Self-released
Release date: 8. 3. 2021
Production: John Young & Steve Rispin
Album length: 54.22 min
Genre: Neo-Progressive Rock
Rating: 8.5/10
English prog outfit Lifesigns, who put out their third studio album, »Altitude«, in 2021, have been through plenty of lineup shuffles since forming in 2008. Of the founders, only the band’s boss, keyboardist/vocalist John Young (ex-Greenslade, Quango), is still hanging in there on »Altitude«. After co-founders Nick Beggs (bass/vocals) and Martin ‘Frosty’ Beedle (drums) left, he rebuilt Lifesigns almost from scratch. In 2021, alongside Young, the band features well-known Hungarian drummer Zoltán Csörsz (ex-The Flower Kings, Karmakanic, The Tangent), guitarist Dave Bainbridge (The Strawbs, ex-Iona), multi-instrumentalist Jon Poole (ex-Cardiacs) and sound engineer Steve Rispin, who is their fifth member.
Some people count Lifesigns as neo-prog and like to compare them to bands like Jadis, but a better label for their music would be melodic symphonic prog rock, since none of the band’s members were part of the neo-prog movement that emerged in the eighties. Young’s past work with the late John Wetton — he was a special guest of Asia in 1989 and later a member of Wetton’s short-lived band Quango — pushed him to develop a pretty ‘accessible’ songwriting style, marked by melodic symphonic arrangements and catchy choruses.
You can hear it right away on the title track and opener, which, despite its strongly melodic and ambient beauty, packs in plenty of complex keyboard and guitar passages and cleverly timed drum entrances. Since the keyboardist is the mastermind behind most of Lifesigns’ music, it’s no surprise that »Altitude« is ruled by rich symphonic arrangements, played brilliantly. At the same time, Lifesigns almost never fall back on ‘retro’ arrangements or lift ‘borrowed’ sections from better-known, established prog bands, so you’ll rarely catch yourself thinking ‘hey, I’ve heard this one before on King Crimson, Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, ELP, etc.’
The next track, »Gregarious«, which features an epic guitar solo, confirms that »Altitude« carries on in the same vein as the previous two Lifesigns albums. That means that, despite the high technical level of most of the players, there’s no heavy-duty experimenting or wildly complex instrumental excursions here. Prog fans can blast it out loud in peace without much risk of being lynched by neighbors who swear by folk-pop turbo-folk, trap and corporate pop. The biggest strength of »Altitude« is the rich, intense atmosphere of most of the pieces and the great knack for blending relatively complex rhythmic structures with melodic symphonic arrangements.
A track like »Ivory Tower« would probably be second-rate without Young’s songwriting genius, his harmonic singing and the outstanding instrumental chops of everyone in Lifesigns. Instead, it’s one of the album’s highlights. »Shoreline« has a slightly jazzy rhythmic structure in its intro, even though it’s very much a symphonic prog affair, and it should appeal to fans of bands like Sound of Contact and Lonely Robot too.
Despite their apparent simplicity and quick accessibility compared to some of the classic and modern prog scene’s heavier hitters, most of the pieces on »Altitude« have smartly structured arrangements and superbly played instrumental passages, like the epic guitar solo on »Last One Home«. Young’s vocal approach doesn’t stand out technically or for uniqueness, but his voice blends perfectly with the mostly melancholic, nostalgic mood of most of the songs on »Altitude«. With short keyboard solo spots between the compositions, such as the closing section of the epic »Fortitude, he proves again and again that he’s a true virtuoso on keys.
With »Altitude«, even though fans already kind of know what to expect from them, Lifesigns once again prove why they rank among the finest bands on the modern prog scene. Young and his musical companions keep running with the successful formula of the previous two albums and don’t go reinventing the wheel on »Altitude«. Even so, or maybe precisely because of that, »Altitude« is a real treat for all those prog fans who value quick accessibility, melodic arrangements and top-notch atmosphere in their compositions, and for whom sonic innovation, constant experimenting, improvising and showing off individual technical skills aren’t must-haves for enjoying music.
Author: Peter “Dr. ProgRock” Podbrežnik
Tracklist:
1. Altitude
2. Gregarious
3. Ivory Tower
4. Shoreline
5. Fortitude
6. Arkhangelsk
7. Last One Home
8. Altitude (reprise)
Lineup:
John Young – keyboards, vocals
Dave Bainbridge – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Jon Poole – bass guitar, bass pedals, backing vocals
Zoltan Csorsz – drums, percussion
