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░ ██ ██ Artist: Nine Stones Close ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Leaves █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2016 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2017-04-16 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Bad Elephant Music ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ 'Leaves' is the most recent offering from █
█ English/Dutch (and now Irish!) band Nine Stones █
█ Close, and if you're reading this review, you are █
█ probably already aware of their previous offerings █
█ ('St. Lo', 'Traces', 'One Eye on the Sunrise'). If █
█ you are a fan of any or all of these albums, let █
█ me say this simply: you owe it to yourself to █
█ listen to their newest album. It is a brilliant █
█ piece of work from start to finish. █
█ One thing NSC have never been accused of is █
█ sitting on their laurels, and 'Leaves' is no █
█ exception. Most notable is the change in vocalist: █
█ Marc Atkinson is out, and Irishman Adrian █
█ O'Shaughnessy is the new man on vocals. NSC have █
█ also recruited a new keyboard player (Christiaan █
█ Bruin) as well as a new bass player (Peter Groen), █
█ so it should come as no surprise to anyone that we █
█ have some changes in sound here. Rest assured, █
█ however, that mastermind of the group Adrian Jones █
█ (guitar) is still on board, as is the incredible █
█ drummer Pieter van Hoorn. Adrian O'Shaughnessy is █
█ a much more muscular vocalist that Marc Atkinson, █
█ with a vocal style and range more oriented towards █
█ heavier music, and that vocal power is required on █
█ 'Leaves': this is a darker, heavier album than █
█ anything NSC have released previously. That's not █
█ to say that this album doesn't sound like a NSC █
█ album: the songwriting is, to these ears, a very █
█ logical progression from OEotS, but the █
█ arrangements here are often considerably more █
█ guitar-oriented and distorted than on their █
█ previous albums. And they make it work, believe █
█ me. Your first listen to this album may be a bit █
█ disconcerting, but by the end of your second █
█ listen, this album will definitely make sense as a █
█ Nine Stones Close album. This is a progressive █
█ album, in the truest sense of the word, by a band █
█ that does not believe in doing things the easy █
█ way. █
█ This remarkable album clocks in at just under an █
█ hour, with only five songs present: opener █
█ 'Complicated' is the runt of the litter at only █
█ five minutes in length; this is followed by █
█ 'Goldfish' (12:47), 'Lie' (9:59), 'Spoils' (16:35) █
█ and the title track 'Leaves' (13:45). Rest assured █
█ that there is no dead weight in any of these █
█ longer songs: they develop, evolve, progress and █
█ move ever-forward, never outstaying their welcome. █
█ I won't review each song individually, as there █
█ are other reviews online which do this in great █
█ detail, and probably better written than I could █
█ manage! I will say, though, that the wide range of █
█ influences on show throughout this album - King █
█ Crimson, Pink Floyd, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, █
█ Porcupine Tree, Marillion - are combined to █
█ produce an album that manages to never sound like █
█ anyone other than Nine Stones Close. Perhaps an █
█ more aggressive NSC than we've heard before, but █
█ with a lot of fascinating things to say, both █
█ musically and lyrically. Do yourself a favour and █
█ listen. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Sombre expanses, decidedly forceful environments █
█ and desolate reactivity. Nine Stones Close (NSC) █
█ have altered their state, moved beyond the zone of █
█ calm twilight and flung themselves into a █
█ completely different sonic dominion. A rather █
█ massive shake-up of personnel was at the forefront █
█ of such an adjustment as Adrian Jones on guitars █
█ and drummer Pieter Van Hoorn have re-tooled their █
█ muse, bringing in talented Dutch keyboardist █
█ Christiaan Bruin (who has a few albums under the █
█ 'Chris' moniker), bassist Peter Groen and a █
█ versatile Irish vocalist Aio O'Shaughnessy █
█ (Frameshift) . Adrian's fabulous Jet Black Sea █
█ project obviously tailored a new and fresh █
█ direction, a stark universe loaded with intensity █
█ and gloom. While quite a new experience from their █
█ previous works, their melancholic nature is █
█ forever present, now heightened by a sharper █
█ palette as well as a more masculine vocal presence █
