ECHOLYN

Suffocating The Bloom is one of the most beloved 90s prog albums but I've never cottoned to that opinion. To get the elephant in the room ejected, I must state that their love of all things Gentle Giant is the biggest mark gainst them to me, never being a fan of GG and their busy multi vocal workouts. So, trying to place that aside I decided to review the album on just the first 4 songs as anymore would just be repition. Especially when it comes to the album's 20 plus minute closing suite.

The lead off track "21" is a toned down affair with gentle acoustic guitar strums and keyboard strings. It reminds me of a ballad that Kansas would do. But do much better. It's also very atypical to the rest of the songs on the album. "Winterthru" seems to be an ode to the Christmas season, if not the holiday itself. It has pleasant melodies and a very Renaissance Novella era verse and vocals. Filled with all manor of chimes and bells, it's quite busy enough but sent over the edge by the song's bombastic chorus. This is where the drumming of Paul Ramsey goes ballistic and almost over powers the music. Some restraint would have been welcome but that word doesn't seem to be in this drummer's vocabulary. This would be a trademark throughout the album. "Reaping The Harvest" starts out mellow enough but it's bombastic chorus now the feature the GG style multi lead and counter vocals. Busy enough in itself if the drummer didn't think that every faster paced chorus and instrumental break was a competition with ELP's "Karnevil 9". Even ELP knew when to lay low. Remember "Lucky Man". And that goes for the rest of this group too. The following track "In The Garden" starts off with a long synthersizer string piece that's quite boring. I'm not sure what purpose it serves the song. The song changes into a faster paced multi vocal workout over a jazzy melody and rhythm before exploding into more over played choruses and instrumental breaks. And more over playing from, you guessed it, the drummer.

Having listened to this album a few times, I could repeat the same criticisms on the rest of the songs, but that would be academic. "Suffocating The Bloom" is well recorded and well played, but an outside producer was needed to reign in a lot of the endless bombast and constant overplaying. And give the drummer a Valium.

There's nothing wrong with prog musicians taking inspiration from their heroes, be they Gentle Giant, Yes, KC or who ever, but some restraint would have resulted in Echolyn suffocating the bloom instead of suffocating the music. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Ever since the release of 'The End Is Beautiful' in 2005, Echolyn have been consistently releasing masterpiece after masterpiece with each of their albums. 2015s 'I Heard You Listening' is no exception. Personally, I believe that the band peaked on their 2012 self-titled album. I would be shocked if the band could surpass the greatness of that album. 'I Heard You Listening' is a logical album to follow their second eponymous album, as it demonstrates the band's mature songwriting and arranging skills as heard on the previous album. 'I Heard You Listening' may be the darkest and most atmospheric Echolyn album, lyrically and musically speaking.

'I Heard You Listening' opens with "Messenger of All's Right," which is a sombre opener. The lyrics describe the healing powers music can have when one is going through a difficult time. I've been delivered by a messenger, and that messenger is Echolyn. The following track, "Warjazz," is one of the more traditional-sounding Echolyn tracks on 'I Heard You Listening.' The band based this song from a musical idea that used the whole tone scale. In certain contexts, such a scale can sound strange and dissonant, but "Warjazz" makes it feel incredibly natural, especially in a rock context. When I first heard "Warjazz," I thought the circus-like bridge felt disjointed in the context of the rest of the song. After having heard "Warjazz" countless times, I no longer hold that opinion.The lyrics are about a soldier suffering from PTSD. Despite the violent subject matter, "Warjazz" is very catchy. I get a strong sense while listening to "Warjazz" that the boys in Echolyn were having a lot of fun during the recording process of this song in particular.

The main musical idea of "Empyrean Views" was written by Chris Buzby. "Empyrean Views" is one of Echolyn's most non-Echolyn sounding pieces, especially the beginning and end sections, which remind me of something I would hear on 'Aja' by Steely Dan. There's an element of smooth jazz that permeates "Empyrean Views," until it reaches the "it calls for a destination" lyric. Brett Kull plays a tasty guitar solo towards the end. Despite being the longest tune on 'I Heard You Listening' with a duration of 9 minutes, "Empyrean Views" is fairly mellow throughout, and I don't mean that as a critique. The following track, "Different Days," is far more dynamic. This may be my favorite song on 'I Heard You Listening.' I love the intense power of the interplay between Brett Kull's distorted guitar and Chris Buzby's dense Hammond organ during the refrain. I also love the juxtaposition between the refrain and the playful verses, as well as the jazzy bridge. Buzby's piano playing during the bridge is absolutely gorgeous. It evokes memories of Christmas in me.

