Customer Reviews

RPWL Experience (DVD + 2 CDs)

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

 

 

RPWL has really acheived something unique with this release. The music is simply awesome and has such depth and a really timeless feel. It even has a touch of comedy and laughter when they make out how they appear to the music business (This Is Not A Prog Song) sounding a bit like XTC . They have come very, very close to becoming equals in songwriting and performing as their heroes Pink Floyd. But they have managed not to directly copy them in any way, thus creating their own unique sound. It is hard to put a finger on it exactly. One moment the band sounds like Pink Floyd or Dave Gilmour ( Breathe In, Breathe Out and Masters Of War) the next they sound like Camel or early King Crimson (Talk To The River). This creates a wonderful experience in sound and listening. It gets to the point about the corruption of this world and finds the soul of the individual man as it offers some spiritual depth and healing. The beautiful chords used in many of these songs is really fantastic. I haven't heard playing on this level in many years. It is classic. It rocks. It speaks. A true experience for the senses. If you don't buy another CD this year, make sure you have this one.

In perspective of other RPWL albums, especially their critically acclaimed World Through My Eyes, their new disc sees the band growing into a darker and heavier entity. While the aesthetics that made the classic RPWL sound are still intact, they have also branced off into other musical terrains, with great results.

On The RPWL Experience, the band demonstrates a heavier emphasis on their lyrical aspect, particularly on the lengthier pieces. The album opener "Silence" is quite illustrative of this. It is a politically conscious track with a comparatively rawer edge, unlike their previous material. That said, in parts, it still is concocted from their Floydian side, but the main verses of the tune boast a distinct yearning for angrier guitar tones, full-sounding drums, and even some cool electronic elements. The transitions from these dirty passages to clean-sung acoustic verses is seamless and beautiful, creating a dynamic aura. However, it is the experimental instrumental break what makes it one of their best songs to date. Comprised of atonal guitar voicings, a fat bass figure, and some processed vocal parts, the tune eerily recalls mid-90's King Crimson or Porcupine Tree's Deadwing.

Likewise, they further develop this aesthetic on "Stranger", noteworthy for the juxtaposition of the band's anti-war statements and the tune's warfare-evoking musical landscape. Its opening riffs are unconventionally heavy, rife with sturdy bass lines and propulsive drumming. The chorus, on the other hand, is distinctly melodic with quieter acoustic chords and shimmering synth washes. The mid-point of the song displays a free-form jam with wah-drenched guitar wails and atypical bass accents.

Those anticipating a return to their previous album will revel in the predominantly acoustic track "Breathe In, Breathe Out", with some of Lang's most depressing lyrics (and the chorus is reminiscent of Blackfield); the somewhat Camel-like "Turn Back the Clock", complete with soaring synth elements; and perhaps "Where Can I Go", whose Beatles-like vocal harmony and sparse arrangement evoke Radiohead. That said, these tunes are all marked with darker themes lyrically than what the band did prior.

Also, their blend of sweet, Floydian textures with their newly found interest is perfectly exemplified on the Bob Dylan cover "Masters of War", which is adapted to a more symphonic context and blessed with a beautiful Gilmour-esque solo. Yogi Lang's ethereal vocals are some of his best. As for the ballad of the album, "River" starts out very mellow and acoustic driven, which yields a lush atmosphere. It segues into its second half, however, in a totally unexpected syle, as the middle section gets occupied by tense silences and a vague jazz element. These pieces signify the band has certainly improved songwriting wise.

That said, two tracks on the CD sort of break the flow of what I would otherwise call RPWL's high point. The jab at rock critics on "This Is Not A Prog Song", while funny on first listen (mostly because of lyrics that go like "The new one is the worst they have done" or "They are a German band trying to play the music of Pink Floyd"), does not fully serve the purpose of this album. Its deliberately simple structure and awfully noticeable pop element simply does not gel with the other tracks. Also, the ninth song "Choose What You Want to Look at", despite its uncompromising lyrics, is arguably their worst song to date. Written in a very modern-sounding style with rapid-fire vocals and such, I feel both this one and "This Is Not A Prog Song" should have been the bonus tracks to the album.

