THE NEW SOUND

As the frontman and lead guitarist of Black Midi, GEORDIE GREEP helped usher in a new wave of British rock known as the Windmill Scene which refers to the pub in Brixton, London area that has hosted many famous bands including Bloc Party, Stereolab and more recently Squid, Black Country New Road and Fat White Family. GREEP also contributed to one of the newer strains of prog to emerge in the 2020s which took the styles of avant-prog, noise rock, math rock, jazz fusion, hard rock and 20th century Vaudeville, threw it all into the blender and spat out three fine albums that propelled the band to the top ranks of cutting edge experimental rock of the current decade. Sadly this band which seems like it just started lasted no more than seven years and after only three studio albums after going on a "hiatus."

With solo projects in mind as the next step, the first to emerge was crooner-core extraordinaire GEORDIE GREEP who wasted no time in bringing his own musical visions to life in the form of THE NEW SOUND which offers Black Midi fans a chance to experience which part of the band's sound was courtesy of GREEP's influence. A much tamer affair than the Midis, GREEP still finds ways of infusing turbulent math rock and prog uproar into his oft sensual and retro crooning throwback to 1950s Frank Sinatra or mid-20th-century showtunes. Add a touch of samba, guitar funk, smooth jazz, Steely Dan inspired art rock and heavy doses of jittery zolo-esque brutal prog and you get the gist of GREEP's first solo album which features 11 tracks and will require an hour's plus worth of your attention span to get through.

Notable for its lyrical content as well as its avant-musical performances, THE NEW SOUND features GREEP as the raconteur of a group of men GREEP had met while drinking at club and the tales of their sexual encounters and all the related drama. Infused into somewhat of a concept album each track chronicles a different escapade of the various characters portrayed throughout the album's narrative only laced with nebulous references and Frank Zappa inspired silliness. Musically this a big budget ticket having been recorded in both London and São Paulo with over 30 musicians participating in the process thus giving it a big sound with a diverse roster of instruments and musical dynamics. While less hairpin turn inspired to delve into extreme prog escapades than what GREEP participated in with Black Midi, THE NEW SOUND finds somewhat of a middle ground between the prog extremes and a more controlled singer / songwriter style that focuses more squarely on his vocal idiosyncrasies.

This is a heavily orchestrated album with a blitzkrieg of instrumentation bombarding your senses at any given moment. The newest version of a big band perhaps? While the overarching emphasis is the lyrical developments GREEP made sure to offer enough wild instrumental accompaniments to keep the album squarely in the world of experimental rock, avant-prog, jazz rock and art rock despite the crossover appeal that this one strives for. In many ways GREEP reminds me of a modern day Peter Gabriel who had just left a successful prog band in order to delve into a new style that focuses on melodic lyrical deliveries over the crafty instrumental excesses however THE NEW SOUND also features the instrumental bombast of a Bjork album where larger than life orchestrated ensembles bedazzle you with a flurry of unorthodox backings. It's really a strange mix of the worlds of modern art pop, prog and 20th century vocal jazz yet somehow GREEP pulls it off with seeming ease.

At an hour's length this one is a commitment for sure as it's not an easy listen although the vocal melodies are quite easy to digest upon a single listen. The gap between the instantly accessible and the more brutal complexities is quite stark and one of the most interesting qualities of the album as a whole. The opening "Blues" is probably the most daring and bold tracks that blasts the listener immediately with math rock riffing on speed while GREEP offers his best Vegas show whippersnapper version of Tom Jones, a most interesting and unexpected juxtaposition of styles for sure. A moment of poetic prose talking about "bigger dicks" and sexual conquests will keep your attention span from wandering and awaiting the next musical development and lyrical lewdness!

The album is fairly well paced with each track offering something different from the last. The second track "Terra" contrasts with the opening bombast with a more playful and soulful light samba-jazz vocal performance and a nightclubby vibe. The single "Holy Holy" jumps back into some heavy choppy guitar riffing and crafty hi-speed energy but immediately reminds me of the Latin jazz meets disco-rock of Bumblefoot's "Uncool" album. GREEP's gruff vocal style offers a unique sound for a retro crooner for sure. The title track again jumps into a jazzy Latin rock style only with some complex syncopation in the form of clever jazz fusion and as an instrumental allows the various musicians to take the lead and craft a larger than life band sound with GREEP only offering some vocal utterances in the mix. "Walk Up" takes on a clear Steely Dan jazz rock sound while tracks like "Through A War" and the 12-minute plus "The Magician" find GREEP delivering earnest lyrical sappiness with rather cheesy instrumental accompaniments. Clearly the album as good as it is could've benefited from some editing.

