NIGHTINGALE EXPRESS

The dutch A LIQUID LANDSCAPE foursome have recorded an excellent debut, to start with. 'Nightingale Express' offers melodic mid-tempo songs and shows real songwriting potential in my opinion. Australian producer Forrester Savell is involved here who also has mixed albums for Karnivool and Helmet. Where the melancholic Wanderer's Log trilogy can be neglected more or less this production holds some really splendid grower on the other hand. Starting with June Fifth for example - featuring cool drums the intro is simply brilliant - the psychedelic guitars, Robert van Dam's groovy bass - wow! I've overlooked this gem for a while - but now I can't get enough of it - even though this is a relatively short example.

Next to notice - they have an excellent singer aboard, Fons Herder's voice sounds like a (please forgive me) Ted Leonard and Ian Kenny hybrid. Eh ... 'Curiosity' ... just take the gripping ballad Phases and you hopefully know what I mean ... Not always quite natural - but this time the title song represents the album's highlight absolutely - a prog masterpiece quasi. While clocking more than ten minutes this sums up their qualities due to complexity, variety, sensitivity.

Catchy art rock in the vein of The Dreaming Tree or fellow countrymen Intention, on the heavier excursions though I would mention references to Enchant, Karnivool and Every Other Fate too. As for that mix ...I wouldn't say that they've found a unique niche from a stylistical point of view ... however the songwriting definitely convinces. I recommend to check this album if you like atmospheric prog rock music.

'Nightingale Express' - A Liquid Landscape (6/10)

Although much of the Progressive Rock coming out nowadays still has a tender spot for 1970's bombast, the past decade has seen a distinctly modern sound coming from a wider selection of bands. Although this four-way collision of Post-Rock, Alternative Rock, Metal and Psychedelia has not sought to homogenize the Prog Rock scene, greater numbers have been adhering themselves to this style, given the fairly convoluted label of 'Post- Progressive Rock.' Dutch rockers A LIQUID LANDSCAPE are a recent addition to this trend, and already have performed live with some of Post-Prog's finest, including ANATHEMA and KARNIVOOL. Taking the melodic sensibilities of Modern Rock with the ambient ear of Post- Rock, their debut "Nightingale Express" is no doubt a product of its time; not falling back on the 70's legends for something tried-and-true, but failing to progress beyond what has been already mastered in recent years.

A LIQUID LANDSCAPE fall on the 'Rock' side of Post-Rock. Although their music is layered with plenty of guitar ambiance and soothing textures, melody remains a focus. The band themselves describe their sound as "a glimmer of hope . . . somewhere in the twilight between desperation and surrender." Pretentious, maybe, but the description does manage to convey the sense of melancholic emotional energy that drives the music forward. With the higher register vocals of Fons Herder combined with the ambient guitar riffs, A LIQUID LANDSCAPE drew a sharp comparison with COHEED AND CAMBRIA's debut, "The Second Stage Turbine." With regards to songwriting however, "Nightingale Express" fails to have that consistency that made COHEED's freshman attempt so lively.

Introducing themselves with a 12 minute title track, A LIQUID LANDSCAPE plant themselves firmly within modern Prog territory. Especially considering that this is the first earnest output of the band, the production is brilliantly done. The instruments are mixed comfortably, and the ear-candy ambiance is emphasized just enough to make it important, without interfering with the songwriting itself. In regards to their performance and execution, A LIQUID LANDSCAPE excel; the musicianship is bright and the sound is professional. What makes "Nightingale Express" less than impressive as a whole however, is the composition. That is not to say that A LIQUID LANDSCAPE sound uninspired with what they are doing, but - like that ALCEST album that came out earlier this year - the sound relies so much on pleasant, soothing musical ideas that any sense of challenge or effort from the side of the listener is lost. Some may find this a refreshing change of pace from the more abstract approach taken by more adventurous artists, but the end effect is one of anesthesia, rather than brilliance.

Review originally posted at www.therocktologist.com

A very cool alt/prog debut!

"'Nightingale Express' is a concept album. This inspired moviemaker Lex Vesseur to make a short movie with music from the album. He also made the artwork and the visuals for the live show. So both the music and the film return in an interactive rock show with a live VJ.

