DANCING IN THE FACE OF DANGER

The trigger beyond the intriguing cover at was the presence of singer/keyboardist extraordinaire Lynsey Ward, whose named I had seen of the latest Lifesigns album Altitude. Nothing like connections to light up the lamp of discovery! This Liverpool band sets out with a 25-minute EP (a rare event for me as I like full albums) but this is a mammoth of immense proportions in terms of musicality and sheer audacity. The band is a trio with Jonny Knight on bass and keyboards as well as drummer Matt Harrison, supplying a modern take on a tried-and-true formula of exceptional prog music with female vocals.

The initial kick-off is a fiery "Pyre" of delight, as the magical voice sets its imprint immediately on the mind, a voice that knows how to sing like the wind, establishing her as a worthy microphone colleague together with such illustrious names as Kate Bush, Marie-Anne Helder, Lisa Fury, Rachel Cohen, Olivia Sparnenn, Heather Findlay, Julianne Regan, Christina Booth, Hayley Griffiths, Agnieszka Swita and so many more. The piece ebbs and flows with a magical sprinkling of melody and substance, like a swirling firestorm, searing deep into the spirit. Maintaining the surge with an elevated sense of movement, "The Way Down" is a brooding musical elevator where all the buttons are pressed, making for an eventful ride. Slightly claustrophobic and compressed into a tight mood at first, the doors abruptly open on a rousing chorus that twirls with endless passion. Lynsey hits and holds notes with flared precision. This is one cab you don't really want to get out of, as the voice wails uncontrollably. Change of pace with the glowing beauty of "Bear the Weight", suggesting a piano driven voice that swoops passionately, waiting for a rippled organ to add drama, as well as raising the intensity level to frantic levels. The band members obviously master tempo and power with professional poise, mixing it up with some complex roller coaster rhythmic acrobatics. Very impressive indeed. "Ever the Optimist" is certainly my personal credo, so I am automatically betrothed to their plan. Lynsey can travel the octaves here, swooping like a sparrow when needed, free as a birdsong (pun intended). The bass rotates nicely within the layered keyboards and the punchy drums, with contrasts and flows. The finale gets quite slippery and synthesized, a relentless aural assault once again, accessible but very clever progressive rock, firmly anchored in profound melodic expanse. The finale feels very familiar, remindful of another prog song I cannot elucidate after hours of scouring my tired brain. "No Longer We Lie" epitomizes the sheer quality at hand, advancing insistent chorus and verse, and delivering technical mastery of simple sounds that fit perfectly. The haunting and melancholic outro seals the deal for me.

Time to hunt down their previous "avian" debut, the thematically titled "The Thing with Feathers", before I lose my mind and start looking for that bass-heavy disco classic "Fly Robin Fly" (Silver Convention, I believe).

4.5 Finding tweets