While GREEP's debut may not offer the same expansiveness as the Black Midi albums, for a solo artist to jump into the limelight and deliver such a big sounding album is quite impressive. Jumping into the modern music scene as one of the best retro crooners as if he is the reincarnation of Frank Sinatra (keep in mind Sinatra passed away in 1998 just a year before GREEP was born) which seems even more likely with the album's closer, GREEP's version of the Sinatra classic "If You Are But A Dream." This is one of those albums that will surely be a divisive one with one camp who found the Black Midi sound to be too extreme who will love this one to no end and for those (like me) who prefer the experimental expansiveness of the Black Midi canon and find this one to be too compromised in order to find a bigger commercial and popular following. Despite my preference for the band over the man as a solo artist, nobody can deny how impressive this debut album really is with its larger than life sound that brings many traditional sounds that range from vocal jazz, mid-20th-century pop and showtune sounds as well as swing and jazz into the context of the brave new world. An excellent debut for sure and i'm sure GREEP will continue to evolve and bedazzle us with future releases.

Prog rock this year has been really good. I probably say that every year now that I think about it. But either way, it is pretty true, especially when plenty of modern artists like Kyros, Eunuchs, and Papangu get the recognition that they rightfully deserve on sites like RYM, AOTY, and Progarchives. Not only that, but with the advent of Geordie Greep's debut solo effort, dubbed The New Sound, it seems like the hype for new prog music isn't stopping anytime soon.

Geordie Greep is a man that entered into the prog fray with his avant-prog group black midi, though after the disbandment of the group, Greep focused his attention into the mindset of the likes of Peter Gabriel or any other progressive solo endeavor by releasing a solo effort, one that seems to be taking the indie music sphere by storm, and for good reason! The New Sound just hits that good!

The New Sound is a cacophony of what seems to be Greep's inherent influences, as well a stylistic decision to move away from his avant-prog past. While the album opens up with something that could understandably be seen as a black midi song that didn't see the light of day, the album shows it proper colors with the Latin infused jazz rock Terra, and from there you got yourself one of the most fun records from this year! I was honestly really surprised hearing the Latin influences upon my first listen of the Holy Holy single a few months back, but it was quite the happy surprise since Greep really does rock a more Santana-esque style pretty effortlessly. Not only in a rock front, but also in a jazz fusion front too. Some tracks like the title track, Bongo Season, and some moments on The Magician give way to atmospheres and characteristics that one can find on, say, Caravanserai, or even Borboletta.

I am honestly constantly bewildered by this album and just how effortless Greep's performance feels. Greep definitely had skills before, don't get me wrong, but on The New Sound I feel like I really begin to understand Greep's whole work ethic, and just how he can switch from manic infused prog to smooth-laden jazz on a dime. It feels like he really isn't holding back on this record, and for that it brings joy to me. He is really embracing the inherent beauty and diversity that prog can bring. Pretty much a modern day Fripp.

Though, with all that said, I do find a few of the more avant-prog songs to be a little unneeded. There's only three, and each are pretty good in retrospect, but they all kinda feel like unused black midi tracks, especially Blues. While Walk Up and Motorbike are quite interesting in their themes and how they play into the album a bit more, I feel like Blues was a track that probably needed some more work on, especially lyrically. Like, black midi definitely had some choice lyrics sometimes, but that line about the stallion...that's a tad TOO avant, you know?

But, if we're on the topic of avant-prog, I do appreciate Greep for moving away from it here, putting a bigger focus on jazz and Latin rock. It is especially apparent on the longest track of The Magician, which is a song that I expected to be the most avant-garde, but it ended up being quite straight-laced. The album does still dabble in tiny bits of avant-prog, but aside from the three more overt tracks, the avant-gardeness feels more like a lead up into newer territories, or to bridge a gap or two, which I think is a smart way of going about things. After all, it's better to not abandon your old fans, right?