I like Jacque Varsalona's backing vocals on "Carried Home." The lyrics and melodies on this song are beautiful. The rage felt on "Once I Get Mine" is tangible and harks back to the heaviness explored on 'The End Is Beautiful.' The line, "your biggest day, it isn't mine" is hilarious to me. The structure of "Once I Get Mine" is atypical, as the chorus appears once towards the end of the song. The following track, "Sound of Bees," is a perfect foil to "Once I Get Mine." I can hear a slight Radiohead influence, especially in Brett Kull's guitar arpeggios, reminding me of subdued songs like "Nude" or "How to Disappear Completely." The overt lyrics of "Sound of Bees" are heartbreaking, and the music reflects that feeling brilliantly. The crescendo towards the end of the track is the emotional peak of 'I Heard You Listening.'

The lyrics to "All This Time We're Given" are dismal until the very end, where a hint of optimism shines through. The progression of the lyrics is captured well in the music. The mood of the song shifts from melancholic sensitivity to angry rockiness and finally, beautiful acceptance of the inevitable. The harmony vocals at the end are exquisite. It's the moment you wait for and is a major highlight of 'I Heard You Listening.' The closing track, "Vanishing Sun," ends the album with a bang, albeit rather depressingly. I adore Tom Hyatt's distorted bass tone on this song. The ending of "Vanishing Sun" during the "all he ever wanted was to disappear" lyric contains similarly impeccable vocal harmonies like the previous track, as well as handclaps.

In conclusion, 'I Heard You Listening' is yet another Echolyn masterpiece. It is evident that Echolyn can do no wrong and I have high expectations for their next album.

Echolyn decided to have their 2012 album be self-titled. The confusing thing about that is their debut album is also eponymous. Despite the confusion, I think 'Echolyn' is a fitting title for this album, as it captures the essence of what Echolyn is as a band in one, perfect album. 'Echolyn' would indubitably make my top ten albums of all time list, if I had the courage to make one. Like the two previous Echolyn albums, the band bring in a host of musicians on this record to augment their instrumental palette and create a true symphonic masterpiece. The use of strings hark back to 'Mei,' but are subsidiary rather than being at the forefront. This album is Echolyn at their most mature. If I had to recommend one Echolyn album to anyone, it would be their 2012 self-titled.

The album opens with the longest track, "Island." This is my favorite opening track of an Echolyn album. Lyrically, "Island" can be regarded as a modern-day version of "The Cheese Stands Alone" from 'As The World.' The lyrics describe Echolyn as a band and how they got to where they are today. The first couple minutes contain Brett Kull's distorted guitar and Chris Buzby's proggy synth interplay, which sound undeniably Echolyn. The instrumentation rests during the verse with the exception of the rhythm section (Paul Ramsey's solid drumbeat and Tom Hyatt's warm bassline) which accompanies Ray Weston's inviting vocals. Despite its 16-minute duration, "Island" contains a myriad of catchy vocal melodies. This piece is an accessible epic that skillfully manages to retain one's attention from start to finish; something that many composer's struggle with when writing longer stretches of music. The chord progression at the end (when Brett Kull starts singing) acts as a beautiful concluding piece to "Island."

"Headright" is a simple love song that should've been a hit for the band as it's so accessible, but you could probably say that for many Echolyn songs. The chamber orchestra makes their first appearance on "Locust to Bethlehem." Mark Gallagher also plays baritone saxophone on this song which augments the weight of the bassline. The title of "Locust to Bethlehem" is in reference to Pennsylvania, the state where the band members of Echolyn are from and formed. The song slowly builds from quiet to loud throughout its duration and is absolutely gorgeous. The backing vocals during the coda are incredible.

