RELAYER

Plus Some Vocal Heroics

Illinois, USA-based quartet RELAYER here presents their seventh full-length release (three of these since 2019), called "Waiting". RELAYER released their debut in 1994, so these guys have been around awhile.

It's my first exposure to THIS RELAYER- and they've got a lot to offer. Line-up is-John Sahagian / lead vocals, keyboards; Tim LaRoi / guitars; Tom Burke / bass, vocals; and Bill Kiser / drums, vocals.

Vocal Heroics

There are lots of strengths on display from this veteran quartet- each guy is a polished, tasteful, skilled musician, and for me, the clean, clear, high lead vocals, plus the sophisticated and smooth vocal arrangements are a stand-out feature.

I thought I heard Queen references especially on "Waiting", and some catchy melodic lines throughout in which harmonies were added, and sometimes unison singing.

Guitars

Here I sometimes thought of Rush, the way guitars would take over with a combination of lead and some chord fills, or colorizations with picked passages and the use of acoustic guitars. I especially heard these in "Storyboard" and "So They Say", but also throughout the album. And some mighty spry leads are sprinkled in as well.

Rhythm Section

I really dig the crunchy/punchy bass sounds and the way accents and fills are used. Drumming is so germane to the music, plus there are some pretty smoking fills thrown in here too; one example, "Spread Your Sunshine." These guys play so well together.

Keyboards

Like a lot of us who are fanatics for symphonic progressive music, I love keyboards, and especially the growling Hammond sound. On "Waiting" there are many keyboard touches, fills, and atmospherics, from mellotron choral sounds, to strings, to acoustic piano, and on "No Breakthrough", that delicious Hammond organ sound.

One Clear Highlight

"Better in this World" really stands out for me- it's the longest piece, long enough for some build-ups and changes, for some tempo and mood shifts, some grandeur, and lovely vocal arrangements. This one seemed most "progressive" to me, and it's a direction I'd love to hear more from RELAYER.

Last Thoughts

RELAYER fits into what I'd call an art-rock category, using strong melodies and great vocals, plus clean and crisp arrangements with intelligent compositions, to create an intriguing whole. It's not the most adventuresome progressive music there is, yet I used the term "ear candy" because the album entertains, and does so sweetly and convincingly.

My rating- 3.5 out of five fine confections.

"Paradigm" begins rock where the imprint of Peter Gabriel and the Who can appear, an acoustic riff and a hovering break, the only track where you could find Yes in it. "Hear Me Out" bass forward, the Alan Parsons Project comes to mind for a moment, it's melodic, heady chorus, the solo is worth it and the vocals can bring you back to "Love Is All". "Turnaround" with a bit of the XTC, the avant-garde Beatles and a cross with the Electric Light Orchestra which flirted with the prog sound, energetic pop track in the carefree that goes on for a bit. "Protectors" and a mid-tempo AOR ballad which deploys a pleasurable mid-term drawer, spleen and reverberating melancholy, a Barclay James Harvest tune for the chorus. "Something's Changed" with hints of Rush, Kansas, the vocals denote other tracks on an AOR track, a bit of old Queen, a bit of Lou Reed too. "Mouse in the Mill" and Roger Waters bass in the distance, Chris Rea's tune, bluesy tune, there is latency with a well- developed guitar variation, one of the most worked songs in my opinion .

"Ghost" and a soft romantic ballad like a wave that ends with time, the time to bring "Halfway Home" and the long awaited title; an evolving title, a long dreamlike crescendo which leaves on a gliding drift, the title that makes me change my mind favorably. "Solstice Suite" with an orchestral complementing the progressive sensation, I think of a dantesque intro of the Supertramps then it vibrates, it grooves, like a little of the Genesis, title which puts you on the alert. "Way Too Long" extends that feeling of a 'Breakfast in America' with piano and vintage keyboard in the same vein; the melody reminds me of the Styxes all magnified by an aggressive forward bass making you forget the 70 sound; more sensitivity, more memory. "Twilight" for the final ballad and a solo to land the moon.

RELAYER is not an ersatz Yes, we will understand; these friends distill fresh sounds mixing vintage 70's with more modern melodic sound; its sin will come from titles that were a bit going everywhere at the beginning, closer to an AOR than a prog-album; these are the latest more distinctive titles that make you want to dive back into this timeless musical corridor.

Of course the name of the band makes one think of YES' album of the same name, but the band only has that in common with that classic band or album. The music is much more accessible by quite a lot, the music sounding more like STYX or post-"Leftoverture" from KANSAS. The prog is quite simple, leaning more towards a hard rock sound. The heavy bass is nice and might bring RUSH to mind, but the music isn't that complex. I would describe it as leaning towards a lighter prog sound and definitely not symphonic, at least on this album. That is not to say it is bad music, it is actually quite well done as far as a rock oriented album is concerned.

I must say I'm not much of a fan of the vocals as they are too polished and not really convincing for the style of music a good part of the time. Sure John proves he can hit an occasional, emotional high note, but usually keeps things safe, more in a BON JOVI style of singing than anything. The musicianship is quite good, but also mostly straightforward with occasional prog elements thrown in. The guitar solos are excellent, the keyboards add great atmosphere, but don't always stand out so much. The bass is actually the best thing about the album, and it stands out quite well, more to the front than most regular rock bands. The mellotron adds a nice touch to it all, but a mellotron does not necessarily make the music progressive.

There is some variety in the tracks, even with their more hard rock leanings in that there are quieter songs like "Earth and Son", laid back sounds like in "Silverface", and some good rockers like "Great Again". There are also some excellent stand outs like "Black Sand" which features some nice instrumental breaks, but again, don't expect a lot of progressive sound here, it's mostly just well done rock songs that are a step above the usual pop fare. There are also a few that just irritate me too, like the sappy lyrics of "Bye Bye" and the stupid attempt at humor with "Road to Roam".

