My Favorite Albums of 2001
(In some semblance of order)
***Author's note: Below you will find two different rankings for this year's albums. The first is merely a list consisting of a Top Ten with a following list of "Honorable Mentions." These are my favorite albums of the year, that is, the albums to which I have formed the greatest emotional attachments. The ensuing Reviews are ordered according to my personal, more objective judgment as to their quality, that is, the "best" albums of the year. Here I have tried to order the albums reviewed according to my personal determination as to what are the "best" albums of the year from a more critical, qualitative viewpoint, that is, without as much emotional attachment as "My Favorite" albums.
2001 offered some absolutely breathtaking new music from artists practicing quite a wide variety of styles. My Favorites List has albums representing no less than nine sub-genres. A fairly good year in terms of quantity and quality, I have on my List seven (7) "minor" masterpieces and 16 "near-masterpieces" of progressive rock music as well as one special mention.
The Rankings
(My Favorites)
(My Favorites)
1. BJORK Vespertine
2.
2.
MOTORPSYCHO Phanerothyme
3. MAUDLIN OF THE WELL Leaving Your Bodymap
4. KARDA ESTRA Eve
5. KOENJI HYAKKEI Nivraym
6. MAUDLIN OF THE WELL Bath
7. SEVEN REIZH Strinkadenn Ys
8. STEREOLAB Sound-Dust
9. TOOL Lateralus
10. BUBBLEMATH Such Fine Particles of the Universe
10. BUBBLEMATH Such Fine Particles of the Universe
11. OPETH Blackwater Park
12. ANATHEMA A Fine Day to Exit
13. THE WATCH Ghost
14. NO-MAN Returning Jesus
15. HAMADRYAD Conservation of Mass
16. BILL BRUFORD'S EARTHWORKS The Sound of Surprise
17. NEXUS Metanoia18. PÄR LINDH PROJECT Veni, Vidi, Vici
19. PEKKA POHJOLA Views
20. JAGA JAZZIST A Livingroom Hush
Honorable Mentions:
PALLAS The Cross & The Crucible
SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM Grand Opening and Closing
The Reviews
5 star Masterpieces
(Ratings of 100 to 93.34)
None for this Year.
The "Minor" Masterpieces
(Ratings of 93.33 to 90.0)
***** Album of the Year for 2001! *****
1. KARDA ESTRA Eve
Karda Estra is a British Gothic chamber music group, brainchild of composer and guitarist Richard Wileman. Through out the 15 years of publishing their own music, Karda Estra have released 10 studio albums, throughout which many of Richard's co-performers have remained constant, including vocalist Ileesha Bailey, pianist and tuba player, Jemima Palfreyman, Rachel Larkins (viola, violin), Zoe King (flute, alto saxophone and oboe) and Caron Hansford (oboe, cor anglais and bassoon).
A recent discovery of mine, Karda Estra is just the type of music I've been looking for: a kind of mood-setting modern-day chamber music. How much I love oboe and choir anglais and Hackettesque guitar playing--is confirmed and affirmed in Richard's music.
I'd been listening to all the streams and samples I could find on ProgArchives, Lala, Lastfm, Amazon, myspace, and iTunes before I bought Eve, and Constellations, The Age of Science and Enlightenment. Of the three, Constellations is my current favorite for its more uplifting moodscapes. Eve, however, unleashes absolutely stunning, beautiful music, only a bit darker. I guess I tend to gravitate to musics that lift me up.
Thanks again to ProgArchives reviewers who recommended this group because of my interest in/like of After Crying, Mindflower, and Willowglass. Buying discs from founder/composer/guitarist Richard Wileman has been a delight because I get personal emails and heads-up notices of Karda Estra news. Also, check out the growing number of live, in-the-studio YouTube videos Richard and his bandmates have put out. (I actually like all of the YouTube video songs better than their album counterparts.)
Anyway, to Eve. From 2001, it is one of Karda Estra's earliest works. While the dark, macabre, 'gothic' story and mood themes are not necessarily what attract me to KE's music, they are, admittedly, very interesting and very different. Richard so often throws in some radically unexpected chord or key change into his compositions that it never fails to 'wake me up' and cause me to smile. Whether I'm smiling at his genius, his audacity, or his guts I'm not altogether sure. All I know is that I like it. A lot.
Though acoustic instruments are the dominant ones used in KE, there are many layers to their recorded music. Organs, synthesizers, and electric guitars and basses play important roles in the music--mostly--and this is the truly unique thing about KE--as background instruments! Sure, the Hackett-esque electric leads get a lot of attention from writers/ reviewers, but these are rarely dominant (very reminiscent of the way Steve Rothery's guitar work is mixed into early Marillion music). Richard is truly a master of composition and a beautiful classical guitar player. KE's vocalist, Ileesha Bailey, must be the most meticulous and patient of souls, for her multi-layered vocals are always so exquisitely recorded and rendered. Then there are those woodwinds! Those fabulous women with lips of steel! They alone are enough to get me to listen to every one of KE's songs. The piano/keyboard and strings work is always important, integral, if not always as foreground as the horns, voices, and guitars.
