GLASS KITES

Beautifully composed, performed, and recorded atmospheric prog--of which I am reminded of the great 2016 Tony Patterson album, Equations of Meaning--one of my favorite albums of that year and one of my five or ten favorite Neo Prog albums of all-time. There's a little feel of Mice on Stilts and Midlake here as well.

1. "Intro (Soviet)" (3:26) a soft-jazzy prog instrumental that sounds as if it could have come out of the late 1970s--like something off of a Crusaders/Joe Sample or Narada Michael Walden album of that time. Very melodic and engaging; gets its "hooks" into you. (8.75/10)

2. "In the Night" (4:21) a MIDLAKE-sounding song with MICE ON STILTS singing and feel to it. Very pleasant and soothing. (9/10)

3. "Leviathan" (8:58) Very much in the vein of BROTHER APE's 2010 masterpiece, A Rare Moment of Insight: fast paced, drum-driven, and yet very melodic and atmospheric. The synth-driven interlude from 4:30 to 5:45 is wonderful--almost BUGGLES-like! And it continues into the next section. Great stuff! Truly BROTHER APE territory. The final two minutes reminds me of a cross between Ryuichi Sakamoto's synth pop of the 80s and 90s and some of Johannes Luley's stuff. Absolutely awesome second half! (17.75/20)

4. "Ideologue" (2:47) "toy" piano sound (heavily treated) over water sounds with orchestral chords and "cello" in support. Beautiful. I could listen to a whole album of stuff like this! Synthetic strings synth play for the final minute. (9.25/10)

5. "Discworld / Projector" (10:38) heart-wrenching chords torn straight out of TONY PATTERSON's 2016 masterpiece, Equations of Meaning. The singing brings a whole different timbre to it--very pleasant. Great playful instrumental interplay beneath the calm, soothing vocal. Amazing dichotomy of presentations--that really work! GREAT first 3:35! Not so much a fan of the TOTO "Hold the Line"-like bouncing piano motif after 3:35. Fortunately, it is muted a bit with the chorus bridge at 4:50, but then it comes back. My least favorite section of the album. Instrumental soli in the seventh and eighth minutes bring it back some dignity, then flanged nylon-string strummed guitar and voice samples with new chord progression bring it back into range of likability--still not great though. Builds and builds as it reaches the tenth minute--culminating in some great electric guitar soloing over some nice drumming. Too bad the whole song couldn't have been as strong as that opening 3:35. (17.5/20)

Total Time 30:10

Short. But so pleasant to listen to. And there's so much interesting instrumental intricacy to pay attention to over repeated and future listens.

B+/4.5 stars; a wonderful addition to any prog lover's music collection.

Review #8 A half-hour revelation.

It's always fun to learn about new bands via Instagram. One such band is called "Glass Kites" and hails from Canada. They released their first album on the first of January 2012 - then their second album nine years later to the day. A wonderful album, which I would like to review today. Whenever an album can captivate you from the first listen, I know exactly that there is a special piece of music, which manages to fulfill its own expectations and desires. In this case, it already succeeds in the first song "Intro (Soviet)", which highlights the instrumental strength of the band. Also, the style of the album becomes visible, which can be described as pleasantly relaxed to unusually progressive. One of the main songwriters, Leon Feldman, knows exactly how to give the tracks an inner calm with progressive passages. An important role is played not only by the clean guitars, but also by the multi-layered keyboard parts, which again and again insert highly interesting modulations into the music, which quickly touch the genre border to jazz. Four- and five-finger chords embedded in progressive twists with the gift of never leaving the path of understanding, as firm and sweet melodic leads always remain fixed components of the pieces. As a complement, the great bass sound and dynamic drums provide a good foundation for this. So much for the theory. But I find another aspect highly appealing. The CD ends after 30 minutes. Thus, it is clear that I enjoy every note and every development until the early end of the album and hope that the time does not pass too quickly. Thus, it is incredibly fun to enjoy the CD in peace. "Glass Kites" second album is difficult to compare because of the high individuality, but that's a good thing. The band creates a successful atmosphere with an earworm and fascinating character. Digression: Dear critics, I feel that the mix of the album is quite excellent and I gladly contradict you with that. A still too unknown band should get more attention - so listen to it with urgent recommendation! Let's hope that the next album will not be released on 01.01.2030.

For me, this is a pretty good start to 2021 although not quite a 5 star one. I'd imagine people's rating will depend heavily on their thoughts on the mixing. When drums are involved they are pretty dominant, but what it leads to in combination with the synths is a fast-paced but simultaneously calming album. It's quite ambient/post-rock in parts, and where there are vocals they are really just part of the overall mix - possibly needing bumping up but that might be the vibe they were going for. Can see this getting mixed reviews with some seeing the majority of the album as a little bland - I'd call it atmospheric - despite the fast pace. At over 10 minutes, the final track is by far the best, and covers a third of what is a short album. Wouldn't say there's any major highlights in what preceeds it, other than the start of Ideologue sounding very much like a Tubular Bells tribute, but I would still give it 4 stars on the basis that I'd happily have it on repeat as 'easy listening'.

