I AM THE MANIC WHALE

I am the Manic Whale is a project led by Michael Whiteman (bass, guitars, lead vocals, songwriter) and the band name is an anagram of 'A Michael Whiteman' and this is their 4th album. Michael worked with Ryo Okumoto (Spock's Beard) in writing and creating Ryo's wonderful 2022 solo album The Myth of the Mostrophus, and this album has a lot of those same elements. It is a concept album based on an old compilation storybook of various mystery and adventure stories written for teens and pre-teens. Thus, the album features 8 story songs ranging in length from 4 to 15 minutes each, covering various actual events, published stories, or just imaginative creations. This is a really fun album of melodic progressive rock, somewhat reminiscent of bands such as Spock's Beard and Big Big Train. The album kinks off with Ghost Train, which serves as the introduction to the story concept, inviting the listener to climb aboard on this thrilling and chilling journey, using the hyperbole and bluster of a carnival barker exaggerating the scares to be had. A curious number about a medical curiosity is next, but the album really kicks to another level starting with the next song, Dream Fortune, a lovely pop song with a great melody and harmony vocals, and a nice warm feeling. Secret Passages is another highlight, demonstrating that Big Big Train feeling with this Goonie-style kids adventure story with great melodic themes and instrumental passages. But the centerpiece of the album is the 14-minute Nautilus, based on the old Jules Verne story of Capt Nemo and featuring numerous styles and majestic themes and extended instrumental sections, somewhat reminiscent of Kansas, culminating in dueling solos between keyboards and guitar, and with guest artist Ryo Okumoto and his dazzling display of swirling keyboard sounds. After that comes a fun, energetic rocker touting the creation and wonders of the Rubik's cube, in Erno's Magic Cube, The album finishes with We Interrupt this Broadcast, a tale based on an actual hijacked broadcast claiming to be from Aliens warning the human race to do better, which then leads to a reprise of Ghost Train to complete the voyage and end the album. Overall, an immensely entertaining hour of music. Best Tracks: Nautilus, Secret Passages, Fortune Dream, Erno's Magic Cube. Rating: 4 stars

The third album from this Reading, UK-based band. Once again, this marks a progression in the band's style and compositional techniques. As before, this album requires careful listening: - the opening track, "Billionaire", amply shows the advances that the band have made since their last release.

The instrumentation is much the same as before, but the playing has moved on - it's as if the band are becoming more comfortable working with each other. Some of the guitar parts are amazing. Also, the addition of guest musicians has given a broader palette of sounds, and they make very good use of these. Some of the additional instruments are quite surprising - a rocking bassoon is pretty unusual!

Once again, I'm minded to give this album a high rating - it's a solid 4.5 - and there's a lot to discover with repeated listens. Again, I was introduced to this latest album by the Chris Hunter programme on www.raidersfm.com - also highly recommended!

An album that I will not be reviewing song by song because I don't want to waste my time getting to know this album any more than I already do. It is full of very competently performed, wittily lyricized, compositionally sound music that conveys nothing new to me either sonically, melodically, or stylistically. It feels so familiar--so much like so many other artists past and present--most of it crossover music feeling as if it came out of the classic rock of the late 1970s and early 1980s--like so many rock bands of that time that respected the earlier prog artists who were now being relegated to dinosaur status and cut out bins and whose sound was founded in the sonic discoveries and innovations achieved by those "dinosaurs." Could be STYX, TOTO, AMBROSIA, Tom Powers, Van Halen, The Little River Band, Billy Joel, Echolyn, The Flower Kings, Sanguine Hum, Jack O' The Clock, and Abel Ganz. These guys are probably great pop song writers who just want to do a bit more. I wish them all the best. Who knows, we may hear them issuing a Top 40 hit soon!

