THE CONFIDENCE TRICK

HATS OFF GENTLEMEN IT'S ADEQUATE releases their 6th album, so far I'm good! A creative musical vehicle with Malcolm Galloway former Doctor suffering from an illness and Mark Gatland helped by Kathryn Thomas his wife on the flute. HOGIA bears various influences on progressive, classic, electronic and metallic rock from which reminiscences come from PINK FLOYD, MARILLION and contemporary cinematic groups in fashion today. Texts on human errors and their exacerbated confidences painted in parables and 5 instrumentals for uncompromising rock art.

'Silence Is a Statement' launches the soundtrack on a melodic tune with synthesized guitars, crystalline voice and metronomic Mark drums, a little OCEANSIZE for the tune. 'Back Where I Started' Kathryn's flute and Malcolm's rocky voice on a time journey that goes wrong, the fluid and scintillating melody coming to pass... the pill of our incapacity. 'End of the Line' with delicate progressive intro and Malcolm that reminds me of Steve MARILLION's daydreams; atmospheric title where the keyboards and guitars are joined again by this melancholy flute, moment when the futile meets musical hypnosis with the hopeless guitar solo. Heady 'Perky Pat'! A reverberating, hypnotic, tortured electronic instrument on a story of oh so schizoid Dick prelude to our weberized life; progressive with the explosive majestic crescendo. 'World War Terminus' story of nuclear conflict and a rhythmic tune with a fast phrasing voice, dark tune then final crystalline keyboard. 'Pretending to Breathe' another melodic, atmospheric and doubtful instrumental, the ambient passage bringing back on a dark SCHULZE; the finale refers to the magic keyboards of the cheerful TANGERINE DREAM, bearers of hope, a long meditative interlude.

'Another Plague' with a floydian intro bringing a syncopated title where the keyboard is king, a title that is worth for its moving guitar flight, for the shoegaze rock melting pot full of hope against the future of our world, the solemn voice in addition. 'Refuge' for the symphonic piano interlude and its small flute in coulis; cinematic soundtrack mixing sweetness with avant-garde dramatic revival, featuring Malcolm's grandmother's escape from the camps, a beautiful tribute in itself; the instrumental aspect itself seems to give words of explanation; a great classico-progressive moment with a grandiloquent finale and a spectral Genesis solo, a magnificent unclassifiable title, you will have understood it. 'Interlude' on a melodic and symphonic neo-prog declination and an aerial solo. 'The Confidence Trick' eponymous title, bluesy guitar solo à la Gilmour, synth à la Wright, it goes up to denounce our way of life, but let's return to the majestic music launched as food here; apart from the metronomic drums the sound pulls on the PINK FLOYD; emphasis piece. 'Lava Lamprey' last jazzy instrumental, swirling with this sinuous synth, parable of a psychogenic dictatorial power, fresh anachronistic title. 'All Empires Fall' targeted verse-chorus title with a muted rapped voice, acerbic criticism of the dictators of this lower world, velvety guitar slide and a nod to GALAHAD. 'Cygnus' for the outro hymn to health personnel vis-à-vis the pandemic and solemn snub to incompetent governments.

HATS OFF GENTLEMEN IT'S ADEQUATE has released a varied album of contemporary progressive alternative music, an astonishing album mixing electronic sounds with moving classical passages, pledge of spleen and other introspection. Be careful not to miss this special group which gives a philosophical message on the world in which we live.