GHOST MEDICINE

GHOST MEDICINE Discontinuance

Produced in England, with the full participation of Colin Edwin, comes this project from Atlanta's Jared Leach and company (including lead and background vocalist and lyricist Sarah Hoefer, amazing drummer and programmer, Scott Prian (who also recorded and mixed the album), and, of course, Colin on bass. Three principle musicians created these incredible weaves of heavy prog rock sound! Amazing!

1. "Crooked House" (9:44) opens with an awesome synth-supported acoustic guitar picking/strumming solo. By the time the first minute comes to an end, the intro gives way to a very fast-paced, intricately performed heavy rock with a slightly Southern Rock flavor. The male and then female vocals that enter around the two minute mark take over the foreground but the amazing YES-like instrumental guitar feast that forms the background goes on--and would command all of the listener's attention were it not for the beautiful melodic voice of Sarah Hoefer and the great harmonies presented by composer/bandleader/guitarist extraordinaire, Jared LEACH. (Remember this name: It is one I guarantee you will hear again!) An interlude of beautiful ANTHONY PHILLIPS-like solo acoustic guitar in the eighth minute feels like it could be the "bookend" of the song's opening intro--but no! The song returns to its top speed heaviness for the final minute and ends on a high note of LED ZEPPELIN quality and ferocity! Amazing song! Incredible opener and introduction to this extraordinary new talent! (10/10)

2. "Shiver" (5:55) opens with a very strong C-W feel and sound--which is only solidified with the entrance of Nashville-like vocal of Sarah Hoefer for the first verse. The instrumental bridge between first and second verses is awesome--and some amazing slide guitar work continues beneath Sarah's singing of the second verse. By the time the chorus and instrumental sections arrive the song has almost lost any Country/Southern feel to it. Astonishing flow and development! The guitar, bass, and drum work on this song are spell-binding, to say the least--so much so that I found myself pushing the repeat button three times when I first heard it! The song's only flow is that Sarah's voice starts to become drowned out by the instruments by the end of the second verse. In my listening history, only BRUCE COCKBURN at his very best rivals this complex, virtuosic sound! (10/10)

3. "Departure" (6:24) opens with a very heavy, fast-driving OCEANSIZE-sounding guitar, bass and drum weave, which backs off a little into more of a heavy PORCUPINE TREE sound as the vocals enter. The instrumental passage at the end of the second minute contains some awesome guitar--which falls into some ALCEST-like guitarscapes beneath the next round of vocals. The next instrumental bridge contains some guitar shredding (two tracks, R & L) that rivals anything anybody has ever done with pick and four fingers. This then segues into a minor-key section that sounds like something between Italia's AKT or East Anglia's FEN or 4AD's DIF JUZ. The instrumental sections are amazing. The vocal sections are weak. (9/10)

4. "Desert Spring" (8:54) has some very interesting sound and structure. I especially like the atmospheric treatment of the guitars and the presence of acoustic guitar. The song's instrumental sections contain some of the heaviest soundscapes of the album--more than Porcupine Tree at their heaviest--and then some of the album's most sensitive, atmospheric sections, too. Yet they work. Together! In the seventh minute there is a very GENESIS-like feel to the soft, atmospheric section as it slowly climbs back into full soundscape. And then Sarah's wonderfully impassioned vocal falls over some of the album's most straightforward neo-prog section (not unlike MAGENTA, MOSTLY AUTUMN or MANTRA VEGA). (9/10)

5. "Beautiful World" (4:00) opens with some soft, delicately played acoustic guitar--sounding a lot like many of the 1980s guitarists from Windham Hill--or Steve TIBBETTS and/or the late, great Michael HEDGES. The ensuing voices (Jared with Sarah in harmony b vox) present a spacious story with Jared's voice sounding quite beautiful--not unlike Britain's Tony PATTERSON. Though an all-acoustic guitar based song, this one plays out quite well. John Martyn or Tim Blake might have liked this one enough to cover it. (9/10)

6. "Broken Corridor" (5:01) despite solid sound and song structure, there is nothing new or innovative about this one; it feels like something that's already been done. It opens with some Southern Rock Dobro-like guitar fast- picking--which then becomes the pace and melodic structure of the whole band sound. Things quiet down enough for the vocal to enter--first the male, in a REM-like sound, and then Sarah for the second verse. The breakneck speed is, I have to admit, impressive. By the third verse Sarah and Jared are sharing the lead. The drumming and guitar play during the instrumental passages rival anything Gavin Harrison and former DIXIE DREGS' axeman Steve Morse have done. Amazing duo! (9/10)

