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Invisible Movie Soundtrack
Thursday, 25 September, 2003
Tracks: Northentro (soundtrack), She Sings To Me (retro-pop), Mr..Rogers (electronica), Darwin (soul/RnB), Jim's Truck (hard rock), Damn allright (trip-hop), Down town (prog electronica), EZ girl (lounge jazz-pop), Denji (soundtrack), Disappear (retro-pop), Green Song (rock), Gan (ambient) , Pramanha (world), I Don't Wanna (electronica/soul), Z'nave a la Evans (prog electronica), Waterfolk (trip-hop), Daneloo (electronica), Flute Stretch (electronica), Lake (prog rock)
More Info: www.pennynation.com
Verdict: Snoozy eclectic jazz influenced electronica (i.e. nothing to do with Melodic Rock)
Even though Mood Swings' main focus is melodic rock, there is something about the name 'Mood Swings' that attracts review submissions from artists outside this genre. "The Invisible Music soundtrack'" is one such submission.
You may have already guessed from the title - there is no movie. Just a collection of music tracks to which you provide your own moving pictures.Surprisingly the CD leaflet doesn't say what you need to smoke, swallow, drink or inject to help this process!
The music is described by Penny Nation as an eclectic mix of retro-pop,electronica, soul/RnB, hard rock(?), lounge, trip-hop......(I've included their classifications along with the track listing). The common factor in all this is the vocals of Lydia from a group called Mothers Favorite Child. The musicians are a group of people affiliated to Penny Nation records.
In fact, there is less diversity here than implied from the press info. I'd describe most of it as laid back lounge elctronica jazz. There a few hints of other styles, but they don't amount to anything more than hints. I thought the hard rock of "Jim's Truck" might be of interest, but it is only a minute long and I'd describe it more as heavy funk. The Latin sounds of Pramanha do add diversity, but perversely seem out of place.
There is nothing here to interest Melodic Rock fans. However, I guess if you tastes extent to laid back jazzy influenced pop/electronica you should check out the web site (which has some nice animations).
Sanity - The Demo
Wednesday, 24 September, 2003
Audio Tracks: Together As One, Man Along The Line, Sanity (Live), Beyond Believe (Live), Lonely At The World (Live)
Video Clips: Sanity (Live), Beyond Believe (Live), Lonely At The World (Live), Systems Of Mercy (Live), Together As One (Live)
More Info: www.sanity.nl
Verdict (& Rating): Solid Power Metal (70 %)
Sanity are a Dutch progressive metal band that combine elements of Queensryche and Dream Theater, with Queensryche style techo/power metal being to the fore. The band was formed by ex-members of the band Blind Fury and ex-Bagheera singer Kees van Keulen.
Before actually talking about the music, Sanity's "The Demo" package impresses for being innovative. The package consists of 2 discs - an audio disc and a video disc. Not only do you get the hear what the guys sound like, you get the see them in action on stage.
Opening track "Together As One" is power metal with the keyboards adding a few prog touches. At 8 mins long it certainly is of prog duration. Equally long is "Man Along The Line" which displays the bands more sensitive side in a Metallica meets Rainbow ballad . Vocalist, Kees van Keulen, puts a great deal of feeling and emotion into his voice on this and the other tracks on the album. At times it seems like the emotion has taken predecence over melody.
On the first two live tracks, "Sanity" and "Beyond Believe", the band adopt a more classical metal approach. "Lonely At The World" starts of in a slow rambling manner and as it develops reminds me of either Magnum or Demon.
The live tracks give a feel for what the band are about and prove that the band can deliver in a live sitiuation, but because the quality is of the 'OK' variety, so I'm not going to draw too many conclusions from them. The studio tracks are best ones to investigate the potential of the band.
That little bit of Dream Theater in their sound, means that I automatically compare Sanity to DT and they set a very high standard indeed. So perhaps my verdict as 'solid' is a touch on the harsh side. For fans of Techno/Power metal (Queensryche, Crimson Glory etc), they area band to keep an eye on, as the two studio tracks show promise.
Steelwind - Jawhook
Friday, 12 September, 2003
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Tracks: Still In Love With You, Jawhook, My Flesh, When You Are Here, The Dream, I Believe In Miracles, Running Out Of time, For All Days, When The Father Tells The Son, Home At Last
More Info: www.steelwind.net
Verdict (& Rating): 80's AOR done well (80%)
Steelwind are a Texas, USA outfit that consits of Kevin Humphey (vocals, guitar), Billy Oliver (keyboards), Artie Jones (drums) and Michael Clary (rhythm guitar). In fact, Kevin is the main focus of the band as songwriter and producer. This is their follow up to 2000's debut "Heaven's Calling".
