LYRIAN

Oh, what a wonderful album - especially for fans of Gabriel-era Genesis. I hear traces of other bands as well. Take the first long track, Three One-Eyed Gods: The mellotron is quite crimsonesque; later on, the sound of the keyboards get me thinking of Eloy and then the guitar sounds close to the edge of this formidable track strongly remind me of Yes' Soon. At the beginning of Sick Roses, Gryphon come to mind (no wonder, when the label is called Medieval Records). But the mood is definitely Genesis. Admittedly Peter G. is a much "better" singer, but the - in a lovely way - quirky vocals only add to the charme (well, not for my wife ;-} but for me!). And you can easily check if these work for you on Bandcamp.

So, this is a very retro affair as you might have guessed from the above but that is very fine with me as, all great news music aside, the 70s are my favorite eta, prog-wise. And Lyrian don't copy or steal songs, they re-emulate the spirit, so to speak. Lots of melodies, great arrangements and, er, it's a concept album, too ;-)

Lyrian is a dedicated medieval-prog influenced group that certainly carves their own destination, uncaring of any slight and that bodes very well for another mind-blowing adventure, as presented her on their third album, "The Jester's Quest in the City of Glass". I was very impressed with the band's debut album "Nightingale Hall", as there is a definite Tolkien-esque feel to their music, combining modern electronic keyboards with more medieval structures and inspiration. The eccentric guitar musings are heavily reminiscent of vintage Steve Hackett, what with all those glittering sustained notes played by John Blake, who supplies the narratives and at times, shrill, high-pitched lead vocals that owe more to castle troubadours than anything more modern. Tightly allied with a rhythmic tandem that blends in natural sounds as well as programming, there is a constant clash or interweaving of musical eras, harpsichord one moment and synthesizers the next. Whilst not adorned with the most glittering production or seeking to follow the line to success, these musicians are very intent on creating their own little universe, musical story-telling that was once, long ago, the 'raison d'etre' for the court minstrels, the troubadours and the jongleurs. Old world fantasy blended with new world technology.

"The Jester's Quest in the City of Glass" is functionally narrated, as any epic concept should be, a fictional adventure in a fictional world of fragile existence, generally as a spoken introduction to the tune to come. An opener like "A Million Stars" certainly sets the tone with some rather vibrant sonic extravagances, adorned by liquid synthesizer flurries and slippery electric guitar spells, all bundled up in massive melodic swirls that really hit home. Both following tracks, "Ancient Spirals" and "The Scented Chamber" evoke both a grandiose sense of bombast as well as profound lamentation. It's precisely this contrast between hard and soft, old and new that is so beguiling. The middle section gets a wider, more progressive berth, a series of longer pieces that have been lovingly crafted, such as the daring "Here Lies a Mermaid" with its initial acoustic drama that showcases the band's ability to articulate a fine yarn, excruciatingly delicate , sounding like Gabriel in a non-angry mood! Definitely one of the highlight tracks. The colossal "The Fall of the Cards" infuses a Trespass-era organ that haunts adoringly, Blake's oddball and very English vocals busy recounting the tale, part Ian Anderson, part Fish and a dash of insanity. There is a blaring synth blast that really shakes the ramparts, Blake's voice may take getting used to for the uninitiated but it's the correct, squeaky and baying tone one would expect from some unhinged modern minstrel. The sweeping synth is more Ultravox than, say Emerman /Wakeson but it really drills nicely into the storyline. On the equally epic, nearly 10 minute "Flight of the Enchanter", the keyboard maelstrom gets some serious added cavalry from the glassy guitar, the arrangement veering into multi-voiced melodrama, like a gentler Gentle Giant, quite a daring enterprise. And the voyage meanders further with more epic long tracks like "The Humours of the Grave" (7.56) and its woodwind sounds as well as the lengthiest piece here, the masterful "Mister Silver", clocking in at 10.16, welcoming the jester's arrival into the city with a long Hackett-ish guitar foray, arching far and wide into the skies, adding bombastic keyboard and drum structures in a highly medieval context, a very original style indeed. Adding modern accouterments like vocoder and synthesized snippets makes the whole banquet even more palatable. Lots of rhythmic twists and melodic turns, careening in various directions, the voice remaining strident and slightly demented. Another enjoying highlight, "I Trespass in the Kingdom of the Black Doll" is another acoustic ditty, aided by a haunting mellotron choir egging on a clear melody that woos the ear from the get go. The narration appears midway and it's squarely bizarre, fans of the obscure will adore. The recorder plays a massive role here, front and center, in full armor if you will. Great piece of complex music that sets the bar. "The Ship of Jesters" kills this mad dragon off, a fantasy finale in the making, booming drums from Edgar Wilde (a perfect Brit name, no?) and what sounds like an accordion , could 'the city of glass' be perhaps slightly Paris? The high-pitched plea keeps on giving, a sorrowful lament and a sad beat , waving a magical goodbye and hoping for another future adventure with 'wizards, mermaids and moons'.

