GLASS KITES II

For me, this is a pretty good start to 2021 although not quite a 5 star one. I'd imagine people's rating will depend heavily on their thoughts on the mixing. When drums are involved they are pretty dominant, but what it leads to in combination with the synths is a fast-paced but simultaneously calming album. It's quite ambient/post-rock in parts, and where there are vocals they are really just part of the overall mix - possibly needing bumping up but that might be the vibe they were going for. Can see this getting mixed reviews with some seeing the majority of the album as a little bland - I'd call it atmospheric - despite the fast pace. At over 10 minutes, the final track is by far the best, and covers a third of what is a short album. Wouldn't say there's any major highlights in what preceeds it, other than the start of Ideologue sounding very much like a Tubular Bells tribute, but I would still give it 4 stars on the basis that I'd happily have it on repeat as 'easy listening'.

Review #8 A half-hour revelation.

It's always fun to learn about new bands via Instagram. One such band is called "Glass Kites" and hails from Canada. They released their first album on the first of January 2012 - then their second album nine years later to the day. A wonderful album, which I would like to review today. Whenever an album can captivate you from the first listen, I know exactly that there is a special piece of music, which manages to fulfill its own expectations and desires. In this case, it already succeeds in the first song "Intro (Soviet)", which highlights the instrumental strength of the band. Also, the style of the album becomes visible, which can be described as pleasantly relaxed to unusually progressive. One of the main songwriters, Leon Feldman, knows exactly how to give the tracks an inner calm with progressive passages. An important role is played not only by the clean guitars, but also by the multi-layered keyboard parts, which again and again insert highly interesting modulations into the music, which quickly touch the genre border to jazz. Four- and five-finger chords embedded in progressive twists with the gift of never leaving the path of understanding, as firm and sweet melodic leads always remain fixed components of the pieces. As a complement, the great bass sound and dynamic drums provide a good foundation for this. So much for the theory. But I find another aspect highly appealing. The CD ends after 30 minutes. Thus, it is clear that I enjoy every note and every development until the early end of the album and hope that the time does not pass too quickly. Thus, it is incredibly fun to enjoy the CD in peace. "Glass Kites" second album is difficult to compare because of the high individuality, but that's a good thing. The band creates a successful atmosphere with an earworm and fascinating character. Digression: Dear critics, I feel that the mix of the album is quite excellent and I gladly contradict you with that. A still too unknown band should get more attention - so listen to it with urgent recommendation! Let's hope that the next album will not be released on 01.01.2030.

Beautifully composed, performed, and recorded atmospheric prog--of which I am reminded of the great 2016 Tony Patterson album, Equations of Meaning--one of my favorite albums of that year and one of my five or ten favorite Neo Prog albums of all-time. There's a little feel of Mice on Stilts and Midlake here as well.

1. "Intro (Soviet)" (3:26) a soft-jazzy prog instrumental that sounds as if it could have come out of the late 1970s--like something off of a Crusaders/Joe Sample or Narada Michael Walden album of that time. Very melodic and engaging; gets its "hooks" into you. (8.75/10)

2. "In the Night" (4:21) a MIDLAKE-sounding song with MICE ON STILTS singing and feel to it. Very pleasant and soothing. (9/10)

3. "Leviathan" (8:58) Very much in the vein of BROTHER APE's 2010 masterpiece, A Rare Moment of Insight: fast paced, drum-driven, and yet very melodic and atmospheric. The synth-driven interlude from 4:30 to 5:45 is wonderful--almost BUGGLES-like! And it continues into the next section. Great stuff! Truly BROTHER APE territory. The final two minutes reminds me of a cross between Ryuichi Sakamoto's synth pop of the 80s and 90s and some of Johannes Luley's stuff. Absolutely awesome second half! (17.75/20)

4. "Ideologue" (2:47) "toy" piano sound (heavily treated) over water sounds with orchestral chords and "cello" in support. Beautiful. I could listen to a whole album of stuff like this! Synthetic strings synth play for the final minute. (9.25/10)

5. "Discworld / Projector" (10:38) heart-wrenching chords torn straight out of TONY PATTERSON's 2016 masterpiece, Equations of Meaning. The singing brings a whole different timbre to it--very pleasant. Great playful instrumental interplay beneath the calm, soothing vocal. Amazing dichotomy of presentations--that really work! GREAT first 3:35! Not so much a fan of the TOTO "Hold the Line"-like bouncing piano motif after 3:35. Fortunately, it is muted a bit with the chorus bridge at 4:50, but then it comes back. My least favorite section of the album. Instrumental soli in the seventh and eighth minutes bring it back some dignity, then flanged nylon-string strummed guitar and voice samples with new chord progression bring it back into range of likability--still not great though. Builds and builds as it reaches the tenth minute--culminating in some great electric guitar soloing over some nice drumming. Too bad the whole song couldn't have been as strong as that opening 3:35. (17.5/20)

Total Time 30:10

Short. But so pleasant to listen to. And there's so much interesting instrumental intricacy to pay attention to over repeated and future listens.

B+/4.5 stars; a wonderful addition to any prog lover's music collection.