ECHOLYN

After the release of "Suffocating the Bloom," Echolyn reached the height of their success as a band, as that album is what got the band signed to Sony Records. Unfortunately, Sony failed to promote the following album, "As the World," because (I'm assuming) it was inaccessible in their eyes. Ironically, I would argue that "As the World" is more accessible than "Suffocating the Bloom." It begs the question: Why sign a band that are overtly progressive and all of a sudden decide that you aren't going to follow through with what you promised for them the moment the band produces a new album? As a fan, I was infuriated when I heard that that's how Echolyn went on hiatus for the second half of the 90s. Especially after hearing some of the songs on "When the Sweet Turns Sour," it made me think, "What if there was an alternate universe where Sony supported the band properly, and they were able to continue making records throughout the nineties and possibly still to this day?" Nevertheless, I am grateful that Echolyn reunited by the turn of the century and continued making beautiful, timeless music that has changed the world of prog.

On "As the World," Echolyn took the sound that they had perfected on the previous record and refined it on this record. For example, they brought in an orchestra that played on the tracks "All Ways the Same," "Entry 11-19-93," and "Never the Same." Echolyn would go on to work with orchestras on subsequent albums such as "Mei" and the Windowpane album. Another aspect of Echolyn's sound that is augmented on this album are the vocal harmonies, which are tight as a result of years of refining them on previous records and in live performances. If you want to hear more about the recording process and lore of "As the World," I would definitely recommend watching the "Stars and Gardens" documentary, which delves into this album at length.

The orchestral "All Ways the Same" crescendos seamlessly into the title track, which is an energetic start to the album with Gentle Giant-esque contrapuntal vocals between Ray, Brett, and Chris. "Uncle" and "The Cheese Stands Alone" are more on the rock side with heavy guitar riffs. "Letters" is a twenty minute suite of music that is comprised of five parts: "Prose," "A Short Essay," "My Dear Wormwood," "Entry 11-19-93," and "One for the Show." I love every moment of this epic, making it one of my favorite Echolyn songs. "A Habit Worth Forming" is a delicate, lullaby-like song that calms the listener into the final track, "Never the Same." This song is definitely a contender for my favorite Echolyn song. The lyrics in particular never fail to bring tears to my eyes. I know I'm not the first one to say that I want this song to be played at my funeral.

In conclusion, "As the World" is a masterpiece, and is more refined than its predecessor, "Suffocating the Bloom." That should say a lot, as I gave "Suffocating" five stars, so this album, by default, is a five star album in my mind. The nineties is viewed as a dark period of prog in the eyes of many, but I couldn't disagree more in terms of the quality of music. In terms of success, I understand why people would think that. Even in the eighties, prog was more successful with bands like Marillion. While I'm sure it felt like prog was becoming gradually less appreciated by the music industry as a whole in the nineties, that doesn't diminish the greatness of bands like Echolyn and their contemporaries. 10/10

