THE RPWL EXPERIENCE

So far my only acqaintance with this band was the streamtrack on PA called Opel from their 2003 compilation. I wasn't blown away by it to say the least but decided to give them a try with their 2008 release. After all it's neo prog and I want to check these kind of bands out.

First song appeared to be a true highlight after a few listens of the entire album. It's the almost 10 minute clocking slightly epical Silenced. The song is already pretty good for the first 6,5 minutes but the last 3 or so are almost mindblowing to me. Fantastic climax of a very good song (4,25*). After such an overture you always hope it's the prelude for a great album but that's not the case I can give away already. It's a versatile album in style and quality and I'm not sure if I am too pleased with that. But it is what it is and I will have to live with it I'm afraid.

Second is Breathe in, Breathe out and this song is less compelling than the opener. This song shows that RPWL is actually a borderline case of prog, it's almost pop-like at times but we will come back to that later ! This song is the first example of that but it's a good song anyway (3,25*).

Where can I go ? is actually a song in the same vein as previous, a lot longer though and therefore it seems proggier but I'm not really convinced. The song has the same sort of flatness their compatriots Sylvan show in many of their songs. At the end the song gets a bit better (3,25*).

Masters of War is a bit of a slow song and after some 3 minutes it starts to resemble On the Turning Away by Pink Floyd a lot. It's hard even to listen through it without keeping thinking about it all the time. It's probably the rhythm that's for a big part responsable for the resemblance (3,5*).

With the 5th I will come back to my promise in the second song where I said I would come back to the statement of this bands poppiness. Here they admit this themselves with the funny title This is not a Prog Song and in the lyrics they even refer to Pink Floyd which proves my statement in previous song. A very honest song in the sense of what this band is about obviously. And even though this indeed is not a prog song it sounds quite nice (3,25*).

I watch myself Sleeping is a slower track again and here they fall back in their flatness I fear. It's all pretty accessible what this band does. Except for the vocals it resembles Coldplay every now and then, not quite an insult in my opinion but another proof of the borderline progressiveness of RPWL (3*).

Next the second longest track, called Stranger. This is more of a versatile and much more progressive song with some great rock elements as well as more quiet parts. Second highlight on this album, great track (4*).

After this, the shortest track, Alone and Scarred, is a sort of remix of several other songs, bit spacey and messy, not really RPWL I would say. But ok, obviously they felt like producing this (3*). Appears to be a bonus track by the way. Strangely placed somewhere in the middle of the album (??)

Talk to the River is a fine ballad and they prove they can also do something like this (3,25*).

Choose what you want to look at is a fast and furious one and proves to be a track of my liking. Though most songs are accessible I must admit it's not a boring and monotonous album. Good song this (3,5*).

Turn back the clock is again more ballad-like another less interesting one at first until towards the end two fine guitar solos saves it a bit and makes it end up in a good song in the end (3,25*).

Reach for the Sun is another bonus track, another more quiet and slow song and alas another flat one (3*).

After doing the maths it appears what I was already afraid of: right in the middle of 3 and 4 stars. I was already puzzled about what I was going to give it and it's indeed a headache case. I'm afraid I will have to round down for three reasons: first, the exact average is 3,45. Second, the bonus tracks don't really lift the album and third reason, the description of a 4 star rating is: excellent album to ANY prog collection and that is not the case here. Good but non essential (3 stars) sounds better but the album is surely better than this description. And I would still recommend it to lovers of the more prog related category.