BRANCHING OUT

The fourth album by Handwrist contains only three tracks of about 20 minutes each. There are some significant differences from the first three: the distorted guitar noise which was the background of almost every song is no longer present. There are still parts of highly distorted guitar, but the music goes toward instrumental realms, sometimes in the vein of OZRIC TENTACLES, sometimes even melodic.

"Prologue" is opened by keys. Guitar and drums take 3 minutes to enter the game. This first track is jazzy but with the guitar making a lot of "noise" until minute 9 when a glockenspiel starts a sort of weird military march baked by indian percussion. Just a passage to another jazzy part. Extremely enjoyable. Respect to the first three albums this is really a step forward. Who likes OZRIC TENTACLES and QUANTUM FANTAY would surely like this as well. It brings to my mind the album that ORB did some years ago with David GILMOUR: "Spheres", also thanks to the guitars. Their volume increases, transformes into noise and then a jazzy bass-driven alternates with heavy guitars, then it changes again. It's possible that the various parts have been composed in different moments and then tied together, but it doesn't result in discontinuity. The glue used is solid and consistent.

"Monologue" starts with a heavy guitar chord and a lazy rhythm. Very nice. Just when it seems to be about to go on forever, some more chords appear with a guitar riff. Commenting the previous albums I have noticed some similarities with SENMUTH. The intro can remind to him, but the jazz section that follows is on a total different planet. When it calms down the wah-wah on the guitar is a pleasant surprise. This part seems clearly inspired to Jimi HENDRIX. During the track there's a lot of things going on. I thin kthe best is just listening, so I'll stop describing something that is better served if listened. Just let me say that it can be followed like a story with different moments, like the various scenes of a movie, sometimes thrilling, sometimes relaxing.

The third track "Epilogue" is effectively made of two distinct parts separated by some seconds of blank in the middle. The first half is more rock, while the second contains a lot of psychedelia. The keyboard "scherzos" which start around minute 11 seem reminiscent of MUSSORSKY. It's a pity that it lasts for less than 3 minutes. Anyway the rock part which comes later doesn't cause any regret. There's also time for a drum solo to introduce the most psychedelic part of the album, made just like a sound marmalade. The coda has something like CAMEL's Nimrodel.

A very good album. The best that I've listened from Handwrist up to now.