THE SONGS & TALES OF AIROEA BOOK 2: OCEAN TRAVELLER (METAMORPHOSIS)

I went over the three-decade background of this band in my review of Book 1, and I mentioned that I hoped the three planned installments would have distinct characters. Where Book 1 covered the lands of Airoea'hills, valleys, forests, and so on'Book 2 focuses on the waterways of this realm. There is a noticeable tonal and timbral difference between these two records, and I appreciate that effort. The songs here have a distinctly aquatic vibe.

'Over Westwinds' opens with an ethereal kyrie eleison sung over gentle acoustic guitar. This ritualistic intro feeds naturally into a calm, reserved verse. I like the way flute lilts in the background, and though not a ton happens in this song, it's a promising starting point.

The soothing mood continues with the introduction of electronic bloops in the opening of 'Orias: the Underwater City'. The lush keyboard tones that accompany the verse set this submarine scene very well. However, this song takes a while to really get going. Between the four-minute opening track and this song's slow-moving build, Book 2 (which clocks in at under 40 minutes) feels like it spends nearly ten minutes introducing itself. Percussion doesn't even enter until past this song's halfway point. But when it does, it's a quirky beat that sounds like the old, cheesy electronic percussion you'd hear on certain organs. It works well with the various retro keyboard sounds, and it reminds me a lot of Regal Worm's last album.

The piano line which opens 'Ocean Traveller' is fun and bouncy, and there's a sense of both drama and whimsy as the song moves through some big-sounding instrumental passages. At points, there's a pronounced waltz beat that lends this song's moderate tempo a certain lightness. In the final two minutes, there are some weird and fun guitar lines that call to mind some of Beardfish's best work.

'Lady of Waves' continues with the floating, placid nature of the album so far. Around halfway through, the band finally puts some muscle into their music. The unendingly calm nature of this album has been its biggest downside so far, so even the relatively brief interlude of bombast on this track is welcome. The hard-rocking section is revisited in the conclusion, and it's the most exciting this album has been up to this point.

These relatively heavier tones continue on 'Green Refreshments'. The pace is more deliberate and plodding, and the liberal application of Mellotron and flute in contrast to the guitar parts reminds me of Anekdoten. Some folk and jazz flavors show up here, and I really like the way flute is integrated with this song's more aggressive stature. Jordsj''s influence is pleasantly evident in the Nordic folk themes woven into this composition. Most of this band's two albums (so far) have sounded primarily like Wobbler.

Book 2 ends on 'The Grand Reef', an upbeat and energetic cut with lots of organ, flute, and folk-inflected guitar. As such, I get pretty strong Jethro Tull vibes off of this cut. In particular, the opening reminds me of certain passages on Thick as a Brick. There's a fun, Wakemanesque synth solo in the song's middle, and the second half features a brooding, stormy buildup that I love. It's a strong way to end the album.

The second of three planned albums from The Chronicles of Father Robin is something of a split decision. It's more focused than Book 1, and I do appreciate (at least on a conceptual level) the album-spanning increase in intensity from track to track. However, Book 2 also takes its sweet time to get going, and getting through the first three songs on this album is a bit of a slog that often leaves me looking at my watch. Overall, I enjoy this record, and I'm very glad it's distinct from Book 1. Book 1 is more consistent, but the high points are higher here. I'm eager to see what Book 3 winds up being like, when that comes out in February. Fingers crossed, it can thread the needle of focus and consistency.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/01/15/album-review-the-chronicles-of-father-robin-the-songs-tales-of-airoea-book-ii/