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Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
There is, of course, no 'Tron rating.
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Finisterre Fischerspooner Flying Luttenbachers Frog Holler |
Future Sound of London Charly Garcia Gerard Germinale |
Roland Gift Gods Child Goldfrapp |
Gracious! Grand Magus Green Carnation |
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In Limine (1996, 61.37) ****IntroIn Limine XXV Preludio Ideenkleid Leibnitz Frei Hispanica Interludio Algos Orizzonte degli Eventi |
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Storybook (2001, 77.21) ****In LimineOrizzonte Degli Eventi Hispanica Altaloma Macinaaqua, Macinaluna Asia Phaedra Canto Antico |
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Camel Tribute: Harbour of Joy (1996, 9.34) ***[Finisterre contribute]Nimrodel |
Current availability:
Finisterre and their various offshoots (notably Höstsonaten) are known as part-time Mellotron users, so find themselves here either when using one live, as with Anekdoten, or when one hasn't been available for studio work.
In Limine is in the same basic vein, with considerable quantities of acoustic guitar, flute, piano etc, and not a single digital 'chiff' anywhere, not to mention a level of compositional complexity undreamt of by Syndone and their like. The closing double-whammy of Algos and Orizzonte Degli Eventi add up to half an hour of excellent classically-influenced progressive rock, with a well-arranged string section and other orchestral instruments, making for one of the highlights of the '90s scene. Boris Valle plays a little sampled Mellotron on the album, with faint strings on XXV, and a very upfront part towards the climax of Orizzonte Degli Eventi.
Storybook documents their excellent set at Progday festival '97, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in front of a strangely muted crowd, though I believe the band played an afternoon set, which is never especially conducive to audience reaction. The album seems to be a slightly expanded reissue of Finisterre Live at ProgDay '97, adding their version of PFM's Altaloma, although I don't know if that means their whole set is now available. Musically, Finisterre's speciality is lyrical, symphonic progressive rock in the grand Italian '70s tradition, with little, if any of the irritating neo-prog tricks that crop up in so many bands' sound since the '80s.
In case there was any doubt, many of the Boris Valle's 'Mellotron' chords are held way over the eight-second limit, but then, where were they going to find a Mellotron in that neck of the woods? (Actually, you'd be surprised...). His entire use (on every track) consists of standard strings, strengthening the PFM connection, although the band really do have their own sound, with much Fender Rhodes in evidence, though not in the overused jazzy way that so many players insist upon. This makes me hungry to hear the band's studio albums, assuming the 'Tron on them is the real deal, of course. Saying that, the music's what actually matters, and it's well worth the seasoned prog fan's effort. Shame about the Crimson/Genesis quotes in the last two songs; Finisterre don't need to resort to such tricks. Anyway, a damn' good introduction to one of the better new Italian bands.
Incidentally, Finisterre contributed to Mellow's Camel Tribute: Harbour of Joy, with a version of Nimrodel featuring a nice sampled 'Tron string part, although the synth brass is entirely unacceptable.
See: Finisterre | Höstsonaten
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Odyssey (2005, 51.27) **½ |
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| Just Let Go Cloud Never Win A Kick in the Teeth Everything to Gain We Need a War Get Confused Wednesday |
Happy Ritz 107 All We Are O |
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Fischerspooner are the New York duo of Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner, operating in what I believe is known as the 'electroclash' area (he says, in his best 'bemused old person' manner), although their second album, 2005's Odyssey, is quite clearly early '80s-style synthpop, using either analogue synths or good impersonations. The trouble is, songwriting of the Soft Cell/Human League variety just isn't happening here; it's all well and good having the sound, but unless you know what to do with it... Some of the synth textures are great, but I couldn't remember a single tune after the album finished; maybe I'm missing the point.
