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░ ██ ██ Artist: Henry Fool ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Men Singing █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2013 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2016-01-12 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Instrumental Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Kscope ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ Henry FoolÆs Men Singing is an ambitious four █
█ track instrumental album featuring members of █
█ No-Man, I Monster and Roxy Music. Sometimes █
█ playful, sometimes intense, sometimes eerie and █
█ ethereal, Men Singing is equal parts dynamic █
█ drums, spiky guitars and atmospheric washes of █
█ fluttering flutes and vintage keyboards. █
█ Produced and arranged by band founders keyboardist █
█ Stephen Bennett and guitarist Tim Bowness (Steven █
█ WilsonÆs creative partner in No-Man), the album █
█ has been mixed by Jarrod Gosling (I Monster/Regal █
█ Worm), who also contributes Mellotron, █
█ glockenspiel and the wonderfully surreal artwork. █
█ Appearing on Everyone In Sweden and Man Singing, █
█ Phil ManzaneraÆs legendary guitar skills can be █
█ heard in the context of long-form instrumental █
█ music for the first time since his celebrated █
█ stint in 1970s mavericks Quiet Sun. █
█ Other contributions come from Brian Eno █
█ collaborator and Slow Electric member Peter █
█ Chilvers (bass), lead guitarist Michael Bearpark, █
█ Andrew Booker (drums), Myke Clifford (sax/flute) █
█ and Classical violinist Steve Bingham, all of whom █
█ have worked live with No-Man or as part of London █
█ underground club, Improvizone. █
█ A vibrant and instinctive contemporary take on █
█ Progressive, Psychedelic and Jazz Rock styles,Men █
█ Singing is available on the Kscope label as a █
█ limited edition cd in vinyl replica artwork, a █
█ standard cd and an LP. █
█ Mastered by award-winning Pink Floyd sound █
█ engineer, Andy Jackson. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ The 2001 Henry Fool debut album was a quirky ride █
█ to say the least, featuring some zany arrangements █
█ delving into experimental zones of sonic conflict, █
█ a modern equivalent of Random Hold or even Quiet █
█ Sun, strangely both having Roxy Music's legendary █
█ Phil Manzanera as main artistic vehicle. So it █
█ will come as no surprise that the man is finally █
█ present on a couple of tracks on this the █
█ sophomore album, in a style reminiscent of his █
█ recent 'Firebird VII' release back in 2008. Once █
█ again, the musicians are led by bassist Peter █
█ Chilvers, keyboardist Steve Bennett, ex No Man █
█ axeman Michael Bearpark and reedman Myke Clifford, █
█ as well as Tim Bowness on vocals and guitars. Well █
█ Bowness is back but no microphone for him, as this █
█ is an all-instrumental affair, adding drummer █
█ Andrew Booker and keys guy Jarrod Gosling (no █
█ relation to Ryan). There are 4 tracks on this █
█ short release, evenly timed as two 13 minute + █
█ jobs and two 6 minute and such pieces. █
█ So what is it like, you ask? A smoother, more █
█ groovy set of tunes, very British, very quirky █
█ once again, with loads of stellar interplay, a █
█ serious dedication to modern atmospherics █
█ colliding with a resilient Canterbury tinge whilst █
█ dabbling unashamed in sonic lunacy. 'Everyone in █
█ Sweden' is a near 14 minute frolic, immediately █
█ catchy a la Soft Machine, with loads of assorted █
█ keys rippling through the bass/drum shuffle, █
█ flashy Manzanera riffs cleverly overlaying the █
█ auditory carpet. You have it all eddying nicely █
█ with churning organ, whistling synths, tingling █
█ piano, brooding mellotron walls and some sexy █
█ saxophone blurts, dedicated to send you into █
█ buzzland. Simply sensational progressive rock and █
█ classic British jazz-rock coalescing into a █
█ tremendous swirl of creative sound and blessed █
█ fury. The bass in particular does some dazzling █