'Suffocating the Bloom' is the second full-length studio album by Echolyn. I never fully understood the Gentle Giant comparisons that Echolyn received, though there are a few songs in there discography that do indicate an influence of Gentle Giant, and those few songs are found on 'Suffocating the Bloom' and the following record, 'As the World.' When the band regrouped after a hiatus, caused by a bad deal with Sony Records, their sound evolved slightly, though every album from 'Cowboy Poems Free' to 'I Heard You Listening' still very much sound like Echolyn. When I listen to Echolyn, I hear an amalgamation of influences that all combine into one, original sound. I know there are certain people out there who claim that progressive rock belongs to the UK, which is ludicrous. No one country can own a musical genre as music is a universal language that is inclusive to people from all walks of life. Echolyn, are an American progressive rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The album opens with "21," starting with a synth melody that then leads into punchy Paul Ramsey drumming which sets the song in motion. This is the perfect opening track to energize the listener right from the beginning. The song is face-paced with Brett Kull's impressive run-up-the-neck guitar riff that sounds like a scale exercise. As the title suggests, the lyrics are about what it feels like to be 21 years old. Ray Weston's vocals are theatrical. Apparently, "Winterthru" was the song that Sony heard from Echolyn that got them signed to their label. Unfortunately, the Sony deal was a debacle. This, like "21," is an uptempo number with Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies during the chorus. The melody of "Jingle Bells" is referenced at the end of the song. The gorgeous "Memoirs from Between" starts acoustically and is, instrumentally speaking, stripped down. The vocal harmonies are beautiful. The second half of the song builds to the great "set a course..." (or, should I say "Santa Claus") climax that reminds me of the Würm section of "Starship Trooper" by Yes. "Reaping the Harvest" is a strange, atonal interlude with dated synth tones. I usually don't understand the excessive Gentle Giant comparisons Echolyn receives, with the exception of certain songs such as the next song, "In Every Garden." This song is heavily inspired by Gentle Giant, and I love it. One lyric references "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" by Genesis. "A Little Nonsense" is a jazz fusion song that uses dissonant microtonal vocal harmonies during the chorus. "The Sentimental Chain" features exquisite classical guitar and flute interplay which seamlessly transitions into "One Voice," which is a power ballad. The vocals are passionate, the flute is calming, and it all ends with an Our Father prayer. The album picks up in pace with the uptempo "Here I Am." The saxophone melody during the chorus is brilliant and the ending is atmospheric.

The last piece of music on the album is the 28 minute epic that is "A Suite for the Everyman." This is one of my favorite Echolyn epics and is a great representation of what this band was capable of. "Only Twelve" is a twelve tone exercise that was eventually expanded into the suite. Paul Ramsey powerful drumming, Ray Weston's intense, almost operatic vocals, Chris Buzby's epic church organ, and Tom Hyatt's slap bass makes "Bearing Down" sound huge. The "Only Twelve" theme reprises during "Twelve's Enough." A drumline is featured during "Cannoning in B Major." The title track closes the suite with lush acoustic guitar as the album ends the same way it began with that subtle synth melody.

In conclusion, "Suffocating the Bloom" is a dense, complex 90s progressive rock album, further proving that even during the grunge era, prog was not dead. This album may be overwhelming at first listen as it was for me, but it's a rewarding album to return to. The music of Echolyn, especially during this period, is easily some of the most intricate music I've ever heard. At the same time, they manage to capture the same intricacy even in more subdued songs. It will always be a mystery to me that this band, along with their contemporaries (The Flower Kings, Spock's Beard, etc.) were never more successful. I think that more of the world ought to hear these guys. Their music is timeless and more daring and adventurous than most music that came after it. How could this album not be a 10/10?

I remember hearing Echolyn quite often on a progressive rock radio "prog.fm" in the 00's and was never impressed by the music of this band as I found it pretty standard and non-spectacular. Then I finally got round to listening their entire album with high ratings on progarchives - "Suffocating the bloom". That was a different experience I must admit. The music is quite varied and even though I'm not a fan of the vocals here, there is a solid instrumentation basis. One catchy song that stays with me is "Winterthru" that reminds of a bit of late 70's Genesis. If you want an early Genesis feeling, just stay with the next one "Memoirs from between" - what a pastoral innocent feeling. I like the robust rhythm and perhaps stronger drummer presence in the mix. Over to other tracks - there is a good balance of upbeat and mellow compositions, even if the mellow ones are shorter. The suite is a pleasure to the ears, mainly due to the vocals being more absent and instruments taking the lead in short motives.

I can say that after hearing this album I belong to the listeners who claim that Echolyn have their own style of playing prog.

