MICE AND RATS IN THE LOFT

Usually I am not big fan of these overlengthed songs because I think for song to be considered as a good or great it should also be that with its music. It should be interesting all the way. That is hard and some bands have fallen into trap trying to make very long song which would in the end turn out to be boring, forced and mainly would just repeat itself to the end. Now that is for sure not case with Jan Dukes De Grey and their album Mice and Rats in the Loft. Here we have three long songs, where one of them is long almost 19 minutes and I have to admit that all three of them are great and very interesting, they are masterfully played they are intriguing and they are also mystical. To me great prog must be mystical. Jan Dukes music for sure is mystical.

First song "Sun Symphonica" starts with rhythmic ambiental music which is leaded by flute ( the flute is trademark of JDDG at least to me the sound of their flute is unique and special). Very soon in ambiental music drops in guitar ( another trade mark of the band ) which additionally speeds up the rhythm. Voice is starting to sing. ( Voice sound little bit ruff and somewhat uninterested in what it is singing. It took me a wile to get used to the color of this voice, but now I consider it perfect for this music. It brings more mysticism to song and in someway adds the pathetic with its at first glance uninterested or lets call it lack of emotions while it sings. ) As the song goes the singer is raising his voice which now sounds little bit lunatic ( obviously that was intentional ). Guitar comes in again and its exchanging and sometimes overlapping with flute. Song after that often changes speed of rhythm accelerating into a bit psychedelic eccentric guitar. Then starts the trumpet and in a similar rhythm all instruments drop in or overlap to each other . After 5 minutes and 50 seconds song slows down and soft melody comes in starting a new chapter. The song still maintains its original theme at least for a wile because again happens change. From the background comes in familiar melody ( yes familiar although I am sure that I have never heard it before , but it just has something familiar in it. It gives you that wandering filing ). Guitar exchanges with violin while playing this melody and then in the theme comes in the flute. Wow what a thrill. This is the best part of a song. This melody perfectly describes what words sun symphonica really means. Voice again joins a song and the music begins to hold beck allowing the singing. Then music starts to exchange with the singing in the same fashion as before has than the instruments. Song continues and the music is bit dragging while it goes to psychedelic another level. You can hear trumpet then flute also a mouth-organ , rhythm continues for a wile and then song finally comes to the end.

"Call of the Wild" starts with the nice rhythmic guitar music . When Voice starts to sing it is accompanied with beck vocals. Flute joins in fore the moment. Guitar and singing continues in same rhythm. Then music goes in somewhat deeper level. Little bit of lunatics singing hear followed with faster rhythm of booth guitar and flute. Some more crazy singing and various rhythm changes of guitar accompanied with similar drumming. Song is after starting to become a bit more complicated and just when it seems that all thing is becoming to extreme and that there is a danger that song will become annoying it falls into a new melody which raises song to a new level. Guitar which was dominating through entire song is also leading in this new melody. Some kind of guitar solo then continues into echoing sound , this last for a wile and then new them is born. Song continues in this new level with sound much more symphonic and richer with instruments. In the end all falls beck again to the guitar which in some moment overlaps with the symphonic sound of the theme before and then eventually song comes to the end.

Mice and Rats in the Loft the shortest track here (it is long over 8 minutes). It is most rockiest and most craziest song on the album. It starts with something what I would describe as screaming of the bug on whom somebody has stepped. Eccentric screaming sound continues into psycho electric guitar . Lunatic and somewhat unconcerned voice starts to sing . Lyrics are also lunatic they are about human sacrifice!!! Fast psychedelic guitar is accompanied with lunatic tribal drumming . Main guitar solo repeats itself couple of times during the song but each time sounding different and refreshing. Somewhere along in the song can again be heard the sound of the screaming bug. More instruments joins in producing some kind cosmic psycho rhythm while in the background the sacrifice is taking place. Trumpet comes in and goes while lunatic singing and psychedelic guitar continue until the end.

I had to add that it was incredibly hard to describe entire music and I have probable mistaken naming one instrument with another. Also I haven't mentioned all of them. I haven't describe much drumming which is really great. Lets not forget the great lyrics that are crazy, fun, mystical and complex as the music itself. What else to say except well deserved fife stars.