THE UNCROWNED KING - ACT 1

Stunning symphonic ear candy. The Uncrowned King is the first Act of a two album quest for truth. The music evokes Kansas's Leftoverture/Point of No Return sails alongside Styx Castle Walls. Beau West's soaring lead vocals and mastermind/keyboardist Shane Atkinson are guilty as charged.

Evership albums sound like 1976. That does not bother me. Progressive rock hurtles towards the same paradox that stagnates physics. It was easier to be a great physicist in Einstein's day. Theories could be proved in a high school experiment. Today, a humongous supercollider barely pushes physics further. Likewise, the lion's share of tuneful melodies and riffs were picked over years ago. The low hanging fruit is gone. Prog rock aficionados clamor for algebraic time signatures at warp speed shredding dissonance. That's cool. I like extreme metal, Zeuhl, and RIO/Avant bands. However, I prefer Hammond organs, mellotrons, and mid-tempo symphonic prog.

The Pilgrimage (10:38) An Asian desert eastern atmosphere sets fire to my spine courtesy of Shane's keyboard ensemble. Purple Hades and umber tones draped over a mystical setting. Keyboards and vocals reign supreme. Composer-keyboardist Shane Atkinson plays drums surprisingly well, approaching metal. Hints of a powerful drama reveal delicate silver latticed lyrics. Buckle up, accompany the pilgrim upon his mystic sojourn.

Voice Of The Waves (3:08) The shortest way home is the longest way around. Sink, drown, or swim past the riptide of a tsunami eureka epiphany? From beneath the rushing waves West's voice blends into a waterfall's mist. Basically a transition tune to prime the listener for an ear candy symphony.

(a) Crownshine / (b) Allthetime (10:50)- We meet the meat of the album. From here on out, we're treated to auricle delights. Glissading moogs dart and hover like hummingbirdz. A lead guitar sings a melodic pattern gavotting with West's golden vocals. More memorable hooks than a Hellraiser horror film. Choir passage and mellotrons. The end of the song had me anticipating the final like I was watching an Olympic ice-skater-duo finish an icy dance program. Majestic climax!

The Tower (9:47) piano conjures cappella vocal pyrotechnics, drums and bass thrum along. Lead guitar repeats a simple yet addictive pattern, dusky tones, winding up the tower's stairs. A Dennis DeYoung like Hammond swells and soars. Mellotron takes a breath as the vocals ascend anther story up the tower. Harmonies crescendo as The Tower reaches its epic heights, followed by a Klaatu descending exit.

The Voice Of The Evening Wind (4:23) I'm guessing Evership is a family affair too, since one of the lead guitarists shares Shane's "Atkinson" surname and a youthful androgynous vocal is contributed by "Poem Atkinson". Atmospheric... textured over broad acoustic brush strokes.

a) Yettocome / (b) Itmightbe (16:42) a piano shatters the misty opening. West's wizen vocals journey over a juicy guitar riff. Ooh my, I like that guitar riff. Feels like mescaline kicking in. Vocals fall through meters of velvet rose petals. Pause for ominous acoustic guitar, tension increases incrementally. Will nature betray me? "Am I an actor in a comic play?" At times West vocals evoke Geddy Lee's lower registers. Easily Wests most varied vocal performance. Plenty of diversity here. Thunderstanding truth is dangerous place. Ballad bleeds toward epic structure...chrysanthemum crescendos bloom like September maples aflame, aspens bathed in the sunlight of Shane's synths.

Wait (5:12) would have been a vinyl 45 if The Uncrowned King had been released in 1977. Feels like Camel at their most catchy. Top ten 2021 album. Highly recommended to Styx, Kansas, Queen, and Camel aficionados. Excellent addition to any prog rock collection.

EVERSHIP is the group founded in 2013 in the USA, led by Shane ATKINSON composer and multi- instrumentalist who performed on CURIOUS FOOLS. He tries his hand at producing albums to continue to bring to life the exceptional sounds of the 70's in our time by restructuring them, giving them more intensity. This opus is an adaptation of the book by BELL WRIGHT based on the allegory concerning the truth, which one will not touch of fact. He is releasing his 3rd album here after an '' II '' in 2018 referred to as a very good symphonic neo-prog eyeing QUEEN, YES, ROYAL HUNT and RUSH, which is to say that I started with relish.