Definitely a rebellious and idiosyncratic oddity that should please those fans who tire from any kind of formulaic prog. Some will love, some will hate and many will just enjoy. And so it goes in the City of Glass, everything being so utterly fragile.

4 minstrel treks

Lyrian is an intriguing prog-folk outfit from Oxfordshire, England, catching my attention in large part due to an ongoing fascination with medieval forms of prog, whereby modern instruments are used within 600 year-old parameters that have withstood the test of time and sound even more vibrant today. Gian Castello's two rare albums form the proudest segment of my voluminous collection, as I find myself transported back in time to a land of pastoral settings, castles and knights, damsels and dragons and minstrels and madrigals. Recent works by Faverola, Resonaxis, the Merlin Bird, Bededeum, Fauns, Ion, Minimum Vital, Motis, Shine Dion, Ton Scherpenzeel and Wurtemberg keep the flame going and might as well toss in Blackmore's Night while we are at it. They go hand in hand with Gryphon, Amazing Blondel, Malicorne, Holderlein and Ougenweide, as fine examples of the communion of past, present and future.

Their debut disc "Nightingale Hall" is definitely a mood enhancing voyage, as opposed to an overt technical display of dizzying chops, creating a misty foray into a mystic past, often minimalist in arrangement, yet heavy on creativity. Featuring lifelong friends John Blake and Paul W. Nash as main singers, instrumentalists and composers, they are joined by Alison Felstead on bass and vocals to create a rich tapestry of sonic magic, laden with fairy-tale fantasy and symphonic splendor. An opening "Prelude" sets the stage with various effects (it is a prog album after all!) and segues into the sweeping title track, a 17 minute suite that effortlessly glides through various phases of serenity, heavily dependent on the elegance of the piano and a lustrous guitar phrasing that is loaded with effects a la Steve Hackett. The stark male voice evokes a fragile lament, as the lush church organ booms forward, unrelenting. A soft pastoral section introduces an acoustic guitar-led bucolic and melancholic passage, twinkling brightly amid the gentle flutters of a distant flute. A flimsy filigree, a soothing pretense only to reboot the lilt in harder terms, drums marshaled and determined (they may be programmed), while the slippery guitar carves resentfully. The majestic organ once again takes over the realm, guiding the arrangement into a third expanse, a somewhat gloomier one, yet still playfully caressing their instruments. The bass sounds synthesized, a trait that proves the claim that Lyrian has covered Ultravox' epic and classic Gothic masterpiece "Vienna" and can be seen on YouTube. The bass similarities are striking and technically interesting as the ancient and modern unite in harmonious delight. Nevertheless the delicate folk tendencies are overpowering and utterly satisfying, with occasional swells of orchestrations that are straight out of classical symphonies. Crows caw, heavenly voices cry and the church organ plays the final farewell. Amazing!

The overt early Genesis tones of "The Summerhouse" hearken back to forgotten times, a world of tingling keyboards, whistling synths, acoustic guitars and light percussion, the brittle voice coming through the sunshine, as if good ole Anthony Phillips had shown up with his geese and ghost, 12 string not far behind.

Another whopping epic track is the 15 minute + "He Who Would Be Valiant Be", showcasing an uncanny ability to coalesce ancient stylings with modern musical accouterments, a rather original pairing in my humble opinion, making this theatrical endeavor highly entertaining. The boisterous synth patterns both lead, rhythm and bass, form a wide berth for the squirrely guitar to peel off some delirious solos, Gregorian chanting in the background, I mean this is a futuristic voyage back to the Middle Ages. The crestfallen minstrel hushes his lips as he retreats into the shadows, the velvet curtains now openly drawn, the magical lute laying on the banquet table amid the goblets and platters. The voice 'weeps for England', as the men march out the drawbridge, beyond the moat and the banners are flying high. Expressive musical genius!

The ringing of "The Chimes" announce the 'heroit' , the tribute in payment due to a lord or king upon the death of a vassal, a mournful and forlorn piece with twinkling keys that sound closer to harpsichord. Suddenly half way through the gentle gauntlet, the haunting pace revs up into a colossal procession with booming drum patterns and howling synthesized orchestrations, including a few tortured solos that sound like Billie Currie (Ultravox) revisited. I am thoroughly impressed!

Ah, yes my liege! Romance was created back in the 1100s with the incredible 'chansons de geste', songs of heroic deeds all aimed at eventually obtaining the heart of the damsel in question. "The Lovers Under the Trees" follows that wonderfully romantic premise, amorous flute and suave guitar strings, as the troubadour chants the poem of love and adoration. There is a reason the band is called Lyrian, as the lyric poetry overtakes the arrangement, creating a cycle of epic foundations, the screeching electric guitar attaining new paroxysms of intensity. The booming drums (though programmed) add a density of modernism that speaks volumes (the band members were once librarians!) to the band's vision and style.

