SLIDING

TRANSIENCE is the solo project of Fred Hunter, LANDS END's keyboard and bass player. There's no doubt that this is a solo album from a keyboard player, as the music is very keyboard based. However, all of the other LAND'S END band members are playing here and there on the album. If it wasn't for the slightly different musical direction of this album, it could've been another LANDS END album. LANDS END hasn't released anything since the "Natural Selection" album in 1997. The music is atmospheric ambient progressive rock, and the concept of the album is simply places that Fred has visited. Each song creates a different mood. I can't help thinking about ELEGANT SIMPLICITY when I'm hearing this album, and of course LANDS END too. Even CAMELl, IQ, PINK FLOYD and David Sylvian springs to mind now and then. The PINK FLOYD reminiscences is mostly present in the David Gilmour-sounding guitar playing, and the David Sylvian reminiscences is of course in the vocals. Most of the album is rather soft, quiet and laid-back, mainly instrumental, with many beautiful melodies. My favorites are the 13 minutes "Desert Falls", "LA Post", the 19 minutes "The Seven Pools" and the closing "Stanley Park". My only criticisms would be that the keyboard sounds often is too sterile and 80's sounding, but yet very modern. Some more vintage keyboards such as Fender Rhodes, Hammond, Mellotron or Mini-Moog could've added some warmth and richness to the album. A little bit more diversity could've raised it even higher. The result is that it sometimes gets a bit tedious and boring in the extended keyboard soundscapes. All in all this is a rather good album that you can play, lying on the floor or in your bed, just relaxing. LANDS END fans will surely love this one. Fred is currently writing material for the next TRANSIENCE album.

I got this record with a lot of interest after the long silence of a band that I really enjoy, LAND´S END, and I had high expectations about what this record from the band´s keyboardist. But after the first listen, I realized my expectations were too high. This is mainly a record of extended songs, with lots of soundscaping keyboards. Quite boring, sometimes, because songs don´t really difere one from eazh other. Musicianship is great, no doubt about it, but i don´t think they give their best in this occasion; and at the composition level, it is not that great, specially when compared with the tremendous quality of any of LAND´S END record. After this first disappointment, I hoped that the long suite "The Seven Pools" would restore the level of quality I expected. But unfortunately, it didn´t happen. Not a bad song, but not too brilliant, with few varations throughout it.

So then, I can only rate this record with 2 stars. I think it is too long, sometimes monotonous, sometimes a bit tedious. Lacks any interest.

For what originally was going to be a solo project by Lands End keyboard player Fred Hunter, there is a lot of outside involvement. All of the three other members of that band are integral to this one, so much so that Fred hasn't even written all of the songs on the album. Lands End vocalist Jeff McFarland provides the focal point for much of the material, which is dreamy and contemplative. There are some wonderful parts on the album, and the fact that the musicians know each other so intimately is obvious.

This is not music to rock you back on your heels, and it is important to be in the right frame of mind otherwise this will wash right over you. Very much a mood album, in the sense that one has to be in the right mood to listen to it, but get it just right then you will be richly rewarded. One to listen to prior to purchase

Feedback #59, July 2000

As of this writing I am not familiar with the "mother group" LAND'S END, so cannot make any such helpful comparisons, but suffice to say that TRANSCIENCE is not your typical neo prog, being more insouciant than the bulk of what springs forth from that well. How you regard it will partly depend on your attitude towards such a breaking of the ranks.

"Sliding" has a decidedly west coast feel to it, with 6 generally mellow songs and a couple of similarly laid back instrumentals. Caressing DAVID SYLVIAN-esque vocals from Jeff McFarland, purring synthesizers, chill brass, and a variety of acoustic and electric guitar themes provide plenty of admittedly genteel, reflective, and sometimes fleeting highlights. Each title reflects a place of natural beauty, which allies this project to new age themes. The antithesis, or perhaps a different take on the same concept, is the strategically placed "LA Post", which simultaneously disses the plasticity of the city and its inhabitants while acknowledging its unsung draw. The languid "Seven Pools" is really no better nor worse than a few of the shorter pieces - in fact, "Utah Revisited" is a more breezy and concise expression with breathy sax - but the instrumental "Captiva Island" is my hot pick, because of its CAMEL-like buildup in the poignant spirit of "Snow Goose" or "Dust and Dreams". McFarland may not be singing at this point, but he demonstrates his ample assets on the ax.