Hard to describe this band, Prog Archives has it categorized under the Symphonic sub genre, however I incline myself more towards the eclectic side of prog, this is also their last studio effort, and quite a spectacular one. The beautiful and catchy Messenger of All's Right opens the album in a melodic, dramatic and operatic way, showcasing a variety of vocal ranges from Weston as well as the importance of pianos and rhythmic section in this band, the drivers of everything that happens. The lyrics are so realistic in a figurative way, so smart and memorable, a very unique way of storytelling that works perfectly and is an attribute for Echolyn. "When the sun doesn't shine for days When there's a slave behind my eyes When the usual isn't enough And the voices rage until I hate again There is one who would pull me out". Chapeau

Warjazz!!! The fastest and catchiest song from the track list, a perfect 2nd track for an album, after the catchy melodies let's hit play, elevate the tempo a little bit and play some cool nutty jazz-like progressive rock! It's definitely a highlight and that type of song that defies what the band is really like, a powerful and incredibly talented group of musicians that have that Gentle Giant strong influence but know how to mix it with modern textures and song structure, and the result is pretty impressive!

Empyrean Views reminds me of a poppier version of Phish, bluesy and melodic, with various vocal harmonies and mood changes, but somehow always making sense, or not? This is serious musical quality, where all the madness goes in the middle and both ends of the equation get the more balanced & memorable moments of the song, and the instrumentation is fantastic, all of it.

Different Days gets the tempo up again in a more laid back jazzy way than Warjazz and a little more complex than the latter. I love the guitar tune, it sounds like 70's in a funny and funky way, very cool. The rhythmic section does an outstanding performance here making sure all instruments have solid ground to do their stuff. "I'm buried in a cycle that I notice in my brain The repeating seems unstoppable, even when I change I forget everything I remember- in denial, I am denied My head feels like swarming and checking off boxes for days and days and days"

Carried Home is more on the Crossover side of Prog than the rest of the album with a mix of young adult radio station melodies and the awkward change of mood and melodies that characterize this group of favored musicians. Very cool and different song.

Once I get Mine explores the heavy rock influences of the band, alla early Deep Purple but with their own twist, both in tempo and musical changes. Funky, fast, eclectic, hence perfect and definitely one of my favorites from the album (sometimes I think I'm hearing Lord battling with Holmes from QOTSA, crazy I guess)

Sound of Bees returns the mellow and more melancholic vibe to the listen, little bit sad but bright at the same time, dreamy and atmospheric. The pianos are fantastic, as well as the vocals, guitar licks and lyrics. There's a little Radiohead-like feeling in the background of the verses, so catchy that I think its the whole reason I got captivated at first listen, the perfectly balanced chaos!

All This Time We are Given. A more Neo Prog kind of tune, at least until the most beautiful melody of the entire album kicks in: "All this time we're given with nothing left to show, all this space to live in with nowhere else to go". Heavy riffs unexpectedly make their way to lead the last quarter of the song before everything goes back to the pre chorus, the confession before the brightness, with that beautiful piano and guitar licks again! The classic song that resumes everything heard throughout the album, ending in an epic way and leaving the listener wanting more, and TG there's more.

Vanishing Sun as the album vanishes, and it had to be like this, dark, raw and hard rocking, thus never leaving the same musical concept of everything that came before, an amazing closer to the experience. The bass lines are so powerful, the guitar playing so upfront, the angry vocals and the tight drumming! And the Keys, and that undefinable ending, pop-progressive rock at its best.

I'm always more than a little suspicious when a reviewer says, "You have to listen to this cd a few times before you like it." It usually means that they needed time to convince themselves that they did not make a sub-par purchase, so watch out for th those cd's as a general rule.

And yet, I think it's a testament to the complexity and multi-textured quality of Echolyn's unique brand of progressive music that each album DOES sound better every time you put it on. Personally, I've liked every Echolyn cd I ever heard on the first listen; their music always contains enough melodic hooks, tight musicianship, and thought-provoking lyrics to give you the first impression that the cd is pretty good. But subsequent spins reveal the genius and cleverness that only true masters can produce.

"The End Is Beautiful" continues the diverse catalog of published music that Echolyn has graced us with for almost 30 years. This time it's not the 1970's retro-prog of "As The World", or the Americana folk-prog of "Cowboy Poems Free" (still my favorite!), or the contemplative symphonic prog of "Mei". This most recent effort is darker, somewhat heavier, sometimes even "urban"-sounding, with a more raw "live in the studio" feel to it, confidently driven along by the up-front drumming of Paul Ramsey. Their caustic lyrics of abuse, regret, death and despair on this cd make the musings of the late Kevin Gilbert and Shaun Guerin sound almost cheerful!