Washed up, tired and staggering across a beach in the early hours of the morning. Somewhere in the twilight between desperation and surrender, there is still a glimmer of hope. That sense that everything will be alright, no matter what the odds are."

That's a brief description I received from Freeman Promotions, in which one can have a slice of what this album is about. I bet if you like that summary, then you will be interested in the music. "Nightingale Express" is the debut album of these guys from The Netherlands, who have been playing together for some years. It comprises eleven songs that together make 53 minutes of what I would call altern-progressive rock.

"Nightingale Express" is the first and longest track of the album. It was a risked but wonderful decision to start with their most accomplished work, because this is a 13-minute composition that shows complexity, great arrangements, challenging passages and a great musicianship. Here, the band let us know about their compositional skills. It starts slow and little by little the volume of the repetitive vocals is increasing until they along with the instruments reach a high point. Then the music itself begins to create a new structure that combines the soft and in moments hard sides of the band. The voice reminds me a bit of A.C.T.'s one, very emotional and ad hoc for those bands that blend progressive with alternative and even metal rock.

After five minutes there is a great instrumental passage led by guitars; here we can appreciate to the rhythm and repetitive guitar while other is entering softly with some notes as background. It progresses, adding new lines (bass), power (drums) and various elements while the seconds pass. After seven minutes there is a new passage where all of a sudden the music turns a bit heavier, creating some repetitive but addictive moments; then it is flowing again, putting a diversity of textures and moods, in moments it is emotional, in others captivating, or even unpredictable. What an impressive opener!

"Wanderer's Log-You" is a one-minute piece that has a soft sound made by guitars and a delicate voice. It leads to "June Fifth" which starts with drums in a mid-tempo rhythm, later guitars, bass and vocals join and begin to create that catchy but not-far-from-prog sound. In moments, the guitar becomes more emotional while playing the brief solos, and the sound reminds me a bit of dredg. Though this piece is much shorter than the first track, it also has some inner changes that put dynamism on it.

"Phases" start with a rhythm guitar that makes a repetitive sound. Later it changes and little by little is adding new figures, different elements that produce more colors and even emotions. In some moments, the guitars also have a crimson-esque tune, while in the others they create the same dredg-like sound like the previous one. "The Unreachable" continues with the mid-tempo rhythm, making a predictable but delicious structure that in the end produces a great song. The sound is much closer to alternative rock, however, I insist, they do have some prog tendencies that can be appreciated in some passages.

The next is the second wanderer piece, it is "Wanderer's Log-Me", which once again has only a minute of mellow vocals and guitars to share. "Thieves of Time" is a pretty interesting song. Here I love the bass sound because it is soft and delicate, but can be perfectly appreciated and actually provokes an addiction in the listener, at least with me, the bass caught my attention during most of the track. After four minutes the music changes considerably, creating an amazing sensation of power and despair at the same time; the sound is heavier, closer now to metal, without being metal at all. I like a lot the ending of this track and the synth atmosphere it produces.

"Out of Line" starts with a kind of spacey synthesizer that is seconds later accompanied by drums and strings. Then the music flows and makes some slight changes in the intensity, putting more emotion in some moments just like in the chorus. The music here does not produce drastic turns, however, it does not sound plan in any moment. "Come on Home" continues with the same style, and with the concept of the album. Here I like the backing vocals they implement in some moments, producing a different atmosphere, and though it is not the best track of the album, it fits on it as a cool complement.

"Wanderer's Log-Storm" is quite different from the previous brief tracks. This time the rock element in its A Liquid Landscape's style (alt,prog,metal) is resumed here in a powerful and emotional 2.5-minute instrumental song, which leads to the final track of the album, which is entitled "Secret Isle". This one, in the other hand, has a soft and delicate sound that contrasts with the previous track. The sound is very calm, in the neo-prog vein and if you ask me, even touching the boundaries of a ballad. An obvious sense of goodbye is also produced here, in this beautiful yet disarming final track.

I liked the album a lot, and though it is not evidently a masterpiece, nor anything that had never been created, I've had a great time while listening to it. Cool debut, now I am interested in see what's next with this band. My final grade, 8 out of 10.

Enjoy it!