Though, IMHO, every song on Eve deserves at least a 7 or 8, my three favorites, "Eve," "Super Electrical," "Sparks that Flash and Fall..." and "Andraiad" are sheer masterpieces in terms of matching aural pleasure with compositional and performance mastery.
One of my favorite elements of KE music is the often lack of drumming. Don't get me wrong: I love percussionists and percussion work, yet I find myself enjoying more and more the musics that are created without the incessant and sometimes redundant feeling of pounding bass drums, beating toms, snappy snares and crashing cymbols. Thank you Richard and Karda Estra for your role in helping to bring forth a modern revival of the lost art of chamber music.
1. "An Ordinary Mortal" (4:34) Part ANTHONY PHILLIPS, part GENESIS, until Ileesha's vocals enter then it's all Karda Estra. (9/10)
2. "Andraiad" (8:28) Were it not for the gorgeous woodwinds and strings speckled intermittently throughout, this song would fit as a brilliant, eerie STEVE HACKETT song: the guitars all sound just like Steve's style and sounds. Again, Ileesha's vocalizations give KE their own category. Awesome guitar work, Richard! (19/20)
3. "The Pale Ray" (3:29) begins with piano and flute playing staccato notes together, before Ileesha's voice and Caron's oboe introduce other themes. Flute, piano, oboe, and voice take turns playing variations of melodies off of each other. Truly a classical composition of some accomplishment. (8/10)
4. "Super Electrical" (4:41) is another piano-based tune but this time using clarinet, electric guitar and French horn to bring on the melody harmonically. Until an explosion of percussives and Ileesha change the tone for a bit. Electric guitar with volume pedal trades melody with flute and clarinet for a bit before the Ileesha-tympani charge bursts in again. Electric bass and distorted fuzz guitar take a turn before the clarinet, voice and piano chord progression takes over. (9/10)
5. "Eve" (7:37) is a kind of waltz (with snare drum!) this one has an unusual almost MAGMA-like balance of electric and acoustic/orchestral instruments playing side-by-side--and with absolutely beautiful melodies being exchanged as if in conversation. Tremolo electric guitar is another nice effect. At 2:40 Ileesha's stunning, haunting Siren vocals take over and dupe the listener into her power. A beautiful orchestrated ANTHONY PHILLIPS section then ensues, with cymbols and the return of the tremolo electric guitar, beneath a flute and strings lead. Solo piano takes over for a bit before organ, bass and MIKE OLDFIELD-like guitar join in. Then flute with "Entangled"-like guitar before giving way to a variation on a previous section and its theme using voice, strings and flute. A brief encounter with a strings chamber section prepares one for the vocalized outro. (15/15)
6. "Sparks that Flash and Fall..." (10:24) is easily the eeriest song on the album--reminding me a lot of some of the odd nature songs on BRIAN ENO's Ambient 4: On Land. Then organ and volume-pedaled electric guitar take over before treated piano and acoustic guitar sneak up from beneath to take turns in the lead roles. Very ANT PHILLIPS-like section of odd guitar chords being played in arpeggio. A bridge of loud percussives, piano, and Illesha lead into a section that has a kind of Middle Eastern feel to it. All the while the song's eeriness remains quite edgy. At the 5:00 mark there is a complete pause in the music before organ and electric guitars start to bring the main melody back. Orchestral strings and oboe bring light(ness) to the feel, even while playing the song's main melody! Brilliant! Violin plays over piano until bassoon and creepy synth and acoustic nylon string guitar take us back into mystery. What compositional vision! What a collaborative performance! The last two minutes fill the listener with hope and lightness--despite the very odd, eerie piano & orchestra outro. (Shades of the possible return of the evil within?) (19/20)
7. "Thoughts and Silences" (3:24) is a beautiful acoustic dance of guitar, piano, and woodwinds. Stunning melodies throughout. Perfect ending to this amazing album! Oboe, clarinet, and bassoon all take a turn to say goodbye. (10/10)
92.94 on the Fish scales = A/five stars; a true masterpiece of progressive rock music. Kudos KE for the high levels of composition and performance, the pleasure principle, for its freshness.
