DIMENSIONAUT

******Originally written for powerofmetal.dk**********

Okay. I'm ready to review this album. Hopefully. Simon Collins, son of Phil Collins, has formed a progressive rock band named Sound of Contact. Their debut album, "Dimensionaut", has been played an awful lot this past few weeks or so in my house. This album is somewhat difficult to process; not because it is so complex, but because it is not.

Simon is certainly influenced by his father's music. I hear quite a bit of Genesis in the progressive side of this album, but I also hear Phil's solo career in the poppier side. In fact, Simon sounds a lot like his father vocally. Yet, there is more than that. There is a little neo- prog here, some heavy prog moments (especially the excellent drums), and a lot of space rock. The guitars are rather Gimour-like, the drums remind me of something from the band DeeExpus, and the spacey synth is something fairly original. All of these elements speak right to me: The combination is awesome. I also have enjoyed the philosophical storyline that discusses a space/time traveler that is searching for a way to expand the human experience. If I'm correct, I think he finds that expansion is right here and now on Earth.

"Dimensionaut" has really surprised me. I wasn't sure what to expect from Simon Collins, but his band has crafted a pretty great album here. There are some solid, and even exceptional, prog songs here. "Cosmic Distance Ladder" is an excellent instrumental track with some amazing moments. "I Am Dimensionaut" is an exceptional prog rock song that is easily one of the top 10 songs I've heard this year: The instrumental passage in the second half is extraordinary. There are some much poppier songs, though. "Pale Blue Dot", "Remote View", and "Only Breathing Out" are semi-radio friendly. Yet, then "Beyond Illumination" gives us some extra spacey synth and a reggae beat. Lastly, "Mobius Slip" gives us an 18-minute epic with some of the high points of the album. You see, this album is all over the place in style and structure. Yet, somehow it all works. It all fits together perfectly.

Like I said, this is a difficult album to rate. Some of the songs have a healthy dose of pop, and I have to squint just a little in order to enjoy them. On the other hand, the prog rock focused tracks are excellent, and the entire album fits together as an interesting, unique, and well-composed whole. I think this will end up being one of my favorites of 2013. Is this a masterpiece? No. Is it an exceptional and a must-hear album? Absolutely. I expect Sound of Contact to release an instant classic someday. As it stands, this is a strong 4 stars, and I think that is appropriate for this excellent album. To be honest, this is almost a 5----almost.

EDIT: I'm raising this to a 5 star album. It gets better and better after say, the 30th listen. If you get any album to that many listens, it deserves 5 stars. Amazing debut album. It will be on my top 10 list of 2013 for sure.

So I got this album! Impossible not to notice in this page. First song sounds like the final vocal part of Yes "Siberian Khatru". Thought it was a cover of that part: no it is not. It is easy to see why the overblown reviews. A mixture between Yes,Crimson and the Pop of bands like Boston or Collins´s Genesis adding to that: the performing of the whole range of the Prog- Protocols known in the underworld as "cliches". And this is only until song 4; from then on seems more like a "Pop" album. The eternal hymn like laments I have heard like a 1000 times, going on until track 8. I hope this turns for better! By track 8 we get The Floyds´s " Dark Side" like music. (Well the originality in composition of this band is still not being very original so far).The song extends up to song 9. Track 10; The usual redeeming song where lyrics are supposed to be "enlightning".Well excuse my manners but this sounds like [%*!#]ing: J. Timberlake ore some other overproduced Pop artist! Track 11, Well by now it is all kind of boring, the singer does not stop singing with a David Crosby kind of voice and the band plays the "Theme Riff" again and again until they reach the unavoidable grandoise peak and the usual empty-like fall down. (Astounding guitar work by the way!: I guess thatt is why they remind me of Bostons´s Tom Scholz) Track 12: The last track a reconstruction of the events or technically speaking the Coda of the work. Again the common; underline common, Grande-Finale. But no! a surprise Pop song that tranforms into another Grande-Finale appears; as if the first one was not enough! With all due respect: Go to the sources of these guys! : Yes "Tales from Topographic Oceans" is an excellent start; Porcupine Tree "Signify" will be your better next stop a Masterpiece and completely original. By the way if someone takes Pop to a sublime level without being corny is the phenomenal "Flowermouth" by also S, Wilson´s NO-MAN and King Crimsons´s "Power to Believe" if you like virtuous metal "Joy-Rides".(by luck Mr. Fripp appears on both.) But if you like more the USA Pop-Prog-approach; well UFO or Boston will do. The more you know-the better your artist act will turn to be. In fact it is the push this band needs. If this kind of music help listeners to other "older" stuff nice!. Between 2 & 3 stars if so.

