WITHER DOWN

The third installment from Canada's Monarch Trail marks perhaps their strongest album todate. With music as majestic as the cover art , this band really pull out a beauty here on Wither Down! Ken Baird (vocals and keyboards) has always had the symphonic tendencies in his music and you can hear his touch throughout this album....piano..synths and even recorder. Dino and Chris lay down some solid prog chops along the journey and adding in a few guest guitarists too (Steve Cochrane and Kelly Kereliuk). Musically this album has some of Monarch Trails strongest songs with MEGALOPOLITANA landing as my favourite song ! If you are a fan of IQ, Marillion. Mike Oldfield and in general symphonic rock, then Wither Down may just be your next album to purchase !.

Four years have gone by since the Monarch last left a Trail in the world of Prog, slowly emerging from the pandemic lockdown, fully stretching its wings, and taking liberating flight once again. Funny how stressful situations can inspire some (not all) artists to go deeper, further, and farther than ever before in the Olympic struggle to stimulate their muse and come up with some quality art. I cannot help noticing that besides clean and sterile hands, the lockdown has given inspiration a whole new dimension, a lot of soul searching with little to no (outside) distraction that may induce complacency or routine.

Ken Baird has awoken from the long hiatus and has worked on a follow-up third Monarch Trail album, the previous two having been very well received in Progland. I am sure that the surrounding beauty of Dundas, Ontario is most influential in massaging the muse, as this third opus clearly deviates from the Neo-prog labelling, as it is deliberately more symphonic in scope and texture. Ken has elevated his piano playing to glorious heights, using this most classical of keyboard instruments to set the melodic foundation of this compositions. Yes, it is very much ivory centric, but his faithful crew still supply the needed dynamics on guitars, bass, and drums, in order to flesh out the arrangements. Hello Dino, Chris, Kelly and Steve!

The opening title track has a running time of nearly 11 minutes (a bit beyond the neo time frame), setting the tone right from the opening notes, no holds barred. The piece just blooms brightly, led by that limpid and vivacious piano, picking up pace and delivering some lovely performances (Dino' s reptilian bass especially) along the way. Ken's vocal differs from the norm, strangely fragile and pained, as per the sorrowful lyrical foresight of the pandemic era but Ken informs me of the following: . "For sure, people will interpret it any way they want no matter what I say and of course that's kind of the whole point with songs, but I also like to say what happened, that it was all done just before covid. I mean JUST before too, I finished the lyrics and vocals off in Jan/Feb of 2020 and then covid hit in March. It was kind of weird!"

Two 6-minute pieces are up next, a more guitar dominated orientation as Kelly Kereliuk's axe sets the mood, with swerving motifs of varying contrasts, whistling synths and complex twists and turns. The lyrics hint at the 'condition' : " Trials of our lives , Laughing up our woes Sounds far away Of Engines and horns, Echo will still remain if we try And keep us still here if only time could be alive" Nice? "Canyon Song" is a plaintive lament at the start, offering an almost Genisisian feel, with Ken' brittle vocals until Kelly lets the guitar rip. After the fury, the serenity of a sweeping solitary and extended synth line, with partners bass and drums in tow, keeps the intensity palpable and dramatic.

Another 2 epic tracks follow, as the powerful mellotron introduces the forlorn "Waves of Sound" as well as tossing in a few French lyrics into the mix (real Canadian, eh?), a brooding melancholia that takes its sweet time in developing, blossoming slowly into a long carpet of moods and echoes, the piano solo rising over the mellotron waves is a thing of utter splendour. Very tasty indeed.

"Megalopolitana" is not only the leviathan piece here clocking in just over 15 minutes, but also the signature piece from this release, as it clearly hits all the pleasure nodes. Opening jazzy notes, breezy voices that evolve into a rather elongated foray into all kinds of areas of sonic delight, highlighted by a lovely parping and bombastic synth motif, straight out of the Tony Banks school of how to play a lead synthesizer, using emotion, grandeur, atmosphere, and passion. Kelly goes on an extended guitar rant of the finest vintage, expressively insistent yet highly expressive. Throw in a vocal section, a tremendous acoustic guitar showcase from Steve Cochrane and a final moody flourish, voila! This could have been a fine Anthony Phillips style epic! Easily one of Ken's finest compositions!

A sweet 6 minute + finale puts this one to bed, "All Kinds of Futures" (please notice the double plural) and seals the deal for me, as the liquid piano glides majestically across from one speaker to another, a faultless instrumental that also features French Horn, and Penny Whistle, loads of 'tron, bass, guitar and drums. Love it!

So very happy to see you back on the grid, easily one of the finest Canadian prog artists around. I urge you all to take the Monarch Trail, and if you stay in small groups, you won't even need a mask!

