French reviews 
German reviews page. English Reviews of the Tangent's music
French reviews German reviews page.
Reviews of the album "NOT as good as the Book "
Reviews of the LIVE CD/DVD "Going Off On One"
Reviews of the album "A Place In The Queue"
Reviews of the LIVE album "Pyramids and Stars"
Reviews of the second album "The World That we Drive Through"
Reviews of the debut album "The Music That Died Alone"
REVIEWS of the NEW album "Not As Good As The Book"
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NEW 2 albums on now from the departure of Roine Stolt from the Tangent, the band has almost fully shed itself of the obvious Flower Kings influences and forged a sound that can be fully called its' own. Brewing up a pleasing mix of symphonic power and Canterbury whimsy, Not as Good as the Book is the group's strongest musical statement to date. Reviewer: Bill Knispel for PROGSCAPE Read the rest HERE |
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With “Not As Good As The Book” the Tangent have delivered another wonderful progressive rock opus. The band have managed to retain their penchant for classic rock instrumentation that has its feet in the seventies and yet have also created a thoroughly modern sound that is both youthful and mature all at the same time. I began to worry that I might not have the vocabulary to do the album justice Al Hey for Hardrockhouse Rest HERE
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"Remarkable.... intensely personal.....outstanding" Review from the English magazine "Classic Rock" 8/10 |
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quirky arrangements, replete with twists and turns, fabulous playing from the entire gang, hilarious lyrical content expressed by a “like it or not” vocal delivery and foraging though a jungle of moods and swings that just cannot disappoint..... (Thomas Szirmay)
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The Dutch Progressive Rock Page. Three Reviews in 'Round Table' format Scores... 9+/10 "this is an exceptional release demonstrating prog at its finest." 9.5/10 "always something different that stands out with each listen." |
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There is no doubt that with this new album, the Tangent will assure themselves a place among the biggest names in contemporary Progressive Rock, and maybe even more. In any case, these 95 minutes of music guarantee their audience will be listening time and again. Progressive Waves. Score 9/10 Review in FRENCH |
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"I hope to never have to listen to the worst parts of the album again. " Wonderful damning review from 'Metal Mark' for the the website "Live For Metal" |
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So a great new 2 dc-set from the ever talented The Tangent. It really is amazing these guys can keep up the high level of delivery and great music, still searching for that perfect sound and album! Let me tell you, that they are on the right path to perfection with this new outing!! PROGPLANET.com read the full review here |
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Not As Good As the Book is the most musically stirring record that The Tangent has done,.... A truly majestic project from the mind of Andy Tillison, this time he literally conveys his vision through a ‘visual project,’ so who knows what type of experience the next record will entail. Tommy Hash for Ytsejam.com read the full review HERE |
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HELP!!! we have no idea what it means!! Other than the fact they gave the album 8.5 points out of 10 we don't understand a word of this, the first review of NAGATB was in Hungarian! |
The Tangent originally came about as a result of Andy Tillison’s single minded determination to realise his passion for classic 70’s progressive rock. For the 2003 debut The Music That Died Alone he enlisted the services of like minded musicians to form a band to rival the best of the day. Three studio and two live albums later that ideal still holds true although there have been several changes in personnel. Most notably is Roine Stolt’s departure after 2004’s The World That We Drive Through, making his final appearance on the live Pyramids And Stars. It’s been two years since the last studio album A Place In The Queue which was followed by 2007’s Going Off On One live CD/DVD set. Since then the line-up has undergone a further couple of revisions. This time round we have Andy Tillison Diskdrive (keyboards and vocals), Guy Manning (acoustic instruments and vocals), Jonas Reingold (bass guitar), Jaime Salazar (drums) Jakko M Jakszyk (electric guitars and vocals), Theo Travis (sax and flute) and Julie King (vocals). New boy Jakko comes courtesy of Level 42 and the 21st Century Schizoid Band amongst others whilst Julie is a also member of Guy’s band Manning.
Even before a single note is heard it’s evident that Andy and company have invested their time and skills in producing another lavish musical excursion with 95 minutes spread over two discs. Furthermore the special edition version comes complete with a 100 page novella written by the man himself. The CD and book combination is certainly original which even the likes of Yes and ELP, noted for their extravagant album packaging, never came up with. If you’re familiar with the lyrics of Andy Tillison then it should come as no surprise to hear that the writing is sharp, witty and full of wry observations on the folly of modern society. Without giving too much away I can reveal that the novels storyline involves the destruction of planet earth and the Yes album Relayer! I’ll say no more except that it comes heartily recommended not least for the excellent illustrations by French artist Antoine Ettori.
In a recent interview with Guy Manning (coming your way soon folks) he told me how the band had strived for a more modern and punchier sound on this album. That’s certainly true of the opener A Crisis In Mid Life which despite the title has a sprightly and upbeat feel with an uncharacteristically poppy 80’s synth sound. In contrast Lost In London 25 Years Later could easily have been titled ‘The Canterbury Sequence Part 4’. It allows Theo the opportunity to strut his stuff with some superb saxophone soling. Try saying that after a few of beers. Andy provides the jazzy piano and a suitably gritty Hammond sound that recalls the David Sinclair and Dave Stewart playing of old. The Ethernet is a standout track which along with Peter Gabriel style electronic effects includes an infectious vocal hook. The lead vocal may be Andy’s but the harmonies and vocal arrangement have that distinctive Guy Manning stamp. It plays out with a stately ringing guitar theme.
The relatively brief (by Tangent standards) instrumental Celebrity Purée is an impressive jazz fusion workout. It includes bombastic sax and keys punctuations propelled by an explosive Jonas and Jaime rhythm combination. If Roine’s guitar style was more Steve Howe then here Jakko’s is pure Trevor Rabin. It’s not until the title song Not As Good As The Book that Andy’s familiar fiery Moog (modelled on Wakeman’s solo from Topographic Ocean’s The Revealing Science Of God) makes an appearance. Guy contributes an array of acoustic guitar colourings especially around a memorable Spanish flamenco sequence. As with many of the songs here, lyrically A Sale Of Two Souls is almost autobiographical in nature. Although the words clearly come from the heart they remain graphic and refreshingly down to earth. None more so than Bat Out Of Basildon which is Andy’s homage to motorbike anthems. The only gripe I have is that bearing in mind he’s a Yorkshire lad, Bat Out Of Halifax would have made a better title!
As the track listings above reveal, Disc 2 is made up of two back to back epics. This may seem a tad self-indulgent even by prog standards but it works and together they contain some of the strongest moments in a long form song since Transatlantic’s Stranger In Your Soul. Four Egos One War is the most immediate with strident keyboard led sections contrasting with mellow acoustic guitar and flute interludes. The vocals are at their strongest here with Andy sharing lead with Guy, Jakko and most notably Julie during the reflective opening section. Lyrically The Full Gamut is possibly Andy’s most personal song to date dealing with the break-up of a relationship. Again it features some very memorable vocal melodies although it lost me for about a minute during a lazy sax and vocal part at the midway point. The synth and electric piano work bring both Wakeman and Emerson to mind at various points. Although I was expecting it to end with a grand flourish the low-key finale finds Andy sounding remarkably like Roger Waters accompanied by orchestral embellishments that are both cinematic and melancholic.
A fourth album was always going to be test for The Tangent. As is the case with so many bands music that sounds fresh and vibrant to begin with can become dull and repetitive with successive releases. Due to the deadline for this RTR I haven’t been afforded as much listening time as I would normally like before committing a review. However on the evidence of two weeks continuous listening I have a sneaking feeling that this is destined to become not only my favourite from the band but also a contender for album of the year. OK, so I know we’re only two months into 2008 but either way this is an exceptional release demonstrating prog at its finest. It’s a well rounded album with music that’s tuneful and highly listenable but at the same time richly rewarding in its complexity. The icing on the cake is the lyrics. Rather than simply creating and aural backdrop they have real meaning and the ability to strike a chord with the listener. And that’s something you don’t find everyday in a prog album.
As a fan of progressive rock, I feel it is my duty to buy and enjoy the music of The Flower Kings (Although, I do have a few issues with an album or two). Countless hours of my life have been spent in awe admiring the high quality (And highly prolific!) output of Roine Stolt and company. Because of their close ties to The Tangent, I was led to pick up a copy of The World That We Drive Through at a local CD shop. The looks that employees shoot at me, after asking for unknown prog bands, is pretty amusing!
In order for me to consider a CD a classic it has to accomplish three things; perfectly balance melody and complexity and have the same effect on me many years down the line as it did initially. Not only is The World That We Drive Through one of my favourite albums for those reasons, The Music That Died Alone and A Place in the Queue have been in constant rotation for a long time as well. It’s rare for me to discover a band that has continued to keep me on edge and interested for such a long period of time. Not as Good as the Book follows, and takes further, the sound of A Place in the Queue.
Not As Good As the Book begins with A Crisis in Mid Life, the first of many organ driven songs. The beginning half is very reminiscent of The Sun in My Eyes from A Place in the Queue. Jakko Jakszyk has now taken over for Krister Jonsson on guitars. While I am not too familiar with Jakko’s work, he has played with many members of King Crimson, including the well known cover band 21st Century Schizoid Band. Compared to Krister, he has a softer and less jazzy style more in line with Roine Stolt.
Lost in London 25 Years Later is the first hint that this album is somewhat different from those of the past. If Lost in London drew heavily from early Canterbury bands than this seems to take the jazz aspect of that much further, especially toward Theo Travis’s saxophone solo in the latter half. In fact, there is some similarity to Theo’s jazz band Soft Machine Legacy.
The Ethernet begins rather slowly with a bass and organ melody that wouldn’t be out of place if it was played on a tropical island somewhere. At about halfway through, it finally gives way to a more dynamic and jazzy section. I feel this song could have been better with a few minutes edited away towards the beginning and end. It’s a ten minute long song that feels like fifteen minutes.
