KITES

Kites is the third (and last to date) studio album by Uk's Neo Prog act This Winter Machine, and is my point of entry to their brief but quite strong catalog. TWM is the brainchild from singer and songwriter Al Winter and the lineup for this specific album is as follows:

@alwinter on vocals

@daveclose on bass & vocals

@simondvali on guitars & vocals

@dombennison on guitars & vocals

@alanwilson on drums

Le jour d'avant (the previous day or the day before) opens the album in a very pastoral and melodic way, pianos and guitars leading the way. It then jumps to The Storm (part I) and then The Storm (part II), both immense and powerful, everything I hear here I like, all the influences are there from both the 70's and 80's, very well adapted and executed in their own manner. The guitar work throughout the whole album is increíble, supported by a tight and precise rhythm section. The contribution by @patsanders (Drifting song) is very notable too, a great addition to the album's sound and atmosphere.

Limited and it's fat bass opening serves as an instrumental intermission, kind of jazzy, kind of funky and even spacey before the great song tandem of Pleasure & Purpose and This Heart's Alive kicks in and delivers the immediate hooks to leave the footprint on the listeners brain, smart and melodic, with familiar sounding harmonies that is inevitable not to look at and embrace. Great album moment.

Another intermission with Whirlpool, a great rocker and kind of symphonic instrumental before the mellower part of the album arrives.

Broken and Sometimes were not my fav songs at first, they're different and sound a little more poppy, however they do grow with every listen once the rest has been digested and the mind starts looking for additional memorable fractions in the less memorable tracks and surprise! the hooks are also there, just behind a couple of distractive commercial layers; peal them and voila!

The title track Kites closes the album and to be honest I'm not crazy about the initial vocal intervention, sounds forced and garage-like, but that sensation will only last about 5secs and then the masterpiece is revealed, not a virtuoso type of masterpiece, but a well crafted heavy pop prog song that will lift you up from your chair and will make you dance, is that good! I really like this album, have heard it quite a few times already and like it each time a little more. Hope you enjoy it too!