Search - Tangent :: World That We Drive Through

Pretty close to "perfect prog"

Squire Jaco | Buffalo, NY USA | 10/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This picks up where the first Tangent cd left off, with interesting, challenging melodies played and sung by some of the best in the business. The band has a full sound, but doesn't overplay either too fast or too loud. Love the sax and flute touches, courtesy of Theo Travis (replacing David Jackson on this cd).



I'll admit that even the venerable Flower Kings occasionally succumb to what is sometimes referred to as "noodling", and there is some of that here on this cd, especially in a couple of the longer pieces. But the production on this cd is so crisp and "present" that you can really enjoy even these slower moments.



What more could you demand? - one of the great rhythm sections in all of rock (or jazz fusion, for that matter) in Jonas Reingold (bass) and Zoltan Czorsz (drums); the superb guitar playing of Roine Stolt; excellent vocals from both Andy Tillison and Roine; lush keyboards throughout (Sam Baine and Andy); and all supporting some excellent compositions. (Effortless 3/4 - 4/4 time changes on "Photosynthesis" flow perfectly with the song's lyrics.)



The 14-minute "bonus" track 6 is an apparent tribute to the likes of Tangerine Dream; I personally won't listen to that track too much (a bit too experimental, spacey and unstructured for me), but everything else is prog excellence.



Add to that the fantastic cover art and great liner notes, and you've just found the album you were looking for.



I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:

Music quality = 9.2/10; Performance = 9.5/10; Production = 9.5/10; CD length = 10/10.

Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 9.4 ("5 stars")

"

Very Good second offering

Brian | Washington DC | 12/16/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Every once in a while, a group of extremely talented musicians gets together and produces something equal to all their individual talents. Tangent has done this not only once, but twice now. I personally prefer the first CD - "The Music That Died Alone" to this one, but that's just my preference. This is a very,very good followup and will not disappoint those who enjoyed their first CD. Just my own bias, but if you're considering buying a Tangent CD and haven't yet - consider "The Music That Died Alone" for your first exposure. I believe that after you enjoy that Progressive masterpiece, it's easier to appreciate their work here."

Nostalgia runs wild (in a good way!)

x_bruce | 04/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of the progressive bands that are around, The Tangent remind me of the original years of prog more than anything I'm aware of, and I am a prog fan. The musicianship is top notch, with Andy Tillson being the first player of a melodic instrument to stand up to Roine Stolt in terms of skill and melodic quality. Hearing Tillson rip across the piano is a thing of joy. His jazz styled riffing and solos being a joy to hear. Roine is in fine form as well, his jazzier side is better evident then some of the last couple of Flower Kings albums, not including "Paradox Hotel" which has a more rock oriented atmosphere.



In addition, it's hard to think of a better modern rhythm section than Jonas Reingold and Zoltan Csorsz (also from the Flower Kings alumni). They are tight yet have an edge to the comping sections where the soloists play. The reason I consider this progressive instead of neo-prog is due to the tight arrangements where even Jonas and Zoltan stay in the picture by playing complex, yet perfectly placed fills that punctuate the solos and add meaningful moments within the songs.



Another nice touch are the vocals, which are divided between Tillson and Stolt. Their voices are different, with Roine givng way and singing in a more thoughtful, jazzy tone.



Critics and fans consider this "The Canterbury Scene" subgenre of progressive rock, and while I can see some similarities I must admit that "The Canterbury Scene" generally annoyed me when I was younger, and later in life, still does. It is a fey, seemingly going nowhere kind of music which is not at all what "The World In Which We Drive Through" is like. Arrangements are tight with strong melodic vocals and balanced musical approach of moderate prog rock with substantial jazz leanings. The vocal harmonies are lush as are many of the musical breaks.



Roine Stolt is more of a bluesy player, even in his most progressive moments he sticks to chromatic riffing on his solos. This is a reason why he is a great guitarist. As someone who learned blues before expanding onward, I can vouch that the most important thing you learn in blues is to feel what you play and to solo with a start-middle-end, whether it's short or super long. And if you listen to Stolt, Tillman and Theo Travis, you'll notice that there's not much, if any wasted space, and that the solos sound like a miniature song within a song.



The Winning Game and The World We Drive Through have clever lyrical references and commentary on socieconomics. The basic form for this album, establishing the vocal section, excellent vocals leading into segments featuring several band members playing in ensemble, such as piano and bass in a duet, make for interesting listening before the band either riffs or goes into comp mode for soloing with a nice return to riffing and vocals. Not that all songs follow this form, but to some degree, all of the songs have aspects of it plugged in with choruses and the like.



I appreciate The Tangent and "The World That We Drive Through" because it is complex yet laid back. This is lighter music than we might expect from three Flower Kings, and it shows Roine Stolt in a different role from most of his other projects. He's just another player in an equally matched ensemble and as a result his playing and singing are different, yet quite involving.



Andy Tillson is a killer keyboardist, especially on the piano. His riffing and soloing skills are top notch; easily among the best in the business.



You will like this album depending on how much quieter music and more so jazz interest you. If you are into Canterbury you'll like this album a lot. I think it's miles above most of the Canterbury releases but I admit to a negative bias.



Whatever biases you have, you better be at least a bit open minded, and isn't that the point of progressive? This album gets more interesting with additional listens, so even if it's not your cup of tea, give it some time because it very well might be a favorite once familiar."