"Some Memorial" is a contender for my favorite Echolyn song. It contains Ray Weston's best lyrics and one of his best vocal performances. Lyrically, "Some Memorial" covers many different subject matters brilliantly. The stories told in the song are all true. The person by the name of Charlie referred to in the first line is a hero as he saved two people from drowning in a reservoir. Weston mocks the housewives who walk over the memorial after it was destroyed. The second line refers to friends of his who died and are buried together. The music becomes heavier as he criticizes the excessive amount of corner coffee shops that take up space on Earth, and subsequent lines convey a similar environmental message. Weston comments on pharmaceuticals and how everything is medicated now. I can't help but think of Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' when thinking of this fact. Warnings that were made nearly a century ago are uncannily true in today's society. The last line is essentially a call to action: "Take a handful of seeds, and a mouthful of dirt, lie down and become a garden." From death comes new life.

Brett Kull's shining moment on this album is "Past Gravity." This is one of Kull's best compositions. The chamber orchestra returns on this track and provides a subtle instrumental background. Tasty guitar lines from Kull are interspersed throughout. His voice truly soars during the climax, as if the heroine has found true love and took flight.

A harrowing audio excerpt of a real domestic violence situation?of people who were once Ray Weston's neighbors?starts the next track, "When Sunday Spills." Eventually, their behavior went beyond the pale and Weston had to move houses. Musically, "When Sunday Spills" evokes lullaby qualities, probably due to the choice of percussion. The lyric "waiting for the shot" describes Weston's apprehension of the couple, thinking that at any moment one of them would shoot the other with a gun.

My favorite song on 'Echolyn' is "(Speaking in) Lampblack," which is probably the most ethereal Echolyn song and has surpassed my love for "Never the Same" from 'As the World.' The windowpane lyric of "(Speaking in) Lampblack" is depicted on the album cover. The beginning of the song contains the chamber orchestra as well as Chris Buzby's soothing piano and Brett Kull's airy vocals. I interpret "(Speaking in) Lampblack" as being about a loved one who has passed, and the memories that you've shared with them. With grief comes regret, but "regret has no meaning." I also like the sentiment that even when they're gone, they still linger on in our hearts.

The album ends with "The Cardinal and I," which is my least favorite song on 'Echolyn.' Nevertheless, it's the perfect closing track for its rhythmic energy heard at the beginning and end of the song. The middle of the track is mellow and contains pretty moments, especially during the "I always hitch my name to the wrong star" section. The lyric "dissolve like daylight," originally heard on "Locust to Bethlehem," is referenced on "The Cardinal and I."

In conclusion, Echolyn's 2012 self-titled album is the band's magnum opus. Some may argue that their best album is 'As the World' or 'Mei,' but I strongly believe that this album is the best representation of what Echolyn are all about. This is one of my all-time favorite albums. Therefore, I believe that 'Echolyn' is an essential album for all fans of progressive rock and (I would argue) music in general.

After the band released 'Mei,' their most ambitious album, Echolyn decided to return to a familiar, more traditional sound on their 2005 release, 'The End Is Beautiful.' Tom Hyatt is back in the band on this record, and his bass playing was sorely missed. The previous two albums were conceptual in one way or another. 'The End is Beautiful' is a collection of songs that aren't related to each other. The format of this album is similar to the first three Echolyn albums. On 'Mei,' Echolyn incorporated an orchestra with their sound. On 'The End Is Beautiful,' the band used concert band instruments such as saxophones, trombones, and trumpets to add a brassy quality to the music. This might be the most musically diverse Echolyn album, as the band borrow from many different influences.

The album opener, "Georgia Pine," may be the most kick-ass Echolyn opener. The lyrics are based around the phrase "higher than a Georgia pine," meaning very much under the influence of drugs; extremely high. The contrapuntal keyboard and guitar interplay reminds me of Gentle Giant, but it's still distinctly Echolyn. The chorus of "Georgia Pine" contains handclaps and singalong vocal melodies. The atmospheric bridge contains Ray Weston's delicate falsetto vocals, adding a hint of melancholy to the song. In essence, "Georgia Pine" is a catchy rock song with grunge elements in the vein of Alice in Chains. The following track, "Heavy Blue Miles," is another catchy rock song. The lyric, "It's OK, it's OK; I'm not OK, I'm not OK" is brilliant. This song, similar to "Georgia Pine," also contains interesting counterpoint, which I have an affinity for in music.

