TIME VOYAGER

BAROCK PROJECT mix of classical, rock and jazz. A sound reminiscent of TOTO, Neil MORSE and JETHRO TULL of yesteryear, eyeing the sounds of QUEEN for the theatrical side and YES for the keyboards.

"Carry On" frank symphonic attack with majestic trumpets, the tone is set; varied, progressive title with rock drums crossed with those of classic contemporary folklore; the break starts with DEEP PURPLE-style reminiscences with guitar and keyboards in the foreground; it's energetic, prog metal, return of the choirs of BOSTON and YES. "Summer Set You Free" radio title, more energetic and with a "TOTOien" touch for the rhythm and the flights; it's quite removed with still the prominent keyboards. "An Ordinary Day's Odyssey" fat intro, progressive keyboards galore; latent atmosphere, the voice stretches, reminds me of Jean from MYSTERY, accompanied by a laid-back riff for a swirling, warm melody; gripping title without firing a shot with the soft, languorous break on the piano. "The Lost Ship Tavern" says it all, folk rock à la JETHRO TULL for the rhythm, the violin, the twirling note, inviting you to dance a drunk without pushing the tavern chairs; I think of the BLUES TRAVELERS for developed musical fishing. "Voyager" a languorous violin-keyboard intro, quickly supplanted by modern electronic rhythm; a sound reminiscent of an "overboosted" YES, a heavy ASIA, a spatial cinematic soundtrack bringing the grandiloquent air of MYSTERY, it was said; the break on the previous track with an energetic folk solo like the 1001 nights; the finale returns to the cinematic space band reminiscent of the soundtrack of 'TRON' to try to explain the winks of this epic, magnificent title, fusion of genres between rock, classical and folk roots. "Morning Train" a cappella intro with piano as sole aid; the air goes to KANSAS, hold QUEEN's guitar, we are in a musical crucible; go trumpets, it twirls, the classical orchestra invites itself to perfect this thunderous break; finale with a taste of QUEEN and SAGA combined, just enjoyable; prog as we like to dream of it in this new decade.

"Propaganda" unique jazzy sax intro starting with a TOTO sound with that little extra of controlled energy to keep the sound modern; the break returns after a heavy solo with jazzy notes for a confusing piece. "Shibuya 3 A.M." for the acoustic guitar ballad and Yessian hints; TOTO also to point out that the BAROCK can surprise with their convolutions, finally hold on to ASIA; this allows you to find your own musical memories of the groups mentioned a little above. "Lonely Girl" notes of Bankian keyboards, airy voice, like UNITOPIA all at once, it doesn't stop the reminiscences; a title which is worth it for the beauty of Alex's voice, it should be noted, assisted by Luca, the group's leading man. "Mediterranean" radio edits for me, concentrating their music with a piano arpeggio base; break and heavy prog solo that comes out, this piece is complex, showing the scale of their creation. "Kyanite Jewel" guitar arpeggio, squirting notes, ancient scent before leaving on a warm spleen tune; to help us keep our spirits up, the Balkan break is still festive and dynamic. "Voyager's Homecoming" and four minutes of enjoyable symphonic intro; we are in space, ethereal limbo; the guitar riff breaks the tranquility, the violin attacks, the tune of the round hats comes to the fore, all this for a final grandiloquent progressive piece which is a pleasure to hear; no, prog rock is not dead. A little TRON, VANGELIS before the glamorous finale, to realize the musical slap we take while listening. (Initially on ProfilProg).

Italy's BAROCK PROJECT has been going strong for over two decades now and continues to craft catchy yet complex progressive rock albums that meld all the best elements of the golden years of symphonic prog along with nods to bands of the arena rock era which together allow the band to expand their sound into the brave new world of the 21st century. Formed in Bologna, Italy in 2003 and led by the indefatigable keyboardist / guitarist Luca Zabbini, BAROCK PROJECT has released seven well regarded albums and now in 2024 is back with its eighth and latest effort TIME VOYAGER which explores the idea of a journey through the folds of time where time itself isn't a linear concept but rather one that unfolds a labyrinth of endless possibilities. This theme is overarching on BAROCK PROJECTS latest exploration of progressive rock with a collection of 12 new tracks that will take up 71 minutes of your attention span.

The band continues to feature a stable lineup and with the addition of Alex Mari as lead vocalist for the third album in a row and it seems the band has broken new ground on its newest release TIME VOYAGER. Steeply based on the melodic side of prog, the band isn't afraid to unleash some excellent off-kilter time signature workouts and equally engages in heavy rock dominated tracks as well as tender ballads. The album features one of the band's most diverse efforts yet and proves to find the band evolving its sound into the very expansiveness the concept of the album refers to. Graced by a stellar modern production sheen, the music on TIME VOYAGER evokes the classics of the past without compromising the band's original approach of mixing the Keith Emerson inspired keyboard heft along with touches of folk, jazz, hard rock and of course the now well established Baroque classical touches that has been the band's signature stylistic approach since the debut "Misterioevoci."