█ settlings of account with Clifford's squawking █
█ brass arsenal, Bennett and Gosling laying down █
█ some nasty symphonic bliss, recalling at times, █
█ old and early instrumental King Crimson (led by █
█ the mighty Mel Collins). It is becoming █
█ increasingly rare to find a track that can █
█ alternate pace and mood with such seeming ease, █
█ creating dense atmospherics that are most █
█ inspiring. The effect is a curious mixture of █
█ avant-garde and old school, expertly played and █
█ brilliantly arranged. Manzanera's distinct guitar █
█ rasp adorns the title track. Intensely luxuriant, █
█ almost menacing 'Men Signing' has a more █
█ cinematographic feel, with the mellotron front and █
█ center, coerced by a pulsating beat and slashed by █
█ a Manzanera special, full of astute guitar sounds █
█ and ingenious timbres, delivered with such █
█ methodical grace and effortless precision. The █
█ track literally cooks with fervent urgency and █
█ electric dedication. So you wonder about Brit █
█ humour? Well it's still alive and well if one █
█ glances at the next two titles 'My Favorite █
█ Zombie' and the longer 'Chic Hippo'. The first is █
█ a stranger piece, led as it is by an insistent and █
█ omnipresent mellotron, a twofold guitar attack █
█ from Bearpark and Bowness, a gruesome bass █
█ pounding display and some confused drumming, all █
█ establishing a slightly schizoid sagacity of █
█ imbalance. It's hard edged in an unconventional █
█ sense, truly unsettling! 'Chic Hippo' is a █
█ portlier piece led by a scouring violin courtesy █
█ of Steve Bingham, as Chilvers burps with █
█ authority, aided by Booker's two-fisted slam and █
█ percussive genius. The trumpet squeezes out █
█ demonic restraint, with buzzsaw guitars mowing █
█ down the guilty. When an e-piano flutter enters █
█ the ring, things just get kookier, almost █
█ dissonant and nearly weird by previous standards, █
█ with echoes of grand musical schemes painting the █
█ air. Again quite experimental and 'recherchΘ', the █
█ boys are seeking out dense pastures and infusing █
█ with brilliant musings in enticing the listener █
█ into their world of 'singing men'. █
█ Fans of the afore-mentioned bands will flock to █
█ this mellotron and sax mixture, in my mind a clear █
█ step-up from their debut, which was highly █
█ regarded by prog fans. Subtle and deranged sounds █
█ from clearly imaginative artists certainly deserve █
█ our attention and applause. Bloody marvelous! █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ I have been LOVING this album since I first heard █
█ it about a month ago and moreso now that I own it, █
█ BUT I will/can not in good conscious give it a █
█ five star rating for two major resaons: it's █
█ brevity and it's lack of vocals. Though I cherish █
█ and relish instrumental music, it takes an █
█ extraordinary product for me to rate an entirely █
█ instrumental album with a full five stars cuz it █
█ is my opinion (though I am not consistent with █
█ this principle and, therefore, guilty of █
█ hypocrisy) that the 'guts' it takes to add vocals █
█ and lyrics to music is part of the 'risk' involved █
█ in making progressive rock what it is. Also, █
█ though, yes, the "classics" of the pre-CD era of █
█ music recording were 'limited' (ask Todd Rundgren █
█ about the 'limitations' of the vinyl medium) to 35 █
█ to 42 minutes of music, today's artists are not █
█ and, I believe, should do the consumer/listener █
█ the courtesy of labeling a product that contains █
█ less than 40 minutes of music as an EP (though I █
█ have bought a few EP's that have contained over 50 █
█ or 60 minutes of music, so that designation can be █
█ irregular, inconsistent and, therefore, █
█ misleading). But these nitpicking complaints █
█ aside, let me say that this album contains five █
█ interesting, enjoyable, upbeat, well-composed and █
█ well-performed songs; it is an album that I have █
█ happily returned to over and over without █
█ disappointment. This surprises me a bit because It █
