Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Echolyn
Label: CD Baby
Release: 2015
Runtime: 62:06
Rating: 4.5/5
American prog-rock revivalists Echolyn have had a pretty turbulent career, which makes every new album of theirs a very welcome event. After becoming one of the key representatives (mostly American-Scandinavian) of the third wave of progressive rock in the early nineties (the albums »Suffocating the Bloom« (1992) and »As the World« (1995) are still hugely revered among prog gourmets) and being one of the most interesting bands on the prog scene of the time, they hit a wall: after a dispute with the label giant Sony, which started pushing them to record far more commercial music, the whole thing fell apart in 1995.
The individual Echolyn members then threw themselves into various new prog projects. Vocalist/occasional bassist Ray Weston, guitarist Bret Kull and drummer Paul Ramsey operated for a while under the names Still and Always Almost, while keyboardist Chris Buzby devoted himself to a project called Finneus Gauge. But that was only a temporary phase and by no means a surrender, because in 2000 Echolyn came back to the scene, without bassist Tom Hyatt, and with every subsequent studio album proved that they still have to be taken seriously and that they’re often one of the most overlooked bands of the modern prog scene.
After Hyatt returned in 2003, the classic Echolyn lineup was back together, and their creative output has been on the rise ever since. Their style shifted noticeably after the comeback, and the arrangements drifted somewhat away from classic prog rock toward a more melodically seasoned art rock, which some fans weren’t too thrilled about, but in recent years they’ve been returning more intensely to their sonic roots while keeping a strong melodic stamp.
»I Heard You Listening« proves it too. It’s their latest and tenth studio effort overall, and it has just the right mix of arrangement brilliance, symphonic grandeur and melodic harmonies to make the album as a whole a deeply rewarding listening experience. The opening melodic treat »Messenger Of All’s Right« relies on a hypnotic chorus and a wonderful fusion of mighty symphonic arrangements, epic multi-part vocals and just the right amount of rhythmic nuance, so things never get overly complicated but still sound challenging and intelligent. Ray Weston is still a brilliant singer, standing out with a deeply emotional approach and a flexible set of pipes. One of the best vocal moments on »I Heard You Listening« is definitely »Warjazz«, where gorgeous vocal harmonies take center stage, while some of the symphonic arrangements, especially in the middle of a complex instrumental section, are a bit reminiscent of Kansas at their best.
The retro experiment »Empyrean Views«, one of the highlights, features dramatic piano passages and melancholic, bluesy guitar variations that Echolyn use to create a slightly psychedelic mood, while the lovely vocal harmonies, long one of their strongest ‘weapons’, are a chapter in themselves again. Around the middle of the song comes a brilliant transition and the arrival of an epic, multi-voiced chorus, which is even one of the best in Echolyn history so far and hooks the listener in an instant. Again and again on »I Heard You Listening«, Echolyn prove that since coming back to the scene they’ve developed an exceptional feel for melodic sophistication and have wonderfully combined it with their traditionally complex arrangements and rhythmic variations.
»Different Days« runs at a brisk tempo, while the band, on top of the traditional symphonic backdrop, occasionally unleashes fiercer guitar-and-keyboard passages that are almost on the edge of hard rock. In certain rhythmic segments you can hear that Echolyn have held on to quite a bit of the unpredictable brilliance from the old days, when the influence of Gentle Giant was still much more present in their sound. On the melancholic »Carried Home« you can, interestingly enough, also hear some The Moody Blues influences, mostly through the nostalgic chorus, while the refined symphonic arrangements and romantic guitar soloing add to that feeling too.
The somewhat chaotic and at the same time punchy »Once I Get Mine« features a spirited, multi-voiced chorus with thick layers of organ, while the previously mentioned Gentle Giant-style rhythmic variations occasionally poke their heads out again. »Sound Of Bees«, which even has a slight new wave pulse thanks to its driving vocal melody, led by the excellent Ray Weston, brings back the melancholic atmosphere, of which there’s just the right amount on the album. »All This Time We’re Given« has a slight jazz fusion flavor thanks to the piano and delicate bass lines, while the still-life mood is spiced up by an unexpectedly cheerful, multi-voiced chorus. »Vanishing Sun«, which is pretty much the ideal closer for the album, opens with edgy passages and pompous drum fills that build up a slightly neurotic and gloomy atmosphere, with a heap of superb instrumental sections contrasting with a triumphant, upbeat chorus.
With »I Heard You Listening«, Echolyn have created a treat for all fans of melodic prog rock and an exceptionally high-quality album that without a doubt ranks among the prog highlights of 2015, even though you can’t shake the feeling that this time too, unlike some of their peers who are signed to more notorious labels (which of course does a lot for visibility), it will only reach a limited circle of listeners. Even if »I Heard You Listening« most likely ends up overlooked, Echolyn more than successfully hold on to their cult status on it and stay true to their own distinctive sonic vision, which will delight above all the longtime devotees, who got one more confirmation that the band, since returning to the scene, is in no way slacking off when it comes to putting out excellent records.
Lineup
Raymond Weston – lead and backing vocals, bass guitar (3)
Brett Kull – guitar, backing vocals
Christopher Buzby – keyboards, backing vocals
Paul Ramsey – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Thomas Hyatt – bass guitar, guitar (3), backing vocals
GUEST MUSICIAN:
Jacque Varsalona – backing vocals (1,3,5)
Production
Echolyn
Track list
1. Messenger of All’s Right (6:24)
2. Warjazz (5:16)
3. Empyrean Views (9:18)
4. Different Days (7:47)
5. Carried Home (5:10)
6. Once I Get Mine (5:40)
7. Sound of Bees (6:58)
8. All This Time We’re Given (7:59)
9. Vanishing Sun (7:34)