BAROCK PROJECT introduces TIME VOYAGER with the opening "Carry On" which opens with a dramatic orchestral sounding intro before breaking into the jittery keyboard heft that reminds me of classic 70s Kansas or Yes. The album immediately hooks you in with strong melodic ear candy that features beautiful vocal harmonies and staccato guitar heft. In some ways the band sounds like a much more progressive version of 70s bands like Styx, Toto and Mari's vocals reminds me at times of Dennis DeYoung, at others the vocalist in Toto and at his most energetic and daring moments the singer Fran Cosmo of the short-lived band Orion The Hunter as well as the 90s version of Boston. Often even Dream Theater comes to mind. The track perfectly displays BAROCK PROJECT's penchant for delivering a diverse roller coast of heavy choppy prog splendor with tender moments that evoke a whiff of Neil Morse and Spock's Beard however just when you the band reminds of you of some past glory the songs quickly move beyond their influences.

The album is chock full of delectable melodic touches and although not sounding like a typical neo-prog band retains those lush symphonic atmospheric backdrops that keep it connected to that side of the prog fence. TIME VOYAGER embarks on a much more expansive musical approach. While the first three tracks evoke the classic Kansas sounds as heard on "Point Of No Return" or "Leftoverature" at its proggiest moments, the band isn't afraid to weave in traditional folks sounds as heard on "The Lost Ship Tavern" or more orchestral sci-fi journey of "Voyager" or the piano ballad turned heavy rock with Brian May guitar tones on "Morning Train." Likewise the spirited "Propaganda" takes on a Steely Dan vibe with a jazz rock groove and a nice mix of pop immediacy with progressive outbursts of energy. Personally i find the first half of the album to be extremely compelling but then it seems to lapse starting with "Shibuya 3 A.M." when the energy level dips a bit. More ballads, less prog excess however the grand finale "Voyager's Homecoming" picks up speed again and delivers a nice energetic exit strategy.

BAROCK PROJECT has delivered another delectable album's worth of material with TIME VOYAGER and shows no sign of slowing down two decades into its career. The album could've been trimmed down a bit as i find the last four songs on the album to be least compelling as the momentum dies down and ideas begin to sound recycled however even the lesser tracks are not in the least bit unpleasant. It just seems the quality is unbalanced on the first half of the album versus the second part. Overall this is a decent modern slice of melodic prog that evokes the spirit of many past greats all the while navigating the band into the next level of its ever unfolding stylistic approach. The band continues its quirky mix of key-heavy heft mixed with all the myriad accompaniments and scores in crafting another compelling album that is polished to a sheen. While the album has a few lagger tracks for my liking, there's no doubt that the majority of the album is top notch melodic prog that electrifies the senses.

Barock Project is an Italian Prog band started in 2004 that mixes classical (mainly baroque style), with rock, jazz, and pop in a progressive rock framework. This is their 7th album, but first that I have heard from them. I only recently discovered this album and wasn't sure what to expect, but was completely blown away by how great this is. By the 2nd song (Summer Set You Free, with its viciously infectious rhythm, beat, and melody, and it's mostly in 11/8 time!), I was totally hooked. Sensational album! Superb Symphonic Prog. Great balance between the classical influences and more rockin' aspects, as well as deft handling of all the other myriad influences for a truly wonderful listening adventure. Especially appreciate the way they interwove the more eclectic proggy elements (such as odd beats and time signatures, extended instrumental passages, etc) with more mainstream melodic rock and vocal harmonies. I was particularly impressed with how they had embraced and incorporated so much 70's and 80's American prog into the mix, with notable influences from Kansas, Styx, Ambrosia, Toto, Steely Dan, and others (which is unusual for Italian or other european prog bands), in addition to references to other classic bands (Jethro Tull, Yes, Neal Morse, etc.). It certainly does harken back to the glory days of mid-70's prog, although they also add many more modern touches as well, creating a very dynamic, invigorating, and exciting mix. Wonderful songs and structure. Great keyboards and guitars, great vocals and harmonies, and great drumming throughout. This is a concept album following a traveler lost in time, so the style also varies across the various songs dealing with different time and place aspects (12 songs, 70 minutes runtime), including a pirate-inspired proggy sea shanty (The Lost Ship Tavern), and a jazz-rock track that opens with a a fusion intro then glides into a Steely Dan-esque jazz-funk groove (propaganda). Overall, a superb album, with numerous highlights throughout, and no lapses or weaknesses. This is my favorite prog album of the year so far. Just fantastic from beginning to end, and anyone who enjoys classic symphonic (or modern) prog should be thrilled with this album. Best Tracks: Summer Set You Free, Carry On, The Lost Ship Tavern, Voyager, Mediterranean, Lonely Girl, Propaganda. Rating: 5 stars (only album so far this year to get a 5 star rating from me).