The 10-minute ballad "Lovesick Morning" is one of the many highlights on 'The End is Beautiful.' Dynamically, the song starts piano and slowly builds to forte by the end, resulting in a heartbreaking climax. Ear candy is interspersed throughout "Lovesick Morning," as there are audio excerpts of a woman talking about weird sex on a radio broadcast. The chorus is theatrical and melodramatic.

When I said early that "Georgia Pine" may be the most kick-ass Echolyn opener, noticed how I used the word "opener" and not "song." Because there is a song on the same album entitled "Make Me Sway," which is probably Echolyn's heaviest song, and my god does this song rock. Ray Weston really wears his black metal influences on his sleeve with his vocal style on "Make Me Sway." Brett Kull's guitar riffing (which sounds like it's in drop D) would give Tony Iommi a run for his money.

My favorite song on 'The End Is Beautiful,' and one of my favorite Echolyn songs of all time, is the title track. There is something so haunting about the chorus of "The End Is Beautiful." I like how the band tease you with the chorus during the midpoint, but it's even more awesome at the end. The chorus never fails to leave me in complete and utter awe. Ray Weston's vocals are exquisite. I heard a reviewer describe him as "a ballsier Steve Hogarth," and I kind of agree. Mind you, Steve Hogarth is my favorite singer of all time. I believe Ray Weston wrote the lyrics to "The End Is Beautiful" after a messy breakup. The emotion he conveys is palpable.

Echolyn go funk on "So Ready." Chris Buzby's Clavinet and Paul Ramsey's drumbeat captures that style perfectly. The chorus is unbelievably catchy and melodic. Anyone, whether you like prog or not, can groove to "So Ready." "Arc of Descent" is another catchy rock song, though I do think it's a bit forgettable. The final track, "Misery, Not Memory" is a great closer. This song is structurally similar to the opening track, "Georgia Pine," except that it's longer. The lyrics were written by Ray Weston, and it's about numerous one-offs he experienced that he's lucky to have survived from. The lyrics, particularly during the bridge, are harrowing. "Misery, Not Memory" is very schizophrenic and conveys a sense of urgency through its musical complexity. I love the crunchiness of Chris Buzby's hammond organ that opens the song. I also like the intricately arranged 7/8 Latin-influenced section and the double-time coda. The last couple seconds of "Misery, Not Memory" contains a poorly recorded audio excerpt of (who I presume is) Brett Kull strumming an acoustic guitar, accompanying Ray Weston singing the bridge of "Heavy Blue Miles."

In conclusion, 'The End Is Beautiful' sees Echolyn doing what Echolyn do best. As someone who isn't a big fan of "Mei," I was very pleased to hear the direction Echolyn went in post-Mei. Since then, Echolyn have been putting out masterpiece after masterpiece and have yet to release a less than great album. I hope their new album (which will be released this year) continues that trend.

'Mei' is the sixth studio album by Echolyn, released in 2002. 'Mei' is one, fifty-minute composition that features a chamber orchestra. This is Echolyn at their most ambitious and inaccessible. 'Mei' consists of 14 musical sections: i. Hope, ii. Absence, iii. Interlude: Abandoned, iv. Open Road, v. All That's Golden, vi. Whispers, vii. Pride, Part I, viii. Pride, Part II, ix. Infernal Scratch, x. Hope Renewed, xi. Shadows, xii. Love Remains, xiii. Recovery Overture, and xiv. Bound for Home. Conceptually, I interpret 'Mei' being about Adam & Eve and their journey through Purgatory together, or at least that's how I view it. After they separate themselves from God and die, they are reincarnated in different places, but continually find themselves coming back to each other. They try to end it all by committing suicide together by overdosing on heroin in a shooting gallery. There is a perpetual cycle of reincarnation, finding each other in misery, and suicide. Fortunately, there is a happy ending. The spirits of Adam & Eve are saved from sin by God's grace and live together in harmony. I view the concept of 'Mei' to be similar to the concept of the movie Groundhogs Day.