I already was enthusiastic about the predecessor 2017 album 'Gathering The Waters', and yeah, this yet is another prolific album delivered by the foursome hailing from the United Kingdom. Okay, it's still relatively new to me, but I quickly realized that this does not rank behind at least. The compositions even are a tad more varied and tricky, I would say. Takes some time. Entertaining progressive rock with some symphonic leanings. Occasionally you can smell some Spock's Beard, IZZ, Echolyn or Big Big Train references, but hey, they are very good in what they are doing. It looks like 'Things Uneven' does not have a concept behind, except that you won't make it too complicated, if you simply will take quite diverse things in real life as a model.

Some other musicians are guesting here, making the whole thing richer. Just take the charming ballad Halcyon Day which sees strings and flute support a lot. The fantastic The Deplorable Word shows various moods, partially in a heavier outfit, though alternating with a charming atmosphere again and again. Stunning piano and guitar solos as well expressive vocals on top. And then, consisting of different stages, the extended Celebrity suite comes as the album's ne plus ultra of course, where a bassoon is nicely supporting the rhythm work. Superb album! Another must have concerning your well assorted prog collection.

Another excellent release from the bizarrely-named I am The Manic Whale. This album shows development from their first (excellent) release, and to be honest, I didn't like it quite as much on first hearing. However, as is often the case with the best of Progressive Rock, this album rewards repeated listens and careful examination. I bought the album directly from Michael Whiteman through their web page.

This album has received extensive plays chez nous over the last couple of weeks, and we have really got to appreciate it. The opening track - "The Man With Many Faces" - shows the strides that this band has made from their first album, in composition, performance and recording. "The Milgram Experiment" - a very strange choice for a topic for a song - is positively chilling. Of the other tracks, "Stand Up" really stands out for me, though they all have a lot to offer, with the exception of "I'll Interlude You In A Minute" which just appears to be a means of providing a split between halves of the album (though I may be wrong!).

Once again, I was introduced to this album by the Chris Hunter programme on raidersfm.com, when he played a couple of the tracks last year. The songs are not quite as immediate as the first album, but they're equally well-crafted. The composition and musicianship are of the highest order, but I'm going to give it only 4.5 this time around - I think that I still prefer the first release.

Once again, I'm looking forward to their next release!

Compared to their debut, published two years before, this is a great leap forward concerning songwriting and implementation. Okay, it sounds familiar somehow often enough, in the vein of Big Big Train, Spock's Beard, Anubis, Karmakanic among many others. However, with Michael Whiteman as the main initiator on board, 'Gathering The Waters' marks a 2017 album highlight for sure, this mainly due to its excellent compositions which are going right through me. It looks like, if ever, there is only a loose concept behind that album. So for example they are once picking up the Milgram Experiment taking place in the 1960's. And some songs, supported by samples, obviously are dealing with life at the seaside also - including strand atmosphere, fishing for crabs, lifeboatmen and so on.

When listening one will really sense that the recording sessions were pervaded by a very inspired atmosphere. Hereby especially the partially polyphonic vocal arrangements are top notch. 'Keep your helmets on' ... The Man With Many Faces at first comes as a warning against the 'prince of misrule', probably designed as a reference to real life experiences in these days. For me here are also some relatively tiny issues kept in memory, for example while Whiteman is singing 'or will they shock!' the guitar simultaneously gives us the creeps, fantastic! During the extended Stand Up a distinct jazz tinged Steely Dan flair strikes, and later some mellotron appears too, wonderful! A homogeneous standout album, no need to highlight any particular song actually, nearly on the same level with Big Big Train's masterpiece The Underfall Yard. 4.5 stars well deserved.

Wow! This is described in the booklet as "an unashamedly progressive" album. They're exactly right. The musicianship is of the highest order, the songs are lengthy and complex - not tricksy or overblown, but well crafted, There is an element of the experimental in some of the songs, which brings a freshness and originality to the compositions. This is British Symphonic Prog at its very best!

I wouldn't single out any of the musicians for particular praise (though the guitar is frequently stellar!) - they work really well together as a unit. The amount of rehearsal necessary to get these complicated arrangements to work flawlessly must have been truly staggering. Considering that this is a privately released CD, there are no evident limitations in recording, It sounds great! Some of the words used in the songs must be difficult to sing - the lyrics are pretty "wordy"!

