BENT KNEE

I own all of Courtney Swain's solo albums and I consider her to be one of the female voices with the most interesting and disruptive concept in the "femme scene."

I start with this comment because there is a bad preconception about the almost zero interference/participation/creative collaboration of female singers in progressive bands and I think there are people who still consider this genre as a refuge for male geniuses with years of musical studies. on their backs. Luckily this is no longer the case and the crossover that has taken place between indie, alternative, electronic, folk, punk, pop, hip hop and several other current genres with progressive rock has been, more than a degeneration, a authentic regeneration, a breath of fresh air of which Bent Knee is an active and important part and that is why we must support all these young bands that, far from disrespecting the genre, are bringing it closer to new generations. And this is urgent.

Despite the loss of founding members and BEN Levin and Jessica Klon (who have moved on to devote more attention to their own other projects), the Boston-based progressive rock band goes on, here releasing their sixth since their 2011 self-titled debut.

1. "Enter" (0:47)

2. "Forest" (5:07) interesting, very Eastern musical palette that, in my opinion, would probably be better without any contribution from a Western-oriented (KATE BUSH-like) drum kit. Lots of distorting psychedelic effects on nearly everything and everybody--at least, until the electric piano break in the fourth minute. I absolutely LOVE the restart and finish! (9/10)

3. "I Like It" (3:10) great bleed over from the previous song with sustained though unstable strings synth note/chord to which Courtney eventually sings sounding like something from the 1980s: Siouxsie and the Banshees or Laurie Anderson. She is so fricken talented! Great bass/synth bass play from Vince Welch and the strings and violin arrangements are amazing! One of the coolest songs the band has done in a long time. (Maybe the best, most engaging things I've heard from them since Shiny Eyed Babies.) (9.75/10)

4. "Illiterate" (3:28) Once again the band treads into the World Music pop blending world that Peter Gabriel really exploited in the 1980s, and once again Courtney morphs her voice into something totally unexpected: something sexy, sassy, aloof, and disinterested. Amazing! Genius! (9/10)

5. "Big Bagel Manifesto" (5:12) here Courtney morphs yet again: treading onto the grounds that Julia HOLTER and Elizabeth HEATON have elevated to such esteemed heights. A song that may be close to achieving perfection. (9.75/10)

6. "Cowboy" (2:57) old-time acoustic guitar with an old-time front porch singing imitation. Tough to pull off, but they do. Wow! And then the way it gets sucked down a distortion hole in the alley of barking dogs! Who would have ever expected anything like this on a Bent Knee album?! (4.75/5)

7. "Never Coming Home" (4:00) despite a retro-poppy opening, this one serves as a brilliant blend of several highly recognizable, wildly eclectic styles. Very clever and well done--end eminently enjoyable. And, (believe it or not), incredible lyrics--such a poetic selection of words. I am completely under a spell! This could--should--be a radio hit! (or should have been back in the 1980s!!) Great guitar and keyboard effects at the end, Chris and Courtney! (9.5/10)

8. "Comet" (0:45) a synth wash bleed over from the previous song within which a dream scenario of a family eating at the family dinner table. Somehow this serves as a bridge between "Never Coming Home" and "Drowning."

9. "Drowning" (6:40) a fairly simple, straightforward song that is totally reliant on Courtney Swain's vocals and lyrics. It's okay. Courtney's great but I guess I'm always hoping for something more in a progressive rock song--more change, development, hooks--something. The one encouraging thing I can say about this is that it is gorgeous if drawn out a little long. (8.75/10)

10. "Lawnmower" (5:03) more based in bucolic, acoustic-sounding instrumentation (acoustic guitars and bass!)--almost like a proggy folk song--this one succeeds. I love the use of power chords and "I never mow the lawn" lyrics to convey the symbolism of accepting/resigning one's comprehension that one's loved one is never coming home. (9.25/10)

11." DLWTSB" (3:23) another surprisingly well-conceived and cheeky blend of retro sounds and styles delivered with absolute perfection. The first half sounds very much like an outtake from The Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots; the second half like something from a 1980s New Waver like DEPECHE MODE, SIMPLE MINDS, or MADHOUSE. (9/10)

12. "Exit" (2:39) a large banked chord of sustained-yet-subtly-morphing synth strings swells before slowly decaying into a Lethe-like river of floating soul-fluid. Beautiful, dreamy, uplifting, and inspirational. The perfect bookend to the opening song for this nearly-perfect masterpiece of an album. (9.75/10)

Total Time 43:11

This is an album I enjoy so much that I can see myself listening to it every day for quite some time: it's filled with so many ingenious and effective nuances and layers that it'll take a long time to get to really know much less distinguish and memorize each and every song--songs that are definitely all unique and thus deserve this kind of attention. It is an endeavor that I greatly look forward to.