7. "Discontinuance" (11:14) opens with spacy synths, computer-like percussive sounds before being joined by gentle acoustic guitar arpeggi and bass guitar. Sarah Hoefer's HEATHER FINDLAY-like voice enters at the end of the first minute to deliver the first verse of the song. Lively drums and more playful bass accompany the second. Then, at 2:30, everything stops to start a very PORCUPINE TREE/KING CRIMSON-like heavy instrumental section. All instruments are cruising at very skilled levels for two minutes before a slight switch allows the presentation of a more traditional electric guitar solo--albeit, a brief one, as things soon back down to allow drums and bass, synths and Sarah's vocalizations to haunt us beautifully. At the beginning of the seventh minute everything shuts down to make way for acoustic guitar arpeggio fast-picking and slide guitar in background with synths and bass in support. (Colin Edwin is masterful!) Echoes of screechy, scratchy electric guitar sounds open the ninth minute before the acoustic guitar picking takes on another few phrases. Then a great wall of sound, like a tidal wave rushing onto the shore, fills the soundscape during the tenth minute before fading into a slow fade into guitar amp feedback, static, and distant guitar tunings till the end. Amazing song! One of the album's other top three. (10/10)

A five star masterpiece of progressive rock music and one of the most astonishing albums of the year if not the decade! Again, people, remember this name: JARED LEACH is the New Kid on the Block and I predict that he will be quite a force to be reckoned in the near and distant future!

Here we have a brilliant statement, distributed by Jared Leach from Georgia, a singer/songwriter I've never heard of before. He decided to dub his project GHOST MEDICINE, this obviously intended as a working name. At least the second part nails it for some reason. Thematically they are ' ... exploring themes related to the contradictory and inexpressible nature of the human experience ...' - okay, nothing which surprises actually, though quite a broad subject indeed.

Jared can be proud of having excellent musicians on his side, first and foremost Colin Edwin of Porcupine Tree fame as well as expressive drummer Scott Prian. Additionally Sarah Hoefer takes the female vocal part. A surprising facet maybe, one would not necessarily expect. This will fit the album's context in general, and finally her contribution concerning the title track is a real treat. Shiver in the same way for example after some rounds, a rather mellow tune, featuring a slight country rock touch.

Coming to Jared Leach himself, he definitely put's his mark on the album with tricky guitar focussed compositions, hereby often running into heavy and powerful outings like on Desert Spring. His instruments are presented multi-layered, equipped with a properly formatted bandwith of acoustic and electric impressions. So this is partially including reminiscences of Opeth, Porcupine Tree, King Crimson ... very impressing. Furthermore, his voice, while often duetting with Sarah, is top too.

Equipped with some rare synth patterns the representative title track is crossing the ten minute mark, another highlight for sure. A little suite maybe, consisting of different partitions. I especially adore the short and groovy jamming interlude with propulsive bass, while Sarah is adding some ethereal impressions ... anyway, there's a lot to discover here. On a side note, in recent times I could listen to several music projects showing Colin Edwin contributing, 'Discontinuance' is an example which convinces me completely.

This band is founded by Jared Leach guitarist and composer. He had contributions from drummer Scott Prian, Sarah Hoefer and bassist Colin Edwin of Porcupine Tree. From the first song "Crooked House", we have all the elements to the music that the band will offer throughout this album. Jared Leach is using as much acoustic guitar parts as electric with the use of both female and male vocals. The sound of that first song remind me of Leger de Main in the first part and in the second with a more electric sound, the band speed things up in the Opeth's style, an influence that will be consistent on the whole thing. Leach likes to play two guitar melody lines at the same time, alternate the soft and the heavy, the acoustic side is always not too far from the heavy side of things. In the song "Departure", the influence of Porcupine Tree is present in some passage. The song that impress me the most is "Desert Spring" that switch from a slow and soft intro to some heavy parts with complex guitar parts and inventive solos. "Beautiful World" is an inoffensive ballad probably intended to gives us a little breather. "Distortion" is a nice ending with some guitar duels and some guitar effects that must have been inspired by Led Zeppelin "Dazed and Confused". This band is a nice discovery, for a first album, it's something that matches up with many good albums. I am looking for more in the future, I hope.