ENGLISH GHOSTS

Founded in 2008 KONCHORDAT are a new group on the scene. Together with Stuart Martin (guitars, vocals) multi-instrumentalists Lee Harding and Steve Cork have brought together this new project in Kent/UK. The band are acting on the neo and symph border where they offer gentle mid-tempo songs provided with a high weighting on compact arrangements. While often building an orchestral strings similar background, the keyboards are predominantly responsible for the symphonic edge. Harding is (co-)credited for all the eight songs which distinguishes him as the main songwriter. The lyrics play an important role as well - and of course - although not the band's strongest point - vocals are very present.

'Look for the key to your life ...' - Consequences appeals to me with a special majestic, pathetic flow ... and because of the charming melodies. Some Genesis feelings come up whilst listening. However the song also features a heavier touch when showing some riffing guitars on a more straightforward rocking middle part - probably offered by Oz Craggs who has a guest appearance here on this track.

Centerpiece is the epic title song. Here we have a distinctive neo prog flow - speaking of a driving rhythm, dramatic organ and melancholic guitar appearance. Decorated with some initial jamming moments and Gregorian impressions they take time to let the song evolve - well done! The Road Goes Ever On ... 'can you discover if you're man enough to take it' - this is seemingly reflecting about the challenges in our life. A nice song presented in their typical melodramatic mood. Closing with the instrumental Coda the expressive guitar hijacks us to heavier rocking fields once more.

'English Ghosts' keeps to the beaten track as for my impression - I'm missing real surprises and more trickiness here and there - probably something to add on the ToDo list relevant for the follower album? Anyhow, this album is a solid debut, the songs are very melodic - strengthened by some references to diverse prog paragons and surely provided with emotional sense.

At first, I was anticipating this album a lot. But then, after listening it, I felt nothing of original interest. As if there were no feelings on this album, just some vague sound structures of unknown kind which doesn't strike me at all. There are elements that makes this album average, but others drag it even deeper into hypothetical abyss of music reaches. The most promising ones are intro track Prelude, which is sadly too short to be of any further interest and then, to a lesser degree, Consequences. But I won't give it too much credit as well. Originality is over overrated say some. While I don't identify with this opinion so much,

2(+) to this album, because it lacks originality AND (not OR) any interesting point. Or at least if you believe my opinion.

English band Konchordat was found in the lovely sea-city of Margate in East Kent in 2008 by multi-instrumentalist Steve Cork.Steve collaborates with another multi-instrumentalist and singer Lee Harding and guitarist Stuart Martin for the band's first work ''English ghosts''.The album was released on the band's own label Konchordat Music.

The fantastic grandiose intro ''Prelude'',which reminds of CAIRO best moments leads to ''The Human Element'',a great number with dramatic tunes,pompous guitar work and interesting organ passages.''Consequences'' is maybe a bit too long.but this one also contains some good moments under a dramatic atmosphere with epic keyboards and heavy guitar passages.''No words'' is a very good Heavy Rock ballad with evident GILMOUR-ish influences on guitars and some excellent melodies.''Motion'' is exactly in a similar vein with ''No words'',slow-tempo atmospheric Neo Prog with sensitive vocals,high-class solos and background keys.The 20-min. long eponymous epic of the album is again over-extended in my opinion,some passages are rather stretched,but you can't overlook the epic keyboard work once more and the very rich sound overall.It's a piece with some trully nice but also some flat moments.''The Road Goes Ever on'' is the most retro-sounding track here with nice breaks and deep organ somewhat in the vein of SPOCK'S BEARD and TRANSATLANTIC.''Coda'' is not a good closing choice,very catchy,sounds a lot like 90's YES with heartless solos and plastic synths.

Konchordat's debut is not very original,it is a style of music previously played by many bands like PRESTO BALLET,CRYPTIC VISION or MARS HOLLOW,but ''English ghosts'' is a well- arranged album of easy-going Progressive Rock with plenty of memorable material.You should give this band a try.Recommended.

Konchordat were formed in 2009 by Steve Cork (bass, piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar) and Lee Harding (vocals, piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar, drums, programming) and with some guest guitarists set about recording 'English Ghosts'. But, when listening back they realised that the quality was so poor that it was pretty much unusable, so Steve asked one of those guitarists, Stuart Martin, if there was anything he could do to salvage it. Eventually they realised that a remix wasn't going to achieve anything so Stuart and Steve set about re-recording most the album again, apart from some of the keyboard parts, and this is the result. In some ways, it is quite surprising to realise that this release is as late as it is, as in many ways this feels that this is from the early Nineties. It is good solid neo prog, with some lengthy numbers (the title cut is nearly twenty minutes long).

What lets this down though, are the vocals. They just aren't strong enough, and the impression is that this would be a much stronger band altogether if they had a real singer, and it is of little surprise to me that Lee hasn't been involved in the band since this release. Musically they have been paying close attention to bands from the early Nineties, and while Citizen Cain are one of the bands that are obvious, as are IQ, the most obvious is Galahad. There are signs of real promise within the music, but there is always the feeling that this isn't the full article and there are things that could have been done to make it better, but given the issues they had suffered during the recording it is amazing they got it out at all. Solid, with some good points here and there, but not essential.