I am so surprised with the absence of such virtuoso musicians as Ben Levin and Jessica Klon how able and wonderful are the bass and guitars throughout this album. (Great job, Chris and Vince!) At the same time, I think this is Courtney Swain's breakout "solo" album: She somehow chameleonically transmforms her voice and the emotions and very- personhood she possesses with virtually each and every song on this album. I am left stunned--humbled before her skills and talent. And I mean no disrespect to her stalwart crew of supporters: they are absolutely brilliant! But, come on guys, Courtney is the show! As an overall soul-sucking album, this might be as good or better than Shiny Eyed Babies! (I'll let you know in a few months the staying effect this album holds when compared to that of their 2014 masterpiece.)

A/five stars; a masterpiece of very diverse and impressively innovative crossover progressive rock music. Without doubt, this is an album that is an essential listen (if not acquisition) for any self-professed lover of progressive rock music.

A substantial return to form. After the willfully experimental noodling of "Frosting" (fun to create, I'm sure, somewhat less so to listen to), and the determinedly different "You Know What They Mean", this is a far more focused and coherent effort. It feels like the absence of the more avant-garde influences previously present in the band have resulted in a slightly more mainstream, but ultimately far more listenable and enjoyable set of songs. The Python-esque "Cowboy" aside, there are tunes and inventive production a-plenty here, with the implausibly titled "Big Bagel Manifesto" in particular standing out as a potential classic, full of lush chord changes and virtuoso vocal beauty.

I find it daring, how a band that pushes boundaries has managed to create such a collection of songs that, indeed, are not placed within the realms of a typical progressive rock album. But, nevertheless, the creativity and the craftsmanship of the different instrumentation is there. Progressive rock has always been for me, a way to push tastes and ways of making music. Of course a in a more conservative approach what we have here is less attached to what people expect from an art-rock band, and that is what is positive here, very in the way SW managed to create something completely different, here we have a band from Boston that has always figured out a way to surprise listeners. The Art-pop we hear, the existence of multiple electronic effects and the soul of the album still carries the central idea of the band: never stop experimenting with sound, ideas, harmonies and music itself. A good lesson for people who tend to want their bands to remain in one sound, and specially in a time where new conservadurism is spreading like a pandemic al around the world.

Well, at least the title fits. Not much of substance here. Bent Knee has chosen to go with an electronic, poppy sound that is heavily and coarsely produced. The songs and arrangements are commonplace, with a few exceptions. Gone is most of Ben Levin's guitar (electric and acoustic), at least in recognizable form. There are nice piano-based moments, but mostly we hear washes of sythns, midi patches and noise. Jessica Kion's bass has been digitized out of existence. Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth's superb drumming meets a similar fate. Chris Baum might as well have stayed home - I hear almost no violin at all. They have one of the best singers in the business (Courtney Swain), and she sounds very average on this record, her voice distorted by auto tune, echo effects and reverb, too often swamped by the mix.

The most important person in Bent Knee seems to have become Vince Welch, the guy with the laptop at the back of Bent Knee's live shows. I find his manipulations mildly irritating live (especially when Swain's voice is altered), but as the producer on this record he seems to have run amok. The sound seems constantly tinkered with, with unpleasant results.

This from a wonderfully talented band that produced three great albums in a row (Shiny Eyed Babies, Say So, Land Animal), and some extraordinary live stuff on youtube, including "Paper Earth", which is so gorgeous I think they should release it as a DVD/BluRay. They really need to get back to what made them unique, which is focusing on Swain's extraordinary voice, and creating meticulous, beautiful arrangements with real instruments. Until then, they're just another alt-rock band.

A reluctant one star for me.

