CARNIVAL DETOURNEMENT

What can I say about this brilliant album, the best discovery of last year for me? (And there were a lot of them). They are progressive in the best sense of the word, not beholden to any cliché traditions of 70s progressive, but entirely open to many musical styles, which they juggle with the virtuosity of circus performers. Circus and carnival seem to be themes here, suggested by the very title, and there are often traces of Nino Rota and the circus, as well as elements of French and Balkan folk music. But that doen't mean there's no hard edges, as guitar virtuoso Mike Johnson provides the necessary edge when appropriate. Dave Willey and he are both key members of Thinking Plague as well, and this album shares the same totally uncomprimising spirit.

Opening with "Vermillion Hue over Lausanne", you think you're dealing with a funky Reggae album, until Johnson enters with some crunching crimsonoid guitar, making clear that for all its delicacy, Hamster is a force to be reckoned with. "Jeanne-Marie" has a most unusual setting for a progressive composition, with accordion, clarinet, and glockenspiel, but develops into one of the most intricate and beautiful pieces I've heard in years. "The Breach" sounds almost like an avant-garde tune by the great brasilian composer Jobim, with it's soaring flute melodies over kalimba and electric sitar, but is sadly too short. "Tick Fever" is really deep, melancholy carnival music, as moody as it gets, and "The Carrot is a Hologram" is closer to modern classical and Rota's score for Fellini's "Casanova". "The Cat Song" is like a Klezmer stomp meeting Raymond Scott at night in a deserted alley.

All in all, the album is so varied that each listening is like hearing a new album, it's one of those rare albums (like Thinking Plagues "In Extremis") that never gets tiresome or too familiar. Most astounding of all is the fact that this very European music originated in the United States.

Categorizing this kind of music would be a quite difficult task. This kind of music belong in fact to Rio/Avant from its folkish side, maybe as Samla, (not sure about that, that's what I feel right now), along with many more influences, rather to the old school and roots of progressive rock. Carnival contains very complicated compositions, with many kinds of modern classical techniques, rock elements, Marches bands, klayzmer, folk/traditional music, and that's not all... It could not be defined as classical music, and actually, what could be more excited than that? Art rock at the highest level, that pushing the boundaries while remain haunting and captivating.

The jumps between styles occur even at the same track. Personally I prefer the more relaxed compositions and less jumpy, even though the jumps are justified, it doesn't occur because someone lost control, it create "andralamusia" environment, kind of carnival.

I liked the calmer compositions, especially those with the klayzmer parts which are performed very well, such as "Jeanne Marie", "Tick Fever", kind of a valse, "Drunken Penguin Tango", which suit exactly to the name description, "the Cat Song", wonderful klayzmer, and the last track, "a Reluctant Farewell" which ends with some wonderful accordion notes in the unique style of Dave Willey. Dave Willey, together with John Stubbs, is also responsible for the compositions.

There are lot of unusual instruments combinations which unpredictably works: trombone goes with toys instruments like harmonium, melodica, guitarron , cheap electric guitar against real electric guitar, woodwinds, mandolin, acoustic bass, drums, and to add spice to that, a little bit electronica. All of it creates a very colorful and original environment.

In short, these guys are remarkably talented and creative. It is highly recommended to follow them in their various bands and projects. For all who look for original and innovative music that do not just repeat on things done in the past, it is worthwhile to look after these people. They are all come from the west of US, which seemed to be THE geographical era right now for any innovative and original music.