BLACKBOX

Major Parkinson

Eclectic Prog

3.98 | 188 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Despite displaying very little instrumental flash, nuance, or virtuosity, Major Parkinson continues putting out interesting poppy prog goth noir--this one their fourth.

1. "Lover, Lower Me Down!" (4:47) drums and, of course, vocals/lyrics on display here despite it being 70% instrumental. (8.5/10)

2. "Night Hitcher" (5:46) the synth/keyboard work is my favorite thing about this song. The chorus is so out of a 1980s film soundtrack! Something by John Hughes or Pump Up the Volume. Again, the percussion/rhythm work is remarkable and there is a rather wonderful buildup and synth chord sequence as it approaches its end but, otherwise, there is nothing so extraordinary about this song--nothing that draws me back to listen to it repeatedly. (9/10)

3. "Before the Helmets" (1:25) melodic piano with incongruous singing voice. (3/5)

4. "Isabel - A Report to an Academy" (9:41) (8.5/10)

5. "Scenes from Edison's Black Maria" (1:46) minimalism!? (4.5/5)

6. "Madeleine Crumbles" (5:06) upbeat pop noir! with nice performance from female singer Linn Fr�kedal. A modern, goth noir take on The Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way." (9/10)

7. "Baseball" (10:20) prog cabaret! entertaining! All we need are the Cirque du Soleil acrobats.(8.5/10)

8. "Strawberry Suicide" (2:57) classical/Kurt Weill/Leonard Cohen! (8/10)

9. "Blackbox" (5:48) 80s underground synth pop! I do like it better when the band alternates a female vocalist with that of the melodramatic atonal voice of Jon Ivar. (9/10)

A little too simple and repetitive, musically, and, being deaf to lyrics, the lyrical messages are lost to me, this is just not what I'm looking for in progressive rock music. But I can see how some might like it.

Four stars; an excellent addition to any adventurous prog rock music collector.

BrufordFreak | 3/5 | 2017-11-9

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