Steelwind conjure up memories of 80's AOR bands like latter day Boston, Journey, REO Speedwagon and Styx and slightly rockier bands such as Night Ranger. "Progressive" is another term that has been used to describe the band, but it has to be coupled with AOR to give "Progressive AOR", so that you could throw Kansas and Saga into the ring when describing their style.
Whilst many bands opt for a 'hit em hard' approach to their opening track, Steelwind glide in on a big REO style power ballad. This is followed by the epic title track that with fluid guitar work and sweeping synths echos the work of bands like Saga/ACT. "My Flesh" ups the tempo with some bouncy 80's AOR/melodic rock. "When You Are Here" is a 'filler' ballad that stays in the same decade. More impressive is the 80's bouncy AOR of "The Dream" which this time takes on few Asia/Pomp tendancies.
The band continue the good work on the REO style "I Believe In Miracles" and "Running Out Of Time", even if the vocals take a little too much helium on board for my tastes on the latter Steelwind do their own take on Boston's "Foreplay" at the start of the rambling power ballad "For All Day" which develops into one of the album's standout tracks.That same influence continues on the rockin' "When The Father Tells The Sons" that features some tasty guitar work and vocal harmonies. "Home At Last" is the predictable ballad to close the album.
I guess at some point I should say that the band are Christians and that this is reflected in their lyrics. I personally find this inspiring and welcome their choice of lyrical content. I don't ever feel that I'm being 'preached at'.
I always think that if a band's tastes leads them to play retro sounding music, they set themselves an additional challenge.They have to compete with what everyone remembers and that is generally the best of the era. One this album Steelwind show how to succeed in that challenge.
Scott Sudbury - Get The Picture
Wednesday, 06 August, 2003
Scott Sudbury - Static On The Radio
Tuesday, 05 August, 2003
Uncle Sid - Demo
Wednesday, 23 July, 2003
Tracks: Frenzy, Out Rock The Clock
More Info: www.unclesid.com
Verdict (& Rating): Enjoyable classic hard rock romp (80%)
Uncle Sid started life off in 1994 in Vancouver, Canada. The band now consists of Franky Dee (vocals), Henry Seto (guitars), Scotty Vye (bass) and Dale Salive (drums).
The band play 80's style hard rock, with possible comparisons being Steelheart and Slaughter.
The first track "Frenzy" is lives up to it's name, being an uptempo rock out. It grabs your attention, setting the mood for "Out Rock The Clock". This track really 'does the business', adding a little AC/DC or Krokus to the mix. The vocals are powerful, the guitars wail and the rhythm section provides the necessary solid foundation.
When a band decide to go for a 'tried and tested' sound, they've got to do it well and Uncle Sid do a sterling job. On the basis of this couple of songs Uncle Sid are worth keeping an eye on.
Wildest Dream - Demo
Wednesday, 23 July, 2003
Tracks: Believe, Never Say Goodbye, Every Time
More Info: http://utenti.lycos.it/wildestdream
Verdict (& Rating): Talented musicians, but doing a little too much hero worshipping (80%)
The inspiration behind Wildest Dream is Arin Vahanian (guitars, bass, keyboards & drums). He is joined by vocalist Tony Vendel. The influence of bands such as Harem Scarem, Frontline, Ten and Fair Warning fuelled the formation of Wildest Dream. Tony is also is a member of Dutch band Shoreline and a Journey tribute band.
The demo consists of three songs - "Believe", "Never Say Goodbye" and "Every Time". All three sounds are similar in style and structure - mid-tempo AOR tracks with strong melodies. The songs certainly 'pressed all the right buttons' for me (I'm a sucker for some 'good old fashioned AOR'), with the final track raising it head marginally above the others. Hence the very respectable rating. However, all three songs bear a strong resemblance to Journey. Tony's vocals take on many Perry-isms, but the overall sound and the songs themselves play an equal part in contributing to the cloning.
There is undoubted talent here, but it needs to be redirected so that the band can develop an identity of their own and make themselves an attractive prospect to record labels.
