COMING UP TO CONSCIOUSNESS

The artistic world is a many splendored thing, where any particular talent has the latitude and ability to progress, regress, digress, repress and even aggress in which ever matter it sees fit, as the corporate kings have lost their imperial powers over recording, marketing and distribution. When Pure Reason Revolution unleashed their debut album in 2006, it caused a fair amount of trepidation due to the universal praise "The Dark Third" received from both fans and media alike, a progressive act that had a rather unique recipe in combining male and female vocals in harmonious interweave that was the hallmark feature of their muse. Oddly, the band took an oblique path into more synthetic electronic realms, which freaked out their audience completely, and the band suffered through both Amor Omnia Vincit (2009) and its even more metallic follow up Hammer and Anvil (2010). This was followed by 10 years of silent despair in trying to refocus their craft, with leader Jon Courtney and Chloe Alper retooling their sound with two solid return-to-form albums as both Eupnea (2020) and 2022's "Above Cirrus". With this latter album, a major talent appeared in the form of multi-instrumentalist Greg Jong who brought in a fresh new approach that is immediately apparent on this brand new 2024 effort, though Chloe Alper has left in the meantime, replaced by Annicke Shireen, a sensible move if the band wished to consolidate their claim to fame in the dual vocal department. Adding Ravi Kesavaram on drums, Lewin Krumpschmid on piano, the legendary bass maestro Guy Pratt and two gents from Pineapple Thief, namely John Sykes on bass and guitarist Bruce Soord. Fourteen tracks including six intermittent interludes are found on the download, but are incorporated in the physical albums, this is an interesting concept. The album is not only a fine return to form, but it also rekindles the glowing reaction that stole the headlines back in 06, a set-list that oozes class, delivering sublime melodies, wrapped in stellar instrumental work, and of course, some of the finest vocals you are likely to hear in 2024!

From the opening moments of "Dig till You Die", the Rubicon is crossed with suave melodies, dreamy keyboards, a rhythmic undertow that elevates the vocal interplay between Jon and Annike, slashed by a brief raunchy guitar barrage before diving back into tranquility and an obvious elevation of tension that really sets the mood for loving this album. The main theme on "Betrayal" is immediately addictive, especially in the way Jon uses his higher pitch to blend majestically with Annike's counterpoint, slowly lowering or raising the pressure with effortless zeal, a looping bass highlighting the duplicity as the arrangement soars elegantly into the heavens. This is simply sublime, by any musical standard one wishes to apply. The pleasure continues on the primarily breezy "The Gallows", a shimmering piano-led vocal tour de force that arrives at a seemingly psychedelic soundscape with sunny slide guitars painting the sparse clouds, the instrumental outro all about rhythmic groove and restraint. The mood gets a bit exalted on "Useless Animal", the massed harmony voices blending delightfully, as the pace picks up in energy, transitions galore from soft to harder edged raging buzz sawing guitars that are being challenging by churning organ salvos, and a stop on a dime ending.

The second part of this album only gets even better, as if that was even possible, as "Worship" raises the level even more with a brilliant guitar swoop, amid the master-class vocal performances, that endlessly astound. One can easily detect the Porcupine Tree/Pineapple Thief influences, as the scorching phosphorescent guitar sears with utter disdain for the consequences, the tectonic drumming bullying forward unfazed, until the arrangement flutters away in vocal hallucinations. The next two tracks are similarly sized in the 6 minute + mark, thus offering a core dozen minutes of impressive continuation, the 'ooh-ing' voices slaying any attempt at pushback, the crucifying 'Sacred Lovers' chorus being just gorgeous on the superb "Bend the Earth". The guitar solo is egged on by the rhythm locomotive, a fantastic tone to boot as it carves across a colossal keyboard backdrop, adding all the symphonic glitter one could hope for. The electronic e-piano/synth outro is off the charts. This segues perfectly with another killer number, the celestial "Lifeless Creature", a more ponderous infusion of vocal-fuelled psychedelia, both voices flirting with the sublime, Annike leading here with Jon right behind, a masterclass from the microphone crew. The final half has a sense of doom attached to the cyclic beat, veering towards a twisted repetition of the title until the final breath has announced mortality. The final cut (no not that one!), "As We Disappear" securely waves a fond farewell to all the preceding melodies as the horizon seeks to swallow up all our memories, in search of the perennial new beginning. As such, all those precious elements that make up PRR are plainly maintained, surely a bright and prosperous future for this stodgily determined band, as it continues to forge ahead in its craft. Extremely enjoyable album!

