ECHOLYN

3.5 really

Echolyn's second offer from 1992 named Suffocating the bloom is one of the most important and loved albums from the '90s, that' for sure, with this release the band reach a new level in prog music with intricate complex music perfect for prog rock listners. I know previous this album, 2 more albums of theirs, Mei and As the world and find it very enjoyble and tight. This album is no less perfect then those two albums, but , there is a but sometimes the music has no direction and is little over the top. Anyway a lenghty album with lot to offer and with memorable parts, specially the first side of the album. The second side is dominated by A Suite for the Everyman, an epic clocking around 29 min. The interplay between musicians are excellent and has some great guitar parts and fine druming. Lots of complicated moves here, with intricate powerful passages. I like this album , but I prefer Mei, as their best Echolyn album in my opinion, still Suffocating the bloom is a legendary album in prog rock zone that any serious fan of the genre must listen at least once, they will have some nice surprises there. 3.5 stars, good towards great but not excellent.

Splendid opera from one of America's finest exponents of challenging rock music, Suffocating the Bloom gives meaning to the phrase 'magnum opus' and showed everyone what ambition really is. Unaccountably, someone at Sony recognized the same thing and Echolyn was given a major deal. The rest is history but it reminds of how times have changed. Had it been 1977, the band surely would've attained the mythic proportions of the superbands of that era. Or perhaps they have. Either way, we have the music, and for that we're grateful.

Frequently loquacious and not always pitch-perfect, Suffocating is not without flaw. But that's exactly what a thing like prog rock needs from time to time, something to work against the technical demands and penchant for precision, to lightly aggravate with a pinch of sand the oiled wheels of such a high-performing unit as Echolyn. It is a comforting indication that these are still just five guys from Pennsylvania. There is a longing here, a passion for their music and what they know is possible, and that's nice to have on record. '21' wastes no time presenting the motif, imagination on high as reflected in the thoughtful lyrics and Ray Weston's heady, Michael Sadler-like vocals. Sprightly and nostalgic 'Winterthru' follows where more distinct Saga colorations begin to peak out that will resurface throughout, and workingman's daydream 'Memoirs from Between' is full of great little changes and surprises.

A bit of pastoral Genesis for 'In Every Garden', a magnificent centerpiece with subtle ecologic statements and emotional chord progressions, and the Becker & Fagen influence is heard in 'A Little Nonsense' (not to mention a Willie Wonka reference sure to please boomers who know there's only one Wonka). 'One Voice' carries a mild Gentle Giant flavor but frankly the comparisons to that band are exaggerated; Some nice dynamics and vocal chorales for 'Here I Am', a terrific cut easily missed; And the disc finishes big with twenty-eight minute 'Suite for the Everyman', a distractingly impressive epic far too involved to describe here. Let's just say it's worth catching. In fact Suffocating the Bloom is, it must be said, a must-have for anyone who appreciates the creative struggle, that seemingly endless climb not to the top of the charts, but to the center of your self. I approve.

(9/10) A blend of the finest music, distilled in two luxury casks.

I've found the similarity with a long-aged, precious whiskey to last work by Echolyn indeed really fit. How else to describe the flavors, and the long persisting tastes after each sip (spin) of one of the 2 CDs that make up this jewel? I wanna make it clear: I cannot give this one 5 stars, because they already had it for "Mei" and "As the world"; I wouldn't be trustworthy If I gave another one, I would look too biased. And a point less is also for the less dynamic rhythm with respect to "The End is Beautiful" that was a great feature. But,... now let's look at the pure gold in this bottle(s): Echolyn starts with a blast, "Island", that's a 17-min incredible piece, that would suffice for everything else. And followed by a 3-min straight pop tune, that is so good. And then again a rollercoaster (at mild speed...!) of hooks, melodies, great tunes...all carved down to the very last note. I've found myself thinking that not any single sound is out of place, or redundant: anote, a chord, a sound, a drop of nectar. A Michelangelo's stone sculpture in music. Now to stay in tune with this marvellous band, I'l finish my review here, not to be too indulgent with myself. This is my last review of the year 2012, for my best record of 2012.