Alan Whittaker - Out Of This World
Tuesday, 22 July, 2003
Synasthasia - The Land Of Lores
Tuesday, 03 June, 2003
![[Image]](../../Images/synasthasia.gif)
Morgan Finlay - Uppercut
Friday, 30 May, 2003
More Info: www.morganfinlay.com, www.briscobodai.com
Verdict (Rating %): Laid back mixture of rootsy AOR & Funk (70 %)
Morgan Finlay is a singer/songwriter from Toronto, Canada Oh yeah,just what I wanted - a package arriving in the mail postmarked Toronto right when Toronto was making the headlines regarding SARS.
It is hard to describe Morgan's music. Imagine if Mark Spiro, Dan Reed, Jude Cole and maybe Warren Zevon were merged together - Morgan Finlay? Morgan describes it as 'an organic mix of edgy modern music and easy funk'. I can't think of a better description.
Opening and closing tracks, "Zensong" and "Everything Will Work Out Right", are similiar in style. "Zensong" is a Mark Spiro meets U2/REM style affair, whilst "Everything Will Work Out Right" is more Jude Cole/Mark Spiro/Warren Zevon.
In between there are a couple of funk based tracks, "In A Perfect World" and "A Lesson". "In A Perfect World" works best and I've written Earth, Wind and Fire meets Warren Zevon, if such a thing doesn't bend your mind too much.
That just leaves a short acoustic guitar piece called "Flow" and "The Reason Why", which is a slower AOR style (Timothy Drury/Jude Cole is what I've got in my listening notes).
OK. I'm beginning to wonder about my new rating system, as the last three albums I've reviewed have all ended up with the same score!!! The people I used as comparisons at the start of the review all feature in my own record collection with one or two albums each ,which says I like them but I'm not a big league fan - a little too laid back for me unless I'm in that frame of mind So maybe if you are more into laid back rootsy AOR, you might want to increase Upercut's rating slightly.
Challenge - Spirit
Thursday, 29 May, 2003
More Info: www.officialchallenge.com
Verdict (Rating %): Enjoyable, but doesn't have the "Acoustic Universe" 'Wow! factor' (70%)
Challenge are a duo consisting of LA vocalist (Allison Lindsay) and Dutch guitarist ( Arno Verstappen). I reviewed their debut album (Acoustic Universe) and was impressed
This time around they 'plugged their guitars into a big Marshall stack and cranked it up', the objective being to create a melodic rock album with a heavier sound and yet the same emphasis on melody. They also went for a basic sound without countless overdubs etc.
In trying to describe the overall Challenge sound this time around, I'll go for 'bluesy melodic rock'. Whilst the sound is obviously heavier than the debut, it still sits on the 'light' side of what I'd normally describe as melodic rock and sits closer to 'mainstream adult rock'.
The opening track, "Spirit", is a good start, with the guitar work being fluid and kicking it at the right moments. The next track, "Anytime", has a strong rhythm section, plus a horn section filling out the tune and giving a bluesy/jazzy feel. Alannah Myles is the first comparison that I thought of. In fact, there are a couple of other tracks, "It's My Life" and "Turn Away", in a similiar vein. "Turn Away" finishes the album well, but on "It's My Life" I found my self wishing the song had a bit more 'bite' to it.
The Hammond organ sound is present on a few tracks, most notably "Dark Night". The organ gives it a Deep Purple feel and the saxophone includes a jazzy feel which some Purple tunes have. Maybe because I'm a Purple fan and it may therefore be an unrealistic expectation, but I found myself wanting the song to rock out a little more. "Backbone" is another example of this style.
Elsewhere, the tracks are mostly fall into the 'pleasant' category. "Opening Wide" is the track that most closely echoes the style of the debut, where the Allison's clear vocals give it a folk feel, rather like early Heart.
I don't often mention them, but this time the lyrics are noteworthy. In addition to the standard love songs, the lyrics cover crime (Dark Night), having a realistic outlook (Spirit) and defying conformity (It's My Life).
"Spirit", "Dark Night" and "Turn Away", all show that the band can produce the goods when in electric mode. However, maybe I want to change the band into something they are not (a melodic hard rock band, rather than a melodic rock band), but I felt that generally the album lacked 'edge'. The album is an enjoyable listen, but doesn't impress the way the debut did.