First of all, I have to thank BrufordFreak because thanks to him I am listening to this album (he has placed it as the best album of the 21st century in a forum topic of mine and I hadn't listened to it). I misjudged the album before listening to it because his cover is similar to the albums I usually dislike and I thought it would be one more of them. I hit play and 10 minutes later I was more than fascinated with this work. How is it possible that this is not better known?! Courtney Swain's vocal performance on this album is probably one of the top 10 female vocal performances of the 21st century. It's a fusion of 20 singers (and bands) that come to mind. Have you seen those robots in sci-fi movies that gather all the powers of their enemies (the heroes of the movie)? Well, that's the same with this woman - she even plays the keyboards too! This is one of my best discoveries of the year. The string of songs "Way Too Long"; "Dry"; "In God We Trust" is a fully cultivated terrain of vocal virtuosity and talent. It's absolutely stunning. That section of the album reminds me a lot of Irene Papas (especially on 666 from Aphrodite's Child). The instrumentation of the album is at all times chaotic and final, as if it's an album that takes place in the aftermath that every human being must go through. It's quite symphonic and stunning; it reminds me a lot of Muse. If there is a weak point in this album, perhaps it could be the lack of originality in some of the instrumentation, as it goes from some excellent melodies (at times) to a metal sound already well known to the listener. Anyway, it is still a fantastic work.

The avant prog Berklee grads are back with their first really refreshingly new and idiosyncratic album since 2014's masterpiece, Shiny Eyed Babies. And what a welcomed sound it is!

1. "Lansing" (1:22) a weird mic outtake from some concert on one of their tours. Not sure why or what it means.

2. "Bone Rage" (4:13) despite the roiling opening, this one kicks in like an early RUSH song--but it's trumped by Courtney's vocal and some of the other unexpected shifts in directions that the band and the music takes. (8.5/10)

3. "Give Us the Gold" (3:51) near-disco electro-pulse opens the song before a heavily effected guitar strum opens the door for Courtney's vocal performance to enter. For the first minute it's pretty much her voice and some occasional bass and click track, but then everybody kicks in, each instrument contributing something unique, creative, and bold. The band comes together for each "give us the gold" chorus but then scatters to canvass a wide spectrum of sounds. Such an unusual sound and rhythm palette! Bravo! for your courage and confidence! My first top three song. (9.5/10)

4. "Hold Me In" (4:50) Courtney's heavily reverbed voice is still singing all-out despite being mixed a little more within (or behind) the rhythm instruments. The band is very busy with many layers of information noodling in and out and around Courtney--but it all somehow blends together so well. I think because the melody line of the chorus is so powerful. There is a dreamy section in the second half which provides some great contextual perspective from the heavier, more dynamic sections before and after. (9/10

5. "Egg Replacer" (3:10) founded on an odd rhythm as produced by an unusual combination of percussion instruments. As the choruses build a cool and unique plus one of layers start to finish of each. (8/10)

6. "Cradle of Rocks" (4:00) part BLONDIE, part TOM TOM CLUB and TALKING HEADS, this is a hard rocker with a techno edge to it over which Courtney's heavily reverbed voice is tucked back in the mix. (She still manages to steal the show due to her full on 100 decibels voice.) (9/10)

7. "Lovell" (1:27) I love these little cut outs from crowd interactions during their concert tours. I'd love to know the reasons they chose the ones they did.

8. "lovemenot" (5:10) opens like something from THE BEATLES Revolver and remains bass heavy throughout. (8.75/10)

9. "Bird Song" (2:56) so raw and unadulterated--as if Vince just happened to catch Courtney playing at the piano while she was trying out some new song for her next solo album. Very cool! I love this song and the authenticity of the raunchy, choppy sound. (9.25/10)

10. "Catch Light" (4:39) opens a little like Madonna's "Justify my Love" before the heavy power chords of the second minute. The contributions from each and every one of the instruments on this song are remarkable and fascinating throughout. Courtney's singing is actually the rock that holds it all together. Cool! Genius! Top three song for me. (10/10)

11. "Garbage Shark" (5:38) rolling single note bass and plucked violin with heavily effected guitar form the sparse background over which Courtney sings in a very ethereal, delicate voice--until the heavy chorus sections, the final one of which is particularly powerful. Very psychedelic. (9/10)