█ is rare that the full presence of saxophone is █
█ well received by me, but it works on this album. █
█ Men Singing is, indeed, in my humble opinion, an █
█ excellent addition to any prog lover's music █
█ collection. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ I guess I'm in a mood tonight. I'm in the mood to █
█ review some of the albums from 2013 that I really █
█ haven't liked. Henry Fool's "Men Singing" is one █
█ of these, especially since its title is ironic in █
█ the fact that there is absolutely no singing here. █
█ Sigh. █
█ Another album that promises a good variety of █
█ instruments, "Men Singing" doesn't utilize any of █
█ these elements to any effect. I was especially █
█ underwhelmed by the strangely discordant sax. It █
█ just feels out of place among the very low key █
█ sounds being generated here. Repetitive and █
█ ungraceful, the music seems to hover in one spot █
█ with random flute or sax passages creating most of █
█ the variation. Now, don't get me wrong, the sax █
█ and especially the flute are beautiful. I just █
█ don't think they are used well. █
█ This is one of those albums where NOTHING HAPPENS. █
█ You will wait an entire song expecting some kind █
█ of climax or some sort of soul to present itself, █
█ but the same plodding music plays over and over █
█ until it just ends suddenly. The track "Man █
█ Singing" is a good example of this. It goes on and █
█ on, and just when you think something is going to █
█ happen, nothing does. The entire album goes on at █
█ this pace, and you start to glance at your watch █
█ to see how long it's been. █
█ Overall, this album is pretty. It's capable, and █
█ some people might enjoy it. However, I really find █
█ nothing here at all. There is some much potential █
█ energy that is just never released, and so much █
█ potential for excellence that is never revealed. █
█ It's sad really, as I kinda like the zany tone and █
█ the mix is good. I just wish something would █
█ happen to make this music interesting in the █
█ slightest. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ I was such a big fan of HENRY FOOL's debut album, █
█ but to be honest I felt that after all of these █
█ years this was one of those "one and done" █
█ projects. Thankfully I was wrong. So 12 years █
█ later the boys are back with almost the same █
█ lineup. Fudge Smith has been replaced on drums by █
█ the very capable Andrew Booker, plus we get I █
█ MONSTER's Jarrod Gosling adding mellotron, while █
█ ROXY MUSIC's Phil Manzanera adds guitar on two of █
█ the four tracks. I should mention that Jarrod also █
█ mixed this recording while Stephen Bennett and Tim █
█ Bowness produced and arranged it. The music here █
█ is similar to the debut as we get that dreamy, █
█ atmospheric mood much of the time with those jazzy █
█ excursions helped by Myke Clifford's sax. The █
█ differences are for one that this is an █
█ all-instrumental album this time with NO-MAN's Tim █
█ Bowness sticking to his guitar work, plus the █
█ tracks are much longer when compared to the debut. █
█ "Everyone In Sweden" is the almost 14 minute █
█ opener. Man every note seems to be carefully █
█ thought out as I listen to the intricate sounds █
█ that come and go. The bass is prominant as are the █
█ keyboards early on. Love when it turns more █
█ dynamic 2 minutes in and especially the sax that █
█ follows. A calm after 4 minutes with deep sounds █
█ and spacey keys then it kicks back in. Nice ! It █
█ settles back again with sax coming in then another █
█ calm before 7 minutes as it turns spacey and █
█ atmospheric.Some cool sounding sax 9 minutes in as █
█ the dreamy mood continues. Guitar and flute before █
█ 11 minutes as the song continues to drift along. █
█ It ends with electronics. "Man Singing" opens in a █
█ relaxed manner with flute and a beat with spacey █
█ keys and inventive guitar sounds from Manzanera. █
█ Mellotron joins in as well. Yeah this sounds █
█ really good. It's building but thankfully the same █