This album does honestly get better and better with each listen, especially Holy Holy. I don't know how, but Greep managed to make progressive rock danceable! SOUND THE ALARMS FOLKS! I am not exaggerating that danceable part, I honestly swing my hips whenever that song comes on. Whether it be Greep combining mambo with his prog sound, or just the sheer jazziness, Holy Holy has easily become one of my favorite songs of this year, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Debuts are always hit or miss, and I can confidently say that The New Sound is not only a hit, but a homerun for Greep! It has flaws, sure, but if we're getting THIS level of quality into future releases from Geordie, then I bet he'll deliver hit after hit after hit. Absolutely, 100% check this record out! It blooms passion out of every note, and I guarantee it will be labeled as a classic in due time, so listen to it!

Best tracks: Holy Holy, Through a War, Bongo Season, As If Waltz, The Magician

Least best tracks: Blues, Walk Up, Motorbike

The first solo album from black midi's inner sanctum of eight or so principle musicians. Geordie has been a guitarist, lead singer, and songwriter for all three of the punk prog band's studio albums as well as principle showman in their live performances, but here he unleashes a display of songs each of which manages to weave quite a number of eclectic styles and sounds into quite sophisticated and unpredictable forms and direction--doing so with results that exhibit absolute confidence in craftsmanship and skill.

1. "Blues" (5:43) the most black midi-like tune on the album, and it's a great one--especially musically. The lyrics, however, unfortunately contain some rather graphic and lewd sexual references which render the song unplayable for radio broadcasts. Otherwise, this really is a great song. (9.125/10)

2. "Terra" (4:18) Chick Corea's piano over a Brazilian bossa nova? Naturally! The most sophisticated, layered, subtly morphing song on the album. I love, love, LOVE it! (9.5/10)

3. "Holy, Holy" (6:03) a song that plays out in a way that sounds so derivative of so many Broadway stage musical themes, styles, and gimmicks, some Latinized, some funk and hip-hop, all with a cool STEELY DAN orientation. The drumming (sound) is a bit weak, but I love the background vocals! (8.875/10)

4. "The New Sound" (4:48) an instrumental that again feels like an overture for a Broadway musical. (8.875/10)

5. "Walk Up" (4:25) another song that I can easily picture being sung on stage in the middle of a 1950s or 60s gangster- musical like Newsies or Guys and Dolls or even Bullets Over Broadway. Even the musique concrète radio play stuff in the final minute breathes "stage play musical." (8.875/10)

6. "Through a War" (5:44) a great, immediately infectious musical foundation is cleverly sung over with a fantasy dream lyric. The second motif used is straight out of STEELY DAN music lexicon, but there are other themes used as well that feel familiar but whose names and artists are beyond my grasp/recollection. Very fun, catchy, interesting, and unusual song. (9.25/10)

7. "Bongo Season" (2:35) setting the listener up with dreamy, tropical beach Fender Rhodes, piano, and Santana-like multi-musician percussion and bass, Geordie gives the band almost half the song to play before even uttering a sound or word. Then Afro-pop and Caribbean/Jazz-Rock Fusion guitars, lead and rhythm, respectively, join in before Geordie returns to deliver the title phrase in melodic repetition. Great music. (4.5/5)

8. "Motorbike" (6:01) singing in an entirely unfamiliar, lower register is odd (and wonderful, if one can pull it off) but the topic, lyrics, and musical variations kind of provoke more conflicts and odd references that serve to distract rather than engage and smooth out the listening experience. Definitely the weakest, most internally-conflicted song on the album. (8.75/10)

9. "As If Waltz" (7:54) a solid jazzy-pop song with great music, great singing and lyrics, and great incidental flourishes from the musicians adding to the wonderfully nostalgic Parisian nightclub feeling. Possibly my favorte song on the album. (14.5/15)

10. "The Magician" (12:20) a kind of confessional soliloquy that didn't really need ten minutes to express much less ten, did it? One of the weaker songs on the album. (21.5/25)

11. "If You Are but a Dream" [Frank Sinatra cover] (3:08) Unfortunately, though the music here is perfect, I find Geordie's vocal quite weak and flawed--not nearly living up to the standards set by his vocal hero (FS). It really and truly is the weakest vocal performance (and recording) I've ever heard from Geordie. And the live performances of this song fall equally short of any and all expectations. (8.5/10)

Total Time 62:59

B+/four stars; though genius is on full display throughout this crazy ride of imaginatively conceived and constructed thousand-knives-of-reference music, the genius has a little ways to go to hone his commodity. At the same time, as a music lover, I love the listening experience and stand in awe of Geordie's Techno-Core Johnny-like vision: it's almost God-like in its field of Infinite Possibilities--which leaves me quite excited for whatever it is this young man gets up to next (artistically, that is).