Next up are, arguably, my two favourite songs on the album. Celebrity Purée is a short, syncopated instrumental piece that carries a similar direction to Snow era Spock’s Beard or even Transatlantic. This leads nicely into Not As Good As the Book. Jakko Jakszyk handles vocals for a good portion of this song. I was really surprised at how great his voice is. It fits the upbeat melody perfectly. After slowing down for a little while, it again picks up steam with a Spanish sounding chord progression by Guy and leads back into the excellent intro section. This was the first song to really grab my attention and it remains one of my favourites.
I have never really grown to appreciate Van Der Graaf Generator but once you hear Peter Hammill’s very unique vocals and charismatic delivery it becomes hard to forget. Andy Tillison’s vocals here seem to borrow these characteristics in A Sale of Two Souls. While almost entirely acoustic, there is a lot of anger in the lyrics and vocals. It levels out towards the end into a yet another jazzy section.
Up until this album, there wasn’t a single song from The Tangent that I did not enjoy. However, with Bat out of Basildon my patience and sanity where severely tested. This song is very blues based and the lyrics deal with a rebellious motorcyclist. When I listen to music, more often than not, if the lyrics are easily comprehendible, I picture them as they unfold. Unfortunately, because it is subconscious, Bat out of Basildon automatically brings forth horrible memories of one of the worst biker comedies I have ever seen. If you have never seen Wild Hogs don’t because this song will forever ingrain William H Macy running into a stop sign on a motorcycle in some of the most horribly contrived situations possible. Although, for most, this song will provide entertaining, bluesy relief from the denser parts of the album, I’m afraid that for me this song will forever be tainted.
The last two epics seem to diverge from the main story (More on that below). Four Egos, One War was originally an unreleased Parallel or 90 Degrees track that was rerecorded with The Tangent because, in the words of Mr. Tillison, “…the damn war won’t go away”. The lyrics appear to pertain to the horrors of war and those involved. Musically and lyrically this is a very engaging song that manages to keep me interested and wanting more. There are only very short instances when the music lets up in intensity, as epics should do.
The Full Gamut is noticeably slower than Four Egos, One War but not in the irritating sense where you have to turn up the volume to hear it better. From synth to piano and everything in between this is mostly an Andy Tillison piece. Lyrically this pertains to being in a relationship and then breaking up. These last two songs require the most effort to appreciate but it is well worth it.
The book that comes with this album follows and sheds light on the lyrics of the first disc. Without giving away too much, the story follows Dave, a middle aged man who greatly appreciates progressive rock. Because his family doesn’t appreciate it, he is forced to listen to it when they sleep or drive 13 miles per hour home from work while taking the long the route. Oddly enough, I have done the same thing wanting to get through the second disc of Unfold the Future but it actually ended up getting me lost in a neighbourhood I would rather not be lost in. Some of the situations encountered by Dave parallel many of the stories Andy Tillison has written (If you haven’t read them, they are on The Tangent's official site and I highly recommend reading them, they are very interesting). The story of Cid Vicious and the covertly placed mention of DPRP are worth the price alone. The main storyline begins on Venus in 90674 AD when an archiver of ancient Earth receives a rare collection of Prog LPs and Dave, the guy who owned them.
It might already be apparent that I greatly enjoy this bands work and with the one notable exception the same extends to this album. In some aspects this is much like previous albums but in many others, like the greater emphasis on jazz, this is a new direction. I hesitate to say that those who appreciated the first two albums will like this. It is the next logical step in their continually progressing style and may not appeal to those who did not like A Place in the Queue. I have listened to this album many times over the past few weeks and there is always something different that stands out with each listen. Most notably in the last two tracks as they where very difficult to digest until recently. This album clocks in at about 90 minutes and there is only about 15 minutes of which that I am not too fond of. This really is The Tangent at their best but, it took a lot of patience and effort to get there. Highly recommended!
The Tangent's style can be clearly decomposed and traced backward in time to melange of prog giants past. This being said, one could never accuse Andy Tillison Diskdrive (sic) of plagiarism, rather he's just heavily influenced and inspired by these greats of yesteryear and isn't afraid to show it. Not As Good As The Book doesn't dish up any big surprises but does show a satisfying evolution from A Place In The Queue. Still apparent is the late-70's Canterbury style with definite hints of UK and Bruford as well as very clear Hammill influence once again but overall the music on disc one is more up-tempo than A Place In The Queue (although this might be partially a result of the more immediate production style and the more prominent guitar mix) and the second CD is a little more introspective and consists of two 20 minute-plus pieces.
Two changes of personnel, the replacement of Krister Jonsson on aforementioned guitar with Jakko M Jakszyk (Level 42, 21st Century Schizoid Band) for this album (Krister rejoins for the upcoming tour) and Sam Baine has left The Tangent (and Andy) to pursue her own musical direction. Jakko's guitar playing is superb - it comes across a little more aggressive than Krister's playing but I think this really is down to it being given more prominence in mix, stylistically he seems to be somewhere between Roine Stolt and John Petrucci. Still in place is the formidable rhythm section of bass god Jonas Reingold and Jamie Salazar on drums with both turning in stellar performances. Jonas once again stakes his claims as the man to beat in the bass world with his thundering, fluid and bubbling style of play while Jamie's contribution is just spot-on, very busy as always on the snare and hi-hat, it's a real boon to have him active in the prog scene. Theo Travis is still present on flute and sax while Guy Manning again chips-in with some acoustic guitar work and vocals while Andy himself of course covers the keyboard ands lead vocals. Much has been said about Andy's singing, most of it rather uncomplimentary, but give him a chance and you'll grow to appreciate it, as it has character by the bucketload and that's a commodity that's not to be passed over lightly these days. Andy's voice sounds better than ever on this recording - whether that's a conscious effort on his part I couldn't say but I didn't notice any unpleasant moments.
The first disk comprises of seven shorter songs that can be loosely coupled under the heading 'Mid-Life Crisis'. Being at the wrong end of forty Andy dishes up a series of lyrics dealing with many topical issues that some of us have been confronted with in recent years. The music ranges from the 80's neo-prog-funk feel of Crisis In Midlife with it's washes of analogue synths and a definate whiff of It Bites though to the Hammillesque A Sale Of Two Souls which could easily have been written for a latter-day The Silent Corner & The Empty Stage album. Turning-up the tempo is the title-track - soaring moog lines and driving bass interplay with a syncopated rhythm guitar and beautifully phrased lead guitars. On top of this we have Andy's wry lyrics playing out the tale of a disillusioned character who, after reading and dreaming of rocket-ships as a child thought there was more to life than grey offices and Excel worksheets. Less satisfying is the bluesy Bat Out Of Basildon which is a take on the born-again-biker who refuses to acknowledge that he's past it. Really this track is out of place in the album and is a far lower quality offering than the other songs.
The second CD is a different beast altogether and consists of two starkly different longer pieces. The first piece Four Egos One War is obviously about the continuing conflict in Iraq and how we've become accustomed, almost blasé towards it. This isn't an easy subject to tackle lyrically and the music gets a bit lost too chopping and changing between different styles although it reminds quite a lot in places of Neal Morse solo work in the second half. The Full Gamut is a different beast altogether and is surely destined to be a favourite of many people for many years to come. The track deals with the relationship and break-up between Andy and Sam - Andy's using his music here to help him come to terms with his loss of in the same way that Peter Hammill did with his girlfriend Alice on Over, musically there bears no relation though except for the occasional Hammill phrasing that Andy turns up in his vocals. The track opens with the most beautiful piano and the main chorus-refrain that we return to several times. The words are so drenched with emotion and feeling that you cannot fail to be deeply moved, furthermore the melody is both beautiful, haunting and catchy at the same time so you'll have it running though your head non-stop. The track progresses through various key moments in their relationship with varying tempo changes sounding quite reminiscent of Spock's Beard (V period) mixed with more of those Canterbury moments and Hammill/Van der Graaf Generator references. The lyrics are poignant - there must be many 40-somethings that can identify which what Andy's saying and it will touch many people I'm sure. I would expect this to be a strong contender for the track of the year.
To conclude, another stunningly good release from The Tangent and overall better than A Place In The Queue. Andy's singing takes getting used to for newcomers but is worth the effort and I daresay some will not always like the political or personal nature of the lyrics, no change here from previous releases, if you didn't like it then you won't like it now either but you would be missing out on some fantastic music if you pass because of that. Highly recommended.
Conclusions:
GEOFF FEAKES : 9+ out of 10
CHRIS JACKSON : 9.5 out of 10
DAVE BAIRD : 9.5 out of 10
Reviewer: Bill Knispel for PROGSCAPE NEXT PREVIOUS
The Tangent grew out of a series of pieces written by Parallel or 90 Degrees front man Andy Tillison that he put off to the side for a solo project, feeling that their more retro-prog sound was not in keeping with the more contemporary areas he was exploring with Po90. A series of fortunate incidents led to copies of these demos getting into the hands of Roine Stolt, and several phone calls later, the Tangent was essentially born.
9-odd years, later, how things have changed.
Gone is Roine Stolt, focusing now on the Flower Kings and his solo work, rather than the series of bands he had a hand in. Also gone is David Jackson, who added sax and flute to the first album. In their place on Not as Good as the Book, the band's fourth studio album, are Jakko M. Jakszyk and Theo Travis, he of the long resume (work with Gong and Porcupine Tree, among others), respectively. They join the core band (Tillison, acoustic instrumentalist/vocalist Guy Manning, bassist Jonas Reingold and drummer Jamie Salazar) on an expansive and diverse 2-CD set that explores the ordinary experiences of ordinary people placed in situations that end up being extraordinary as a result of the unique nature of that creature called the human being.
