RETURN TO THE 'E'

Who makes the warlock here? Hailing from Minneapolis K'MONO is a totally new prog entity, a trio comprised of Jeffrey Carlson (guitars, keys), Chad Fjerstad (bass, keys), plus drummer Timothy Java. The project would not exist like that without the COVID-19 pandemic, they are claiming. Hell, this again proves that Good and Bad are inseperable twins, or what? And some other things are unusual ... or are they not? For example the album is also available in vintage Cassette format. But then again this perfectly complements the retrospective 1970s references within the music. And the Roger Dean adapted cover picture makes a modest contribution too. Anyhow, this album has landed on the prog stage with sovereign self-evidence, just under 40 minutes playing time, divided in five parts, perfectly adjusted for a possible vinyl release.

As a matter of course, also prog typical, especially Hammond and Mellotron, there is some prominent keyboard work in place. The extended closing epic - (no, I do not repeat the strange song title here!) - evokes some Supertramp feel due to guest saxophone player Alexander Kish. Strictly speaking there's no need to emphasize any song on this occasion, the album is a rounded contribution to the prog realm. Neo prog enriched with psychedelic imprints - they are showing a rather unique musical approach in its entirety. However, for those who want to have handed out some references anyhow, if you like currently active bands akin to Windom End or Lighthouse Sparrows you're definitely on the right track here. Another great discovery.

K'Mono hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota and is made up of a trio of Jeffrey Carlson (guitars, vocals, synths, organs), Chad Fjerstad (bass, vocals, synths, organs), and Timothy Java (drums). The band claims their major influence is 1970s progressive rock and this is not only represented in their musical/lyrical style, but the album cover art looks like something that could have existed back in the early 1970s; not to mention that their debut has also been released on a limited edition cassette harkening back to that old school format (of course, vinyl would have been more appropriate barring the expenses needed to release in this format).

On the band's Bandcamp page, they have tagged their music with classic bands Camel, Goblin, King Crimson, and Yes. To be fair, they've accurately assigned these tags as I hear a little bit of all these bands. Of these, Yes seems like the biggest influence. Though far from being a clone, they exhibit many of the qualities of Yes including good vocal harmonies, a driving bass, a mix of organ and old-style synths with a dash of Mellotron, and the occasional Howe-like lick or riff. Though the tendency here is towards retro-prog, the production makes it sound fresh and modern.

Lyrically, the band seem to have been influenced by both early Yes and Genesis. It would take the effort of a learned professor of English to pull these things apart to understand what is going on here. For instance, the longest track is given the title "The Judicious Shall Be Particoated & The Unpregnant O'er Wrought" which sounds like a witty outtake from Foxtrot. Being a fan of bizarre lyrics, I was delighted with this treatment.

Overall, an enjoyable listen with nary a weak a track.

9/10 stars: All for the King; Feel You Pulsing; The Judicious Shall Be Particoated...; 8.5/10 stars: Which Warlock?; 8/10 stars: Highlighter

Overall rating: 8.85/10 (4.42 PA)

K'mono is a Minneapolis-based trio that are not shy about fully embracing the sounds of the early 1970s. Doing a wholehearted embrace of retro-prog can be a risky move. Most of the acts I've run across who take this route end up releasing records which are middling retreads of ideas done better half a century ago. There are certainly strong examples of unashamed retro-prog, though: Ring Van Möbius's most recent album is fantastic; Chromatic Aberration's debut (which I covered earlier this year) is a strong reimagining of Rush's classic sound; and even my favorite punching bag Glass Hammer has a couple good records under their belt.

Return to the 'E' is K'mono's debut record, and even without seeing this album's tags or reading its description, it's clear that they're trying to evoke the imagery of famed album cover artist Roger Dean. A fantastical landscape of mushroom forests is the backdrop to some dark lord facing off against a trio of warriors, with the band's logo written in a flowing, flourished style.

RttE begins with a short intro, "Highlighter". Moody organ suddenly explodes into bombast fueled by Mellotron and Steve Hackett-inspired guitar lines. The rhythm section doesn't do anything too flashy here, but they do a good job of keeping the adrenaline up.

The segue into the first full-length song, "All for the King", is a bit jarring, though. I feel like there could have been a stronger sense of continuity, as "Highlighter" suddenly stops just before this song begins on a quiet note. Yes is the most obvious influence on this song, with lanky, wiry clean guitar lines and big, flashy synth accents. The restrained atmosphere is complemented by some prominent bass, which occasionally plays as the lead instrument.

"Which Warlock?" opens with rapid, watery electric piano as guitar and bass harmonize a deliberately jazzy riff. The verses on this song are as strong as on the preceding one and the various instrumental passages are engaging. However, the piece overall lacks strong structure or momentum. By the time this song enters its second half, it's built itself up to an explosive energy. The guitar parts in particular remind me of more modern prog acts, like RX Bandits or The Mars Volta. The overall aesthetic, though, remains rooted in Yes and Uriah Heep.

The kinda-gross-sounding-ly-titled "Feel You Pulsing" opens with lush Mellotron strings and jangly guitar arpeggios, but that doesn't last. The verses have a modern feel to them, utilizing some mildly electronic influences before the Mellotron is eventually reincorporated. 

RttE closes on its longest song, the absurdly-titled "The Judicious Shall Be Particoated & The Unpregnant O'er Wrought (Movements I-III)". The opening notes are rich, spacey synth tones, soon joined by the rest of the band to build a potently cosmic atmosphere. As this first movement builds, it's the most grandiose the band has sounded yet. As the second movement begins, the minimalistic instrumentation and unaffected baritone vocal delivery conjures up post-punk imagery, though there's soon a return to '70s-style prog.

There's a sudden (but welcome) left turn into a light-hearted, folk-and-jazz-tinged passage rooted around wordless vocals. This brief bit of warmth leads into the darker third movement, which prominently features saxophone. Some of that previously-mentioned post-punk aesthetic comes back in this movement, where it's juxtaposed against strongly-Yes-inspired instrumentation.

K'mono wound up being a happy discovery. As much as I love Roger Dean's artwork, I've learned to be a bit wary of bands that lean into that style so hard. (It feels like I write passages like this a lot, but that's because I don't write about all the crap I wind up listening to.) If you're looking for a creative, engaging album heavily inspired by--but not derivative of--the early '70s prog scene, Return to the 'E' would make a strong addition to your library.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2021/06/28/album-review-kmono-return-to-the-e/