A glistening album that soars with sincerity and brilliance.

Glass Kites is a wonderful band that mixes indie styled songs with beautifully lush keyboards, an effortless singer backed by a first-rate band that oozes perfection. Leon Feldman, the vocalist, has a very warming tone that comes off very honest. By that i mean that when he sing it doesn't seem like he's really thinking, sure he sings clean and such, but i feel with a lot of vocalists they over-analyze the art of singing, which isn't the case here. The rest of the band is very professional. Drummer, Duncan Truter, knows well when to restrain himself and let the others bring their passion to the table or when to just amplify each composition with tighter fills, more elaborate fills, and just the purity of dynamics. Curt Henderson and Leon both fill the role of guitarist, which can come off similar to the styling of post-rock or a glossy lead role with quick spinets of sometimes jazzy lines. It's not surprising to see that Nate Drobner and Daryn Cassie both play keyboards or synths, with Nate on bass guitar. Both guys have a clear role in thickening and just adding much needed swells and atmospheric tones and chordal touches. There's some nice piano parts that typically intertwine too. In the most simplest way to describe these guys, they mix some aspects of Pink Floyd with the middle era of some Porcupine Tree albums - hope that does enough justice.

The album begins with a short keyboard and synth introduction, cleverly titled "Intro". You are immediately shown in with this track, the sounds are nice and don't come off cheesy - as well as throughout the album. I begins light, gradually adding small layers of more keys until it flows into the first true song, "Terra". Terra brings in guitar that mimics the soft keyboards in the background, the drums are simple and stay in the pocket. Halfway through, keyboards take a solo during a bridge right into a guitar solo. It's short and to the point. The band takes it one more notch with some more guitar parts, keys that are slightly like a mellotron but less vintage sounding, Leon echoes over them all with a strong deliverance.

"The Body" brings a different style to the table. The drums are repetitive, sticking to a cool bouncy groove that slowly grows more and more into an intricate monster by the end of the piece. The guitar is more in the background here but still has it's place. Early one there is a piano that is shaped by the vocal melody but later turns into the trademark swells and more broad synth chords. The ending here is great, the drums are at their pinnacle, guitar is back up front, the vocals end off strong, plus there is a quick piano solo for that great finishing taste.

"Soothsayer" shows the more indie side of Glass Kites. The structure is typical, has a acoustic guitar in there which won't be heard anywhere else on the album. Guitars take the forefront throughout the song, keys aren't that noticeable here, while the drums stay light, Duncan puts some subtle flexes of something interesting. "Break" comes next, and this is a short instrumental piece that has a more progressive feel to it, being a real letting-loose for the band. My only complaint? It's not longer - i feel like this could be a great part in another song or just a more elaborate jam. Still great though.

Then comes the beauty and power of "Mirror Me". Beginning in a very airy atmosphere, the vocals are soft and dreamy. The first half of this song is mainly a more laid-back ballad of sorts. The introduction of drums and guitar never distort the ethereal vibe and are profoundly executed. The second half crescendos to an awesome jam with another fantastic guitar solo. To compare this song to any experience in reality, it would be the feeling of emerging from a cave after begin chained in darkness. It just has that uplifting, empowered, and impassioned feeling throughout it.

Ending off this album is "Slowly (Home)". The lyrics have to be mentioned foremost. Something about the imagery is simply poetic and is sung with all of Leon's heart. Keyboards are integral here, drenching this piece with intensity. Likewise with the guitar, which has it's moment once the song reaches it's instrumental climax. The drums are simple, relaxed, and walk with the vocals through and through. This piece is just magical to me.

This album has reached to me in many ways, i find perfection every time i try describing it to myself or to a friend. Sparking inspiration in me is an easy enough way for me to determine this album's rating. Five stars.

Glass Kites fuse a conventional neo prog sound with occasional eccentric turns. It mixes zany and interesting compositions with conventional and sometimes generic styles. Fans of laidback 1980s rock should enjoy this one.

"Intro" Heavy, airy synthesizer brings the album into focus.

"Terra" A steady beat carries on throughout this even soft rock song. The vocalist has an Adrian Belew quality. Smooth piano followed by electric guitar give the song further character.

"The Body" The drums here are flat and the rhythm is odd and unconvincing, while the off-kilter vocal melody leads into some pleasant, charming passages. Somehow it's like Radiohead, with some twinkling piano at the end.

"Soothsayer" Acoustic guitar provides the foundation for this unconventional chord progression. The song is upbeat but light.

"Break" This is a peculiar, aimless track that sounds like the middle of piece of music faded in and out.

"Mirror Me" Initially ethereal, the album's longest song is like full-fledge 1980s neo prog. The piano interlude is lovely, and builds with bulbous synthesizer and electric guitar, leading to the heaviest portion of the piece.

"Slowly (Home)" The album ends with another dirge-like tune, spacious vocals over a quiet progression. The gradual outro has a calming, easygoing effect.