Like the previous album, 'Cowboy Poems Free,' Tom Hyatt doesn't play bass on 'Mei' as he wasn't an official member of the band yet. Instead, Ray Weston plays bass. Consequently, the basslines are simplified compared to the basslines found on 'Suffocating the Bloom' or 'As the World.' The method of songwriting that Echolyn explored on 'Cowboy Poems Free' (tighter, more accessible songs) are completely disregarded on 'Mei.' In fact, the album that followed 'Mei,' 'The End is Beautiful,' feels like a more logical album to follow 'Cowboy Poems Free' than 'Mei' because it sounds like traditional Echolyn. I'm glad that Echolyn experimented with this new method of songwriting. However, this is not a style that Echolyn excel at, in my opinion.

The first couple minutes of 'Mei' clearly indicate that musically, this is no ordinary Echolyn album. Eric Huber plays vibraphone and lays down a foundation for the chamber orchestra to play over. Cascading flutes and strings create a pastoral sound. Chris Buzby's piano and Brett Kull's relaxed vocals enter. The chord progression has a lounge jazz quality. Once the hammond organ enters, the music crescendos, reminding the listener that this is still the Echolyn we know and love. Ray Weston enters during this section with his raspy vocals, perfectly contrasting Brett's vocals that was heard previously.

At the 12-minute mark, the music intensifies and Ray Weston does a yodel-like vocal. There is also a strong Gentle Giant influence during this section that harks back to 'As the World.' Chris Buzby's Fender Rhodes melody played during the 16-minute mark might as well be an homage to "Proclamation."

I like the jazzy chorus played around the 26-minute mark and the backing vocals. Shortly after this, the music crescendos once again, allowing Ray Weston to shine. His growls add a roughness to 'Mei' that I love, and this particular section is the heaviest section when Weston screams "no more wishing you away." The aftermath returns to the pastoral beginnings of 'Mei.' From this point onward, themes from the first half of 'Mei' are revisited as the song reaches its conclusion.

In conclusion, I can appreciate 'Mei' for its ambition but, by the end of the piece, I find myself more exhausted than rewarded. 'Mei' pales in comparison to nearly every other Echolyn album, and is one that I don't return to too often. Many other prog bands and artists have attempted to write a 40+ minute epic, but most of the time, it doesn't entirely work for me. 'Mei' is no exception. In addition, there aren't any particular moments for me that stand out. In other words, the piece is somewhat stagnant, not necessarily in terms of dynamics, but in terms of quality. Fans and the band themselves tend to speak quite highly of 'Mei,' but it's not a favorite of mine.

'A Little Nonsense Now and Then' is a compilation album by Echolyn, released in 2002. 'A Little Nonsense Now and Then' occupies three CDs and is about 170 minutes in duration. The whole album is divided into six chapters. The first chapter contains the debut self-titled Echolyn album. The second chapter contains the acoustic EP '...And Every Blossom' which was released mere months after their 1992 masterpiece, 'Suffocating the Bloom.' The third chapter contains the album 'When the Sweet Turns Sour,' which was released shortly after the Sony debacle. The fourth chapter contains a song from 1989 entitled "Edge of Wonder (Erad-Glitch)." The fifth chapter contains live performances of three songs from 'Cowboy Poems Free.' Finally, the sixth chapter contains new versions of old Echolyn songs that were recorded in 2000, presumably during the 'Cowboy Poems Free' sessions.

In terms of the original studio material found on this album, it's certainly not Echolyn at their most refined or mature. However, the '...And Every Blossom' EP is a highlight of the album for me. The acoustic element of the music shows a side of Echolyn we don't hear as often. The new versions of classic songs are fine, but my favorite is "Suffocating the Bloom 2000," which underwent a massive transformation. In conclusion, this album is an excellent addition to any Echolyn fan's collection, especially if you're a completionist.

After the Sony debacle that led to Echolyn splitting up, nobody knew if the band would reunite. For all they and the fans knew, Echolyn was no more. Shortly after the incident, Brett Kull, Ray Weston, and Paul Ramsey formed a semi-progressive rock band called Still. This was a glimmer of hope that maybe, one day, Echolyn would reunite. It was Christmas 1999, when Chris Buzby, who hadn't spoke to Brett Kull in months, wrote him a Christmas card. Buzby said in the card that he missed Brett and wanted to continue making music with him. Unbeknownst to Buzby, Kull, on the exact same day, was writing a Christmas card for Buzby. When they both received a letter from each other on the same day, they knew that that was a sign to meet again and write music. As they were writing the music that would eventually become 'Cowboy Poems Free,' they realized that this is still Echolyn. During the turn of the century, Echolyn reformed and released one of their best albums.