This heavily praised album is, for me, missing the grit, life, and grist of other echolyn albums. It is a collection of homogenized skim milk. It is simple, thin, watered down prog, albeit pleasant but lacking substance, lacking warmth. It's like kissing your sister, like a fourth place finish at the Olympics, like the taste of artichoke without butter. The first song takes six and a half minutes to hook you in and then just teases you until the final two minutes (which are, I must admit, sublime). My favorite two songs, "Past Gravity" (7:10) (9/10) and "Speaking in Lampblack" (10:45) (8/10) are both pleasant, rather laid back, kind of STEELY DAN/BILLY JOEL-like mainstream-friendly compositions. The album's final two minutes of barbershop fun make me wonder if the band has any more left to give--kind of a feeling I get through this entire listening experience: life is hard, maybe it's time to die.

Hands down, the prog album of 2012. Yes, it isn't exactly what you'd call traditional prog once you're out of song one "Island", but if you like a well written song, well recorded and with a unique Americana flavor meets prog, go no further. I've taken the journey with Echolyn since AS THE WORLD and they've had emotional heights all over their discography but they've really outdone themselves on this release. They sure had enough time to get it together but it's quite amazing how they have created such a work of beauty in such a long incubation period. Echolyn is a national treasure yet an acquired taste.

After a roughly seven year wait since The End Is Beautiful, my expectations for the eighth Echolyn album were pretty high. This American quintet has been crafting top-notch prog rock for many years now, and after such a long break, one would only imagine that the band has returned more inspired than ever - and this imagining would be correct. Echolyn's 2012 eponymous observation shows the band at a creative height that has effected one of the year's finest masterworks. A virtually perfect album in all regards, Echolyn is one of the must-hear progressive rock experiences of 2012.

Some of the earlier Echolyn outings like Suffocating the Bloom and As The World were frequently noted as sounding like an updated, more melodic version of classic Gentle Giant, but the band's newer releases have moved in a much more symphonic direction. Beginning with the sprawling 49 minute epic masterpiece that was Mei - a choice in songwriting that was certainly never attempted by Gentle Giant - Echolyn moved in a direction that was more symphonic and melodic than some of their earlier works. 2012's Echolyn shows the band coming full circle as a melodic symphonic prog act, but they have (fortunately) not sacrificed what made them so special in the first place. Echolyn is still as instrumentally capable as ever (just listen to the opening of "Island" if you're unsure of this) and the vocal harmonies are pure bliss, but truly moving melodies have been incorporated into their sound more than ever before. While I've considered Echolyn among the elite modern prog acts long before this album was even rumored, the flawless mix of technical prowess and breathtaking melody showcased here makes it a serious contender for the band's finest outing thus far.

It's also worth noting that Echolyn sounds more 'retro' than any of the act's previous albums, to my ears at least - Chris Buzby's choice in keyboard tones stays within the palette available to players in the seventies', with most of the keyboards being presented in the form of piano, organ, mellotron, and analog-sounding synthesizers (think something that Tony Banks would've used on A Trick of the Tail). The warm and organic production also gives the album a bit of a retro flavor, but the real treat here is in the music. Compositionally, this observation treats the listener with some of the best that modern prog has to offer. Many of the songs linger around the ten minute mark, with "Island" being the longest and most traditionally 'progressive' of all the tunes; the challenging opening sequence and frequent time and key changes make this energetic track a perfect way to open up the album. The excellent melodies in "Headright" and the tremendously beautiful "Speaking in Lampblack" (which may be the most emotionally moving song I've heard all year) are probably the most unorthodox songs here by Echolyn's standards, though both fit perfectly in the context of the album. "Some Memorial" and "When Sunday Spills" are also favorites of mine, although the reality is that I've yet to find a substantial fault in this observation - this is simply a monumental effort from Echolyn on all fronts.

This album served as my soundtrack for most of the summer and fall of 2012, and even though I've heard a lot of other excellent albums this year, I still find myself returning to this one time and time again in December. Ray Weston, Brett Kull, Chris Buzby, Paul Ramsey, and Tom Hyatt are musicians of the highest caliber, and this observation's seamless blend of old and new ideas results in a listen that doesn't lose its shine even after dozens of spins. Echolyn is the sort of album that should be taken as a 'modern classic' - an observation that, if there is any justice in this world, should be looked back on decades from now as one of the the definitive prog albums of its era and a true masterpiece in every sense of the word.

