LOST WORLD BAND

I have always enjoyed the music of Lost World Band (they added the word 'Band' after the first two albums), and their 2019 album 'Spheres Aligned' is a masterpiece, but what would it like to go back to before the beginning? The result is a crossover album which is thoroughly enjoyable indeed, sounding as if it had come out of the UK as opposed to Russia. It has a pastoral and laid-back feeling, with the flute an important instrument and not as much violin as I have come to expect from the guys, and is one of those timeless releases which could have been released any time in the last 50 years. It is modern yet dated, always with fresh sounds and stacks of restraint. One could drive a bus through the holes in the music, there is that much space, which provides plenty of room for the instruments to bounce off each other. All lyrics are in English, and the songs are incredibly accessible, with the vast majority being under four minutes in length and only one more than five. It would be interesting to compare this against the original, as if this is close to the original ideas then it must have had quite an impression this close to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Lost World Band continue to be one of my favourite bands out of Russia, one of the strongholds of progressive music, and while this may be somewhat removed from the style they normally play today, it is still a wonderful album.

"The Underpass Theme" opens with a short urban cinematic introctuction on a nicely and nicely played flute tune passing to the back of the stage like an anonymous actor (7/10). "I Wanna Drift Away" is a sweet song sung in the heart accompanied by a violin with a melancholy aspect reminiscent of the Slavic origins of the musicians. Sensations of freshness and sweet nostalgia will be the impressions that the listener will perceive when listening to this somewhat folk work (7.5 / 10). "Day City" fits directly into technically elaborate Canterbury, as ZOPP might play, but in Soviet times. Passages resembling Causaques cavalcades are interspersed in this resolutely rhythmic and whirling atmosphere. Throughout this improbable mix of old-fashioned 80s synths brave an extraordinary bass line in demonstration mode as Chris SQUIRE could play ... nothing less! (9/10). The opening of a harpsichord on "You" brings us to a nice chorus with grouped and warm voices accompanied by a violin which is equally so. Everything here is BEATLES and classic at the same time, nothing very complicated but delicious (8/10). "Juliet" transports us in a CARAVAN with its specific vocal articulation and its Gabriel FAURé flutes. A cheerful atmosphere with an enchanting chorus will bring us back to the old-fashioned but not bygone era of "Peace and Love" (8/10). "Cold Moon Bolero" is an instrumental piece consisting exclusively of an acoustic guitar, flute and drums. This set deserves special attention because here everything is subtlety and delicacy. A slow and analytical tempo will transport us all along on finely convoluted gasoline vapors, a know-how that is not given to everyone and that can be likened, for example, to groups such as SANGUINE HUM. The end is incredibly beautiful and of rare finesse! (9.5 / 10).

A pity that "Going Back Home" is not of the same ilk ... This title sounds like a charity song for the general impression with a heady chorus, but enhanced by guitars with "Floydian" effects, it is well done but it does not break three legs to a duck ... (7/10). "Midnight in Venice" lives up to its name, with its classical guitar and mandolin playing in duet during the 2:16 minutes without any other instrument or vocals. An interlude that will transport us with skill in the lagoons of the 18th century (7/10). We can position "Mind Stream" between LA BATTERIA for instrumentation with modernized jazzy atmospheres of the sixties and CIRKUS (Canada) for voices with expressionist allures grouped in several staggered layers. This opus deserves to be placed high in the charts for its well put together and catchy melody. The end becomes cinematic and disturbing like in a horror movie ... (8.5 / 10). "House of the Past" begins with a classy harpsichord orchestrated in the style of Ennio MORRICONE. The atmosphere could make us think of a successful blend between SIMON & GARFUNKEL for a few verses and Steve HACKETT for the guitar, but also for the atmosphere present on his album "Voyage of the Acolyte". The whole will be glorified by a few flows of Moog and a pretty delicately interpreted romance (9/10) Surprising and gripping "Elegy" with this almost perfect mix between ALL TRAPS ON EARTH for the dissenting and uninhibited structure and JETHRO TULL for the same reasons at times on the "Thick as a Brick" album. You add a ubiquitous flute and Jazz Rock Fusion of a whole class and you end up with an earworm that says to you: Masterpiece! (9.5 / 10) Good ... "Journey" will not add much more to this cake. We hear voices a little monotonous like a journey that does not move, we would almost fall asleep ... A few notes of brilliant and airy synths will give a little attraction to this trip (7/10). "The Underpass Theme (reprise)" is a short fifty-one second intermission of classical music with several violins, interpreted in a romantic and nostalgic way in the style of Igor OISTRAKH (7/10).

