AS THE WORLD

'As the World' presents you with a healthy dose of memorable vocal lines and harmonies that will probably have you singing on the bus (e.g. Uncle) exquisite chord sequences (e.g. Uncle) and wonderful arrangements (e.g. Uncle!) As you can tell my favourite song of the record is Uncle!

Relatives aside... 'As the World' is a hidden jem in my eyes. I really get the sense that echolyn (sic) have delivered a showcase of musical relevance and validity, not just self indulgent playing, the main emphasis being songwriting at which they do very well.

The similarities to Gentle Giant are justified, although i would prefer to see them as a modern version of the prog greats, equivalent to Spock's Beard, whilst maintaining a raw and original sound. I dont think they are trying too hard to sound like GG and lets face it, GG were not the first musicians to experiment in vocal harmonies. There are definitely some homages to the quirkier side of GG though, for example, 'The Wiblet' is a brief complex arrangement of quirky piano and guitar parts including bells, and whistles - very GG!

There is a nice range of dynamics, moods and emotions shown by both the music, singing and lyrics which provide a very interesting listen. This wide variety of balladry, metal and epic prog rock is what i love about this ablum in particular.

Pros: Memorable song writing chords and chord patterns vocal line and harmonies Instrumentation and arrangement keyboard playing is wonderful The song 'Uncle'...! :)

Cons: Some of the lyrics are a bit cheesy and non sensical Quite lengthy, however the songs are not all that long so can be enjoyed in parts

Neutral: At 70 mins, it does take a few listens to take it all in but if you put the work in then it will certainly pay off.

Standout tracks: UNCLE, My Dear Wormwood, The Cheese Stands Alone, Audio Verité, A Short Essay, As the World.

In conclusion, 'As the World' by echolyn is a very energetic, endearing and enjoyable listen. With new sounds to be found with each visit, it should keep you entertained for more than a long while. :D

8/10