But don't get the idea that this is dark prog like Anekdoten or Tool or the like. You can still count on the melancholy love songs (albeit with UNhappy endings!) sung beautifully by Brett Kull and Ray Weston. Some of the great vocal harmonies and major chord progressions that occur in the refrains sort of contradict the unkind lyrics they're singing. And Chris Buzby gives the darker subject matter some welcome light with his typically inventive keyboard touches that accompany his heavier use of Hammond organ throughout this cd. There's even some small brass band sounds that creep in on some of the tunes - cool and different!

I love the second-guessing refrain in "Heavy Blue Miles" ("It's O.K., I'm not O.K..."), the sweeter songs "Lovesick Morning" and "Arc of Descent", and the great instrumental sections of "Make Me Sway" and "Misery Not Memory".

This is a great rock album in the progressive genre - "progressive" both in the choice of instrumentation as well as in the way new ground is broken. It's time to admit that Echolyn's songwriting is clearly some of the best in the world today, and combined with their virtuosity, it sets them apart as one of the premier progressive rock bands around.

The end might be beautiful, but this part of the Echolyn journey is pretty awesome too.....Give it a spin.

4-1/2 stars

With a focus on intimate profiles of early 20th century Americana and historical events and circumstances, "Cowboy Poems Free" creates a new sound for Echolyn, while still retaining many of the progressive trademarks that they displayed on earlier cd's. This is a great cd.

The band itself is top-notch: they've consistently written great songs with compelling lyrics spanning a wide variety of subjects and emotions. Great technicians - they don't overplay, but you get the clear sense that they are both confident and competent in their musical abilities. They excel at fast-paced, multi-layered prog that's reminiscent at times of Gentle Giant's virtuosity and dissonance, and National Health's progressive-fusion cleverness; but they can also slow down and croon a ballad as lovely and heartfelt as anything out there.

The music here is at times fun, often reflective, and always new and interesting - really holds your attention, while still offering some nice melodic hooks. My personal favorites are centered in the middle of the album with "1729 Broadway", "High as Pride", "American Vacation Tune" and "Brittany". "Texas Dust" is also a great energetic album opener, and the cd ends with the absolutely gorgeous "Too Late For Everything".

I also like the vocals on this CD much more than on "As the World", and especially "Suffocating the Bloom" (where Weston could occasionally sound like an over-dramatic Michael Sadler from Saga!). And some great vocal harmonies here too, which at times remind me of....Steely Dan?! I don't know why - maybe the subject matter and some of the wry, bittersweet lyrics.

This is a band that deserves a lot more attention. Their CD "As the World" was a bit more classic prog than this, but very good. And 2002's "Mei" has some moments of true inspiration. "Cowboy Poems Free" balances those two albums by showing a more personal, folkier side. Get this album. Get them all.

One of the greatest progressive rock bands to ever hail from U.S. soil, Echolyn is starting to finally get a LITTLE more of the recognition that they have so richly deserved over the past 30 years or so. This 3-cd box set of earlier and lesser-known songs and albums is an absolute must for any fan of their more recent albums. It's a great companion to their 2004 DVD "Stars and Gardens", both products providing a more personal glimpse into the lives and background of this unique group of musicians.

With this neatly-packaged set (it's sort of like a gate-fold cd, except that it folds out four ways - like a cross - and the dimensions are about an inch bigger in length in width), you get remastered versions of some out-of-print albums, plus some never-before released stuff "from the archives". Disc 1 contains their complete 1991 eponymous debut, which I think is absolutely fantastic! Really surprised me. Disc 2 contains both their 1993 EP "...and every blossom" (about 16 minutes of songs about Spring) plus their 1996 cd "When the Sweet Turns Sour" (54 minutes). Disc 3 is sort of a hodgepodge: a 1989 track called "The Edge of Wonder" (aka E-rad Glitch), three live versions of the Cowboy Poems Free songs "Texas Dust", "Brittany" and "Swingin' the Axe", plus year 2000 remixes of "Suffocating The Bloom", "As the World", "Carpe Diem" and "Shades". All no-nonsense shtuff! (Well, maybe a little nonsense. Now and then...)

