BROTHER APE

Quality simian sounds

The is my first toe-dip in the land of Swedish band Brother Ape. I'm on my way to becoming an Apeist which is their pet name of endearment for their fans. This band's early work must have been much, much different because this is not a jazz-fusion group by any stretch. "First Class" is the latest installment of short releases by the group, an intentional move on their part as opposed to waiting and releasing a full length. I don't personally get that as a fan but I suppose in the streaming age it makes sense to keep visible.

Musically this is a delightful romp, highly energetic, bright, and melodic. No poop throwing from these great Apes. The band describes this one as having a "more progressive aura" than past work and I was hooked on the first play. Vivid, appealing melody from the guitars and keys mash with clever and inventive drumming, quite busy, like Gavin Harrison. Uplifting, power-pop feel at times, with "prog" presentation and wholly quaffable on the accessibility scale. Easy going, smooth vocals. I think fans of music from Phideaux to Elbow to Big Big Train would love this band. The electronic feel and soaring guitar of "Hina Surawa" could even recall latter day Mike Oldfield.

A nice EP and I hope the band goes back to the full length thing down the road. I'd like to hear more from these macaques.

Apparently the remaing trio of Brother Ape, Damicolas, Maxen and Bergman found a very good chemistry, as taped on the -at least- amazing ''Shangri-la'', so there were no further thoughts on replacing the departed Peter Dahlstrom.So the same formation was the one that recorded the band's third full-length album on Progress Records, simply titled ''III'', and launched in 2008.

There is some dramatic reduction of the band's early jazzy influences in this album, of course the combination of Pop, Prog and Symphonic Rock, as presented here, could be fairly called Fusion at some deegree, especially after the band has chosen a style full of quirky keyboards and tempo changes, but this not the Fusion as we know it from Jazz music, this is more of an intelligent blending between different Rock styles without significant jazzy elements.They sound a lot like FREDDEGREDDE, Sky Architect's CHRIS, maybe a bit of BEARDFISH and Bulgarians VIRTUEL, they offer a bombastic sound with poppy influences, catchy tunes and striking themes, but the musicianship remains at a very high level without being overly complex or getting lost in a labyrinth of odd ideas and virtuosic noodling.The sound is relying heavily on synthesizers/keyboard programming, powerful bass work and tricky guitar plays with both electric and acoustic passages and bits of sax, while one of the biggest weapons of the band are the excellent, well-worked vocal harmonies.Apparently they went for a wider audience with this work, mixing Pop with Art Rock, Indie Rock and Orchestral Music with sufficient results, however not surpassing the top quality of the previous albums.But they even can offer some even more serious Prog like on the fantastic ''All I really want'', a track filled with rare emotions due to the romantic vocals, and a very GENESIS/LITTLE TRAGEDIES following atmosphere with Mellotron samplers, acoustic themes, melodic solos and grandiose keyboards.

I am afraid this is not that fascinating than any of the previous works of Brother Ape, I guess becoming a bit poppier means you'll lose some of your dedicated, demanding fans.It's still a pretty cool work of Prog Pop/Neo Prog with tight songwriting, a very fresh approach and convincing compositions.Recommended.

This affirms what makes this site so very special. First, a big thanks to BrufordFreak and the review of the new Brother Ape album, Force Majeure. I went and downloaded their previous album, A Rare Moment Of Insight, based off his current review. BrufordFreak is absolutely right... how did that album get by us all??? It's progressive, fresh -- a sound that is very easy to get lost in. This album is a treat, perfectly executed and with great production!

I also agree, this is NOT a jazz rock/ fusion album and does not belong in this category at all. I'd have to say the band reminds me of a result of an unwanted pregnancy between Mystery and MuteMath and belongs in the Post Rock / Math Rock division. The drumming parallels Darren King's style -- a low-fi, bombastic, drum-n-bass approach, but the band has created their own thing here. The music has everything -- atmosphere, dynamics, electronics, unique musical explorations, creative arrangements and production, a great singer and solo sections that don't noodle on and on, but provides substance and gravity to the direction of the music as a whole. There is a spacey energy with this album that just flows. I've listened to the album 3 times in a row now and I'm finding new sonic discoveries with every listen. Will it stand the test of time? That's the test for 5 stars from this reviewer, but so far a solid 4+ stars.

Good ears BrufordFeak! Powerful stuff indeed. This is one of the better albums!