Anyway, I've had this down as a 'Mellotron album' for a while, but unless I'm heavily mistaken, the 'Tron strings on Everything To Gain are samples, with one or two other bits on the album that could be samples again. Of course, if anyone out there has more accurate information... Anyway, an average pseudo-synthpop album 25 years too late with a sleeve just made for the CD age. I wouldn't bother.
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"...The Truth is a Fucking Lie..." (1999, 39.38) ***De Futura...The Truth is a Fucking Lie... Black Perversion P.A.L.S. Nipple - Clamped Medley If I'm Going to Become a 'Seminal Artist', I'd Better Suck Up to the Critics a Little Better/The Big Finale |
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The Flying Luttenbachers are pretty much synonymous with their leader, Christopher Todd 'Weasel' Walter, and employ a bewildering variety of styles to get their message across, not least free jazz, punk, metal and other, less obvious forms. "...The Truth is a Fucking Lie..." is their eighth album, including cassette releases, and is as far into the avant-garde as anything on this site, I reckon. Its most coherent track is probably the eight-minute Medley, utilising death metal tropes alongside more 'trad' metal and noise/avant-garde influences, while Black Perversion is, essentially, noise, and their Magma cover, De Futura, is about as odd and Magma-esque as you'd expect.
Now, that man Weasel is credited with Mellotron on the title track, and it does indeed sound quite like 'Tron strings coming out of the right speaker, with a more 'standard' strings patch on the left. However... It sounds far too sample-like to my ears, with none of the crankiness you'd expect from a real 'Tron; this is pre-M-Tron days, don't forget, and samples were rather less convincing. Of course, should it turn out to be real... I'd be amazed, though.
So; avant-garde madness and a fake Mellotron. Up to you, really.
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Railings (2003, 49.57) *** |
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| Unlock the Door Virginia The Sweetest Sound Idiots What Went Down Suit & Tie Glory About Time |
Mine God's Children Second Hand Smoke Hole in the Ground |
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I've seen Philadelphia's Frog Holler described as 'Americana', but I think 'country' might be a better description, albeit in a trad kind of way, as they're a million miles from Nashville orthodoxy. Maybe they are Americana after all. 2003's Railings is their fourth album, covering a variety of country-related styles, so your potential enjoyment of it is directly related to your tolerance for vocals with a distinctly Southern twang and the occasional banjo solo. They seem to do it well enough, although it doesn't grab me in the same way as some of their contemporaries, for no obvious reason. Maybe they're just that bit too trad?
Someone plays a Mellotron-like flute melody in Suit & Tie, although it's almost certainly samples, with high notes that don't ring true at all and some background strings that are far too murky for their own good. This is a reasonable enough country album, in a folk kind of way, but there's probably a lot better out there if you're into the genre.
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Papua New Guinea Translations (2001, 63.12) ***Translation 1: 12" OriginalTranslation 2: Papsico Translation 3: The Lovers Translation 4: Wooden Ships Translation 5: The Great Marmalade Mama in the Sky Translation 6: Requiem Translation 7: Things Change Like the Patterns and Shades That Fall From the Sun Translation 8: The Big Blue |
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The Future Sound of London (or FSoL) have dipped into most 'dance' styles over the course of their career, not least techno, drum'n'bass and ambient, leaving those of us on the outside slightly bewildered. Where does one genre begin and another end? Which is which? Does anyone actually care anyway? 2001's Papua New Guinea Translations seems to be where the duo (Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans) officially over-reached themselves, giving us no fewer than eight remixes of Papua New Guinea, supposedly their 'classic'. Admittedly, it's interesting to see how many ways talented studio types (which they undoubtedly are) can treat a piece of music, although over an hour of this stuff is pretty mind-numbing for the unconverted. But then, it wasn't made for us; it was made for their fans, and if they like it, who are the rest of us to complain?
Psych influences are definitely creeping in here; Translation 8: The Big Blue features some very Floydian organ, while Translation 6: Requiem features harmonica and plucked banjo over 'Mellotron' string and choir parts from Mike Rowe, although I so strongly suspect they're samples that the album's gone straight to this section; the choirs sound OK, but the strings are far too smooth for their own good. Cobain and Dougans subsequently split their psych alter-egos off as Amorphous Androgynous, presumably keeping their FSoL monicker for their more dance-orientated projects.
