NIGHTINGALE EXPRESS

A very cool alt/prog debut!

"'Nightingale Express' is a concept album. This inspired moviemaker Lex Vesseur to make a short movie with music from the album. He also made the artwork and the visuals for the live show. So both the music and the film return in an interactive rock show with a live VJ.

Washed up, tired and staggering across a beach in the early hours of the morning. Somewhere in the twilight between desperation and surrender, there is still a glimmer of hope. That sense that everything will be alright, no matter what the odds are."

That's a brief description I received from Freeman Promotions, in which one can have a slice of what this album is about. I bet if you like that summary, then you will be interested in the music. "Nightingale Express" is the debut album of these guys from The Netherlands, who have been playing together for some years. It comprises eleven songs that together make 53 minutes of what I would call altern-progressive rock.

"Nightingale Express" is the first and longest track of the album. It was a risked but wonderful decision to start with their most accomplished work, because this is a 13-minute composition that shows complexity, great arrangements, challenging passages and a great musicianship. Here, the band let us know about their compositional skills. It starts slow and little by little the volume of the repetitive vocals is increasing until they along with the instruments reach a high point. Then the music itself begins to create a new structure that combines the soft and in moments hard sides of the band. The voice reminds me a bit of A.C.T.'s one, very emotional and ad hoc for those bands that blend progressive with alternative and even metal rock.

After five minutes there is a great instrumental passage led by guitars; here we can appreciate to the rhythm and repetitive guitar while other is entering softly with some notes as background. It progresses, adding new lines (bass), power (drums) and various elements while the seconds pass. After seven minutes there is a new passage where all of a sudden the music turns a bit heavier, creating some repetitive but addictive moments; then it is flowing again, putting a diversity of textures and moods, in moments it is emotional, in others captivating, or even unpredictable. What an impressive opener!

"Wanderer's Log-You" is a one-minute piece that has a soft sound made by guitars and a delicate voice. It leads to "June Fifth" which starts with drums in a mid-tempo rhythm, later guitars, bass and vocals join and begin to create that catchy but not-far-from-prog sound. In moments, the guitar becomes more emotional while playing the brief solos, and the sound reminds me a bit of dredg. Though this piece is much shorter than the first track, it also has some inner changes that put dynamism on it.

"Phases" start with a rhythm guitar that makes a repetitive sound. Later it changes and little by little is adding new figures, different elements that produce more colors and even emotions. In some moments, the guitars also have a crimson-esque tune, while in the others they create the same dredg-like sound like the previous one. "The Unreachable" continues with the mid-tempo rhythm, making a predictable but delicious structure that in the end produces a great song. The sound is much closer to alternative rock, however, I insist, they do have some prog tendencies that can be appreciated in some passages.

The next is the second wanderer piece, it is "Wanderer's Log-Me", which once again has only a minute of mellow vocals and guitars to share. "Thieves of Time" is a pretty interesting song. Here I love the bass sound because it is soft and delicate, but can be perfectly appreciated and actually provokes an addiction in the listener, at least with me, the bass caught my attention during most of the track. After four minutes the music changes considerably, creating an amazing sensation of power and despair at the same time; the sound is heavier, closer now to metal, without being metal at all. I like a lot the ending of this track and the synth atmosphere it produces.

"Out of Line" starts with a kind of spacey synthesizer that is seconds later accompanied by drums and strings. Then the music flows and makes some slight changes in the intensity, putting more emotion in some moments just like in the chorus. The music here does not produce drastic turns, however, it does not sound plan in any moment. "Come on Home" continues with the same style, and with the concept of the album. Here I like the backing vocals they implement in some moments, producing a different atmosphere, and though it is not the best track of the album, it fits on it as a cool complement.

"Wanderer's Log-Storm" is quite different from the previous brief tracks. This time the rock element in its A Liquid Landscape's style (alt,prog,metal) is resumed here in a powerful and emotional 2.5-minute instrumental song, which leads to the final track of the album, which is entitled "Secret Isle". This one, in the other hand, has a soft and delicate sound that contrasts with the previous track. The sound is very calm, in the neo-prog vein and if you ask me, even touching the boundaries of a ballad. An obvious sense of goodbye is also produced here, in this beautiful yet disarming final track.

I liked the album a lot, and though it is not evidently a masterpiece, nor anything that had never been created, I've had a great time while listening to it. Cool debut, now I am interested in see what's next with this band. My final grade, 8 out of 10.

Enjoy it!

Share this A LIQUID LANDSCAPE review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to memowakeman
• Report this review (#3146837)
• Buy A LIQUID LANDSCAPE music online with PA partners
• Show all A LIQUID LANDSCAPE MP3/Stream
• Go to A LIQUID LANDSCAPE page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Nightingale Express page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for A LIQUID LANDSCAPE related discussions