Customer Reviews

Place in the Queue

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tangent leader Andy Tillison buttered me right up before I even played a note of this cd. In his sleeve notes he starts waxing nostalgic about Yes' "Tales From Topographic Oceans", an album that had a profound influence on me as well some thirty years ago. But I fear that he also raises one's expectations about this new cd a bit too much when he implies (despite his explicit denials and sincere attempts to the contrary) that "A Place In The Queue" might eventually sit comfortably alongside the likes of "TFTO", "The Lamb Lies Down", "Pawn Hearts" and other masterpieces in the annals of prog.

With the departure of Roine Stolt, Tillison clearly steps to the forefront of the group on this cd. One gets a much more personal look at Tillison here; I do enjoy his self-deprecating humor and the insights into his musical influences that are conveyed in both the extensive sleeve notes and the lyrics of some of his songs (e.g. "Lost in London"). The tone of his distinctive British voice bears some passing similitudes with Greg Lake (who I never hear anyone complaining about!) and Hatfield/Caravan/Camel's Richard Sinclair at times. And he displays some fine keyboard chops throughout another very good Tangent album.

I view The Tangent as being in the upper echelon of current prog groups, largely because of Tillison's unique vision, his keyboard playing and his distinctive writing style; but also because they have prog's best bass player (Jonas Reingold), an excellent drummer (now Jaime Salazar) and they make interesting use of sax and flute (Theo Travis), especially in the jazzier sequences.

Yes, the guitars are good here too, but there are literally thousands of "good" guitarists out there. Let's be honest here, folks - you really can't replace Stolt's guitar (just as Yes could never adequately replace Steve Howe). Plus Roine used to carry some of the vocal duties, both lead and harmony. Sorry if you disagree, my friends, but Stolt's signature guitar phrasing and flourishes are regrettably missed on this cd, and one of the reasons that I can't give it a full 5 stars.

The other main reason is the same complaint I have with a few Flower Kings cd's: in the longer songs, they tend to get lost in some of the jamming and go off on too many tangents....oh wait, maybe that's the point....hmmmm. Anyway, I just felt that some of the epics could have been even better if they were a bit shorter and more focused (though I probably should be indulging the symphonic nature of the longer pieces!).

This cd tends to lean more towards jazz and Canterbury than the previous two Tangent cd's, with references to Van Der Graaf Generator ("DIY Surgery"), Hatfield and the North, and some Caravan (perhaps even Traffic at times?). Travis really pulls his weight on this album.

I keep seeing more and more proggers venturing into political territory since September 11th and the subsequent invasion of Iraq - TFK's "The Truth Will Set You Free" and IQ's "Harvest of Souls" come quickly to mind. This album has some of that too. Overall, I like the lyrics (the word "spreadsheet" makes it into a prog epic!), and I really like the keys and drums that drive the Yes-like "GPS Culture" and "Follow Your Leaders".

And don't take "The Sun In My Eyes" too seriously folks. Remember, "nous sommes du soleil" from Yes' TFTO means "we are of the sun". This is clearly a tongue-in-cheek song played in a style that lies in direct opposition to the type of music that we unconventional 1970's prog lovers listened to. (It even clocks in at a radio-friendly 3-1/2 minutes!)

O.K., enough meandering thoughts about this very long and complex album. Perhaps I'm just as guilty about going off on tangents as I accused this cd of being! Rest assured that this is a VERY GOOD cd with a distinctive style within the prog genre....but it's also a slight step back from their previous two albums (in my humble opinion). Not quite worthy of the "masterpiece" label just yet....but this IS The Tangent! (You should still buy it for the frequent moments of prog-induced euphoria.)

I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:
Music quality = 8.4/10; Performance = 9.5/10; Production = 9/10; CD length = 10/10.
Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 8.9 ("4-1/2 stars")

I can keep this relatively short for those of you who don't like to read novel-length reviews. I had VERY high expectations for this album, from listening to "The Music That Died Alone" to hearing all the rave about it on this site. So I was pretty eager to listen to it after it arrived in my mailbox. And what I discovered was GREAT music, and HORRIBLE vocals. I'm sorry- every time Andy, and the others sing I shudder. What a juxtaposition to have excellent music spoiled by horrid vocals. I typically like and can stand singers that get bashed quite a bit (like Geddy and James Labrie) but this? No. Fantastic, rock, jazz, fusion sounds are throughout, but the singing just doesn't cut it. 2 stars.