Also gone are the fanciful/fantasy-based covers by Ed Unitsky. In their place are edgy and urban/modern illustrations by French artist Antoine Ettori. The darker look of these images matches the material on this new release, which is edgier by far...less comfortable, darker, more intense. The feeling I get, looking at the cover, is that of a person lost in the city. I think that ties in to what seems to be the intent by Tillison to craft an album drawing from his experiences, and perhaps feeling lost in the sea of humanity and emotion that comes from being part of that sea. Ettori's illustrations are also seen more expansively in the novella packaged with the special edition of this album. The novella takes the themes and stories told through the album's 9 songs and shifts them to memories of a character nearly 90,000 years in the future, in a world destroyed by the band Yes, and the fate of the universe "resting on the memories of two Van Der Graaf Generator concerts." The novella is something I am looking forward to reading; it may not be essential to the listening experience, but it's a huge thing to not only craft a 90-minute double album, but add in a lengthy piece of fiction to pair with it.
Disc 1 of this set is subtitled 'A Crisis in Mid-Life," and feels more like a 50-odd minute suite rather than a series of 7 shorter (i.e., not shorter than 6, not longer than 13 minutes) pieces. Don't let the retro/neo- synth opening on "A Crisis in Midlife" fool you; despite the fact that it sounds almost like a 1980's Genesis outtake in some ways, it's far deeper lyrically. The groove is undeniable, and the song rises above the sometimes suspect choices in synth patches. Fans of the band's occasional forays into more Canterbury-influenced areas will go ga-ga over "Lost in London (25 Years Later)," which wears its Caravan influences proudly on its sleeve. Theo Travis' sax and flute really shine here, and the song bubbles along pleasantly and gently. It's just a precious composition, fragile and airy, and the difference between this piece and the poppy, sprightly "A Crisis in Midlife" can't be more obvious. "Celebrity Purée" offers the band a chance to stretch out instrumentally, Jonas Reingold and Jamie Salazar locking into some tricky grooves while Jakko Jakszyk's guitar snarls and wails. All too brief at under 4 minutes, I'd have been pleased with another 4 minutes just like it. "Not as Good as the Book," the album's title track, opens with a keyboard line that somehow reminds of Marillion, but more in execution than actual note choice. I love the vocal phrasing on this piece, with the faux-funk chording in the background of the mix helping to drive the track. "A Tale of Two Souls" perhaps lays some foundations for what's coming on the album's second disc, with painfully self-observant/autobiographical lyrics delivered with a slight Hammill-esque edge.
Disc 1 closes with "Bat out of Basildon," which is for me perhaps the only misstep on this album. It's a nice enough song, but I fond it unintentionally hilarious. I don't have any experience with bikes, or bikers, or riding a motorcycle, and as such I just can't connect with the song at all. I have difficulties even getting past the title, which elicits images of 1970's pomposity. Having said this, the song is sleazy, bluesy, filled with grungy sax and snarling guitar (and one lovely alto sax solo from Theo Travis). I just think it defuses some of the intensity built up at the end of "A Tale of Two Souls." Perhaps different placement on the album might have changed my opinion on this piece (it might also help if I lived in Basildon, but that's neither here nor there), but for the time being...its a song that doesn't make it for me.
CD 2, on the other hand...CD 2 is where everything changes.
While the first half of the album is made up of a series of mid-length vignettes, CD 2 sees the Tangent shift into more expansive prog rock mode. This disc, subtitled 'Throwing Metal at the Sky,' is darker by far, with a pair of 20-minute epics touching on seriously heavy subject matter. The disc opens with "Four Egos, One War," a piece originally composed for Tillison's previous group Parallel or 90 Degrees, and recorded here finally because, as Tillison states, "the damn war won't go away." Julie King's vocals mix impossibly well on this composition, and the shifts in mood, from gentle acoustic/pastoral guitar movements to heavier sections that bear comparison to ELP and Egg (especially the heavy use of thick, punchy Hammond organ sounds) flow with fluid grace. Theo Travis' flute playing is sublime, and the vocals are delivered emotionally...be it wistful, world-weary, strident...the individual building blocks on this piece create something fantastic.
Then there's "The Full Gamut."
If you have ever had a long term relationship fall apart...if you have ever met someone who you believe is The One (tm), building everything around them and with them, only to have it come apart at the seams years later, then you will immediately understand the depth of emotion lyrically on this song. There's a lot of information out on the web that tells exactly what this song is about, and it's not necessarily my place as reviewer to pull this information into the review. All I'll say is that the song as a whole resonates with me, and it feels honest and true and right.
2 albums on now from the departure of Roine Stolt from the Tangent, the band has almost fully shed itself of the obvious Flower Kings influences and forged a sound that can be fully called its' own. Brewing up a pleasing mix of symphonic power and Canterbury whimsy, Not as Good as the Book is the group's strongest musical statement to date.
The Tangent - Not As Good As The Book
Inside Out
Rating - 9.5/10
The Tangent's latest album, Not As Good As The Book, proves to be a spectacular series of musical journeys from start to finish, at times thrilling, intriguing, mesmerizing, flamboyant, joyful, sad, revealing, honest and intimate. Reading those descriptions you might thing that it could be a mish mash of ideas or even a progressive rock train wreck but, believe me when I say it covers all of those bases and much more. As a review this has been one of the most daunting I have had to do in a while as I began to worry that I might not have the vocabulary to do the album justice and when an artist puts so much of themselves into an album, as Andy Tillison has done with this one, the last thing I would want to do is give an inadequate or ignorant series of comments.
Not As Good As The Book was created over a two year period, a time span in which and Tillison had much to cope with including the end of a long term relationship. These changes certainly seem to have fired up his creative juices and inspired him whilst, at the same time, caused him to reassess the progress of his life and to be honest there is so much on here to relate to that one could say the new album from The Tangent will touch many people. Joining Tillison on the new album is his regular back line of bassist Jonas Reingold, drummer Jaime Salzaar, saxophonist Theo Travis and long time musical friend Guy Manning. Electric guitar duties this time around come from the highly respected Jakko Jakszyk who follows the footsteps of Roine Stolt and Krister Jonsson. There is no Sam Baines this time but we do have female vocal lines supplied by the charming voice of Julie King.
The first disc features seven songs that cover many moods and styles The opener “Crises In Midlife” has a title which aptly describes the content and is very much a reactionary song to the situation that Andy has been going through. It’s a song with all the Tangent trademarks but with the added pyrotechnics of the confident guitar playing of Jakko who “rips it up” in a manner unheard of from previous players.” Lost In London Twenty Five Years Later” is kind of a part two of “Lost In London sharing the wonderfully organic sounding instrumentation of flutes in full flight that were draped over the first installment. It’s a charming song with a whimsical innocence running throughout the notes. “The Ethernet” tells the tale of a love affair conducted over the web, intriguing and thought provoking it makes you wonder how many people out there are doing just this rather than interacting with other and enjoying each others “real” company.” Celebrity Puree” is an instrumental that struts and walks the musical walk in real style. Each musician gets a chance to shine and the rhythmic interplay is a joy to listen to as everyone gets their chance to take the music to far-flung progressive places.
“A Sale Of Two Souls” is both heart-warming and sad all at the same time whilst the final track on the fist CD, “Bat Out Of Basildon”, is a great piece of song writing and a song sure to raise many eyebrows and crack smiles across many faces. This song has to be experienced loud as it sticks its two fingers up at the conformists and those that follow the leader like sheep. There is serious musicianship on display and the sound of a band that know how to have fun all mixed together at the same time. When Theo takes his saxophone solo there is a gentle Jim Steinman like quality to the arrangement. It’s fleeting but it’s there.
The second disc features only two songs but they are proverbial epics, musically the “dogs bollocks”. ”Four Egos One War” will, in time, become a Tangent classic. Lyrically it’s succinct, absorbing and very poignant. “The Full Gamut” on the other hand is very much Tillison wearing his heart on his sleeve. The melodies are nothing short of magnificent and the imagery that the lyrics convey are touching in the extreme. Like “Four Egos One War” this track has to be heard to be believed.
With “Not As Good As The Book” the Tangent have delivered another wonderful progressive rock opus. The band have managed to retain their penchant for classic rock instrumentation that has its feet in the seventies and yet have also created a thoroughly modern sound that is both youthful and mature all at the same time. The recent events in Tillison’s life can be felt throughout but that musical optimism that has been a part of the bands albums thus far is alive and well and bodes well for the future. For the time being however this two-disc release will reward the listener time and time again and is a worthy addition to the bands ever growing catalogue.
Reviewed by Tommy Hash for Ytsejam.com NEXT PREVIOUS
I have to hand it to musical mastermind Andy Tillison, the guy knows how to express all of his musical influences and skills into his own channel, whether it be jazz, metal, pop, folk and of course progressive rock, but then again, isn’t the latter a mold of just about anything. And then you have everybody else’s personality involved in this ‘supergroup,’ for which ambition is unstoppable. That ambition comes together with The Tangent’s latest album, Not As Good As the Book, a double CD & comic book/graphic novel package which obviously signals that this is a concept record.
The concept itself is about someone being lost in time and the music; well let’s just say it’s nothing less that what we would expect from Tillison and Co. With the division of two CDs you get the true nature of a double album, or at the ‘division’ of one at the least, hearkening the days of the vinyl LPs when you where forced to turn the side over literally creating separate parts, something you can’t do with one CD. Not As Good as the Book takes the same route as albums such as Tales from the Topographic Oceans do, planting as many tunes as one can into a song, regardless of how ‘extended’ a particular piece of music may be, plus you have a series of jam sessions; guitar solo, synth solo, another guitar solo, sax/woodwind solo, organ solo…going on and on (particularly with “Celebrity Puree”), all while the key and the time signatures are changing, bringing the spirit of true progressive rock back.
The music goes back and forth raging from straightforward rock “Bat Out of Basildon” to the more eased back “The Ethernet” to the jumpiness of the title cut; leave the highly epical tracks for the second disc, where both tracks clock in at over twenty minutes, and again feature more tunes within them than most pop albums do (the album is ninety-four minutes long).