█ that does take a little getting used to at first. █
█ Things start out in classic form on 'Complicated', █
█ a brooding mood swings in the atmospherics and █
█ little time is wasted to introduce Adrian's █
█ scratchy guitar and Aio's rather exalted vocals , █
█ elevating the power levels to raunch and launch, █
█ the driving bass and van Hoorn's powerful drum █
█ fills giving all the support needed. Angry and, █
█ well ''complicated'! Sinuously seductive with a █
█ dash of sonic perversity, this could have been a █
█ heavy Porcupine Tree styled song, if not for the █
█ more urgent vocal stylistics. Short and to the █
█ point, welcome to the new NSC! █
█ The next 4 tracks are all 10 minute + affairs, so █
█ this is a dense, developed to the gills opus that █
█ provides immense depth and width. First up, █
█ 'Goldfish' is a whopping expanse of annoyed █
█ ambiance, heavily drenched in cyclical psychedelia █
█ that forges mood over matter, feeling over █
█ formula. Fizzy somnolence allied with electric █
█ rage, there is a panorama of emotions that span █
█ the gamut, from anguish to irritation, showing █
█ little penchant for platitude. Adrian laces a █
█ myriad of licks, bites and chomps to the █
█ synthesized stew, at times clanging, chiming and █
█ ringing chords to great effect, using some slide █
█ guitar phrasings to add some garnish. Bruin █
█ remains discreet, effectively coloring the █
█ arrangement with tons of modern flourishes, rich █
█ in electronic effervescence. Aio languishes in his █
█ lament, cuing the rhythm section to forcefully █
█ kick in the door and let the power enter the fray, █
█ brutally and uncompromisingly! A tremendous epic █
█ track of the highest order. █
█ The bittersweet expression of 'Lie' is totally █
█ unexpected, an oblique, raw, almost dissonant and █
█ grungy piece that exhorts a desire to stupefy and █
█ confront. This is a heavy, greasy and unshaven █
█ colossus, hinting toward a more hurricane-like █
█ delivery that yearns for discomfort and █
█ sleaziness. The stunning vocals are desperate, █
█ almost frenetic, hence quite the polar opposite of █
█ the more feminine (but brilliant) style of Marc █
█ Atkinson. The insistent rough guitar shrapnel █
█ pains, threatens and scars the uninitiated █
█ listener, all kinds of interesting stylistic █
█ experiments that truly are progressive in terms of █
█ evolutionary context. Yes, this is more demanding █
█ and complex that the previous NSC works, requiring █
█ open-mindedness, participation and concentration. █
█ Adrian outro solo is agonizingly stellar. █
█ The longest track, 'Spoils' clocks in over 16 █
█ minutes, an adventure in progressive mastery that █
█ may remind some fans of PTree's glorious epic █
█ 'Anesthetize', in that it stretches the scope from █
█ hushed romanticism to hysterical abandon, with █
█ every other emotion in between. The balls it takes █
█ to leave a man and a microphone alone with █
█ scarcely any accompaniment is quite the gamble, as █
█ Aio hurls forward his wounded venom, until the █
█ rage explodes like some monstrous cyclone of dread █
█ and doom. The Led Zeppelin (a la Kashmir) riff █
█ will catch you unaware (even if I gave it away), a █
█ sudden and booming elevation into the upper █
█ territories of bombastic symphonic prog, Aio █
█ bellowing and blaring with unchecked sizzle. This █
█ teeter-tottering between black and white, once █
█ soft and then hard is expertly displayed, in the █
█ most convincing manner by all the instrumentalists █
█ as well as the lead singer, each focused on the █
█ prize. The lyrical content is dour, pessimistic █
█ and flat out despondent. Another sensational but █
█ arduous ride, squeezing the soul with apparent █
█ impunity. █
█ The final and title track is the clincher, a █
█ tremendous opus stamped with genius of █
█ unparalleled proportions, displaying incredible █
█ restraint and creative intelligence, Peter Groen █
█ in particular doing some finesse work on his bass █
█ guitar, Adrian caressing his frets with vivacious █
█ delicacy, the subtle jazzy drum filling and Aio's █
█ muttering grievance, all in tune as if in a gentle █
█ and relaxed bubble, waiting for the release. When █
█ he states 'I only drink when I am drowning', the █
█ sheer brilliance hits you like a ton of bricks, █
█ the soporific voice reminding one of vocalists █
█ such as Steve Hoggarth or early Mark Hollis, █
█ undeterred by the clever electronic keyboard █