The RPWL Experiment is one of their best albums and a step away from their more cleanly produced Floydian works. It is one of their finest releases because there is so much to unravel here, not only musically but also from a lyrical standpoint. The artwork is also amazing, and reminds me of OSI's Free album in a strange way.

(Please note that this is a review of the standard version of the album, and I have not heard the bonus songs.)

This package is a different product. The RPWL Live Experience was recorded on February 17th, 2009 at the Wyspiaski Theatre in Katowice, Poland - during the first annual Progrock Festival 2009. The CDs are stereo versions of the Dolby 2.0 - 5.1 audio of the DVD. The DVD features excellent widescreen video from the show. Here's the set list:

01. Hole In The Sky

02. Breathe In, Breathe Out

03. 3 Lights

04. Start the Fire

05. Silenced

06. This Is Not a Prog Song

07. Sleep

08. Opel (Syd Barrett 60's song cover)

09. Waiting for a Smile

10. Trying to Kiss the Sun

11. Wasted Land

12. Roses

13. Biding My Time (Roger Waters song cover)

14. I Don't Know

Bonus features include an interview with Yogi Lang and Kalle Wallner, a "Breath In, Breath Out" video clip, 2006 Tour Footage, desktop images, photo gallery, biography, discography, and other extras.

You have to hand it to reviewer Murat Batmaz of Istanbul. Whenever he reviews a prog album, he does it in such a way as to make it hard to add anything useful to his comments. However, even though I greatly respect his opinion I have to differ with him on the overall quality of The RWPL Experience (Special Edition).

RWPL is definitely a band on the way up but I find the power of the vocals is often overwhelmed by the power of the music. I do enjoy this CD, but it is certainly not the powerhouse I was led to expect. The best songs are Silenced and Masters of War. Other than that, it is rather uneven. This Is Not A Prog Song is far too poppy, Stranger epitomizes my comments about the mismatch between the music and the vocals, Choose What You Want To Look At suffers in the beginning from some jivey rap-metal, and the final cuts Turn Back the Clock and Reach For the Sun sound like they are being played by an entirely different band.

Those complaints aside, there is a lot to like here as you listen to RWPL continue to evolve. The CD is called a "special edition" presumably because a pair of bonus tracks are tacked on. It comes with an attractive booklet filled with artwork, lyrics, and pertinent album information. If you are a fan of modern prog, by all means give RWPL a listen.

I am giving this album 5 stars only because it contains 2 amazing songs. I have to say honestly that at first I was a little bit disappointed by this album. I guess because I was awaiting it rather seriously while listening to their previous music quite a bit. When the Experience came out in 2008 I only listened to it a couple of times at first. I got really busy with work travel and with different music, I guess. I wanted to do my compilation of RPWL for about a year then ( a real habit of mine) and I knew from the first time I listened to the Experience that I would use Masters Of War, because to me that is one of the best covers ever done. (To me a song covered should be different from, and better than the original, otherwise why bother?) So I started listening to Experience over and over, (I used the 7 times method) and that was how I realized that the last song of this album Reach for the Sky is my most favorite song by RPWL. Look, I know that a lot of you will not be able to get through the lyrics... As soon as you hear 'my father' you will think of organized religion and be turned off. Try to get over it... It is a great song musically, structurally and spiritually. Perhaps I love this song so much because I love the wind and the rain (I love the sun even more) and because I windsurf, to find myself at the gym and church all at once. Listen to the last 3 minutes of this song really well... And to the last sentence.

RPWL has been a favorite band of mine for some time now. With each subsequent release, RPWL continues to improve themselves as musicians as well as honing their sound into something more their own (rather than the obvious comparisons to Pink Floyd and early Genesis). On this their first live dvd, they don't dissappoint, at least not entirely. They open the show with one of my favorite tracks of theirs, "Hole In The Sky". Initially the sound is great but when the drums and Chris Postl's bass come in, the sound gets boomy on the bottom end as well as Chris's harmony vocals being lost during most of the song. Kalle Wallner's David Gilmour-esque solo soars out of the mix and saves the performance. The sound seems to be corrected after this track with the overall balance during the remainder of the dvd being quite good.

