Nick Fletcher - Cycles of Behaviour

I first came across Nick Fletcher a number of years ago now when he was playing classical guitar alongside flautist John Hackett in a Methodist Chapel in Sheffield, and I must say I was impressed by his musicianship and his ability then. That respect has only grown as he stepped up as the guitarist with John's eponymous band, playing electric guitar then, and over the last few years I have seen Nick's confidence and competence flourish in this role.

His new album, Cycles of Behaviour, comes out of a most unprecedented year, due to the restrictions placed upon us all by the global Coronavirus pandemic. It had, apparently, started life as another collaboration with John Hackett, following on from their 2018 offering, 'Beyond The Stars', but the logistic difficulties brought on by Lockdown led to it being more of a solo project, though John does share some song-writing credits alongside his contributions on voice, flutes and some keys. Nick & John are joined by Dave Bainbridge on Hammond & Mellotron, Caroline Bonnett on Keys & backing vocals, Tim Harries on bass and Russ Wilson on drums.

The opening instrumental title track comes in with a bang and settles into a jazzy groove with some dextrous experimental flourishes and sweeping Hammond chords. Musically it is strongly reminiscent of the jazz rock of Bruford, with some exhilarating guitar and keyboard fills: a great start! Next comes 'Heat is Rising', the first John Hackett collaboration, and a rockier tune with some pop overtones, but a strong riff-driven base and a soaring solo midway through. 'Hope in Your Eyes' is a stunning piece: gentle, reflective and reminiscent of Steve Hackett's Spectral Mornings for me in many places, with some beautiful flute work from John, but also where Nick demonstrates his influence from the late Alan Holdsworth, particularly in the solo from about 4:30 in - soul-stirring! 'Tyrant and Knave' is a harder-hitting tune, with a strong beat and heavier guitar, but losing none of the lyrical quality of the whole album. A gentler, blues-y section in the middle of the song gives the listener a breather for a while, before the main theme is restated at the end.

'Desolation Sound', the shortest track in the collection, opens the second half of the album with a mournful drone and a plaintive flute, with synthesised guitar chords and a sound that brought to my mind early Steve Hackett again. 'Interconnected' is another co-written piece, and is a complete change of tempo, with up-beat flute and some Byrds-like jangly guitars, and some quite quirky lyrics. Again, midway through there's a shift down in tempo and some haunting alto flute before the beat re-launches. 'Annexation' sees the classical guitar appear in the opening section, alongside the flute, and strings on the keyboards, before a heavier, more riff-laden electric motif emerges which drives along quite magnificently with an almost Eastern European feel to it. The album closer is the epic 'Philosopher King', the third Fletcher/ Hackett composition, and a driving blues-fuelled monster it is, with a strong David Gilmour flavour to it in the vocal passages and in the mind-blowing guitar work, but with its own distinctive moments such as the skip-y section at about 4:00 which almost seems to have a nod to Supper's Ready at one point. The last 5:00 of the song is just stunning, as first the flute and then the guitar build in a way similar to Comfortably Numb - jaw-dropping, goose-bump inducing sublime beauty, which feels like it could go on for eternity, and just fades away soaring in flight...

On the CD sleeve, Steve Hackett writes that "Nick... is probably the best jazz rock guitarist in the country." Having seen the two of them on stage together, when Steve guested with John's band at a CRS show in Maltby a few years ago, I can only concur, and I may be bold enough to say that there were times on stage when Nick not only held his own with Steve but possibly surpassed him. Along with Steve, I would say that "I consider Nick Fletcher to be an absolute star", and this album underlines his quality. My album of the year so far...

The Final Frontier...

 

Today, April 12th 2021, marks the 60th anniversary of humanity's first venture into what would become known as 'The Final Frontier', as Russian cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin piloted his Vostok 1 craft on its brief voyage beyond the earth's atmosphere and completed an orbit of the earth before returning to terra firma.

