CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX

This record is filled with melancholia, with Pink Floyd-like guitars, and some very good melodies. The only exception that really surprised me was the last rack that has nothing to do with the rest songs of the album! But nothing! Is like they have added a song from another band! Further than this, all the other songs are very nice songs, that I really enjoy every time I'm putting this album to listen. The 'hit' song here is 'We forgotten who we are' an 11 (almost) minutes melancholic tune, but the best moment for me is 'Fantastic Justice'. That song impressed me from the first listening, and is still my favorite. 'Bastogne Blues' is a simple anti-war ballad refering to the battle in the French town of Bastogne in the 2nd WW. (For the ones that doesn't know and want to learn, I strongly recommend the book or the TV series 'Band of Brothers'), and as for the cover version 'Of a lifetime' is surely a good one, but everytime I listen to it, I always put the original Journey's version afterwards...

In any case I surely recommend this album, especially to the younger Prog music fans, cause the sound will be closer to them, than the older ones... My Rating will be: 4 stars...

'I, Vigilante' is a beautiful mix of Prog Rock and straight-forward Post-Rock.

'I, Vigilante' is Crippled Black Phoenix's third album already. According to the popular legend of music-wise artistic maturity, the third album is always the gem. This album in particular is a solid proof that most of the time, that statement is strangely true.

'I, Vigilante' is one of those albums that isn't quite for everybody: whoever cannot stand retro-melancholia should avoid this at all costs. Pink Floyd influences are everywhere in this guitar- driven Prog Rock LP, from the soothing guitars, to the soft vocals and the blue melodies. Flavors of Post-Rock can be easily sensed however, mainly because of a strong presence of cellos, piano, and various keyboard effects. Again, this is an album that is not one of the most cheerful ones out there: extremely melancholic in its nature, it does however push away any extreme negative feelings such as despair and grief. It is, simply, a beautiful record, composed of rich sonic textures, and at the same time being very straight-forward and dragging.

The genuine sense of melancholia and retro-feeling that invades the forty five minutes of length explore different worlds in each song: 'Bastogne Blues', possibly the most delicate and beautiful track of the album, faces themes of war traumas and nightmares: twelve minutes of slight climax, it has one of the most original sounding hooks of the entire album. 'We Forgotten Who We Are' has a more conventional feeling, but still remains a unique piece of work, for it's thought-provoking structure and lyrics concerning the death of traditions. 'Troublemaker', the opener of the album, is another highlight, once again being able to be original by using a quite conventional hook that reminds of the band's direct influence, Pink Floyd. But here there are also heavier, stoner-like guitars which give a different twist to the sad picture the song paints. 'Fantastic Justice' and the Journey cover that ends the album ,' Of A Lifetime', are two really good composition that, even though not adding new ideas to the album, still help in reinforcing it.

'I, Vigilante' is a beautiful mix of Prog Rock and straight-forward Post-Rock. An album that however isn't quite digested at first listen: certainly a grower, even for fans of the genre. But when the taste is acquired, it's hard not to catch it's strong emotional charge and not to glimpse the gloomy, yet haunting world it portrays.

This Scottish supergroup is no newcomer to the post-rock genre. Having members from many important acts of the 90s, such as Mogwai and Electric Wizard, one would expect quality from anything CBP puts out. While it still has all the conventions of your typical post- rock piece - introductory monologues, long guitar passages, and droning vocals - it takes inspiration from far too many other artists to stand out on it's own. From the very get-go, opener Troublemaker comes across as a worthy Pink Floyd tribute rather than an original musical escapade. While the instrumentation is solid without, again it falls flat with the nature of its execution. It was Gilmour I heard in the guitar, not CPB, and that's what bothered me ever so slightly.

Thankfully, as the album progresses, it matures, becoming far more flavourful and enjoyable. We Forgotten Who We Are is the album's strongest point, with a hauntingly sinister tone and an almost ethereal sound, a progressive masterpiece. It is on this track that we see CPB expand into their own territory. Rather than building upon the foundation of other bands, the band begins to draw out what *they* would like to sound like over the ten minutes rather than *who* they'd like to sound like. Fantastic Justice is a great piano-driven song, with Joe Volk putting forth his very best vocal performance, eluding the listener for another quaint eight minutes.

The last three tracks of the album are difficult to rate; while it is certain that Bastonge Blues, a harrowing, war-torn ballad, is pure bliss, Of A Lifetime and Bastonge Blues are lackluster at best. While I personally enjoyed the two cover tracks, many listeners will shy away at the prospect of a minimalist, modern Journey cover followed by a TV theme song cover. Not the wisest combination, but alas a talented attempt.

'I, Vigilante' is still my favourite post-rock/progressive album of the past two years. The dark, foreboding theme is enough to keep me coming back in the dark of the night when I have nothing better to do but pass the early hours with some thought-provoking music. A must- have, even despite the lackluster Journey cover.

But Stephen! You might be saying. The shortest song is 2:31, not just under eight minutes - and it is two tracks after Bostogne Blues! Are you sure you listened to the full album?

And I will respond that yes, I have listened to the whole album, but the last two tracks really feel out of place here. These are covers, pop songs, sung by a different vocalist than the rest of the album and have a completely different feel. The last track, Burning Bridges, isn't even mentioned on the cover and could be considered a bonus track, but I like to do the same with Of A Lifetime as well. They really feel out of place on this slower, more atmospheric rock album.