Not As Good As the Book is the most musically stirring record that The Tangent has done, featuring more upbeat and even sometimes heavier textures than past albums, which sounded more rooted in neo-progressive rock, being a bit mellower – yet each one has grown, and this one leans towards the classic-era of progressive rock. A truly majestic project from the mind of Andy Tillison, this time he literally conveys his vision through a ‘visual project,’ so who knows what type of experience the next record will entail.
Tangent, The: Not As Good As The Book
From the SEA OF TRANQUILITY website, by Pete Pardo NEXT PREVIOUS
The Tangent are back with their fourth studio release, the 2 CD set titled Not As Good As The Book, an album that also gave birth to a novella written by leader & keyboard player Andy Tillison. The story centers around a middle aged man and his struggles through life, and mixes humor with science fiction for a tale that should appeal to most progressive rock fans. The release comes in two versions, a regular 2CD set and a deluxe edition with a 100-page booklet that includes a short story and illustrations. In the band for this release are Andy Tillison (keyboards, vocals), Guy Manning ( acoustic instruments, vocals), Jonas Reingold (bass), Jaime Salazar (drums), Jakko M Jakszyk (electric guitar, vocals), Theo Travis (saxophone, flute), and vocalist Julie King.
The band's mix of modern prog rock with classic 70's Canterbury elements is once again on display throughout Not As Good As The Book. "A Crisis In Mid Life" sees the group digging into some intense fusion rhythms and soaring prog riffs, with guitarist Jakszyk throwing in a scorching Allan Holdsworth inspired solo. Tillison, always great at giving you every sound in his arsenal, does so with plenty of bombast on the whimsical title track, a real fun piece with rollicking synth lines and strong vocals. "A Sale Of Two Souls" is an interesting piece, mostly a lighthearted number with some laid back vocals and Travis' gorgeous flute work, but there are some rocking moments on this song where the band almost sounds like Van Der Graaf Generator. Their hard rocking side really comes out on the crunchy "Bat Out Of Basildon", a real riff monger with Jakszyk's crankin' guitar licks and Tillison's Hammond leading the charge, and a classy Travis sax solo to add a slight jazz feel to the song. In fact, Travis lends some nasty sax explosions to "Lost in London (25 Years Later)" as well, a real Canterbury influenced tune that also includes some fusiony guitar lines and Tillison's majestic acoustic and electric piano passages. The 10-minute epic on CD 1 is "The Ethernet", a textured track that lets all the members really strut their stuff. At times pastoral, with Manning's lush acoustic guitar setting the tone, to some jazzy moments highlighted by Theo's soaring sax line, all the way to more symphonic sections with stunning keyboard and guitar arrangements.
CD 2 consists of two 20+ minute monsters, "Four Egos One War" and "The Full Gamut". The first is a symphonic journey with plenty of keyboard bombast and killer guitar work, but there are also sections where the band quiets down and allows for some gentle acoustic work from Manning and Travis' exploratory sax lines. "The Full Gamut" however mixes classy jazz, funk (check out Tillison's rave ups here!), and vintage 70's styled prog, a great way to end this rather adventurous album.
Honestly, there's a lot to like here on Not As Good As The Book. Sure, it's a little overblown in spots, and there's no doubt that nearly 100 minutes is a lot of prog to take in on one listen, but once you give this CD a few spins you'll find plenty of compelling arrangements and catchy melodies that will keep you coming back for more.
The TANGENT: "Not As Good As The Book"
By tlarz for progplanet
Published: February 26, 2008 NEXT PREVIOUSAndy Tillison (keyboards/vocals) has released yet another album (a double) with his great band The Tangent, famous for the retro-seventies prog albums: “The Music That Died Alone” & “ The World We drive Through” among others.
And the musicians herein are top notch : Guy Manning, Jonas Reingold (Flower Kings), Jaime Salazar (Flower Kings), Theo travis, Jakko Jakzsyk...plus one julie King.
And allthough this new album are not that derivative of the seventies sound as the aforementioned, there are hints now and then...sounding like Flower Kings or Van der Graaf Generator...but also the band uses the formula of the Canterbury style, jazz intervals and progressive rock method arrangements to good effect!
So a more mature release, at least to my ears. By mature I mean Tangents delivery and compositions are more original this time around. With its total of 90 min. plus, you get your money´s worth when purchasing this 2 cd set!
Also the special edition of this double feature comes with a lavish 100 page booklet, story and illustrations complete!
So what are you waiting for ? This fine twin set are brilliant "not as good as the book"Well, that remains to be heard!!
My fave tracks: cd# 2:
“Four Egos, One War” with its brilliant 4 sequences.
Cd # 1: “ A Crisis In Mid Life” a powerful strong theme played with solid conviction by the band! Opening like a Saga (the band)style tune..soon to evolve and in true Tangent style blending other styles!
“Lost in London (25 years later)”...somewhat a Hammill like ballad, complete with flute and reciting. Great stuff!!
So a great new 2 dc-set from the ever talented The Tangent.
It really is amazing these guys can keep up the high level of
delivery and great music, still searching for that perfect sound and album! Let me tell you, that they are on the right path to perfection with this new outing!!
I cant comment on the 100 page booklet, as this promo copy as it were, are the standard version without the mentioned booklet.
But I will most certainly buy the special edition, to get a hold of said booklet, with the 100 page novel..illustrated by french artist: Antoine Ettori.
Sounds to me like the perfect prog package: Great music, a fine novel and superb illustrations!!
So I give you..from start to end.....another brilliant Tangent!
(Thomas Szirmay)
PROG REVIEWER - PROG ARCHIVES PREVIOUS
Yaye! The Tangent keep stretching the envelope. Whether you like their music or not, you got to give Tillison his due, the man has balls and a singular sense of absurdity to go along with his musical attributes. Putting out another 2 CD affair on the heels of the extremely satisfying “A Place in the Queue”, while making more personnel changes in the guitar slot by bringing in the celebrated Jakko Jaszczyk (don’t fret it’s easy, just pronounce “Yash chick”! who one can admire on the 21st Century Schizoid Band project DVD as well as a long storied list of session jobs) and then Andy also elevating Guy Manning to a larger role ,fully deserved as the guy (again?) is a true musical cascade and then probably having to sell his soul (Yo, Aretha!) to keep Jonas Reingold manning (again that name!) his finest bass, steering the ship in truly progressive oceans. Phew! Sam Baine is not listed on this record, unless she is holding Andy’s hands when on the piano, pretty romantic thought, wot! Jaime Salazar and Theo are both back for return visits, comfortably at ease doing such great music and great music this is, now far removed from the more accessible previous recordings. While not as technically practiced as the Flower Kings, the Tangent come across somehow as more homogenous, with less filler material and even less Yessisms and far more wit fueled amusing than our Swedish friends. The inclusion of saxes and flutes are perhaps significant but certainly not as much as the unending “nods and winks” to prog history that is so synonymous with their style. In the past, they have hinted at various Canterbury legends, outright podium-ized “Tales from Topographic Oceans”, infused muted Gong references , dabbled into some extended Tangerine Dream areas (jokingly referred to Tangent Dream!), and included history, politics, anti war, social and business commentaries. This singular disposition continues unabated here with a slew of at times off kilter, innuendo laced lyrics that hone in on any subject, taboo or not. Reading lyrics is a must with this crew. Even Microsoft and Captain Kirk are not spared, the words strolling “with Buzz Aldrin on the moon”, approaching the Federation Neutral Zone (also known as the –gulp- FNZ) . The first CD is sub-titled “A Crisis in Mid-Life” and leads the listener immediately into the by now familiar Tangent territory: quirky arrangements, replete with twists and turns, fabulous playing from the entire gang, hilarious lyrical content expressed by a “like it or not” vocal delivery and foraging though a jungle of moods and swings that just cannot disappoint. There are no highlight tracks really; everything just flows, keeping in the spirit of the title “Not as Good as the Book”, a musical story that starts from some original point and ends somewhere far away. It’s a voyage that suggests no chopping, dicing and slicing by the pundits. The playing is monstrously first- rate throughout as on the instrumental extravaganza “Celebrity Mincer” where all the boys get to let their bald spots hang, with a sulfuric Jakko lead followed closely by a “saxual” blast from Theo Travis. “Throwing Metal at the Sky” is the second CD–chapter, featuring 2 massive tracks and displaying very clearly their prog badges of honor. Radio friendly this just plain ain’t! In fact, after some intro female vocals, an almost Hawkwindian riff kicks in, a heavier space vibe with vrooming organ leading the warp, the anti-war theme illuminated by the highlights, with Jaszczyk in particular zipping nicely along,! A few overt and luscious Zappaisms add to the gumbo, as “Four Egos, One War” has Julie, Andy, Guy and Jakko all taking lead vocal slots and addressing some very contemporary issues to say the least. B-Zarrr stuff but fun, man! The final suite, “The Full Gamut-A Travelogue” is not the usual CD ending bonus material but more of the same classic tangential expressions of unexpected observations: blitzing organ, piano, e-piano and “Cynthia Size A” work from Andy, who has clearly expanded his mastery over the black & white, rollercoaster sections that challenge gravity and pace, setting up the proverbial flute, guitar or sax intervention at the most opportune time. This is good time prog, totally noncommercial and definitely their best yet. A good musical story, though not as good as the book! We all should like those. A limited edition comes with a huge booklet, so that you can truly indulge in the experience. Fabulous cartoonish artwork is provided by the seemingly pubescent teen-looking Antoine Ettori. A Master Piss. 5 diskdrives.
