MAKING SHORE

Sometime in the last century I came across a band called Parallel or 90 Degrees, and when the guitarist started releasing his own albums, I followed the career of Guy Manning with great interest. Some time later I became aware of saxophonist and keyboard player Marek Arnold and have also followed his many bands ('Stay' by The Artwork Project is still a song I play regularly). Keyboard player Sean Timms is also someone of whom I have been aware for some years, so when the three of them, together with bassist Dan Marsh, formed Damanek and released 'On Track' in 2017 I was of course intrigued. They followed it up with 'In Flight' a year later, but since then there has a been a gap until this their third, which has seen the departure of Dan. As with the other albums they have brought in additional musicians to help them fill the sound, including drummer Brody Thomas Green and guitarist Cam Blokland assisting their Southern Empire bandmate Sean, with Guy again providing all the material.

Guy and Sean worked on the arrangements, with Marek then weaving his magic around them, the three combining to create something special which was then embellished by the additional players. At times Guy has a very similar vocal style to Ian Anderson, but that is his natural singing voice as opposed to an affectation, and like Ian, Guy often has important stories to share. Sometimes these can be fiction, such as in the dramatic and 30-minute epic which closes this album, 'Oculus' or can be designed to make us think such as 'In Deep Blue' and 'Crown of Thorns' which are the first two in what may be a new series, subtitled 'Sea Songs'. It is important the lyrics are strong as they must stand out up against powerful prog which is incredibly deep and passionate. Damanek could never be considered 'prog-lite' as while they do take on modern production and ideas, in many ways this is looking straight back into the Seventies in terms of its prowess and impact. They are a band who are making their own furrows in the field, not following others, but very much on their own path. That being said, there are some musical motifs borrowed during the mighty 'Oculus' which make me smile, exactly as they are designed to do.

This is majestic music, bringing together elements which people would not normally consider prog (love the backing vocals on 'In Deep Blue'), but surely that is what this is all about? There is no desire to sit within any preconceived boxes, instead the music goes where it will, and we are happy to have informative and intelligent guides for the journey at hand. Complex and complicated, almost orchestral in parts, this is never heavy handed but instead there is a lightness which is inviting us into the web. Here we have an album to be enjoyed on the first time of playing, which only takes us deeper each time we investigate further. Indispensable.

Guy Manning is back and he's got a great band of collaborators as well as a great sound, thanks to the ROLI Seaboard keyboard.

- Part 1: 1. "A Mountain of Sky" (7:15) From the amazingly pristine sound delivery of the opening song I can tell that I'm in for an audiophilic listening experience. But then the full musical soundscape kicks in and I am put off by the sound(s) used to record the drums. They sound so plastic--so fake and robotically over-sanitized! I love the multi-tracking of the saxophones in the fifth and sixth minutes but then hate the sudden switch to Reggae-mode at 5:38. The vocal performance is quite nice--from Guy and within the full choral arrangement. (13.25/15)

2. "Back2Back" (5:59) from the very opening of this one I am deposited into the 1980s--a lost Gary Katz production of some music for Donald Fagen/Steely Dan, Rosie Vela, or Love And Money. (Even the excellent bass is Tony Levin like.) Surprisingly good! (8.75/10)

3. "Noon Day Candles" (6:33) more amazing sound production of nice instrumental performances beneath a kind of lackluster and weak vocal arrangement. Still, a very nice message in the song's lyrics and some really nice music, textures, and instrumental performances. (8.75/10)

4. "Americana" (4:55) Wow! This could come straight off of a STEELY DAN album! It sounds great (like the Gaucho album). The vocal delivery sounds so much like that of ROBBIE ROBERTSON from his amazing 1987 self-titled solo album. Great sound but not my favorite song. (8.5/10)

5. "I Deep Blue (Sea Songs Pt. 1)" (4:23) nostalgic shlapp. Pleasant as an overall listening experience but nothing of what I'd consider "progressive rock music"; this is like a diversionary off-beat piece used to deliver back story or secondary threads to a stage musical. (8.667/10)

6. "Reflections on Copper" (5:02) more 1980s Steely Dan! Despite it's initially irritating simplicity, it's such a pleasant listening experience! (8.667/10)

7. "Crown of Thrones (Sea Songs Pt. 2)" (6:04) another "old" sounding song--one whose musical base and vocal delivery feel quite at odds with one another. (8.33/10)

- Part 2: 8. "Oculus Overture" (9:07) a Broadway show tune! From the new West Side Story! What great sound production! It's like you're there in the orchestra pit with the musicians! And it's an overture: nine minutes of instrumental work! (17.5/20)

9. "Act I: Spot the Difference?" (4:31) I get it: This "Part 2" is really a collection of songs that make up a musical! "Oculus"! The most confident, relaxed, and IAN ANDERSON-like Guy's voice has sounded on the whole album. A very well constructed prog song. Stylistically, Guy and Peter Jones (TIGER MOTH TALES) have a lot of common musical knowledge that they draw from. (8.875/10)