"The Pilgrimage" futuristic VANGELIS synth intro inviting to travel; the air will seek in the memories of YES, then of STYX with divine symphonic passages; 3 movements for this powerful track; a bit of RUSH, a bit of ROYAL HUNT also by the central metal drums, an explosive rise that sends me back to BOSTON, then the bass of SQUIRE, YES for the voice and the synths, all associated with a melancholic final tune piloted by majestic keyboards; title that passes too quickly, a good indication, flagship title. "The Voice of the Waves" for a bucolic atmosphere and its birdsong responding to bells turning dark, anxiety accentuated by Beau's voice in phrasing on a bed of Mellotron, anguish contemplative interlude starting on "(a) Crownshine / (b) Allthetime »starting hard rhythm, riff that goes with it; a Moog, a crystal clear piano, backing vocals, it becomes melodic then the synths set the mood pulling towards the fabulous BOSTON; alternation, entanglement with the guitar solo, it becomes baroque, not grandiloquent, not symphonic, in short, good retro prog certainly but not boring; divine choirs then return to the voice reminding me of STYX, melody with the instruments of the time when we listened religiously; aerial guitar solo which rips, hard riff à la KANSAS then Mellotron, you will understand it is divine. "The Tower" where the alliance between YES and MAGELLAN all sprinkled with STYX; a little of the madness of the first QUEEN and you have an indication of this timeless jewel; piano, voice, rhythmic Mellotron and melodic guitar to mix it all up; synth solo then a few melodic drawers with the voice and the guitar which does not hesitate to start higher, it accelerates, it goes back down, it starts again on the starting tune and it melts on a soothing soft synth for the final, always magnificent.

"The Voice of the Evening Wind" for the attack of the second part, a dark, mysterious tune, eerie bass in the early THE CURE; the synth goes up in the air and Poem's Yessian voice, ah family, sends far higher than the acoustic notes of the guitar; it's relaxing, meditative, ambient, entertaining and progressive interlude, it pummels you and doesn't let go; the repetitive Mellotron helps with this sensation, final with its helicopter bringing "(a) Yettocome / (b) Itmightbe" intro as one imagines it powerful and colorful, choirs, acoustic moment at the STYX in divine ballad, royal piano, the symphonic is the order of the day, the voice that reminds me of MERCURY, tears arise, the drums-chorus rise finishes me off, the MAY solo too, [&*!#] (in Latin it's not an insult) I almost missed that? No, I'm here to tell you about it! An intimate acoustic break for a while then it sets off again in an overdone angelic melody, the time to let the various keyboards, vintage or not, give back a more elaborate feeling in a crescendo giving way to the guitar solo, there memory of RUSH; pause again and final all uphill with this voice, yes the voice has a lot to do with it, and the heavy guitar solo which stretches beautifully, magical! "Wait" for the final title, basic piano, bucolic ballad peering for the chorus on THE BEATLES, distant voice, title for the rest of the ears and the soul; syrupy title which is more like a "radio- edit" of the days when music was played on the radio, but which does not represent the musical technicality developed in the other titles.

EVERSHIP signed a master stroke with this avant-garde retro-regressive album; mixture of old sounds reshaped to a current and agreed power, bringing in melody, varied neo prog surfing on the dinos of KANSAS, STYX, QUEEN, ROYAL HUNT, ELP, YES see CAMEL. Album recorded on a HARRISON 70's analog console helping in this; magical album which makes regress but which shows that the beautiful synthesized progressive of the old ones is still possible. EVERSHIP, which I only know from its old CD, leaves me skeptical about the sound, instrumental and vocal quality deployed.

American progressive rock band, EVERSHIP plunge us back into the pomp/prog-rock era of the 70s with their third album and a concept one at that - the first half of an allegoric journey in search of truth, full of symphonic rock anthems, instrumental flourishes, quality vocals and melodic passages to please any fans of classic retro-prog.

Whisper it quietly, but if you are a prog rock aficionado of a certain age - even if you love both the vibrancy of the modern breed of prog or the comfort of dipping back into the classic era of the Big Six, you might well have had a soft spot for that mid/late-70s era of US bands such as Kansas, Styx, Starcastle and Boston. A time when Leftoverture and The Grand Illusion nestled next to Seconds Out, Going for the One and Moonmadness in your teenage record collection. When you never heard the question 'Is it Prog?' but you knew instinctively what 'pomp rock' meant and how it differed from 'progressive'. Welcome to the world of EVERSHIP!