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From the Dutch Progressive Rock Page With great art work, song selection, performance, packaging and sound quality, Going Off On One is a rather good live package, no strike that, it is a GREAT live package! The sound quality is excellent. Add to that an impeccable selection of material and an unbeatable line-up of musicians and you have one highly recommended DVD. Read the full review here |
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From the IMHOTEP website The sound and picture quality is superb from start to end, showing a magnificent band in tip top shape with a groove and drive that is both mesmerizing and inspiring!Read the full review here |
Tracklist:
Disc 1: GPS Culture (10:23), The Winning Game (11:34), In Earnest (22:08), Forsaken Cathedrals (6:01), The Music That Died Alone (10:53), Lost In London (8:46)
Disc 2: In Darkest Dreams part one (16:16), After Rubycon (4:30), In Darkest Dreams part two (6:32), The World We Drive Through (13:26), Skipping The Distance (8:43), Fun With The Audience (3:20), 21st Century Schizoid Man (11:25), America (8:59)
Every so often, seemingly out of the blue, a band springs forth that catches the ears of the worldwide prog listening community. Of course, very few bands arrive without having some form of history, as is the case with The Tangent, whose musical pedigree stretches back over a couple of decades and innumerable albums. The experience of the musicians and the creative energy ignited by the collaborations between the members has, since 2003, resulted in three lengthy studio albums, a live album and now a further double live album and DVD. That may seem like the band are milking it a bit, particularly as Going Off On One contains versions of most of the tracks that were included on the live album Pyramids And Stars recorded on the band's first steps onto the stage in 2004. However, it is the musicianship that makes the fear of a potential over-saturation of the market rather redundant. These guys, and gal, can really play and even if the world, record companies and audiences are no longer interested in supporting long world-wide tours where traditionally acts honed their live skills, the increased familiarity with the material and greater experience of working together has resulted in increased confidence in their live presentation allowing them to explore the inherent qualities of the music that bit more. That is not to say that the band indulges in lengthy jams, heaven knows the pieces are long enough as it is, but they are able to present slightly different sonic structures, or sculptures if you will, from what is presented on the studio recordings. Despite the fact that each song is roughly the same length as its studio counterpart, implying, correctly, that the song structures are kept relatively intact, the songs take on a whole new air in the live forum. Anyone familiar with the difference between a Grateful Dead studio track and its live counterpart will have some idea of what I'm getting at.
The other advantage of the new live release over Pyramids and Stars is the presence of sax and flute player Theo Travis. These instruments have an important role to play in the overall sound of The Tangent as was evident from the recordings on that debut live album. Travis' interactions with the whole band, and in particular with the jazzy piano inflections of Sam Baine, are a joy to behold. The other major difference between the live recordings is guitarist Krister Jonsson instead of Mr Flower King himself, Roine Stolt. And a fortuitous replacement it is too. Having never been much of a FK or Transatlantic fan, primarily due to Mr Stolt's playing and writing, it is great to hear Jonsson adding his flourishes to these tracks, his guitar work seemingly to complement the roar of Tillison's Hammond perfectly.
But what of the music? With two tracks from the debut The Music That Died Alone, and three each from The World That We Drive Through and A Place In The Queue all the bases are well covered. There is even a 'rarity' in Forsaken Cathedrals which was included on the bonus disc of A Place In The Queue. So good to see that such strong tracks that, presumably, at one time would have been b-sides to singles, are kept alive and given an airing. All of Disc One and the first three tracks of Disc Two were recorded at Club Riga in September 2006. This is the live album 'proper' and features the band at their best. With Travis on board and Guy Manning adding a touch of lightness on acoustic guitar, the group can present each song in its natural breadth, all the textures of light and shade. Baine's backing vocals are also more evident, contrasting well with Tillison's more earthy lead vocals. Lyricist Tillison often comes over a bit serious with his often weighty lyrics (you can tell he is a Peter Hammill fan!) but shows his lighter side during The Winning Game when he throws in the riff to In A Gadda Da Vida!
If you are searching for justification for buying this album then you can find it in In Darkest Dreams. It is impossible to separate out the highlights of this piece as the entire 27 minutes is a wonder to behold. Even bassist Jonas Rheingold gets a solo! The two parts of In Darkest Dreams are linked by a piece of electronica entitled After Rubycon taking as its influence the Tangerine Dream album Rubycon, hence the title! Tillison has always proclaimed his joy of all sorts of seventies prog including electronic synthesiser soundscapes which he so aptly displayed on his recent solo album Fog. The inclusion works well linking the two parts of the main song together well.
The next four tracks on Disc Two were recorded at the 2005 ROSFEST in Philadelphia and feature the same band as on the Club Riga recording. As with the tracks on Disc One, the two original numbers are superbly played with Jonsson really letting go and showing his worth on The World We Drive Through. Skipping the Distance keeps the groove going with some wonderful keyboard work and the very credible and enjoyable Hatfield And The North inspired section. Fun With The Audience is a band introduction and some banter with the crowd before the band launch into a raucous and convincing version of Crimson's 21st Century Schizoid Man. On this performance, the band could have another life as a Crimson tribute band as they have got it down pat; Travis handles the sax work beautifully and Jaime Salazar thrashes out the complex rhythms as if he has been playing the song all his life. Even though this song will be familiar to all, The Tangent's version is a joy, particularly the great Hammond solo over the prominent bass and the off kilter guitar solo. Final track, a rendition of The Nice's arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's America is actually from the Pyramids and Stars recording but left off that release for reasons of space. Hence, it features Roine Stolt on guitar, Zoltan Csorsz on drums and no wind instrumentation. Tillison's love of The Nice has resulted in several recordings of their songs on various albums that he has been involved with but this is possibly the best one. The keyboard playing is exceptional the Hammond organ getting a fine work out, some ELP synth lines being added and some lovely piano work. Just a shame that Jonsson wasn't on guitar :-)!
With great art work, song selection, performance, packaging and sound quality, Going Off On One is a rather good live package, no strike that, it is a GREAT live package!
Tracklist: GPS Culture, The Winning Game, In Earnest, Forsaken Cathedrals, The Music That Died Alone, Lost In London, In Darkest Dreams Part One, After Rubycon, In Darkest Dreams Part Two (98:41)
Bonus Material: Tour Rehearsal (4:41), Andy Tillison With A New Opera Live In 1981 (8:26)
With three studio and one live album to their credit, a DVD release from The Tangent was surely on the cards. Enter Going Off On One, originally a limited edition DVD and double CD package which unfortunately is now sold out. The good news is they are both available as separate releases, which explains this duo review. The DVD was recorded in September 2006 at the Club Riga an intimate (i.e. small) venue in the English resort of Southend-on-Sea. Given that the band’s stage line up is not always consistent I’m happy to report that the seven piece from the last album A Place In The Queue are all present and correct. Working from left to right they are Krister Jonsson (guitar), Jonas Reingold (bass), Jaime Salazar (drums), Andy Tillison (keyboards and vocals), Theo Travis (saxophone and flute), Guy Manning (acoustic guitar and vocals), and Sam Baine (keyboards and vocals).
Unsurprisingly songs from A Place In The Queue feature strongly in the set list, replacing several numbers from the first two albums. Of these the sprightly GPS Culture is a perfect opener sounding even more like Yes than the studio version. The pristine sound quality makes it hard to believe that this is a live recording. With solid support from Manning and Baine, Tillison’s vocals are a revelation, looking fit and sporting a short haircut, he actually sounds better than on record. The Winning Game is the only song included from The World That We Drive Through and it’s played to perfection with Roine Stolt’s absence easily overlooked thanks to sterling soloing from Jonsson. He has since departed the band himself so it will be interesting to hear how the sound shapes up on the forthcoming album with new guitarist Jakko M Jakszyk.
Studying each band member it’s interesting to compare facial expressions, from Jonsson’s intense concentration, to Reingold’s characteristic bemusement, to Salazar’s look of apprehension. Tillison appears totally in control standing centre stage with keyboards either side assuming his front-man role with cool conviction. Unfortunately Sam Baine sitting low down at the front of the stage doesn’t get anywhere near the screen time she deserves. During several of her keyboard parts the camera lingers on Tillison even though it’s evident that the sound coming out of the speakers is not from his rig. Jonsson suffers the same fate with the camera often focussing elsewhere during his guitar solo. Occasionally to compensate for this an annoying split screen technique is adopted whereby Jonsson appears in a small frame alongside a much larger image of Tillison.
I’m probably being a tad unfair here because the same level of criticism can be directed at most concert videos. It’s the ‘keep the camera pointed at the singer at all costs’ syndrome. On the plus side the intimacy between camera and stage does allow for excellent close-ups of perspiring faces and fingers on keys and frets. This is especially welcome during the more complex parts of In Earnest which for me is the highlight of the DVD. Vintage World War Two footage is sparingly and tastefully inter-cut with images of the band during this “epic to end all epics” as Neal Morse would say. The climatic image of Tillison with his head back, eyes closed, singing his heart out is quite stunning. The band’s previous claim to fame in the epic stakes In Darkest Dreams from the debut album The Music That Died Alone also gets an airing. This doesn’t work so well in my opinion, with indulgent guitar and sax solos that seem to go on far too long. Better is the more disciplined bass solo from the ever excellent Reingold.
Forsaken Cathedrals is an interesting addition to the set as it originally appeared on the A Place in The Queue bonus disc only. It’s a rocking piece and Manning especially appears to enjoy this one, even adding a touch of Jews harp. After Rubycon is also something of a rarity. A tribute to the Tangerine Dream album of the same name, it allows Tillison to indulge his passion for ambient keyboard effects. It also slots very nicely into the middle of the aforementioned In Darkest Dreams. The elegiac The Music That Died Alone is an essential ingredient of any Tangent show in my opinion. It has one of the best melodies ever written by Tillison enhanced here by the beautiful artwork of Ed Unitsky interspersed with the concert footage. Lost In London, again from the last album, is a not so obvious addition being one of those rare things, a prog song that’s lyrically stronger than it is musically.