█ barrage. The impression that this fleeting feeling █
█ can go on forever is slashed by a whopping guitar █
█ solo, a crescendo slowly building up momentum and █
█ passion that is purely mesmerizing. With more █
█ astute lyrics like 'Have you ever seen the light, █
█ have you ever lived your life', the realization █
█ that both artist and spectator are in a symbiotic █
█ pleasure dome that has achieved the loftiest level █
█ of intensity: aching beauty, delirious melancholia █
█ and the coalescence of simplicity. The finale is █
█ grandiose and explosive, proof is in the █
█ undeniable impression of sonic afterglow. █
█ If a fan of the heavy progressive scene, you will █
█ find all the challenges that you need to █
█ continually discover new twists within tracks you █
█ may hear many more times gain, it's just THAT █
█ dense. It's not an easy listen, no fluff, no █
█ respite, no ballad, no top-ten attempt. The █
█ Porcupine has chopped down its Tree, perhaps it's █
█ time to rake in the 'Leaves'. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Adrian Jones is not a man that likes to be █
█ pigeon-holed. His involvement with the spectacular █
█ The Path of Least Existence by Jet Black Sea (the █
█ duo of Jones and Michel Simons) brilliantly █
█ showcased his love of the experimental, █
█ soundscapes and instrumental workouts. With the █
█ latest album by Nine Stones Close, he has once █
█ again shown he is not afraid to push the █
█ boundaries. █
█ Leaves, the fourth outing for the Anglo-Dutch █
█ outfit, shows such a change and development in █
█ sound, that some may wonder if it was recorded by █
█ the same band. That said, only two-fifths of the █
█ line-up that recorded 2012's ,One Eye On The █
█ Sunrise feature here. Adrian Jones (guitarist / █
█ driving force behind the band) and Pieter van █
█ Hoorn (drums) remain. The new recruits are █
█ Christiaan Bruin (keyboards), Peter Groen (bass) █
█ and most significantly Adrian (AiO) O' Shaughnessy █
█ (vocals). █
█ Previous Nine Stones Close albums have always had █
█ a distinctive, atmospheric sound with nods to █
█ bands such as Pink Floyd, running through them. █
█ Amongst this, Jones has never been afraid to use █
█ introspective lyrics and with this album, Nine █
█ Stones Close has moved more deeply into that █
█ territory with their music too. Long-time fans of █
█ the band will no doubt find this surprising at █
█ first and there will certainly be some who will █
█ find O'Shaughnessy's vocals a little difficult to █
█ adjust to, such is his difference in style to Marc █
█ Atkinson. Therein lays the beauty of this album. █
█ It would have been easy to find a vocalist closer █
█ in range and technique to Atkinson and simply █
█ carry on. This album is heavier, darker and █
█ infinitely more brooding than any of its █
█ predecessors. With this in mind, the performance █
█ of O'Shaughnessy fits perfectly. In any case, █
█ Jones has never taken the easy route or the soft █
█ option. During the making of this album, over an █
█ hours' worth of material was shelved and the █
█ entire writing process re-started, such was his █
█ desire to make this album a real statement of █
█ intent. █
█ And so to the songs themselves. █
█ Opener, Complicated (on release for several weeks █
█ before the full album) clocks in at five minutes █
█ dead and is the shortest track on the album by █
█ another five. It is immediately apparent that this █
█ is a new Nine Stones Close and while Complicated █
█ isn't completely indicative of what's to come, it █
█ is enough of an appetiser to show that the band █
█ really is onto something different here. The lush █
█ keyboard introduction hails back to sounds of █
█ previous albums but the arrival of the driving █
█ bass and a staccato guitar riff, take us somewhere █
█ totally new. Within the first minute, the lyrics █
█ reveal just how dark this journey is going to be. █
█ "Another scar, another day, just want to close my █
█ eyes". Even by his standards, Jones' has really █
█ opened himself up on this album and the lyrical █
█ darkness is a constant throughout. Written well █
█ after the other tracks on the album, it must have █
█ been an easy decision to place Complicated first █
█ in the running order, as it makes a bold statement █
█ about the new line-up and new sound in a short █
█ space of time. Without being a throwaway track by █
█ any means, with Complicated placed here, it seems █
█ introductions are made and the serious business █
