THE RYSZARD KRAMARSKI PROJECT

A Polish artist that I've only just become aware of despite the fact that he's been active in Prog World since the 1990s (as founder of both FRAMAURO, in 1996, and MILLENIUM in 1999), this is Ryszard's seventh studio release under the Project format since 2016!

1. "Twelve Spaceships" (7:20) intriguing opening: almost cinematic, but then it coagulates into what sounds like a clone of IQ (with some awkward compression of lead singer Stuart Nicholson (GALAHAD)'s voice); where's the magic? It drags! It's formulaic! And, where's the passion? the enthusiasm? The DAVE GILMOUR imitation guitar solo in the sixth minute is weak and the sax that follows feels second row (unimaginative). (12.75/15)

2. "Penelope" (4:40) delicate piano and shamisen (?) provide a pensive, emotional fabric upon which Ania Batko sings. It's a very powerful, very emotional vocal--one that starts out sounding very much like the delicate side of KATE BUSH but then becomes more PAT BENETAR-strong with the more forceful phrases. Fretless bass and drums join in while Ania amps up and then Ryszard delivers a top notch electric guitar solo. Ania closes out the song with a return to the delicate, soft, Kate Bush-like voice of the opening. A beautiful, almost perfect song. (9.5/10)

3. "Cyclops Cave" (5:30) opens with a nice even-keeled classic rock foundation over which guest Piotr Płonka (MILLENIUM) solos on an electric guitar for the first minute. Vocalist of Millenium lead vocalist and long-time contributor to Ryszard's solo project, Łukasz Gałęziowski, enters to sing in a standard 1980s classic rock voice. Hammond organ solo over piano and rock rhythm section before coming back for the singing motif. Łukasz' voice is strong but fairly locked into a one-note monotone for much of the song. Ryszard gets the guitar solo in the third instrumental passage--which pretty much closes out the song. (8.66667/10)

4. "The Curse of Circe" (6:10) a fairly steady musical form over which another Millenium singer, Marek Smelkowski sings. Marek has a more variable approach to singing than his bandmate Łukasz Gall--more rock and metal-flexible--but a slightly thinner voice. Still, he does a nice job on what turns out to be a solid yet uneventful song. (Words/lyrics don't click with me. Sorry!) (8.66667/10)

5. "The Killing Songs of Sirens" (6:50) Female vocalist Ania Batko graces us with her presence over this heavier yet equally-straightforward rock song. Ania's vocalise over the muted guitar chord play between verses is quite lovely--my favorite parts of the song. Unfortunately, the melody lines given to Ania's vocal are almost as dull and soporific as the music beneath. Yet another replication of a David Gilmour guitar solo in the sixth and seventh minutes only serves to rankle me. (13.125/15)

6. "Calypso Nymph" (5:15) another plodder given to Marek Smelkowski to sing over. Some nice extended bluesy guitar soloing in the third minute. Again, I wish word comprehension came more naturally to me (and these singers have excellent command of my own native English language!) In the end, it's just another set of nice, clear performances of what sounds like a 1980s rock ballad. (8.5/10)

7. "Ithaca" (5:00) Łukasz "Gall" is back for the lead vocal on this one. For some reason some of the instrumental sounds here (acoustic guitar, synths, Tony Levin-like bass, piano, sax) give this song a more delectable, interesting palette to my ears. Łukasz' voice sounds a little more vulnerable here--which feels good: gives him a more human element with which to connect. Hitting a higher range at the end of the some of the verses makes him sound as close to Peter Nicholls as Stuart Nicholson does. (Why is the IQ sound--and especially the Peter Nicholls voice sound--so attractive to so many bands?) (8.75/10)

8. "Odysseus" (7:04) Gently chord-played piano and strummed acoustic guitar are soon joined by the rhythm section and a bombastic saxophone solo. Entering in the second minute, Stu Nicholson's treated voice sounds a bit more vulnerable and interesting here than on "Twelve Spaceships" though he still tends to sing as if he comes from the PETER NICHOLLS school of NeoProg vocals: almost monotone. I resent the use of the melody lines (and musical chord progression to match) from Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer" for the lead singer's melody and phrasing during the verses. And then, to rub salt into the wound, Ryszard's guitar solo note choices are also borrowed from the same song (though here slipping and sliding into many of David Gilmour's sounds and tricks--especially from "Comfortably Numb"). (12.75/15)

Total Time 47:49

I mean, it's good, solid rock, but it's nothing new or exciting and often feels "borrowed" or perhaps (to give Ryszard some credit) bled over from rote muscle memory (from many years of knowing and practicing Dave Gilmour's music and guitar solos). B/four stars; I have no doubt that this would be a nice addition to any NeoProg lover's music collection.

