Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Pure Reason Revolution
Label: Inside Out Records
Release: 2006
Rating: 4/5
A revolution for purely rational reasons? A very, very rare thing in human history. It has practically never happened. But enough of the heavy philosophizing, which belongs in debates that go nowhere and is merely the product of this band’s relatively unusual and original name. “The Dark Third” is the debut of modern British art rockers Pure Reason Revolution. It’s not exactly a musical revolution, but the band definitely brings something new to the table, because their sound mixes elements of space rock and psychedelia that are right at home in the prog rock world (in the tradition of bands like Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree) with touches of modern rock, indie rock and in places even grunge, which is one of those rock genres I think we could easily have gotten by without, even if it had never existed. It’s precisely because of those indie and grunge connotations that I was fairly skeptical about the band’s progressive leanings, their capacity for musical innovation and their ability to successfully fuse such different musical ingredients. Pure Reason Revolution also have some seriously good vocal harmonies, the kind that bands like The Beatles, The Beach Boys or Yes once made.
After just a few spins, “The Dark Third” hadn’t disappointed as a whole. What’s more, it was a really nice surprise, because it brought something new to the world of progressive rock. What’s most unusual and praiseworthy about this album is that up to then I’d written off the sound of most of the indie bands filling the charts these days as something extremely bland and flat, something you could never successfully build broader and deeper musical forms on, stretch out and carry over into the realm of prog rock. So I was all the more pleasantly surprised to find that Pure Reason Revolution’s debut pulls off exactly that. Even though it’s (luckily) mostly well disguised, “The Dark Third” does contain the recognizable sound of the aforementioned indie scene, but with a commendable ability to expand it, build on individual musical motifs and push it up to a higher level of existence, which makes it interesting for more demanding listeners and prog connoisseurs too. On the other hand, with their rather unique combination of psychedelia, space rock, dual male and female vocal harmonies and the occasional prog metal trick, they’re a thoroughly progressive band that should win over a good share of those who are skeptical about modern takes on prog rock. The album isn’t without its weak moments, of course. The main problem with “The Dark Third” is that the band sometimes lacks variety, which leads to some motifs getting repetitive now and then. I already mentioned their praiseworthy knack for bringing a chosen musical idea to life, but all too often some ideas sound very much alike, though not so alike that the album would sound like one or two songs on constant repeat. Because of that, some parts of the album can get a little dull and repetitive after a couple of listens. But the album as a whole doesn’t suffer for it, and that’s what matters most. The second weak spot is the keyboards. They’re used brilliantly for sound effects, but elsewhere there’s plenty of untapped space, so I’d like to hear more variety from them in the future.
According to John Courtney, the band’s singer, guitarist and keyboardist, “The Dark Third” is a concept album that sets out to bridge the seemingly rock-solid border between dreams and reality. That concept comes through well across the whole record, since most of the songs flow from one into the next, or are split into two connected sections. This approach gives the album a great flow, helps it keep the right balance and keeps the weaker tracks from standing out. The album works as a tightly connected whole. For instance, a harder, faster track will calm down after a while and melt into the next, more spacey one (like the transition from “Voices In Winter” into “Bullets Dominae”). This technique hasn’t been considered all that innovative for a long time, but it gives the whole album a sense of cohesive structure. As you’d expect from a young band like Pure Reason Revolution, they pour a ton of untamed energy into their music, especially in the hard rock-leaning tracks that grab the listener fast with their unbridled drive. Still, Pure Reason Revolution also have a very good feel for space rock sounds built on slower rhythms, which create that psychedelic atmosphere.The members’ musical chops shouldn’t be underestimated either. Sure, they can’t be ranked in the league of Dream Theater and all their various clones around the world, but they can be proud of their technical skills too, though I think the keyboards are one of the band’s few weaker elements, one they definitely have to polish in the future. Bassist and vocalist Chloe Alper especially stands out. She proves herself a really good bassist, and I’m a bit surprised she didn’t play bass on every track on the album. Vocally, as I said, the band is quite distinctive thanks to having two lead vocalists whose performances work well together and create exceptionally good vocal harmonies.