12. "Golden Hour" (5:51) a little MEW, a little ANATHEMA, an extraordinary song. Top three for me. (10/10)

13. "It Happens" (5:05) sets up as a kind of quirky New Wave jazz tune (Arto Lindsay & The Ambitious Lovers come to mind)--very engaging and relaxed with a kind of relaxed Ska beat and dissonant de-tuned instrumental tapestry. So cool! A dream sequence in the middle that is very pleasant and effective. (9.5/10)

Total Time 52:12

I love this album! I love this new direction the band has chosen! I endorse this wholeheartedly. Bravo and kudos Courtney, Ben, Jessica, Chris, Gavin, and Vince!

Five stars; a minor masterpiece of refreshing new and creative modern progressive rock music.

Bent Knee is a crossover prog band from Boston, Mass. Formed in 2009. The band was original formed by Courtney Swain (lead vocals, keyboards), Vivian Welch (sound design, producer and mixer) and Ben Levin (guitar, backing vocals). After their first album, they brought in more musicians and the line-up has remained the same since then; Chris Baum (violin), Jessica Kion (bass, backing vocals), and Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth (drums). Their fifth full length studio album is called "You Know What They Mean", consisting of 13 tracks and a run time of 52 minutes. None of the tracks exceed the 6 minute mark. The album cover looks like crinkled aluiminim foil with various psychedelic colors reflecting off of it, all multi-faceted, bright and shiny, yet a bit chaotic, and that is how the music sounds.

"Lansing" starts off the album with a short introductory piece with a feedback noise and some chatter, it sounds like some concert field recording. "Bone Rage" suddenly smacks you on the side of the head with a noisy beginning, but soon moves into a hard and heavy guitar riff and Courtney's wild vocals. Some solid music follows, with a start/stop descending chordal riff while the vocals swings every which way. The staccato notes of the guitar end up melting together and we enter a loud and chaotic section that suddenly ends with voice and minimal music, which soon jumps right back to a loud ending. "Give Us the Gold" is much softer at the start, with Courtney singing with a only a throbbing percussion and a clicking cymbal. As she sings along in until the band suddenly kicks in and give the track a solid direction. The music ventures from several styles, but you can pick out a melody with verses and chorus among all of this. The great thing is, nothing really settles into any kind of repetitive groove, but pretty much swings around intentionally avoiding any repetition.

"Hold Me In" begins with quite a catchy and rapid drum beat and guitar interplay which eventually brings the vocals in. Again, just as you think the music is going to settle in to something, it wipes out the staccato beginning and turns it into something lush and textural. Courtney's voice swoops and swirls everywhere, and it's quite a sensation, especially with the use of cool effects that include a lot of echo and such. It all culminates in quite an emotional delivery in the vocals, which continue to move about freely in her amazing range. "Egg Replacer" begins minimal and kind of sneaky, but be careful, because it will get intense at times with some crazy outbursts with the entire band. "Cradle of Rocks" is a heavy, more straightforward rocker with a fast and exciting beat. This one seems to be quite a bit more accessible and would be a good single. Since it's more straightforward, it isn't the best example of their music, but it is still an attention getter that could be more radio-friendly, and it still has a good amount of power behind it.

"Lovell" is a bit strange with thick and heavy washes of guitar and synth all blended together. Noisy, but short with some band chatter at the end. "Lovemenot" goes hard, heavy and actually quite sludgy. Courtney's vocals and some string effects lighten it up a bit for a while, but when the full power comes in, it's surprisingly thick and heavy, almost even extreme. As with the other tracks, dynamics are very important, but the noisy sections are pushed to the extreme. "Bird Song" takes off from the last track and the sudden turn to minimalism. The vocals come in on the sparse keys, and there is some interesting vocal layering going on here, but it is quite beautiful and soft. Wow, what a contrast between those tracks, and I love it! "Catch Light" has a looped percussion, and starts off fairly standard, but suddenly becomes heavier when the synth and guitars come in. It's another catchy rhythm but with some outbursts of dissonant chords and a solid ending.