2. HAMADRYAD Conservation of Mass
A very pleasant retro-YES/RUSH band from Canada.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Jocelyn Beaulieu / lead & backing vocals, electric & Classical guitars
- Denis Jalbert / electric and acoustic 6- & 12-string guitars, backing vocals
- Francis Doucet / Hammond, Mellotron, MiniMoog, Roland synth
- Jean-François Désilets / bass, Taurus & Midi bass pedals, lead & backing vocals, production
- Yves Jalbert / drums, percussion, backing vocals
With:
- Andy Cherna / co-arranger, production & mixing
1. Eternal Loop (0:49)
2. "Amora Demonis" (6:58) if RUSH had taken their sound further into the metal field, this is what you might get. The vocal sound more like BABYLON leader DORROCUS than Geddy Lee. Excellent sound, composition, and instrumental performances. (14/15)
3. Carved In Rust (0:23)
4. "Still They Laugh" (2:22) musically, this sounds like a very cool excerpt from an instrumental jam the band had obviously recorded, but the Yes-like vocals and Mellotron are added to give it a fullness to deserve its presence on the album. (4.5/5)
5. "The Second Round" (4:31) a more original composition with Banksian organ, Gentle Giant-like vocal weaves, and a lot of flash instances of both YES and RUSH. Nice performances by all instrumentalists--especially the drumming. (8.75/10)
6. "Still They Laugh Pt. 2" (2:25) what feels like the beginning of the jam song that song #4 presents the finish of. Again, the vocals were probably added later (or the two songs were excerpted from a much longer collective.) The sound here is more muddled than the "first" version. Intentionally, it would seem. (4.25/5)
7. "Shades Of Blue" (5:26) pure YES vocals with a RUSH instrumental palette. Nice fretless bass--and bass pedals! (8.75/10)
8. "Action !" (9:39) a much heavier, more complex metal musical style with a 1980s BLUE ÖYSTER CULT like feel to both the music and vocals. (I take it this is not Jocelyn singing lead. Must be Jean-François Désilets.) Excellent lead guitar play in the solo sections. This is a nice style for them; it feels good to get out from under the YES, GENESIS, and/or RUSH styles--thought they do return to them in the final quarter of the song--which is excellent. (18/20)
9. "Nameless" (10:24) more excellent music imitative of YES--though the delicate passage in the third quarter and finish are more GENESISian. (18/20)
10. "The Second Coming" (4:23) acoustic guitar picking joined by a folk palette of other acoustic instrumentalists (and jazz bass). Once Jocelyn's voice joins in, it takes on more of the The Yes Album feel but the structure and from are all its own. I think the overall instrumental performances here are actually higher than what 1971 Yes could have produced, but this is not quite the memorable song that those 1971-6 Yessongs. (8.75/10)
11. "Watercourse Hymn" (10:10) an excellent song, standing on its own marks, despite its feeling as if it came right off of The Yes Album or Close to the Edge. (19/20)
Total Time: 58:00
I must admit, their harmonized multi-voiced vocal passages are superior to those of the bands they are inspired by or imitating. While not everyone is enamored of lead singer Jocelyn Beaulieu's voice, I find it extraordinary. He has amazing control of both his pitch and dynamics.
90.83 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. I don't care that there is much imitation/emulation of prog's past giants, this is really good music--from excellent musicians!
3. BJORK Vespertine
Bjork is beautiful, quirky, unique, fearless, self-absorbed (in a very innocent, good way), fluid, cerebral, visceral, creative, and inventive. She is a beacon of light for any artist in any field. "Fear no Art!" her Siren voice is pleading to us all.
Bjork is beautiful, quirky, unique, fearless, self-absorbed (in a very innocent, good way), fluid, cerebral, visceral, creative, and inventive. She is a beacon of light for any artist in any field. "Fear no Art!" her Siren voice is pleading to us all.
2. "Cocoon" (4:28) Besides all the clicks and pops going on in the background, this song is an incredibly sensuous vocal/voice on display--breathing and all! (9/10)
3. "It's Not Up to You" (5:09) is blessed with a chorus section that just sucks you in and leaves you begging for more. Wonderful effect of harp, strings, glockenspiel, woodwinds and female choral b-vox. (10/10)
4. "Undo" (5:39) is my personal favorite from this album. Brilliant use of voice, effects and space; percussion and keys, and, later, orchestration and female chorale. (9.5/10)
5. "Pagan Poetry" (5:15) is another absolutely unforgettable Björk song. All instruments seem to be used percussively yet weave into a flowing tapestry like water--thanks to lead and background vocals. Such an emotional delivery from the divine Miss B. (9.5/10)
6. "Frosti" (1:42) is an absolutely gorgeous, mature 'music box' solo. Wow! Who'd have thunk it possible? (5/5)
8. "An Echo a Stain" (4:04) is a spacey, futuristic-sounding free-flowing piece that barely ever goes anyplace, just keeps you floating in limbo, like a Stanley Kubrick film. (7/10)
9. "Sun in My Mouth" (2:40) brings back the 'music box' and computer bass--and, later, harp and orchestra--to accompany the singer on a beautiful journey through the here and now--so much sensual imagery in the lyrics! (9/10)
10. "Heirloom" (5:12) opens with an upbeat computerized drum/percussion sequence. (I'm reminded of ANNETTE PEACOCK's Sky Skating.) Synths join in before bass and Björk enter. The lighter mood is refreshing. (8/10)
11. "Harm of Will" (4:37) begins with tear-jerkingly beautiful orchestration, over which Miss B's exquisite vocalizations join. It is, however, the continuous play of the orchestra strings that keeps me glued to this song. VAUGHAN WILLIAMS would love this! (10/10)
12. "Unison" (6:47) starts rather starkly before some rather upbeat, child-ish, (I'm reminded of JACQUES BREL) instruments and melodies join the singer. Once the drum and bass beat are established--and the background choir--the song becomes quite charming. Matter of fact, on this one it is the choir work--and orchestral strings--that steal the show. Great vocal performance during the second half from Miss B. (13.5/15)
One of the things I love about Björk is she, her music, her voice, her lyrics, are unlike anyone else. There really aren't many artists like this. Fellow Iceland-born Sigur Rós, Argentina's Factor Burzaco and maybe Karda Estra, Magma, The Mars Volta, and Toby Driver are a few of the others that come to mind who also fit this "unlike anyone else" category. Kudos, Miss Björk.