The only reason that I'm refrainiing from giving this set 5 stars is the fact that, while the show is billed as " The RPWL Live Experience ", 8 of the tracks are have been repeated from the "Start The Fire-Live" setlist while only 4 are actually from "The RPWL Experience" cd. The track from RPWLE that I was most hoping for to hear/see performed live was their very impressive version of Bob Dylan's " Masters Of War " but, sadly it was omitted from the set.

That said for those who have been waiting to see what these guys can do (and the only reviews showing up here seem to be for the studio version of this cd,), don't hesitate to grab this set. You won't be disappointed !!!!!!

I was listening to "The RPWL Experience" yesterday and marveled at how excellent this album is. Clocking in at over 77:00 there is no filler and many, many highlights.

Listening to the opening song, "Silenced" is a literal explanation of RPWL's sound and the styles they cover, which are many and done impeccably well. We are taken on a near - pop song that feels not only catchy, but like it will run in the four minute range, only to take a sharp curve to hard rocking prog, then symphonic prog. The manipulation of the song zigging and zagging thru various themes with an expected, and hoped for, return to the pop segment of "Silenced".

It is an album in a song, so to speak.

For the next several songs the intensity continues with various forms of pop/rock and progressive weaved artfully together.

What makes this so exceptional is how melodic RPWL stay in a genre not always known for an instant payoff. And yet the same songs refuse to bow to pop tradition and pay more attention to the progressive rock style where anything goes.

"Breathe In, Breathe Out" sounds better than anything Pink Floyd has done since Meddle, or if you liked later Floyd material, as good as anything from "Dark Side..." or "Wish You Were Here". Keep in mind RPWL were a Pink Floyd cover band in their early years, as "This Is Not A Prog Song" alludes to in its somewhat bitter lyrics to some critics.

Note: while compared to Porcupine Tree (another favorite of mine) it is worth considering that PT's sound took a major change with "Stupid Dream" and really kicked into the sound most people identify them with on "In Absentia" onward to "Fear of a Blank Planet". If anything, RPWL's development has been parallel.

I favor the first half of "The RPWL Experience" but that's like saying you favor something you admire a bit more than the whole of something you admire.

The entire CD, including the two bonus tracks, are excellent.

If you want to point your melodically oriented friends to great prog, "The RPWL Experience" is an excellent place to start.

Most prior CDs by RPWL hinted of social/political conscience but this outing takes it up a notch. Still vey good songs with Kally offering outstanding guitar solos. Tongue-in-cheek "This is Not a Prog Song" could have been replaced by either "Someone Else" or "Another Day" from the limited edition 9 cd, but overall another great effort by this great band.

This is definitly their awakening. RPWL has evolved in to itself finally. Their tribute years are gone, only the experience remains and it shows here with great musical compositions, even some humor.

If you never heard of them, this is the one to start with. If you like what you hear go for the older stuff.....

A must for any Pink Floyd or Prog fan...

Once again, RPWL delivers another outstanding cd. While 'World Through My Eyes' sought a more mellow side of the group this cd brings back the rock edge as was evident in 'Trying to Kiss the Sun'. I can't think of a bad track here. The 2 bonus tracks are merely that. 'Alone and Scared' seems to be just filler while 'Reach for the Sun' is an actual song. Not a big deal here if you not looking to spend that little extra, but if you're a fan of the group then it would certainly be a must. If you're not familiar with RPWL then this cd is well worth it to check out. Originally a Pink Floyd tribute band this band has matured as a group with each effort better than the last. Their signature trademark sound is still present on each cd and the listener is in for a delight if you love progressive music with lush harmonies and melodic sound scape's. I would have to say that, so far, this is one of the best albums of 2008 and their best release out of their collection. It's unfortunate that so many people will never discover this album as it is not in the mainstream, but if you want a truly great listen, get this today and you will not be disappointed.