"Garbage Shark" has a dark and ambient feel to it in the beginning, but soon works up to a heavier tone with tortured guitars and a sweetly squealing violin. There are sections with dissonant tension that build and then release, but the track remains dark and eerie throughout. At 4 minutes, ?. Wow happens. A sudden cinematic texture takes over as all the while, vocals continue to keep up with the texture changes. "Golden Hour" starts with long, sustained low synth chords, almost droning along, and then Courtney's echoing vocals come in almost heaven like, sounding like she is singing in a cathedral. What a sound. Well into the 2nd minute, ticking cymbals, tonal percussion and bass push it into a more standard melody, but it is still layered with great accompaniment, which continues to be as intriguing and interesting as the vocals. "It Happens" seems to end it all on a more positive notes, but as the song continues, weirdness creeps in more and more as it goes on. It does end up resolving itself, ending on a lush and atmospheric texture.

I think I have a new vocalist to add to my favorite female vocalists list. I would put her right there with the amazing vocal talent as Kate Bush, even though their styles are quite different, they do share one thing, their sound and styles are both breathtaking. It also helps that the musicianship and instrumentation on this is stellar, the production is great and the use of dynamics, dissonance and unique styles is all top-notch. This album is definitely another favorite for the year, and I am definitely going to put the band on the list of groups to explore. I love the fact that the music can easily fool you, thinking at times that you have something that is somewhat "normal" that suddenly and unpredictable becomes totally unhinged. The music is quirky, no doubt, but it is also extremely well done. I really enjoy this album, and it always seems like it goes by so fast because I enjoy it so much. It never gets stale or boring through it entire length. I really don't know who to compare it to, but to me, its what I always wanted Portishead to sound like, with more outbursts and a large dose of progressive exploration, dynamic and expressive singing and instrumental backup, where the noise and music are just as important as the singing. I really love this! 5 stars. Unhinged and unpredictable with an amazing vocalist.

3.5 stars. I just can't pull the trigger on 4 stars but I do feel this is an improvement on the previous album "Say So". Of course the standard when it comes to this band from Boston is their 2014 release called "Shiny Eyed Babes" and I really feel that can't be repeated considering the subject matter. They sort of tried that with "Say So" and it failed in my opinion. "Land Animal" has a theme to it apparently as the band looks at the modern human condition and while they are at it they take us back to where we evolved from the ocean(haha). Sorry I find evolution to be one of the most ridiculous subjects out there. Yup a big explosion caused what we see on Earth today(haha). Yeah it's a theory only and not a good one. Anyway I like the fact that they slow things down here at times, I like the atmosphere but I also miss the power from that 2014 release. Not big on the many light- hearted moments either. We get several guests adding violas, violins, cellos and a trumpet.

"Terror Bird" gets us started as a beat and guitar lead the way as the vocals join in. This will be contrasted with the more powerful vocal led sections. Check out those vocal melodies before 4 minutes. "Hole" has this rhythm that sort of starts and stops as the vocals join in. I like that powerful sound before 1 1/2 minutes with those insane vocal melodies.

"Holy Ghost" is a strange title for a song considering the subject matter. It's mellow to start with relaxed vocals before it starts to build. A catchy and bouncy sound arrives after 2 minutes with vocals, then back to that powerful sound from earlier. "Insides In" is quite laid back with reserved vocals at first. Strings before 2 minutes. A calm 3 minutes in before a powerful atmosphere kicks in just before 4 minutes. Love those vocal melodies after 5 minutes. We get an experimental ending.

"These Hands" has this catchy and simple melody as vocals join in. I like when she starts to sing with more passion. A feel good passage right here. She's singing even more powerfully before 3 minutes. A calm follows before it kicks back in. Another experimental ending. "Land Animal" is powerful to begin with along with some great sounding atmosphere. It settles with vocals a minute in. Not into this as contrasts continue. I do like the section 3 minutes in as it's quite powerful with vocals. Strings follow.

"Time Deer" is catchy with vocals contrasted with a feel good section also with vocals. There's always vocals(haha). Strings after 2 minutes then rumbling drums. The power is back 3 minutes in. "Belly Side Up" has intricate sounds and vocals to start. Strings will join in. I'm not into the multi- vocal sections. Hey some electric guitar after 3 minutes but it's brief. Some rare organ as well follows to the end.