With "Night City" LOST WORLD BAND gives us a real demonstration while mastering their know-how in terms of composition and instrumental dexterity. Here eclecticism is the order of the day, with a wildly rhythmic Canterbury revolving around a Joe JACKSON piano, alternated by moments of classical Jazz and classical music scores with violin. Nice service! (9/10). The least we can say is that this livery takes us from rooster to donkey without transition and without any shame. The titles follow each other but are not alike, even if we can note the omnipresent presence of instruments such as the flute, the violin and sweet voices sometimes a little cheesy but well worked. Going back to the history of this album, I imagine that it is a compilation of the best songs composed in 1992, a "best of" sorted after the hour and before seriously starting their career in 2001. So logically there is no conceptual aspect or common thread here. If I count nine titles out of fourteen (twelve by removing the two very short) which positively caught my attention, I bet that this group already had real potential long before the release of their first official records. They have just proven it with "Awakening Of The Elements" or "Sound Source" see "Solar Power". Instrumentally, nothing to complain about, this group lacks neither technicality nor virtuosity. Composition is always the keystone of a successful project, and this opus undoubtedly is, because it incorporates many tracks that stand out here for their originality and the resulting emotions. These musicians are uninhibited keys who know how to move from one genre to another with a lot of talent. Russia is not a land of Progressive Rock, but LOST WORLD BAND could snowball with such potential. On your headphones!

1. "Aligned" (3:56) (8.4/10)

2. "Rockfall" (3:44) (8.1/10)

3. "Dawn Day Dusk Night" (3:37) an awesome kind of Satie-esque Gentle Giant vocal-instrumental weave experiment (9.5/10)

4. "Running In The Sun" (3:47) fast-moving rock with all instruments and vocals worked tightly into the weave. A little bit of THE ASSOCIATION or RIFTH DIMENSION worked into the harmonies in the vocal arrangements. (8.5/10)

5. "Symphonic" (5:05) sounds like an jazzy instrumental continuation/variation on the previous song. Not really necessary. (8.2/10)

6. "Aise" (1:26) nice little Keith Emerson-John Tout piano solo. (4.5/5)

7. "Sail Away" (3:43) piano-based vocal ballad by Andy. His English vocals are definitely improving. (8.25/10)

8. "Crystalized" (4:18) another jazz-pop instrumental with some classical/math rock structure to it. Nice flute work and whole-band cohesion. Could be a Broadway or soundtrack career for Andy yet! (9/10)

9. "Lighter than Air" (3:53) spiritual/New Age, too? Nice choral section with flute and piano interlaced but, otherwise ... meh. (7.75/10)

10. "Pressured" (4:35) I can't help but cringe when I hear Andy's music try to go to heavy rock'n'roll power chords. Nice keyboard flights in the Edgar Winter "Frankenstein" sections. (7.75/10)

11. "I Am the World" (8:45) an uninspired attempt at a prog epic. Kind of a cross between Yes The Yes Album and Richard Harris' "MacArthur Park." (16/20)

Total Time 46:49

Four stars; a solid contribution to the modern lexicon of Progressive Rock music though not Andy's best (that was 2016's excellent Of Things and Beings).

Here we have a Russian band who have moved so far away from their debut to be almost unrecognisable, yet still use flute and violin as key instruments to keep their music rooted to the past. The album itself starts with an instrumental, and as the keyboards and guitars swap chords, the violin and bass are off and running and we are being thrown headlong into a rushing progressive number where it feels like everyone is in flight, the harmonies switching and swirling as different musicians take the lead and everyone is charging to the same destination. The first time I played this I actually stopped what I was doing to check that I had loaded the right album as this is both dramatic and melodic, joyous and dramatic, strident yet harmonious. They have expanded in many directions in this album, which may mean that some listeners won't be completely satisfied with everything they hear as there are so any different styles at play. Me, I think it's glorious and easily their most complete, accessible and incredible album to date. Lost World Band are back with a bang, and this should be searched out by all progheads.

"Aligned" begins on an upbeat track which consists of a violin leading the charge along with the full band with a fast and complex, but somewhat lilting rhythm. Right away, you know you are in for a great progressive production as the violin tears things up in this great introductory track. "Rockfall" begins with stately synths introducing another fast and catchy progressive track which is mostly led by rousing guitar and keyboard solos. "Dawn Day Dusk Night" starts off pensively with processed piano and keys and the first instance of vocals in a stylized harmonic wash of sound. The violin takes the lead again between the lyrical lines. As the lyrics become less repetitive, the piano plays dissonant chords, and after this, a complex instrumental section comes in with heavy guitars and more violin and keys. "Running in the Sun" features a more lyrical led track. The vocals have a slight leaning towards Geddy Lee in his later years, but a bit weaker. But the musicianship is so good on the album that you hardly notice, even in this faster track. The instruments generate enough excitement that make you want to keep hearing more.