The return of the RYSZARD KRAMARSKI PROJECT with this sixth album in six years (difficult to do better and this is reminiscent of the mid-seventies), inspired by the literary work of HOMERE the extremely famous "The Odyssey", a single change and not the least we are now in the year 9999.

After conquering the planet TROJA, ULYSSES undertakes a long journey to his native planet ITHAQUE to find PENELOPE, his beloved wife. Eight titles linked together for this remarkable conceptual disc, that goes without saying, nourished by the texts written as in previous albums by Zdzisław ZABIERZEWSKI and great novelty the vocal contributors come to us from diverse backgrounds. As for the musicians themselves, they all or almost all belong to what I will call the LYNX galaxy. Note that David LEWANDOWSKI and Karolina LESZKO are not among the vocalists present this time. Mr. MOONRISE, Kamil KONIECZAK was responsible for mixing the album, and what a mixing damn it! It's loud in the speakers.

Those who read me now know that I don't really like to sausage concept albums with possible notation, which becomes annoying because today we find more and more concept albums... On this " Odyssey 9999", Ryszard starts very strong with the "Twelve Spaceships" sung by a charismatic guest Stuart NICHOLSON (no need to introduce him I think?), a piece of fabulous symphonic progressive (10/10) further illuminated by the saxophone tenor of Lukasz PLATEK, the only one of the participants whom I did not know before, after research it appears that he is above all a jazz musician.

Who else but Ania BATKO, the singer of ALBION, could replace Karolina LESZKO for "Pénélope" and "The Killing Songs of Sirens", let's say it bluntly, no one! (9/10) for the two, which make a pair. Marek SMELKOWSKI ephemeral singer of MILLENIUM in 2020 takes care of the vocals on tracks four "The Curse of Circe" the poisonous magician of the companions of ULYSSES and six "Calypso Nymph" the maritime nymph in love with ULYSSES and he gets away with it very honorably in either case. If we are looking for the little beast, the two tracks sung by Lukasz GALEZIOWSKI (GALL for those who have been following for more than a quarter of a century) namely the three "Cyclops Cave" and seven "Ithaca" are those which stand out the least from the rest although Piotr PLONKA's guitar solo in the Cyclops' cave...it's still something!

The two Grzegorz (FIEBER and BAUER), current and former drummers of MILLENIUM, brilliantly provide the tempi with the help of the inevitable Krzysztof WYRWA who stands out as often on the Fretless bass and whose arabesques dot several titles.

One of the essential records of the year 2023, will find a place among my sixty best progressive music albums of all time, that's saying something. Originally published at profilprog.com

Nice melodic music which often This reminds me a lot of some of the missteps Robert Reed's MAGENTA project have taken when they've tried to render historical or cultural / literary themes into musical expression.

1. "Lord of Flies" (12:15) uses PINK FLOYD's "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" with a Magenta- and Kate Bush-like perspective/attitude. The "We are lords of the flies" lyric, repeated over and over during the course of this 12-minute song, just sounds inappropriate. (I recall nowhere in the book that the boys felt themselves as such). Female vocalist Karolina Leszko possesses a gorgeous voice, but her approach to delivering the lyrics is so lackadaisical--even feeling at times as if she's bored or apathetic. The speed up in the seventh minute to provide a more exciting, dynamic bed for the instrumental solos (synth and electric guitar) does nothing to improve or impress--other than to confirm that Ryszard has, in fact, admirable David Gilmour imitative skills. (20/25)

2. "The Trial" (11:02) the most uptempo song on the album, presents some tension-filled blues-rock music (which reminds me for some reason of Chile's HOMÍNIDO) over which the two vocalists ramble on and on about Kafka's protagonist's predicament. The pace of the music is appreciated but gets pretty boring and monotonous over the course of ten minutes. While I do like the turn-taking approach to delivering the narrative (with Karolina's strong Eliana Valenzeula/Sara Aliani-like vocal)--but then my main complaint is that this sounds and feels just like that: a narrative rendering of the Cliff Notes synopsis of the story. Nice bluesy guitar solo in the fourth minute--but then it draws so much from both David Gilmour's "Time" solo as well as some other famous "rock standard" solo. The delicate seventh minute is a nice change. This song feels like it has so much promise and potential but just fails to develop and deliver on all counts--even those dynamic guitar soli and the transition to the delicate passages and the Pink FLOYD themes over the second half can save it: they keep returning to that format of the first half. (16.25/20)

