Prog Collective Billy Sherwood


When Billy released the third Circa CD I suggested Billy was operating within an artistic straight jacket. The music seemed to represent a narrowing down of his vision instrumentally and vocally. It was highly symbolic that he had played the drums on the CD. The sense of reduction was exacerbated by the guitar department being vacated by Jimmy Haun who had delivered a stellar performance on HQ.

I suggested he needed to break out and add new sounds and ideas.

Well coincidental or otherwise that is precisely what he has done with “Prog Collective”. Whilst keeping a strong reign on the overall design of the music he has brought in a cadre of musicians who have enriched the music and added sounds and qualities that lift much of this music to an entirely different level. This is an event, not just taking care of the business. There are also some refreshing lyrical ideas.

John Wetton, Jerry Goodman and Annie Haslam are wound into the thread of the pieces that they contribute to punching through Billy’s “formula” giving the  compositions a freshness and sense of adventure, whereas Messrs Downes and Wakeman keyboard forays on their contributions, whilst not exactly cutting edge, add nicely to Billy’s basic composition.

The “Laws of Nature” sees John back in Crimson territory reaching put and pushing his voice quite different from his smug and beguiling work with Asia.However Jerry Goodman's "fiddle" work is inspired and takes Billy in to entirely new ground - "Bravo!"

“Over Again” rhythm shapes can sound a little too formulaic Billy but Geoff’s Hammond sounding solo, which might be a Hammond solo, is a nice add on.

“Technical Divide” has a strong vocal groove and classic declaiming Sherwood vocal chorus. Chris plays some solid bass with some neat additional figures. Best of all is David Sancious’s keyboard work adding some real idiosyncratic magical forays full of imagination.

“Social Circles” is superb, Annie Haslam reinvents Billy’s vocal style in her own image. This is up there with the opening track.

“Buried Beneath” is another one of those declaiming vocal chorus’s with a neat oriental sounding keyboard figure.

“Following the Signs” has one of those classic American Rock sounding guitar lead openings and an attractive exposed chorus. These pieces remind me rock music has come of age it is its own genre with its own language and when the guitar solo emerges its powerful entertaining and beautifully judged but have we heard this type of thing before Yes! The success or failure of this music is about the strength of the musical ideas the tunes NOT how far out, cutting edge and experimental is it. However those who find Asia to “pop-prog” may well find this clever well played “rock-prog” more to their taste.

And finally “Checkpoint Karma” The pairing of Colin Moulding and Rick Wakeman sounds unlikely but it works. Ricks baroque inspired electric keyboard work is the best thing on electrics I have heard since Billy recorded his work on Keys and it represents a clever juxtaposition with Ricks keys punching through the slowed down chorus during this excellent eclectic piece.

Billy is a gentleman, hard working and sincere about his work, this thoughtful move away from his more inward looking work is most welcome and anyone who enjoyed Oneirology will enjoy this work.             

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Alan White - Lights Out

  Alan White When Chris Welch commented on Bill Bruford leaving Yes in the summer of 1972 he said it was like Rolls quitting Royce.    Over the years since then all the talk has been about how complex Yes's music was by then and what a mammoth task it was for Alan to come in and learn all that stuff in a few days which he did in time for Dallas. That was only a small part of the story the reality was the way Bill and Chris worked was entirely atypical.  To break into that required a complete rethink for the entire band. Chris towards the end, on the fortieth anniversary of the Yes Album acknowledged that. Rick in late '72 found the change unsettling. It was as if the foundations of a building had been completely remodelled and the upper floors didn't sit properly afterwards.  When you sat in the Wembley Arena in 1977 and listened to Alan count in Starship Trooper you knew the journey had been made. Trooper, Siberian, Good People, And You and I, were BETTER than the original
Read more

Rise and Fall - Making Deeper Connections

John Holden  "Capture Light" was one of those projects which were so complete so perfectly executed that like "Close To The Edge" when you played it, it deserved unadulterated attention. Each listen was an event I felt as if I needed to "dress up" to experience it. It was a summit moment. So how do you follow the perfectly executed, bring in an orchestra, jam more and write longer pieces? Fans of what was called progressive music in 1972 have experienced those choices from their bands down the years.  John has the advantage of not being a precocious mid-twenties artist under pressure; instead, he can call on a lifetime of reflection and experience for the answer. "Leap of Faith" begins with a nagging repeating piano figure evoking, mystery, questing all underpinned with a yearning emotionalism. You are drawn in immediately but to where? After this insistent beginning, there is no prog-rock transition instea
Read more

Levin Torn White

How do you end up with such a sense of corporate achievement when they did not even sit in the same room to make the music? Well the answer to that is clearly the director of operations Mr Schorr who piloted the three passengers so deftly and empathetically to the ultimate destination. However I suspect therein lays the key to why each player is able to deliver up such idiosyncratic and full performances. To continue the analogy Schoor flew them by an interesting route he even allowed them to choose the way there. Listening late at night to this pillow full of dark emphasises the music’s earthiness and sharp urban unsentimental feel but it is never miserable or dull. The sense of enquiry is positive and uplifting rather than panic stricken or over clever and I think Alan’s contribution which is warm and soulful is crucial in this area. He maybe pushing the envelope but the playing is routed in his natural modesty.  Tony is a one man bass orchestra and his contribution gives the mus
Read more