Sorry, but the singing ruined it for me. This is a problem I have with many of the current generation prog groups. The vocals just don't measure up to Jon Andersen, Greg Lake, John Wetton, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins & Colin Carter. I keep hoping though.

I came across this group by accident, having followed the link on a reviewer of the 'Refugee' CD on the amazon.co.uk site.

Though I ordered this CD unheard, I have absolutely no regrets about the purchase. It's fantastic to hear a guitarist doing licks and solos in the style of both 1970s Larry Carlton and Allan Holdsworth, as well as a keyboards player who can do Manfred Mann, Dave Stewart, and Thijs Van Leer. That's a lot of the fun in this recording -- spotting each of their influences. (If you go to the band's Web site, the home page shows the covers of the 12 LPs that best define their influences.)

The only downer is the vocalist, who sounds flat to my ear for much of the time. On the opening track, he's quite promising, sounding almost like Phil Collins in his 'Trick of the Tail' days, but it quickly deteriorates on subsequent tracks, with a feeble Richard Sinclair vocal that serves merely to highlight the banality of the lyrics. (The general sound, by the way, is much more early 70s Genesis than Yes.)

But I'm very prepared to forgive the vocal shortcomings, because musically this is otherwise a superb prog album. I just want to know when the next gigs in the south of England are going to happen!

Hey wait just a minute! What's the deal with all the negative reviews on this recording? Even the editorial review is crazy. Risk losing thier roots? Difficult? C'mon now! This is by far the best Tangent album of the three. I'm an old hippie and i know progressive rock very well, i have loads of it in my music collection, man i'm glad i bought this. The Tangent moves forward.

These guys really take you through the gamut and back again. Most of their songs clock in at anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes, and most of the grooves are so utterly contagious that it defies words.
If you've never heard The Tangent, this is a great place to start, as is their previous release, "The World We Drive Through". Imagine, if you will, such influences as ELP, Yes, Brand X, Booker T and the MG's, Supertramp, and you just scratch the surface of that which is the sound of The Tangent. Both musically and lyrically challenging, you can't help but come away with your lobes and your feet completely infected with their sound, as well as their wit and sarcasm.
The CD opens with the 20-minute long "In Earnest", and is a revved up, funky, quick-paced number with great Hammond organ playing. "GPS Culture" requires no warm-up. It comes out churning and doesn't quit for its 9 minute duration. "Follow Your Leaders" is the most lyrically fascinating of the tracks. Centered on consumerism and self-perception in a society that subtly tells us "we know what's good if you'll follow your leaders!", this is the tour-de-force of the album.
To fans of The Flower Kings and Parallel or 90 Degrees (the two bands - one British, the other Swedish - that the band's members are drawn from), this is "must have" music. Andy Tillison is brilliant on the organ, even if his vocals are not really stand-out. The horns, guitar, and rhythm sections are all top-notch.
Get it........ yesterday. FOLLOW YOUR LEADERS!!!

Yes, you read that correctly. Easily one of the greatest albums I've ever heard, and being a progressive junky, I've heard a lot. These guys are extremely talented musicians - that much is obvious on first glance. They've recorded two previous studio albums (The Music That Dies Alone, and The World That We Drive Through) and one live album (Pyramids & Stars: Live) avaliable only through their website. With each release, they've matured and become better, and A Place in the Queue is no different.

This album kicks off with one of two major twenty minute epics, In Earnest. It's about, in essence, a World War II veteran coping with modern life and the reaction and attitudes of those around him. Very good, up-beat track with some phenomenal lyrics. Certainly a classic among all-time great progressive rock songs.

We then revisit the Canterbury style, as in the last two albums, with Lost In London. At just over eight minutes, it's certainly not a short song, and it's amazing as it builds intensity.

Into DIY Surgery we go. This is an odd track. Very Zappa-esque, and while it's short, it certainly covers a lot of ground. Good tune, and a good recovery from the first two epics.

GPS Culture is another highlight. It starts and it doesn't stop for over ten minutes. The lyrics are good, and they cover the entire spectrum of music before it's end. The chorus is actually very catchy once you hear it a few times.

