MAKING SENSE

The second album from Christiaan Bruin, one of the biggest talents to have hit the neo-prog and prog rock scene during the last decade. This is a composer and artist I will keep a close eye on in the future.

The second album from Chris continues down the neo-prog, nee symphonic prog path he set out on with his debut album. The music is sophisticated and refined. The references are Genesis, Yes, Pendragon and Marillion. Those bands and a solid dosage of Christiaan Bruin himself. I can also smell some RPI undertones too on this album. In short; this album is very melodic. Melodic, but not hard as in progressive metal. The songs are on average 8 minutes long and this album is a very big mouthful. Hence; this is not AOR or would appeal to fans of catchy three minutes long AOR songs.

The instruments are the usual synth, guitars, vocals and vocal harmonies, bass and drums. Nothing spetacular here, but nothing bad either. There is no Jimi Hendrix or Rick Wakeman like brilliance here on the instruments, let me put it that way. The instruments are though put to good use and I have no complaints.

The music here is on average very good with some superb harmonies and melody lines scattered around the place too. The title track is excellent. The same can also be said about Walking From A Dream. My only gripe is the vocals which is tested to destruction on this album. A good song teacher or another vocalist would be a good idea because the vocals sounds very painful. That and the lack of a real killer track. But this is though an excellent neo- prog/symphonic prog album from a man I hope we will hear a lot about and from in the next decades. Give us more, Chris !!

4 stars

I have to say that this is a fantastic album by Chris Bruin. Yes, it's definitely got clear Genesis influences. I can even hear a bit of Mike Oldfield sprinkled around as well. This is really a superb second album and a big improvement over the first album 'A Glimpse Inside'. If this is the sort of stuff he can make by himself, why the hell is he bothering with Sky Architect, a group I cannot get into at all. He is clearly a hugely creative and talented individual and deserves a better vehicle (unless Sky Architect go out and produce a masterpiece next year). To be honest, I am also looking forward to his next album and I hope he can prioritise his solo work, because it is superb. Great artist, great album and a huge talent for the future. There are a few artists I follow. Chris Bruin is one of them. Easily 4 stars and I'm anticipating even better in the future. Go Chris!

By the time of the release of ''A glimpse inside'', Christiaan Bruin had already finished the recordings of a second album.Hansi Cross, the manager of Progress Records, had appeaciated the talent of Sky Architect's young drummer and decided to team up with him for this sophomore effort.''Making sense'' was released in September 2010, being a concept album about human beings and the philosophical content of their existence.As with ''A glimpse inside'', all vocals and instruments are performed by Chris himself.

This was another solid release by the young Dutch, showing full respect for the 70's and transforming the sound into the modern era, recalling the works of SPOCK'S BEARD, MAGIC PIE and BEARDFISH, incorporating poppy sensibilities into symphonic arrangements and coloring the style with heavier overtones akin to his own SKY ARCHITECT project.Once more the mix of multiple voices and instruments is absolutely brilliant and Chris' multi-instrumental talents are more than satisfying.Musically ''Making sense'' appears to be an efficient concept work, divided in mini-epics and shorter tracks with an evident sense of melody but also enough complexity to convince die-hard Prog fans.The music passes from emotional lines and accesible tunes to big symphonic themes and grandiose instrumentals, featuring lots of synthesizers as well as some old-styled organ and Mellotron.THE BEATLES appear to be an obvious influence during the vocal parts, but the music is rooted in the style of RUSH, YES and GENESIS with dramatic sections, pompous orchestrations and shifting climates.Chris avoids any kind of laid-back ballad-like stuff and the acoustic passages are also very limited, insisting in a dynamic electric sound with his proposal being deeply rooted in the principles of Classic Progressive Rock, while the heavy guitars add a welcome dimension in the well-crafted keyboard moves.

Another one-man beauty by this great Dutch talent.Dramatic, modern Neo/Symphonic Prog with accomplished executions and filled with interesting arrangements.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

Under the simple name Chris, the second album by young multi-instrumentalist Christiaan Bruin, named "Making Sense," was released in 2010. The meaning of the album title varies quite a bit depending on the context in which you use it. "Making sense" can refer to something meaningful but also to something understandable or logical. Well, let me say this: I find it utterly illogical that someone aged 22 has made such a good album all by himself.

In recent years, Chris, a conservatory graduate, has grown into a renowned drummer, all-rounder, and producer. At the time of creating the album discussed here, he was still in the middle of his education and it is fair to call him a talent. However, that is rather an understatement; it is better to call him a budding genius.

Christiaan Bruin must have been an easy learner, as he has the absorption capacity of a supple sponge. He also knows how to handle constructive criticism constructively, given the enormous progress he has made compared to his debut album "A Glimpse Inside" from 2009. The music on "Making Sense" sounds much more dynamic and the vocals are rock solid. An important change has been made in the structure of both the songs and the whole album. You can gratefully consume a complexity filled with symphonic delicacies. The Mellotron sounds are frequently present and the rich lead guitar sound reminiscent of Mike Holmes from IQ is often the cherry on top. The sparkling piano playing is also a delight to the ear; in fact, not a single weak theme comes from his pen. Hints of the good from his debut album are also present again, such as the extensive vocal harmonies and Klaatu-like atmospheres complete with pumping rhythms and ragtime-like arrangements. The beauty of Chris is that he doesn't excel in flashy escapades, simply because his beautiful compositions do not need them.

Listening to the album, you feel as if you are in an enchanting parallel universe, at least that's how it feels to me. Rinse your mouth, van der Heijde, "Making Sense" is centered around the earthly concept of the search for your own identity. Ten songs reflect Christiaan Bruin's thoughts on this subject. I'll highlight a few for you.

The first track, Resemblance, sounds somewhat subdued. Gentle piano playing and restrained vocals form the prelude to a strong album. With the following epic Waking From A Dream (the album contains two such tracks clocking over ten minutes), a world opens up for me. A sparkling piano intro followed by driving bass guitar sets the track in motion and as you listen to a melodic guitar line, you are already captivated by the music. Chris knows exactly what effect each note has and thus keeps the attention constantly. A notable moment is the King Crimson-like break where heavy guitar chords and full keyboards overlap in a time signature that would drive many an abacus crazy. When this break occurs for the second time in the track, an aggressive piece of singing follows, which you either love or hate. Waking From A Dream has a beautiful finale where the guitar exhibits unadulterated IQ beauty. With a well-placed fade out, the track fades into eternity. The other epic, Fantasy, is perhaps even more beautiful. The track, opening in Gothic style, features high-pitched vocals and a lot of Genesis-like organ sounds. Again, we hear a beautiful fade out. The album also contains four mid-length tracks that each boast interesting passages. For instance, Shades is built around a catchy 80s keyboard theme, and in Eve Of Destiny, we experience a flashy rhythmic interlude that makes you feel like you're in the Caribbean. The album is essentially a series of strong pieces, even the short tracks turn me into a metaphorical yes-man.

In my opinion, "Making Sense" is a fantastic work that I already nominate for album of the century. Actually, it is completely logical that someone like Christiaan Bruin has made such a brilliant album.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com