OCEANARIUM

Silver Springs, MD Progressive Rock band, Deluge Grander has recently released a brilliant Prog instrumental LP, titled, 'Oceanarium' showcasing exceptional musicality with a special nod to band member Dan Britton for his outstanding compositional prowess throughout its eight tracks and stellar musicianship behind the keyboard.

Most notable is the arrangement of the four extended tracks which are filled with gorgeous, harmonic texture and in their respective complexity draws the listener right along as time signatures change and the nuances of each composition reveal wonderful elements of classical and jazz phrasing without coming off schmaltzy. By example, track six, titled, 'Tropical Detective Squadron' launches itself in upbeat rhythm when suddenly nearing the midpoint a more brooding tempo is displayed leading you along a journey that by midway, finds that you're fully engaged as Neil Brown's trumpet part begins to unfold. Dan Britton's stellar keyboards add to the fluidity of this track throughout and are heard upfront when it's most important to showcase its contribution. Gradually, as the track builds momentum in preparation for its crescendo the listener is treated to a well-placed shift in time signature which extends the exhilaration of this song. Adding Dave Berggren's subtle electric guitar work towards the finish amounts to nothing short of exceptional to say the least! This is smart and accomplished music to be sure.

Here's my suggestion: Deluge Grander proves itself on 'Oceanarium' as possessing the right balance of nuanced musicality and superbly crafted composition in the context of true Progressive Rock music. 'Oceanarium' is a fresh, intelligent and accomplished project, of which Dan Britton, in particular, has demonstrated his skill as a composer and highly skilled musician. The LP is available as a digital download via Bandcamp. Amazon offers both MP3 and CD items. CD Baby too, is a great choice to hear, and learn more about this terrific band or, to simply/supportively purchase the release. Lastly, while not in US public libraries at present, most libraries offer a 'suggest a purchase' service so, like I often say, exploit the service as a means to gain access to new music! With a promise of delivering another LP in 2018 titled, 'Lunarians' fans old and new certainly have another reason to stay tuned. Cheers.