CENTRIC JONES

— First review of this album —

The tireless American Mr. Chris Fournier, the multi-instrumentalist and the main man behind Fonya, decided to launch another project in 2002 under the name ''Centric Jones''.The only difference compared to his main band is the the replacement of the MIDI-controlled drums with an acoustic drum kit for Centric Jones' debut ''Phase Rotator Retard''.Fournier plays all instruments and he is only supported by Dale Degen on vocals.Cover art is created by Thierry Guilleminot, the same person responsible for Fonya's ''Sunset Cliffs'' artwork.

According to Fournier, the sound on ''Phase Rotator Retard'' is along the lines of FONYA, just a bit more guitar-oriented.According to my ears Centric Jones' debut is definitely a Progressive/Space Rock album, maintaining the synth-drenched style of FONYA, but this is more of a flexible work.In fact the first few tracks are much more symphonic than anything created by FONYA during its early years, having a nice amount of acoustic breaks, while ''Let Go Your Course'' even contains a beautiful TONY BANKS/GENESIS-like performance on synths.Organs, mellotron and moog synthesizers appear among the more Electronic-oriented themes, creating dreamy and sonic Symphonic/Space Rock, while guitars' use is rather limited despite Fournier's statement, offering though a nice set of cosmic solos and needed diversity.After the middle their use is rather more apparent with some psychedelic grooves doubled by smooth organ and edgy synthesizers with the overall style getting closer to FONYA's approach.Dale Degen' vocals are also delivered in a spacey mood through a slight distortion, making the music even more atmospheric.

Chris Fournier is definitely a talented man.Centric Jones' debut offers a great listening experience to all fans of dreamy, mostly instrumental but also challenging music, exploring the territories of both Space/Electronic Rock and Symphonic Rock.Strongly recommended.

Centric Jones is the latest project from Chris Fournier, a US prog veteran multi- instrumentalist whose previous endeavor was named Fonya,(1992-2000) releasing a series of seven albums but alas, nothing mind-blowing.This, on the other hand, is a much more refined package, from the groovy cover art onward, incorporating the usual space rock tendencies with some serious King Crimson influences (mostly the drumming), the whispering female vocals, some Squire-like up-front bass rumbles and some nifty shifts and contrasts. But it's the mellotron that takes centre stage and it leaves its mark throughout the album.

"Crushed" opens the ball with a shimmering lullaby, with a strong hint of Sensation's Fix in the clanking guitar riffs, with added support from the trembling violin synths and the haunting, celestial vocals. Ominous and memorable mellotronic introduction.

The tremendous "Shadow Song" is a breezy affair with loads of rhythmic revs, mellotrons galore amid the fluttering synths, booming bass anchoring the rock steady beat and finally, an omnipresent lead guitar. The wispy vocals convey an air of electronic tranquility amid the Yes-like atmosphere, strengthened by a serene middle section that is extraordinarily catchy. Drummer Tobe London demonstrates some Brufordian zeal while Fournier sizzles on both bass, guitar and keys.

The surreal 7 minute+ "All for One" introduces a piano-driven melancholia which is vividly conceived and articulated with delicacy and balance. The rubbery bass slithers and the fuzzy axe sprays some fine filaments into the cosmic keyboard-laden atmosphere. When least expected, a Fripp-like guitar bulldozer onslaught shuffles mightily into play, the glorious choir mellotron ablaze and pulsating with verve as the arrangement reverts back to the piano's ornate elegance. Then, the two extremes coalesce into some insane gloom and doom, London pounding hard and fast, while the guitar groans into the night.

"Boomer" is perhaps an apt-title for this merciless submarine attack track, heavy and powerful, sonic missile and aural torpedo ?laden with devastating firepower, rifling aquatic synths and raging guitar cascades litter the soundscape. The King Crimson LTiA period is lovingly conveyed in the slick but brutal delivery, with plenty of down time, such as those unexpected pools of reflective sonic serenity and some howling guitar solos.

"Dream in Threes" is another 6 minute dissonant pounder, deeply abysmal in its blurred insanity, playful and yet nightmarish but way more oblique and avant-garde than expected. Laurie Larson's vocals remain fleeting and vaporous which only adds to the angst, the rash guitar being ordained along by a buzzing organ, certainly not as catchy and immediate as the previous tracks.

The concise yet quixotic "Pyrrhic Victory" keeps things glimmering along, a sweeping electronic/space ditty featuring some astounding drumming from Tobe London, a Cobham- Bruford hybrid of blistering attack and polyrhythmic substance.

The overtly symphonic "Fading Time" elevates the synthesizers to the center stage, weaving a complex pattern of space rock with grooves galore, dispositional shifts and gigantic mellotron clouds. The slippery guitars clang and slither wherever needed, greedy when hungry for attention and serene only when the atmosphere so dictates. Very nice indeed.