3. "1984" (12:51) uses The Eagles' "Hotel California" for its musical base while David and Karolina trade narrative singing. Again I am so reminded of Robert Reed and Christina Booth the Magenta albums of the past decade. Definitely a big step forward in the lyrical department--this time using "Look out, Big Brother is watching" as the repeated mantra throughout and having David and Karolina represent Winston and Julia, respectively, but that all-too-familiar musical backdrop is rather distracting/detracting. Ryszard's dynamic guitar play are nice distractions--as is the "Run Like Hell" rhythm track used to back the motif in the song's middle section--but the constant sameness of David and Karolina's vocal deliveries often gets a little boring. The delicate "never see you now" passage is a nice break--followed by another nice Ryszard guitar solo--but then we're back to "Hotel California" and the same vocal melodies repeated ad nauseum. (21.75/25) 4. "Animal Farm" (11:47) singing about an animal rebellion (against humans) and the details of the political contract you've negotiated among your fellow farm animals--not your most exciting subject for a musical expression. After yet another duet delivery of the story by David Lewandowski and Karolina Leszko I'm reminded of the Broadway play, "Hamilton." Is Ryszard feeling inspired to offer to his fellow humans an alternate, more-accessible entertainment form for the telling of these amazing stories--in hopes of, perhaps, helping the stories (and their ground-breaking ideas) reach a wider audience? The musical foundation this time feels like a cross between more Hotel California-like chord progressions and pacing (there's even a "Hotel California" melody blended with "Comfortably Numb" in the final guitar solo of the song!) with with a little more Richard Wright chord play in the keyboard department and Roxy Music's "True to Life" melodies. This song just confirms for me how far superior are the elements of poetry for musical storytelling than straight narrative prose. (21.5/25)

5. "The Little Match Girl" (7:28) a very pleasant, engaging beginning is diminished a bit by a kind of hokey guitar play during the chorus section. Sensitive guitar solo in the long instrumental bridge before the second verse begins. A more fiery guitar solo in the second extended "bridge". Nice. I like the way the lyrics of this one are not as synoptic but, instead, expressive of the story's mood. (13.25/15)

I have to commend Ryszard for some nice sound engineering throughout--one of the album's saving graces. I just wish the music--especially the foundational stuff--was more original, less monotonous in long stretches, and more complex. The music is nice though never complex or exciting (all performances good, with nothing virtuosic or complex enough to displaying the musicians' skills [or not]). One of my ratings principles has always been to compare the music and product being reviewed to my own skills and talents: I ask myself "Could I do as well or better?" and this is one of those rare occasions in which I think that I might just have been able to "do it better"--at least on the conceptual/compositional level. Another criterion is whether or not the music contributes to making the world a better place than it was before (or without) it. The efforts Ryszard and company put into this album release may, in fact, contribute to making the the world a better place--except for the possibility that a better male English-speaking singer might have served the story retellings better than David Lewandoswki and Zdzislaw "Bat" Zabierzewski. These are stories that were originally published in English, German, and Russian and should, in my opinion, perhaps have been rendered/delivered as such by this project. Also, though imitation is a high form of complement, I really wish Ryszard had been more original instead of synthetic in his musical output here.

C+/3.5 stars; a nice-sounding product with some great David Gilmour-like guitar soloing, but the verbal and kinetic realization of the band's ideas seem weak, not as satisfying as, say, the Colossus Magazine/Musea Records literary interpretation commissions.

This is a Polish formation that was founded by multi-instrumentalist Ryszard Kramarski, also prime mover of the popular Polish progrock band Millenium. It is the fifth effort, since the debut CD entitled Music Inspired By The Little Prince from 2017. The new album Books That End In Tears is based upon four 'cult' books: Lord Of The Flies from William Golding, The Trial from Franz Kafka, and Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm, both from George Orwell. The current line-up features Ryszard Kramarski (keyboards and acoustic guitars), Marcin Kruczek (guitars), Grzegorz Fieber (drums and percussion), Krzysztof Wyrwa (bass) and on vocals Karolina Leszko on CD, and Dawid Lewandowski on CD2 (same music on CD 1 and 2, but with two different singers).

1. Lord of the Flies (12:23) : After a very Pink Floyd-like dreamy intro a slow rhytm follows with pleasant female vocals, in a mellow atmosphere. Halfway the music turns into more lush and dynamic featuring a mid-tempo with a flashy synthesizer runs, followed by a long and moving guitar solo, in the wonderful tradition of David Gilmour, Andy Latimer and Nick Barrett, I love it. Then a part with hypnotizing exotic percussion and spoken words, and finally dreamy Neo-Prog with pleasant vocals and twanging guitars. To me this sounds as Pink Floyd inspired music, blended with typical Polish Neo-prog, very melodic and harmonic, with an important role for the element emotion.