90.45 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a masterpiece of unique and innovative music and a minor masterpiece to the world of progressive rock music. A musical ride you better strap yourself in for. Also, worth checking out are any of Björk's concert DVDs. Breath-taking!
4. MAUDLIN OF THE WELL Leaving Your Bodymap
I am absolutely blown away--once again--by a TOBY DRIVER project! It all started with 2009's brilliant and beautiful Part the Second, before I went scurrying back into Toby Driver World. Being a more recent focus of Driver's attention and energy, I dived into the KAYO DOT catalogue before circling back
round to the earlier maudlin of the Well stuff. While Part the Second is out of this
world, this one is within this world but still exploring and pushing boundaries
and stylistic experimentation like no one--NO ONE--is doing (to my knowledge) in this 21st Century. Full of both abrasive power and stunning beauty, Leaving Your Bodymap--and its predecessor, Bath--are musical experiences that defy categorization because they defy precedents, constantly break into surprising territory and uncharted waters.
1. "Stones of October's Sobbing" (7:25) To start
an album with spacious guitar notes and flute and then so smoothly flow into an
unique pounding-yet-minimalistically-constructed moody jazz/pop metal song with
slow (and easy to understand!) death metal growls is nothing less than
astounding! Astounding! Then to have it evolve into a true metal song with
angels of jazz flitting in and out, over and above, then decaying into a death
scene with the odd spasm of metal guitar life. It defies description much less
explanation. (15/15)
2. "Gleam in Ranks" (4:16) is an unbelievably
fresh-sounding song with components and accents that defy definition or
description. I can't tell you how amazed I am over the choice of vocal styling
and effects (distant, very melodic human-emotional singing, interspersed with
screams and growl-screams) over this amazing driving song. (9/10)
3. "Bizarre Flowers/A Violent Mist" (9:35) as
repetitive as it is, is probably my favorite song on the album. The amazing
vocals, epic tubular bells, and weave of all kinds of tertiary and background
instruments and effects, presents a wall of sound that strikes deep within my
core. Then! it all cuts out at the three minute mark, leaving some cymbol play,
electric guitar feedback, repeated electric guitar note play and voices
screaming in the background like thunder rumbling--till it all builds to jump
start the song's third section with its growl vocals--at first fast, then
mysteriously slowing--as if the world is being played in slow motion. Then the
odd, dissonant electric guitar and bass chords and double bass drum machine gun
hits play a few seconds before everything switches to a very straightforward
driving rock beat with an almost normal electric guitar solo playing over the
top. Oops! Switch again! Slow down to that slow-mo heavier music only this time
with the floating upper register male vocals singing till song's still and
anti-climactic end. (19/20)
4. "(Interlude 3)" (4:17) is a beautiful acoustic guitar
(and, later, tabla, and still later, violin) piece--almost like a CHOPIN étude.
(10/10)
5. "The Curve that to an Angle Turn'd" (8:22) begins as a rather slow-paced study in electric guitar chords before turning
into a proper albeit slow metal song with growl lyrics as in the opening song.
This song's development and evolution are slow and subtle, then suddenly
diverting to jazz, interrupted with metal power chords, then back to the jazz
theme with quite pastoral female and (far in the background) male vocals. Kissing
seems to be the topic of their woven discussion before we find ourselves left
only with an slow laying electric guitar. Guitar is then joined by jazzy drums
and some whipsered background voices before the scream-growl master reutrns
with flayling drums (bass, mostly) and composed guitar chords. God this music
is so fascintating! Like nothing I've ever reviewed! Not sure of the point of
this song. (16/20)
6. "Sleep Is a Curse" (5:37) is a kind of folk ballad
about the singer's own suicide. Acoustic guitars being picked at seem to be
telling a story of their own--a kind of underlying confidence to go with the
ethereal lyric. Almost three-quarters of the way into the song, the guitars are
joined by bass, drums, and violin to finish out the song. The vocals only hum
in the background. (Must be the angel getting to know himself and his
boundaries.) Cool song. Melodic and probably poignant. (9/10)
7. "Riseth He, The Numberless, part 1" (4:18) opens with low brass (baritone or French horn?) before meaty bass and drums and
then guitars join in on a kind of military march with Post Rock/Math Rock
leanings--that is, until the growl vocals enter. Later the tempo doubles, a
virtuosic guitar solo spills out before the music suddenly cuts out, leaving
the sounds of rain and wind with a screaming man far in the distance. (7.75/10)
8. "Riseth He, The Numberless, part 2" (5:12) is a
kind of slowed down, angelic carry forward from "part 1" with a
harp-like instrument playing a pretty melody in arpeggio. At the two minute
mark, the music solidifies into a more heavy mode with fuzz guitar and a brief
growl vocal. At 3:00 the music briefly adds some electronic keyboard arpeggio
accents before returning to the death metal format and a brief lead guitar solo
decaying with multiple fuzz guitars playing an odd chord progression over and
over. (8.875/10)
9. "(Interlude 4)" (5:10) begins with sleigh bells
(yeah: sleigh bells) which are joined by one and then a second Windham
Hill-like acoustic guitar, playing off of one another (or are they each in
their own separate universes?) before being joined by jazz-like drumming and
violin/strings. (9/10)
10. "Monstrously Low Tide" (6:46) begins by giving
the listener a true journey: from power metal to acoustic jazz to FRED FRITH
sound experimentation to be unexpectedly joined by our female (think
"JOANNE HOGG") and male (think "MICHAEL FRANKS")
vocalist/lovers from Song 5 then turning down another electric guitar effects
étude--where it stays until song's--(and album's)--conclusion. (13.5/15)
What a journey! I swear this album took/takes me to
alternate universes I had never imagined! Just what I want my music to do! Just
what truly PROGRESSIVE music should do.