The first track - "Open Your Eyes" - really made me sit up and listen when I heard it for the first time on the Chris Hunter Show on RaidersFM.com - I decided that I must buy the CD based on just that one track! His review was also very favourable. The whole album stands up to repeated plays - there's so much there that I keep discovering new elements to these complex arrangements. I particularly like the use of classical guitar as a contrast to the electric sounds - they're not afraid to put the acoustic guitar to the front of the mix - and the overall recorded balance is excellent throughout.

A superb first album - I hope that they can keep up the high quality of song writing, musicianship and production for their next release! I couldn't quite rate this as totally "essential" - but it's really close at about a 4.8, so I will give it the special 5-star rating.

I AM THE MANIC WHALE is a fairly enigmatic moniker for the new British quintet comprising of Michael Whiteman (lead vocals, bass duties, keyboards, guitars, drums), John Murphy (keyboards & vocals), David Addis (guitars, b/vox), Ben Hartley (drums, percussion, b/vox), Ella Lloyd (flute). Their self-produced platter 'Everything Beautiful In Time' is BIG in every sense. The trademarks are apparent: intelligently written compositions, melodic beauty in abundance, a variety of tempos, grandiose panorama of sounds, changing intonations, astounding guitar performance, a wealth of excellent keyboards, versatile rhythm section, lush harmonies and exciting chant with emotional impact. The arrangements are full of diversity and skill. If I need to define such a luxurious debut, let's say: old-school progressive rock with a touch of modern ingredients. This amalgam works perfectly. Each track exudes high class to satisfy even demanding connoisseurs... After just a few seconds on 'Open Your Eyes' you start to realize that you will listen to a captivating release which has very much to offer. Creating a superior symphonic rock paradigm, IATMW conjures some memories of mighty Spock's Beard and 70's Queen. The type of singing is well suited to the repertoire here. Michael Whiteman demonstrates his heartfelt voice, subtly reminding of other persons but never seeking to copy anyone. The affair continues by 'Pages'. Half this song is pulsating, with a vague hint to Salem Hill. Midway through the track features a beautiful instrumental bridge, akin to Steve Hackett or Andy Latimer. The addition of acoustic guitar, calm piano and flute gives a pleasant pastoral feel, which then gradually leads to a powerful completion. Its follower, 'Princess Strange', goes for the uncomplicated form. As opposed to that, the multi-layered 16+ min. 'Circles (Show Love)' moves through quirky segments, resembling Transatlantic and ACT. Still, there's a bit of early Queen' undercurrent going on. The changeovers happen ever and anon. To my mind, it's the most daunting pageant on the disc. Well, now you can try to guess: what's round the bend? A treasure! Rising up in a cappella, 'Clock Of The Long Now' grabs the essence of Moon Safari interspersed with a nod to TFK. The stellar orchestrations unite with the regal harmonies. All in its place, in flawless sonic order. On this piece, both Michael Whiteman and John Murphy handle the lead vocals. I found myself totally immersed in the swapping lines between two chaps. Next up, 'The Mess', where the group leans to almost classical guitar sound. In terms of allusions, you can expect a dose of Styx / Kansas. Again, lots of harmony filled chorus. Bringing CD to a close, the 21+ min. 'Derelict' wraps things up in epic fashion. This is the longest composition on the release and certainly a magnificent opus. Primarily, a gentle piano accompaniment and the soaring guitar support the impassioned vocal line. There's a tension waiting to grow in power and intensity. As the song progresses, consistent changes in mood and direction serve to keep the interest throughout the content. Besides, Ella Lloyd presents her wondrous flute. More than once, the specific echoes of Genesis can be heard, without being a dominant factor. 'Derelict' never gets boring, which is an accomplishment for a piece of such length. The time passes by insensibly. And before you discover this, it's all over. What a great debut! Hopefully, splendid CD 'Everything Beautiful In Time' will make IATMW a force to be reckoned with on contemporary progressive rock scene. That day is not far off.