Anyway, if you don't like 'dance music', whatever you may consider that to be, don't even think about listening to this record. What little Mellotron it has is probably sampled and isn't exactly groundbreaking, anyway.
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Influencia (2002, 43.11) *** |
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| Tu Vicio I'm Not in Love Influencia Encuentro con el Diablo El Amor Espera Pelicula Sordomuda Mi Nena Tu Vicio (gospel) |
Demasiado Ego Influenza I'm Not in Love (acoustic) I'm Not in Love - (remix) Happy and Real |
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Charly Garcia is the kind of Latin American artist who sells zillions of albums in his own country/continent, but is next to unknown anywhere else, leading to a culturally distinct musical approach that bears little relation to the American Hegemony. Influencia is around his 21st solo album in over 20 years, and mixes musical styles with abandon, from the mainstream pop of I'm Not In Love (not that one), complete with quotes from The Zombies' She's Not There to solo piano piece Pelicula Sordomuda and reworkings of various tracks dotted throughout. Not exactly Justin Timberlake, then.
Until very recently, it seems highly likely that the entire South American continent hosted a grand total of zero Mellotrons, and I only know of one in Ireland, so it seems rather unlikely that an Argentinean recording in Dublin would have access to one. There are several points in the album where Garcia's credited 'Tron could possibly be sitting (chiefly the strings in the English-language title track), but it really doesn't sound much like one, so it's going here until anyone can prove otherwise. You probably don't need to hear this album unless you have a burning desire to listen to mainstream Latin pop/rock, but it's perfectly good at what it does, real Mellotron or not.
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Power of Infinity (2004, 42.13) ***Caravan on the MoonOnly the Light Infinity Warning! Warning! Blue World part I-III |
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So-so Japanese neo-proggers Gerard used a Mellotron on their first two, mid-'80s albums, after which it was presumably sold/scrapped/whatever, so it comes as a surprise to hear one on 2004's Power of Infinity. A couple of solo sections give the game away; these are samples, albeit pretty good ones, source unknown (M-Tron?). The album sounds almost nothing like their '80s work; the closest obvious comparison is ELP, although Toshio Egawa's keys work is less Emersonian than several others I could name.
Although the band are at their best when writing instrumentals, Alex Brunori (from '80s Italian band Leviathan) guests on most tracks. To be honest, I feel the album might have been better without his contributions, but if vocals are what the band wants... The quality of the material varies, with opening instrumental Caravan On The Moon and closing three-parter Blue World probably being the best, dragging the album's rating up half a star. Fake 'Tron on most tracks, with a couple of solo string parts, without swamping the album, unlike so many sample users. So; not bad modern Japanese prog, though far enough from 'outstanding' to maybe not be worth bothering with.
See: Gerard
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Cielo e Terra (2001, 60.54) *** |
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| In Aeternum Veritas A Mio Figlio Il Lento Risveglio Chi Vola Vale Patetica Cielo e Terra N.a.n. Atleta |
Lettera d'Amore No 7 Trombe, Scale Balera La Danza del Velo Lucciole per Lanterne (Si Vendono) |
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Germinale are a current Italian progressive band, with a sound somewhere between their country's classic '70s bands and more recent 'innovations' in the genre. 2001's Cielo e Terra is their third and to date, most recent album, notable for a preponderance of shorter material, with two exceptions, and the duelling male/female vocals featured on several tracks. To be honest, the material doesn't particularly enthral this listener; maybe, like many prog albums, it needs multiple plays? The problem with that is, you can find the time to play something twenty times (how?) and find that it still doesn't grab you. It has its inventive moments, not least the accordion on Balera and the spoken-word parts, but too much of the overlong album passes by without anything happening of note.