5 Raising perceptions

Jon Courtney returns sans founding member Chlo' Alper, here replaced by the more-available and very talented Annicke Shireen. Jon also enlists the support of his producer, Bruce Soord, for guitar and effects as well as Bruce's The Pineapple Thief band-mate, Jon Sykes, and legendary journeyman Guy Pratt to cover some of the bass parts.

1. "Prelude: Coming Up to Consciousness" (0:32) 2. "Dig Till You Die" (4:36) though there is a lot that sounds too borrowed from the band's debut album (specifically the pattern and sound palette of the rhythm foundation), there is enough wonderful stuff here to make this a wonderful listening experience. Vocal is too compressed. The bass, too. I love the intro. (8.875/10)

3. "Interlude 1" (0:23) 4. "Betrayal" (4:05) some nice elements that don't quite gel. (8.75/10)

5. "The Gallows" (4:36) great bass playing, great sound palette, and nice melodies--especially in the ear-candy-themed second half. A mature, well-developed, complete-feeling song. A top three song. (9.25/10)

6. "Interlude 2" (0:21) 7. "Useless Animal" (3:56) great lush vocal arrangements to some rather lackluster lyrics. A pretty solid, complete- feeling song. (8.875/10)

8. "Interlude 3" (0:12) 9. "Worship" (5:02) opens fronted some simple guitar chords being arpeggiated while Jon sings. Annicke gets some appearance time before the full band kicks in at 1:13. The band's old pedal steel guitar's presence is nice. Again, the main fault with this song is in its leaning back on old patterns, sounds, riffs, and themes. (8.75/10)

10. "Interlude 4" (0:17) 11. "Bend the Earth" (6:19) a song that feels like the most original content on the album: palette (that unusual bass sound and programmed drum sequence), chords, structure, flow, rhythm patterns--everything except the chorus motif feels new and refreshing. (9/10)

12. "Lifeless Creature" (6:10) tension filled piano arpeggios open this one before Jon enters positing an-almost whispered vocal. Then synth bass, syncopated drum machine pattern, and other tension- and atmosphere-building effects enter, creating a very interesting and highly original motif to which Jon and Annicke add much magical vocal work. After the singing is done around the 3:50 mark the tension just builds and builds. This is awesome! Love the deep bass thrums. At 5:00 the tension bursts and we come back to Jon's guitar-supported vocal--which is then joined by the full ensemble to the song's finish. The most interesting and, perhaps, the best song on the album. A top three, to be sure. (9/10)

13. "Interlude 5" (0:38) like a hundred distorted accordions recorded and somehow warped in the taping process. (My favorite interlude.) 14. "As We Disappear" (4:49) another delightfully unique and unusual song with treated piano, bass, gently arpeggiated electric guitar, atmospheric synths, Jon's voice with Annicke's wonderful harmony support. Drums kick in around the two-minute mark. That distinctive piano, however, is the main attention-getter for me. My final top three song. (9.125/10)

Total Time 41:56

Note: Only the digital versions of the album have short interludes included as separate tracks. The physical issues don't list interludes as separate tracks, but instead incorporate them into the tracks occurring either before or after them.

While I loved Chlo' Alper on The Dark Third, I never thought she was given enough of the spotlight after PRR's first album. The role and prominence given to Jon's new female counterpart, Annicke Shireen, is wonderful--and quite welcome--as Chlo''s strong presence on The Dark Third is one of the reasons I fell in love with the band, music, album. The vocal arrangements, however, too often fall into the realm of "syrupy" and/or "overdone." The bass contributions are also quite welcome; nice, smooth and confident bass makes such a difference. I only wish I could find out who is performing them: which performances come from legendary journeyman Gary Pratt and which from Bruce Soord's sidekick.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of crossover prog; an album that I really enjoy and so want to promote as a five-star masterpiece but it just falls short: so many very enjoyable songs just fall short. Highly recommended: decide for yourselves!