Echolyn is typically a difficult band for me to evaluate. From the albums that I have listened to, I know I like their music, yet I'm not sure what exactly it is that I like about them. They are known for their quirky, off-beat, Gentle Giant-like rhythms peppered with intricate vocal harmonies.

This particular album consists of two discs and a total of eight songs. While the first song ("Island") is quite good and interesting, the rest of this album does absolutely nothing for me. I wish I could better articulate why I find it so lackluster, but there's not much to say other than there is nothing over these two discs which grabs me.

The lyrics are fairly dark and brooding with the music sometimes (but not always) following suit. As a result, the listening experience (especially when accompanied by the unimpressive cardboard case) leaves me cold and wishing I was doing something else.

Based upon others' reviews, it would appear that I am in the minority when it comes to this "self-titled" album. (Self-titled is in quotes because their first album was also self-titled creating unnecessary confusion, in my opinion.) Perhaps I am missing something even though I've listened to this well over twenty times. It is not in my nature to give a negative review, especially of a band that I really like.

Echolyn took the risk of putting together lots of music in a double album format, but for me it doesn't work because there's just not enough interesting music here.

"Mei" was recommended to me a while back and as soon as I heard it I was completely mesmerised by its beauty and its power. Echolyn begins this epic 50 minute journey in a quiet mood with tranquil atmospheres and very emotional vocals. The music builds to a loud explosive sound with Hammond blazing, guitars crashing and fast paced bass and drums over more aggressive vocals. It settles again with acoustic vibrations and piano with a haunting vocal. It seems to be drifting in a new direction after the outburst, like being in the eye of the hurricane. The vocals are mixed to the front and easy to decipher, with such poetry as "The wipers move back and forth confessing, The scenes pass through my eyes, Slipping through darkness, Deeper than oceans, The miles can't purify, My dashboard glows cold liquid red, The miles tick on and on, Rainfall adds to a beat, lamenting, What's been said and done."

After this there is an incredible build up of sound with hammering Hammond and an odd time sig and I reminds me of Gentle Giant in their most quirky mood. The lyrics "Out here there could be giants" further confirms the influence. The vocals are more forced "I want to walk in their shade, Introduce me to a brand new kiss, Help me forget my love." An instrumental break fires up and that stabbing Hammond staccato rhythm is incredible, and the music locks into a 6/8 sig and then a lead break follows, and the Gentle Giant sound is prominent. This is a fantastic piece of music and feels quite dark in texture especially with the angular guitar riff with muscular tone, leading to the next verse "Sky has opened, Suppose I could ignore the rain, Should I listen to all that's golden, And the ghosts of its curse."

Finally the intensity dies down with a threatening sustained organ chord and some wonderful guitars. The harmonies are well executed on the next verse, and it moves along on a jazz fusion vibe, with some odd tempos. The music has already won me over totally and we are only at the 17 minute mark. I love the way the tension and release dynamics are so prominent and pour out the emotions of the journey that the protagonist is experiencing. At this point I can tell what the story is portraying, a man driving in a car running from his pain, a lost love, a broken relationship, and the search for hope when his world has turned to pain, a search that takes place in his mind as memories flood over. His twisted memories eventually will lead him to crash his car. The roads and mountains are psychological elements of his mind as he searches for meaning in a midst of turmoil; a road trip designed to search for meaning.

The music seems to twist and turn like the highways stretched before the protagonist. As he revels in his regrets and guilt the music becomes more intense. There is a lot of religious imagery and allusions to war and the symbolic taking up of arms in a war torn scenario. One can take this to mean that the man has been through hell and back and towards the end it appears that the crash changes his perspective and he is bed ridden, perhaps an invalid or in a coma. This is a theme taken up on Ayreon's "The Human Equation" and Spock's Beard's "Octane" where the car crash leads to a coma and a catharsis for the victim or an epiphany leading to a change of heart towards themselves and others. The crash comes in the lyrics "I hear the road beneath my wheels, Spin and roar, Spit my teeth blood and tongue, Dashboard Jesus on the floor, Smoke and glass, twisted steel, Hard to catch a breath, Hard to pay from all of this, Devil in my ear."

