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░ ██ ██ Artist: IOEarth ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Moments █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2012 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2016-07-04 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: IOEarth Music ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ The British group IO Earth, and of the two albums █
█ - "IO Earth" (2009) and "Moments" (2012) a lot of █
█ (good) recently read and heard, but until recently █
█ I had the opportunity przysluchania to the music. █
█ About a month ago, I fell into the hands of both █
█ publishers and admit that the good prevailed in my █
█ home player and leaving it only for brief moments. █
█ IO Earth is actually two people who know and play █
█ together on the school benches Dave Cureton and █
█ Adam Gough. Though to say that this duo IO Earth, █
█ this is not true. Maybe it was so even in the case █
█ of the first album on which both men played █
█ virtually all the instruments, inviting only █
█ vocalists (including Steve Balsamo known side █
█ project of Rob Reed, Chimpan A). Even then, the █
█ most vocal was responsible Ms Claire Malin, and █
█ now it is no longer a member of the official █
█ composition of the IO Earth (as Richard Cureton - █
█ Dr. Christian Nokes - bg and Luke Shingler - fl, █
█ sax). █
█ And thanks to "Moments" is a record of the plate █
█ more vocal debut 3 years ago. That reminds █
█ soundtrack album. For once it should be noted that █
█ the music is very IO Earth film. In this respect, █
█ a bit like our Lebowski, but the stylistic █
█ spectrum of British music is much wider. Sometimes █
█ they sound like Pendragon and Camel, sometimes as █
█ Archive, and sometimes as ... Enigma, or even █
█ Bregovic. But I do not think that this gives a █
█ stylistic spread indigestible concoction. On the █
█ contrary, it all fits together perfectly, and the █
█ ability to connect to the unity of intelligent █
█ seemingly distant species such as rock, jazz, club █
█ music, Gregorian chants, near-and far eastern █
█ influences, symphonic rock, world music and █
█ classical music shows only extremely talented Mr █
█ Cureton and Gough. █
█ What's more, with this seemingly impossible to █
█ reconcile the "water of fire" (incidentally, the █
█ program's first album IO Earth was divided into █
█ three "disasters" section: Water Earth, Air) music █
█ was almost unbelievable level of affordability. █
█ "Moments" is a stunning 66 minutes of music, which █
█ consists of 9 tracks. Addictive, mesmerizing, █
█ shocking her with the beauty and the enormous █
█ "power of destruction". As a result, whenever the █
█ board comes to an end, instinctively want to press █
█ the button repeatedly, and then listen to these █
█ fascinating sounds. It makes no sense to describe █
█ each song one by one, because music is music in █
█ terms of an integrated whole, the most listened to █
█ from beginning to end. The best parts of the █
█ album? With just cited because it is difficult to █
█ distinguish any of the tracks. In each lurks a █
█ fascinating mystery and everyone seemingly █
█ diametrically different from the next, it has a █
█ hidden magic. From the standpoint of prog rock's █
█ most sympathizer please can two song "Live Your █
█ Life", the only instrumental on the album - █
█ "Brothers" and the two final songs, "Finest Hour" █
█ and the epic "Turn Away" (both featuring █
█ 'participation "... Winston Churchill, and the █
█ other with the main vocal line sung FOR IN Dave █
█ Cureton, not by Claire Malin). █
█ "Moments" is a very enjoyable album. Production? █
█ Crystal clear. Execution? Flawless. Ideas? Diverse █
█ and unusual. The compositions? Varied and (without █
█ exception) very interesting. Arrangements? █
█ Finesse. Artistic impression? Huge. Overall █
█ rating? Definitely above average. █
█ █
█ -- █
█ █
█ IO Earth. Where do I start here? 2009 saw the █
█ band release their eponymous album which caused █
█ quite a stir, an album that should sit in any █
█ discerning music lover's collection. The album █
█ was challenging, inventive, powerful, complex and █
█ highly entertaining which all in all earned the █
█ band a DPRP recommended album scoring 9 out of a █
█ possible 10. As a debut album one could say and I █
█ will that it was quite a remarkable release due to █
█ its diversity in approach and originality I can █
█ hand on heart say it was one of the finest and █
█ original debuts that I've had the pleasure of █
█ hearing? █
█ 2012 arrives and so does their sophomore album █
█ Moments and you know what the past comments for █
█ their debut mean even more now; where their self █
█ titled release based over three movements covering █
█ the elements water, earth and air. This time out █