One of the poppiest records of the year from a "prog" artist, I find the upbeat joie de vivre spirit on this album, within these artists quite engaging and refreshing. Though I would not place it in the same hallowed ground as their previous effort, A Rare Moment of Insight-- which I not only rated a five star masterpiece but continue to declare as my favorite album of 2010--(and of which I am still the only PA reviewer !!!!)--this is still an outstandingly well- crafted musical journey. And, though the overwhelming sentiment expressed in this music is one of unbound joy (you can tell that these guys love their music--that they love playing music!), there are moments of complex emotion and complex music. Take the multiple layers of instrumental play in the instrumental title song: there are ambiguities, tensions and ambivalences being expressed throughout this song--in different sections and by individual instruments mixed into the overall weave. And though "The Mirror" has the same upbeat, fast pace as the light and happy "Doing Just Fine" there is a tension and underlying seriousness that makes one feel pulled both ways. They must be using major seventh chords--those magical four-plus-notes combinations which incorporate both a major chord and a minor chord into one--that is, those sublime chords that express the fullness of the human experience, the joy and the sorrow all in one. Think of Satie, America, Vangelis, Serrie, and Karda Estra and you know major seventh chords. I do agree with my esteemed prog reviewer Dr'mmarenAdrian that this group belongs in a sub-genre other than "jazz rock/fusion." As a matter of fact, I do not know why PA cannot accommodate a "by-album" categorization process instead of a one-time-and-forever pidgeon-holing of a band. Think of how eclectic, experimental, and ever-growing bands like Ulver ("Post Rock/Math Rock"), Big Big Train ("Crossover"), The Gathering ("Experimental/Post Metal"), Steve Hackett ("Eclectic"), Mike Oldfield ("Crossover"), Porcupine Tree ("Heavy"), Steven Wilson ("Crossover"), Airbag ("Neo-prog"), Motorpsycho ("Eclectic"), Anekdtoen ("Heavy"), Genesis ("Symphonic"--even their post 70s stuff!)) and so many others are forever biased in the eyes of newcomers because of their categoric assignation despite having produced albums from numerous sub-genres other than the one to which they were assigned. Anyway, sorry to go off on that little rant. Back to Brother Ape. Every song on this album has a maturity and high-level production value that the band may not have consistently achieved in the past. Also, the confidence displayed in these compositions is almost awe- inspiring: they have a sound all their own and are not afraid to stick to it. And they keep evolving, which is something I really admire in this business, in this day and age of formulaic comfort zone composition and performance. This is, I admit, a bit too poppy to be considered as a masterpiece of "progressive rock music." Still, it is a record that I highly recommend--if only as a refreshing alternative to the current retro/neo trends in prog music.

There is only one song on this album that I do not consider a five star, nine- or ten-out-of-ten piece of high quality music. Quite a beautiful journey, this. Give it a try. Then treat yourself to 2010's A Rare Moment of Insight.

Brother Ape is said to be a jazz rock/fusion band. I wonder why when I can't hear anything of it on this record. A Facebook comrade suggested this band for me and I grabbed it happily with my common curiousity.

A prog band from my own country Sweden, Brother Ape which has done six records since 2005, amongst which the first one is highest ranked, was then my prog rock record for today. "Force Majeure"'s cover is black and shows an individ in a mystical shape. The record musicians are Stefan Damicolas(guitars, lead vocals and keyboards), Gunnar Maxen(bass, keyboards and vocals) and Max Bergman(drums and percussion).

This wasn't a record in my taste. I don't think it's prog and I don't think it's jazz. The sound was all too popular for me. What I liked on the record was that I find qualities in Stefan's voice which is bright and professional and some songs was quite nice such as the title track "Force Majeure" or "Life" which had a nice melody. The other songs didn't caught me at all. I heard some form of profession but it sounded wrong.

The music is very honeyed and pop approached. I guess the other Brother Ape record are more progressive, but after hearing this I'm not so interested in acquiring the others. The best tracks are already mentioned and I would keep off the others. I rate this record 2,35 which becomes two stars.

Exactly at a time when Brother Ape were finding their way into the prog map with the first official release launched and a good contract with Progress Records, the band had to face the departure of Peter Dahlström, who quit for personal reasons.His bass and keyboard duties were entirely taken over by Gunnar Maxen and the lead vocals are delivered by Stefan Damicolas, heading for a second album.''Shangri-La'' was released in summer 2006, supported again by Progress Records.