4.5 shrivelled behinds (not what you think , you lewd people)

This is the third studio album from MONARCH TRAIL and the best so far in my opinion. And how about that striking cover art and I'm guessing that's Lake Ontario. Ken Baird is the leader, composer, lyricist, vocalist and keyboardist of this trio which includes bass(Dino Verginella) and drums(Chris Lamont). Most of the guitar parts are done by Steve Cochrane and Kelly Kereliuk like on the first two albums. My first spin was a really good experience as it seems like it's been a while since I've heard some good Symphonic music with a lot of synths. This doesn't always work for me but I enjoyed this whole album from start to finish, it's very consistent. The opener "Wither Down" certainly stood out for me from that first listen along with "Waves Of Sound" and they continue to be the top two tracks for me personally. There's something about Ken's voice that I have liked from back in his solo days. The singing along with those GENESIS flavours that pop up once in a while from either the synths or vocals just make me feel that all is well on planet Earth at least for the 56 1/2 minutes of listening to this album.

"Wither Down" opens with piano melodies only but soon bass, drums and synths roll in as the piano fades out. Very uplifting stuff and GENESIS comes to mind with those synths when it settles back. Piano only once again and this happens again later. Man that piano is inspiring. Vocals don't arrive until after 3 minutes setup by the solo piano. Worth the wait. I like that slight change before 5 minutes as it slows down but becomes more determined including the vocals. Back to previous themes then waves of synths end it. Great track! "Echo" is surprisingly uptempo early and when it settles it really reminds me of GENESIS even Ken's vocals. Contrasts will continue. "Canyon Song" is a highlight. Melancholic with piano, atmosphere and reserved vocals early on. I like the guitar solo after 3 minutes as the vocals step aside. A spacey calm arrives before it kicks back in.

"Waves Of Sound" is 11 minutes of bliss. Synths come in waves as distant vocals join in with beats and bass. Just love the sound of this one! How majestic and beautiful does this sound after 4 minutes as the piano plays over top with drums and bass creating the base. So good! "Megalopolitana" is the longest track at over 15 minutes. Spacey to start with flute-like sounds and piano. Drums will eventually join in with bass around a minute but vocals don't arrive until after 2 minutes. I like this. Synths lead when the vocals step aside then we get an interesting guitar led section 5 minutes in. Love that heavy sound after 7 minutes. Vocals aren't back until after 9 1/2 minutes. Guitar will replace the vocals but Ken is back singing in a calm 12 minutes in. Synths then lead to the end.

"All Kinds Of Futures" is a very strong closer. Opening with keyboards tinkling away before synths join in then a full sound just before a minute. It settles back quickly though with bass, drums and synths. The tempo will continue to change. Is that organ? Yes it is followed by drums then more organ as the piano continues throughout this section at a torrid pace. First time I thought Neo was when it changes before 3 1/2 minutes. Piano only ends it.

In my opinion this is the best MONARCH TRAIL album I have heard. Getting darn close to 4.5 stars. So many highlights.

Canadian Ken Baird making his third attempt to broadcast to the world his reverence for all-things Tony Banks.

1. "Wither Down" (10:53) like something from Tony Banks' first solo album (though perhaps a bit better). The vocals are near-unlistenable--reminding me of Chris Squire's pitchy, strained, solo attempts. (15.5/20)

2. "Echo" (5:59) a little more complexity here. (8/10)

3. "Canyon Song" (6:32) Not seeing any above-average quality or creativity here. (7.75/10)

4. "Waves of Sound" (11:00) pretty but seems to exist solely for the purpose of placing the listener into a Mellotron coma (which can be a very pleasant place to be). Love the treated vocal, French lyrics, and free-walking bass. (16.75/20)

5. "Megalopolitana" (15:18) Kudos for Ken's sidemen for doing their best to breathe some life into this one. Some of the instrumental activity is rather interesting. The vocals (and lyrics) weigh it down (again). (24.25/30)

6. "All Kinds of Futures" (6:47) To give Ken some credit: He is one of the more gifted Tony Banks imitators--as well as one of the more spot-on Genesis re-creators. (12.25/15)

Total Time 56:29

A collection of very pretty music that sounds exactly like most of the TONY BNAKS/GENESIS-worshipping Neo Prog coming out in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Competent, rich in full keyboard sound, and pleasantly melodic but, ultimately, too derivative/imitative--and poor sound quality.

C/three stars; a nice collection of pretty exhibitions of Tony Banks worship that could be relegated to the "collectors only" pile were it not for their competency in Genesis recreation.

Keyboardist Ken Baird's band project alter-ego Monarch Trail is a Canadian group enhanced by superior session players, with 2021's `Wither Down' being their third release to date. The trio, completed by bassist Dino Verginella and drummer Chris Lamont bridge the gaps between the defining symphonic prog masters of the Seventies, the sleekness of the Eighties acts that came to be aligned with the `Neo-Prog' tag and the modern retro revival. This means that at any time, they call to mind anything from classic period Genesis (just without the theatrical vocals), Pendragon, the earlier Glass Hammer discs and even the colours of the numerous Karfagen works.

Most of the pieces found on `Wither Down' are framed with vocal bookends that give way to lengthy and dramatic instrumental flights of power peppered with a gentle elegance. Ken has an earnest and wistful voice, whose lyrics are vague and cryptic yet rife with surreal imagery, but it's in the constant keyboard-dominated instrumental runs where the album sails to its greatest heights. Baird can turn atmospheres between light and dark so effortlessly, and the combined musicians here cram the disc with endless memorable and melodic themes.