The bonus material is typical of most DVD’s, in other words it doesn’t stand-up to more than a handful of viewings. The tour rehearsal in particular is a disappointment, basically a five minute clip from A Place In The Queue, a song that didn’t make the final set list. This comprises a lengthy sax solo from Travis followed by a short solo from Jonsson. It’s strictly low tech in terms of picture and sound. An amateur recording from 1981 is of more interest showing a youthful Tillison on stage with his first band "A New Opera". With an audience made-up of mostly dancing teenage girls the performance is representative of popular music of the time, i.e. it’s more New Romantics than neo-prog. The two songs played are Collapso, which evolved into Uphill From Here, and Resistance, the main riff from which ended up in In Earnest twenty five years later. In addition to Tillison on vocals and “dreadful guitar” the line-up also included David Million who is currently lead guitarist with Guy’s own band Manning.
When The Tangent first came on the scene their debut CD was a wake up call as far as prog was concerned. Although their debut DVD is not likely to have the same impact it’s a worthy addition to any collection, especially for fans of the band. Although the small stage setting belies the epic scope of the music it does have its charm and the basic lighting allows the band to be seen in close and colourful detail. Interestingly, in addition to the professional camera work the film incorporates camcorder footage taken by the audience. This is a first for a DVD as far as I know and is of a very good quality. It’s also so skilfully integrated that it’s difficult to tell which is which. Those that insist on sounds coming from every corner of the room may be disappointed to find that there are no surround sound options. However, if you like your music in good old fashioned stereo then this won’t be a problem, and as I said earlier the sound quality is excellent. Add to that an impeccable selection of material and an unbeatable line-up of musicians and you have one highly recommended DVD.
Conclusions:
MARK HUGHES - The CD ~ 9 out of 10
GEOFF FEAKES - The DVD ~ 8 out of 10
From the IMHOTEP website
One of the most surprising new bands within Progressive Rock is without doubt the English/Swedish act The Tangent. Their mix of 70's prog & jazz with a modern touch has hit home for many a young and old fan of the genre. It just took Tillison and the band 3 CDs to suddenly be placed on the top shelf in modern prog rock together with great names like The Flower Kings, Spock's Beard, Kaipa, Arena and so on.
The Tangent's style has a rich sound, reminiscent of the 70's Canterbury style. It's flooded with majestic arrangements, technical brilliance and catchy melodies topped with one of the more unique vocals for the genre today. Apart from playing keyboards, Andy has currently most of the leading vocals, but had help from Roine Stolt (not in the band anymore) on the 2 first albums. On this DVD Tillison took over for Stolt and I think this is nothing but excellent - well done!
A small orchestra with a total of 7 people makes this all come together and it sounds just as good live as on CD, if not better! The sound and picture quality is superb from start to end, showing a magnificent band in tip top shape with a groove and drive that is both mesmerizing and inspiring! A true "must have" for all fans of the band and also a good document to start with for those who are curios about the band.
The luxury edition comes with DVD and two CDs in DVD digipak with slipcase that is limited to 3.000 copies worldwide. The DVD contains a bonus live recording of Tillison's first band, which was formed in 1981. The double CD features, in addition to the DVD titles, four further tracks including cover versions of "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson and "America" by The Nice. Need I say more?
(2007) Many many minutes of Joy!
Reviews of the band's third studio CD "A Place In The Queue"
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NEW june 2007 This latest effort is perhaps the most cohesive and interesting that the band has released ....... All in all, this album is amazing. This is a great CD for anyone into progressive music, jam band music, jazz or for anyone looking for something really different. new review from the SPUTNIK MUSIC website
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DUTCH PROGRESSIVE ROCK PAGE ROUND TABLE REVIEW... BART JAN VAN DER VORST - 8.5 out of 10 Read all five reviews from this highly respected site HERE
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A Place In The Queue is a spectacular album, with amazing melodies, world-class musicianship, great lyrics, unbelievable variety, impeccable musical arrangements and some of the best keyboard work you can imagine, a wild prog trip! To say that I loved it is quite an understatement.
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"entertains and inspires, whether you're waiting in line, or breaking from the mould. This is a fine start to 2006." Phil Wilson for LIVE4METAL
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The bar has officially been raised. The new Tangent album, A Place in the Queue-isn't just good. It's not even just great. It's brilliant. - the Tangent has just broken away from the pack and is now sitting in that small, rarified circle of prog bands that matter. This is serious progressive rock...with full emphasis on the word "progressive."
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"A Place In The Queue" - a matchless and practically incomparable disc. You will be able to put it next to jazz discs, to those of symphonic rock or to the progressive ones... and it will not be out of position, because it is all that and more.
Bravo Mr Tillison. Carlos Treviño Cobo From a Spanish Review, read the whole review here
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.....the 25 minute track, which develops itself into one of the most ingenious epic tracks that recent prog history has thrown up. Tillison and his band have succeeded in building monumental cinematic prog in such a way that nearly a half hour seems to simply fly by. From the "Walls of Fire" site
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I had a chance to listen to the album once and all I can say is wow! Im actually speeechless. I loved the first two but this album is amazing. Don Cassidy - Delicious Agony Progressive Rock Radio
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I'll go as far as saying that A Place in the Queue may be the best progressive rock album since the 1970's. Emphasis on 'may' - but with two over-20 minute epics, a host of 10 minute songs, and a couple extremely innovative short ones, and especially with such a deep concept in the lyrics, you can't go wrong. From the Much Music web Board |
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The Tangent have delivered an album, remarkable in every way which will satisfy both fans of complex prog, (who will find pleasure from something new each listen,) and also those who are normally a little alienated by such involved projects. To these people (and I am often one of them) I can only recommend to take a little time to get into this work, becuase it really is worth the effort. From the Progressive Waves site |
NEW Review by Wrathi on the SPUTNIK MUSIC website
As this amazing band has no reputation on this website, I figured I’d write this review to spread the word. The Tangent is an extremely interesting mix of many genres of rock and other music which started as a collaborative side project formed by Andy Tillison and Sam Baine (Parallel or 90 Degrees) as well as Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Roine Stolt) and many other progressive musicians. (see Wikipedia article for more info). The band was an instant success in the progressive genre and they were subsequently signed to InsideOut Music (Riverside, The Flower Kings, Transatlantic, Spock’s Beard, Umphree’s McGee). Apparently after the first effort, The Music That Died Alone, Andy Tillison became the chief writer for the band and he kept the name. Since then he has released The World We Drive Through and the latest, A Place In The Queue.
This latest effort is perhaps the most cohesive and interesting that the band has released and features the following musicians. (All music written by Tillison)
Andy Tillison- Organ, Synthesizers, Piano, Principal Vocals
Sam Baine- Piano, Synth and Vocals
Jonas Reingold- Bass Guitar
Theo Davis- Saxophones, Flute, Clarinet, Vocals
Guy Manning- Acoustic Guitars, Assorted Overdubs, Vocals
Jaime Salazar- Drums
Krister Jonsson- Electric Guitar
As these songs are massively long, I hope I don’t bore you with this track by track.
Main Disc Length- 78:54
In Earnest (20:03) Tillison – This first epic is a very slow start to the album with some piano and flute and acoustic guitar during the first part. Lyrics are very strange here, explaining things about a pilot of some sort and tell a story without following verses or choruses. Two and a half minutes in we get into the fast stuff, containing a great bassline and multiple piano parts. The Tangent is defiantly more keyboard-based rock than guitar as seen here. Instrumentals everywhere on this CD are absolutely virtuoso and the layering is outstanding. The piano parts are quite similar to the virtuoso work of piano and synthesizer players in the US jam band scene.
Those concerned with under representation of non keyboard instruments do not fear because there many extremely great wind instrument, bass, drum and guitar work on this CD as well. Once this song gets going it is an excellent tune, utilizing literally 50 different parts instead of verse and chorus traditions. One of the only detractions at first from this music is perhaps the lyrics which are really more comical than interesting (Tillison does have a British accent). This song is nearly always upbeat and happy sounding, utilizing a variety of different musical styles along with excellent use of dynamics to keep the flow going. At times, it seems like 20 instruments are playing instead of just six or seven (which is already more than most bands). It truly is something you have to hear for yourself to understand the virtuosity of the musicianship and song structure. It seems like a quick song even at twenty minutes long and just as enjoyable as 5 or 6 regular length tracks. 4.5/5
Lost In London (8:08) Tillison/Manning- Those who are daunted by the twenty minute track one can start here with this catchy elevator/jazz feeling song. Beginning with some keyboards and clean guitar, you can tell this will be a great song. A flute melody follows and then the catchy vocals. This verse is carried by a solid bassline and a good drum beat until a louder instrumental part which contains soaring flute and big synthesizer. Once again, Tillison proves to be a master composer, never making this song repetitive.
The flute and wind instruments really stand out on this more laid back track as well as the groovy bassline and melodic guitar. Lyrics here are quite a bit less comical than track one. About a third the way through, the song gets heavier, utilizing many layers of keyboards and some slide guitar. About halfway through, all the instruments fall out in a cacophony of sound that is really quite strange but it doesn’t really deter because the next part is just as chilled out as the first half. A sweet keyboard solo follows up into a spectacular flute solo that is very jazzy sounding. After this part, it goes back to the verse and it’s only after this happens that you know just how effective the middle section was. The track finishes after a short jam with many keyboards. Overall, one of the most cohesive and catchy songs here and something almost everyone can enjoy. 5/5
DIY Surgery (2:17) Tillison/Middleton- This song is quite comical as you can tell from the title. It is really quite good filler with a good main motif along side some tight bass fills and a flute solo. It does its job well at breaking up the tracks. 4/5
GPS Culture (10:07) Tillison- This starts out with a rather silly sounding piano motif that is all over the place and is then followed by the rest of the instruments in a cool louder part. This song does follow verse/chorus structure but it is really quite interesting nonetheless. The verse continues to use that first silly keyboard motif interspersed with cool bass fills and the chorus even sees us with some very slight distortion from the guitars. Background vocals are also quite comical but nonetheless this song is pretty solid. The first bridge is quite cool, utilizing dark jazz sounding piano and bass (the bass parts on this album really are quite awesome, one of the highlights for me). Lyrics have to deal with the culture of today’s world with cell phones, commercialism, advertisement, technology and the like. Some good lyrics here are.