90.38 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive music and definitely one of the most adventurous, exciting, and
beautiful albums of the 21st Century! (And I don't really like metal or growling!)
5. TOOL Lateralus
What a sonic treat! Now I finally understand all the hype around TOOL: They are the real deal!
Because the whole is so much more than its individual parts, my mind couldn't help but draw comparisons to LED ZEPPELIN, KING CRIMSON, U2, and PEARL JAM--not that the individuals suck or anything! Au contraire!
Drummer Danny Carey's playing and sound is so fresh, innovative, and creative--and with a willingness to think and feel 'outside the proverbial box' that I am reminded of the impact BILL BRUFORD or TRILOCK GURTU had on me upon first hearings. And how refreshing it is to hear a) a 'metal' drummer who is not obsessed with his multiple foot pedals and kick drums and, b) who uses something other than a snare as his beat-keeper.
Bassist Justin Chancellor likewise plays with a style so fresh and unorthodox that again I find myself somewhat reminded of the impact PERCY JONES, JACO PASTORIUS, and TONY LEVIN had on me upon first hearing them.
Guitarist Adam Jones is like an abstract painter using unusual SOUNDS drawn through his electronic apparati to add TEXTURALLY to the musical tapestry instead of through flash, speed or pyrotechnics.
And Maynard James Keenan's vocal contributions are more akin to additional threads in the sonic weave.
The clarity and depth of each individual instrument's recording is nothing short of astounding. This is so unusual in this era of mind-numbing walls of sound and infinite power chords that serve more to create sonic mush and chromatic washout. The clarity and distinctiveness and, dare I say it, SIMPLICITY of the contributions of Tool's individuals is, however, never bigger than or to the diminishment of the collective, instead, they are always adding perfectly to boost the whole, to create a strong, full, and rich sonic tapestry.
I have no single favorite song, though again and again, in song after song, I found myself thinking, "These guys are well versed in their Zeppelin" or "--in their Pearl Jam" or "--King Crimson" and especially "well rooted in U2's Joshua Tree." Awesome stuff. Kudos all around. Music like this is truly so very rare. Try the title song, "Lateralus" (9:37) (18/20) or "The Grudge" (8:35) for starters.
5 stars. Without question this is a masterpiece of progressive music--a veritable leap of fresh innovation.
6. NEXUS Metanoia
Argentina's top-tier prog-rockers put their cops on display with powerful singer, Mariela Gonzalez at the forefront. Though it took me a little time to get used to the tone, timbre, and style of Ms. Gonzalez's voice, it took only seconds to know that keyboard player Lalo Huber is a genius. I'm always surprised to read slams on his organ-dominated keyboard stylings cuz I have not heard a better keyboard-organist in the 21st Century. I am by no means an expert, but I know the organ as I grew up at the foot of my grandfather who had cathedral-type pipe organs in the homes in which he lived. I've heard "great" organ players in European cathedrals and American concert halls as well is in recorded music.
Argentina's top-tier prog-rockers put their cops on display with powerful singer, Mariela Gonzalez at the forefront. Though it took me a little time to get used to the tone, timbre, and style of Ms. Gonzalez's voice, it took only seconds to know that keyboard player Lalo Huber is a genius. I'm always surprised to read slams on his organ-dominated keyboard stylings cuz I have not heard a better keyboard-organist in the 21st Century. I am by no means an expert, but I know the organ as I grew up at the foot of my grandfather who had cathedral-type pipe organs in the homes in which he lived. I've heard "great" organ players in European cathedrals and American concert halls as well is in recorded music.
