THERE ARE NO ORDINARY MOMENTS

Well, time flies and you suddenly realize you've known a band for like 10 years. It is the case of Ovrfwrd, an instrumental four-member band from the US whose first release saw the light in 2014, the same year they reached and introduced me to their music. Now, ten years later, I am happy to listen and review 'There Are No Ordinary Moments', their fifth studio album, because it is undeniable that time also makes us wiser, more mature, better.

This is a ten-track album whose total length is around 68 minutes. It starts with 'Red Blanket' and I though I am sure it wasn't on purpose, its drumming beginning reminded me a lot of Faith No More's 'The Real Thing', well, after this fun fact, it's important to tell you that the song develops into a jazzy and proggy sound, where winds like trumpet and flute appear to give a wonderful contrast to the fast and powerful drums, along with rocky strings. This is an 8- minute track, and it is wonderful how they manage to put different moods, atmospheres, sounds, a very interesting amalgam.

'Eagle Plains' starts in an atmospheric way, a relaxing mood, piano and nature sounds, but then, as we can expect from a dynamic band like Ovrfwrd, it morphs both musically and emotionally, becoming an amazing progressive rock track where they create a perfect balance between keys, drums and strings. They have the capacity of creating explosive passages that sound elegant at the same time. 'The Virtue of...' has cadency in its jazz rock essence, I love the use of vintage keyboards and how they deliciously contrast with delicate piano and raw guitars. 'Flatlander' is a shorter and heavier track where we can find keyboard craziness and a powerful sound. 'Trampo Hollow' is a very nice track where we can appreciate their musicianship, both in composition and performance. Its obvious they have been playing together for several years, so their musical and even their emotional understanding is wonderfully expressed in songs like this.

'Notes of the Concubine' has an acoustic guitar introduction, then piano joins and together create a delicate sound; then at minute two there is a sudden change, tension is introduced and then we can hear some Crimsonian guitars and rhythms. The song structure changes in different moments, and I love how the four of them share freedom while playing, I mean, we can perceive they share music in a very natural way, fluid, not forced at all; each member plays distinctive notes and rhythms that can work alone, but when the pieces are put together, they give us a solid puzzle of sounds.

The longest track comes with the epic 13-minute 'Eyota' it is a killer song. Though it sounds like an improvisation in its first three minutes, they know how to keep us in mystery and wanting for more. So after 3:30 piano delivers delicate notes that guide bass, drums and guitar into a new immersive and exquisite sound, a trip of instrumental prog rock which does not really sound conventional, and that's part of Ovrfwrd's charm. As you can imagine, this track has several passages where we can find delicacy, tranquility, energy, density and emotions. A wonderful composition indeed with a very heartfelt guitar solo, by the way.

'Chateau La Barre' strats with a dark atmosphere but then it morphs into an interesting electronic prism. It is a very nice short intermission, that let us take a breathe after the long epic. 'Serpentine' has a rockier sound, energy is brought here in a bit heavier way at least for some moments, because Ovrfwrd is about contrasts that wonderfully work, so yeah, in spite of the heavy prog delivered here, we can have also moments of an exquisite delicacy.

The album finishes with 'The Way', yeah, a great way to end this adventurous intrsumental journey where four talented musicians and friends can delight people with compositions that make them and us feel free, where exploration is mandatory, where if you bet, you win. So in the end this is a solid four-star album that I've enjoyed since I first listened to it.

Enjoy it!

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