█ soundscape continues. So good. Check out the █
█ mellotron before 5 minutes and the flute that █
█ follows. It calms right down to end it with sounds █
█ that echo bringing PORCUPINE TREE to mind. █
█ "My Favourite Zombie Dream" is my favourite. I █
█ adore the sound here with those distorted deep █
█ bass sounds and the mellotron waves flowing █
█ beautifully across the spacey soundscape. I'd love █
█ to have this dream. Oh man ! Check out the guitar █
█ from Bowness 3 1/2 minutes in. Some nice drum work █
█ follows. "Chic Hippo" is the over 13 minute █
█ closer. Stephen Bennett is credited with playing █
█ Miles Davis and Terry Riley impressions on his █
█ keyboards and Steve Bingham adds violin on this █
█ track. Great start with the upfront bass, a beat, █
█ mellotron and spacey sound as the violin joins in. █
█ A calm 2 minutes in as bass and drums only lead █
█ then the sax joins in with some distortion coming █
█ from somewhere else. The tempo picks up some as █
█ mellotron choirs kick in. It's brighter before 4 █
█ 1/2 minutes as sounds echo in the background. Lots █
█ of electronics here too. I feel like i'm in this █
█ loop that won't quit and I don't want it to stop █
█ either. Things change some before 7 minutes and I █
█ really like the distorted guitar after 9 minutes █
█ that comes and goes the rest of the way along with █
█ the sax. █
█ Without question this will be near the top of my █
█ list of favourite albums for 2013. I've read so █
█ many glowing reviews for this one and you can add █
█ mine to the list. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ This album "Men Singing" by HENRY FOOL, their █
█ second release, has all kind of ratings, with █
█ their respective reviews, bashing it or loving it. █
█ So, it all comes down to what kind of MUSIC you █
█ like in this Prog universe. █
█ To measure it up to expectations, is kind of █
█ selling it unwisely. Therefore just to point out █
█ where this big "All Star Band" (with guest stars █
█ included!) heads on music wise, I will point out █
█ some referentials. █
█ For starters no vocalist! (no Tim Bowness' █
█ singing, he just plays guitar). The sound flows █
█ between Post/Math Rock and (Post?) █
█ Space/Psychedelia. It is tainted all the way with █
█ very colorful electronics. The structures (songs) █
█ are creative and dynamic. The added touches of a █
█ Mel Collins (no, he is not on this one!) kind of █
█ like wind player, sets it sometimes close to █
█ modern Prog/Jazz/Rock moments, therefore also near █
█ the King's territories. But the effectiveness of █
█ the song writing never stays too much in one █
█ single place or style, thereby it is no big deal! █
█ The electric guitar is also the great thrill on █
█ this album, it is the setting tone to the four █
█ songs. It ranges from wild fuzz distortion to █
█ creative and "sparkling" electric arpeggios! The █
█ synths cover the whole environments with I repeat, █
█ highly ctreative electronics and symphonic strings █
█ (simmultaneously sometimes), therefore it is also █
█ matches with the Symphonic prog tagging. █
█ Its highlights have to do more with music █
█ composition, than with "arena" band strategies of █
█ grandeure, although it does not lack that kind of █
█ intensity ("My Favourite Zombie Dream", track 3, █
█ is a good example of this). █
█ It all comes to what kind of Prog music you like! █
█ I myself, having no complaints (besides the Mel █
█ Collins sound alike), have had a really delightful █
█ time listening to it. It is so well written and █
█ diverse, that it never stops showing some new █
█ colors in each playing! And I will surely repeat █
█ the experience again. In addition it is completely █
█ "instrumental" which always adds up points in my █
█ account! █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Everyone in Sweden 13:55 ░
░ 2. Men Singing 6:43 ░
░ 3. My Favourite Zombie Dream 6:26 ░
░ 4. Chic Hippo 13:24 ░
░ 40:28 ░
░ ▒ ▒
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