QUICKLY QUICKLY QUICKLY

I can still remember the day when THE TEA CLUB was suggested to the Symphonic team, and we had to say no, simply because they are not Symphonic. But since Dan Mc'Gowan had sent me a copy, of their debut called General Winter's Secret Museum, listened it with interest and was very impressed with the birth of a good band.

Two years later Dan sent me a copy of Rabbit and found that the band had matured a lot. But nothing can compare with what happened this Christmas evening when the postman brought me a copy of their third album Quickly, Quickly, Quickly.

It was a complete shock to find that this guys have grown incredibly and now they embrace a new kind of Progressive Rock that blends Symphonic, Heavy Prog and some sort of inspired Eclectic that left me asking for more, if they keep improving at this rate, the sky is the limit.

The album opens with Firebears, an almost 18 minutes epic that really blows your mind even if you are prepared. After a frenetic intro where the band attacks with a violence and intensity that can only be compared to Relayer, even when more melodic. After the first two minutes the vocals join and then you can expect anything, I listen hints of KING CRIMSON, YES, VDGG, GENESIS and even RADIOHEAD, mixed with such delicacy that nothing seems out of place. The wonderful dissonance between voice, keys and guitar is breathtaking while Charles Batdorf in the bass and specially Joe Rizzolo in the drums, are the ones who are responsible to glue all the individual efforts........Simply amazing.

The Eternal German Infant is slightly different, even when they don't lose that fascination with dissonances, the song tends to be more melodic and dramatic. In some parts reminds of Derek Shulman in Advent of Panurgis but with a great difference, while GENTLE GIANT seem to search complexity as their ultimate goal creating a divorce between vocals and the random sounds they create with the instruments, the music of THE TEA CLUB becomes complex when required by the natural evolution of the song, with a perfect synchronicity between the vocalist and the rest of the band.

When I thought I had enough surprises, the dark and mysterious Mister Freeze begins with something I never expected, while the obscure and almost depressive vocals (Hey depressive is good) are enhanced by a mysterious keyboard and bass, an acoustic guitar plays a tune that reminds me of A TRICK OF THE TILE. But this is only momentary, because after a minute or so, they return to the original tune, but the fascinating thing is that if you pay close attention, you can feel the delicate variations, another delightful song.

The album is closed by the incredibly beautiful I Shall Consume Everything, but the listener needs to be ready, because the changes are constant and radical, taking us from the mellow acoustic guitar and flute (Guess synthesized) to the frenetic sections where the band attacks us with all the heavy artillery creating an intense collision of sounds and moods that any Progressive Rock fan will appreciate. In seconds they take us from calm and peace to aggression and anguish, in other words, they can transmit strong feelings which in my opinion is one of the greatest achievements of any band. Obviously my favorite song.

Normally when i reach this point in a review I'm full of doubts and asking myself what rating will be less unfair, being that a number can't summarize the music, but today I have no problems, being that THE TEA CLUB has crossed the line that divides good from extraordinaire bands who are able to release a masterpiece like Quickly, Quickly, Quickly , so without hesitation, will go with 5 solid stars.

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