Wampus Multimedia - After Hours: A tribute to the music of Lou Reed
Tuesday, 27 May, 2003
![[Image]](../../Images/after_hours.jpg)
More Info: www.wampus.com
Verdict (& Rating): Melancholy relaxation (70%)
Mmmmm........a tribute album. A tibute album to Lou Reed by a bunch of people I've never heard of. Come to think it, Lou Reed is an unknown quantity apart from "Walk On The Wild Side" & "Beautiful Day", which don't make an appearance here. If these guys were doing say a Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Deep Purple....tribute I'd have some sort of reference point. So the merits of this as a Lou Reed tribute album will have to go unassessed here. The album could be perpetrating the most horrendous crimes against Lou's music and I wouldn't know (although I suspect not). I'll leave that to the Lou Reed fans out there.
Wampus Mulitmedia is a US indie label, some of whose signings are featured here, who have previously released a Jonathan Richman tribute and who I think have Warren Zevon tribute in the pipeline. Now with a Warren Zevon tribute, I'd be in a better position to make comparisons with the original, having owned a couple of his albums. After Hours covers material from Lou's days in The Velvet Underground right through to his latter day solo material.
Despite the disprate nature of the recordings, the quality is consistent. Although I did have some tracks that pleased more than others, I think the album is best judged as a whole. I'd describe the album as pleasant listening (and I mean that in a positive, rather an a bland or negative sense), and I found it strangely relaxing. For example, it is great music to have on whilst reading a book or in my case restructuring a web site.
For me the highlights were the TomWaits/Willie Nelson-ish slow ballad of Pale Blue Eyes by Radio Caroline, Satellite of Love by Kowtow Popof which could even be described as 'catchy', the bluesy Turn To Me by The Underhills and the simple melancholy ballad Cremation by Lee Rude. Other tracks worth a mention are the buzzing guitars of How Do You Think It Feels by tvfordogs and the indie jangly guitars of Music For Viola's Going Down. The only tune that grated was the skiffle of Vicious by Okapi Guitars (the Duane Eddy meets The Shadows surf instrumental All Tommorrow's (Beach) Parties being another possible candidate on some listens).
The strengh of this album for me isn't individual songs, although it appears that the artists involved have lovingly crafted versions of their favourite Lou Reed songs. It works as a whole, albeit in a quiet rather than juggular grabbing way. I always thought that I'd find Lou Reed's talking/singing vocal style a bit of a turn off over the course of a full album, which is why I haven't investigated his music up until now. Therefore, this has been the ideal insight into Lou's work for me.
Squint - Tinsel Life
Monday, 19 May, 2003
More info: www.squint.com ![[Image]](../../Images/squint.gif)
Verdict (& Rating) : Vibrant, exciting and classy (90%)
Squint consists of Dane Adrian (vocals), Matt Fredrickson (guitar), Young Charles (bass) & Tote (drums). The band was started in Michigan by Dane and Matt and are now relocated to Lousiana. "Tinsel Life" is the follow up to 1998's Beeker album.
The whole Nu-Breed thing seemed to happen at a time when my interest in music was waning and it has remained largely unexplored terratory for me. Of course, Harem Scarem's experiements with the genre made it into my collection. As did one Marv 3 album which doesn't seem to have made it into my CD player that often. So my expectations for this album were fairly modest.
So I was surprised when the GnR meets the Ramones noise of "Anthem For Closure" made me stop whatever else I was doing and pay attention. Halfway through the song I reckoned punk meets glam (Ramones meets Poison) was a more valid comparison. By the time I'd listened to "Glimmer and Phrase" I remembered a band called Chequered Past featuring ex Pistol Steve Jones.
A song like "Postergirl" shows that the band have actually taken a bit of time to think about the lyrics. It is an amusing tale of searching for the perfect girl. "Unfinished", "Shadow Shadow", "Quite" and "Well Hell" all romp along with the quality being consistently high.Vocalist "Dane" rasps out the songs with just right amount of emotion without losing control and letting melody fall by the wayside. By the time "Well Hell" arrives, one criticism that could be levelled at the band is that the songs are all a bit one paced, but when they're as catchy this who cares!
After listening to this album, somehow "No-Name" is the track that sticks. Yeah, just what want- to go around with the phrase 'You're a no-name bastard' buzzing around my head.On "Random Caring" the vocals really remind of local punk merchants Stiff Little Fingers' Jake Burns. The title track, "Tinsel Life" closes the album with finesse and is a contender for best track on the album.
