VOLUME ONE

Perhaps is an instrumental trio from Boston and Volume One is, believe it or not, their first album. It consists solely of one almost 40 minute track (an iPod user's nightmare). Bassist Jim Haney wrote the music and did the artwork for the album. The music was recorded live to analog tape and sometimes has a "70s" feel to it. There are guest musicians here playing string and brass instruments. Stylistically there is elements of math rock, fusion and psychedelic rock along with other musical twists and turns. An eclectic mix of styles that are forced to work together.

Everything opens with some almost spacey ambient soundscapes for roughly the first two minutes. Then it goes into some twangy math rock with some effects here and there. Generally stays in that territory while briefly changing to other styles once in awhile. Around 6 1/2 minutes goes into an alternative/indie type riff, this riff is briefly played in a groove style. Then the music switches to some kind of psychedelic fusion. Some avant-jazz sax soloing joins in. A psych rock guitar solo which eventually gets more jazzy sounding. The music stops by the 13 minute mark and does some start/stop dynamics.

Eventually the music goes back into math rock territory while going through a few style changes in a short period of time. Around halfway the music gets jazzier and you hear a trumpet solo with an echo effect on it. The music gets spacier with added effects. Gradually everything starts to rock out until it sounds like vintage 1970s boogie-rock. Then it goes through more style changes in a brief span of time. A long, drawn out 'ending' before the music stops around the 30 minute mark.

Only quiet guitars and cymbals then come in playing in a post-rock style. Strings get added as the volume increases and it turns into a GYBE style crescendo. Some guitar soloing over top as the drums get freer and looser briefly. A nice way to end such a musical journey. Even though it is only one long track, it has a great flow and no parts outstay their welcome. A great performance which must have took a bit of practice. This is one of those albums where you don't know what to think of it the first time you hear it, yet appreciate it the more you play it. Good enough for 4 stars.