progressive metal genre itself. Although one might like to think of ‘prog’ as something inherently forward-thinking, metal is one place where the sound is really showing its age, and it’s almost canon nowadays for a new band to sound either like Dream Theater, Opeth, or- to a lesser frequency- Pain of Salvation. If it’s any slight innovation, DYNAHEAD incorporate all three of those bands into their blend, and while this does make for a more interesting listen than another Dream Theater clone, nothing about DYNAHEAD’s second album particularly excels.

Technically proficient musicianship is virtually a pre-requisite to be labelled a ‘prog metal’ band at this point, and that is something that DYNAHEAD do not fail to deliver. Thankfully, their music never devolves into an indulgent exploration of scales as at least one of their influences are infamous for, but DYNAHEAD demonstrate their talent within the confines of fairly concise songwriting. Although the band touches upon virtually every popular style of progressive metal, their compositions are built around a thick rhythm guitar. Reviews I have read of ‘Youniverse’ describe it as a thrashy guitar sound, but it’s given a fair bit more restraint than that genre-tag might imply. Keeping in line with the band’s metal sub-genre surfing, Caio Duarte’s vocals tread the border as well, simultaneously melodic and gruff. During the closer ‘Onset’- DYNAHEAD’s grab at Opethian death metal- he even growls, and it actually tends to fit the band’s dark style more than his conventional heavy metal vocals do.

Although DYNAHEAD emulate the OPETH sound best of all, that approach is fairly fleeting on ‘Youniverse’. Djent, or ‘the MESHUGGAH sound’ is also dabbled with on songs like the particularly heavy ‘My Replicator’, and demonstrates a real promise for DYNAHEAD. However, in constantly comparing this band to others, it may also be implied that they are lacking an identity of their own, and this is where ‘Youniverse’ is truly held back. Although the band is graced with a tight performance and fair production standards, it’s difficult to get an impression on what this band is about, even after several listens. The ground is fertile for something cool, but unless DYNAHEAD plants something firm, their potential will remain untapped.

Tracklist:

1. Ylem (6:37)
2. Eventide (3:30)
3. Inception (6:05)
4. Unripe One (4:45)
5. Confinement In Black (6:08)
6. Circles (4:22)
7. My Replicator (3:18)
8. Repentance Hour (5:54)
9. Way Down Memory Lane (5:57)
10. Redemption (4:48)
11. Onset (5:09)

Line-up:

* Caio Duarte – vocals
* Diogo Mafra – guitars
* Pablo Vilela – guitars
* Diego Teixeira – bass
* Rafael Dantas – drums

Links:

http://www.dynahead.com.br/

Anathema – Weather Systems

Going back around this time two years ago, I remember first listening to ANATHEMA’s ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’ and finding myself surprised. It wasn’t that it was some great leap of quality that startled me- in fact, I had loved their previous album ‘A Natural Disaster’. Where ANATHEMA caught me off guard was the tone, or ‘mood’ of the music. In the several year cooldown period between their seventh and eighth records, Anathema had inverted their trademark dreariness for something that sounded much more fresh than it admittedly should have; a sense of optimism. This more harmonious, hope-filled approach is continued on ‘Weather Systems’. Like all great sequels, this one builds upon the previous work’s strengths in every way, solving many of the last record’s problems as a result. In the end, ‘Weather Systems’ does not stand only as a successful maturation of the style cultivated on ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’, but one of the brightest moments this band has ever experienced.

Like ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’, the resurrected ANATHEMA’s sound is accessible, but in more of an ambient, rather than a ‘pop’ sense. To elaborate on this, the music enjoys rich orchestrations and ambitious structure, yet ultimately demands little from the listener, save for an openness to emotional suggestion. In truth, by progressive rock standards, the compositions are straightforward, but complexity has never been an aim for ANATHEMA. ‘Weather Systems’ is an album that would be nothing without its melody and vast atmosphere, and both are supplied in overwhelming quality.

Christer-André Cederberg gives ANATHEMA their greatest production job yet, correcting the somewhat treble-centric Steven Wilson mix of the last. The instrumentation benefits the most from the production quality, with many subtleties in the mix that won’t get noticed by the average earphone or computer speaker set. Although ANATHEMA have all but absolved themselves of their metal leanings at this point, the music is far from mellow, often with many things going on at once. Somehow though, ANATHEMA never demand anything of the listener, and no matter how lush the string section or vocal harmonies get, ‘Weather Systems’ remains an album that instantly lets the listener fly.