The set also comes with a booklet that explains the origin of the songs included, with commentary by Ray Weston. Newcomers to Echolyn should seek out their more recent albums first. But seasoned veterans of the group should snatch this set up without delay.

4-1/2 stars

With my discovery of this album, a band who's music has seemed to always escape my grasp and/or appreciation may finally have found a way into my heart and favor.

1. "21" (5:49) dynamic, technical skilled music with power vocal about being 21 years old. The vocal seems very influenced by PETER HAMMILL even when they're amplified or harmonized by other assisting vocalists. At times the song drifts onto the stages and concert halls of Broadway and other Manhattan establishments--which is to say that the complexity and competency of the constructs and hooks are quite polished and concise. There is also a certain kinship with some of QUEEN's best music. (9/10)

2. "Winterthru" (3:45) blending SAGA-like prog with the BEACH BOYS, very tight motifs with incredible precision and cohesion. A very impressive composition and even more impressive rendering. Though not a big fan of the band's melodic choices, I am truly won over by these tight performances. (9.5/10)

3. "Memoirs From Between" (8:01) piano practice arpeggi with bass, glockespiel, and folk guitar, this music supports a JOE JACKSON-like vocal--at least for the first three minutes. Great team harmony vocals. I think I get why this band has such a loyal following. This feels like the American equivalent to GENTLE GIANT. And let me repeat how clear and well-captured are the sounds of each contributing instrument and voice. The song is weakend a little by the over-extended final motif the "Santa Claus, up ahead, ?" thingy. (13.5/15)

4. "Reaping the Harvest" (1:41) a fugue-ish exercise in orchestral keyboards? Unfortunately, the keyboard sounds used are now quite dated (and quite inferior to the real thing). (4/5)

5. "In Every Garden" (4:39) now their trying too hard to do GENTLE GIANT; it hurts to hear this kind of blatant pandering. Even the softer BEACH BOYS passages seem to be fawning to KERRY MINNEAR and GARY GREEN. The more potent Michael STADLER SAGA outbursts are much more pleasing (and, perhaps, balancing to the GG stuff). (Also: Too bad they decided to use the gated drum effect.) (8.75/10)

6. "A Little Nonsense" (4:20) opening with a little splice of Gene Wilder from Willy Wonka, the music then proceeds to enter the realm of some of Gentle Giant's, XTC's, and the Cardiac's most angular motifs and styles. (8.5/10)

7. "The Sentimental Chain" (1:40) a beautiful duet of folk guitar and flute is joined by poorly recorded versions of strings and a second flute. Pretty. (4.5/5)

8. "One Voice" (5:20) instrumentally, this one continues the palette of the previous song, but now supports a plaintive vocal performance. The emotion conveyed by the vocalist feel a bit overdone. At 2:20 the vocalist states, "For we are only human," and the the rock band bursts into full bloom before coming back to the chamber classical motif for a bit. But then the electric motif takes over again before giving the stage back to the original instrumentalists and vocalist. When the electric instruments join in, the vocalists chooses to shift his voice into a kind of suppressed operatic mode. Weird. Then it ends with an "our Father" quote. (8.75/10)

9. "Here I Am" (5:21) rockin' Echolyn--harkening back to a jazzy MOODY BLUES sound and style. The acoustic rock and jazz blend is kind of cool. A few QUEEN/SAGA-like twists and turns try to lose me--they're moving so fast!--but then they come back into a new VDGG-like center. Later, a NEKTAR "Return to the Future" guitar arpeggio backs a group of television/film samples to the end. (8.75/10)

10. "Cactapus" (2:51) early career PAT METHENY guitar sound choice--very cool--for a delicate, mood-exploring jazz sound. Jazz bass lends to this feel as well. Drums and keyboard choices don't exactly jibe, but it's a cool attempt. (4.25/5)

