PROGRESSION BY FAILURE

Hand made with pride.

More and more solo projects are given birth these days, and many has a high level of quality; I'm thinking Willowglass and now Progression by Failure.

Some songs are kinda skinny, or maybe I'm not familiar with the style; many proggers are referring to Jarre and Oldfield, big names indeed! I was expecting maybe something thicker in textures, maybe some guitars. The drums are of course done very simply, and frankly it bugs me a bit.

But I'm saying:'Come on man, give a guy a chance. He's all alone. He excels in piano and keyboards, he cannot be everywhere!' And it's true: songs like Solitude of Winter are really painting the nostalgia of being lonely in the cold winter, thanks to a very nice melody.

Overall, the job of doing everything alone is giving me heartburns just thinking about it. So kudos to Progression by Failure for a decent job with catchy melodies and great keyboard.

Merci à toi Nicolas, tu as relevé un défi difficile avec brio. Continue ton super travail, on anticipe ton prochain disque!

How can one man produce something this damn good? I mean sure, both Anthony Phillips and Willowglass are brilliantly fine examples of what only one or two people can do together in a symphonic prog. context when some great themes are established....but Nicolas Piveteau's "Progression By Failure" is a step beyond anything I've heard from a solo project in this genre before, and much to my surprise it's got a spark that only comes around once every blue moon.

Perhaps what makes this stand out the most here is the often meandering, but very memorable and well performed synth-work. Although there are occasional fireworks within the playing, Mr. Piveteau understands quite well that its ultimately far better to emphasize motifs and intricacies rather than the technical explosions so atypical of neo-prog and prog. metal, and his restraint gives this debut work a lot more emotional and enjoyable leverage than it would have otherwise.

Highlights are numerous; the 22 minute finale title track is full of particularly sharp interplay, 'Memories of the Future' has some deliciously arranged dynamics, and 'Talion (my favorite piece here)' is chock-full of an old school classicism that I find quite very endearing. Furthemore, the production values are warm and fleshed out in such a way that your mind is drawn out unconciously with the proceedings.

So take heed folks; this instrumental escapade debut is the underdog gem-album of 2009, and without a doubt the best thing to come out this year in the prog. scene next to Maudlin of the well's 'Part the Second' and Lobster Newberg's "Actress".

Don't tarry; get this now!!!!

"I was drawn to this CD when I read Ivan Melgar´s glowing review and, after repeated listenings, I can say he is right on the mark!" wrote colleague Tarcisio Moura when etching his review into the PA monument. Well, I can only concur wholeheartedly! Thank you Ivan, you introduced us to a phenomenal debut album that has been causing a series of tremors in my recent prog landscape and perhaps even the winner of the best 2009 release. Yes, kids, this is a shocker that encompasses all the traditions of past glories while infusing ultra-modern textures and vibrant atmospheres. After a brief electronic swoop that stamps this as vintage 2009, "The Dialog with a Selfish" embarks on a thunderous all-instrumental journey that has one man band leader Nicolas Piveteau unleashing his phenomenal talent on a battery of keyboards, laying down the directional bass and the escorting drums. The synthesizers in particular can be both texturally cubic like Richard Barbieri or supremely soloist like Tomas Bodin or Par Lindh, for example. Nicolas' piano playing is of note as well, very elegant and refined in a neo-classical sense when needed. A tremendous entrance to say the least! "Memories from the Future" has a fanfare mellotron embrace that will knock your socks off, the slippery synth rolling atop the fluffy choir clouds and that ultra cool piano that alters the mood on contact. The romping bass swings delightfully while the organ shows pure bliss, in fact Piveteau reminds me a lot of Olov Andersson of Grandstand fame (a great Swedish band), tons of keys and no sight of guitar anywhere. The spectacular beauty of "The Solitude of Winter" has all the class of past glories, a drop dead gorgeous melody hammered out on piano that would make Wakeman, Fritz or van der Linden blush with envy. It's something one could listen to forever, romantic, ponderous, melancholic, poignant and heartfelt. The trumpet synth solo only increases the sheer magnificence, you have to hear this only once to fall hopeless entranced. After such a lovely escapade, Piveteau returns with a gloomier epic, "Desperate Anger" a dozen minutes of controlled fury with its insistent theme, jack-booted by a resilient bass and some savvy electronic orchestrations, almost like a soundtrack to some zesty sci-fi action flick. The tone gets even heavy and sweaty with brutal machine shop synths steamrolling mercilessly, a stellar slab of gleaming high-tech prog, twirling, careening, slashing and crashing with evocative splendor. Often for me in describing my fave genre, prog is a audio version of cinema where the listener can create its own virtual dreams and this fact is perfectly ensconced here as a mindscape of infinite freedom. Music should be inspiring and this stuff is. "Talion" is a revisit of more grandiose themes, a more organic and vibrant JM Jarre/Vangelis/ TDream with tons of mellotron, a divine and urgent synth bass and some memorable impressionist flavors. Again we have the perfect balance between modern and classical, between electronic and symphonic, always with that "je ne sais quoi" edge. Not many musicians have the balls to finish of their labour of love with a 22 minute finale, but since 44 minutes have gone by faultlessly, why not go for the jugular! The title cut contains 22 minutes and 44 seconds of sheer genius that ultimately confirms this as a 2009 masterpiece, a wondrously intense piano waltzes sensuously into the audio brain, a timeless synthesizer and a steady pulse slowly weave their charm and hypnotize, medicate and heal the wounds of daily life. I did not expect such a brilliant piece of plastic and I am blown away as I rarely need only one run through to go gaga because contrary to popular opinion, I consider myself quite demanding in terms of prog. There are structural similarities with Anthony Phillips' genial "Slowdance" and some Oldfield hints (Yes, Ivan, Tubular Bells is right) but this remains beautiful music, sensuous and sultry, evocative and reflective. The ability to foxily decorate with some colossal choir mellotron patches only increases the feverish adulation. Exactly half way through, there is a bass and drum excursion that while simplistic, still conjures deep new avenues for Piveteau's to flex his creative muscles. A magnificent ride is in the offing. I don't care if it's a debut disc (in my opinion, within recent progressive music, they are often the best anyway), it does not deserve to be intellectually belittled by its nativity and fully meriting a top score. If Nicolas has more to offer next time, heaven help us! Thank you Ivan 5 prog pacifiers