Follow Your Leaders is possibly the most lyrically strong song on the album. It's about Consumerism or religion, depending how you'd like to view it. Again, a very good chorus, and a heavily-laden track, emotionally.

We get a shorter song now with The Sun In My Eyes. I've nothing heard anything like this, and it's difficult to explain. One of the album highlights, and it's hard not to sing along to. Amazing track that'll stay in your head for days.

And finally, the epic of the first CD, the title track, A Place in the Queue. This song doesn't quite catch you the first time through, but the more you hear it, the more likely you'll view it as one of the greatest songs of all time (in my opinion, anyway). The lyrics are amazing, and every bandmember gets a chance to shine. It's the longest song on here (at twenty-five minutes) but it flies by. I don't believe there is much question that this will become a defining song for future progressive rock bands.

If a seventy-nine minute disc isn't enough, this is the Limited Edition. In this case, it contains a fourty-five minute bonus CD of other fun stuff. They have three songs that didn't quite make it onto the first disc (Foresaken Cathedrals is a great song, so I don't know why it missed...). It has an extended version of the fun Sun In My Eyes, and two ambient tracks. Well worth putting out the additional money for this extra disk. I'm not totally fond of the two ambient tracks, but the first four are well worth the money. If the album wasn't already seventy-nine minutes in length, these would fit right in.

This album does take time to grow on you. I heard this first on Delicious Agony Progressive Rock Radio on New Years Day (huge unveiling) and I immediately ordered the album.

The artwork must be quickly mentioned. It is absolutely phenomenal. If nothing else, it's worth te price of the disc alone. The Tangent truely went out to make a classic, and I believe they succeeded.

If you have not heard this band before, I recommend starting with The Music That Dies Alone, and going to The World That We Drive Through, and finally to this. That way, you aren't disappointed going back to the other two, and you get to appreciate the evolution of one of the great progressive rock bands of all time.

Reviewgium - Volume I, issue XI

The Tangent is a British band that was recommended to me, hence I really know very little about the band and their history. Andy Tillison is The Tangent's mainman, and they also feature contemporary jazz musician Theo Travis, and a couple members of the Flower Kings (another band I know of, but am unfamiliar with). A Place In the Queue is pretty solid prog rock, with elements of Yes, Spock's Beard, Marillion, and (I assume) The Flower Kings. There is also a strong jazz influence throughout. So, you know: organs, synths, flutes, saxes, etc., etc.

In true prog rock style, the album contains two very long pieces, "In Earnest" and the title track, both which clock in over twenty minutes long. "DIY Surgery" is a very short song that kind of has a King Crimson vibe to it. "The Sun In My Eyes" gets off to a good start, with a classic funk groove, but then the vocals kick in, and kind of ruin the song's potential for being good.

Unfortunately, despite the minor hype this album experienced, I find it a bit too generic. It really offers nothing new in the vast ocean of prog, and the substandard vocals are none too impressive, and even unbearable at times. The music itself is fine, and the artwork is nice, but the songs overall are not very interesting, and no song really stands out, though I admit I did find myself jamming along with parts of the title track, and probably 3 of 4 points in my rating go to this song alone. Actually, the one redeeming quality of the album is Theo Travis' work with the flutes and sax. But even so, I do not think this is a solid enough release for me to give a positive recommendation. If you are big into prog and are looking for new releases, then you might like this. I cannot really call it an entirely "bad" album, but don't expect to be blown away.

The ultimate prog recording of the new Millennium, no less. Well, that's a bit of a pompous claim, I'll admit, but having heard them all (Flower Kings, Spock's Beard, Transatlantic, Anglagard, IQ etc) it did not take long to see the genuis in this band, which combines the best of progressive rock styles - symphonic, Canterbury, jazz-rock and art-rock - with jazz and classical music so bloody seamlessly that you don't notice the transitions. Add to that quirky originality, compositional savvy and iron chops, and you've got a prog goldmine. This is where for once I can say, quality equals quantity - an 80 minute cd without any filler and only good music. No, fantastic music. The band wanted to come close to Tales Of The Topographic Oceans on this album, but in my opnion they have surpassed it by far on all counts, much as I enjoy that holy relic from Yes.