"Symphonic" goes back to the complex instrumental sound of the band. Meters and moods change often here, creating an excellent progressive track where guitars, synths, and the flute take turns supporting and leading while the rhythm section takes everything through a somewhat complex track. It's quite a kaleidoscope of sound and texture. "Aise" is a short piano solo instrumental which is quite nice and rhapsodic. "Sail Away" has a atmospheric beginning with synths and piano bringing in vocals. There is a feeling of vulnerability in the voice in this softer setting, which mostly works, but exposes some weaknesses until the guitar comes in with a nice instrumental break. The flute comes in later to support the vocals in the last verse. "Crystalized" begins similar to a light folksy instrumental similar to that of a Jethro Tull instrumental, complete with flute and guitar.

"Lighter Than Air" begins with vocals right away and a lilting and pastoral feeling with smooth keys, acoustic guitar and flute. "Pressured" begins with a march style rhythm that suddenly darkens with heavy guitars which propel the track forward through some cool synth solos and some great progressive interruptions injected throughout. Great stuff! "I am the World" is the final track, and also the longest at almost 9 minutes. A slow electric guitar solo ushers in the vocals which has lyrics with sci-fi elements. The track remains pensive and soft and at the 3 minute mark, percussion comes in, remaining at a moderately slow tempo while a nice instrumental break carries things forward. Things suddenly get progressive and complex as everything works together to build different levels of intensity. After the violin churns up some excitement, a short section with vocals come in and then more intense guitar work pushes everything to the last refrain. At the end, you just want it to keep going, and that is an indication of a great album.

This is definitely an enjoyable album consisting of some great progressive tracks and even bringing in occasional folk elements to keep everything interesting. There are some nice slow and atmospheric passages, and also plenty of exciting and complex sections that will get your heart racing. The vocals could use some work, especially in the softer passages, but it doesn't ruin the overall sound of the album. There is a good amount of variety on the album, yet the overall feel is quite consistent. Even with most of the tracks being short, the quality of the music is not compromised and development of the tracks is well executed. This boils down to an excellent album that is worth checking out, it's not perfect, but it's definitely worth the time.

They can be bright and energetic, or laid back and thoughtful, while the opening title cut comes across as a mix of Kansas and Jethro Tull, with some more rocky guitar and a delightful Seventies feel as well as leads from both flute and violin. This is a great album, that flows and moves, so much so that the listener is never really sure where they are going to end up, but it doesn't matter as the journey is always so interesting. If you've never investigated Russian progressive rock then you should, and Lost World Band and this album are a great place to stay

Line-up / Musicians: - Andy Didorenko / all guitars, violins, keyboards and vocal - Vassili Soloviev / flute - Konstantin Shtirlitz / drums - Alexander Akimov / percussion

1. "Shapes and Objects" (a symphonic creation with full orchestral support) I. "Random Objects in the Sun" (3:20) impressive dynamics. I find myself reminded of Mike Oldfield's Incantations only on a much more sophisticated level. The song just keeps getting better as it goes! Amazing instrumental appearances. (9.5/10) II. "Moving Dots" (3:15) the andante of this symphony--with vocals, flutes, acoustic guitars and orchestral contributions all helping with the syncopated weave. Then, half way through, it shifts into a smooth, upbeat orchestral piece. Awesome! (9.5/10) III. "Water Circles" (4:31) a kind of rondo with guitars, violins, and flutes trading the melody with orchestral percussion and drums helping out along the way. Incredible song. We are not worthy! Would that Mike Oldfield ever climbed to such heights! (10/10) IV. "Time Squares" (3:10) the dénouement and climax. Perfect! (9.5/10)

2. "When the Time is Still" (4:18) Gorgeous arrangement. (9.5/10)

3. "Death of Mr. Winter" (1:05) quirky and angular--a perfect foil for the previous songs. A lot like a JACK O' THE CLOCK song. (9/10)

4. "Intertwined" (3:30) an awesome multiple acoustic guitar étude--not unlike a WILLIAM ACKERMAN song, only on high doses of cafeine. Andy Didorenko on full display. (9/10)

5. "Of Things and Beings" (0:51) another quirky odd JACK O' THE CLOCK-like song with a heavily treated multiple tracked vocal. (9/10)