█ the band has resisted travelling that same path. █
█ People always comment about that second difficult █
█ album that bands record. Well you need not worry █
█ my friends as these guys have not disappointed one █
█ iota. All their trademarks are stamped firmly █
█ throughout. █
█ From the opening phrasings, Mr Cureton and Mr █
█ Gough have created another rather special and █
█ adept album that is full of sultry melodic tones █
█ that will warm the cockles of your heart. The █
█ contributions from the rest of the band have also █
█ been defining; a perfect complementation that has █
█ allowed Moments to exist and be what it is. █
█ With the creators being unafraid of delving into █
█ the different genres of rock, classical, world and █
█ dance music, these two guys have first and █
█ foremost created a complement of nine songs that █
█ they wanted to hear, without it would seem, any █
█ external pressure, music that has been pleasing to █
█ their ears and in all honesty pleasing on their █
█ intended audience's ear too. An album that will █
█ be welcomed by fans both old and new which can █
█ only be a win win situation. █
█ None of these songs outstay their welcome as they █
█ astutely drag you in, leaving you unbelieving of █
█ what you have witnessed. Several times as the █
█ album played I pressed the repeat button, not when █
█ the album finished, but after certain songs. One █
█ feels that this will be the same for other █
█ listeners as the addictive and infectious █
█ soundstages breathe and build. █
█ To write music like this cannot be easy, but there █
█ again it would seem that taking the easy route █
█ does not seem to be part of their ethos, which is █
█ what makes this band and their music so special. █
█ It would seem that their ideology is thus, there █
█ are only two types of music, good and bad; they █
█ definitely err on the side of good. Each musical █
█ passage really engages and invigorates the soul as █
█ it resonates, evoking a shared feeling that offers █
█ clarity and depth, layered interactions of the █
█ highest order. The cleverness though is that you █
█ are transported through these varying styles as if █
█ you were part of the creative process. █
█ The band have not just relied on just Claire █
█ Malin's evocative tones either, which in their own █
█ right would have been enough for most; Dave and █
█ Adam have contributed too along side the bands █
█ ubiquitous Wendy Vissers-Hagenbeck, which has █
█ added further character to the whole proceedings. █
█ When you work your way through such highlights as █
█ Moments, Cinta Indah, Live Your Life Part 1 and █
█ Part 2 and the album closer Turn Away you can't be █
█ but mesmerised by the power and approach which is █
█ complimented by a crystal clear production job. █
█ That is not to say though the other tracks are any █
█ less graceful or important as they aren't. █
█ This is definitely an album that I would seriously █
█ recommend to those who love complex and accessible █
█ progressive music. For me IO Earth really does █
█ observe and understand the true meaning of the █
█ word progressive and in all honesty I wouldn't █
█ want to pigeon hole them as I feel that would be a █
█ disservice. █
█ As ever with some albums, you just don't want them █
█ to end and Moments is a prime example of this, █
█ make no mistakes of that. There have been some █
█ great releases so far this year and at this given █
█ moment I am starting to make my list and this will █
█ definitely be up there. █
█ █
█ -- █
█ █
█ In the creation of their second IOEarth album, █
█ Dave Cureton and Adam Gough decided that it █
█ shouldn't be a follow-up to their debut. Entitled █
█ Moments (IOEarth (UK), 2012), the hour-long █
█ nine-track progressive masterwork embodies the █
█ sound of the debut but has continued to evolve █
█ over the course of the founders' partnership. █
█ Listeners will recognize the recurring themes that █
█ span the material. The individual tracks are all █
█ relatively long however only the final track which █
█ runs about eleven minutes might be called an epic. █
█ █
█ IOEarth's lineup includes Dave Cureton (lead █
█ guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, vocals, █
█ programming); Adam Gough (keyboards, guitar, █
█ acoustic guitar, theramin, vocals, programming); █
█ Richard Cureton (drums, percussion); Claire Malin █
█ (vocals); Christian Nokes (bass); and Luke █
█ Shingler (flute, soprano saxophone). Additional █
█ contributing musicians included on this album are: █
█ Steve Trigg (trumpet); Wendy Vissers-Hagenbeek █
█ (spoken words); Jayna Maye-Noa Vissers (spoken █
█ words); and Nicko Cureton (percussion). In █
█ addition to a wide variety of critical reviews of █
█ their debut album, the band's live performances █
█ over the past two years have brought them █