- "A Suite for The Everyman" (28:13) one of the greatest prog epics of the 1990s. (58/60): 11. Only Twelve (1:17) 12. A Cautious Repose (4:55) 13. Bearing Down (3:49) 14. Cash Flow Shuffle (0:39) 15. Mr. Oxy Moron (3:23) 16. Twelve's Enough (2:21) 17. I Am the Tide (1:15) 18. Cannoning in B Major (1:19) 19. Picture Perfect (0:55) 20. Those That Want to Buy (6:45) 21. Suffocating the Bloom (4:03)

Total Time: 63:39

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of intricately composed and performed eclectic progressive rock music; an excellent and nearly essential addition to any prog lover's music collection. Unfortunately, as far as I've been able to fathom, this may have been Echolyn's apogee, their shining moment in prog history.

The 70s but it's the 90s: 9/10

After being disappointed by ECHOLYN's 2011 eponymous album, but still enamored with Raymond Weston's remarkable vocal power, I decided to still give the band another chance and check their more renowned album SUFFOCATING THE BLOOM, acclaimed for being oh so good just like the good ole 70s. And lemme tell you how it's a fair enough claim, if not an underestimation.

Right off the bat echolyn's energetic and insanely eclectic style of GENTLE GIANT-]-tinted progressive rock calls attention. It instantly glued me to the rest of the album like a sticky trap glues a fly to slow, agonizing death. And for good, because there are so many good moments available for an attentive ear! Bluesy, fast-tempo, tropical, violin-oriented, jolly carol-esque wintery tracks; a wide range of styles always presenting superb musicianship from everyone involved (especially the drummer!) with, naturally, the omnipresence of synthesizers, as progressive rock typically presents.

In fact, this diversity is a beautiful demonstration of creativity that actually astounded me as I underestimated these fellas. I find rare to see modern bands capture that innovative, metamorphic aspect of the 70s prog without sounding like it belongs to the 70s... and that's exactly what ECHOLYN does. It gets the best of the 70s prog, and translates into a more modern style. This is the 90s prog, baby, and it's just as good as the original!

... well, not quite, but, as far as I'm concerned, early ECHOLYN is just good.

Checka-checka check it out!

As tasty as distilled water and as interesting as a drying wall: 5/10

(okay, it's not that bad. BLOMLJUD is that bad, not this.)

When it comes to ECHOLYN's second eponymous album, you can't dismiss the band's warm and catchy melodies, but you can certainly dismiss the safe and uninteresting arrangements. I don't know about you, but I like experimentalism in my morning bowl of milk and crunchy prog rock. But, ECHOLYN... lads, where's the boldness? The uncategorizable sounds, the unexplored melodies, and arrangements that make prog, progressive? Where? That's my first issue with this album.

I'll be fair, there are stances where prog isn't necessarily what I described as an ideal prog rock accompaniment to morning milk bowls. Epitaph, pretty much all of STEVEN WILSON's solo work, ECHOLYN itself are good examples of that deviation of the norm... and none of them ring a bell to me. Truth be told, my enmity towards ECHOLYN lies mostly on a level of personal taste rather than an "objective" (if such term is even applicable to music) lackluster concept or performance by the band. Come to think of it, I am hostile towards Crossover Prog in general, and this album is the prime definition, or at least in my mind the paramount example of such ProgArchives-created genre, so no wonder this characteristic is my second issue regarding the record.

With that in mind, I can sum up my whole concept very shortly: I like energetic, lively, fluid music. Dynamic rhythm, innovation, unforeseen ideas are all important to me. Crossover Prog hardly fits those criteria (when it does, like in the track Headright, I take off my hat). So I end up not liking it. ECHOLYN sounds like it. I end up not liking it. La Fin.

If you like music that sounds like Crossover Prog, ignore me and give it this a go. If it ain't your thing, though? Avoid this. Go check SUFFOCATING THE BLOOM and observe, drowning in an amalgam of shock and gloom, how ECHOLYN totally nails GENTLE GIANT-esque creativity... and fifteen years later, seems to completely forget how to do so.