Now on to the individual tracks. “Aeropause” is a great instrumental that flirts with the Pink Floyd legacy. Built on a mid tempo, it lays the groundwork for refined use of slide guitar and synthesizers, creating an exceptionally melancholic, dreamy mood. The track flows into “Goshen’s Remains”. Chloe Alper’s voice, which is without doubt one of the standout points of Pure Reason Revolution’s sound, comes into its own here for the first time, along with the superb dual vocal harmonies. The song keeps shifting and building its mood from heavier to calmer waters and back again. In the middle and closing sections, Jim Dobson’s violin shines too, adding a bit of Celtic pathos to the track. On “Apprentice of the Universe” you can revel in some very good vocal melodies, with Courtney’s vocals coming to the fore this time. Electronic keyboard sounds and great guitar riffing step up as well. The nearly 12-minute “The Bright Ambassadors of Morning” opens at a slow pace, with synths adding a special atmosphere. Over this ambient bed of sonic curtains you immediately think of Fripp’s soundscapes, but within an organized song that actually has a beginning and an end. Atmospheric multi-part vocal harmonies follow and eventually build an incredibly psychedelic chorus you can’t get out of your head. In the closing section you can also enjoy some excellent riffing that adds a bit more energy to the piece. As the song moves through numerous variations, individual melodies keep leaving and coming back again. Without doubt one of the album’s highlights. “The Exact Colour” would have been a great pick for a single, since it’s one of the album’s atmospheric peaks. It opens on piano, then tips into a gentle melody that the drums back up perfectly. The varied “Voices in Winter/In the Realms of the Divine” is a song split into two sections, and with its ambient, spacey sounds it can easily carry the listener off into a trance in places. The middle section builds and intensifies the mood and has some very good guitar riffing that brings out the band’s metal side. The gorgeous “Bullits Dominae” carries on in the same vein, only it adds a touch of Celtic pathos through superb violin overtones on top of the wonderful vocal harmonies and energetic metal riffing. “The Twyncyn/Trembling Willows” is another piece full of variations and different moods that move the listener through various states of (sub)consciousness. After the mood builds up, a thrash metal riff suddenly catches you off guard, one that might have wrecked the whole song for someone else, but Pure Reason Revolution manage to keep the balance just right. The closing “He Tried to Show Them Magic/Ambassadors Return” is full of complex, ambient vocals and punchy riffs. A very fitting ending.
It’s interesting, and a bit controversial, that for the American release some tracks were swapped out for others (“The Exact Colour” was replaced with “Nimos & Tambos” and “The Twyncyn/Trembling Willows” with “Arrival/The Inteniton Craft”). I hope they won’t indulge in this kind of experiment between European and American editions on future albums, since it pushes fans to buy both versions.
All in all, “The Dark Third” is a very good debut and even one of the best prog rock releases of 2006. The album balances exceptional energy and subtlety evenly, often leaving the listener itching to play it again and again, back to back. Still, in the future they’ll need to pay a bit more attention to making individual parts a little more inventive and varied in their motifs. Otherwise, Pure Reason Revolution have incredible potential and, in my opinion, a bright future ahead. It will be interesting to follow their musical development. After such a long time, this is finally a special band that brings something new with its sound and deserves attention going forward. With its mix of ambient and energetic passages, brilliant musical soundscapes, vocal harmonies and excellent production (handled by producer Paul Northfield, who’s known for his work with bands like Rush, Gentle Giant, Porcupine Tree, etc.), “The Dark Third” should win over many prog purists too, because Pure Reason Revolution are a progressive band in the truest sense of the word progressive.
Lineup
Jon Courtney – vocals, guitar, keyboards
Chloe Alper – vocals, bass guitar
Jamie Wilcox – guitar, backing vocals
Jim Dobson – keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, violin, backing vocals
Andrew Courtney – drums
Production
Paul Northfield
Tracklist
1. Aeropause (2:22)
2. Goshens Remains (4:04)
3. Apprentice Of The Universe (6:56)
4. Bright Ambassadors Of Morning (9:31)
5. The Exact Colour (6:25)
6. I) Voices In Winter (10:29)
II) In The Realms Of The Divine
7. Bullitts Dominae (6:57)
8. I) The Twyncyn (3:50)
II) Trembling Willows
9. I) He Tried To Show Them Magic
II) Ambassadors Return