Squint seem to have captured the engery of punk with the catchiness of pop and thrown in enough rock elements to create an album that is really special.
Double Eclipse - Freedom To Function
Tuesday, 13 May, 2003
![[Image]](../../Images/doubleeclipse.jpeg)
I.C.O.N - ICONROCK EP
Wednesday, 16 April, 2003
Tracks: Full Circle, Fixation, Last Exit
More info: www.iconrock.co.uk
Verdict (& Rating): Contemporary version of Sabbath meets Maiden (75%)
I.C.O.N, consisting of Mark Sagar (vocals), Jason Shuttleworth (Bass) & Scott Knowles (Guitar), were formed in 1999 in Burnley, England. After a fruitless search for a drummer, then band's fourth member is a drum machine, even when they are playing live! Whenever the band play locally they attract both 'classic' and 'nu-metal' fans alike. The band have been building things up gradually moving from local gigs to natiowide gigs, a web site and the release of this EP in 2002.
A quick browse of the band's web site will reveal a list of all time and current favourite albums that includes Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Led Zep,Venom, Filter, Stone Temple Pilots, and Queens Of The Stone Age.
Opening track, "Full Circle", is a fast Metallica meets Maiden romp. The next track, "Fixation", trades speed for clout and makes more of an impact. Overall I'm reminded of Sabbath, albeit with a more comtempory feel to the chorus. "Last Exit" is more metal with attitude to complete the set.
Listening to I.C.O.N I can hear that their music is build upon 'classic' metal, but overall their sound is a little more contemporary and I can well imagine how their materail appeals to both the 'classic' and 'nu-metal' fans when they play live. I.C.O.N's style is a touch too metallic for my current tastes. but if you're more metallically inclinded than I me, then check out their web site.
Zoomer - Songs For The Univited & Church Of The Last Resort
Tuesday, 15 April, 2003
Zoomer - Songs For The Uninvited
Tracks: Hey Now, Americanz, Even The Score, Not Like You, What Ever, Don't Do It, No Easy Way Out, Nothing's What It Seems, One Baby Done,It's Over
More info: www.zoomermusic.com, www.destinomedia.com, www.zoomerart.com
Verdict (& Rating): Eclectic jangly pop (70%)
This is Zoomer's second release. His first, Maximum Plastic, was back in 1997. Other musicians on the album include Tony Brock (Rod Stewart, The Babys), Tad Wadhams ( The Babys, Sheryl Crowe) and Mary Ramsey (10,000 Manics, Goo Goo Dolls).
As you'll discover reading the rest of the review, Zoomer sits a little outside the usual description of Melodic Rock. Rather than try to summarize his style now, why don't I just move onto describing the songs and I'm sure you'll get the picture.
The opener, "Hey Now", is a jangly pop tune with a fairly catchy chorus that does a decent job of introducing Zoomer. "Americanz" is an easy going tune that has a retro feel - kinda like Mott The Hoople/Bowie does lounge jazz. More than anything else, the next tune "Even The Score", had me thinking about Grace Jones with it's spoken-style vocals and saxophone lead. "Not Like You" follows on with a jangly pop meets funk style.
It took a while, but when I listened to "What Ever", the B52's (Not that I can remember much about them apart from Rock Lobster) finally revealed themselves as the comparison that had been lurking at the back of my mind ever since track #1. "Don't Do It" follows on in a similar style. On track such a this you realize that Zoomer isn't going for an instant high with his songs and that repeated listens are required for the songs to get inside your head and make an impression. Concluding this little trio of tracks that I'd identify as the best on the album is "No Easy Way Out". It's a foot tapper with a vaguely Middle Eastern feel sitting on top of the perpetual rhythm.
I'll have to be honest and say that I kinda switch off during the next couple of tracks - "Nothing's What It Seems" and "One Baby Done". The quirky jangly pop of "Nothing's What It Seems" is too much like background music for my tastes. Whilst listening to "One Baby Done" I have found myself wondering how the track would end up if it were remixed with a heavier dance floor drum sound. It does have potential for a bit of 'buggering about' to create a Dance Floor #1. The cheesily titled "It's Over" closes the album with a fuzzy guitar sound and a saxophone adding the color.
You will have noticed that the names I used for comparison purposes to describe the tracks, aren't ones that regular Mood Swings visitors would expect to see. And indeed, this album would sit more comfortably in a cool pop album collection that a melodic rock album collection. The tracks that I enjoyed the most were actually the ones that reminded me most of the B52's.