Formed in 2013 by the multi-instrumentalist Shane Atkinson and boasting the excellent vocals of Beau West, the band have been able to both capture that 70s zeitgeist and yet produce their own, fresh, signature style of progressive rock, which doffs its cap to the giants of the past and yet looks forwards to the present. Their first two albums: Evership (2016) and Evership II (2018), were well-received, especially in the USA.

2021 sees the release of their third album: THE UNCROWNED KING ? ACT 1. It is an ambitious concept work based on the 1910 book of the same name by the American author, Harold Bell Wright. The story is an allegory about the pursuit of truth and is part 'The Pilgrim's Progress'; part 'A Christmas Carol' and part 'The Prince and the Pauper'. In many ways it is a work which almost demands a prog concept album, and here Evership have given us the first half of the story and whetted our appetite for Act 2 in due course. Those familiar with Neal Morse's 'The Simplitude of a Dream' and 'The Great Adventure' might find the concept familiar, although any Christian message is much less obvious here.

We follow the journey of a pilgrim in search of truth and wisdom, through the 'Desert of Facts' to the gates of 'The Temple of Truth', where he is told that whilst he has 'fulfilled the law' and 'paid the price' ? to understand the reason for his pilgrimage, he must rest in 'The Quiet Room' and hear the story of 'The Uncrowned King' from a series of four visiting voices and gain a true understanding of his spiritual journey (akin to the ghosts who visited Scrooge one Christmas).

The album covers the first two such voices and we hear of the twin princes: 'Really-Is' and 'Seemsto-Be' from the 'Land of Allthetime' who one day see the beautiful, gleaming city of 'Sometime' in the 'Land of Yettocome' from the high tower and vow to leave their comfortable, easy-going existence to visit it. They find a land of beauty, love and contentment that they are reluctant to leave, but news of the death of their father, King 'What-Soever-Youthink', forces them to make the return journey and claim the Magic Crown? but that's for Act 2 to reveal (I hope you're making notes out there, by the way!)

Well, that's the concept ? but what's the music like? Rather good indeed, it has to be said. You'll find a melting pot of influences, such as Kansas, Styx, Rush, Queen, Yes, Genesis, Boston and Camel amongst others. Yet whilst the result might not be particularly innovative or break any new ground, the resulting synergy is refreshing and undoubtedly Evership.

The opening track, Pilgrimage, starts atmospherically with synthesisers, along with desert winds and haunting Eastern instrumentation before a gradual build-up of keyboard sounds, a piano passage and then full-blown, swirling, retro-prog keyboards, guitars and a driving beat, producing an overture-like explosion of sound. The introductory lines from the book "Eyes blinded by the fog of Things cannot see Truth. Ears deafened by the din of Things cannot hear Truth?" are chanted, Queen-like, before Dream Theater-style ensemble work introduces Beau's clear vocals over delicate acoustic guitar lines and eventually complementary piano themes. The Kansas influence is strong and continues as soothing vocals and classical influences take our pilgrim through to the Quiet Room.

Bird song introduces The Voice of the Waves as ominous, other-worldly effects take us into distorted, melancholic vocals as the tale begins. However, it is very much a transitional track designed to create a musical tension before we are introduced to the real heart of the album: Crownshine/Allthetime. Majestic keyboards fight with powerful guitar riffs and propel the song into Styx-like harmonies and an echo of Rush percussion patterns thrown in for good measure. The track alternates in tempo and style, ebbing and flowing through its melodies with synthesisers highlighting soaring guitar soloing in an indulgent instrumental prog confection. Beau's high-register vocals takes up the story and runs through the complex lyrical content (although you might be worth having the lyrics to read through while you listen to keep up with the narrative).

The Tower starts as a more mainstream classic rock track, with piano-led vocal harmonies leading into a spritely, bass/drum rhythm with guitar chords driving it forward. Uplifting keyboards contrast nicely with the dense lyrics. The pace relaxes nicely before the lead guitar takes flight, only stepping aside as the song glides serenely to its conclusion.

The Voice of the Evening Wind provides the second transitional track, beginning with Rush-like wind chimes and effects that take us into 'Xanadu' territory, prior to some lovely vocals from Poem Atkinson over gentle acoustic guitar shading. More successful than the earlier 'voices' track in providing a musical contrast ? it has a lot of ethereal charm.