6. "Watchbird" (6:08) a full out, Chris Squire chunky bass prog en force. Not my favorite song or style of Andy's but it does display his ability to write and perform at a very high YES-like level of rock dynamism. The violin adds a true EDDIE JOBSON/UK-ness to the song. (Great drumming, Mr. Shtirlitz!) (9/10)

7. "Simple as" I. "One" (2:13) pastoral, hand percussion with flute and acoustic guitars. Amazing flute(s) and guitar(s) weave. Gorgeous! (10/10) II. "Two" (1:41) The feast continues! A little more up tempo this time. Like a Michel Legrand/Jean-Pierre Rampal/Alexandre LaGoya composition. Amazing! (10/10) III. "Three" (1:46) the third of the trilogy steps into a more metronomic (though off tempo) medieval troubadour feel and sound. Again, the jazzy sound of Legrand/Rampal/LaGoya is strongly brought to mind. (9/10)

8. "The Structure of Madness" (4:05) a return to heavier, electrified rock--this time of a style more akin to bands like MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA, ELP, BRUFORD, URIAH HEEP, even RUSH. Wonderful performances by all instruments-- especially drums, electric guitars, and bass. A definite masterpiece of progressive rock by a certifiable master of musical composition and performance.(10/10)

9. "On Thin Ice" (3:33) treads into the almost-'pop' style and sound of previous albums like 2009's Sound Source and 2013's Solar Power. By has this band/musician matured! (8.5/10)

10. "Downpour "(3:12) aggressive violin, guitars and bass open this song before the drums enter full throttle to drive this one to crescendoed highs (with notable valleys of meek dynamics). Impressive but not memorable or even very likable. (8/10)

This is by far and away the best album Lost World has released and one of the best albums I've heard from this year. (Oops! I guess it was a late 2016 release!) Excellent sound recording and production throughout (which was a weakness of past recordings). And despite Andy's virtuosity, his flute player and drummer are both on an equal level!

Favorite songs: the Fripp-sounding guitar and 70s RETURN TO FOREVER-sounding, "Detached" (3:42) (except for the 'acoustic' guitar) (9/10); the COPELAND-ish "At The Waterfront" (3:09) (9/10) with its excellent interplay between violin and piano; "The Voyage," and; "Swept Off" (4:35) (8/10).

A 3.5 star effort rated up for the excellent instrumental work--especially violin and keyboards.

The fourth studio album by this fine Russian band is an impressive one too. Extremely hard to categorize, and featuring short, tight compositions sporting enough alterations, shifts and thematic developments to keep even the very attentive listener busy for quite some time just trying to follow events. Keeping track of them as well a task I'll just note down as challenging. Not that this is a chaotic album by any means, as all the songs flow nicely and logically through the myriads of changes, alterations and revisits of previously explored themes and arrangements. It's just that there's quite a lot going on here.

There's often a folk music sheen to the proceedings here. The violin used extensively throughout, with occasional flute details adding a certain emphasis to this aspect. Occasionally with the band more or less briefly taking on a sound that invites to namedropping Jethro Tull as a likely influence. Metamorphoses a nice example of just that, once the initial movement shifts. At other times there's more of a Floydian tinge to the proceedings, and King Crimson can probably be added to the stew of not unlikely influences. Gnarly dark toned guitar riff constructions dueling with violin is another aspect of this bands repertoire, and fans of jazzrock and fusion is thrown the occasional bone as well. All of this subtly flavored with electronic effects, and with build ups to more or less majestic symphonic escapades as a central, recurring feature in just about all the compositions.

It'll take plenty of listen throughs before this album sits in your mind, as there's quite a lot going on here. As I experience this disc I'd say that it will take something of an eclectic taste in music to be able to fully enjoy this one, and most likely a taste for music somewhat unconventional as well. But if you can subscribe to such descriptions, "Solar Power" is an album that should be a rewarding and enticing experience for you.

When Andy is in full flight on violin then it is as if they are channelling KBB and turning them into something even more dramatic and powerful. "Samum" is a case in point, as while Andy often takes the lead, the reason that it works so well is due to the support with Vassili swapping between flute and guitar, Konstantin providing some incredibly deft pianowork and Veniamin driving it along ferociously from the back. But there are other songs when Vassili is very much the melodic lead and Andy provides support. The strength of these guys is their incredible musicality (remember these guys started off when Vassili and Andy met while undertaking classical studies at a conservatory), their knowledge of musical structure and arrangement, and their downright refusal to conform to any sort of preconceived ideas of what they should be doing.

This is what prog music should be about, musical dexterity and complexity while at the same time capturing the listener so that they have to stay right to the very end. Andy may not be completely happy with this album, but I am. If this doesn't deserve five stars then nothing does. www.lostworldband.com