Stunning debut CD of this one man band that reveals the genious of french multi instrumentalist and songwriter Nicolas Piveteau. I was drawn to this CD when I read Ivan Nelgar´s glowing review and, after repeated listenings, I can say he is right on the mark! This is a fantastic work that blends very different styles and genres to produce a music that is, at the same time, original and accessible. What a rare chemistry!

The CD is a totally instrumental affair and is basicly just keyboards and drums but you won´t miss any other instruments on this very well balanced album. It is clear that classical music is the main influence, but there are lots of other sutff in the mix: avant guard, jazz, King Crimson, Erik Satie, prog rock, even thrash metal bits can be traced on some drums patterns and riffs. Some moments are almost chaotic but never to the point of losing its melody line (hence its link with some of KC´s best moments). Some parts are pure lyrical and very, very poignant (The Solitude Of A Winter is a good exemple), some are complex (like the opener Dialog With A Selfish), some are heavy,some are light. In common they have the fact that they are all great!

For a first album this is really a superb work, with a top notch production, fine mix, tasteful arrangements and mature compositions. It´s almost 70 minutes long and yet I think it is too short. I just can´t get enough of this. It´s very elaborate, complex, beautiful symphonic prog music at its best. I was a bit tempeted to give it 4 stars, since you always expect the following works to be better, but there is no way to deny that this is truly a masterpiece of progressive rock. 5 stars. Highly recommended!

Surprising debut

I read many comments in which Symphonic albums by new artists are described as "Retro Prog", a term with which I strongly disagree, because being influenced doesn't mean that the artist will copy what existed some decades ago. Well I wish this people would listen PROGRESSION BY FAILURE'S self titled debut, many would have to eat their words, because everything in this band is original, except the quality which is timeless.

As a breeze of fresh air the talented french multi-instrumentalist NICOLAS "NICORDAN" PIVETEAU presents us a new approach towards instrumental Symphonic Prog, it's true that the careful listener will find some KING CRIMSON, ELP, PAR LINDH PROJECT and even TOMAS BODIN reminiscences, but the sound is so unique and radically new that nobody can even imply he's trying to sound as anybody except as "PROGRESSION BY FAILURE"

The album is extremely complex by moments and soft peaceful on others, the composer blends with dexterity Avant Garde, Neo Classical and powerful Rock elements in such a way that even contradictory genres sound perfectly coherent and captivating, proving us that Symphonic Prog has evolved far beyond what the pioneers ever imagined.

The short introduction sets the machinery in motion with great mystery and immediately leads to "Dialog with a Selfish" an extremely complex song with a structure so elaborate hat reminds a bit of "Lark Tongues in Aspic", despite it doesn't sound remotely as KING CIMSON.

But then in a matter of second the track morphs into a Neo Classical passage only interrupted by the excellent Moog performance, a dramatic full of passion interpretation, pure Progressive Rock at it's best.

"Memories from the Future" start with a combination of Organ, Mellotron and drums which lead gently to an absolutely fluid passage in which all the instruments fuse in one unique sound.

The main component of the song is in the extreme drama, enhanced by the dark piano sections that again change into a different section with fluid keyboards, soft but energetic, never loosing the interest of the listener. But that's not all, again the song changes dramatically into a fluid and lush keyboard exhibition.

"The Solitude of Winter" is by far my favourite track, the piano display is simply delightful and delicate, but the best characteristic is the way in which the music grows in intensity and tension as it advances, hard to describe but easy to listen and suitable for any Progressive Rock fan, specially for those like me who started listening Classical music before Prog..................Extremely beautiful.

"Desperate Anger" starts with an electronic intro that suddenly changes into a Crimsonian collection of dissonant sounds and power..........But, unlike most bands who attempt this, is absolutely coherent.

If this wasn't enough "Desperate Anger" changes into some sort Heavy Prog in which the feeling of claustrophobia invades the listener, no blank spaces, no rest, just music comprised with horror to the silent spaces, again a great track.

"Talion" is a really impressive songs, even when I found the whole album extraordinary, this song proved me I was before a versatile composer, in this track I listen similarities in style JEAN MICHEL JARRE but combined with some sort of late Romantic music in the vein of Borodin, perfectly fluid and coherent with explosions of pomp and brilliant keyboards, this album doesn't have a weak moment.

"Progression by Failure" is closed with the title song, a very pleasant 22:44 minutes epic that consolidates my positive opinion about the release. This time the approach is totally different, it's some kind of MIKE OLDFIELD inspired Neo Classical piece, with soft changes and Jazzy leanings. everything flows so fluid until the eighth minute when a strong bass announces a change, again in the stylistic vein of "Tubular Bells" but of course with a totally different melody. After some more changes, Mellotron choirs and beautiful music.

I was tempted to rate this album with 5 stars, because I feel no flaw and, consider "Progression by Failure" a masterpiece, but everybody knows I never rate debut albums with the maximum, being that this would mean the author has reached his/her peak, and in this case I'm sure "Nicolas" and PROGRESSION BY FAILURE have much more to offer.

Really 4.5 stars, but being impossible in our system, I will have to stay with four solid stars and hope to listen from him soon.