SHINEBACK

In terms of memory sequence, I will mention TOTO, KANSAS, BOSTON (AOR version) at times, then SAGA, AYREON, THE CARS, SIMPLE MINDS, DEPECHE MODE, XTC and even TALK TALK!

In terms of titles, from a distance it sounds proggy, up close it goes all over the place, just enough to put the replay button back on! 'Lies and Consequences' catchy synth pop intro tune, a little techno, electro then the rhythm calms down a little too much, fortunately the solo mixing these different roots has the most beautiful effect. 'I Love You from Memory' starts with a haunting, plaintive, cool ballad and an overly plaintive voice, with a prog space on the piano, then it sounds like trumpets then an almost jazzy synth solo and a calm ending; "Consider Her Ways" has a strong voice in the chorus, on the other hand the tune is very catchy with SAGA and THE CARS in the crosshairs. Already "Dial" and a calm, gentle composition, almost a ballad bringing halfway through the title a sparkling, explosive guitar which will raise the moods and the memories, a real gem! "Here I Am" for a piece by AYREON, allowing your ears to be taken aback by all these musical influences.

"The Gentleman" airy pop air, almost post rock and an acoustic guitar bringing an FM title to the guitar and synth solo. Tracks 7, 8 and 10 lean towards electro pop synth for me, as if SIMPLE MINDS, TALK TALK and other DEPECHE MODE had given birth, one would even believe at a certain moment that the titles were made for the radios as the air is catchy: Electronic/dance/prog maybe. "Let Her Sleep" won't let you sleep! We have KING CRIMSON "Red" version, extreme looking XTC, even MARYLIN MANSON's phrasing, it's disturbing and innovative. My second favorite just before "Kill Devil Hills" and the certainty that the album is stamped PROG, a 14-minute track with calm, gentle upbeat then tortured solo before an ambient return around four minutes; crescendo and new enjoyable explosion of instruments before starting again with the measured tune of the beginning and a new solo departure with this time a guitar reminding me of Hassan's. A calm Genesisian ending.

Is it really five years since Simon Godfrey (Tinyfish, Valdez) presented us with the debut Shineback album? Unlike the debut this isn't a concept, but is very much a progression in terms of ideas and approach. "We humans do a marvellous job of failing to communicate with one another, often when it matters most", says Simon. "All the songs on 'Dial' carry that as an underlying theme. Musically, very much like the debut album and last year's 'Minotaur' EP, the new record seeks to hop the fences between genres, just to enjoy the process of getting dirty while in the hunt for buried sonic treasures". Alongside Simon's regular writing partner (and label mate) Robert Ramsay, guests returning from 'Rise Up Forgotten...' include Matt Stevens (The Fierce & The Dead), Dec Burke (Frost*, AudioPlastik, Darwin's Radio), Hywel Bennett (Dec Burke Band) and Henry Rogers (Touchstone, Mostly Autumn). New collaborators Tom Slatter, Daniel Zambas (We Are Kin), Karl Eisenhart (Pinnacle) and Simon's bandmates in Valdez Joe Cardillo and Tom Hyatt are also involved. There are quite a few people taking part, but normally this is just for one song (not all on the same one), so while there are five guest guitarists adding to proceedings, Matt and Karl combine on 'Kill Devil Hills', while Tom Slatter is just on 'Here I Am' and Hywel is on the title track, while Dec allows himself some real attack on 'Consider Her Ways' so it isn't really a guitar fest.

What really makes this work is the deftness and lightness of approach, with Simon using plenty of keyboards to create an environment for his vocals and ideas to really shine. There are times when the music is very much in a light, high register with virtually no bottom end, but this contrasts against a rocky approach, with the feeling that we are back in the early Eighties and synth-based power pop is the order of the day. Just listen to 'Consider Her Ways' and I can guarantee that you will soon be singing along with the chorus and petitioning Chief Elephant to get this released as a single. This is an album which is just plain fun to listen to, and Simon firmly nails his prog credentials to the wall by closing the album with one song that is more than twenty-six minutes long, and one that goes past thirteen.

In many ways it is a very modern album, also looking back into the Eighties and Nineties, bringing together multiple commercial styles with pop and prog to create something that is a load of fun, and never takes itself too seriously. The delicate emotional piano of the title song counterpoints what has gone before, and if ever an album deserves multiple plays it is this one as every time I have listened to it I have gained something else. When the debut album was released, BEM was very much in its infancy, but now is easily one of the most important prog labels around, so let's hope that this release gains the kudos and publicity it deserves, as this is a delight.

I must admit that I was lured into this album mainly because of the presence of one musician, namely Henry Rogers, a formidable drumming talent that has graced heavy prog bands such as Deeexpus, Final Conflict and Touchstone. He only appears on one track but it's the best one! The cast is furthered enhanced by the leadership of Simon Godfrey who also happens to front prog group Tinyfish. Throw in solo artist/guitarist Matt Stevens, Dec Burke (Frost, Darwin's Radio) and Deeexpus' Andy Ditchfield and you definitely got my attention. The final product is a radical departure from your everyday neo-prog formula, as there is a definite modern electronic sheen that is unmistakable. It's also a tad more experimental that just twisting modular buttons and switches, with a hard edge in some cases that will confound and stun the pigeon-holing prog analyst.