The opening two songs on this album of almost 73 minutes of music are brief instrumentals which set up the first real song, "Metambo" (5:43) a hard-driving rocker that introduces Mariela's powerful voice. (9/10) This is followed by an instrumental very much in the more bombastic Genesis style "Planeta Herido" (3:02) (9/10). Then we have the first of the album's three suites, the fast-paced three-parted "Despertar Dentro De Un Sueño (Metanoia Nivel 1)" (9:23) (18/20) which is then followed by the awesome NIL/King Crimson-like, "Hacia del luz" (5:04) (10/10). The next two songs come in at over seven minutes each, the first, the hard-rocking instrumental "Metanoia (Metanoia Nivel 2)" (7:47) rocks big time, featuring more of the instrumental and compositional prowess of all the band members (though Lalo's keyboard wizardry certainly shines bright) (13.5/15). The second, "La Tentación Del Mundo" (7:27) (13.5/15) is a more slowly paced ballad that features a very emotional vocal from Mariela and some great guitar and organ playing. But these two strong pieces are overshadowed by the album's crown jewel: its second suite, "En las manos de Dios" (15:45) a sixteen minute epic that comes at you in five parts (30/30). This one is set up so majesterially, so maturely and methodically that one cannot help but recognize its masterpiece status--an achievement of the highest ranks of progressive rock. Not overly bombastic, paced so delicately as to fully display the wonderful subtleties and shifts, emotional nuances and instrumental flourishes. At least until the very ELP-influenced second section. This starts out very bombastically (you know how Keith was) but then reins itself into some disciplined structuring to support the solid soling of talented (but oft over-shadowed) guitarist Carlos Lucena. As a matter of fact, you might say that this is a song/suite that helps the listener to better appreciate each of the band members' individual instrumental talents--especially the multi-dimensional Lucena and Gonzalez. I love the lead guitar melody that is repeated over the church organ in the fourth section. The final section is as beautiful (in a Genesis kind of way) as it is its title seems to imply it should be ("Las manos de Dios"). The next full song is okay but a bit of a letdown after the great suite before it. (8/10) And the album's final suite, "Tan Cerca Del Fuego (Metanoia Nivel 3)" (7:17) continues the display of dynamic symphonic style with nice vocals from Mariela (13.5/15), while the last song on the album, "Eterna Recurrencia Cero" (3:07), is more of a gentle, almost out-of-place dream-scape. (8/10)
All in all this is a magnum opus, a very polished, very demanding collection of songs (both performance-wise and for the listener) that puts on full display the sublime talents of one of the if not the best prog bands in the Southern Hemisphere.
90.0 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music.
90.0 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Bent Sæther / bass, vocals, guitars, piano, harmonium, Mellotron, percussion, Viscount organ
- Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan / guitars, vocals, Rhodes piano, ARP, SidStation, electric harmonium, Viscount organ, percussion, lap-steel
- Håkon Gebhardt / drums, vocals, banjo, percussion, zither, guitars, glockenspiel, lap-steel
With:
- Helge "Deathprod" Sten / audio virus, Echoplex, filters, theremin, percussion
- Baard Slagsvold / piano, vocals, Mellotron, clavinette, Hammond organ
- Øyvind Fossheim / violin
- Vegard Johnsen / violin
- André Orvik / violin
- Hans Morten Stensland / violin
- Jon W. Sønstebø / viola
- Anne Britt Søvig Årdal / cello
- Ketil Vestrum Einarsen / flute
- Lars Horntveth / tenor sax and bass clarinette
- Anne-Grethe Orvik / oboe
- Even Skatrud Andersen / trombone
- Mathias Eick / trumpet and flugelhorn
- Line Horntveth / tuba
- Bent Sæther / bass, vocals, guitars, piano, harmonium, Mellotron, percussion, Viscount organ
- Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan / guitars, vocals, Rhodes piano, ARP, SidStation, electric harmonium, Viscount organ, percussion, lap-steel
- Håkon Gebhardt / drums, vocals, banjo, percussion, zither, guitars, glockenspiel, lap-steel
With:
- Helge "Deathprod" Sten / audio virus, Echoplex, filters, theremin, percussion
- Baard Slagsvold / piano, vocals, Mellotron, clavinette, Hammond organ
- Øyvind Fossheim / violin
- Vegard Johnsen / violin
- André Orvik / violin
- Hans Morten Stensland / violin
- Jon W. Sønstebø / viola
- Anne Britt Søvig Årdal / cello
- Ketil Vestrum Einarsen / flute
- Lars Horntveth / tenor sax and bass clarinette
- Anne-Grethe Orvik / oboe
- Even Skatrud Andersen / trombone
- Mathias Eick / trumpet and flugelhorn
- Line Horntveth / tuba
1. "Bedroom Eyes" (2:18) gentle folk rock with great Beatles-like melody. (4.5/5)
2. "For Free" (5:13) rocking with that chunky bass, this is more like the electric Dylan imitators--though lighter and bouncier than Dylan. Great engineering with beautiful orchestral support. The instrumental section is definitely the best--where everything comes shining through. A song that really grew on my with repeated listens. (8.75/10)