The eleven-minute album titled opener offers lengthy instrumental passages of light prettiness with darker flourishes laced with unease, all carefully balanced despite unpredictable jumps in tempo back and forth. Ken's sparkling piano is a constantly joyful highlight throughout (almost channelling the grand pomp of Renaissance, both here and really throughout the entire disc), Dino's darkly murmuring bass purrs invitingly and Chris' drums stride purposefully. Pay close attention to the blissful sighing outro too!

The Jadis flavoured `Echo' delivers several fleeting heroic synth themes, darting between slowly unfolding drama and sprinting bursts of energy. `Canyon Song's vocal driven beginnings are introspective and softly melancholic, but the second instrumental half of dreamy keyboard soloing lifts the piece into glorious symphonic skies.

`Waves of Sound' reveals subtle drama and careful restraint with a fleeting New-Age gentleness (there's almost a fairytale- like quality in parts), as well as some of the most elegant and serene Mellotron caresses heard in years. While there's teases of folk and jazz touches sprinkled throughout the dreamy Moog runs of symphonic epic `Megalopolitana', it's Kelly Kereliuk's electric guitar soloing that ripples with tension and spectacle. Final instrumental `All Kinds of Futures' is then a classy closer, a Rick Wakeman-esque fanfare of fuzzy danger from looming organ and sparklingly pretty piano.

Careful listens reveal each piece on `Wither Down' to be so carefully jammed full of a dizzying variety of fancy instrumental touches from highly skilled musicians, and the constantly uplifting qualities that emerge from all the compositions are hugely appealing. The disc may be a little meek for some, but lovers of unashamedly romantic and symphonic progressive rock of the vintage variety will adore so much of this winning third release from Monarch Trail.

Four stars.

A great journey!

One of the pros of being involved into the prog realm is to know talented musicians around the world who share their music in a personal way, this happened to me some years ago when I online met Canadian talent Ken Baird, he kindly shared his latest solo album, and later he introduced me to Monarch Trail, a great project in the neo/symphonic prog vein whose first two albums entered to my ears on a regular basis.

And in 2021 after pandemic times, the band released their third studio album entitled 'Wither Down' which besides having a beautiful cover art, comprises of six solid tracks that make a total time of 56 minutes. It starts with the title- track, 'Wither Down' and of course the first notes had to be piano/keyboards, it's like the band's signature. Several layers and textures are offered through Baird's hands, however, they would not succeed without Dino Verginella's bass and Chris Lamont's drums. The song has several passages, it constantly changes and we can listen to some classic prog bands reminiscences such as Yes, which immediately came to my mind when Baird's vocals started. Then the piece goes through some shiny and peaceful passages, it has a bright vibe and even some relaxing atmospheric moments. There's also an instrumental passage I liked a lot around 8:30 minute, where bass and drums go a bit faster and all together create a charming episode.

'Echo' has a bombastic start, then it slows down and all the musicians show up their skills in a great way, including Kelly Kereliuk's guitar, and later the energy returns with lush keyboards and that powerful sound. This song has several tempo changes and when Baird's solo appear at 3:30, I bet the name of Genesis will appear in your mind. This is a great track!

With 'Canyon Song' we experience a wonderful contrast, because first a gentle sound surrounds us, delicate, soft, charming, led by Ken's voice and piano, and then little by little some drums figures appear, opening the gates to a new structure and a diversity of elements, having the boiling point when the guitar solo starts. Yes-like vocals and harmonies appear here as well. The contrast comes after 3:30 minute, arpeggio, nice bass lines, drums and keyboards create a celestial moment.

'Waves of Sound' is a great track, as usual it has several changes, showing the great compositional skills of the band. This time at the beginning they surprise us with some French vocals, alternating with English ones. And after some 2 or 3 minutes they even bring a touch of jazz and folk due to the guitar and a pastoral sound. Later we are once again taken to heaven, where a beautiful combination of mellotron and piano appear, while bass and drums keep the constantly interesting base. But wait, at minute five a darker sound appears, changing our mood for a brief moment, while some new age-like keys appear, reminding me a bit of Mr. Wakeman.

The longest epic comes with 'Megalopolitana', whose 15-minute length is a feast of prog rock and its diversity. A classical and pastoral introduction, then after a couple of minutes vocals enter for the first time and the rhythm changes, here the name of Yes came to my mind once again, which is nice. As you can imagine in such a long track, there are several time changes, most of them marked by Baird's great keyboard skills, but there is one I like a lot after minute 5, led by Kereliuk's guitar, it is captivating and even addictive, emotional, and it lasts for several minutes, so it is a great journey. Then it slows down and seconds later vocals return. So the music goes and flows, giving us more changes, like small episodes of a novel.

And the album finishes with 'All Kinds of Futures' which is a wonderful keyboard-driven track that blends classical music, neo prog and symphonic prog, and I don't know if I'm wrong, but I think here we can perceive some of Baird's main influences such as Rick Wakeman or Tony Banks. Great closer!

Congrats to Monarch Trail, it was worth the wait, and hope they keep creating music this good.

Enjoy it!