WOBBLER

First of all: no, it doesn't sound a bit like FRAGILE or CLOSE TO THE EDGE; the first thirty minutes or so kept reminding me (for some reason) of "Beyond and Before", the opening track of Yes's first album!

Secondly: are these guys for real? Oh, I know some of them are musicologists who love vintage keyboards and play krumhorns in their spare time, but... When they write songs about rabbits, fawns and faeries; when they pose for an inner-sleeve photograph with a stuffed owl and a stuffed fox and a load of (apparently) plastic food on the table, what are they trying to tell us?

What I mean is that most of Wobbler's MUSIC cannot be faulted ("La Bealtaine", the first extended piece here, verges on the tuneless - but let that pass). The bass, the drums, the guitars, the keyboards and everything else: it's all carefully thought through. You can listen to this music again and again; you will always find new things, and that's just the way it should be. When you finally reach "The River", the last extended piece on the album, it's... it's probably the best Yes-type composition to emerge from anywhere since Yes themselves released DRAMA!

But is it earth-shattering music? I tend to think NOT. I can't help comparing RITES AT DAWN with Big Big Train's ENGLISH ELECTRIC (part one) which sounded oh so passionate and earnest, and I must conclude something is missing: Wobbler never move me at all. What a shame.

As a first album, Hinterlands is a statement about Wobbler. They clearly possess an acute talent and sophistication to match, but have not yet found their intent entirely. The album is constituted by three fairly unstructured epic length pieces which showcase the band's abilities as well as their influences. Rites at Dawn was a clear homage to Yes, but here the inspiration is from more diverse sources like Gentle Giant, King Crimson (especially on Rubato Industry), ELP, Hawkwind and at times bears noticable resemblance to their space rocking American contemporaries Astra (Whose debut this album precedes by 4 years, I'll note.). As with Rites at Dawn, the influences are evident, but not overriding. Wobbler possesses its own brand restrained intensity embellished with European folk, classical and a hint of earthy Norse myth.

Hinterland is an excellent introduction to the band, and is an excellent progressive and symphonic rock album in general. I think the band's talents only continue to develop with time and are ultimately better applied later on, but I'd be completely remiss if I urged you to take a pass on Hinterland. It is quite pleasing for its own reasons. Four out of five.

First of all, a little digression: I do not think it's fair to review an album in a negative way, citing the fact that it is derivative. I mean, it's obvious that a lot of contemporary progressive music is inspired by the sounds of the classic bands of the '70s. I honestly do not see anything wrong with that. Although many bands of the 70s were in turn inspired by other bands of the 60s. Just think about the importance of the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper", Nice "Ars Longa Vita Brevis" and the early works by Procol Harum, for bands such as Genesis, King Crimson, ELP and many others. Provided that some albums are landmarks in the history of rock ("Sgt. Pepper" is definitely one of these, others may be "In The Court Of The Crimson King", "Are You Experience", "Ziggy Stardust" or "Tommy") the truth is that no one has truly invented nothing and all were inspired by others. Therefore, I believe that the only parameter for reviewing an album should be the quality of the music and certainly not the fact that it is derivative or not.

But...there is a limit to everyting!

Is certainly legitimate to be inspired by the sounds of other bands, not slavishly copy their style: and unfortunately, this is exactly what Wobbler does with this album.

For example, the long epic Hinterland seems a kind of homage to the Gods of 70s prog. The epic is the second track of the album, but it is the first truly significant: the first one, Serenade For 1652, is a mellotron brief composition that adds nothing to the album. The instrumental intro of Hinterland is clearly inspired by the first section of ELP "Tarkus" called "Eruption". Then, please notice the mellotron crescendo; the question arises: am I listening to King Crimson's "Epitaph"?. After about 8.30 minutes, Gentle Giant seems to be in action: what is this, "Octopus"? Then, there is a perfect reproduction of PFM style with the use of harpsichord and flute. In the middle of the long epic, the apotheosis! If you have read this far, I ask you to be patient and forgive me if I suggest a little game. This game is called: find the song below. It's not easy if you are unfamiliar with Italian language.

"Volto di luce, mi hanno parlato di te, la tua storia è nell'eco dei monti, troppo in alto per scendere in noi [...] Chiara essenza divina già si nasconde in chi sta vivendo il gioco del tempo nell'attesa di un'alba diversa."