If I could describe 'Cowboy Poems Free' in two words, "Americana prog" would be it. As Ray Weston explains in a three-hour interview I watched, he felt that his own lyrics were too self-centered, and on 'Cowboy Poems Free,' he wanted to tell other people's stories. Particularly, the stories of people whom he has a personal relationship with. Consequently, 'Cowboy Poems Free' has a more refined, mature quality to it than previous Echolyn albums.

Chris Buzby has commented before that, listening back to their 90s albums, many songs from that period sound like they're trying to compact five songs into one. The song structures on 'Cowboy Poems Free' are tighter and more accessible. Despite the change in songwriting and lineup, this album is still undeniably Echolyn.

Echolyn formed?without Tom Hyatt?in the spring of 2000. Ray Weston assumed the bass player role on 'Cowboy Poems Free' (and the following album, 'mei') and new member Jordan Perlson (a Berklee College of Music graduate and former student of Chris Buzby) is featured throughout this album on drums and percussion, alongside Paul Ramsey. PerIson drums on tracks 3 ("Human Lottery"), 4 (Gray Flannel Suits), and 7 (American Vacation Tune). Paul Ramsey drums on the remaining tracks. It's strange to see Perlson as the replacement drummer for Paul Ramsey all these years later. Both Perlson and Ramsey's drumming are excellent on 'Cowboy Poems Free.'

Perlson's incorporation of percussion is evident from the first few seconds of the opening track, "Texas Dust." This song is about the dust bowl and the adversity that resulted from it. The guitar riff is interesting as the first three bars of the riff are in 7/8, but the last measure is in 4/4. The verses are soothing, which contrasts nicely with the heavy chorus. "Texas Dust" ends with guitar and keyboard soloing from Brett Kull and Chris Buzby, respectively.

Interspersed throughout the album are four "Poems." The first poem provides an atmospheric crescendo that bleeds into "Human Lottery." The lyrics describe the hardship of The Great Depression. The lyrics of "Gray Flannel Suits" vividly describes 50s American suburban life. The assembly line-like rhythm of the verses also captures the concept well. The chord progression of the chorus is atypical, yet brilliant. I like the sliding electric guitar and saxophone appearance on "Poem #2" which acts as a precursor to the beautiful "High As Pride." The magnificent melodies on this track and the chord progression make it one of my favorites on 'Cowboy Poems Free.'

The 11/4 riff at the beginning of "American Vacation Tune" (also known as AVT) seizes my attention immediately. Ray Weston narrates a poem, that I believe was penned by Brett's brother, Greg Kull, during the bridge of AVT. "Swingin' the Ax" is a song about prohibition, and is one my favorites. I love the heaviness and Brett Kull's slide guitar, augmenting the Americana element that permeates the whole album. The music then takes a depressing turn with "1729 Broadway." I believe this song was written about Ray Weston's grandfather. From what I remember from interviews, his grandfather worked at the Pennsylvania textile mills. He had to spend time away from his own family, and him and his family would exchange letters. This is one of two epistolary songs on 'Cowboy Poems Free,' the other being "Brittany." The chord progression of "1729 Broadway" is fraught with dread and melancholy. The climax at the end is extremely powerful and features an impressive Brett Kull guitar solo.

"Poem #3," like the second one, features saxophone. However, this time the melancholy of "1729 Broadway" has seeped into this interlude. "67 Degrees" is my least favorite song on 'Cowboy Poems Free,' though it's still a good song. The following track, "Brittany," I believe is one of the few Echolyn songs that was written by Chris Buzby. The lyrics of "Brittany" consists of letters that were sent to Buzby's uncle, who was shot dead in a foxhole during World War II at a young age. Brittany is the region in France where his body was buried. Jordan Perlson's world music influence permeates "Brittany." I like the vocal harmonies between Brett Kull and Ray Weston. Weston does his best Robert Plant impression during the bridge. Buzby's lyrics are beautiful, and I wish he was a more prominent lyricist in Echolyn.