3. "B.S." (3:41) opens with a 1960/70s sound and feel. I love Bent's unadulterated, vulnerable vocal. Great instrumental section in the second minute--kind of Jimmy Webb/Burt Bacharach. Nostalgic yet fresh and so enjoyable. This sounds more like the upbeat, poppy side of countrymates BROTHER APE. (9/10)
4. "Landslide" (4:38) orchestral opening gives way to BLIND FAITH-like acoustic guitar, piano and vocal. Bass and drums join in for the second verse. A different lead vocalist for this one. Quirky and funny--like an early prog song--a cross between CSN and early solo Paul McCartney. Great composition with great engineering and vocal harmonies and awesome orchestral arrangements. The instrumental finish is the best. (8.75/10)
5. "Go to California" (8:01) Like an experimental Brian Wilson piece. After the a cappella vocal opening, a great pulsing beat is established with upbeat guitar and keyboard-supported chord sequence. Love the playful flute flitting in and out of the song's vocal and instrumental lines. Great vocal arrangements for the collective throughout--culminating with a great chorus. Big key shift in the third minute leads into a DOORS-like "Riders on the Storm" heavily-treated electric piano solo in the fourth and fifth minutes. I would go so far as to say that the band is fully intentional with its imitation and even replication of some of THE DOORS' soli in this instrumental section--both Fender Rhodes and electric guitar. But it's done so well, so tastefully--one of the best, most respectful and yet inspired "covers" I've ever heard. (19/20)
6. "Painting the Night Unreal" (6:31) slow, late night jazz; sounds like something George Harrison would have done impromptu with a lounge jazz combo. Another different lead vocal style here--a more gentle, sensitive vocal approach. Nice, confident (ballsy) composition. In the fifth minute it gets dirty and grungy as the singer shifts into a raspy screaming voice à la Paul McCartney in some of his more forceful vocal performances. Could be Spirit or another one of the blues-rock proto-prog bands of the 1960s. (8.75/10)
7. "The Slow Phaseout" (4:30) Nice Jane's Addiction/Porno For Pyros-like song. Great chorus. Once again, the instrumental passages are so magical, so subtly sophisticated. Such great composers! (Funny video, guys, with that all-female cover band sitting in your places.) (8.75/10)
8. "Blindfolded" (3:44) soft picked acoustic guitars and piano support easy-going Steve Winwood-like vocal performance. Great rhythm tracks and orchestral support. What amazing arranging/composition skills! Plus a great vocal/lyrical performance. Definitely a top three song for me among a whole album of great songs. (9.25/10)
9. "When You're Dead" (4:52) twangy electric guitar, banjo and horn provide opening weave but are totally supplanted by acoustic guitar when gentle whispery vocal enters. Nice melodies, but I don't like the chorus--a bit abrasive and messy with so many instruments joining in all at once: it's almost startling! Great trumpet solo over such a beautiful passage in the third minute--once again, such great orchestral support. I;m torn: there are parts I LOVE yet parts that irritate me. (8.75/10)
Total Time: 43:31
Total Time: 43:31
Single release bonus: "Go to California" (3:11) Like an experimental Brian Wilson piece. After the a cappella vocal opening, a great pulsing beat is established with upbeat guitar and keyboard-supported chord sequence. Love the playful flute flitting in and out of the song's vocal and instrumental lines. Great vocal arrangements for the collective throughout--culminating with a great chorus. (9/10)
90.0 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music--despite being rather imitative of the 1960s proto-prog era of music, these compositions are so masterful as to supercede anything that has come before. This album is such a delight, such an amazing display of compositional genius, that I just have to bump it up as a five star masterpiece!
***SPECIAL FEATURE***
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO MUSIC
FROM SOURCES OUTSIDE OF PROGRESSIVE ROCK MUSIC:
DIANA KRALL The Look of Love
Once in a great while the musical world in general is so enhanced by a musical contribution as to make it bigger, better and more impactful than it would be without it. Such was the effect on me from Diana Krall's 2001 album release, The Look of Love. The orchestral arrangements of Claus Ogerman and the London Symphony Orchestra are a large part of the impact of this album. The other is the influx of Latin/bassa nova Burt Bacharach-style song choices and musical arrangements Krall used with this album. The final reason for this album's great impact on me is Diana's own inimitable way of delivering a vocal: Having seen her live in concert I know that each performance of the same song can be totally different than any other previous (or future) rendering of that song as Diana has a gift of being able to be so extremely present in The Here and Now that she extracts each and every note in her delivery from another dimension, as if it has never been written, never been performed before, is totally her own new creation. It is one of the most amazing concert experiences I have ever had: watching her extract each and every note from the ether, knowing that the infinite possibilities that were available to her might just as easily have been her choice, and might be in the future.