In the end, the music culminates in just being an average sound, nothing too amazing and nothing really sets them apart. They do make a decent rock band, and if you like the MOR progressive sounds of STYX, then you should find this a great listen, but I find it a bit too MOR for my liking. Nothing really challenging here, just some decent rock music that could easily fit on any radio station. As for me, I've heard it once and doubt that I will have to listen to it again.

Definitely eclectic and good. Although far from Symphonic (at least on this album), this is a fine record that grows with each listening. After the initial disappointment, I was delighted with their musicianship, songwriting and impeccable performances, specially on the latter half of the CD. If you´re into 70´s prog rock, with a modern twist on it, this is surely for you.

A band to watch for.

Rating: something between 3.5 to 4 stars, rounded up.

Slightly more complex, the new Relayer album shows again a fresh and passionate band full of interesting ideas, split in short- and mid-length compositions, which feature intricate and rich performances.A light GENTLE GIANT influence appears every now and then, indicating a new element in Relayer's music, combined with the already familiar GENESIS and RUSH influences.Guitar work falls somewhere between MARILLION and RUSH'es ALEX LIFESON, while the keyboard parts are pretty great, often colored with symphonic textures and pompous deliveries, again MARILLION should be cited as an influence, of course along with TONY BANKS' monumental style.There are moments when the group sounds very close to compatriots ECHOLYN, especially in the more complicated moves, characterized by the clean voices, the changing tempos and the dense interplays.Relayer though were always a group with a strong sense of melody, thus another one of their works contains plenty of them, either through emotional guitar solos or the laid-back vocal-based acoustic preludes.But again there are also a few tracks with an extremely dramatic atmosphere, created by the crying electric guitars and the orchestral delivery of synthesizers, showcasing a band capable of flexible and mature composing.

For fans of rich, 70's-influenced Neo/Symphonic Progressive Rock, delivered in a modern way, ''The teething fashion'' is a not-to-be-missed album.Strongly recommended, an overlooked pear of the 90's...3.5 stars.

Despite named after the eponymous Yes album,the band doesn't sound really like their inspiration masters.The opening ''Anyone'' is a powerful prog rock piece with driving guitars,nice solos and a very personal vocal performance by Sahagian,not unlike TILES' prog approach.The long self-titled 20-min. opus is a total different story.This one falls into the modern Symphonic Rock category with an excellent result.Good performance by Ways on piano,even better synth and organ work,the guitar work is fantastic and somewhere between RUSH'es power and GENESIS' trembling,not to mention the fascinating solos,with Sahagian in full shape once again.An easy flowing essential modern prog epic.The following ''The river'' is somewhere between Heavy and Symphonic Rock with fantastic work on synths,ALEX LIFESON-influenced guitar work and very nice breaks and changing moods.''Wire Mill Scars'' is closer to the later style with grandiose keys,shifting moods and a bombastic atmosphere overall till the great ending outro.An hounorable mention must be done to the very tight and strong rhythm section.

''A grander vision'' was quite a surprise.An unknown US prog band delivering energetic,diverse,challenging and rich musicianship with elements from Symphonic to Neo to Heavy Prog,without any mistakes in a very tight release.Highly recommended.

Relayer plays a fine line between hard rock, emotive ballads, and pop ditties with classic progressive rock flourishes. I detect touches of Yes, Rush, Queen and Pink Floyd slithering within the music. For me, the highlights are the soaring vocals of John Sahagian. Combining the range of Freddy Mercury without the pretentiousness and vaudevillian flamboyance, with gritty rage and schoolboy charm, Sahagian delivers a powerhouse performance on each tune. LaRoi's guitar playing is really picking up some individuality, shifting between powerchords and intricate fingerpicked melodies. I'm happy to hear Tom Burke's bottom heavy Ric-o-sound intact and a busy as on previous releases. Bill Kiser's drums still sound great pounding out polyrhythms to keep the band moving forward.

"Slipstream" opens with a Rush-like open chord guitar melody, before the vocals take over with hopeful, uplifting, "don't miss your time in the sun" lyrics. A spiritual tune, "My Damn Self," is beautiful and heartfelt song that is part Styx, part Queen. "LaRoi's guitar work contains some Gilmouresque qualities on more than a few tracks. LaRoi even takes some lead vocals on "Bring Home the Sun" and "For Future Days," acoustic based songs that would have found a place on Animals or Wish You Were Here. "Parabola" is a fine instrumental workout with LaRoi's searing guitar and Burke's solid Rickenbacker bass-lines playing off Kiser's super-charged drumming. "Freedom" begins with a loose drum machine track and eerie guitar effects and builds into a galloping romp, a perfect driving tune, relating the freedom from a bad relationship. "Liberator 24" is another powerful rocker which screams to be cranked whilst cruising on the nations highways, with it many twists and turns. "Hope in Fairytales" would sound great tracked between "Too Late" and Spread Your Wings" on Queen's News of the World. I can't help but think RPWL when I listen to "Murdered a Friend." The fingerpicked acoustic reminds me of some 70's singer-songwriter music. Tom Burke's bass is in your face on "Pretty Toy Guns" opening moments, propelling the music along before LaRoi takes charge with a churning solo. Lyrically "PTG" has some heavy political overtones. "Mid Day Moon" features a sweet synth underlay for the verse and deft piano work throughout.

Relayer's Façade should appeal to fans of IZZ, RPWL, Singularity, Queen, Styx, Pink Floyd and those who just love melodic thoughtful music. I'm happy to hear the new music and hope for more in future days.