LIGHT AT THE ENDLESS TUNNEL

Imagine yourself in a smoke filled night club of the late fifties, grooving to the heart-melting serenades of a lovely female jazz vocalist as she nails more sharps and flats than a box of knives, and effortlessly hops octaves note-to-note as if her voice knew no range limitations. Imagine also that you plucked away her stogie-puffing jazz-hammering piano player and replaced him with a full-on prog band that can crank out deliciously innovative grooves that accompany her perfectly while being outstanding on their own. If you can imagine that, you've just imagined iNFiNiEN.

This band is amazing and quite innovative in their overall approach to music. The closest band, in a stylistic sense, I can think of is Mad Fellaz from Italy (c.f. "Hollow Shell" on Mad Fellaz II) -- and they're only a vague match stylistically.

I was fortunate enough to see them live at ProgDay in September 2017. There were many bands that played those two days, and iNFiNiEN were one of only two bands that garnered full-audience standing ovations -- the second was Shylock from France. They were clearly one of the highlights of the festival.

This prog album is not only filled with jazz vocal stylings, but you'll hear some funky passages, as well as ethnic-influenced numbers. Vocal surprises abound, and the music just progs-out throughout! Love it! An easy 4.5 stars for innovativeness and execution!

iNFiNiEN is back! This new release, the band's third album, comes from Philadelphia quartet iNFiNiEN. Thanks to the leadership of experienced torch singer, CHRISSIE LOFTUS--who took some time in the early 2010s to try other genres of music (including a solo album of piano-based soft-jazz vocal covers, Young Hearts)--and guitarist/songwriter Matt Hollenberg, what we have here is another jazz-leaning, progressive rock album from eminently creative and competent instrumentalists in the vein of JEREMEY POPARAD's AXON-NEURON and the funky jazziness of North Carolina's UNAKA PRONG. This a much better produced album than both their 2006 debut, How to Accept, or their eponymously titled 2009 album. Though the debut has a bit of that raw, excited sound that is so often captured in an album of fresh energy of a new collaboration, this one has some of that raw AMANDA RANKIN-like force in it. The band membership has remained fairly solid over those ten years with only virtuoso bass player, Jordan Berger, not being in the lineup for the first album.

1. "Brand New" (5:48) a pleasant, very melodic, tempo-shifting song with orchestral support that puts on display from the very start the band's foundation in intricately layered, well composed and executed jazz rock. Lead vocalist Chrissie Loftus uses a softer, breathier approach on this one than on most of the other songs here. It's very sexy. Me like! Awesome song! (10/10)

2. "AYA" (6:47) a funky (clavinet), almost RUFUS-like song that has an unmistakable similarity to the vocal stylings and musical eclecticism of Courtney Swain and BENT KNEE for its first half. The second half goes heavier like Moorea Dickason MOE-TAR feel and sound to it. (13.5/15)

3. "Oasis" (3:01) there's almost a BASIA joy and feel in the vocal here as well as some very pretty melody-making over some very complex constructed and performed music. (9/10)

4. "Off The Tracks" (7:41) despite the great Tony Levin-like bass play here and some truly incredible instrumental performances, this song seems to be a rehash of old music. (12.75/15)

5. "Bottom Of The Food Chain" (5:57) a gorgeous song with another powerful vocal from Chrissie.(9/10)

6. "Light At The Endless Tunnel" (9:17) opens almost Klezmer then turns quirky world (Indian) metal. (16/20)

7. "Love For Yourself" (6:11) a very jazzy, piano-based AXON-NEURON-like avant song with some very odd and eclectic stylings pulled into one song. I hear Brazilian samba, Jefferson Airplane, STEELY DAN, Amanda Rankin, Rikkie Lee Jones, and so many more. Love the final chorus and end! Very cool! (9.5/10)

8. "Worth The Wait" (2:48) an instrumental that opens with almost Richard Clayderman-sounding piano play before some really superb guitar, bass, drum, and flute work join in. Kind of like FOCUS meets JOE SAMPLE. (8.5/10)

9. "If I Were A Song" (1:39) opens with Chrissie singing with an orchestra as her only accompaniment. Déjà vu Linda Rondstadt 1984. (4/5)

10. "If You Were A Song" (7:50) flowing out of the previous song, the Latin-tinged jazz-rock ensemble joins in while preserving the Cole Porter torch song feel. Nice! I can really understand the BENT KNEE comparisons with this one. The uptempo instrumental section in the middle almost has a YES-like quality to it, while the final three minutes remind me more of THE MARS VOLTA if it were led by a female vocalist. (13.5/15)

11. "Existence" (4:47) opens with an upbeat bass-led jazzy pace and sound. When Chrissie's voice appears it reminds me of some kind of Afro-beat pop music. (8.5/10)

Total Time 61:46

4.5 stars; B+; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music. This is an album of songs from some true song master craftsmen--musically, lyrically, instrumentally. A must hear!