The longest track on the album: Yettocome/Itmightbe, has a myriad of twists and turns befitting its length and once again you have lovely, melodic, proggy passages, the intertwining of keyboards, guitar and strong, clear Steve Walsh-style vocals ? acoustic and electric glowing light and ominous shade ? and tempo changes as the princes ponder their thoughts and feelings in the new city that surrounds them. "But is there some principles I'm to embrace, some mode of accomplishment or sacrifice? Some kind of cause that I undertake, to travel to another nation. Or is it nothing and there's just no? God, I need a revelation!" Lots of diversity here. A peaceful piano interlude here; a classical guitar motif there. A stratospheric guitar solo one minute; keyboard pyrotechnics the next. It is another album highlight which the listener can sink into and let it warmly flow over them.

The messenger's abrupt cry of "The King is dead" heralds the start of The Wait, and a dancing piano theme accompanies the regret of Prince 'Really-Is' at not having time for further shared thoughts and discussions. Some excellent guitar playing adds great poignancy to this final and accessible track, but clearly signals that the story will continue into Act 2. Unfortunately, we are just going to have to wait!

This is a powerful slab of retro-progressive symphonic rock ? in that 'American prog' style - that will delight fans of that genre. The quality of the vocals and musicianship is high indeed and the conceptual themes work surprisingly well, despite the complexity of the language and lyrics. Whilst some might see much that is derivative here ? and there is no doubt that Shane wears his influences on his sleeve for all to see ? it has a surprising freshness to it in its entirety and is a warming comfort blanket in these strange days for listeners who like melody and bombast to their prog rock. If you are new to the band, the first two albums might be an easier place to start, but if you like your concept albums, then this latest release will give you much to enjoy.

(From The Progressive Aspect)

To me this album sounds like a tribute to the heyday of 'progressive melodic rock bands', the socalled AOR, in the Seventies and Eighties. Like Kansas featuring vintage keyboards (Hammond, Minimoog and Mellotron) and acoustic guitars in the dynamic The Pilgrimage. Like Styx with the distinctive cheerful Minimoog flights and fiery guitar in The Tower. And like Journey with Steve Perry inspired vocals and a typical AOR ballad atmosphere in the epic Yettocome ? Itmightbe. The music is very melodic and harmonic with flowing shifting moods, topped with pleasant work on keyboards and guitar, strong vocals and a dynamic rhythm-section.

But Evership has more to offer. The short tracks The Voice Of The Waves and The Voice Of The Evening Wind contain ambient electronic musical landscapes, pretty atmospheric with spacey keyboards. And the final song Wait is a fine ballad featuring a catchy riff on piano, mellow vocals and halfway moving guitar work.

The most alternating and elaborate composition is Crownshine - Allthetime (close to 11 minutes). It starts in a bombastic climate with fat Minimoog runs and propulsive rock guitar riffs. Then lots of changing atmospheres, between mellow and sumptuous, embellished with Minimoog flights, phaser guitar, fiery guitar leads, Mellotron choir, The Charles Heimermann choir, and powerful vocals.

Evership its music is beyond original but it sounds very pleasant, especially if you like Seventies and Eighties Kansas, Styx and Journey.

My rating: 3,5 star

1. "The Pilgrimage" (10:38) Yes! (imitators) Then Genesis (with Jean Pageau-like vocal)! Some of the nicest synth strings in the final section I've ever heard! (16.75/20): - i. "Desert of Facts" - ii. "The Temple of Truth" - iii. "The Quiet Room"

2. "The Voice of the Waves" (3:08) The Waiting Room? and then, what? (8/10)

3. (a) "Crownshine" / (b) "Allthetime" (10:50) too much cliché bombast. Sounds like Head East, Styx, Starcastle, Kansas, Uriah Heep, and Camel. (16/20)

4. "The Tower" (9:47) Just bad--vocals very pitchy and lyrically ridiculous. (15.5/20)

5. "The Voice of the Evening Wind" (4:23) bar far the best song on the album. Gorgeous! Especially the gift that is the gorgeous voice of Poem Atkinson. (9.5/10)

6. (a) "Yettocome" / (b) "Itmightbe" (16:42) I swear in Beau West I'm hearing a clone Jean Pageau! The music is competent but totally prog by-the-numbers. (24/30)

7. "Wait" (5:12) a very upbeat, bouncy, polished pop song in the vein of Sweden's Moon Safari. Nice. Maybe this is more of the direction Shane should take this band in. The Jean Pageau reminders continue but the musica accompanying Beau is nowhere as rich and mature as that of Jean's MYSTERY compatriot, guitarist extraordinaire Michel St-Père. (8.25/10)

Total Time 60:40

C/three stars; a nice addition of pretty Neo Prog-by-the-numbers for any prog lover.