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IQ - Tales from the Lush Attic 2013 Remix CD (album) cover

TALES FROM THE LUSH ATTIC 2013 REMIX

IQ

 

Neo-Prog

4.62 | 107 ratings

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tszirmay
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Boy, am I glad IQ decided to reissue their debut masterpiece, a recording that has somewhat disappeared from my earshot , even though it is presumably one of the iconic pillars of prog's survival with Marillion's Script and Twelfth Night's Fact and Fiction. These three kept the flickering flame of progressive glowing in the dark night and eventually kick starting a global renaissance which has never been healthier than in 2013. I still have my vinyl copy in storage so when this colossally re-worked, re-mastered and essentially "cleaned up" work was lovingly unleashed by Mister Holmes and Co, I took a leap of faith and hunted this gorgeous package down. Everything is perfect from the lush book-like packaging that includes a DVD and samples, beautiful artwork and most importantly a pristine sound that almost qualifies as a current album! From the opening bars of "The Last Human Gateway", a spectacular progressive epic that sprawls over 20 minutes and remains a fan favorite as well as a prog classic together with the other seminal IQ extravaganza, "The Enemy Smacks". These 2 giants are now less obscure sonically, with clean production and added oomph! Truth is, there will always be an audience for quality music, regardless of trends and fads. When you witness a huge melody as in the mid- section, you just cannot help to feel overwhelmed at their audacious counter-revolution. In 1982, Prog became a rebel with a cause and has not abated since, impervious to the Rolling Stone slight (a lousy elitist pseudo mag anyway, named after a guileless band of profiteers!) and countless other musician wannabees who have given themselves license to spew their jealousy-ridden bile. I prefer bombastic, pompous and overbearing to bloody formulaic anytime!

The boys in the band did not hesitate to begin their recorded journey with barely hidden sarcasm: "You want a long track- OK, a short track, no problem or how about a medium sized one, ey?" Wham-bam thank you, ma'am! So "The Last Human Gateway" straddles a wide musical berth, wishing to immediately express its status as a rebellious middle finger to the punk explosion that ultimately went nowhere, funny that just like with Rock n Roll, the real musicians came to the fore with prog, the two riff punkers were replaced by new wave master musicians who jumped on the fad/bandwagon (Magazine, Thomas Dolby, Ultravox, John Foxx, Depeche Mode etc?)! A sprawling epic opener in a disenchanted world of 3 minute disposable songs with MTV video that was balls, man! Peter Nicholls will never be accused of an owning an original voice, he just took the Gabriel style one step beyond. Occasionally dreamy and pastoral, for the most part the band prefers an organ-driven rollercoaster assault, propelled by solid bass and drums. Orford splashes some sporadic mellotron just to keep the symphonic momentum, while Mike Holmes throws in some inspired guitar work. You can actually feel the hot smoke emanating from the mighty mellotron. Nice trip indeed! So as to prove an imaginary point , "Through the Corridors" is wee tiny at barely 2 minutes and a half but bruising in an almost punkish mode, Holmes stinging guitar licks shoving the keys along, while Peter sings his anger succinctly. "Awake and Nervous" finds a classy middle ground, a boisterous undertaking in sound and fury with discernable rage and fine bluster. There are some stylish sections that verge on metal rampaging, which just provides more "weight" to their vision, like the elegant synth/guitar interplay three quarters in. A short Emersonian piano interlude keeps things in melodic perspective but shows Martin's talent to be a real thing! Love the title though, full of British irony and sarcasm. "The Enemy Smacks" is appropriately explosive, angry yet also playful, a classic track still expected by fans at IQ concerts (I saw this live in Montreal a few years back and was stunned). The piece is just a huge snow plow of sound (especially with all the new fixings) , giving each player a platform to divulge some astonishing inspiration (Holmes, Orford, Esau and Cook) but Nicholls steals the show, taking the 'Foxhead' a step forward in so many ways, his pleading voice keeping things palpably poignant. The acme is reached at the circa seven minute mark, the instrumental brew becoming a storm of brutality and relentless pummeling, boom-boom bass and tectonic drumming , with surly organ and searing guitar blasts exploding all over the speakers, I mean it sounds almost like Deep Purple for a few minutes.

Add the bonus tracks "Wintertell" (2012 recording), "The Last Human Gateway" (End section, alternative vocals), "Just Changing Hands" (Unfinished demo) and "Dans Le Parc du Château Noir" (Unfinished demo), plus a DVD , Photo Gallery, samples and interviews and you get a timeless copy of a formative classic, a cornerstone icon of progressive splendor.

5 opulent lofts

tszirmay | 5/5 |

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