This debut is somewhat lacking in enthusiasm, which I think is intentional, but it is a consistent effort that reveals itself slowly and satisfyingly, or can simply be enjoyed as one slides from one transient state to another.

TRANSIENCE is the project of LANDS END's keyboardist Fred Hunter. Since his band mates help him out here it really comes off sounding like LANDS END most of the time.The songs are shorter though and it's less psychedelic which explains why they're in the Neo camp instead of the Psychedelic house like the parent band. Each song represents a place that had an effect on Fred in one way or another.

"At Squaw's Peak" starts off really well even the synths have a PORCUPINE TREE flavour to them.That all changes quickly though, then it settles and the vocals arrive.The guitar leads after 6 minutes to the end. "Sliding" has a fairly spacey intro then the drums kick in after a minute with synths and acoustic guitar. "Desert Falls" opens with the sound of crickets then the synths roll in with atmosphere. Heavy drums and vocals follow. It settles after 4 minutes as synths wash in, not for long though. Sax after 8 minutes as it settles with synths and bass to the end. A really good section. "LA Post" opens with a traffic report on the radio before the synths and strummed guitar kick in.Vocals too as he sings "L.A. piece of [&*!#] town that you are...". Some clapping on this one too. Organ after 3 1/2 minutes.

"Captiva Island" is my favourite. Spacey synths early as sax joins in. It kicks in 3 minutes with drums. Guitar follows and it's great. Spacey again to end it. "Utah Revisited" opens with the sound of cars driving by as drums then vocals come in. Keys too. Sax before 5 1/2 minutes. A laid back tune. "The Seven Pools" opens with the sound of running water. Acoustic guitar after 2 minutes as the music arrives and builds. Piano 3 minutes in then organ after 4 minutes. A full sound with guitar 6 minutes in. Nice. A calm 8 minutes in with running water. Vocals a minute later. The tempo picks up 11 1/2 minutes in as drums and synths lead. Vocals are back briefly. "Stanley Park" is the closing instrumental is a keyboard dominated track.

A good album but I wish it was all instrumental.

Transcience started in late-90's as a personal project of Land's End keyboardist Fred Hunter after the last album of the later ''Natural selection'', but is soon became a normal band featuring all Land's End members (Jeff McFarland on vocals,guitar and guest appearances by Francisco Neto on guitars, Mark Lavallee on drums) along with sax player Steve Ades.For the debut of Transience Fred Hunter is responsible for the bass parts, keyboards and drum programming in some tracks, this was entitled ''Sliding'' and released in 2000 by Cyclops.

While the album is not completely different from LAND'S END releases, it sure lacks the hidden power and energy of ''Pacific Coast Highway'' for example and is much based on its emotional content, the hypnotic dreamy musicianship and the sensitive vocals.There is a constant use of synths, organ, guitars and rhythm section along with some sound effects to make this album a combination of Neo Prog, Electronic Music, New Age and LAND'S END-ish Space Rock, what however went completely wrong is the total absence of some grandiose parts, dynamic musicianship or even some catchy sections.The music is very mellow, relaxing and comfortable to a negative point it gets quite boring with only a couple of exceptions.The first long track, the 12-min. ''Desert falls'' is hardly memorable, demanding or captivating and only after some 30 minutes of neutral stuff the listener finds a salvation on ''Captive island'' and the incredible work on guitars and bombastic, spacey synthesizers.There is also another huge epic included, the very long 19-min. ''The seven pools'', which is quite decent but definitely overstretched with some good solos, sensitive acoustic parts and a couple of nice, spacey piano leads, but its long duration hardly make it an essential piece of music.

For anyone searching for some relaxing background music, emotional sonngwriting or anyone who want to dive deep into LAND'S END history, ''Sliding'' has some value.But be warned that the material flirts often with New Age grounds than Progressive Rock.If only this one had some more energy...