"Morphogenic" returns to the ethereal voice pillows and the mellotron duvets, spiced by some bubbly synth patterns, burping bass and exotic drum fills. The mood almost reaches Dead Can Dance, Bel Canto or This Mortal Coil territory but with a unambiguous harder edge, as well as trembling orchestral embellishments.

The seductive "Save Me" proposes a slight North African lilt to the modern electronic space rock formula, a whirling dervish guitar lead and some sandstorm whipped bass and drum torrents waddle through the howling symphonics with powerful effect. More delightful contrasts abound, going from one sonic extreme to another with effortless ease. The main axe solo is plain deadly. Somber is the night as "Then" rumbles into the fray, a claustrophobic, vocally induced reverie that is odd, perplexing and yet appealing. Mellotrons dominate with pugnacious bass and drum work once again. Foraging synths, screaming guitars and general chaos abound.

"Pulse" has an almost punky attitude, probably a more radio-friendly piece to lighten up the proceedings and as such works well in the context of what this band wants and wishes to express. It's instantly attractive, easily memorable and pulsating with obvious enjoyment.

The luscious title track finishes off this successful debut, which I hope will usher in more future progenies, as this is miles ahead of anything Fonya put together. The piece is another pulverizer, jangling guits, whopping drums and enormous walls of mellotronic sound.

All in all, a surprisingly enjoyable space prog exercise that deserves more attention. Chris Fournier is versatile and talented enough to further explore this avenue and provide another stellar album like this one. Needless to say again, the drumming alone is worth the purchase.

4.5 egotistic Bowies.

Centric Jones are a duo comprising Chris Fournier (guitar, bass, keys) and Tobe London (drums, keys) and assorted guest musicians including singer Laurie Larson. Chris originally became known in the prog scene in the Nineties with Fonya who released albums on both Kinesis and Musea, and has been working under the Centric Jones label for ten years, with Tobe joining for their last album 'Foreign Tea'. Although this is very much a project as opposed to a group, Chris and Tobe worked these songs for nearly two years playing and refining before recoding to ensure that they were as organic as possible. In Laurie they have a singer in the style of Lana Lane who can soar to the heights when required, providing calmness to the complexity and almost frantic music that is sometimes taking place.

Stylistically this is quite a hard band to pin down, as while they have obviously been influenced by King Crimson these guys have also brought in elements of Tangerine Dream, Ozrics and Yes. In fact, there is a cover version on the album of "Then", taken from "Time and a Word'. I'm not quite sure of the reason for doing this as it doesn't bring anything dramatically new to the piece, but if you enjoyed the original then you will also like this. Tobe has a very busy approach to drumming, even using rimshots if that is the right thing to do, and this definitely takes the music to new heights ? especially when it is in a section when the keyboards are the main instrument as while there can be long held-down swirling chords from Chris, Tobe keeps driving it along.

The album does sound a bit dated at times, but overall is a very solid effort and is worth looking out for. www.progrockrecords.com

The first time I heard a song from this for me totally unknown artist was on a prog rock radio. The title was 'Boomer'. It immediately gripped my attention because it had a strong crimsonesque feel about it (sorry that I compare everything with King Crimson, I am simply a hopeless KC fan). I had to get that album, and I was right, there are a few more songs with this crimsonesque feel. Also 'All For One' and 'Antikythera Mechanism' are examples. I mean especially the dark sounds, the mellotron, the powerful riffs, a Fripp-like guitar, a Bruford-like drumming, and a bit jazzy mood, that was also typical for early King Crimson.

But not only that. Additionally, this album offers a variety of tempo and dynamics, a lot of piano, synths, a few discreet organ solos, acoustical and non-distorted electrical guitars playing broken chords with a playful bass in mysterious chord progressions, that create sound tapestries, over which hovers now and then a smooth female voice.

Also a big influence of Yes can be heard, and not only be seen in their choice of cover art. Consequently, 'Then' is a reinterpretation of the Yes song on 'Time And A Word'.

A great release and probably my favourite album of 2012.

US act CENTRIC JONES is one of the projects that come courtesy of composer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Fournier, who is arguably best known as the creative force behind Fonya. Centric Jones first appeared in 2002, then involving vocalist Dale Degan. Since then keyboardist and drummer Tobe London have taken the cooperative slot in the band, and two more albums have appeared. "The Antikythera Method" is the most recent of these, and was released by Progrock Records in 2012.

Space rock of the smooth, melodic variety is the name of the game on Centric Jones' "The Antikythera Method", a production with occasional nods in the direction of Ozric Tentacles and later day Beggar's Opera as the most distinct traits, sporting quite a few inserts with more of a progressive electronic character to boot. If that description sounds tantalizing, there's a good chance that this is a band and a CD that will be of interest to you.