AN ILLUSTRATED MAP OF THE HEART

MIND FURNITURE American group formed around 1996 seeming to have had a fluid line-up to this day. 15 years, a 2nd album produced by Musea hold on and a 3rd "Illustrated Heart Card" in the Crossover tote style! Endless guitar solos, reminiscences of bygone days. A concept album, a rock opera as read here and there. A love story starting from loneliness to arrive at happiness. Note that the drummer played some time on METAPHOR, that the signature of this group leaves on the Mellotron, the many changes of rhythm and the solos of different guitarists; that makes a better musical definition than to quote YES, GENTLE GIANT, KING CRIMSON, JETHRO TULL, CAMEL, BOSTON, DIRE STRAITS, The FLOWER KINGS or ALAN PARSONS PROJECT. OK, let's go :

"Ride by Myself" melodic piano intro time to get going; a bit of DIRE STRAITS for the ambient sound; I find there the melodic country side with a pop-rock ballad like TELEPHONE or CAPDEVIELLE which holds in suspense until the final fair sound. "Underneath the World" follows on to an AOR rock sound, punctuated with prog break, a plaintive solo on the guitar, which is harder to name given the multitude of guests; in short, a dreamlike twirling solo stretching and catching. "Take Out an Ad" which reminds me of FRANCK CARDUCCI for the accumulation of genres in a short time; the distinctive voice, the organ, the bass, the engaged rhythm set off on a varied, convoluted rock melting pot; a flute and a JETHRO TULL guitar sound and it goes even further, retro but not vintage I'm lost. "Now That the Rush Has Come" complex title in the same vein with an Andalusian arpeggio halfway through, a beautiful finish but too short. "Can't Find My Heart" majestic intro that starts off with a languid tune, a rock ballad with a country-rock connotation, from the AOR where guitar solos punctuate the sound of the keyboards; a symphonic, martial, austere tone.

"Someone Tell Me Who I Am" on a crescendo with orchestration bordering on the symphonic just by the percussions and this astonishing trumpet-synth; a monolithic track in which a torrent of guitaristic lava flows, melting the rare incredulous still in doubt at this moment of listening.

"Except for Last Tuesday" superb intro with thunderstorm and rumbling bass, two "MATRIX" notes, musical adrenaline rush on this short track with obvious symphonic spleen, my best as my 4 year old son says or the musical slap, as you want. "I Hate the Way You Make Me Feel" on a jazzy Charleston version of the time when everything was fun; Anne's voice gives a plus, eyes on the languid side of our Patricia KAAS, gives a festive air where trumpet, clarinet and piano play the gig. "I Broke It" scared howling dog? Bass for a hellish riff, heavy anyway; a heady chorus, an enlightened aerial solo, good three guitarists who share this moment for the second best track in my opinion, the aggressive nervous side having to be for something. "Here in the Future" continues with such a lofty tune, the more expressive voice, the instruments, the KING CRIMSON-style rhythm all of a sudden, everything starts with good old American rock long before knowing if the prog was still alive or definitely dead; good that deposits serious; the PINK FLOYD finale is too obvious but is a good reminder that prog has interfered in different musical genres; in short, the 3rd slap, the cheek begins to redden. "I Have Known Real Love" rock-country-rhythmic and fruity ballad where the instruments continue to let loose; it's softer but well balanced with the flavor of a BOSTON.

MIND FURNITURE therefore releases a musical slap in two parts; a fairly agreed start, consensual as we often say, and a second part much richer in emotion and notes; good compositions and dithyrambic arrangements well orchestrated in which the four outstanding musketeers show that they have bathed well in the musical atmosphere of the last decades. Infusing a dramatic then melodious tune then more aggressive towards the end they result in an engaging album that is worth more than listening. Like what progressive wonders are hidden everywhere with all these musicians.