Definitely original while perhaps leaning closer to bands such as Underworld, Ultravox or current Depeche Mode, a track such as 'Is This The Dream?' really shoots for a different sound and one will hear the same harsh feel on 'Bedlam Days' that has a punitive riff and pounding drum beat, amid the voice effects, synth burps and metallic tinged rhythms. The delectable 'Fault Lines' is a ponderous electro ballad that features a sensational vocal from Mr.Godfrey , laced with some delicious electro pings and synthesized pongs that will wink at Thomas Dolby or New Muzik, two rather creative 'proggy' synth-pop bands.

That does not prevent any more bombastic experimentation, such as the synthetic power displayed on the thick 'Here Come the Envoys', all wired up with a fuzzy guitar solo that is more like Ayreon and funky bopping synths that give this a highly accessible but bizarre sheen. It's not quite commercial nor is it a dreamy atmospheric symphony, because the arrangement wanders into strange, almost experimental environments. Its companion piece, 'Fears Aren't Toys' has this heavier feel that is balanced with a more concrete style that is quite audacious, a sudden insane axe solo goes haywire before suddenly veering into minimalist floating that was nowhere to be expected!

'I Called Him in Vain' introduces a hushed and blas' female voice swerving amid swaths of electronica-fueled shimmerings, sounding more like the Canadian techno-pop band Delirium , a fuzzy poem of weirdness that suits the flow of the album , as well the rather psychotic subject matter.

Then you get more zaniness with the quirky 'Passengers', a bastard child of Ozric Tentacles and The Swans, hard-nosed pummeling and yet not quite easy listening (in fact, almost anti-melodic). This is a typical example of how hard it is to easily appreciate the merits of some (if not most) of the tracks here. Like dissonance, it serves the purpose of creating a special aura of unfamiliarity and angst, of discomfort as opposed to soothing. This is best expressed by the flat out dysfunctional 'XO VA VU', odd sounds, weird voices, strange riffs and a nihilistic backdrop of pain and confusion.

The epic title track is, in the end, the nucleus of this release and has all the ingredients of a modern prog-rock classic, a 10 and a half ramble fully propelled by the illustrious Henry Rogers, stunning anthemic vocals from Godfrey and a well-balanced piece of music that has appeal and density, a spattering of mellotron added to the mix for good effect. This is the piece that ultimately decides the merits of this album, a rather enigmatic release for even the most open-minded progfan. I suspect some will not like this much, but you have to give credit to the visionary courage in putting this sucker together.

Another fine ballad adorns this disc, 'One Last Perfect Day', featuring a bright melody that is hijacked by a sizzling guitar and then flung into another time zone, barreling rhythms in a frenzy and then reverting to a placid calm. Challenging and ballsy.

The final bell is rung with 'Myowndreamland', pushed along by another female vocal full of despondence and also a sense of hope. A vocoded male vocal adds a soothing counterpoint and a chainsaw guitar slices ahead, mercilessly. Nothing stays the same for too long, a slippery prog soap bar that requires patience, dedication, fairness and objectivity.

4 gleaming spines

This is a new project by Simon Godfrey of Tinyfish fame, and he has brought in some guests to work on a concept album which is interesting, compelling, dynamic and very layered. There are times when it is very dark indeed, which is not surprising given the subject matter. It is possible to read the complete story that goes with the album by visiting the website, but it starts with 'My name is Dora. I am, and have been for many years, a permanent guest at the Wychwood Centre for the criminally insane, for killing my father. Which I both did, and did not do.' Intrigued? There are parts of this album that blow me away with the sheer audacity of what is being done, and yet others where I shake my head and ask why?

I think that part of this is down to more of my own musical tastes than it is any fault with the album itself. I enjoy music that is primarily made by musicians, whether that be prog, metal, jazz etc., but have some real issues when it comes to any of the dance genres, or most pop in general, which I believe to be artificially created, often by those who have little or no musical talent or skill. So, when I come across an album which does feature some of these styles I naturally have some issues. When Fear Factory first hit the scene it took some serious listening on my part to be able to work out if I felt that they were doing something exciting and new or whether it was just an aberration (I decided on the former and was extremely vociferous in my support). But, there we had genres hitting headlong to create something new, and here there are passages where if it was taken out of context of the album then it could be played in the clubs in Ibiza. 'Crush Culture' is very much like this, and I know that this is just part of the story, but isn't the sort of thing that I listen to given the choice.

I have read a fairly lengthy review of this album where this is compared to 'The Wall', and the statement is made that if that album was written now it would sound like this. While I do feel that this is boundary pushing in many ways, somehow I don't think that this is in the same level of importance. When these guys were offered to the Crossover Prog team for consideration it was a fairly easy vote regarding the sub-genre, but I am still getting to grips with the album as a whole. It is an audacious piece of work, and I think that only many listenings will allow anyone to fully get to grips with it. 4*'s for now, but part of me feels that this just may be a 5* album that I have yet to come to terms with.