Not the first living creature to be launched into space - he was preceded by such notables as Albert the monkey in June 1949, and Laika the dog in November 1957 - his venture set in motion events which would lead to humanity setting foot on the moon in July 1969, and now beginning to talk about going further into the Solar System, to Mars and who knows where after that.

The events of April 1961 have a special significance for me in that they happened two weeks to the day before I was born! I am, and have always seen myself as, a child of the Space Age. But the implications were much wider: within 23 days Alan Shepard had become the first American in space, and 10 years later he would go on to be one of those who would set foot on the moon as a member of the crew of Apollo 14. In June 1963 Valentine Tereshkova became to first woman in space, and it would take a further 20 years for the USA to send their first woman, Sally Ride. The United Kingdom had to wait until 1991 for Helen Sharman to become out first astronaut.

The 1960s were a time of great hope and opportunity as the 'space race' dominated much of the thinking of the major super-powers, and I wonder whether Gagarin knew what his tentative steps into the unknown would bring about. Sadly, he was not to see the next step, as he died in a flying accident in March 1968, but his legacy will live on after him.

Sixty years on, the human race are now beginning to make tentative steps further into the 'Final Frontier': will Science Fiction be proved right in where it leads us? only time will tell.

Checking For Echo Project - Life & Other Short Stories vol. 1

 

Following on from his debut solo album project of last year - The War is Never Won - Jon Farley has used the last year of lockdown to good effect and produced Volume 1 of his new project, Life and Other Short Stories, a collection of 6 new songs alongside 3 covers and a spoken word coda. Alongside his own contributions as songwriter, drummer, bassist, guitarist and keyboardist, Jon elicits the help of ten other musicians to produce a thoughtful, evocative set of songs, chief among whom is Suzi James (Fearful Symmetry) whose guitar work throughout is exemplary.

The covers included are of Frost*'s 'Saline', IQ's 'Red Dust Shadow', and Long Earth's 'My Suit of Armour', and each of these brings a new depth to the overall feel of the album, and I find Freedom To Glide's Andy Nixon's vocals on 'My Suit of Armour' particularly well-suited and quietly powerful.

It would be fair to say that this is not a Friday night party album: the general mood is one of reflection, and Jon's piano-led writing lends itself to this. That mood does lift occasionally, when Suzi "lets go" in 'Stillborn' and 'Seen But Not Heard' (and these, to me, seem to be when there is a need for escape in the song), but it is generally subdued. The subject matter overall is, for me, about escape and longing; trauma; the barriers that we erect to get through life; and the hot-button topic of mental health, and these are approached through the lenses of relationships, childhood, homelessness and the delicate subject of stillbirth.

The album opener, 'Stillborn', is, for me, the strongest song in the collection - certainly the one that touched me the most. In my working life as a Christian Minister, it was a subject that I'd had to confront on a small number of occasions, and it is handled so sensitively here. The song starts with a gentle heartbeat in the background, and has a quiet, soothing melody as the mother waits expectantly, but then an abrupt change of dynamic with loud and slightly off-beat guitars breaking the peace, as if there's a battle going on (maybe there is...). The climax is back to the quiet , but a different quiet, and the heartbeat slowly slows and stops.

One of the strengths of this album is the use of 8 different vocalists, who each bring their own distinctive 'voice' to Jon's songs and arrangements; another is the guitar work throughout of Suzi James (as already mentioned). But without the song-writing these would count for nothing, and Jon is both thoughtful and thought-provoking is his lyrics, and wistful and stirring in his melodies. This is music which makes you think.

All proceeds from the sales will go to support the work of Help Musicians and Stage Hand ,and the album is available at Bandcamp from 7th April 2021, with vol. 2 hopefully available later this year.

John Holden - Circles in Time

 Over the past few years, John Holden has gained a much-deserved reputation for producing some finely-crafted Progressive music, in the vein of the classic era of the genre, on the strength of his first two albums: 'Capture Light' (2018) and 'Rise and Fall' (2020). That reputation is now further enhanced with the imminent release of his third offering - 'Circles in Time'.