Zoomer - Church Of The Last Resort
Tracks: Heroz, Say Hello To The MusicWhite Noise (Black Sheep)
More info: www.zoomermusic.com, www.destinomedia.com, www.zoomerart.com
Verdict (& Rating): Less eclectic, more mainstream, and a more satisfying noise to these ears (75%)
The opening track is a laid back lounge jazz affair called "Heroz" with a hint of blues and gospel thrown in. My immediate reaction is that it is better than anything I heard on the full album. Maybe that is because it is more mainstream and requires less thinking.
"Say Hello To The Music" at first reminded me jangly 80s pop merchants Lloyd Cole and The Commotions, but the chorus has a few quirky moments to make the track identifiable as Zoomer. The female backing vocals help to fill out the sound.
"White Noise (Black Sheep)" displays more melody and more of a sense of urgency than I identified on the full length album.
This shorter burst of Zoomer impressed me more than anything I heard on the full blown album.
Xinema - Different Ways
Wednesday, 05 February, 2003
Tracks: In the Scent Of The Night, Over The Sea, The Last Flower, Timing, One Day, Different Ways, Maybe Time, Across The Styx, Distant Lights, How Can I Believe?, The Secret, Blind Is The Light
More info: www.unicornrecords.com, http://hem.bredband.net/b127802/
Verdict (& Rating): An appealing fusion of prog and melodic rock (85%)
Xinema is a three piece prog/melodic rock band from Sweden, who have been together in their present form since March 1999. The members (Mikael Askemur, Sven Larsson & Jonas Thurén) played together in a band called Madrigal from 1985 to 1990, with the emphasis on complexity and influences like Rush, Genesis, Yes, Kansas and Styx.
In 1998 the band had a few get-togethers and whilst discussing the poor sound quality of their earlier demos, they decided it would be fun to wrap up the Madrigal days by re-recording the songs with better sound quality. The outcome was the formation of Xinema and this CD.
When 'In The Scent Of The Night' strikes up a couple of things spring to mind. The first is Saga. Leaving that for the moment, the next is the sound quality. The band have left those poor quality Madrigal demos far behind. The good fusion of keyboards and guitar make for an impressive start to the album.
"Over The Sea" confirms that the band's musical arena is progressive/pomp rock with a definite melodic rock/AOR theme. Since Saga is one of the better known exponents of this genre, a comparison is inevitable. Curiously Jethro Tull circa Broadsword is the closest reference point I can think of for 'The Last Flower'. Something to do with the keyboard sound I think.
On a number of tracks the guitar work, which impresses throughout the album, has a style not dissimilar to Saga's Ian Crichton. Prime examples being the next couple of tracks 'Time' and 'One Day'. Around this mid-album point, the songs seem to be sticking to a tried and tested formula, but to be fair to the band there is usually something to keep you listening such as the sheer quality of a track like 'Maybe Time' or the flowing guitar work on 'Across The Styx'.
By the time 'Distant Lights' arrives, the band are back in top gear and really demanding your full attention. A slight variation on the theme comes in the form of the more Asia-like 'How Can I Believe' and 'The Secret'. That just leaves the final track, 'Blind Is The Light', to do just as impressive a job finishing the album with it's well judged fusion of keyboards and guitar as 'In The Scent Of The Night' did opening it.
Xinema have a created an appealing album which will be of interest to fans of both prog and melodic rock. Fans of bands like Saga, Storming Heaven, Act and Thread in particular should check it out.
Brad Love -Through Another Door
Wednesday, 29 January, 2003
Tracks: Perfect World, Annie Annie, Serious Games, Darkness, I Do, All Over Now, Remember Me, Can't Say No, Techno Toccato, Simple Answer, Between Us, Home More info: 
Verdict (& Rating):
'AOR-lite' featuring one of my favourite tracks from 2002 (80%)Brad's former band, Aviary, is not a familiar name to me and to be honest I didn't quite know that to expect from this album. Something progressive and inaccessible I guess. Maybe that is why opener, 'Perfect World', made such a huge impact on me which I first listened to the album. . It manages to be a 'perfect' mixture of pop, rock, even a bit of classical, all glued together with a chorus that reminds me more of Nirvana than anyone else. An eclectic mix, but one that really impressed me on that first listen and has continued to on subsequent listens.
