ANIGMA

Polished crossover prog from Brazil. The band's third album display's their continued dedication to melodic accessibility of thoughtful lyrics using familiar sound palettes created from "classic prog" sounds.

1. "Vision and the Voice" (4:03) nice sound palette--and nice female singing voice. The song never really rises up to grab me, though. (8.75/10)

2. "People Who Choose Not to Live" (4:38) no, not blues rock! Please! (8.5/10)

3. "The Emperor's Old Clothes" (4:16) okay, Barbara: you've earned my attention. (8.875/10)

4. "Hades Atma" (3:01) a nearly-perfect retro-prog sound palette with some very nice vocal performances and interestingly divergent motifs. Reminds me a bit of Pure Reason Revolution's music during their debut period (2006). (8.875/10)

5. "Tomorrows and Yesterdays" (2:22) (4.333/5)

6. "The Silent" (5:05) founded on a great guitar sound and arpeggiated chord progression. Again I'm reminded of early Pure Reason Revolution. The second motif sounds more akin to the gentler side of URIAH HEEP or BLACK SABBATH. (9/10)

7. "Darla" (3:19) the lead male vocalist's voice is not quite as pleasant as Barbara's--he sounds like an early Ozzie Osborne trying to sing in the Prog Folk world instead of Heavy Metal. (8.5/10)

8. "Sandgarden" (5:34) two songs in a row with a male lead vocalist would not be so bad were the musics about more than just supporting the rather flat-line two-note vocal melody. Were I more of a lyrics guy, I might be able to suffer through. The band (and song) is redeemed, however, by an excellent two-part Floydian instrumental second half. Excellent Gilmour-esque lead guitar. (9.125/10)

9. "Ten Seconds to Tragedy" (3:56) more interesting Pink Floyd-like flow. (8.75/10)

10. "Anigma" (5:03) yet another Roger Waters/Pink Floyd song! They're actually pretty good at this! I just wish A) I liked Roger Waters' music and style and B) I cared and tuned into lyrics more than I do (it's such an effort!) (8.75/10)

11. "I'll Always Be There for You" (2:33) no, no! Please no 1960s bubble gum-surfer pop! Despite the band's loving intentions, I just can't abide. (4.25/5)

12. "Under the Rose (Upon the Cross)" (5:36) nice mellow vocal over nice, slow chord progression. I like even more the use of alternating male and female vocals in the lead position. It feels like some old French duet--perhaps I'm reminded of the songs Serge and Françoise Gainsbourg did together back in the 1960s. But then at the four-minute mark Sub Rosa goes a different route: here sounding like some Latin revolutionary spouting off with their "Part III - Templum" part. And yet it's all meant to be the replication of the performance of a circus emcee! Interesting! Perhaps Sub Rosa have a little French or Italian in them! (8.75/10)

13. "The Simplest Love of All Times" (5:20) again using the male-female alternating singing approach, but then combining the two for the chorus. The music is just too simplistic, the pace too plodding. (8.6667/10)

14. "True Self" (5:31) yet another organ-centered plodder. Even the lead singers sound challenged to find/put some energy and enthusiasm into their performances. Too bad! The music is warm and comforting. Nice guitar solo in the third minute, but then it starts all over: the torture never stops! The band tries to rise hackles in the instrumental finale. Tries. (8.75/10)

Total Time 60:17

The music and musicianship is not very sophisticated, but the concepts and goals for each song are quite admirable, even alluring. This band's sound reminds me a lot of British bands Big Hogg and Kentish Spires. I hope Sub Rosa continue to grow and progress as well as those two bands. What incites my awe about these guys is the fact that they are writing such lovely, thoughtful, poetic, and insightful lyrics in a language that is not their own. Bravissimo! Also, my original intention was to just cursorily sample the music of this album--not even listen to each song--but something drew me in and compelled me to not only listen to every song, but to listen start-to-finish, thoroughly, with words flowing into a quasi-thorough review. That, alone, is worth commendation as my tolerance and interest in wasting my time on music that we've all heard over and over a million times is at a low ebb.

B-/3.5 stars; interesting and engaging but, ultimately, rather lackluster and pedestrian music. Too bad! I found myself very hopeful: wanting to like this, wanting to hear more enthusiasm and vitality in the music.