In awaking the wrath of the progressive purists who very wrongly feel that the glory days of the 70s will never be surpassed, I once again proudly exclaim that the past few years have been the best ever and 2013 is shaping up to be a real leviathan, just 40 years away from the hallmark 1973. Well happy birthday to you Progland!

Speaking of the past joining the present, Simon Collins is the son of Phil and it seems the bloodlines come from the rooftops, as the youngster has a more progressive inclination than one may expect and presenting us with a landmark debut album that may just be the next big thing. Sound of Contact initially grabbed my attention because of Dimensionaut's lavish cover, one of the most freezing presentations ever and then, of course recognizing the names of Collins and partner David Kerzner (both of whom participated on Steve Hackett's sumptuous Genesis Revisited Part 2). Then, within a short span, a visit to their website, listening a few samples, reading a few reviews and finally all the Amazon buttons were pushed.

Interesting that young Simon chose to follow a progressive path, like his celebrated father, in preferring to make music with a more profound instrumentalization than overt popstar inclinations. While he may fly the prog coup and become a Vegas star one day, I happen not to think so, or at the least, I hope not. I am perfectly reconciled with the 2 sides of Simon Collins musical vision , as there is a lot of fantastic prog workouts here, both short and epic, with stellar playing (a drum style dad would be proud of: fast , furious and explosive). Yes, there are also some commercial tunes that are not only quite catchy but also cleverly nailed together with some exalted musical interplay by all participants. These songs flirt from afar for some accessibility but somehow it stays fresh and very importantly, honest. Simon is looking for his own identity and yes, his voice sounds like a clone but it's his son, for krissakes! Phil must be beaming, the apple does not fall far from the tree, as he probably knows that his early Genesis gig was musically the most astonishing legacy he will have in the future. Pop stars fade quickly, perhaps mercy on us! Even the softer side is divided into a couple of killer mid-tempo ballads, the disturbing "Not Coming Down" and the absolutely exquisite "Closer to You" (could this make a dent in the airwaves?), plus the Floyd-Great Gig in the Sky-like "Realm of In-Organic Beings". There are a few lesser pop ditties that still are more than interesting and of course the purely proggy stuff, expertly prepared on the finale a whopping almost 19 minute opus "Möebius Sleep". On this biggie, Ayreon fans would be impressed with the huge squalls of synths and mellotron that shower the heavens, in a colossal symphony of sound make this one of the finest prog epic's in recent history, easily rivaling Porcupine Shrub's "Anesthesize", maybe even more progressive! The need exists to highlight once again Simon's clinical drumming, easily on par with his dad and that is saying a lot. Hey, you had a damn good teacher, so good on ya! From first second to the last, he just slams that kit, it's a beauty to behold. "Cosmic Distance Ladder", "Omega Point" and "I am a Dimensionaut" also rely on subtle atmospherics, sonic contrasts that span the spectrum, from hard-edged to jazz and symphonic prog, providing a vibrant modern sheen to the proceedings. The arrangements are bombastic and grandiose when need be. But "Möebius Sleep" steals the show and the audience with it! We should stand up and applaud !