10. "Act II: The Corridor" (4:25) the story continues--and continues to keep me interested and engaged. The "Caribbean Queen" rhythm track is easy to overlook because of the storytelling. (8.75/10)

11. "Act III: Passive Ghost" (6:28) more music befitting a West End stage production. I've got to hand it to Guy: his bard-like lyrics are quite poetic, quite compelling (and this from me: a music listener who rarely hears lyrics). (8.667/10)

12. "Act IV: A Welcoming Hand" (7:17) a very simple, spacious musical foundation is very quickly, nicely filled by a weave of multiple layers of completely separate saxophone melodies. Very cool! Another great delivery of beautiful storytelling--one fit for live stage performance. It has more than a little AL STEWART feel to it. (13.25/15)

Total Time 71:59

So often during my listening to this album was I filled with a nostalgic feeling that I was listening to a Gary Katz product--like some new STEELY DAN material; this album of eclectic if old stage-worthy jazz-pop is so beautifully engineered that the lush listening experience alone is worth your time. I just wish the music wasn't so rooted in 1970s standard rock forms and constructs--especially the ultra-simplistic multi-keyboard chord progressions. Also, during the first "part", Guy's very nicely controlled voice sounds a bit frail, a bit old. The second disc's Oculus suite is a far more satisfying listening experience than "Part 1" because the music seems to all run together with an integrated fullness as well as a cohesive purpose. Would that the listening experience of the first seven songs be as flowing and uniform as the last five. At the same time, I can say without equivocation that this is my favorite album I've ever heard by Guy Manning. Also, after several listenings, it has also proceeded to deliver increased enjoyment with increased familiarity. (I've always loved Gary Katz' sound production as well as stage musicals.)

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any music lover's collection--definitely one amazing display of sound production!

80's Pop-Prog with a few Nice Instrumental Sections

Every listener latches on different aspects of a recording first. For me, it is the tonality of the instruments. This aspect is often what dates a record - the kind of reverbs, drum sounds, guitar crunch, etc. Damanek's Making Shore contains multiple sonic elements that place it squarely in the early 80's - the bass pop, the heavy reverb, the keyboard tone, almost everything. The opening sections of the lead song "A Mountain of Sky" sound like an Asia album. Almost all of the sung sections have a feeling of soft pop rock that was prevalent at that time, sometimes dipping into easy listening or even Muzak territory. Clearly there is variation of taste, but this is sound is not something I enjoy.

Which is a shame. I like Guy Mannings voice (he has an Ian Anderson quality, though mellower) and guitar playing (the guy can shred but also pulls in some interesting effects that really add some flavor). Manning also has the ability to compose. I find most of the instrumental sections interesting and pleasant ("Oculus Overture" for example), but the music behind the main vocal verses and chorus sections are just derivate and boring. The lyrics aren't great and are frankly cringey in some sections - "Noon Day Candles" and "Americana" being examples. The drum sounds programmed in places and overquantized in others. The sax also often delves into the soft jazz realm. I know these players are talented professionals and maybe the whole intention here is the retro vibe, but it doesn't feel that way to these ears.

Part 2 is a little better but still feels like individual songs pulled together rather than a true epic. I kept waiting for the record to lean harder into the prog aspects but it never happened. We do get some middle eastern elements that I really enjoyed, but I wish they would have pulled that in more as well.

Overall, this is an album I will probably never listen to again. I may try some of Manning's other work because I definitely see the talent and potential.

For one of 2023's more vibrant and earliest releases, captain Guy Manning and his crew deliver the third Damanek studio album, a crossover prog project initiated in 2016. 'Making Shore' is an eclectic double album that sees the band change direction a bit, as the folkier bits present on their previous releases are now intertwined with some laid back Caribbean rock-influenced sounds (perhaps), even ' la Steely Dan, which seem to have been a strong influence on Manning & Co. while working on 'Making Shore'. Side one features the standalone tracks, some of which are quite catchy and playful, likely in an attempt to explore some more accessible sounds. Such are the songs 'Americana' and 'I Deep Blue'. Then there are some more progressive and adventurous compositions, among which the album opener 'A Mountain of Sky' and 'Back2Back' stand out.

It must be noted that there is also a very strong 80s influence, whether it be production-wise or regarding some of the corny moments on here, and there are a bunch of them around the second half of side one. Side two features an almost suite-like piece, about 32 minutes long, although obviously not recorded as a continuous one - mostly not introducing anything new when compared to the songs on side one, just the same sounds rearranged. 'Making Shore' is a fine feel-good prog album, with some exciting sounds that are occasionally drowned in episodes of overplaying. Compared to previous Damanek releases, it is a bit of a step down.