Diana Krall – piano, vocals (all tracks)
Dori Caymmi – guitar (track 1)
Christian McBride – bass (all tracks)
Jeff Hamilton – drums (tracks 1, 3, 5)
Paulinho da Costa – percussion (tracks 1, 3, 5)
Los Angeles Session Orchestra – orchestra (tracks 1, 3, 5)
Russell Malone – guitar (tracks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10)
Peter Erskine – drums (tracks 2, 4, 6–10)
London Symphony Orchestra – orchestra (tracks 2, 4, 6–10)
John Pisano – guitar (tracks 3, 5)
Romero Lubambo – guitar (tracks 7, 9)
Luis Conte – percussion (tracks 7, 9)
Claus Ogerman – orchestra arrangement, conducting
1. "S'Wonderful" (George & Ira Gershwin) (4:28) great vocal but the lush orchestra-supported instrumental section from 2:05 to 2:38 and is to die for. (9/10)
2. "Love Letters" (Victor Young / Edward Heyman) (4:55) voice and jazz electric guitar are eventually joined by the London Symphony Orchestra and the rest of the jazz combo. Such an amazing vocal performance! (9/10)
3. "I Remember You" (Johnny Mercer / Victor Schertzinger) (3:55) one of the songs that sucks me in from the intro and first orchestrated seconds and never lets me go. Again, the orchestral work adds so much! (9.75/10)
4. "Cry Me a River" (Arthur Hamilton) (5:03) so dramatic! The bluesy jazz shifts so dramatically when the orchestra begins to join in during the second verse, and then nearly steals the show after the second chorus. (8.75/10)
5. "Besame Mucho" (Consuelo Velázquez) (6:40) A song of unsurpassed beauty and perfection. (10/10)
6. "The Night We Called it a Day" (Tom Adair / Matt Dennis) (5:41) such a song of contrasts: spacious, sensitive, yet lush and so emotional. (8.875/10)
7. "Dancing in the Dark" (Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz) (5:48) another absolutely perfect song--I've never heard a version to even compare to this one. Claus Ogerman's arrangements are stunning. (9.75/10)
8. "I Get Along Without You Very Well" (Hoagy Carmichael / Jane Brown Thompson) (3:44) I could listen to the orchestral work in this one all day--even without Diana's wonderful contributions. (9.5/10)
9. "The Look of Love" (Burt Bacharach / Hal David) (4:42) again, one of this album's songs of which I've never heard better. The accentuation of the original music's latin-derived rhythms is absolute genius.(10/10)
10. "Maybe You'll Be There" (Rube Bloom / Sammy Gallop) (5:30) a beautifully rendered jazz standard that is, once again, improved ten-fold by the orchestral accompaniment. (8.875/10)
93.75 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a verifiable masterpiece of music; an amazing contribution of human artistic expression.
KOOP Waltz for Koop
A totally refreshing example of some kind of nostalgic NuJazz from the Swedish duo of Magnus Zingmark and Oscar Simonsson, operating under the name KOOP.
Lineup / Musicians:
Magnus Zingmark
Oscar Simonsson
With:
Dan Berglund - bass
Ola Bothzén - Bongos
Magnus Lindgren - Flute, brass (reeds)
Matthias Ståhl - Vibraphone
1. "Waltz for Koop" (featuring Cecilia Stalin) (3:06) (9.5/10)
2. "Tonight" (featuring Mikael Sundin) (2:54) (9.5/10)
3. "Baby" (featuring Cecilia Stalin) (3:47) (8.5/10)
4. "Summer Sun" (featuring Yukimi Nagano) (3:47) such a happy-go-lucky song! (9/10)
5. "Soul for Sahib" (3:37) (8.5/10)
6. "Modal Mile" (featuring Earl Zinger) (4:21) (9/10)
7. "In a Heartbeat" (featuring Terry Callier) (5:10) (9.5/10)
8. "Relaxin' at Club Fusion" (4:15) (8.75/10)
9. "Bright Nights" (featuring Yukimi Nagano) (3:55) love the weave of the vibes, brushed snare, bass, and vocalise combination during the introductory minute and twenty. Unfortunately, the song needed some change--a shift or detour somewhere along the way. (8.75/10)
Total length: 34:52
90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece and remarkably fresh expansion on the musical tract pioneered by MASSIVE ATTACK and the trip-hop and house music mixologists of the 1990s.
KOOP Waltz for Koop
A totally refreshing example of some kind of nostalgic NuJazz from the Swedish duo of Magnus Zingmark and Oscar Simonsson, operating under the name KOOP.
Lineup / Musicians:
Magnus Zingmark
Oscar Simonsson
With:
Dan Berglund - bass
Ola Bothzén - Bongos
Magnus Lindgren - Flute, brass (reeds)
Matthias Ståhl - Vibraphone
1. "Waltz for Koop" (featuring Cecilia Stalin) (3:06) (9.5/10)
2. "Tonight" (featuring Mikael Sundin) (2:54) (9.5/10)
3. "Baby" (featuring Cecilia Stalin) (3:47) (8.5/10)
4. "Summer Sun" (featuring Yukimi Nagano) (3:47) such a happy-go-lucky song! (9/10)
5. "Soul for Sahib" (3:37) (8.5/10)
6. "Modal Mile" (featuring Earl Zinger) (4:21) (9/10)
7. "In a Heartbeat" (featuring Terry Callier) (5:10) (9.5/10)
8. "Relaxin' at Club Fusion" (4:15) (8.75/10)
9. "Bright Nights" (featuring Yukimi Nagano) (3:55) love the weave of the vibes, brushed snare, bass, and vocalise combination during the introductory minute and twenty. Unfortunately, the song needed some change--a shift or detour somewhere along the way. (8.75/10)
Total length: 34:52
90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece and remarkably fresh expansion on the musical tract pioneered by MASSIVE ATTACK and the trip-hop and house music mixologists of the 1990s.
No comments:
Post a Comment