BIGGER ON THE INSIDE

Newly inducted member of the ProgArchives database, American multi-instrumentalist Rachel Flowers' 2021 release. Brace yourselves for some top notch Crossover prog from a very gifted musical genius.

1. "A B" (4:13) opens sounding like one of Peter Gabriel's more aggressive rock songs--complete with a Tony Levin, Manu Katché and David Sancious sound and feel. A jazzy Fender Rhodes solo commencing in the second minute is followed by an excellent Lee Ritenour/Dave Fiuczynski-like jazz guitar solo in the third. A very solid prog instrumental. (8.75/10)

2. "Take Me Away" (11:47) a prog epic that sounds every bit like a cross between IONA, BIG BIG TRAIN, and ROB REED/MAGENTA. Again, the performance skills on each and every instrument amaze--not to mention the compositional vision necessary to imagine it all. Whereas some of the compositions of the aforementioned artists seem to fall flat when rendered onto tape in the studio, Rachel's composition comes to life in the very fullest sense! (22.75/25)

3. "Too Much" (7:47) opens as a dreamy, piano-based jazz-prog-pop song in the Peter Gabriel vein. At the three minute mark the music shifts into more aggressive MAGENTA-like territory. Nice! Incredible vocal arrangements for the chorus and codas: simple must be heard! Great song. Incredible melodic and chordal choices. (14/15)

4. "Love Today" (4:40) opens like a modern pop vocal over a simple organ and piano background. Multiple vocal tracks work like a smooth WILSON-PHILLIPS song, though the music and melodies remind me more of the Broadway musical Rent. The third minute brings a big shift into a heavy rock motif--like a BEATLES or ANDREW LLOYD-WEBER theme. Despite being a little too poppy for my tastes, I have to admit that this is a masterful rendering of this style. (8.5/10)

5. "This Is the Way I Am" (6:19) what opens like a "big" RPI (or Pat Metheny Group) production of a Rikkie Lee Jones song, turns into a biting, sarcastic indictment of the seeing world once the vocal enters. Rachel's message is conveyed with remarkable poise and maturity. Great West Coast jazz/Lyle Mays/Pat Metheny section begins at the three minute mark and continues through the solo church organ that takes over at the 4:30 mark into the final jazz vocal section and finish. Wonderful! (9.25/10)

6. "The Darkness" (10:03) opens with a dramatic orchestral arrangement. Drums and rock instrumentation enter after three and a half minutes to establish a rollicking, hard-driving theme with a multi-voiced vocal performance reminiscent of a cross between Tori Amos and Heather Findlay. Great stuff! Awesome guitar solo beginning at 6:45 followed by wonderful section of blended keyboards and orchestra blend that remind me of 1990s Pat Metheny. Great melodies, mixes, and engineering--perfectly beautiful and never bombastic. Astonishing! One of the best prog epics I've heard all year! (20/20)

7. "Feel" (11:56) feels and sounds like a lost epic from the late 1970s by the great Brazilian jazz-pop keyboard/singer Patrice Rushen--performed, no doubt, with Steely Dan's amazing session band of LA jazz musicians. The instrumental ninth minute sounds like a tribute to the late great Lyle Mays. Incredible! (23.5/25)

8. "Beautiful Dream" (4:42) opens like a pensive classical piano solo before Rachel's airy vocal joins in. Sounds and feels like a heart-felt love song; Rachel has conveyed the emotion behind her message quite powerfully. Again, not too proggy, but something that Kate Bush or Tori Amos would certainly be proud of. (8.5/10)

9. "With You" (6:21) another pop-rock-founded tune that could easily have come from an album by peak Ambrosia or Anita Baker. Again, the vocal arrangements impress and astonish (as well as the superb Jeff "Skunk" Baxter guitar soli in the fourth, fifth, and sixth minutes). (8.75/10)

Total Time 67:48

I have no qualms admitting that I feel very blessed and privileged to be listening to this solo artist--who is new to me: for here is an example of a human being that is truly realizing his/her potential to its fullest. Even more astonishing is here facility with bass, guitar, orchestration, and vocal arrangements. The maturity and mastery of her electric guitar soli alone are enough to raise eyebrows, but then one has to take into account that she is playing all of the instruments while somehow still managing to sound like a top notch Steely Dan LA sessions jazz band!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Crossover progressive rock. Easily one of greatest musical surprises to pass my way in 2021 and an album I'd strongly urge any and every prog music lover to check out for themselves.