█ can truly begin. █
█ The next four tracks, which comprise the dark █
█ heart of the album, are all at least ten minutes █
█ long and allow for deep exploration of the band's █
█ new direction. This album hasn't been designed to █
█ be an easy listen; it needs time to really get █
█ under the skin. █
█ Second track Goldfish is a sprawling, inspiring █
█ and frankly superb thirteen minute epic warning █
█ against the hypnotic effect of 24 hour media. The █
█ track builds superbly, "I watch TV, I hit the key, █
█ desire on demand" sings O'Shaughnessy in the █
█ opening moments, pulling us into a dreamlike █
█ trance. Grunge influences are strong in this song █
█ but there is great diversity between the different █
█ sections. There are moments taking us back to █
█ Fugazi-era Marillion (particularly on the guitar █
█ solo during the final quarter) and there are █
█ several flashes that wouldn't be out of place on █
█ one of Steven Wilson's most recent solo outings. █
█ It may just be the best thing the band has ever █
█ produced. █
█ Lie, just a few seconds short of ten minutes, is █
█ the closest we get to prog-metal on the album and █
█ stakes its claim as the heaviest and dirtiest █
█ track in the Nine Stones Close canon. The louder █
█ instrumental sections demonstrate just how well █
█ the rhythm duo has gelled; Peter Groen plays like █
█ he's been here all along. It also gives much █
█ credence to the view that Jones' approach to █
█ guitar on this album contributes fully to the █
█ band's engine room. As part of an album with █
█ intense, ominous lyrics it's hard to point to any █
█ moments of light. Lie continues this, "I'm █
█ obsolete and replete, I dance to your beat and █
█ sing your song". Jones writes lyrics which invite █
█ deeper analysis and Lie is no exception. █
█ Up next is Spoils, the longest track on the album █
█ at sixteen-and-a-half minutes, which twists and █
█ turns like an espionage thriller. There's █
█ definitely an element of Led Zeppelin in the █
█ chemistry between the guitars and the keyboards in █
█ the first half and also in the chunky chords of █
█ the latter section. Spoils, like most of the █
█ album, has so many layers, haunting, echoing, █
█ distant vocals can be heard in the quieter █
█ sections, that much praise should be given to the █
█ mix and mastering of sound engineer Paul Van █
█ Zeeland. The sinister, sombre lyrical themes don't █
█ let up throughout. "Keep this up, cellophane lie, █
█ forget the world, forget people, forget love" █
█ Rounding off the album is the fourteen minute █
█ title track. It is the most atmospheric, ethereal █
█ track on the album with a drone-like sound and a █
█ lyric that is forever searching for some kind of █
█ freedom; "Seems I only drink when I'm drowning, at █
█ least that's what I tell myself, yeah?I only drink █
█ when I'm drowning, guess I just don't swim too █
█ well." It's lengthy build up brings to mind, █
█ structurally if not musically, A Few Words For The █
█ Dead from Marillion's Radiation album. Leaves is a █
█ slow burning epic closer which builds an enigmatic █
█ theme with empyreal guitar and quiet but insistent █
█ cymbal, before exploding eight minutes in. █
█ Portentous bass and a questioning, anguished █
█ vocal, (Did I ever really live my life?), bringing █
█ the main part of the song to a close. That leaves █
█ us with the beautiful piano-based coda, based on a █
█ guitar part from earlier in the track. After an █
█ album of solemnity, perhaps this displays the hope █
█ that should never be fully driven from us or maybe █
█ its melancholic timbre validates the fact that in █
█ the end, we all "leave". █
█ Leaves is an intense emotional journey and those █
█ looking for an album of background music or one █
█ that will click into place on first listen should █
█ look elsewhere. This album grows and claws at you █
█ with each play. The direction the band has taken █
█ shows not only courage but the unwillingness to █
█ stand still. The new line-up should rightfully be █
█ proud of such a work and they deserve this album █
█ to take them to the next level. █
█ Where Nine Stones Close goes next will be of great █
█ interest but I can only hope that in this age of █
█ speed, instant information and "goldfish", █
█ listeners will give such a worthy opus the time it █
█ deserves. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ My problem here is with title track. The foregoing █