█ significant acclaim. While the album's IOEarth █
█ roots are crystal clear, Moments is somewhat more █
█ reserved in comparison to the band's debut album. █
█ The band cite their influences being Steve Vai, █
█ Led Zeppelin, Beniot Atras (Cirque Du Soleil), █
█ Groove Armada, Massive Attack and others. Having █
█ seen all of the current Las Vegas productions, we █
█ believe that the new IOEarth album has clear █
█ Cirque Du Soleil allusions throughout, with the █
█ rhythmic instrumentals being among the strongest █
█ for comparative purposes. The tracks flow █
█ effortlessly from one to the next despite vast █
█ tempo and style changes between and within them. █
█ Claire Malin's vocals are a stunning accompaniment █
█ to the instrumental arrangements. The CD is █
█ presented in a lovely brown-hued trifold digipak █
█ designed by Wendy Vissers-Hagenbeek. It includes █
█ all lyrics and full album credits. █
█ The title track "Moments" opens the album with █
█ spoken words that lead to very powerful █
█ instrumental arrangements and brief yet █
█ beautifully delivered vocal passages. An album █
█ standout, the track embraces almost all of the █
█ styles present on the album and provides a great █
█ overture for the material that follows. █
█ "Live Your Life" is a two-part suite which, like █
█ the opening track, spans a range of styles. It █
█ includes a tremendous piano ballad sung by Claire █
█ Malin. Listen to her crystalline soprano vocals █
█ tenderly deliver the lyrical passage. █
█ Instrumentals carry the last segment of the first █
█ part and serve as a segue into the guitar laden █
█ and percussive Cirque du Soleil-sounding second █
█ part. Claire's vocals are joined by self- and █
█ male-backing harmonies. Claire's vocal power is █
█ evident atop the rich instrumentals. █
█ "Drifting" is the first of two sharply contrasting █
█ tracks. Somewhat reminiscent of "EEEE" from the █
█ IOEarth album, the track features intense █
█ Cirque-style rhythms and layers of worldly █
█ chanting vocals and orchestral arrangements before █
█ the primary lyrical passage powerfully powerfully █
█ by Claire Malin begins. She is backed by the █
█ chanting achieving a great effect. The balance █
█ between the various instrumental passages and █
█ vocal work is superb. In a similar style, "Cinta █
█ Indah" includes Claire's gorgeous ballad offset by █
█ a rhythmic instrumental passage and Hindu-sounding █
█ chants. Listen for the light acoustic guitar solo █
█ in the break and Claire's powerful vocal delivery █
█ in the song's crescendo. The blend of these █
█ various styles by IOEarth works very well. █
█ The album's one pure instrumental is "Brothers." █
█ As the listener will expect by this point in the █
█ album, the track builds arrangements around themes █
█ introduced earlier in the recording. Luke █
█ Shingler's sax and flute melodies alternate and █
█ are complemented by xylophone and tubular bells in █
█ the pulsing arrangement. Also listen carefully to █
█ Richard Cureton's powerful drums driving the █
█ track. █
█ IOEarth really demonstrate their musical chops in █
█ the almost-club styled track "Come Find Love." It █
█ must be heard to fully appreciate. In another █
█ rhythmic number, IOEarth build on the "Finest █
█ Hour" speech delivered by Winston Churchill to the █
█ House of Commons of the Parliament of the United █
█ Kingdom on June 18, 1940. The lyrical passage is █
█ delivered harmoniously by Dave Cureton, Adam Gough █
█ and Claire Malin alongside recordings of the █
█ speech that have been embedded within the song's █
█ powerful arrangements. █
█ "Turn Away" is the album's concluding █
█ eleven-minute track. The piano-backed ballad █
█ clearly illustrates Dave Cureton's talent and █
█ vocal prowess. While he is gently backed by the █
█ other singers and gentle washes of additional █
█ effects, vocalise and instrumental arrangements, █
█ his polished and warm delivery carries the lyrical █
█ passages. The band explodes in an instrumental █
█ guitar-laden frenzy before the song comes to a █
█ conclusion with a further piece of Churchill's █
█ "Finest Hour" speech. █
█ IOEarth have delivered a progressive masterwork, █
█ clearly demonstrating significant artistic growth █
█ from their debut. Purchase the album from the █
█ band's website. Clearly one of the most rapidly █
█ emerging progressive bands of this decade, these █
█ musicians are sure to broaden their following with █
█ Moments. Bravo! █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Moments 8:35 ░
░ 2. Live Your Life Part 1 4:48 ░
░ 3. Live Your Life Part 2 8:20 ░
░ 4. Drifting 8:34 ░
░ 5. Cinta Indah 5:01 ░
░ 6. Brothers 5:08 ░
░ 7. Come Find Love 4:40 ░
░ 8. Finest Hour 5:56 ░
░ 9. Turn Away 11:06 ░
░ 62:08 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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