Customer Reviews

Down and out in Paris and London

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a really great release, and I find myself in total disagreement with some of the other reviews here which seem to focus on drumming far too much. Besides which, I think a drummer who has been trusted with playing for Joan Armatrading, Jethro Tull, Camel and 10cc might know a bit more about what to do on a Tangent song than us guys reviewing the thing. And Andy Tillison who's like second only to Jordan Rudess might know a bit more about who to ask to drum to his music than we do.

Song writing and lyrics are outstandingly superb, (as usual) production awesome, really cool vibes, at the time of writing the album is number one in the top US prog album chart for the YEAR so far so it looks to me that these reviews here are a little out of line. Perhaps Flower Kings fans who are a bit sore that their favorite musos aren't in the band any more? Looks a bit that way to me. I mean in one of these other reviews we get someone saying that the drumming is so poor it reminds him of ALAN WHITE. You mean Alan White, the drummer who played for Yes on Tales From Topographic Oceans? and Relayer? and Drama? Going for the One? 90125? Big Generator? oh and the drummer who played for John Lennon? Yes. he sounds like a bit of a dud doesn't he!!! Well guys, you have your favorite musicians and I have my favorite bands. The first song on this album (Where R they Now?) is like the best piece they've done so far, sends shivers down my spine and the opening 3 minutes and a bit is like the best prog rock you never heard man. "Paroxetine" really rawks and "Perdu Dans Paris" is just sublimely gorgeous music with awesome lyrics. "The Company Car" is not too my kind of thing, but there's a mad ELP style workout in the middle that's jawdropping and the song Ethanol Hat Nail is a sequel to the bands "Canterbury Sequence". That's got as much content in it as anything else and the musicianship is stellar. Kind of like Gentle Giant in places but not those Neil Morse vocal bits, more the instrumental interplay side of Gentle Giant. Really complicated stuff.

My only complaint is that Europeans get a bonus track on their edition. What's wrong with us getting it for buying copies early? Seems really unfair to me

The CD sleeve is a bit ropy, but who cares. this won't be coming out of my player until something utterly amazing comes along to make me take it out. These guys in the Tangent really know what real dynamic prog is about, like Spocks Beard, Kansas and Yes they always have something new to say, and I reckon this album is their most USA friendly release yet. I seriously suggest the other guys listen again because I will, and again, and again, and again

I am a big fan of roine stolt he has been with so many different bands as lead and contributer. kaipa is another band, transatlantic is the latest.

This sounds like the Tangent switching gears into finding what it wants to be, but there isn't quite the musical muscle behind it to pull it off. Any Tangent fan will like this no doubt, but the drummer for me is a little too Alan White: he hangs out there on that ride cymbal just clankin' along for dear life without another original idea to grab onto. Some passages it seems to go for minutes on end, as Alan tends to do live in Yes, and all you find yourself focusing on is the constant clanking ride cymbal. Sure this is overstating it, but a little variety would have been nice. Still if you want more Tangent... here it is and it's well worth getting.

I'm not a big fan of the Tangent but I've enjoyed some of their previous offerings. Andy Tillison's vocals are not my style but I like his songwriting. Unfortunately, this release is not the quality of previous offerings. Specifically, the drumming and guitar work don't cut it. Andy's electric guitar playing is adequate but the lack of a gifted guitarist is noticeable. In the liner notes it's mentioned that the drummer has "brought a new organic feel to our music". I interpret this to mean he is out of his league. For example, there is plenty of room for tasty syncopated drum work/fills on "The Canterbury Sequence", and I hear someone like Pip Pyle really going to town, but for the most part we hear a boring boom-tap basic beat that does not carry the song.

Overall, I really like the first song and parts of the last song, but I feel this release was rushed. More time should have been spent on fine tuning the writing, playing and arranging. The Tangent can do better than this.