SPOONING OUT THE SEA

SPOONING OUT THE SEA is the type of album that any good music lover will make audition after audition and will discover new amazing and attractive things about it each time!It's rare in today's music to have the feeling that you are listening some music made not to prove some technical abbilities or any sparkin demonstration,but music that comes from the soul and it's passionated and full of emotions!This is the feeling thet you have after listening SPOONING OUT THE SEA!From REACH until the last song of the album ,the so superbe title track,not any minute or even second of musical boredom ...au contraire,how the French are saying...you have the sensation of a very well done music made,and Shane's voice,especially is so personal and unique and offers to the listener the feeling that this man.this band has a story to tell indeed... that ORPHAN PROJECT delivers some intelligent and pure musical message to the world!Technically speaking the music is excellent too and the musicians in the band are very skilled and masters on their instruments!!!The sound is so beautiful and the artwork is simply superbe!The lyrics are so wonderful and intense and EMPTY ME seems to be a true masterpiece indeed,one of the most beautiful songs ever composed...intense,profound,even painful in it's message.Music is such a noble art and ORPHAN PROJECT brings his contribution to enrich a musical genre thet still has many things to say when it's made with burning passion for a true art! ORPHAN PROJECT has a huge potential and I am sure that many albums will delight us in the future!Pay attention to an amazing band with a wonderful message to tell ,a surprisingly strong message,attitude and possibilities and you won't be dissapointed at all. SENSATIONAL ALBUM!!! 5 STARS WELL DESERVED!

Spooning out the Sea is the peculiar title of the sophomore effort by Orphan Project, a US based Christian progressive rock outfit.

For those intimidated by the thought of music with Christian lyrical contents, in this case they aren't too bad. You will encounter a few instances of God and Jesus in here, but you won't find any instances of "Repent you sinners" or messages of a similar nature. These guys take pride in their faith though, but in a more subtle manner than most artists flying the religious flag.

Musically we're treated to an album residing somewhere in between progressive hard rock and progressive metal. Heavy guitar riffs dominate manners, but often played in a too slow fashion and somewhat too subdued to truly be called metal, yet slightly heavier and more intense than what's usually described as hard rock.

Synths, piano and organ adds details, and a few nukbrs with an electronic-sounding guitar further variety. Strong and distinct moods throughout, and generally good songs. Personally I find My Goodness to be the best of the bunch, a brilliant number on an otherwise solid release. And a venture well worth seeking out by hard rock and metal fans alike, as long as sophisticated music of a progressive variety is of interest and the lyrical contents isn't regarded as problematic.

3.5 stars. My last review for 2009 and i've struggled with the rating for this one. I very much liked their debut "Orphan Found" both the concept and the music, in fact the "Classic Rock Society" claimed it was the best debut by a U.S. band since SPOCK'S BEARD's "The Light". Here we are 5 years later and they've increased the heaviness quite a bit. What we get is song after song of heavy, melodic and very catchy music, almost like listening to hit after hit. I kept thinking of NICKELBACK because like that band this album stays with a formula that is heavy but radio friendly hard rock if you will. And that's the only negative for me but it's a big one.

The piano and drums stand out in the intro of "Reach". It kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes and the vocals follow. I like the guitar here. Piano ends it. "Angels Desire" is heavier as the vocals come in quickly. The vocals are deep and the guitar is prominant especially after 3 minutes. "Fallen" is catchy with the guitar out front until it settles with piano. Reserved vocals join in. It gets fuller as contrasts continue. "One Dark Moment (Providence)" is heavy with some organ this time. Very catchy too.

"My Goodness" opens with piano as reserved vocals join in. It's fuller before 2 minutes. Strings to end it. I like the lyrics on this one. "Head On Your Platter" kicks in heavily quickly. Lots of bottom end. I like the mood here. Strings before 4 minutes then it's heavy to end it. "Empty Me" features prominant piano,guitar and vocals. It settles before 3 1/2 minutes briefly then kicks back in. "The Battle Rages On" is heavy and uptempo. We get a childrens choir singing "Onward Christian Soldiers" at one point. Lots of piano when it kicks back in. "Spooning Out The Sea" is really the only laid back tune although it does get fuller. Nice guitar after 3 minutes.

Also missing for me on this one is that emotional element that I felt on the debut. Good album though.

Orphan Project offers a crisp sounding American prog sound (in the vein of Kansas and Spock's Beard) with deep lyrics of hope and reliance upon the grace of God. Lyricist and singer Shane Lankford has a lot to say: on OP's first album he shared how his being an adopted orphan also led to his discovery and embrace of being adopted into God's family. On this, OP's second album, he further explores spiritual issues with great, engaging progressive music.

Orphan Project is a very pleasant surprise for the Christian who also loves progressive rock. Their second full-length album continues the excellence of their debut outing ? heavy prog rock with great hooks and accessible choruses.

This reminds me of early Spock's Beard and Kansas.

One review labels them "Peter Gabriel going heavy."

Many of the songs are disguised worship songs, in that they don't seem like that at first listen (after all, they are hard progressive rock songs). Only when you listen intently to the lyrics do you realize what's really going on.

For instance, from Angels Desire:

"You bring me shelter / You refine / All that I am / Unchain and free / This burdened soul / I'll fly where angels desire"

3.5 stars really

Their second album released in 2009 with a strange and intresting name in same time Spooning out the sea is another worthy album for me. Definetly in same league with their first, no big imprevements here, the sound and all are the same, that means a good thing for me and an enjoyble trip for sure from start to finish. Well, musicaly speaking is more then ok, no really groundbreaking moments that's for sure but this effectiv combination between Dream Thater in their most friendly sound and attitude with pompous art rock a la Asia and Journey and with more complex passages remind me of Yes, Kansas or Spock's Beard works here very well. Heavy riffs combined with melodic lines makes from this second Orphan Project album a winner. Very good are the vocal arrangements, Shane Lankford isa very good vocalist and because of that he is also appear on lates two albums of Visual Cliff. As I said they are similar with ACT or Profusion. Good towards great in places. 3 rounded to 3.5 because I think this is their best album. Forte pieces One Dark Moment(Providence) and the title track with a great ending instrumental passages, the rest are ok too.