At first impression coming off as a Pink Floyd tribute circa 'Wish You Were Here,' it wasn't long before Crippled Black Phoenix's third studio album 'I, Vigilante' showed a much wider range than what I expected at the start of my first listen. In a year blessed by a handful of astounding surprises, this melancholic rock group has created an album that begs for repeated listening, but despite some moments of real beauty and force here, there's the unsettling feeling throughout that despite all efforts, the album's great sense of promise is never completely realized.

While the opening guitar solo of 'Troublemaker' could have easily been pitched out of David Gilmour's songbook, Crippled Black Phoenix soon develops their sound to incorporate a great deal many more influences and sounds, although the sharpest resemblance to another band's style would be akin to Sigur Ros, with a melancholic, brooding and minimalistic post-rock approach being used for the most part of 'I, Vigilante'. On top of the Floydian themes being overtly used in the opener, 'Troublemaker' quickly works it's way into being a bluesy stoner rock number that surely echoes the band's association with Electric Wizard. While the song's slower groove feels like it drags on for too long, it is a promising entrance into 'I, Vigilante,' and it's straightforward, rocking nature is then starkly contrasted with the more subtle, delicate tendencies of 'We Forgotten Who We Are', a piece that when coupled with the third part 'Fantastic Justice' (which it segues seamlessly into), makes a nearly twenty minute long post-rock epic. These two songs share musical ideas and a similar, mostly instrumental approach that arguably works out to be the album's cornerstone experience. A minimalistic, gradually building and very introspective style works wonders after twenty minutes, and by the time it's over, some of the musical ideas- particularly those involving piano- may feel as if they were drawn out a bit beyond their welcome, but the effect of it is still beautiful and as good as any other post-rock released the same year. 'Bastogne Blues' is next, feeling like an old western film soundtrack bathed in the post-rock treatment, and gently driven by the quiet vocals of Joe Volk. The cello work works perfectly over the gated electric guitar, providing a perfect spiritual closer to the main body of the album.

Of course, there have been two tracks yet on 'I, Vigilante' that are yet unaccounted for. This is where the album begins to lose a great deal of it's magic, in no small part due to the fact that for the album's closer and reprisal (bonus track), Crippled Black Phoenix opts for a pair of covers. The first is a Journey cover of 'Of A Lifetime', which while it is performed quite well, it feels shallow compared to the lush work in the previous four tracks. An all-too repetitive central riff and some iffy female singing makes it a pretty poor note to leave the album on.

While 'I, Vigilante' shows a world of promise in some of it's stronger sections, the album's weaknesses rob it of being a completely satisfying release. However, had the two final tracks been replaced with even just a single extra original track, 'I, Vigilante' would certainly be an album to stand out above it's peers.

Actually, looking past all of the mismatched sounds, this album is technically well done. Its saving grace, really. If you are a fan of all the different styles presented, you may find yourself taking a lot more enjoyment from this than I did. There is no denying the individual talent of each musician, and once they can all come together and agree on a direction the releases to come have the potential to dazzle. The track "Long Cold Summer", however, just has no business being on the album. The reason that it is so hard to make a fantastic album over an hour long is because there is always the possibility of wasted space, and that is all this track is. The worst part is that it is situated in the middle of the record and it really does suck the life out of the listener and make them not want to carry on with the ending.

Technically masterful, but essentially a poor debut from Crippled Black Phoenix with no direction and too much grey area. Look to the future for their brighter moments.

Music itself is slightly different now as well, but in general still is same psychedelic post-rock with light indie smell in moments. Compositions are down/mid tempo, melancholic, usually keyboards based, but always with characteristic post-rock guitars over it. Even if music in whole sounds melodic, there are no bright tunes or memorable songs on this album.

Quite pleasant listening, but you will forget it at the same moment when last songs sounds will disappear. Your average psychedelic post-rock band's album, with all pros and cons.

Leaving behind the post-rock approach, CBP manage to sound more mature and still a lot like a 70's band, at least on the compositional and orchestrational level. There are no striking Pink Floyd influences here, and all songs serve as the vehicle of bringing the band's social and anti-war (but still very introvert) lyrics to the listener.

1. "Troublemaker" is about Guy Fawkes, the 5th of November 1605 and The Gunpowder Treason. The songs starts in a doomy and melodic spirit, builds slowly and speeds up after the five first minutes in a style reminiscent of heavy prog 70's bands before a magnificent slide guitar solo and a slow ending.

2. "We Forgotten Who We Are" continues in a more melancholic mood. The piano intro is followed by a cathcy vocal line (some alternative influences here) and once again the things get heavier and more progressive and there is another great guitar solo in the end.

3. "Fantastic Justice" is a rthymical mid-tempo song with simple lines and melodies and really interesting (and kind of peculiar) lyrics, so personal that they are hardly understandable, and yet seem like a dreamy confession.

4. "Bastonge Blues" is an anti-war song about the battle in Bastonge (Belgium) on December 1944. Typical of CBP, this one progresses slowly and its second half (instrumental) sounds like a soundtrack for the courage of the 101st Airborne Division (the lyrics before that were from their perspective as well).

5. "Of A Lifetime" is a cover of Journey's debut (1975) opener. The female vocals give a different aspect to this all-time favourite. The truth is that CBP respect the original version more than I expected. Even the guitar solo is basically the same as Neal Schon's, only a bit simpler.

6. The album closes with another cover, this time "Burning Bridges" originally of Mike Curb Congregation, which was used in the war film "Kelly's Heroes". This is the weak point in "I. Vigilante". The song has nothing to do with the rest of the album, being much softer and happier. I got really confused the first time I listened to the album.

Highly recommended to all fans of atmospheric slow/mid-tempo prog and post-rock.