Like its predecessors, the songs on this album are written mainly by John, with lyrics by John and his wife Elizabeth, but the realisation of John's vision is enhanced, as ever, by a stellar cast of musicians and others, some of whom have worked with John in the past - Marc Atkinson, Zaid Crowe, Oliver Day, Nick D'Virgilio, Peter Jones, Sally Minnear, Jean Pageau, Joe Payne & Vikram Shankar - while others are new to John's work on this album - Robin Armstrong, Frank van Essen, Eric Potapenko & Henry Rogers.

The album opens with 'Avalanche', and opens with drive and pace - crashing, tumbling drums and cascading guitars - before settling into a steady pace as Jean Pageau's vocals enter. The chorus is a good hook, and gives a memorable structure to the song, which explores the the odious habit of trolling on the internet, and the impact that such activity can have.

'High Line' is a contemporary romance, set in the heart of New York City. Musically it puts me firmly in mind of Steely Dan, with a wonderful jazzy vibe and stirring vocal harmonies, both ably provided by Peter Jones, whose sax playing really sets the mood. We end with interplay between Peter's sax and Frank Van Essen's violin.

Inspiration for songs comes in many ways, and 'The Secret of Chapel Field' was sparked by the discovery of a gravestone in a village church commemorating the life of a young girl who was the victim of a 19th century murder/suicide. The story unfolds like a Victorian ghost story, as Marc Atkinson narrates and Sally Minnear takes the role of Mary, the young victim. There's a sombre, pastoral feel to the music, perhaps fitting bearing in mind the subject matter, but evocative, nonetheless.

'Dreams of Cadiz' is an instrumental track, rooted in the flamenco tradition of Spain,and Oliver Day brings some emotive acoustic guitar to add to, and dance with, the piano. There's a tantalising light and shade in the music, that builds as the music grows and bass, keys & drums are slowly added to the mix. Not a typical flamenco tune, but one that evokes the Andalucian spirit quite delightfully.

'Circles' is, I suppose, the nearest we get to a title track, and it focusses thematically and lyrically on thee drudgery at times of coping with recurring ill health: physical, emotional or mental. A nagging heart-beat seems to pervade the song, and the use of echo helps to reinforce the incessant nature of pain and dis-ease, yet Sally Minnear's voice brings a gentler and more 'manageable' air to the theme. And I'm left wondering whether the support the song references towards the end is solely human, or if there's some spiritual element there too (but maybe that's just me...?). 

The final track, 'KV62', is an epic of just short of 20 minutes that tells the story of the discovery in 1922 of Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt by Howard Carter. For someone of my 'vintage' this evokes memories of the exhibition in London in 1972, which was fascinating for an 11-year old boy. The opening chords evoke the Middle East and take us to the burial some 3,300 years ago, with the richly sonorous tones of Jeremy Irons, as we accompany the young King on his journey to the afterlife. From there we are whisked away to the 1920s, as Carter and his sponsor, Lord Caernavon, wrestle with the decision whether to continue their search for the tomb. Joe Payne & Peter Jones tell the tale well, as the search bears fruit and the inevitable media circus ensues. The music continues to set the mood for the tale, building to a stirring crescendo as the site is opened and the treasures revealed, and moving to a melancholy conclusion as Carter is left to die in obscurity.

As always, John tells a wonderful story - or series of stories - and this collection is a delight, lyrically, conceptually and musically. It has been a pleasure to listen to this new set of songs, and I would commend it to any who appreciate fine musicianship at the quieter end of the Progressive spectrum. I can see this album featuring highly in lists in 10 months time, and if this is a sign of what 2021 has in store, it should be another classic year.

So, how's 2021 shaping up?

 Last year was, I think I mentioned in my last post, a strange year for most if not all of us. Many of the effects of 'Lockdown' on us - as individuals and as a society - are yet to be fully realised, but one thing I've noticed about myself is what I can best describe as an increased 'meh' to most things. The tedium of spending so much time in the same space, with little interaction with anyone other than the one closest to me, and very little change in scenery other than for my daily walk - usually over the same route - is perhaps beginning to have consequences for my overall mood and demeanour.