█ seems to be a good prelude to the same. In turn, █
█ it is the most progressive part of the album, █
█ along with Frozen Moment, by sudden changes and █
█ search for originality in it. It begins with a █
█ delicate acoustic intro in line with the previous █
█ piece, then enter an alternative rock course, to █
█ return in the seventh minute on a passive ground, █
█ in last two minutes becomes anarchy. █
█ Frozen Moment is more balanced, but also █
█ unnecessary repetitions, spare 3 or 4 minutes. █
█ Highlights for me are Janus, Sunset █
█ (instrumentals), Eos, A Secret, The Weight. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Reassuringly often in these days of what seems to █
█ be a resurgence of great progressive rock an album █
█ is brought out that completely obsesses me for █
█ several months. I bought One Eye on the Sunrise █
█ months ago, knowing it was going to be something █
█ special. It grabbed me from the very first playing █
█ and i listened to it many, many times over the █
█ ensuing weeks. █
█ What is more unusual is an album that grabs you in █
█ this way and maintains its hold on you, still █
█ seeming fresh and never sounding too tired or █
█ familiar. The addition of a real drummer this time █
█ around has made a tangible difference to the sound █
█ that Adrian Jones and his talented crew make. I'm █
█ not going to do a laborious track by track █
█ critique here, there are others more proficient █
█ than I at doing that. █
█ To me the most important thing is that this music █
█ just works on so many levels, whether the █
█ exquisite vocals from Marc Atkinson, the inventive █
█ soundscapes provided by keys man Brendan Eyre, the █
█ soaring guitar playing of Adrian Jones himself, or █
█ the driving rhythms and supporting percussion █
█ offered by Pieter Van Hoorn, for me this album █
█ ticks all the boxes, even to the extent of giving █
█ my much desired, but rarely achieved, full on █
█ emotional reaction, tears, goosebumps etc. The █
█ addition of Cellist Katy Bell on 2 of the tracks █
█ demonstrates a new maturity of composition that █
█ greatly adds to the overall sound pallette. New █
█ bass man Peter Vink and the wonderful Matt Stevens █
█ also contribute well. █
█ I know that, despite the departure of Marc █
█ Atkinson, that Adrian is already hard at work on █
█ the next album and I, for one, am already watering █
█ at the mouth in anticipation. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ This melancholic, atmosperic & mostly low-tempo █
█ album desserves an acclaim. █
█ Neo-prog is a sub-genre that lost some momentum █
█ the last years. Still, there are a few projects █
█ that keep it on track with the quality we can █
█ expect. █
█ As such, the album sounds rather modern and mix █
█ neo-prog with some symphonic & psychedelic █
█ influence. The atmosphere it delivers reminds me █
█ sometimes Blackfield. To a lesse extend we can █
█ find influences of Pink Floyd and late Marillion. █
█ After a (long) instrumental introduction track █
█ that starts quicking with guitars after 2min. The █
█ next 3 tracks are mainly athmospheric with guidar █
█ and organ support and a soft but mastered singing. █
█ Threads (2nd track of the album) is arguably the █
█ best. The last track (Thicker than water) is over █
█ 14 min long. After a first half keeping the spirit █
█ of the previous tracks, the second half of the █
█ track delivers more heavy song with prominent █
█ guitar and mid-tempo (a bit like Knight Area). █
█ Overall, an excellent ablum that I recommend. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ NINE STONES CLOSE continue with the same style as █
█ was heard on their previous album "Traces". This █
█ is melancholic and atmospheric with those Mark █
█ Hollis-like vocals that sing about loss and hope. █
█ It's interesting that we get KNIGHT AREA's drummer █
█ on board for this one. █
█ "Faceless Angel" is a short opening track with █
█ samples and piano leading the way early then it █
█ builds to a majestic sound. "A Secret" is mellow █
█ with those reserved vocals joining in. It does █
█ build on the chorus each time. I like the deep █
█ atmosphere after 2 1/2 minutes and the emotional █
█ guitar solo that follows. "Janus" opens with █
█ electronics and atmosphere then the guitar and █
█ drums start to take over. It settles back with █
█ piano only after 2 1/2 minutes then the guitar and █
█ drums return on this instrumental. "...And Dream █
█ Of Sleep" is less than 2 minutes of relaxed music █