It takes barely a minute into the gorgeous first segment of ‘Untouchable’ to know what ‘Weather Systems’ is all about. The album takes no time to get going, quickly pulling in a listener with a slick acoustic fingerpicking idea, courtesy of guitarist Danny Cavanagh. Vincent Cavanagh’s vocals are soft at first, but as the rest of the band comes into play, a cinematic intensity is built until the point where it’s damned near impossible to resist the emotional power of it. Although the orchestration is at times mindboggling, the true highlight of ANATHEMA remains the beautiful vocal work and accompanying melodies. In a nearly hyperbolic contrast from the doom-n-gloom ‘Alternative 4′ and earlier, there is nary a dreary word sung by any of the band’s three vocalists. More than ever before, ANATHEMA focus in on harmonies in the vocals, and it works perfectly with the equally vast instrumentation. On a less positive note, the lyrics are not particularly engaging, generally falling upon credos of optimistic imagery and the recurring motif of nature, as reflected by the album’s title. For what it’s worth, the lyrics do work for the soaring sound of the band, and when they don’t, it’s not enough to detract from the rich atmosphere the rest of the music has created.

‘The Gathering of the Clouds’ continues where ‘Untouchable’ left off, without much of a noticeable gap between the two. Comparing natural imagery to a state of mind, ANATHEMA veer the album down a more melancholic route, all the while putting an even greater emphasis on vocal harmony and counterpoint. Within three minutes, ANATHEMA have worked enough orchestrations into the song that they could have fed a song twice its length. ‘Lightening Song’ plays on the momentum, but reins the intensity in a little, leaving it to Lee Douglas’ gorgeous voice to reclaim the feeling of serenity. Lodged in the middle of the album, ‘Sunlight’ is arguably the least memorable track on the album, keeping the mood and orchestrations consistent and enjoyable, yet failing to add any new surprises to the already-magnificent string of songs so far.

Besides the five minute, ’single-worthy’ tune ‘The Beginning And The End’, the second half of ‘Weather Systems’ is left up to longer-form compositions. Having found myself pretty damned disappointed by the so-called ‘epics’ on ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’, I had my apprehensions when I got to this point in the album the first time around, and while ‘The Storm Before The Calm’ does not enjoy the same stirring melodies as those that came before, the atmosphere and sonic beauty are just as strong and beautiful. ‘The Storm Before The Calm’ does feel as if it could use a minute’s shortening, but in fairness, the piece may have been best cut in two, with the first track comprising the trance-like rhythm built up over the course of five minutes, and the second devoted to the refreshing return-to- form ANATHEMA use to wrap up the piece.

‘The Beginning and the End’ sees ‘Weather Systems’ following an increasingly dark path, with one of the band’s most memorable guitar ideas driving the song along. Although the song is surprisingly based around a single idea, it never feels tired, constantly building up in intensity until its climax. Finally, ‘Weather Systems’ arrives at my absolute favourite track off the album. Although at least one person I have talked to about the album has cited it as one of their least favourite tracks, ‘The Lost Child’ holds some of the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard. The piano plays softly and simply, and the introspective melancholy is reminiscent of the same dreary atmosphere Radiohead often evokes. The string section that has been so far lodged in the background is thrust to the forefront, and by the piece’s devastating zenith around the five minute mark, there’s little to do but sit in emotional shock and awe. Admittedly, the climax’s dramatic beauty is offset a bit by the vocals milking the repetition of the words ’save me’ towards the end (when you listen, you’ll understand), but it’s an easy flaw to look past in light of the rest of ‘The Lost Child’s quivering beauty.