"The Well" is light and humerous with vocals. I'm not into this at all. Some heavier sounds will eventually arrive, strings too. Some power after 4 minutes then back to the silliness. "Boxes" is easily my favourite track on here. What a change in sound though. Atmosphere and a beat to start as relaxed vocals join in. Man this sounds so good a minute in. Lots of space, a nice change of pace.

I enjoyed this album for the most part but this might be where I get off. "Shiny Eyed Babies" will always cause me to respect this band though.

Boston-based many-dimensional progressive rockers BENT KNEE are back with their fourth album. This one feels less hurried and far more mature than their previous effort, 2016's Say So. This is a band that is not only clicking on all cylinders, it is composing and playing at such a high level that it often takes many listens to hear all of the band member's contributions. That is one reason why this June release only receives my review posting in November.

1. "Terror Bird" (4:11) Great opening song! Opens with a weave of staccato sounds coming from many instruments-- a feature which turns out to be the foundation for all but the choruses when chords and volumes amp up. The use of strings in support in the second section and choruses is a nice effect. Courtney's voice is as dynamic and under- the-skin insistent as ever. Awesome! (9/10)

2. "Hole" (3:21) quirky and industrial, combining some 80s and 90s sound styles with an almost Oriental melodic palette. The music could even befit a soundtrack to a Japanese animation. But, once again, the lead vocal brings us back to Kansas. (or is it Oz?) Another instance where I am dumbfounded and astounded at this band's creative expression. (8.5/10)

3. "Holy Ghost" (5:33) amazing song construction, vocal, and drumming. This band is so tight! (9/10)

4. "Insides In" (6:29) a much more sedate and smooth opening feels and sounds good for a change. Courtney opens with a bluesy/torch song vocal styling--carrying it forward into the chorus--before piano and strings bridge us back to the A section. Strings, piano, and drum incidentals are so marvelous! Such a polished, carefully planned and executed song. This band is so at their peak! I would love to hear more music like this from them. The second half of the song has us waiting suspensefully before a series of dramatically-spaced and wonderfully effective monster hits from guitar, bass and drum bring us fully into the cinematic prog world--which only continues as the music ramps up to a kind of crescendo of sustained tension before collapsing into odd animal-industrial sounds. (10/10)

5. "These Hands" (5:36) opens as if bleeding over from the previous song but then deftly, easily, switches into an entirely different kind of music and song. Pizzicato strings and jazz percussion support Courtney's jazzy piano and vocal. Truly a stunning song of highly complex progressive rock music. (10/10)

6. "Land Animal" (5:13) opens with a very theatric, cinematic pomposity. Vocal chorus joins in the second round, then things quiet down for the entrance of the lead vocal. The quiet spacey "sending out a message" section in the third and fourth minutes is my favorite part. Then a strings-supported true electric lead guitar solo! (A rare thing for this band!) Nice section. (9/10)

7. "Time Deer" (4:19) a fairly straightforward rock start becomes complicated by Courtney's vocal, and the slightly off-center syncopation of the guitars, bass, strings and drums. Interesting. Courtney's vocals are so powerful that I fear that we come to take them for granted: she is always amazing and, I believe, inimitable (and this despite my deafness to lyrics and their meanings). (8.5/10)

8. "Belly Side Up" (4:15) such a different song--could come from the 1940s or 50s with its poppy effects, sharp orchestration, "old" guitar sound, and, of course, "school girl" background vocal choir. (8/10)

9. "The Well" (5:30) a song that, unfortunately, feels like we've heard it before ("Holy Ghost" and "These Hands"). Luckily, I love the sassy-seductress vocal. (A little Piaf?) The second half with its interplay of polyrhythms is very cool.(8.5/10)

10. "Boxes" (12:44) opens like a Peter Gabriel soundscape. Awesome drum, bass, and atmospherics. Courtney's voice enters at her most seductive. The song floats along like as if we're laying in a boat looking at the night sky while riding the softly rolling waters of the lake/harbor beneath us "I made it to the twenty-first century" is such and awesome line! Percussive and tuned and computerized incidentals pepper, dot, and streak the instrumental sky between vocal sections and to the end where Gavin's rock-steady, impeccable beats play out far into the finish. What an awesome song! What an awesome end to the album! (9.5/10)

Five stars; another masterpiece of truly progressive rock music from these young masters of 21st Century art.