I love the cheeky New Wave/Disco quote in "The Sun In My Eyes", I believe they are quoting The Human League's "Don't You Want Me Baby" (???) Sure as boots, some progheads will sneer at this, but if it's done in a tasteful manner, what the heck? The references to "The Battle Of Epping Forest", which will delight Genesis geeks, and rich harmony vocals point to the symphonic leanings of the band.

Thank heavens they've replaced Roine Stolt and Zoltan Szorcz. No disrespect to these excellent musicians, but Szorcz lacks subtlety required for this type of music, and Stolt, well, one has to put up with him on the Flower Kings and Transatlantic albums, so it's a nice break. The keyboards of Andy Tillison are good enough to rival Emerson, Wakeman or Dave Stewart. Reingold is in top form on bass, what a musician. The flute and sax work is equally amazing. The guitarwork is fine, but nothing extraordinary, it's really a keyboards/flute/sax type of a sound. Andy Tillison's singing is surprisingly good, just listen to him on "Lost In London", my favourite track on the album, it sounds so much like the old Canterbury bands.

The album is chock-full of venomous cynnicism, nostalgia and rage against the New World Order. Top notch stuff.

In the liner notes, Andy Tillison mentions his band's latest (and best) release, "A Place In The Queue", in the same breath as Yes' "Tales From Topographic Oceans" and Genesis' "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway", as well as a couple of other formidable Prog recordings. Quickly checking his enthusiasm, he makes it very clear that his intent was to capture the experimentalism, creativity, depth and spirit of those aforementioned works.

While Tillison acknowledges the inherent difficulties in aiming for a target like "Tales", in my opinion, had he been shooting for Brain Salad Surgery, he may very well have hit the bull's-eye. Time will tell. "Queue" should establish The Tangent as one of the top neo-Prog bands around.

The Tangent's first two recordings included Roine Stolt of Flower Kings fame. His name alone gave the band an instant audience. On this, their third studio recording, Roine bowed out. I occasionally miss his unique vocals and majestic guitar playing. Nevertheless, I do not feel that his absence is a deal-breaker or will impede the band's success. Tillison is the band's composer and I would consider The Tangent to be a keyboard-based band anyway.

Though Roine is gone, other current or ex-Flower Kings provide The Tangent its rattle and hum. The ever-impressive Jonas Reingold remains with the band on bass guitar and ex-Flower King, Jaime Salazar, replaces ex-Flower King Zoltan Csorsz on drums. (New Flower Kings drummer Marcus Liliequist has some huge shoes to fill.)

Besides Tillison on keyboards and vocals, Reingold on bass and Salazar on drums, The Tangent currently employs Sam Baine on keyboards, Theo Travis on reeds, Guy Manning on acoustic guitar and Krister Jonsson on electric guitar.

Tillison is an average singer with exceptional compositional and arranging skills. I would not consider the vocal portions of his music to be strongly melodic, but there is enough melody to keep the listener tuned in. I listen to "Queue" for its rhythms and instrumental interludes. The Tangent remind me of an orchestra with Tillison as the maestro. The players know their roles, and while individuals are occasionally allowed to shine, they take a back seat to the compositions.

This is not to imply that these guys do not know how to rock. This album kicks.

"Queue" has all of the elements traditional proggers love - a couple of complex epics that open and close the album with some interesting shorter works in between. Being a keyboard-oriented band, one will hear echoes of ELP with a little Genesis here and there and a splash of Yes. Tillison admits to being a huge fan of Yes, but if there is any Yes influence, it lies in the complexity and spirit of the music.

On their first CD, ":The Music That Died Alone", the band incorporated some jazzy elements into the music. They take the jazz influence to a higher level in "Queue" and they do it very well. "Queue" almost has a `70's fusion feel to it. Maybe that is why it holds so much appeal for me.

One song that may catch a few listeners off guard, "The Sun In My Eyes", encroaches on `70's disco territory. However, it is tastefully done and should be destined to become a showstopper in their live shows.

Lyrically, Tillison stays topical and delivers a few political jabs, as have Roine Stolt and Kaipa done of late, but fortunately politics do not overwhelm the proceedings.

The main thing missing here, for me, is that I wish the electric guitar was allowed a bit more freedom and prominence. I think there are times when the arrangements cry out for an electric solo (where is Roine when we need him?), but we get a sax or flute instead. All in all this is a minor complaint (and a personal preference) in an otherwise outstanding performance.