“We think we know that riff but where in the world did we ever here that nagging tune”
The above part is really quite funny because the bridge uses the first 3 notes of a riff (probably Crème’s Sunshine for My Love) that we’ve all heard before. After this bridge, things quiet down slightly and it goes into some dark acoustic guitar assisted by some percussion and then some more silly sounding piano. A cool bass solo part follows, aided by some more piano and synth and after that a slide guitar. This song does quite a good job at featuring every instrument such as another flute solo and virtuoso playing of nearly every instrument. Once this part cools down, we are treated with some tight electric guitar work and then some more silly female background vocals which serves as a good transition back into the verse and chorus parts. Once you can get past the silliness of this song it really is quite good because it utilizes each instrument effectively and equally. It also gives us some good social commentary. 4.5/5
Follow Your Leaders (9:21) Tillison- Those that thought that Tillison could only write happy stuff think again. This song begins with some dark synthesizer with a much harder edge followed by some great guitar work and awesome bass work. It isn’t that dark for long because it goes into a section using a quick piano motif that remains through out the verse. A quick bassline takes over as the driving force for the verse aided by cool guitar work. Lyrics here are truly good, enlightening us on the views of Tillison on things such as trends and the like. The chorus here is pretty good even though it is rather sudden, using slightly distorted guitar. After the first chorus we are treated to a great flute solo and then it’s back into the first riff. Instrumentals here are once again extremely good. After a few choruses they go into the bridge which uses some Mars Volta–ish electronic effects as well as cool bassline and keyboards.
The bridge extends into a dissonant sounding interlude which serves as a good transition into another verse. After another chorus, we are treated with a grandiose and epic guitar solo which is quite a nice break from the keyboards. The solo is backed up well by organ and a good steady drum beat and bass. Once the solo is over, most instruments fall out and we are left with some wind ambience and some flute and organ followed by a drum solo for a truly different and cool ending which transitions spectacularly into the next song. Overall, this is an awesome song with superb lyrics and instrumentals. 5/5
The Sun In My Eyes (3:44) Tillison- Please tell me why this awesome song isn’t on the radio. Beginning with a catchy as hell guitar riff and followed by perfect organ and bass, this song is something. Bass lines here are awesome and the verse is catchy, utilizing every instrument well. The chorus shows some good wind instrument and string instrument work which transition into the verse. A synthesizer solo also proves to be a great transition into an awesome bridge which uses some string work and guitar work. The interlude that follows is just as catchy as the following verse. The ending has some great bass fills and even cooler organ and guitar work. If you don’t like this song you are probably the strangest person I will never meet. 5/5
A Place In The Queue (25:19) Tillison/Travis- If you thought my In Earnest review was not substantial enough for its length then I’m going to try to make up for it with this. This masterpiece begins with a drum roll and some epic sounding guitar and organ work which then transition into a quieter part which features some acoustic guitar. Just like In Earnest, this song has literally like 50 different parts and it is nearly impossible to dissect each part. The verse is quite slow and at parts it has some off tone chords and at others it uses some cool elevator music piano. After a strange break which contains some strange and incoherent, low, spoken vocals, the second verse commences along with the first chorus. At times this song is beautiful and at others it is rather dissonant but the structure is very good and it doesn’t get too repetitive.
Some standouts of this first part are the strange wind instrument solos which are quite dark sounding and interesting. Drum work here is also quite standout as well as the bass and organ work. After this solo the guitar takes over the main part and it is back into the vocals. Lyrics in this song are quite interesting because Tillison is talking about life as a long story and how a lot of things are corrupt. Once the vocals die out there is a quieter part with only some piano and synthesizer. However, they jump right back into the vocals, this time much more catchy with a great bassline and cool guitar work followed by some sweet synthesizer and background vocals. Whereas most of the rest of this song is fairly disjointed, this part works wonderfully. Another wind instrument solo soon follows and then a quieter part with vocals. The lyrics here are rather happier which transitions perfectly into the refrain which is quite epic and cool sounding. Just when you think the song might be ending, they jump right back into the previous verse and then one more epic refrain. This time you think its over right? No.
This second refrain is followed by a synthesizer scale and some more instrumentals this time with some orchestral work. A funky drop off or two leads into a sweet synthesizer solo, followed by more instrumentals then some more of that funky verse. After this, we are treated to some elevator music piano aided by a great groovy bassline and then an awesome keyboard solo which all transition into an epic instrumental containing even more layers of synthesizers. Once you think the song is going to come its climax, the instruments drop off again for some more quiet piano and one more verse follows. The subsequent instrumental section contains excellent saxophone work which transitions epically into the final refrain. This song truly is an epic journey and has some great lyrics to boot. This title track proves to be a fantastic way to finish the album. 5/5
The Bonus Disc is excellent as well, containing 43 minutes more of music.
Bonus Disc Length- 43 minutes
Promises Were Made (7:26) Baine/Tillison- This song is great and is only a bonus track because it is considerably different from the first disc. Those that the first disc lacked a harder edge, you can find it here, along with some excellent guitar work. 4.5/5
The First Day At School (5:30) Tillison- A darker and more quiet tune. There is some orchestral string work here as well as mellow piano. Overall, very solid 3.5/5
Forsaken Cathedrals (4:54) Tillison- Another good track that is quite upbeat and utilizes some more wind work. Pretty catchy but probably wouldn’t have fit on the first CD. Great track nonetheless. 4/5
The Sun In My Eyes [Extended Mix] (9:12) Tillison- Already a fantastic tune, this song adds another 6 minutes to the wonderful song that was track 6 on the first CD. This has quite a bit of build up and some orchestral work but is nonetheless interesting. You will find every part of the first version on this, just in different places. Its not quite as catchy and does flow quite as well but it is excellent 4.5/5
Grooving On Mars LIVE (6:16) Travis
A neat and more ambient track, lacking vocals, that is quite neat. I haven’t had that much time to listen to it but it’s still pretty good. Mostly ambient music with a drumbeat and steady bassline. 3.5/5
Kartoff Im Unterseeboot (13:37) Tillison/Jonsson/Travis-
Once again, cool and laid back instrumental ambience. Again, a pretty solid track that can be quite interesting at points with some tribal drumming here and there and mostly wind noises here and there. 3.5/5
All in all, this album is amazing. It may take some time to grow on you with all the extra long songs but once you can distinguish between each one and start noticing all the superb instrumental layers you can really appreciate this excellent album. This is a great CD for anyone into progressive music, jam band music, jazz or for anyone looking for something really different. You will not find more bang for your buck anywhere else, especially if you get the bonus disc which adds 43 minutes to the already epic and 78 minute first CD.
Format: Single CD . InsideOut # SPV48752 - Double CD InsideOut # SPV48750
release date: February 7, 2006 - The Tangent's official website at http://www.thetangent.org/
Robert Dansereau for progmontreal
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After two incredible CDs called The Music That Died Alone and The World That We Drive Through, and a year's worth of hard work preparing their latest album, It is obvious that many people will have great expectations about A Place In The Queue... all I can say is that people will not be disappointed, as It was well worth the wait! This new album heavily concentrates on the talent and musicianship of its members, For those who love the sound of keyboards, Andy Tillson's work on this CD is simply exceptional, with some of the best melodies and harmonies that you've heard on any Tangent album. Roine Stolt's absence on this CD did not affect in any way the sound of the band, as a matter of fact, it actually released many ideas and sounds that might have been put on the backburner and gave a whole new dynamic to the group, in the words of Andy: "We have more personal freedom, and we take advantage of this freedom". On this new release, you'll find a lot of variety, tracks with Canterbury influences, neo-symphonic, jazz fusion, even some RIO and a disco number! A Place In The Queue is the "Cirque Du Soleil" of progressive music!
The album begins with the quiet piano intro of In Earnest, a 20-minute epic that features the instantly recognizable "Tangent" sound the most, a brilliant, captivating, exuberant composition with stunning keyboard work from Andy and great, touching lyrics. Krister shows some mighty impressive chops on the guitar. Not even halfway through this track, I had gone through the full range of emotions! Impassioned Hammond organ work à la Keith Emerson. Lost In London takes after the first album's "Canterbury Sequence", inspired by Hatfield And The North and National Health, a sweet little number with humorous lyrics and cool canterbury-ish flute work by Mr. Travis. DIY Surgery features a bizzare Zappa-esque intro, breaking into some brilliant jazz fusion sax, with definite RIO overtones. In three words; quick, quirky and surprising! The cheerful keyboard intro of GPS Culture prepares you for one the most enthusiastic tracks of the album, with vocals by the lovely Sam Baine, a very straightforward prog rock track with great interaction between Andy and Krister. Follow Your Leader is an intense track with an aggressive rhythm, about the frenzy of life in general, mixing Canterbury bits with ELP-styled keyboards, featuring great bass lines from Jonas and ending with a weeping guitar solo. The Sun In My Eyes will really catch you by surprise... it can only be described as a tribute to the white suits and bellbottoms of the late seventies, prog disco if you can believe! This dance floor number is a deliciously funny diversion, signs of a tight group of musicians with a sense of humour and self-derision! It will certainly bring a smile to your face, and features funny lyrics about prog music. A Place In The Queue is the dramatic epic of the album and begins with a grandiose sax intro, followed by beautiful, haunting guitar work by Mr. Manning. Sensational keyboards and guitars throughout, a very elaborate composition and a truly mesmerizing track.
The Bonus disk features another 55 minutes of tracks that couldn't fit on the 79-min. main disk, some remixed versions, live material and spacy, ambient pieces, great stuff that makes this exceptional album even more worthwhile.