2. The Trial (11:07) : This dynamic compositions starts with a mid-tempo and a tight beat, coloured by howling guitar runs, often in a bombastic atmosphere. Then emotional female vocals join, culminating in a heavy wah-wah drenched guitar solo, the combination of the guitar and female vocals is wonderful, with strong emotional overtones. Halfway the music shifts to dreamy with a melancholical undertone, and sensitive Gilmourian guitar leads. In the final part an eruption with heavy wah-wah guitar and, ominous keyboards, and propulsive drums (The Wall by Pink Floyd comes to my mind), concluded with emotional female vocals.

3. Nineteen Eighty-Four (12:58) : The atmosphere is dreamy, with a slow rhythm, the guitar and vocals colour the music wonderfully with emotion. Then spacey synthesizer flights, and a Gilmourian guitar solo with soaring keyboards, this is Neo-Prog Heaven, beautiful, 'trademark' Polish Neo-Prog! Halfway an exciting break with propulsive drums and fiery and howling guitar runs, again The Wall by Pink Floyd comes to my mind. In the final part lots of flowing shifting moods, from dreamy with piano to bombastic eruption with howling guitar, wonderful and compelling.

4. Animal Farm (11:48) : In a mellow climate with a tight beat the guitar and female vocals colour the music with strong Pink Floyd hints. Halfway dreamy guitar work, melancholical vocals, and soaring keyboards, then an excellent break with a heavy wah-wah drenched Gilmourian guitar solo, supported by tight beats. Next a mid- tempo with powerful female vocals and piano runs. In the final part another moving guitar solo in a wonderful compelling Neo-Prog atmosphere, concluded with tender piano and dreamy vocals, a bit melancholical.

I am familiar with all four books (high school literature), The Lord Of The Flies and Animal Farm are even in my Top 10 of favourite novels. Listening to this album I conclude that the band has done a good job, especially the guitar and vocals. The male singer sounds a bit more melancholical, matching a bit better with the books. But in my opinion the music could have been a bit more dark and agressive at some moments, especially Lord Of The Flies and Animal Farm. Because these two books are here the best metaphors for the dark side of the human being, in the past, now, and in the future, because we do not seem to be able to change that?.

My rating: 3,5 star.

tRKproject is the group of Ryszard Kramarski, keyboardist of Millenium, fantastic composer, releasing here his 5th album, debuted in 2010; a two-voice side-project for vocals, using great musical tracks and avowed reminiscences of Pink Floyd, Camel, enjoyable Marillion-style solos, prog and melodrama! 4 sequels taken from 4 cult books by W. Golding, F. Kafka and G. Orwell with a close or very close link to current events; the title in my opinion refers to its last cover with its tears. Note the help from Marcin from Moonrise, Grzegorz from Loonypark and Krzysztof from Millenium.

"Lord Of The Flies" intro à la Pink Floyd, I let you find with waves and lamenting guitar! Karolina has a voice to melt, a tune already heard on the last one with a country connotation! Flute, symphonic air, pompous acoustics, synths do you want a lot! an oriental voice followed by the dreamlike solo of the guitar, final more latent with male voice yes, final heavy tribal air coming from a desert island before the waves pick up again to leave; the major title of the album. "The Trial" with a helicopter synth to take off directly and a monolithic syncopated air; nervous guitar break then it starts again on the air à la Pendragon, 2nd more Génésisien station wagon and brilliant spleen guitar; the extension is more varied, rock, more worked, complex to define, a plus. The finale looks to the end of 'The Wall' genre The Trial 'with the roaring guitars, also Fly to the Rainbow'; resumption of the chorus. Progressive title with energy to spare, spleen and explosive. "Nineteen Eighty-Four" with a heavy, imposing bass, calmer air, guitar with Rothery spleen assured, good 1984 has passed for a long time and we are worse in terms of freedoms, depressive title. Fortunately keyboards that Wright would have loved to hear put on a bit of happy notes; Big Brother is no longer scary, hold a magnificent violent Floydian riff just before setting off again in musical limbo, on that heady sound of 'The Wall', in Ryszard's own head. Or how to go ten minutes without realizing it.

"Animal Farm" for a melodic prog rock tune at the start, a 4-minute break that calls out to you, but yes it seems?, voice that screams to avoid the sirens, the Floydian guitar solo that tears the spider's web from my musical salon, the voice à la Waters, the keyboard à la Barclay James Harvest which calms the game, a last enjoyable solo to continue to glide, to avoid descending on this arid land, well we go to the male voice sequence and there you will decide which CD carries you the most.

tRKproject releases catchy melodies in a musical dreamlike maelstrom; an album that looks like the previous one but giving more intensity through the many innovative breaks and winking on dinosaurs, those we still dream of but don't listen to enough; a sound on the edge of old and new, of art music in its fullness whether you are Jekyll or Hyde, Yin & Yang, Karolina or David. Double CD release of the album