Artist: Birds and Buildings
Label: Emkog Records
Release: 2008
Runtime: 69:22
Rating: 5/5
Dan Britton is by no means an unknown name in prog rock circles. A genius keyboardist, guitarist and mastermind behind several projects, of which Cerebus Effect, a band with jazz fusion leanings, and Deluge Grander, which is more symphonic rock at heart, are the ones that really took off, he can probably brag the loudest about one of his two newest projects, a band with the telling name Birds and Buildings. The band of “birds and their ‘unnatural predators,’ buildings” was formed in 2007, and the debut “Bantam to Behemoth”, which immediately earned extraordinary acclaim, came out a year later.
On “Bantam to Behemoth”, Birds and Buildings combine the best of every possible prog rock subgenre, while also flirting with related genres, especially, as befits Britton, with jazz. This time around Britton shines above all with his unmatched Mellotron playing, which is without a doubt front and center on the whole album. The Mellotron’s ominous sound makes “Bantam to Behemoth” so dark yet so virtuosically melodic that it gives the listener a proper chill at times. The melancholy of certain tracks, which don’t really stand in complete contrast to the bolder, more explosive ones, is enough to balance the scales between high-voltage intensity and pleasant melodicism.
Going into a track-by-track description is tough, because these songs are polished to perfection, no exaggeration. Britton’s bandmates may not be the best in the world on their instruments, but they’re no less than excellent either. Most importantly, they know how to listen to each other, since they’re locked in down to the last detail, probably thanks in part to Britton’s watchful eye. Their playing melts into the kind of whole that’s very rarely heard these days. Even if they don’t always take the most complicated route, the route is always the most melodic and the most interesting to the ear. A combination of sounds that at first glance would never work together becomes close friends in a tight bond, where the individual parts are impossible to tell apart, since they end up as a fully assembled mosaic.
At the same time, the musicians prove that despite not being weighed down by genre, they find their footing in every single situation. The result is songs in which every music lover will find something for themselves. Devoted followers of the eclectic King Crimson will enjoy the opening track “Birds Flying into Buildings” and the tracks from the second half of the album, “Chakra Khan” and “Battalion”. All of them have plenty of great Mellotron, Fripp-style riffs and incredible sax soloing. Despite the obvious influence, I can still easily say the songs don’t sound like rip-offs. Not at all, far from it. They sound fresh, innovative and, most importantly, insanely good. Symphonic fans, devotees of Genesis and Camel, will probably find something to sink your teeth into in one of the tracks “Caution Congregates and Forms a Storm”, “Chronicle of the Invisible River of Stone”, “Tunguska” and “Terra Fire”. Here the sax is often replaced by flute, which adds that symphonic feel. Fans of Yes and Pink Floyd also get their due easily – the former with “Yucatan 65”, the latter with “Sunken City, Sunny Day”, which is somehow the most contrasting track compared to the rest of the album, since it’s built on a melancholy “Floydian” mood, while also being the closing act of “Bantam to Behemoth” – you’d be hard-pressed to pick a better track for that spot.
The album title “Bantam to Behemoth” is misleading. The album is a “behemoth” (mythical creature) all the way through and never a “bantam” (little chick). The musicians don’t hide their aces and don’t beat around the bush, they give it their all and nearly drown in it. The only criticism goes to the production on some of the tracks with male vocals, which are often too quiet, but it has to be admitted that this often adds a certain mystique.
Birds and Buldings have thus created a timeless album that will surely be listened to by generations to come and will serve as a model for quite a few musicians and bands. To sum up the review – get yourself the album!
Lineup
Dan Britton – keyboards, guitars, vocals
Malcolm McDuffie – drums
Brian Falkowski – saxophone, flute, clarinet
Brett d’Anon – bass guitar, electric guitar
Megan Wheatley – vocals (5)
Production
Dan Britton
Tracklist
1. Birds Flying Into Buildings (9:13)
2. Terra Fire (3:36)
3. Tunguska (6:33)
4. Caution Congregates and Forms a Storm (10:53)
5. Chronicle of the Invisible River of Stone (9:19)
6. Yucatan 65: The Agitation of the Mass (10:35)
7. Chakra Khan (5:59)
8. Battalion (9:55)
9. Sunken City, Sunny Day (3:19)