A Place In The Queue is a spectacular album, with amazing melodies, world-class musicianship, great lyrics, unbelievable variety, impeccable musical arrangements and some of the best keyboard work you can imagine, a wild prog trip! To say that I loved it is quite an understatement. This album definitely establishes Andy Tillson as one of the best keyboard player of our times, easily sharing this title with Dave Stewart, Keith Emerson and Jordan Rudess. A Place In The Queue is by far the most elaborate, well-crafted work of the Tangent, an album that will easily find its way among the top albums of 2006 without any doubt.
The Tangent
A Place in the Queue
(InsideOut Music)
by Pete Prown, guitarist/journalist/author (www.guitargarden.net)
January, 2006
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Attention up and coming prog-rock bands: the bar has officially been raised. The new Tangent album, A Place in the Queue-isn't just good. It's not even just great. It's brilliant. While the number of neo-prog bands growing by the minute, the Tangent has just broken away from the pack and is now sitting in that small, rarified circle of prog bands that matter. This is serious progressive rock...with full emphasis on the word "progressive."
Previous Tangent discs featured singer/keyboardist Andy Tillison sharing the spotlight with Flower Kings axeman Roine Stolt, but this is the first album without the mighty Swede on guitar, leaving most of the focus directly on Tillison. Happy to report, he comes through swimmingly. His songs on Queue have extremely powerful melodies, offbeat arrangements and some fairly personal lyrics that are neither sappy nor self-indulgent. As I noted earlier, folks, the bar has been raised.
The CD starts out in ballad form with "In Earnest," a 20-minute suite that runs the gamut from gentle lyricism to heavy instrumental riffing. It's a great and curious way to start the record, avoiding the obviously "bash 'em on the head" approach to album openers. It slowly brings the listener into the heady material and succeeds completely. Lyrically, too, Tillison shows real depth in these bittersweet memoirs of an aging World War II fighter pilot. You don't hear this kind of graceful lyric-writing too often.
"Lost in London" is a biographical story of a young country lad venturing into the big city for the first time, complemented by nimble flute work from Theo Travis. "DIY Surgery" shows off Travis' sax playing, as well as his composition chops-he wrote the song and proceeds to lead the band through some whacked-out, Zappaesque melody lines. It's cool stuff and offers a refreshing change of pace to an already surprising record. I
A Place in the Queue finds its stride with "GPS Culture," which starts with the kind of slam-bang intro that makes all us proggers drool. Here, you'll find all the classic progressive licks of the '70s, cleverly reformulated into a 21st-century package. "Follow Your Leaders" has a typically skeptical lyric about modern pop culture, but there is strong instrumental work, notably in the Jeff Berlin-styled bass solo of Jonas Reingold (also of the Flower Kings) and the tasty guitarwork of newcomer Krister Jonsson. Unlike the bluesy Stolt, this melodic player exudes more of a jazz vibe, which fits well with the Canterbury-prog influences that so often turn up on Tangent records. Throughout the album, Krister offers up a wide array of guitar styles, excelling on electric, though the album's acoustic-guitar solos sound a bit thin and weakly recorded (an odd production flaw on an otherwise beautifully recorded platter).
Saving the best for last, let's look at the two final songs on the album. "The Sun Gets in My Eyes" is a back-handed tribute to disco, featuring a killer beat and cheesy '70s accouterments (dig those reverb-laden strings!), and hysterically funny lyrics about being a young prog fan's struggles in the era of the Bee Gees and Donna Summer. This track is destined to be a cult classic-it's perfect in every way.
Not to take the easy way out, Tillison leads the band through one more extended epic to close the album, the title track, which features a brooding, signature sax line from Travis reminiscent of Traffic or early King Crimson and more excellent ensemble work from his Tangent colleagues (including 2nd keyboardist Sam Baine, drummer Jaime Salazer and acoustic guitarist/singer Guy Manning).
By the end of this album, a few things become apparent. For one thing, the CD's title takes on new meaning-with this recording, the Tangent is boldly claiming their right to take a "place in the queue" of prog-rock's greats, alongside Yes, ELP, Genesis, Floyd and, in recent times, the Flower Kings. Perhaps it's too early to crown the Tangent outright, but A Place in the Queue is a record that-like the very best prog albums-demands repeated listenings, unlike some recent neo-prog efforts that are all nostalgic riffs and a slickly polished sheen.
What pushes this CD into the winner's circle, however, is not the crisp songs, deft musicianship or intriguing arrangements. Surprisingly, it's the warmth and genuineness of Andy Tillison's lyrics and singing. And while he's not a schooled vocalist, somehow Tillison's eccentric, warbly voice conveys a world of emotion and depth. This, ultimately, is what defines Queue-it's a prog album with heart. And when is the last time you heard one of those?
The Tangent - A Place in the Queue (Inside Out Recs) review by Phil Wilson
From the LIVE4METAL site
It's not like a prog band to go off on a tangent ever, so I will endeavour not to! Multinational outfit "The Tangent" seems to hail from many countries including Sweden and England, so I'm not sure where they place their roots, but this collaboration is certainly a celebration of many influences. Initially I imagine Yes, hanging out in a lounge somewhere discussing life with Ozric Tentacles, and reminiscing about a Hawkwind concert.
From the outset, The Tangent embark on 20 minute opener "In Earnest", but this adventure does hold a traditional "song like" structure, enabling the listener to stay on track
with ease. On that note, "A Place in the Queue" reaches a nice balance of rocking tunes with instrumentals that explore each facet of their array of talents, from keys, guitars and voice, to saxophones, flutes, mandolin, and whatever else they get their mitts on. Each "voice" is executed with exceptional precision, and each holding its own moment in the limelight.
Spanning 79 minutes, "A Place in the Queue" explores the concept that life is one long wait in line, being handed your path by someone above, and conforming to trends an ideals. It is refreshingly light and thoughtful, unlike the anger or aggression of some "metal" takes on the subject. "Follow Your Leaders" and the title track being the most prominent examples of this concept are both exciting and emotional, although one can't help but think that "The Tangent" have followed none of these rules.
If progressive rock is your bag, then you can't go far wrong with this release - the bonus edition comes with a six song bonus disc (which is no doubt longer than most records) - which entertains and inspires, whether you're waiting in line, or breaking from the mould. This is a fine start to 2006.
Carlos Treviño Cobo From a Spanish Review, read the whole review in spanish here
Translation by Deb Baine
Within these lines, I have the honour of telling you all about the first jewel/gem of 2006. Andy Tillison is the director and overall leader of this stroke of genius which, under the abovementioned name, offers us a work of progressive music in the widest sense of the word.
The third piece of work from the Britains, or fourth if you count the Live ‘Pyramids and Stars’, and probably the most versatile of all as it brings together, in a stroke of virtuosity, styles which could seem at first to be little compatible. This is 79 minutes of a passion for music displayed in 7 matchless tracks.
Right from the start, with ‘In Earnest’ (20 minutes), we find ourselves with a group who desire to explore all aspects of fusion in its fullest sense. From the most seventies Funk, pianos that ring with positive melodies, Classical or Folk instruments like saxophone, flute and clarinet (Theo Travis), passing through moments of electrifying Symphonic Rock, fantastic guitar riffs and progressive changes of rhythm, this first track is one of the best I have heard for a long time.
Jonas Reingold, bassist of The Flower Kings, achieves an authentic instrumental showpiece, accompanied by the new drummer Jaime Salazar (the replacement for Zoltan Csorsz who is concentrating his efforts with The Flower Kings). Sam Baine, Tillison’s companion since the time of PO90 (the ‘mother band’ of the Tangent), looks after the synthesisers, absolutely splendid choruses, and the piano, with which she stars in great passages, among which is some truly immeasurable jazz.
This master work which opens the disc/album is followed by ‘Lost in London’, a track in which jazz vocal predominate (Fred Astaire(?), Frank Sinatra) although embellished with Celtic Rock (Jethro Tull) and a little Psychedelic Symphonic Rock (early seventies Genesis). Composed between Andy Tillison and Guy Manning (acoustic guitar, mandolin etc), it is nothing other than another fantastic showpiece by Salazar on drums and Baine on piano.
‘GIY Surgery’ lasts two minutes and could be a Psychedelic Symphonic Jazz ‘departure from the stew pot’ which brings you to ‘GPS Culture’, a British Symphonic track which would fit in perfectly in any of the early works of Genesis. The chorus stands out, simply marvellous, as do some ingenious keyboards, which give just the right amount of always optimistic direction/ambience, the unmistakable stamp/seal of the band.
Symphonic Rock and Jazz return to predominate in ‘Follow your Leaders’, even if its changes of rhythm keep giving way to all sorts of sound influences. However, everything changes with ‘The Sun in My Eyes’, a short Funk track which, without losing the characteristic sound of the band, delves deep into the seventies rhythms of the legendary Motown and all its extensive list of musicians who knew how to adapt Soul to the new Rock sounds of that time. Tillison’s voice is the counterpoint, with a tension/tightness of voice different to that which we are used to hearing in Funk.
The closing track is the title track and, in its almost half hour, deepens/extends everything we have heard up to now, touching on everything previously mentioned once or more, which lets you appreciate the great quality hoarded/held by each and every musician who make ‘A Place In The Queue’ a disc/album practically incomparable and ‘unequal-able’. You could place it next to Jazz, Symphonic Rock or Progressive records and it wouldn’t be out of place because its all these and more. Bravo for Tillison.
Translated From the German site "Walls Of Fire" read original in German HERE
***** 5 stars out of 5
Author "Deadnextdoor"
The Tangent - A Place In The Queue
It's been one and a half years now since the last Tangent album, "The World That We Drive Through" was released, and its still a collaboration between a Swedish Band and the gifted songwriter Andy Tillison. If one could once regard the Tangent in the same bracket as the Flower Kings, this has now changed with the departure of the Flower King himself, Roine Stolt. Just as saxophonist David Jackson left the unit, he left to be replaced by the new Guitarist Krister Jonsson.
And this change, believe it or not, has totally and utterly worked on this new album. The new man in the role has adopted a completely different emphasis from his predecess