█ including plenty of acoustic guitar. "One Eye On █
█ The Sunrise" opens with intricate guitar melodies █
█ as the vocals join in. Strings and piano help out █
█ as well. It kicks in just before 3 minutes to a █
█ surprisingly heavy soundscape with passionate █
█ vocals. Contrasts continue. █
█ "Eos" is a short track with vocals. Once again █
█ it's melancholic and mellow. "The Weight" is █
█ atmospheric until about 2 minutes in when it picks █
█ up some with vocals. Contrasts continue. "The █
█ Distance" sounds good with that intricate opening █
█ guitar. Vocals join in then the guitar is █
█ strummed. The intricate guitar is back as these █
█ contrasts continue. I like the piano after 3 █
█ minutes. "Frozen Moment" opens with aggressive █
█ guitar as the sound builds. This is surprising. By █
█ the way this is the longest track at over 13 1/2 █
█ minutes. It settles back with vocals before a █
█ minute. Nice drum work after 8 1/2 minutes as it █
█ picks up again. Best song on the album in my █
█ opinion. "Sunset" is the short 1 1/2 minute █
█ closer. Piano and violin lead the way. █
█ Unlike most I prefer "Traces" to this one. This █
█ just hasn't clicked with me and in fact has done █
█ the opposite over time. Good record though. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Nine Stones Close churn out another set of highly █
█ emotive and passionate songs on One Eye On the █
█ Sunrise. Those who prize intricate songwriting or █
█ novel tangents in their prog probably are best █
█ moving on here, but on the other hands if you like █
█ broody-moody vocals delivered in a fairly █
█ accessible style (courtesy here of Marc Atkinson) █
█ to a lightly proggy backing with a mild focus on █
█ guitar (Adrian Jones) then it might float your █
█ boat. I wasn't too taken with the preceding Traces █
█ and I'm not bowled over by this - as far as █
█ introspective, moody prog in this general vein █
█ goes I found Edison's Children's debut album (In █
█ the Last Waking Moments) to be markedly superior - █
█ but they're drifting in the right direction as far █
█ as I'm concerned. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Nine Stones Close third album is another huge leap █
█ forward after St Lo and the follow up Traces.First █
█ of all the main thing that has improved is the █
█ production,but most of all the use of a REAL █
█ drummer and what a fine drummer Pieter Van Hoorn █
█ (Knight Area)proves to be.The aquisition of Peter █
█ Vink of Dutch prog legends FInch,also is an █
█ inspired choice as is the core crew of Marc █
█ Atkinson and Brendan Eyre on vocals and keyboards █
█ respectively. The album opens with a huge slice of █
█ symphonic prog instrumental,Faceless Angel,which █
█ lays the foundations of what is to come.A Secret █
█ is next with a gorgeous Atkinson vocal setting up █
█ for a grand finale of synth and another fine Jones █
█ solo.Another instrumental follows in the way of █
█ Janus which is my personal favourite on the █
█ album,a mellotron chord sequence interspersed by █
█ wailing guitar and a metronomic drum beat,melting █
█ into gentle piano riff and vintage string synth, █
█ and then opening like a spring flower with █
█ splashes of classical guitar and choral █
█ vocals...stunning. And Dream of Sleep is yet █
█ another fine acoustic instrumental with a touch of █
█ piano and a bit of strings which is the appetiser █
█ for the epic title track of the album,One Eye On █
█ The Sunrise is a mishmash of styles ranging from █
█ acoustic,almost folk like with gorgeous cello and █
█ piano and what is Marc Atkinsons finest vocal on █
█ the album where he moves from gentle plaintive to █
█ screaming painlike in anguish..superb.The riff is █
█ Led Zep like in style as the song takes off and █
█ the rythmn section of Vink and Hoorn truly █
█ shine.EOS is next, which is a Floydian track and a █
█ repeat riff from the opening Faceless Angel with █
█ some great dreamy keyboard work from Eyre,The █
█ Weight is the most Traces like song on the █
█ album,another great Atkinson vocal and melody but █
█ the track is rather let down by the strange █
█ opening gambit that sounds out of place with rest █
█ of the track, with the soloing rather loose and █
█ out of tune in parts and spoils for me what is █
█ another very strong piece.The Distance is a █
█ beautiful atmospheric ballad that shows off again █
█ Atkinsons vocals and also Eyres beautiful piano █
█ and string parts..its also light relief as its █