A little nagging voice in my head was saying that Brad's voice and style reminded me of someone else during my first listening of the opener. During the track, Annie Annie, it clicked - Brad reminds me of Chris De Burgh. Whilst I'll admit to liking some of Chris's music, the majority of it is too middle of the road and bland for my tastes. Brad takes that style and gives it the necessary rock edge to make it more appealing.
Of the slower tracks/ballads on offer the next track, "Serious Games", is the one that shines through. The chorus just seems to soar effortlessly and carries the song along, taking it into a more mid-tempo than ballad style. Later on, "Between Us", is another ballad that shows Brad's classical piano training coming through in the song writing. You've probably already worked out that the brief "Techno Toccato" also highlights this side of Brad's music.
"All Over Now" and "Remember Me" are a couple of mid-tempo semi-acoustic tracks in the middle of the album that work well together, because "All Over Now" sets the mood, whilst "Remember Me" follows up with an extra supply of catchiness in the chorus department.
The most up-tempo track is "Darkness", which reminds of Chris De Burgh's "Don't Pay The Ferryman". However, the mid-tempo 'AOR-lite' tracks are the ones that I prefer. Another good example of this style is "Simple Answer". There is a good build up to the chorus. There is even a little classical string interlude to give an extra dimension to the track.
If I call this 'easy listening' you'll all go off with the wrong impression, so maybe 'AOR-lite' is a better description. The best track, without a question of doubt, is "Perfect World". Indeed, it is one of my favourite tracks from 2002. With the best tracks mainly at the start of the album, it gives that 'peaked to early' feeling, but yet when listening I always hang on in there until the end.
Synema - Evolution For a Party of One (E4APO1)
Wednesday, 29 January, 2003
Tracks: Conception De Renaissance (Act 1 - Design, Act 2 - Rebirth), Would You Like?, Movement Evolution (Act 1 - Youthful Dreams), Movement Evolution (Act 2 - Exit Out, Act 3 - Youthful Dreams, Act 4 - Exit Out, Youthful Dreams reprise), Garden Of Circles, Million Memories, Traveller of Space and Time, Banished to Pangea, Dream Time, Field River Tree, As Light
More Info: www.synema.com
Verdict (& Rating): Classy synth-based progressive rock (80%)
Synema consists of two musician - Steve Nellessen & Mike Adkins, with Mike Hargeaves (Traveller of Space and Time) and Christine Youngberg (Banished to Pangea) helping out on vocals on the mentioned tracks, and Gary Rosier lead guitar (Conception De Renaissance). The band's name is a fusion of the words - Synthetic, Symphonic & Cinema.
The album is largely keyboard based, with guitars of both the acoustic varieties adding colour rather than being the central elements. Being a bit of metalhead at heart, I would have liked the guitars to be more central stage. In describing the overall sound of the band, it is difficult to better the band's own description - "Electronic, Symphonic and Neo-Progressive Rock". It is possible to detect influences here and there on the various tracks, but in a genre populated with acts content to rip-off Dream Theater, it is refreshing to find a band steering their own course.
Even though the album is split into a number of tracks, in truth they all flow into each other with no gaps, make the album feel like a single track, albeit one with plenty of variety (as you would expect from a progressive act).
"Conception De Renaissance" is a spacey affair that explodes into a guitar & synth fanfare to welcome you the CD and serves as an intro to the Floyd-like "Would You Like?". Throughout "Movement Evolution" I'm reminded of Magellan (in their quieter more Yes-like moments) and Gentle Giant, which are couple of names that the more prog-rock aware readers might be familiar with.
As I have already said the album is keyboards/synth-based and a result I hear a few elements from bands of that genre that I'd be vaguely familiar with - The Enid on "Million Memories", Tangerine Dream & Kraftwerk on "Field River Tree". "Field River Tree" starts off with a synth bass-line with a Kraftwerk feel before taking on more of a Tangerine Dream theme. It is one of the more up-tempo tracks on the album. Combined with the space-orientated synth rock of "As Light", which rocks out more than the rest of the album when it hits its stride, they make sure the album finishes strongly.
Whilst going through talking about individual tracks is useful from a reviewer's viewpoint, this album is really best enjoyed if you can find the time to put it on, sit back and listen to it in it's entirety. Despite it's American origins, it reminds me of British classic progressive rock and bands such as The Enid. This is a good album that will appeal to many progressive-orientated readers.
