MEI

Echloyn's work in general is prime time stuff. The incredibly complex and lightning quick time changes always made my mind ringed with the picture of a huge smiling giant. Too few groups are referring to Gentle Giant as an influence. I guess they just feel scared of not fitting into the Giant's shoes, and how. But Echolyn never feared anything, especially not getting on par with UK's Giant. Because in most of their work, Echolyn always had the pedal to the floor, dazzling us and blinding us with furiously fast and complex pieces of weird rock. As the World was a tour de force from start to finish and Suffocating the Bloom was as good, if not better lyrically at least. Everything seems to fit into place for Echolyn when it came to the golden days of the 90's.

Which band could honestly say that through half a dozen albums they could maintain a constant level of innovation?

Echolyn being out of business for many years finally gave us their new cookie in 2002. Mei is a quite dangerous format. Only one piece of music through 50 minutes, with no breaks except some brief orchestral moments. And this is where my eyebrows react: this is not exactly the best formula. Blending an orchestration in rock has been done successfully in the past by many bands (yes, camel, moody blues) but sometimes the pudding doesn't gel, and honestly in this case Echolyn is losing a lot of power. Sometimes they sound kinda Pearl Jammish or some sort of an old 90's hit and run band. This is a new approach that restrains an enormous part of what made As the World or Suffocating the Bloom successful albums. They calmed down the pace real bad in most of the record.

Some parts are actually 5 stars material throughout the album, such as where the old GG Hammond Organ kicks in for many minutes. Of course let's not forget the superb 4 persons vocals, always appreciated and a trademark for Echolyn throughout the years.

Echolyn is maybe running out of power significantly, but the core of the fun is not lost. This album is doing the job at some places and could make you snooze at some other.

It's a tad saddening to see an old hero disappointing you but, get real man, this is only music.

Good, not great [You snooze you lose]