My only little peeve is I would have liked a more prominent bass guitar presence as it's a bit buried in the mix, but I always complain about that! The stark keyboards keep in the background rather brilliantly along with the powerful yet discreet guitar work, the overall focus clearly on the song and the man singing and beating it. Like I said, at the very least, we the dedicated progressive rock fan should be encouraging him and not forget to acknowledge his courageous career choice in prog. This is serious bloodlines at work here and some massive potential, so guys, let's give him his due . Stay in prog , Simon! If his next album has only three 20 minute + ambitious tracks, I will pee my pants, and so would you, if what is hinted here is a true to form. Oh my, the current prog leaders would be worried about their throne, currently held by? ??Yeah, see what I mean? A terrific album and debut.

4.5 element travelers

Now quickly settling the obvious ... yes, Simon Collins has the father's skills in his DNA, obviously to recognize. Firstly, the drumming is favourable overall, no doubt. In addition to that I especially mean his voice appearing within those more charming radio friendly album parts. This exemplarily regarding I Am A Dimensionaut and Not Coming Down for example, where it seems to run into a competition more or less. And Closer To You even sounds like an explicit father/son collaboration for some reason. Overall though, compared to Phil's musical development, he's clearly making an evident turn towards prog music here. Well, basta, this definitely should be enough yet concerning unavoidable comparisons. Simon and the album both deserve it.

And so this appears like a balanced art/pop and progressive rock hybrid, though with the focus on the latter. Stunningly arranged songs like Cosmic Distance Ladder, Pale Blue Dot and Omega Point will prove that. And then it stylistically evolves into some art rock sentiment a la Steven Wilson's solo works. The nice Beyond Illumination sees the lovely Hannah Stobart contributing. Realm and some other songs are showing diverse Pink Floyd sentiments, either reminding of Clare Tory and 'The Great Gig In The Sky' or some Echoes' whale effects. With the eclectic monster track Möbius Slip we've come full circle, and a known theme from the first song returns again. Dave Kerzner, Kelly Nordstrom and Matt Dorsey are excellently contributing for a lush, partially also symphonic and psychedelic tinged sound. Recommended!

"Dimensionaut" is the debut full-length studio album by multi-national progressive rock act Sound of Contact. The album was released through Inside Out Music in May 2013. Sound of Contact formed in 2009 when lead vocalist/drummer Simon Collins (son of Phil Collins) approached keyboard/guitarist Dave Kerzner (Kevin Gilbert, Alan Parsons...etc.) about forming a band. The two of them started writing material and researching lyrical concepts (guitarist/bassist Kelly Nordstrom was also involved in this process) while hiring additional musicians for the project.

"Dimensionaut" is a concept album feauring the story of a protagonist able to travel through time and different dimensions and galaxies. Ultimately he returns home because of love, but is met with the dilemma that only he is able to travel through time/dimensions, and no one can travel with him. So it´s basically a sci-fi story of love, longing, and the choices we have to make as humans to find happiness.

Stylistically the material on "Dimensionaut" is progressive rock in the more polished and pop oriented end of the scale. Collins has a voice and singing style which are not far removed from his father´s ditto, and therefore comparisons to Genesis are inevitable. The instrumental part of the music isn´t miles from the iconic British progressive rock act either (funny enough closer in style to the mid-90s "Calling All Stations"-era Genesis, than to the Genesis releases featuring Phil Collins), but it´s actually Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson, I´m mostly reminded of, or maybe a contemporary act like Frost*. So while the music isn´t devoid of 70s progressive rock influences, this is predominantly a more fresh and modern sounding progressive rock release.

"Dimensionaut" is both well written and well sounding, so it´s a quality release on most parameters. Featuring 12 tracks (the closing track being a 19:36 minutes long epic) and a total playing time of 73:38, the album does feel a little long though and while there is a story to tell and the band probably needed this amount of music and time to tell that story, I think the long playing time means that the album overstays its welcome. You could also argue that Sound of Contact don´t bring much new to the table, and a slightly more personal and unique sound could have elevated the album to a highter level. As it is it´s however still a good quality progressive rock release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.