‘Internal Landscapes’ ends what I consider to be the album of the year thus far on a somewhat mixed note. Although the pleasant ambiance ultimately builds up into a song, it feels as if ‘Weather Systems’ may have been better with the same concise melodic brilliance that defined the early half of the album. Instead, the first few minutes plod softly along, with some spoken word sample concerning life-after-death and redemption playing overtop. Although the rock-centric meat of ‘Internal Landscapes’ offers ‘Weather Systems’ a just and powerful ending, the sparse moments of ‘Internal Landscapes’ where so little is happening is the only time I would daresay I feel bored when listening to the album. Normally, this less-than-climactic finale would rob an album of being called a masterpiece, and while ‘Weather Systems’ doesn’t see ANATHEMA quite reaching an inhuman perfection with their music, the significant proportion where the music does become inhumanly perfect is reason enough to give it the highest recommendation. Although ANATHEMA do not challenge the listener with this music, they excel at doing what music is most meant to do; evoke emotion. It’s easy to say that music is emotional, but when listening to an album can change someone’s mood so profoundly, it’s reason enough to call it something special.

Tracklist:

1. Untouchable Part 1 (6.14)
2. Untouchable Part 2 (5.33)
3. The Gathering Of The Clouds (3.27)
4. Lightning Song (5.25)
5. Sunlight (4.55)
6. The Storm Before The Calm (9.24)
7. The Beginning And The End (4.53)
8. The Lost Child (7.02)
9. Internal Landscapes (8.52)

Line-up:

* Vincent Cavanagh – Vocals, Guitar, Vocoder
* Daniel Cavanagh – Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
* Jamie Cavanagh – Bass
* John Douglas – Drums, Keyboards
* Lee Douglas – Vocals

Links:

http://www.anathema.ws/

Sparkle in Grey – Mexico

Although initial impressions lean towards a GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR type of post-rock, Italian band SPARKLE IN GREY takes in a wide range of sound in their music. Post-rock may indeed be the best way to describe this Milan-based ensemble, but there is a greater focus on texture and ambiance than one would expect from a typical band of the style. The result of this collision of noise ambient, and psychedelic noodling is a mark of excellence I have not often given to my new discoveries of recent months.

Like the old Spaghetti Western films, these Italians recreate the romantic frontier-feel one might associate with Mexico. The album ‘Mexico’ does not feel like a concept work perse, but there is a running string of motifs that conjure imagery not unlike that of the album’s artwork. SPARKLE IN GREY get these mental images across through a blend of post-rock, mixed with horns and violins. ‘Boys Vomit’ opens up the album on this mark, never quite latching onto a melody, yet captivating one’s attention with its vast sense of texture. The mood is dreamlike and cinematic; something that remains constant throughout the rest of the album. By the end of ‘Boys Vomit’, SPARKLE IN GREY introduce another element of their style that will gain momentum in songs to come; electronic and noise music. Although it is never jarring, there is a benign use of gruff buzzing in order to give the soundscape an even wider scope. In the face of what is otherwise a very harmonious sound, this only works part of the time, but never significantly takes away from the sonic beauty SPARKLE IN GREY bring forth on this record.

From the murky ambiance of ‘Sunrising’ and PORCUPINE TREE-esque build-up of ‘Dimissioni’, SPARKLE IN GREY reinvent themselves slightly with every track, and though none of the songs ever truly leap at the listener as the ‘best’, the sense of monotony I often get from listening to ambient albums is in absentia. One song that may be my least favourite however is ‘From The Air’; a piece that distinguishes itself from having vocals. Spoken word vocals are used here; Deborah Arnold calmly speaks in airliner-cliche, eventually getting a little absurd with it (“this is your captain speaking… put your hands on your head, put your hands on your hips…”). By the end of this short track, there is a vocal melody that sounds oddly enough like something Lady Gaga might sing. It’s not a terrible track, but it does take away from what is otherwise a stunning piece of otherworldly ambiance.

I am not always big into this type of music, thinking it often to be rather listless and even lazy from a compositional regard. SPARKLE IN GREY may pass some listeners as just that, but the adventurous steps they take with fleshing out their sound is intense and exciting. An excellent album!

Tracklist:

1. Boys Vomit
2. That One
3. From The Air
4. Sunrising
5. Dimissioni
6. Mexico
7. Phennel Song

Line-up:

* Matteo Uggeri – Electronics and effects
* Agostino Brambilla – bass (track 1)
* Simone Riva – drums (tracks 2,3,6)
* Lucija Krostopovic – piano (track 5)
* Deborah Arnold – Vocal (tracks 3)
* Cristiano Lupo – Many instruments
* Alberto Carozzi – Guitar and bass
* Franz Krostopovic – Violin

Links:

http://www.sparkleingrey.com/

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