Andrea Moretti's credited 'Mellotron' turns out to be no more than a few sampled string chords on Atleta; no surprise as the 'Hammond' on several tracks (notably closer Lucciole Per Lanterne (Si Vendono)) is an emulation, too. Overall, an OK album, but too far from 'excellent' to be worth splashing out too much money for, I'm afraid.
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Roland Gift (2002, 44.59) ** |
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| Tell Me You Want Me Back Looking for a Friend It's Only Money Wish You Were Here A Girl Like You Fairy Tale Superhero Lady DJ |
Say it Ain't So Flown If We Ain't Got Love What Do You Mean |
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Roland Gift was, of course, vocalist for the Fine Young Cannibals, a band as ubiquitous in late-'80s Britain as shoulder pads and hair gel (and that's just the men). For those of us for whom the mainstream held only horrors, their records were the worst kind of lightweight schlock you can imagine; fittingly, they now clog up charity shops and probably landfills across the length and breadth of the country. Gift took many years out of 'The Biz' (and who can blame him?), returning with an eponymous solo album in 2002. It's pretty much as you'd expect from a mainstream album from early this decade; a bit dancey, a bit retro, a bit Take That, a bit, er crap. Yeah, yeah, it's impeccably done, but this kind of bland dross clogs up not only chazzers and landfill, but the airwaves, too, making it more offensive than it would be if it were only to be found in the homes of his fans. There aren't any best tracks.
Although Mellotron use is rumoured, the only obvious parts appear to be samples, to no-one's great surprise, with an obvious flute part on the album's hit, It's Only Money and what could be strings on A Girl Like You. Overall, then, the kind of music that drifts out of clothes shops that cater for the slightly older consumer. I try to avoid such shops and thus such music. I can only recommend that you do the same.
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Aluminum (1996, 43.34) *** |
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| This is the Real World? Princess, Princess Need Female Elvis Space Boy 2001 Heart of Extasy Picture This |
Lift Me Up Serve Yourself |
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Gods Child [sic] were an American powerpop outfit whose second album, Aluminum, has been rumoured to have some Mellotronic input. A close listen to the intro to track 5, Space Boy, reveals 'Tron string samples that sit well in the mix, but don't stand up quite so well on their own. The band's material is nearer '90s indie than classic powerpop, so don't go expecting a Cheap Trick soundalike here (sadly), although those faux 'Tron strings are on most tracks. The band later morphed into Joe 90, named in homage to Gerry Anderson's late-'60s 'Supermarionation' series.
Incidentally, for more information on the persistent US misspelling of aluminium, the 13th element of the periodic table, have a look at: World-Aluminium.org, home of the International Aluminium Institute.
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Black Cherry (2003, 42.23) ***½ |
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| Crystalline Green Train Black Cherry Tiptoe Deep Honey Hairy Trees Twist Strict Machine |
Forever Slippage |
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Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, collectively Goldfrapp, have shifted their sound with each release, confounding their critics and probably irritating their fans. After their ambient debut, 2000's Felt Mountain, 2003's Black Cherry has far more of a dance vibe about it, although apparently less so than its successor, 2005's Supernature (yeah yeah, Cerrone reference). My chief problem with Black Cherry is a lack of good songs, as against excuses for some neat programming and drifty vocals; a little of those goes a long way round these parts. However, the (genuine analogue?) synth work on most tracks is a distinct bonus, notably on Crystalline Green, Train, Twist and Strict Machine, with its Donna Summer vocal homage.
I keep being told there's some Mellotron on the album, but all I can hear is some possible 'Tron flute on the title track, which sounds sampled anyway. Given that Gregory is rumoured to use a raft of vintage gear, it's possible it's real, but I'll need confirmation from someone who actually knows to shift this into the regular reviews. Anyway, a decent enough modern synth album, basically, probably best avoided if you're allergic to the dancier end of things.