The subtle flute and fluid guitar combine majestically on the sweeping and serene "Winter Song", a brief pastoral voice that seeks to emulate the barren beauty of the fields of temporary white. It sets the ideal table for another grandiose finale, this time a 13+ minute affair, "Lucifer" is its name. The piece starts out rather happily, a shrill voice that sounds at times like Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds, gaining in impetus as the organ layers begin their assault on the senses" Soon enough the eventual arrival of the axe guitar chops away at the flow, introducing a darker gauntlet, a moat of infested imagination, floating codpieces that wink at madly fluted Aqualung, choir and voice quivering. The angelic howl returns, as the night fades into the ghostly night, the somber bell rings the arrival of the inevitable knight, the chevalier of darkness.

Admittedly, this will not be everyone's cup of hydromel (mead), so be forewarned! If you don't get the premise, do not bother going on this crusade, it's beyond your ancestry! I just love this style of 'fairhead' prog. Love the 'pitchkettled' artwork

4.5 Thrush Manors

Pleasant keyboard-led Medieval storytelling, using the musical instrument effectively to create the mood of the period and of the story.

Drawn into this by the excellent 'Flight of the Enchanter', I was not to be disappointed by the overall album, which contains much variety within the constraints of the instruments used'

Atmospheric and gentle, a story is narrated in an unflustered manner, providing unexpected visualistations of a journey.

If there's one thing missing, then it's angst and drama, because the story unhurriedly and gently unfolds itself.

Comtemporary instruments are reigned-back to create the perfect mood, but this still remains modern music, beautiful modern Prog., no less.

As regards the singing, well it's the Jester after all, how else is he supposed to sound? It basically reinforces what you're dealing with here, story-wise. I didn't find it obtrusive after a while.

Gentle and pleasant, I more than rather enjoyed this album.

In a sea of "progressive" rock with autotuned vocals, overproduced and uninspired sounds, Lyrian stands out with a mixture of PG-era Genesis and British folklore with a lot of charme. Many nice keyboards sounds, over-the-top vocals that in my ears fits the production very well and interesting arrangements and narration. The fact that almost the whole band are librarians makes the project even more interesting. The whole story is included in the nice CD version of the album. I want more of this in Prog Rock anno 2016; Concepts and fairytales, folklore, fantasy and organic instrumentation. It is definitely included in my top 10 from this year (for now).

Skirting the edges of classic 70′s prog and neoprog, The Tongue of Angels and Men delivers a very thoughtful journey into a theatrical world of music. What initially caught my attention about this album was heavy blend of early Crimson and Genesis with loads of theatricality and a strong bardic approach. The presentation of music and lyrics really made me feel like an intended listener, as if the band were presenting itself to me directly. John blakes jester like vocals, while far from refined, are thoroughly narrative in their sound. He comes across as a very interesting vocalist, in my opinion; his tone is thin and his voice is feelbe, but in such a way to where its got a creepy vibe and carries with it the menacing sincerity of an old man telling you a haunting and ancient truth in a dark room. In terms of the instrumental performances, Lyrian's music is not the virtuoso type at all, but they offer a pretty enjoyable prog rock palette which includes pipe organs and synthesized woodwinds, always presented in ways that obviously and unashamedly avoid anything close to a modern rock sound. In the end, Lyrian delivers an album with a sound that seeks to take you back to more ancient worlds while maintaing a sound which very, very British. While some of the instrumental sections can be a bit long winded at times without offering strong instrumental hooks or flash, the extremely enjoyable vocals and narrative make the album worth a listen. Not a masterpiece, but a solid effort.

Paul Nash and John Blake have been friends since their schools days and the idea of coming up with a band and their own compositions was circulating since late-70's.However this project got late some 30 years, when Blake, Nash and Nash'es life partner Alison Felstead eventually formed Lyrian in Oxfordshire, UK in 2006.It took not very long for Lyrian to compose some new and fresh material along with some re-worked lyrics and music from Nash/Blake's early days that resulted to the first album ''Nightingale Hall'', released on their own Medieval Records.

This is a concept work, that deals with the story of a country house, from its erection till' its fire distruction.Musically the band shows some love for the early GENESIS days, when both symphonic and folk elements were major part of their music.So what the listener should expect from ''Nightingale Hall'' is some well-crafted musicianship, which switches from light Symphonic Rock to acoustic British Folk with careful structures and a dreamy atmosphere.Four out of the eight compositions are over 10 minutes long and they are exactly fitting the above description.Lyrian offer a good blend of acoustic textures with a bit too melodramatic still very clear vocals along with symphonic organ-arrangements and nice electric guitar work in the vein of HACKETT and LATIMER.It is always great to see a new band alternating between mellow, romantic parts to long dramatic instrumentals with some grandiose keyboard work with such comfort.Throughout the album Lyrian manage to create a very fairytale-atmosphere, very close to the concept, what is not among the positives are only a few overstretched ideas and the sound of drums, which seems like they have been programmed.

Attractive blend of modern Symphonic and Folk Rock by a band I trully consider talented.Keep an eye on Lyrian, meanwhile their debut remains a recommended release, especially if you like atmospheric prog adventures with both softer and richer moments.