FRAGMENTROPY

I was very skeptical about this album, as there is a big hype going on about "T" at the moment. And don't we all mistrust hypes? The last hype I could not understand at all was about the new Riverside record: "Love, peace and a timemachine" might be a pleasant listen, but it s nothing like the groundbreaking new prog standard for me. I was rather bored, actually.

So when I checked out "T" at progstreaming.com, I did not expect much. One man projects tend to be self-induljent to the limits. Not much about the music, more about the musician and his favourite instrument... Daryl Stuermer comes to mind...

But this is NOT AT ALL the case here. "T" gets a band playing compositions. A band of musicians wh who know their place and know when to step forward and when to step back. You really have to re remind yourself that it is actually one man being that band. But a band it clearly is.

"A Skyhigh Pile of Anarchy" introduces us to a soaring sadness. An undertow of aggression and fr frustration can be felt. A certain alertness. The bass is very prominent at first, and a lot of samples an and drum loops attack from everywhere. The vocals set in whispering. The mood of the song ch changes into a real rocker, coolness alert! This is how U2 always wanted to sound since "Rattle an and Hum"... Another mood shift, and we re in heaven, everything soft, revelations and elevations... or or is it sarcasm? "T" does not make that clear and keeps us on our tows.

"Brave New Mornings" is really a caleidoscope of those fragments that the title mentions. The lyrics tell us about mood swings, and the music follows. There is flamenco, there is Dream Theater, there is classic prog, there is Flower Kings, there is Marillion, there is Kansas. Yet there is just referenc references, not blunt copies. My favorite song!

"Uncertainty" goes deeper into melodies. So much happening! Choirs, many voices countering, Gentle Gentle Giant comes to mind.

"Entanglement" explores a lot more quiet atmospheres. The refrain (?) is a wonderful wash of guit guitars and has a gripping melody. The lyrics again balance sarcasm and sorrow. I love those!

"Eigenstates" has a bit of Pink Floyd and a lot of Gazpacho. This is the first "song" that actually has it its own structure, but it fits in just as well. Great keyboard sounds.

"The Black in White" is pure innuendo! "T" goes through all the genres and tells the story of a someone meeting a woman and it goes awfully wrong. This is pure self-irony, as a lot of proggressive proggressive rock standards are touched upon. There is even a part in "Quenja"!

"Shades of Silver" is very quiet and introvert at first, but becomes an impressive wall of sound at th the end. A wonderfully melodic piece of music, full of dreamy guitars.

In the end there is the sure feeling that you have encountered a trip that you have never been on before. And that you missed loads of foxholes and secret corners that need exploration. So you listen again. And again. And again. I have "Fragmentropy" on heavy rotation on my iPod at the moment. Adventourous and familiar at once, this is a most surprising release for me. And for one time the hype is right.