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Echo (1996, 54.12) ***½ |
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| Oil Pressure (Orphans of the Crocodile) Spring Faith Summer Mangroove Autumn Cynic's Gate The Homecoming |
Winter Echo (including Comics - a Cancer Called Rupert) |
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Gracious! are, of course, known as one of the first major Mellotron bands, if by 'major' you mean 'put two albums out on small labels in the early '70s'. Their eponymous debut has an awful lot less 'Tron on it than you might expect, although This is... Gracious! fared rather better. As they split before their second album was even released, it came as quite a surprise to be lent an advance tape of a new Gracious! album in the early '90s, although upon closer examination, it became apparent that it was basically the original band's rhythm section, Tim Wheatley and Robert Lipson, with one Sev Lewkowicz taking the place of the three absent members. In fairness, original guitarist Alan Cowderoy appears on one track, but this really isn't Gracious! as we knew them.
The album finally got an official release in 1996 by those nice people at Centaur in Dundee, although (to my knowledge) the band never played live, or promoted it in any other way. So; what's it like? Well... Difficult to describe, is the easy answer. It has a variety of influences, some familiar, some not. It's certainly 'prog', with several lengthy tracks that work their way through the usual range of time, tempo and mood changes, although it veers perilously close to neo-prog slop in places. I suppose the most obvious comparison is with the likes of Spock's Beard, although it's interesting to note that this would've been recorded before the first 'Beard album appeared. Anyway, 'modern prog' if you like, or even if you don't.
Lewkowicz plays what have to be Mellotron string samples on two tracks, Oil Pressure and Echo itself, although the former is the only one to feature it to any great extent, which isn't really that great; one 'T' had it been real. Anyway, not a bad album, not really directly comparable with anyone much at all, which has to be a fairly good thing, at least. Don't go expecting anything like the original band, and you can't go too far wrong.
See: Gracious!
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Grand Magus (2001, 46.40) *** |
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| Gauntlet Legion Never Learned Black Hound of Vengeance Coat of Arms Generator Wheel of Time Lodbrok |
Black Hole Mountain of Power |
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Sweden's Grand Magus are part of the (frequently Scandinavian) current wave of seriously retro hard rock (think: Witchcraft), although I'm not sure they're one of its front-runners. It's not that Grand Magus is a bad album, it's just a bit one-dimensional, sounding less like a band from the early '70s than like a band merely influenced by that era, with little memorable material.
Now, Fred Estby is credited with Mellotron, but the few seconds of screechy strings on opener Gauntlet don't sound much like one to my ears. Samples? Not a Mellotron at all? Dunno, but it's enough to stick this into 'samples', at least until/if I should hear otherwise.
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The Acoustic Verses (2006, 43.28) ***Sweet LeafThe Burden is Mine... Alone Maybe? Alone 9-29-045 My Greater Cause, Part I Homecoming, Part II House of Cards, Part III Childs Play Part 3 High Tide Waves |
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Green Carnation are one of progressive metal's lesser-known acts, despite having released five studio albums to date, having been together since the early '90s. Apparently, they have become 'less heavy' with each release, sort of culminating in 2006's Acoustic Verses (clearly influenced by Opeth's Damnation), which is pretty much what it says on the tin. It's by no means a bad album, but lacks any real character, unlike Opeth's similar release, although I'm willing to admit that subsequent plays may reveal its charms. Bizarrely, some editions contain a cover of Jon English's Six Ribbons; I wasn't aware that anybody much outside Australia had even heard of English...
Kenneth Silden is credited with 'Mellotron', but if that's a Mellotron, I'll eat my proverbial (and hopefully virtual) hat. Which is as good a way as any of saying it is. Anyway, vague string sounds on a few tracks that probably started life as Mellotron samples, but certainly didn't end it that way. Overall, then, a passable album, albeit a pretty unexciting one. Apparently Green Carnation are returning to the heavier end of things on their next album; let's see if they use any more 'Mellotron', eh?
