Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

ECHO STREET

Amplifier

Psychedelic/Space Rock


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Amplifier Echo Street album cover
3.81 | 218 ratings | 7 reviews | 19% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

Write a review

Buy AMPLIFIER Music
from Progarchives.com partners
Studio Album, released in 2013

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Matmos (8:12)
2. The Wheel (7:10)
3. Extra Vehicular (12:11)
4. Where the River Goes (6:33)
5. Paris in the Spring (8:34)
6. Between Today and Yesterday (4:55)
7. Echo Street (5:56)
8. Mary Rose (7:16)

Total Time: 60:47

Bonus CD-EP from 2013 Mediabook edition:
- Sunriders :
1. Spaceman (3:22)
2. Sunriders (4:42)
3. Never And Always (5:56)
4. Close (7:47)

Total time 21:47

Line-up / Musicians

- Sel Balamir / guitar, vocals, producer
- Steve Durose / guitar, backing vocals
- Alexander "Magnum" Redhead / bass, backing vocals
- Matt Brobin / drums

With:
- Charlie Barnes / keyboards, piano (4,5)
- Ben Evans / backing vocals (4)

Releases information

Artwork: Sel Balamir for Propeller Agency

2xLP Kscope - KSCOPE837 (2013, UK)

CD Kscope - KSCOPE249 (2013,UK)
2xCD Kscope - KSCOPE248 (2013, UK & Europe) Bonus CD (EP) "Sunriders" with 4 bonus tracks

Thanks to Ursa Minor for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
Edit this entry

Buy AMPLIFIER Echo Street Music



AMPLIFIER Echo Street ratings distribution


3.81
(218 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(19%)
19%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(47%)
47%
Good, but non-essential (29%)
29%
Collectors/fans only (4%)
4%
Poor. Only for completionists (1%)
1%

AMPLIFIER Echo Street reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by obiter
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Still the old hackneyed label of the most under-rated band in the UK. This is a return to the best of the early albums. Having said that this is definitely a "floats your boat" album. It either does or it doesn't. Mine's planing on a tsunami. This is exactly what I want from a prog album. It's now one of my DIDs (Desert Island Disks).

So the real question: what is it like? (I can't write that without thinking of the Blackadder spanish infanta: "But, what does he like"). Is this classic unmistakable Amplifier?: yes.

Well the next obvious question is: "If I haven't listened to Amplifier before what does it sound like: what am i getting myself in for?" OK, no band likes being compared to another but it's a review so I'll indulge you.

Right we have smatterings of Porcupine Tree (without the miserable "music to slash your wrists to vibe"), a sprinkling of Kings X in their Out of the Silent Planet/Gretchen/Faith Hope Love prime; and a hint of piquant Oceansize. But these are merely

Matmos is typical Amplifier, but the The Wheel is simply majestic. Layer upon layer: test your hi- fi: but not over produced.If I had a criticism it would be that the guitar tone lacks a harsher bite.

Extra Vehicular fades in, clean separated elements: guitar arpeggios, bass, drums. Maybe the bass is a bit too flabby & rounded. I liked the character of the Warwick that came through on the earlier albums.

I love the guitar tone throughout the album. it's clear that there has been considerable personal tweaking to get it just so. The acoustic has a lovely tone, it's not Andy McKee but hey.

Where the river Goes' vocals will instantly chime with Kings X fans

****** The Album cover

the first prog album I bought was Yes Songs the only reason I bought it was that it was a triple fold out and the album art was cool. Took it home & loved the music. For me that's always been a part of the prog scene. The slow demise of LPs has cut down that sense of pop art in your hands as you listen to prog but Echo Street is a marvellous piece of kit to own: it's a small hardback book. **** So a fab album to add to the collection. I think this is an important album as it helps define Brit prog at the time of PT's demise.

If spacerock is your bag this is an excellent must have. Otherwise it's good but not essential.

Review by Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars I'm such a huge fan of this band and have been since hearing their 2004 debut back in the day. The complaint has always been that they're not proggy enough but I have no issues with that at all. They are a four piece with two guitarists, bass and drums playing a heavy brand of Psychedelia and Alternative music but they do mix things up beyond that. We get eight songs and an hour's worth of music. Top three please...

The opener "Matmos" at 8 minutes gets us off on the right foot. It's so quiet to start with spacey sounds for a minute then strummed guitar almost baritone sounding joins in with vocal melodies. Reserved vocals just before 2 minutes. How uplifting is this after 3 minutes as the sound changes including the vocals. Oh my! Check it out after 3 1/2 minutes. Back to the mellow sound after 4 minutes as contrasts continue. Man they hit such highs on this one. Drums to the fore after 7 minutes during a killer instrumental section then it ends like it began.

"Extra Vehicular" is top three number two. Twelve minutes long and the longest piece on here. Sounds build beautifully as reserved vocals join in. The sound is rich with plenty of depth as it moves along in a relaxed way. Vocals just before 2 minutes and it all gets kicked up a notch a minute later. A heavy instrumental section starts around 4 1/2 minutes with guitar over top. Themes are repeated and how good is this? How about the guitar after 7 minutes and later after 9 minutes. Final top three is "Echo Street" for being this unique sounding song with distant sounding vocals crying out the lyrics. So much atmosphere that we're drowning in it. Those vocals arrive after 2 minutes along with vocal melodies later. Check out the guitar very late.

Tracks 5 and 6 are my least favourites but this is still a very solid 4 star album in my world.

Latest members reviews

4 stars Solid album! Several months ago I went through a few week stretch of listening everything Amplifier had released (and available to me). It's one of those bands that is very consistent in the quality of their output. Amplifier's signature sound and style is present in all of their albums and, if y ... (read more)

Report this review (#2503053) | Posted by Michael919 | Saturday, February 6, 2021 | Review Permanlink

3 stars 3.5/5 Amplifier is a band I have always found mildly frustrating, because their intricate space-prog sound is one that I feel I should like...but I seem to have difficulty doing so. I tended to love a few selected tracks over their discography, but could never manage to get through entire albu ... (read more)

Report this review (#1116236) | Posted by ergaster | Sunday, January 19, 2014 | Review Permanlink

4 stars 4.0 Stars. Echoes of the space rock past Echo Street is Amplifier's 4th studio album and their first release with KScope. This album also shows a noticeable change in the band's sound, as it contains significantly more Space Rock. The heavy Alternative Rock sound is still there, but it no longer ta ... (read more)

Report this review (#1047644) | Posted by LakeGlade12 | Sunday, September 29, 2013 | Review Permanlink

4 stars Amplifier have created a wonderful album with "Echo Street", completely different to THE OCTOPUS, which sounds more powerful. Echo Street is more melodic, it contains more progressive elements in the sense of psychedelic or folk sounds. The songs have a lower pace in contrast to The Octopus, b ... (read more)

Report this review (#1042597) | Posted by Memo_anathemo | Monday, September 23, 2013 | Review Permanlink

4 stars A band at the top of their game (8.5/10) Amplifier are at the top of their game, and their new album "Echo Street" shows this very clearly. As the band confessed in press interviews, Echo Street is primarily an album born out of necessity. With the planned follow-up to The Octopus, Mystoria, be ... (read more)

Report this review (#977011) | Posted by lukretio | Thursday, June 13, 2013 | Review Permanlink

Post a review of AMPLIFIER "Echo Street"

You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.