TIME SILENT RADIO VII

For fairly obvious reasons, the first two paragraphs of this review are the same as for another Echolyn release, but it does change from there on, honest! In March 2025 Echolyn released (or releases, depending when you read this) two new albums on the same day. This one, and the companion album, 'Time Silent Radio II'. That contains just two long tracks while this contains seven shorter ones, and the band have also made available artwork which combines both releases so if one wishes to keep them listed as one double album then it is easy to do so. I first came across Echolyn many years ago when they released their third album, 'As The World' in 1995. This was their first (and last) release to a major label as they were signed to Sony for a period, but after more than 250 live shows, three full length albums and one EP the band broke up.

The band have reformed and gone on hiatus a few times since then, but the first reformation in 2000 saw founders Brett Kull, Christopher Buzby and Ray Weston get back together, this time with drummers Jordan Perlson and Paul Ramsey. There have been five albums since 2000, with slight changes in line-up, but Brett, Chris and Ray have been the constants and now they are back with their first releases since 2015's 'I Heard You Were Listening', since when there has been another line-up change with Brett Kull (guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals), Ray Weston (lead vocals, bass, backing vocals), Chris Buzby (keyboards, backing vocals) welcoming back Jordan Perlson (drums & percussion, backing vocals).

When I reviewed 'As The World' some 30 years ago, I noted it had been licensed to Cyclops Records in the UK, and although at the time no-one else had reviewed it, it was already the label's biggest seller (this is pre-internet remember, when everything was word of mouth and fanzines). I ended the review by saying Echolyn were a superb band, and it was a brilliant album, and I am glad to say that all these years later I am still saying the same thing. The longest song on this album is 8:29, and the guys have concentrated on melody which moves them more into crossover than symphonic, with vocals front and centre and a heavy usage of harmonies. There are times when I am reminded of classic ELO, and in an ideal world the lush "Cul-de-Sacs and Tunnels" would be a hit single. There is so much to love here from fretless bass to toms in the background, stunning vocals, the underlying piano holding it all together, the guitar providing just the right amount of cut through, the large number of hooks and singalong quality and the way they drop in different sounds and styles at just the right point. It may be less than eight minutes long, but it feels like a pop epic.

By deliberately restricting themselves to shorter lengths ("Silent Years" is only 4:31) they have concentrated on melody, and have somehow crammed a great deal into the arrangements without them ever feeling cluttered and over the top as somehow there is still plenty of space and freshness which makes the listener wanting to come back for more. This album has reminded me of why I loved them so much back in the day, and one can only hope they don't take nine years to release the next album, although it could be argued I am being greedy as there is already another new one to listen to, but hey, if you don't ask you don't get! They may be an "old" band who predate the resurgence in progressive rock, but this album is exciting and vital, with nods to AOR and pop but always with prog at its heart and soul and is a delight from beginning to end.

The Tool's in Echolyn

Echolyn has been one of my favorite bands since their early days, with albums like Echolyn (1991), Suffocating the Bloom (1992), As the World (1995), and Mei (2002). They have a fascinating discography, but after Mei, speaking objectively, the band started to lose what made them interesting. The music became boring, lost its charm, its dissonance, its madness?it became bourgeois in sound, in the best sense of the word.

Then came The End Is Beautiful (2005), which had some flashes of brilliance, and their self-titled album in 2012, which starts off devastatingly strong but then fades away, returning to the same patterns without truly transcending.

At the end of 2024, I received an email informing me that Echolyn would be releasing two albums in March of this year: Time Silent Radio II and Time Silent Radio VII. This news sparked a lot of anticipation. To make the release more appealing, the band offered several options, including "green purchases" with downloads, special prices, and limited editions. Finally, the release arrived. I think Echolyn made two records?one more progressive and the other more commercially oriented.

Echolyn's earlier work had a youthful energy and a more immediate impact, while their recent material leans heavily into introspection and intricate composition. Some might find that this shift has made their music less urgent or engaging.

It's not necessarily a case of declining musicianship?their technical skills and songwriting depth are still there?but the spark that made their earlier albums feel fresh and adventurous might not hit the same way anymore. If you feel they've aged badly, it could be because their approach now feels too careful or lacks the raw emotion and drive they once had.

In the end, this record feels inferior. If you look at it or listen to it, you have to like or dislike something immediately. But Echolyn is still a very original band, and this is a more mature album?one that reflects a time when people listened to the radio and didn't have social media. It's a slow album, but if you give it time, it will eventually pull you in.

Legendary U.S. Symphonic Prog band Echolyn has emerged after a ten-year absence with not one, but two new albums, their 10th and 11th (released not as a double album, but 2 separate albums), returning with their unique rockin' prog sound, mixing classic melodic rock and power pop with sumptuous symphonic prog for a wonderful set of albums. TSRvii has 7 shorter tracks (that's where the titles come from), and is the better of the two albums, as the songs are brighter, punchier, with more emphasis on melody and catchy rock tunes, but still with plenty of proggy goodness throughout, with great vocals, instrumental passages and arrangements. All the tracks are great (but my faves are listed below). Echolyn's music may have many varied influences throughout, but yet they have created their own unique style, as they don't sound quite like anyone else. I'm not all that familiar with the band's earlier catalog, but I love this album, and will be returning to it often throughout the year. Best Tracks: Tiny Star, On We Blur, Boulder on Hills, Radio Waves, Cul-de-Sacs and Tunnels. Rating: 4.5