SUPERMASSIVE

3.5 stars. This is PYMLICO's latest offering called "Supermassive" another bright, happy, energetic album performed by seven skilled musicians. We even get mister positive vibes himself Roine Stolt listed as a special guest playing lead guitar on "Clockwork". We get guest trombone, trumpet and fender rhodes on "Time Out" plus some lap steel on "Breaking Protocol". This is so catchy! My first listen was odd because it really skirts around to being too light and too smooth and the sax player has a lot to do with that. It's all that's keeping me from giving this 4 stars but I need some experimental bits, dissonance, darkness, deep atmosphere, something that isn't... well like this album. I want grit in my Jazz, dirty organ, fuzzed out bass, something! For what it is, it is an incredible recording. I really am drawn to their sound but as I mentioned they go into territories I'm not into.

There are pictures of the band in either the studio or rehearsal room with a couple of framed pictures including THE POLICE as well as David Gilmour. And yes we get some Gilmour-like guitar on this record from one or both of the two lead guitarists. And everyone is smiling. The Broter brothers(drums, keyboards) had a hand in composing all the music except for tracks 2 and 8 which were solo compositions by Are Nerland the bass player who actually adds some additional keys and guitar as well. This is an all instrumental album and for some reason I picture myself driving at night through Toronto when I play this. I haven't been the big city since Steven Wilson's "Grace For Drowning" show and I hope to never go again, I prefer the slow life up here in cottage country. But it's funny how this seems to be the soundtrack for such an adventure.

If your into the lighter more streamlined Jazz stuff please check this talented band out you won't regret it.

PYMLICO is the baby of Arild Brøter Norwegian drummer and organist who develops instrumental, progressive and symphonic music based on the fusion of different styles. A popular melodic atmosphere with variations helped by its brother on the Hammond organ, exploring singular sound themes leading to the cinematics currently in fashion. A 7th album that gives pride of place to playful, groovy sounds with sax soli and guitars as a high point; with crystalline, airy tunes on prog jazz fusion, AOR and pop. Known since 2012 for a sound reminding me of the great ANGEL and its gradual inroads, let's see where they are today. They opened live for MAGIC PIE, HFMC and PANZERPAPPA and worship the FLOWER KINGS FYI.

"Breaking Protocol" begins swing drums and trumpet duet; well the guitars arrive and set the mood, the percussion break shows its attraction to this instrument, a sax like 'Manpower' pub which you know is pointing the tip of its nose; last third spleen air to land. "Confusion" continues on this jazzy-soul-prog tune, an improbable mix of what could have been done in the 80's between Phil COLLINS and EARTH, WIND & FIRE or TEARS FOR FEARS, and on the soundtrack of the series 'Et La Fun Cruise; bucolic, synthetic space break, it goes high, the 80s are a long way off, we are entering the 2030s, proof of a creation that is still possible with a solo that David GILMOUR could have released, superb. "Clockwork" and KNOPFLER in intro for a pop prog mix on TFF again, TOTO, on AOR, I'll let you look for it, it's varied; we wait for the voice and it is a sax that speaks; a bit of BRAND X for the percussion and a finale with the contribution of the fingers of the great Roine STOLT. "Are We There Yet?" » on a smooth variation, with touching spleen, an air that takes you high for a long time, which can be listened to as background music, to relax one evening after an exhausting day; sax and synth break.

"Time Out" for the 2nd side, we sink into syrupy cotton wool, groovy jazzy synths, melancholy limits; it speeds up and the brass becomes omnipresent, perhaps a little too much for the proguous who feels the progressive color turning towards pink, nostalgic, astonishing; the playful air becomes dancing, be careful not to move your feet, otherwise your blonde will laugh at you turning your cuti! "Little Nellie" which leaves on the Frippian sounds of the 80's with a characteristic syncopation then I feel the zappaesque atmosphere, proof of the musical melting pot; alternating with an airy, padded, atmospheric break where the keyboards take precedence over wild percussions and it becomes much more jazzy atmo, in short disconcerting! "Doppelmayr" continues, a disconcerting title where atmo and electro also merge; no more guitars, it's synth and sax for a pop and fresh stratospheric flight. "WTG" and the last convoluted title, rediscovering a languorous tune where the guitar takes pride of place; the aerial synths, the bass drum base gives a progressive momentum before this melting guitar return; spatial break with voice-over and bass à la SERRA du Grand Bleu, uncompromising art-rock in fact.

PYMLICO releases an album that pushes the nail even further on the jazz-prog fusion, a crossover drawer that brings popular influences ranging from classical to folk; it's instrumental, rhythmic, fresh, airy and highly recommendable in an otherwise quite outdated sector; good time of chronicle, a good point that and the fact of not having seen the time pass makes me write that there is new blood in there.