You are Italian? Then, maybe you got it! The answer is "Zarathustra", a long epic by Museo Rosenbach. This is the first section called "L'Ultimo Uomo". After 13 minutes from the start of Hinterland there is an amazing piece of music. First a beautiful guitar/flute/harpsichord part in PFM style, then the voice singing a gentle melody and finally an amazing mellotron crescendo. Nothing to say about the beauty of this part, but too bad is virtually identical to "L'Ultimo Uomo"!

The title-track epic continues in this way. While listening, classic songs of ELP and Crimson comes immediately to my mind (for example "The Gnome" or "Pictures Of A City"). Again and again. There is also space for something contemporary, with part that reminds the Anglagard style, and then, after 28 minutes, the end.

The third track is in my opinion much better. Rubato Industry is the most beautiful song of the album. The intro is a bit insipid, but the rest of the song is very powerful and there is an amazing mellotron part in the central section. Then, harder passages with a lot of rhythmic variations and a convincing great end.

Clair Obscure, the last instrumental song, is probably the worst song. It is clearly inspired by the sounds of Anglagard, especially the "Epilog" album, but not reach those standards. The first part is very calm, with mellotron and piano, guitar and flute. In my opinion, this intro is a little boring. The rest of the song is more aggressive, but it lacks the tension that characterizes the best things of Anglagard and there is too much confusion. However some moments are not bad, especially the part that goes from minute 6 to 8, and the final section (with an effective reprise of the introduction theme).

In conclusion? Musically, I think Hinterland is an album with many ups and downs. There are some great moments especially in Rubato Industry and in the title-track long epic, where unfortunately the references to other popular songs of progressive rock are too obvious. In addition, many instrumental sections appear too elaborate and complicated: the result is a very cold and distant approach to music, surely technical but with little heart, I think. The vocals are also extremely disappointing.

I can rate this album with two or three stars at best. Ultsimately I decide for 2 stars and a final rating of 4/10. Only for hardcore symphonic prog fans, who love complex instrumental music.

Best song: Rubato Industry

Wobbler showed up one day while cruising Amazon and the cover attracted me. I sampled the album and decided it might just be good enough. Great choice!

A lot of people here have been pointing out the similarities to Yes, and certainly there are many similarities: electric guitar distorted and clean, acoustic guitar, all flavours of keyboards, cool bass guitar, choral-style singing, odd time signatures, and everything you could want in symphonic Prog, including flute! However, I don't think the vocals sound as Jon Anderson-like as some have written and the music sounds quite distinct to my ears. To say Wobbler sound like Yes is like saying Uriah Heep sound like Deep Purple. There are similarities but still enough differences.

The album opens with a short peaceful instrumental and then goes straight into the totally retro symphonic Prog of 'La Bealtaine'. We are off to a good start.

But it's the thrilling musical ride of 'Into Orbit' that is the first real treat off the album. Rocking with distorted guitar and some ripping organ and Moog solos, quick temp and time signature changes, slow moods and rollicking quick sections, this song has become one of my recent favourites. There's even a short vocal part that sounds like the Moody Blues.

'This Past Presence' opens with gentle acoustic guitar, flute and piano, accompanied by the vocals and a bit of mellotron. But about 1:40 into the song, the pace suddenly changes and there's a wild guitar solo followed by some fast fingers on the ivory before the pace slows again. The group chooses to stick with the melody and pretty music rather than jump around all over the place. There are some hurried steps and then a powerfully symphonic segment led by mellotron before shifting back to the rocking piano which supports a short flute solo. A cascade of piano notes brings the song to a close.

'A Faerie's Play' is the shortest song on the album, aside from the bookend instrumentals. It begins peacefully but quickly drops a Moody Blues-ish burst of drama, followed by a quick jazzy Yes segment, which then rolls of into something more like Glass Hammer. There's a marching snare drum, more mellotron, Moog, and just overall wonderfully crafted music. I find the vocals, though good enough, don't stand out as particularly skillful at times. Wobbler do a great job of placing just enough vocals into the music so that it works without ever becoming tiresome.

Next up, 'The River', and my favourite track off the album. A mini epic in composition, the song starts with an instrumental introduction in a rock out style with some sax that reminds me of King Crimson. Introduction over, a gentle and haunting clean electric guitar sweeps us to the first lyrics. Here I find the vocals sound a bit weak, but the building music keeps interest high. Mellotron. Flute. And then a very Yes-like shift, a softer segment, and an eruption of symphonic prog rock. I'm in heaven when the chorus comes in, three voices at least, singing a beautiful melody and one of the vocal highlights of the album.