█ doesnt have an extended heavy section or soloing █
█ which is sometimes overdone rather than keeping it █
█ simple.Frozen Moment is,quite simply the best █
█ slice of heavy prog you will hear anywhere,the █
█ whole band really let rip with fine riffs and █
█ thunderous drums and bass from Vink and █
█ Hoorn,interspersed with great soloing from █
█ Jones,Matt Stevens and Eyre,also a mention for the █
█ slight but effecting backing refrains from Stolen █
█ Earths Heidi Widdop...a truly great moment. Sunset █
█ is a beautiful Eyre piano piece with some mornful █
█ cello combining for what is the perfect end to a █
█ great great album. I look forward to what Nine █
█ Stones Close come up with next, but this will take █
█ some beating. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Although there was never point where I found █
█ myself outright disliking it, I found myself less █
█ enthusiastic about Nine Stones Close's first album █
█ "Traces" (second if you count the Adrian Jones █
█ solo work "St. Lo"), and couldn't really get into █
█ what the band was doing. Although the soft, █
█ melancholic approach was pleasant to the ears, I █
█ felt the band's songwriting tended to stay mellow █
█ to the point of ennui. I found myself wanting more █
█ than the purely introspective, Floydy sound Nine █
█ Stones Close hoisted their flag under. Barring a █
█ dynamic range that wasn't meshing with personal █
█ taste however, Nine Stones Close demonstrated some █
█ great promise as a full band; a potential further █
█ realized with "One Eye on the Sunrise". Although █
█ the melancholia and brooding staples of the band's █
█ sound remain, Adrian Jones and company have █
█ widened their range and scope of their ambition. █
█ "One Eye on the Sunrise" doesn't completely solve █
█ the existing style issues I've had with the band █
█ since I first heard them, but I can at least call █
█ myself a fan of what they're doing. █
█ As was the case on "Traces", many reviewers have █
█ cited emotional resonance and atmosphere as the █
█ "One Eye on the Sunrise"s selling point. Indeed, █
█ Nine Stones Close's big focus on sentiment and █
█ feeling in their music diverges them from most of █
█ the bands nowadays that fall underneath the █
█ progressive rock umbrella. Adrian Jones' melodic, █
█ soulful guitar work recalls the Floyd legend █
█ himself, David Gilmour. Returning keyboardist █
█ Brenden Eyre and bassist Peter Vink's sonic █
█ contribution are more reserved, offering a █
█ welcoming ambient backdrop for Jones' guitar work, █
█ with a keen insight on translating the atmosphere █
█ to fit both the sentimental and rock-oriented █
█ moments. Although there are several passages that █
█ point the spotlight on Jones' guitars, it's often █
█ vocalist Marc Atkinson that keeps the listeners █
█ attention. Although his voice was pleasant on █
█ "Traces", his performance here is much improved, █
█ sporting a wider range, even shedding the █
█ melancholia entirely for the occasional rocking █
█ chorus. Although his improved diversity is what █
█ sets him a step above his past self, his strongest █
█ talent remains the emotional warmth that he brings █
█ on the album's most tender moments. The soaring █
█ hook of the laid- back "A Secret" showcases an █
█ intense vibrato that gets under my skin. █
█ Nine Stones Close may still keep most of their █
█ stones in the school of mellow sentimentality, but █
█ unlike "Traces", I get the sense here that they █
█ know when to rock. The title track is a perfect █
█ example of this, featuring some crisp riffs that I █
█ might even hear on a classic Rush album. The █
█ addition of Pieter van Hoorn for drum duties is a █
█ strong move towards a more intense style, a █
█ drummer I've appreciated exactly for his █
█ energetic, precise approach since hearing his █
█ performance with Knight Area. The range brings a █
█ much- needed jolt of caffeine to the band's sound, █
█ although there's been nothing lost from their █
█ originally 'tender' take on prog. Nine Stones █
█ Close writes music for rainy, introspective █
█ nights, and while "One Eye on the Sunrise" still █
█ isn't an album I can recommend for everyone, █
█ they've come a long ways. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Complicated 5:00 ░
░ 2. Goldfish 12:47 ░
░ 3. Lie 9:58 ░
░ 4. Spoils 16:35 ░
░ 5. Leaves 13:45 ░
░ 58:05 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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