MOODS

Despite the extensive availability of highly produced quality prog rock online. Silhouette is definitely the modern band whose albums I've been returning to the most recently. The reason is chiefly that people in this band are hands down today's best masters of melody. For quite some time, main trend in English-language prog-rock has been the one of atmospheric, moderately-paced, comfortable music, often alternating metallic riffs and spaciness (Porcupine Tree, Anathema, Riverside, Gazpacho, Airbag and the list goes on and on...) - Silhouette do not play by these rules!

Coming from Netherlands, they are a part of local prog scene that cherishes the melodic approach (Knight Area, Odyssice, Ixion, Trion etc.), but Silhouette takes it to yet higher level. The potential of their previous album ("A Maze") was largely brought down by downright bad sound quality, but on "Moods" equipment is much better so sound can hold itself together. Wisely engineered by Gerben Klazinga (of "Knight Area") sound is very fragile and it gives the special charm to this kind of melodic neo-prog. In these circumstances, music can fall apart if it's not backed with excellent melodies (like it happened to a lot of 80s English neo-prog), but this album holds it together thoughout the album by this magical beauty.

I can't really pick up any highlights here, because it all is excellent and catchy, but let's showcase "Far Away" - starting seemingly straight-ahead, but then diversified by various keyboard moods (no pun intended, honestly). with beautiful verse followed by super-catchy chorus and the keyboard runs of enormous beauty. The vocal department is not a best side of this music, but singers (and there are a couple) do their best, still maintaining a charming naivety.

To sum it up, this is a band that doesn't have any trick up their sleeve to make music appear better than it is. "Mood" is the album that calls every card, coming out as a winner every time. A certain triumph of imagination, dare I say. 5 stars of course - the world needs more of it.