After this the music detours into a quirky time sig and very cool guitar riff over very strong drums and bass. The Hammond and guitar duel at the 31 minute mark is delightful, then it locks into a relaxed melody. The struggle between good and evil seems to be the plight of the protagonist and he finally admits he is sorry to his lover. We hear it over and over on a loud speaker, which may be from the grave. The music intensifies again as the next verse is heard with the aggressive sustained howling "No more wishing you away". This is as heavy as the music gets at this point and it builds to a massive wall of sound. The shimmering Hammond releases finally and the sound of rain coming down is heard as an isolated piano comes in. The beauty returns to the epic and a violin compliments the mourning of the victim as his regrets are heard, "Where was my time for you, It was lost on a thousand reasons." The sadness of the scene is very moving and augmented by a melancholy guitar instrumental and the sound of birds twittering, and then a car driving by.

The pace picks up in a more bright tempo and the return of the shimmering organ is welcome, and it is building to a happier riff. A fast heavy rocking riff locks in and changes the atmosphere, one of my favourite sections of the track. "Separate the useless from the green, Keep me safe, I will do anything it takes, To feel the sun again" signifies that the protagonist is now lying in a hospital bed and is helpless, or is he dead and we are hearing his regrets from the grave.

The music takes on a dark quality as we hear more of the memories of the protagonist and then a heavy riff crashes through, with those Hammond splashes consistent. At 43 and a half minutes the drums begin a new sig, and are more forceful, the sig changes again with some nice harmonies and sweeping strings. The funky tempo punctuates the atmosphere in sporadic bursts, and then a rocking riff locks into place, to make room for a fantastic lead guitar break. This is followed by buzzing retro synthesizer, the band are in full flight jamming up a storm, and then there are sledge hammer crashes of organ and guitar. The vocals have more optimism, "I am ready to receive".

We are nearing the finale and it feels like the song is preparing to end, which is sad as it has been so brilliant. The final section is a lone acoustic strumming over gentle vocals, "My hope is a coin in a shattered fountain, Distorted, Out of touch, But shining through." After one final stirring lead guitar solo and some peaceful keyboards it comes to an end.

This is a genuine masterpiece of some of the most soul stirring music I have encountered. Everytime I hear it, it sends chills through me, and it inexorably led me to more of this incredible American symphonic band. "Mei" is one of the greatest epics and is highly recommended for all of the above reason; a triumph of exquisite musicianship and innovative prog.

New ECHOLYN album, I confess that I know very little about the band, I do know their classic album Mei (2002) and I like a lot their second one Suffocating The Bloom (1992). But my knowledge of this American band pretty much ends here.

I've been following reviews lately for most of known bands, and this one has divided opinions. Maybe that's why I would avoid the album a bit. Echolyn (2012) was released in June and it's their first record in 7 years, pretty much the fans thought the band was dead. Maybe they had decided to break and felt that was not the right decision, I don't know. Maybe some techincal difficulties, cause it seems the album has being recorded since 2007.

When it comes to the packaging in Echolyn (2012) I have to say that I really don't like it and don't understand the band's decision of a double album when it could be easily fitted into a single CD. The LP edition would be double anyway they didn't need to do the same on the CD, the price is likely to go higher that way, for everyone. Anyway, 70 minutes is always too much for me, I don't like long albums and prefer the old school 45/50 minutes of music. Maybe the intention was to impress, because double albums always impress...

Talking about the music, when the album begans I felt SPOCK's BEARD, especially in the synths riffs, but was just a small impression, I liked the general feeling of the keyboards that Chris Buzby delivers, lots of sounds going on and I like it. Another good point in the album: Tom Hyatt bass in the first track. I just love this kind of sound he has got, unfortunatelly isn't like that on the whole album. As soon as Ray Weston starts to sing you notice the personality of the band, then you can actually 'see' ECHOLYN and the melodies are beautiful most of the time.