The abscence of Dahlström fortunately had not a big impact on the band's inspiration, which continues to be a fantastic amalgam of vocal-based Art Rock, pastoral Symphonic Rock and powerful Fusion.The choice of the remaining trio was to offer short but very rich compositions with mind-blowing changes between sounds and styles, working extremely well with the presence of some lovely vocal harmonies.The album is full of clever compositions, ranging from energetic rockers with polyphonic arrangements in the vein of A.C.T., smooth symphonic soundscapes heavily influenced by 70's GENESIS and tremendous and viscious Fusion pieces with ALLAN HOLDSWORTH-like guitar work and big time keyboard exercises.What makes ''Shangri-La'' so unique though is that this demanding musicianship is presented with a strong sense of melody and a nice amount of accesibility to make all tracks fairly memorable.The fantastic guitar riffs, the jazzy interludes, the symphonic keyboards and the excellent vocal work, all combined result a work, where melody meets complexity in a beautiful way.

Another winner from Brother Ape.It is sad the group has not gained the fame it trully deserves but do yourself a favor and chase this magnificent release.Highly recommended for all fans of fascinating Art Rock.

Since the release of their debut album singer Peter Dahlgren has left the band so composer Stefan Damicolas (guitars) has now taken on that role. The band is completed by Max Bergman (drums) and Gunnar Maxén (bass, keyboards, harmony vocals). Still very melodic the album has seen a movement in some ways more into the progressive field, and the change in singer has certainly meant that the band have lost the Styx element that was visible on the debut. Although the album is quite guitar oriented, the keyboards play an important part as does the bass playing ? this is because the bass sound is quite deep like Chris Squire but it is on a fretless bass which gives the sound quite a different tone.Since the release of their debut album singer Peter Dahlgren has left the band so composer Stefan Damicolas (guitars) has now taken on that role. The band is completed by Max Bergman (drums) and Gunnar Maxén (bass, keyboards, harmony vocals). Still very melodic the album has seen a movement in some ways more into the progressive field, and the change in singer has certainly meant that the band have lost the Styx element that was visible on the debut. Although the album is quite guitar oriented, the keyboards play an important part as does the bass playing ? this is because the bass sound is quite deep like Chris Squire but it is on a fretless bass which gives the sound quite a different tone.

This album does take a while to get into, just because there are different elements being used and I am not always sure that they are working as well as they could. The band are at their best when the guitars are rocking and the keyboards are riding right in behind, being driven on by the rhythm section. The vocals are still strong with loots of layered harmonies and the production (where the band have been assisted by Hansi Cross) is very strong. Highlight is probably "Lunatic Kingdom" where the vocals and music are spot on. I don't think that this is an essential prog album, but is one that should at least be heard.

During the new millennium, Sweden was consecrated as a prolific land for Progressive Rock fans, and some particuliarly loved acts such as Beardfish, Gungfly, Carptree, Agents of Mercy and Nightingale can show this. Brother Ape belong to this large array of bands: they formed in 1981, but they made their debut in 2005, with the great On the Other Side album, followed in 2006 by the object of this review, Shangri-La.

The trio, formed by Stefan Damicolas (guitar, vocals), Gunnar Maxen (bass, keyboards) and Max Bergman (drums), is author of a soft and catchy Prog Rock, clearly influenced by Camel and Genesis and characterized by energic rhythms and solar harmonies, enriched by the particular voice of Damicolas, who also makes a great figure as a guitarist; the fantastic opener "New Shangri-La" is there to show it, as it is a real blaze of sparkling and coloured melodies. There are some Jazz/Fusion digression, as you can notice by listening "Lunatic Kingdom", in which the trio makes foray in Methenian territories. The following track "Umbrella" is an acoustic ballad with a psychedelic flavour, while with "Inside You" Brother Ape travel on Hard Rock binaries, giving us a killer track thanks to triumphal melodies and an unforgettable refrain, that make this song one of the best on Shangri-La.

"Beams" and "Monasteries of Meteora" are two unusual tracks: the first one starts as a delicate composition full of mysterious and nocturnal atmospheres that hardens more and more until the final, while the second one is an instrumental episode with more intimist solutions, once again near to what Pat Metheny did in the '80s (Still Life/Letter from Home period).

"I'll Be Going" is a little masterpiece which thanks to its graceful and dreaming melodies brings the listener on a journey through pristine nature, in an explosion of warm and enveloping colors that draw unique and evocative landscapes. This quiet moment is destined to last very little, with the technique of the three musician which blasts in the acid Jazz of the short "Tweak Head", in which we have to signal the dynamic performance of the drummer Max Bergman. The calm is brought back again by a new, touching acoustic composition, "A Reason to Wake", in which the beautiful voice of Damicolas shines on an incredibly sweet web made of guitars and ethereal strings.

