Rating: 3-1/2 stars (out of 5)
Perhaps this is a band that will get labeled as another
"Porcupine Tree clone," but I think Greylevel has some qualities
that set it apart. Firstly, there are female vocals that add a
very nice touch to this atmospheric album. This 3-piece group
from Western Canada put out its debut album, Opus One, in
2006. Yes, this album has been out for awhile, but I haven't
really "discovered" it until recently. I found it to be an overall very pleasant listen.
Sometimes it can suffer a bit from "sameyness" but I would feel
comfortable recommending it to anyone who likes atmospheric prog
in the vein of Porcupine Tree's slower, spacey stuff, or its
ilk. It's not a concept album, but rather a "thematic" album.
According to the Greylevel website, its general theme is lost
love and finding hope in looking beyond one's self. I find this
a curious theme, considering 2/3 of the band is a married
couple. :)
The first track, Sojourn, starts out as an atmospheric track,
but actually builds to a nice mid-tempo mix of guitars and drums
(programmed, but sounding pretty good), with keyboards setting a
background texture by the middle of the song. Derek Barber and
his wife, Esther, do a wonderful job with the vocals. Esther
provides a pleasant, high-pitched harmony vocal. A good start to
the album.
"Taken" is the second track and is a very down-tempo number that
begins with a very sparse arrangement and is almost ambient
music at times. It starts to build a bit about three minutes in
with some nice acoustic guitar from Richard Shukin driving the
song.
"Blue Waves" is the first of two epics on the album, clocking in
at 16:52, and is the longest song on the album. Shukin's acoustic guitar introduces the song, and his
work is one of the highlights of the album, for me. I suppose
the early part of the song reminds one a bit of "Pigs on the
Wing" by Pink Floyd. In true prog fashion, the band applies some
non-musical sound samples in the music to give it a bit of
texture. About four minutes in there is some wonderful piano
work set against synths. After another vocal section, there is a
very nice guitar solo and then a short part that sounds very
Alan Parsons-ish, leading into the next verse. The song winds a
bit, but it's a wonderful journey and this is probably my
favorite track on the album, even though I feel it bogs down
just a bit in the middle section.
Track 4 is "Your Light," a 9-minute 'mini-epic' that starts with
a light keyboard wash and then Shukin's patented acoustic work.
Derek Barber's vocals are consistent throughout the record,
without much variation in range, but setting the appropriate
mood. He does manage to hit some higher notes on this track than
on the previous three, however. There's a nice piano/electric
guitar duet about midway through this song.
"Possessing Nothing" is a 15-minute epic that starts to pick up
the pace a bit. Up to this point, the album has been very
subdued, with a slow, moody feel. That doesn't mean to imply
that the band starts rocking out here, but this song at least
hits the mid-tempo range. Some of Shukin's guitar work on this
song borders on a surf vibe, but it works nicely in the context
of the song, and we've got Esther back with some wonderful
harmonies, and even a few lines all to herself. If "Blue Waves"
isn't my favorite song on the album, than this one is. Yeah, I
waffle back and forth between them. Then again, I am known for
my love of epics.
The album closer, "Rest," is the shortest song on the album, and
an appropriate finish. It is sort of an ambient track, with some
spoken word. I'm not certain if this is a clip from a movie or
something, but it works well in the context of the album and the
track. The track is primarily keyboards and closes the album
quietly.
One thing I'd like to see on the next Greylevel release is to
get Derek's vocals higher in the mix. They sometimes get a bit
buried, as he sings softly throughout the album. I also think
Esther could be utilized a bit more, as she's got a very
pleasing voice. I think Opus One would appeal to many
indie rock fans and those who like their prog full of atmosphere
and space, rather than twiddly or filled with guitar wankery.
You can find out more about Greylevel on their website:
www.greylevel.com and you
can purchase their music through ProgRock Records
by clicking here.