"Poem #4" is the only Poem to feature vocals. I like the hand claps and darkness of this interlude. The lyrics reference the following track, "Too Late for Everything." This may be my favorite song on 'Cowboy Poems Free.' The song has a lullaby quality mainly due to the xylophone. The lyrics are incredibly grim as they describe life in the trenches during World War I. The thought of possibly not being able to see your loved ones ever again haunts the narrator of this song. His friends have died, and he calmly smokes the cigarettes of a dead soldier, fantasizing about his "home across the ocean."

In conclusion, 'Cowboy Poems Free' is a magnificent reunion album from Echolyn. Despite the turmoil they had faced as a band, they still managed to get together and create excellent music. If anything, this was just the beginning of a new chapter in the book of Echolyn.

After the release of "Suffocating the Bloom," Echolyn reached the height of their success as a band, as that album is what got the band signed to Sony Records. Unfortunately, Sony failed to promote the following album, "As the World," because (I'm assuming) it was inaccessible in their eyes. Ironically, I would argue that "As the World" is more accessible than "Suffocating the Bloom." It begs the question: Why sign a band that are overtly progressive and all of a sudden decide that you aren't going to follow through with what you promised for them the moment the band produces a new album? As a fan, I was infuriated when I heard that that's how Echolyn went on hiatus for the second half of the 90s. Especially after hearing some of the songs on "When the Sweet Turns Sour," it made me think, "What if there was an alternate universe where Sony supported the band properly, and they were able to continue making records throughout the nineties and possibly still to this day?" Nevertheless, I am grateful that Echolyn reunited by the turn of the century and continued making beautiful, timeless music that has changed the world of prog.

On "As the World," Echolyn took the sound that they had perfected on the previous record and refined it on this record. For example, they brought in an orchestra that played on the tracks "All Ways the Same," "Entry 11-19-93," and "Never the Same." Echolyn would go on to work with orchestras on subsequent albums such as "Mei" and the Windowpane album. Another aspect of Echolyn's sound that is augmented on this album are the vocal harmonies, which are tight as a result of years of refining them on previous records and in live performances. If you want to hear more about the recording process and lore of "As the World," I would definitely recommend watching the "Stars and Gardens" documentary, which delves into this album at length.

The orchestral "All Ways the Same" crescendos seamlessly into the title track, which is an energetic start to the album with Gentle Giant-esque contrapuntal vocals between Ray, Brett, and Chris. "Uncle" and "The Cheese Stands Alone" are more on the rock side with heavy guitar riffs. "Letters" is a twenty minute suite of music that is comprised of five parts: "Prose," "A Short Essay," "My Dear Wormwood," "Entry 11-19-93," and "One for the Show." I love every moment of this epic, making it one of my favorite Echolyn songs. "A Habit Worth Forming" is a delicate, lullaby-like song that calms the listener into the final track, "Never the Same." This song is definitely a contender for my favorite Echolyn song. The lyrics in particular never fail to bring tears to my eyes. I know I'm not the first one to say that I want this song to be played at my funeral.

In conclusion, "As the World" is a masterpiece, and is more refined than its predecessor, "Suffocating the Bloom." That should say a lot, as I gave "Suffocating" five stars, so this album, by default, is a five star album in my mind. The nineties is viewed as a dark period of prog in the eyes of many, but I couldn't disagree more in terms of the quality of music. In terms of success, I understand why people would think that. Even in the eighties, prog was more successful with bands like Marillion. While I'm sure it felt like prog was becoming gradually less appreciated by the music industry as a whole in the nineties, that doesn't diminish the greatness of bands like Echolyn and their contemporaries. 10/10