We are getting to the end of the album and the funky guitars of "Meatball Tour" have the job to bring some frenzy in the listener's ears, but once again this frenzy is suddenly damped by the marvellous ballad (with a Pink Floyd touch in it) "Timeless for Time Being", pearl of touching intensity filled with heavenly choruses and suggestive pompous keyboards, crowned by a guitar solo, whose value should be diminished by defining it as astounding. In the end there is the title track, revisitation in symphonic key of the themes of the opener "New Shangri-La".

Brother Ape with Shangri-La manage to create one of the most beautiful and well-played albums of the 2000s, a masterpiece that alternates exciting and light-hearted moments to more relaxed ones. A wonder to rediscover, by a way too underrated band.

This is the best Brother Ape album yet--and, because of its consistently high content and performances, one of my Top Ten of 2010. One thing this album has that previous Brother Ape albums perhaps lacked is GREAT production--sound is mixed VERY clearly (though the drums are often given a bit too much volume.)

"Juggernaut Now" [8/10] and "Ultramarathon" [9/10] have a distinctive JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE sound and feel to them--(except for the wonderful TREVOR HORN-like voice)--which makes sense since this is a three-piece rock band with a very active drummer. The whelm of MAX BERGMAN's frenetic pace and style (sounding a lot like KEITH MOON sans cymbol mania) takes some getting used to, but once past that you have some pretty amazing songs here. Some BLUE OYSTER CULT-like guitar riffs in "Ultramarathon" give it a varied feel, while the calming vocal and wild drumming continues to provide the tension to make the glue holding the song together.

"Chrysalis" [8/10] slows things down a bit and presents an almost DEPECHE MODE-OCEANSIZE marriage of sound. Cool song. I love that all of this album's songs have so many subtleties to be extracted from the music with each successive listen.

"Seabound" [8/10] has a bit of a feel as if FLEET FOXES or MOON SAFARI's vocal harmonies were singing over YES's "Turn of the Century." Very nice, quite nostalgic, song. Very nice acoustic guitar work.

"Instinct" [9/10] is my favorite. It has a lot of atmospheric sounds floating behind the drums: keys, vocals, even bass are very etheric. Great vocal melody lines (and, later, harmonies) and awesome lead guitar solo around the 4:00 mark. Love the spacious outro.

"Echoes of Madness" [8/10] is a great upbeat song with some very catching vocal hooks and chord progressions while constructed like a classic RUSH song. I really love the Alex Lifeson-sounding guitar sounds (the strums!) here--including the LIFESON-like solo beginning at the 4:30 mark. Great vocal performance (including the BUGGLES-like distant echo). Again, it's the little, subtle extras (the acoustic guitar work is awesome!) that make this song--and album--so amazing!

"The Art of Letting Go" [9/10] has a very emotional presentation and vocal performance. The way it builds--from plaintive STYX-like piano & voice to full blown ROBIN TROWER-like rocker--is, to me, reminiscent of many moments of the best of LED ZEPPELIN's sounds and style(s). Amazing instrumental section beginning at 4:45, repeated again as the slowly fading outro in the last minute!

The album wraps up with the gorgeous acoustic guitar piece, "In a Rare Moment." [9/10] It's a beautiful song quite reminiscent of something ANT PHILLIPS and MICHAEL HEDGES or ERIK SATIE might have collaborated on.

Excellent musicianship, beautiful song constructions, tons of layers of subtle sonic atmospherics, along with the very catchy, gorgeous TREVOR HORN-like vocals make this album one of my favorite discoveries of the past year. Whether or not I can honestly call it a 'masterpiece' is too early to tell. For now call it worthy of 4.5 stars, rated up for my excitement and HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION over this album, though I admit that its compositions are perhaps less than truly innovative or truly progressive. Still: Bravo, Brother Ape! EVERYBODY: CHECK THIS ONE OUT! You won't be disappointed!

Brother Ape is a fine combo featuring four talented as well as skilled musicians from Scandinavia. Stefan Damicolas (vocals, guitars), who is writing most of the material, Gunnar Maxén (bass, keyboards, vocals) and Max Bergman (drums, percussion). Peter Dahlstrom (vocals, bass, keyboards) left after the first album, but the creativity, smooth ambiences, rhythmic percussions, nice lyrics remained... If you liked "Shangri-La" (2006), you won't be deceived. If you don't know the band yet, forget they come from Sweden, for Brother Ape is closer to the Beatles, Kayak than Landberk, Anekdoten. This is refined but happy music. This is more melodic than labyrinthine. Catchy tunes, excellent vocals and arrangements. A good introduction to prog finally.