Have to say that 'Headright', the second track, sounds to me as a unfinished piece of music, when it's coming to the best bit and you're now excited about, it's gone, I actually had to listen to it twice and try to understand. Weird.

The disc 1 ends pretty well but I can't say that's the most amazing album I've heard this year yet.

Soon after the first track of the second disc started I realized that is already too 'slow' for me, pretty much the band is playing a lot of ballads on Echolyn (2012), and it makes me a bit bothered. They are pretty and nice, but too much of them, not what I was expecting. Tough the final part of 'When Sunday Spills'is energetic the following tracks '(Speaking in) Lampblack' is even more calm and laid back, with String quartet and all, at this time I'm already tired of the album. Just at the final track they have a bit more 'rocking' going on, but maybe it's a bit late to me.

Speaking in general, Echolyn (2012) is a good album, but for me lacks unity, is a bit long, and like I said, too melow. The key tracks are the, strategically placed, the first 'Island' and the last 'The Cardinal And I. This is the ECHOLYN I like.

3.5 stars

'echolyn' - Echolyn (9/10)

Call it 'symphonic prog' or whatever you want; the classic style of progressive rock is alive and well. There was once a point where I felt it was nothing but a playground for the dinosaurs and those tribute acts that loved them, and it's a good thing I've since changed my mind. This is not to say that a band like Echolyn and their long-awaited eighth album don't have a lot in common with the progressive innovators of the early seventies, but there is a distinctly modern, up-to-date approach these Americans take with their music. Petty stylistic contexts aside, you're not bound to find too many albums with the same kind of emotional intensity as this. Fusing the new with the old, Echolyn manage to hit a sweet spot, balancing technical chops with tenderness and intimacy. It's near perfection, really, and it's simply one of the essential prog experiences of the year.

Although I have long known of Echolyn's influence and respect in the US prog scene, I hadn't checked them out before this. On what I know however, I understand that their album "Mei" is considered something of a modern-day classic. If that's indeed the case, then I'm having a difficult time seeing how "echolyn" (with the lower-case, yes) could be one-upped. Although this music could have fit onto a single disc, Echolyn have divided this into two halves; too parts of the same journey. In a similar sense to what Kansas did, this is very vocal-driven prog. The instrumentation flirts plenty with complex time signatures and skill- testing arrangements, but a listener going into this expecting something of a purely cerebral nature will be blown away, much as I was. "echolyn" is a journey into the heart moreso than the mind, but there is still an excellent standard of musicianship kept up throughout the entire record.

Ray Weston's vocals are one of Echolyn's greatest signatures. There are times when he reminds me of a ballsier version of Marillion's Steve Hogarth, but the truth is that his vocals are best described in terms of warmth. His voice is one that could mesh well in both an intimate coffee shop environment and a more energetic rock venue. His range is impressive, but he never once feels like he's 'forcing' a note in order to be flashy. Although it's never entirely overt, much of his performance is layered with lush harmonies, the likes of which become incredibly reminiscent of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Pair this with some gorgeously poetic and metaphorical lyrics, and you have the sort of vocal performance that dreams are made of.

Many of the vocal melodies and harmonies sound like they could have been written in a late sixties, and the instrumentation is a fitting contrast. The musical foundation here certainly rests on the innovations of the 'classic' symphonic proggers, but Echolyn distinguish themselves for their modernization of the sound. I would never have expected it, but there is a decided sense of post-rock texture and ambiance built into the tapestry. Soft guitar ambiance and accent-chimes recall Sigur Ros, although the biggest modern comparison I could draw would be Porcupine Tree. Given my belief that Porcupine Tree is among the greatest acts of the new millennium, this is a big compliment; the spacious production and diverse instrumentation gives the impression of something rich and relevant to the current progressive rock scene. Most of these songs rest around the ten minute mark, and Echolyn manages to make each interesting and rich, although the driven "Headright", wonderfully poetic "Some Memorial", and emotionally gut-wrenching "Lampblack" account for my favourite cuts.

In short, it's wonderful, it's lovely, it's like falling in love with progressive rock all over again. They don't sound a world apart from what has come before in symphonic prog, but I can see this being an album that will only grow with time. Hats are off to Echolyn for another masterpiece!