'Suffocating the Bloom' is the second full-length studio album by Echolyn. I never fully understood the Gentle Giant comparisons that Echolyn received, though there are a few songs in there discography that do indicate an influence of Gentle Giant, and those few songs are found on 'Suffocating the Bloom' and the following record, 'As the World.' When the band regrouped after a hiatus, caused by a bad deal with Sony Records, their sound evolved slightly, though every album from 'Cowboy Poems Free' to 'I Heard You Listening' still very much sound like Echolyn. When I listen to Echolyn, I hear an amalgamation of influences that all combine into one, original sound. I know there are certain people out there who claim that progressive rock belongs to the UK, which is ludicrous. No one country can own a musical genre as music is a universal language that is inclusive to people from all walks of life. Echolyn, are an American progressive rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The album opens with "21," starting with a synth melody that then leads into punchy Paul Ramsey drumming which sets the song in motion. This is the perfect opening track to energize the listener right from the beginning. The song is face-paced with Brett Kull's impressive run-up-the-neck guitar riff that sounds like a scale exercise. As the title suggests, the lyrics are about what it feels like to be 21 years old. Ray Weston's vocals are theatrical. Apparently, "Winterthru" was the song that Sony heard from Echolyn that got them signed to their label. Unfortunately, the Sony deal was a debacle. This, like "21," is an uptempo number with Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies during the chorus. The melody of "Jingle Bells" is referenced at the end of the song. The gorgeous "Memoirs from Between" starts acoustically and is, instrumentally speaking, stripped down. The vocal harmonies are beautiful. The second half of the song builds to the great "set a course..." (or, should I say "Santa Claus") climax that reminds me of the Würm section of "Starship Trooper" by Yes. "Reaping the Harvest" is a strange, atonal interlude with dated synth tones. I usually don't understand the excessive Gentle Giant comparisons Echolyn receives, with the exception of certain songs such as the next song, "In Every Garden." This song is heavily inspired by Gentle Giant, and I love it. One lyric references "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" by Genesis. "A Little Nonsense" is a jazz fusion song that uses dissonant microtonal vocal harmonies during the chorus. "The Sentimental Chain" features exquisite classical guitar and flute interplay which seamlessly transitions into "One Voice," which is a power ballad. The vocals are passionate, the flute is calming, and it all ends with an Our Father prayer. The album picks up in pace with the uptempo "Here I Am." The saxophone melody during the chorus is brilliant and the ending is atmospheric.

The last piece of music on the album is the 28 minute epic that is "A Suite for the Everyman." This is one of my favorite Echolyn epics and is a great representation of what this band was capable of. "Only Twelve" is a twelve tone exercise that was eventually expanded into the suite. Paul Ramsey powerful drumming, Ray Weston's intense, almost operatic vocals, Chris Buzby's epic church organ, and Tom Hyatt's slap bass makes "Bearing Down" sound huge. The "Only Twelve" theme reprises during "Twelve's Enough." A drumline is featured during "Cannoning in B Major." The title track closes the suite with lush acoustic guitar as the album ends the same way it began with that subtle synth melody.

In conclusion, "Suffocating the Bloom" is a dense, complex 90s progressive rock album, further proving that even during the grunge era, prog was not dead. This album may be overwhelming at first listen as it was for me, but it's a rewarding album to return to. The music of Echolyn, especially during this period, is easily some of the most intricate music I've ever heard. At the same time, they manage to capture the same intricacy even in more subdued songs. It will always be a mystery to me that this band, along with their contemporaries (The Flower Kings, Spock's Beard, etc.) were never more successful. I think that more of the world ought to hear these guys. Their music is timeless and more daring and adventurous than most music that came after it. How could this album not be a 10/10?

I remember hearing Echolyn quite often on a progressive rock radio "prog.fm" in the 00's and was never impressed by the music of this band as I found it pretty standard and non-spectacular. Then I finally got round to listening their entire album with high ratings on progarchives - "Suffocating the bloom". That was a different experience I must admit. The music is quite varied and even though I'm not a fan of the vocals here, there is a solid instrumentation basis. One catchy song that stays with me is "Winterthru" that reminds of a bit of late 70's Genesis. If you want an early Genesis feeling, just stay with the next one "Memoirs from between" - what a pastoral innocent feeling. I like the robust rhythm and perhaps stronger drummer presence in the mix. Over to other tracks - there is a good balance of upbeat and mellow compositions, even if the mellow ones are shorter. The suite is a pleasure to the ears, mainly due to the vocals being more absent and instruments taking the lead in short motives.

I can say that after hearing this album I belong to the listeners who claim that Echolyn have their own style of playing prog.