The song pauses and enters a very classical-influenced instrumental passage where all musicians and many instruments contribute to one amazing piece of music. If someone asked me what progressive rock sounded like in a single-song summary, I'd have this song ready for their ears.

If I have anything to say negatively about this album it's that the vocals usually lack a little in skill. The opening and closing instrumentals might not be necessary but they give the effect of entering a special sonic place where this remarkable retro sound exists. Then we awaken and the CD ends. It's not a bad thing at all.

Finally, the length of this album is just right. I have listened to some albums that sound great at first but seem to overstay their welcome after 50 or 60 minutes.

I would love to give this album 5 stars. I was thinking to give it 4 and say 4.5 but as I listened to it again I found I liked it even more. A strike against it might be its retro approach or its somewhat weak vocals but I think it's a really well-crafted piece of work. Others have said Wobbler have really improved since their first two albums. If that's so then they have reached that high place. So I will give it 5 stars and recommend it highly. If you disagree with the 5-star rating you might still likely give it 4.

"Ludic" A swirling, malleable introduction waxes and wanes.

"La Bealtaine" Granular guitar and stout bass burst into the first song. There's the first of several incredible and creative vocal refrains, and the band shows how well they've evolved vocally through the use of counterpoint. Mellotron soars through at one point, while the rest of the ensemble remain consistent. Just over halfway through, a second impressive vocal melody comes through alongside acoustic guitar. If that isn't enough, Wobbler dazzles with a third. I am amazed how this composition flows, because when I think back on this album, my mind separates these melodies into different songs, so each time I come back, I am astonished that they are parts of one stellar whole.

"In Orbit" The lengthiest piece begins peacefully before a jarring guitar and bass interaction occurs. It temporarily subsides, revealing peaceful, Gentle Giant-like melodies. The fourth wonderful melody happens over rapid instrumentation. The fifth arrives just before keyboard solos that are both playful and more menacing. The remainder of the piece is reminiscent of Relayer, particularly "To Be Over," and is nearly just as uplifting.

"This Past Presence" Acoustic guitar and elegant Mellotron and piano weave a dreamy atmosphere. A rattling guitar solo fires off over a dense rhythm in 6/8. The final passage is soaring and brilliant, with Mellotron in both strings and flute mode.

"A Faerie's Play" Cascading Mellotron and loose drumming help make up a beautiful piece of symphonic progressive rock. This is, I must say, despite its ingredients, the most forgettable song on the album. It is not at all a flaw, only the weakest comparatively speaking.

"The River" The band adopts a sound closer to classic Kansas here (sans violin and with Mellotron, of course). Midway through gives us yet another fascinating vocal melody backed up by an interesting harmony and quite like Starcastle all around. A bass interlude leads to an instrumental section that once again reminds me of Kansas before launching back into that wonderful theme.

"Lucid Dreams" The final piece is an airy mood similar to the beginning.

As many other reviewers have noted, Wobbler have taken more than a modicum of inspiration from one of my personal favourite bands, Yes. Their general sound, especially the singing, is much closer to Yes' later work like Magnification, but their creativity and musicianship are more on par with Yes' progressive peak in the early and mid 70s. That said though, Wobbler is not out there to impersonate Yes. They draw some inspiration from other progressive acts like Gentle Giant, Genessis and Jethro Tull. Ultimately, no matter the inspiration Rites at Dawn is a triumph which belongs to only Wobbler.

The mood of Rites is somewhat moderate. It rarely jumps for joy, but doesn't hit the dumps like say the way Soon does after the cacophony of Gates of Delirium. The result is a very focused and jazzy core to the album which tends to progress in long arcs rather than spasmodically jumping between styles. And so, by necessity Rites is a tightly played and highly progressive package. So much so that the tracks feel like they bleed from one into the next despite there being breaks after each one.

I had given up hope of ever finding a modern symphonic album which was capable of electrifying me in the same way as the genre defining works of the 1970s, but on Rites of Dawn, Wobbler has proved themselves up to the task. I think other symphonic fans will feel right at home on Rites as well. It is a exemplar of the genre and such non-fans will loath it and those without strong feelings will probably remain unmoved. For my part, I am more than happy to give Rites at Dawn a 5 out 5 five. It's exciting to have a current band making music like this. I look forward to reaching into their recent past and even more so to seeing what the future has in store for Wobbler.