There have been some positives to this almost house arrest: I've got a lot more reading done than in previous years; I've spoken to my mother on the phone more frequently than I have done; I've explored more of Derbyshire during the brief respites between lockdowns. But I've missed just popping out for a day trip somewhere, or to visit family; I've missed going to gigs and meeting friends for a drink and a chat; heaven help me, I've even missed shopping!

As we have seen recently with the demise of Debenhams & Arcadia Group stores from what's left of our High Streets, shopping is now increasingly, and perhaps irreversibly, happening more on-line - as is meeting, working and worshipping. Will a return to 'normality' see that change back? Only time will tell.

Music has not totally stopped: new music has arrived this year, and there are four albums so far this year that have aroused my interest in some shape or form.

The first is the latest from Australian Mark Healy, who records under the name 'Hibernal', a sci-fi post rock project from Brisbane. The albums are a combination of instrumental, cinematic music and dystopian sci-fi stories which are always a delight to listen to, the music enhancing the tale very effectively. So far there have been seven such stories, and 'Infiltrators' the latest, is both disturbing, engaging and heart-warming in content. I would highly recommend any or all of them for your listening pleasure.

Secondly is the fifth album, and the first since 2014, from Prog 'supergroup', Transatlantic. Their latest offering - The Absolute Universe - comes as a 65-minute single CD, subtitled 'The Breath of Life' (Abridged Version) and/or as a 91-minute double CD, subtitled 'Forevermore' (Extended Version), and as a 97-minute 'Ultimate' blu-ray version. Only a Prog band would feel that 65 minutes is abridged, and needs extending to 91 minutes, or even 97! The music is typically Transatlantic, with clear vocal contributions from ex-Spock's Beard front-man Neal Morse and Flower Kings' Roine Stolt. There's nothing to my ears particularly surprising about this collection: it is cinematic, epic prog, emotively played and sung, and Neal manages to work his spirituality in as expected, but not in an overtly cloying way. There are subtle differences between the two versions, other than the running time which, for the completist, probably means that both are needed. The only oddity for me is that the closing track on both - a song called 'Love Made A Way' - has a closing chord that lasts almost 2 minutes (with other stuff happening over it)! If you like Transatlantic, you'll probably like this...

Steve Hackett has been nothing short of prolific over the past 10 years, with 5 studio albums, regular tours and 6 live albums from those tours, and he has now released his first collection of classical guitar music since 2008's 'Tribute' - 'Under A Mediterranean Sky'. This is wonderfully evocative - perfect for a dank, drizzly February afternoon - conjuring-up as it does the warm sun and azure skies of Italy and Spain.

And finally comes one of the most anticipated albums so far of this year, and one, like its predecessor, of the most 'Marmite' albums: Steven Wilson's 'The Future Bites'. Wilson has a way of managing to attract and repel equally; to strike both anticipation and disdain in the hearts of his listeners. The issue for many (I venture to state) is that his more recent albums haven't sounded like Deadwing, or anything else that Porcupine Tree recorded, but then if Progressive music continued to sound like it always has done, would it be 'progressive'? Wilson, it seems to me, is pushing the door (and sometimes the walls as well) of 'progressive' music, and perhaps taking it a step or two further. In The Future Bites there are 'flirtations' with Pop, and with EDM, but there are also - particularly in the Deluxe Edition 3-disc set (a concept that he wickedly appears to send up in the excellent 'Personal Shopper') some clear echoes of PT at their best. This is a telling critique of (post)modern life and its (at times) obsession with celebrity, 'retail therapy' and social media. It is a record which grows with listening: yes, one that jars at times musically, if one is not used to the different styles and genres used, but a forward-thinking piece of progressive music in a time of uncertainty and stagnation.

There has been other music this year, but there'll be time for that later (some of it's not released until March!). But let me know what you think...