Customer Reviews

Window Dressing

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

 

 

THE BAND: Paul Rarick (vocals), Chris Herin (guitars, banjo, mandolin, keyboards), Jeff Whittle (bass), Pat DeLeon (drums & percussion).

THE DISC: (2004) 11 tracks clocking in at approximately 67 minutes. Included with the disc is an 18-page booklet containing song titles/credits, song lyrics, band photos, and thank you's. Produced by Fates Warning and Rush's famed Terry Brown. Recorded at the White Room Studio, Detroit, MI. All music and lyrics written by Chris Herin, with the exception of "Stop Gap" by Whitten and DeLeon. There is a 2-disc limited edition version of "Window Dressing" available - featuring a 2nd disc with live material (8 tracks). Label - InsideOut Music.

COMMENTS: Somewhere between the world of rock and progressive is the band Tiles. Similarities to Rush - perhaps in the vocals. Paul Rarick sounds like he could be Geddy Lee's cousin. Similar vocal chords, but different end product. Rarick is more of a laid back vocalist giving off a sense of cool, where Geddy is more emotional and in your face. Song structure-wise, there might be some scattered Alex Lifeson guitar riffs, but I'd put their songs closer to the bands like Fates Warning and/or Enchant. Highlights include - the title track "Window Dressing", a marathon 3-part 17-minute song... it's long enough to have glorious parts as well as tedious. Track 3 - "All She Knows" has a great beat - featuring electric guitar and mandolin - and is my favorite here. "Capture The Flag" is solid and perhaps the heaviest song on the disc (featuring Max Webster and solo artist Kim Mitchell). "Tear-Water Tea" is another great melody featuring acoustic guitar and violin. There are 3 impressive instrumentals on "Window Dressing" - "Stop Gap" is an impressive prog jam; "Unicornicopia" is the odd ball here with only a piano and violin playing; "A.02" is a short acoustic guitar and mandolin piece only. There is some filler here with "Slippers In The Snow" and the closer "Spindrift"... not a thrilling way to end the album. Tiles may rattle like other bands (mentioned above), but their songs are unique enough that I'd call their sound their own. Also look for another Tiles gem of an album "Presents Of Mind" (1999). Looking for something new in the world of rock, give Tiles a listen (4 stars).

***** - FIVE STARS
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Very cool. This is the first Tiles release I've purchaced, and I must say I'm very impressed. Tiles is a great mixture of the various Metal realms, with a strong progressive feel in my opinion. It's hard to even classify this as Metal, it's much more than that....

There is something about this band that makes them unique too. They don't really sound like anybody, and today that's a rare find. I must say it was a very refreshing experience listening to this band for the very first time. I found "Window Dressing" very cool, and after only one listen, Tiles has certainly made me a fan of their music...

If you have an open mind when it comes to trying new experiences, and want to enjoy something unique and fresh, I highly suggest you check out Tiles, and give "Window Dressing" a listen...

Let me just say this--ill keep it short- If you love RUSH, and Love Progressive music- this band is for you. THIS IS GREAT!!!

As a long time local fan I admit I was caught a bit off guard with Window Dressing. Maybe something just didn't click with a change in drummers? Or the band was trying too hard to be diverse or "progressive"? In any case, passing time has helped put this CD into focus for me. I appreciate how the raw production supports the overall concept and lyrics - and is actually quite refreshing in today's cookie cutter sonic sameness. But even more importantly, the depth of the songs finally sunk in. Once unlocked, the grooves and melodies seem to bounce off each other in a kind of counterpoint interplay. Maybe I'm a more patient listener now because the instrumental interludes and lighter tunes provide an interesting contrast to the more complex and heavier material. The tunes flow like the traditional concept albums of the 70's (DSOTM, TAAB) and seem to create a journey. Standout tracks for me are "Capture the Flag," "All She Knows," "Paintings," "Tear Water Tea," and the 'everything but the kitchen sink' clutter of "Spindrift."

A couple of good songs on this album that's all that works,this album is not as great as their other releases (Fence The Clear,Presents Of Mind,Fly Paper).

Sorry, folks, in my opinion these guys should have remained a Rush tribute band playing at bars. I believe that's how they started, and I think that's where they still belong. The songs sound derivative, and there are places where the band members' capabilities are not up to the music they're trying to perform (especially some real klinker notes from the vocalist). I find I can't listen to much of this. I'd give it one star, but I do want to encourage bands with any progressive bent...

Tiles has really diversified their hard rock/progressive sound, and Chris Herin continues to write captivating lyrics with the release of Window Dressing. This cd is full of good music and is based on a true but amusing concept about deceptions in life.

Window Dressing begins the cd which is the longest song (17 minutes plus but most average around 4-5 minutes) yet rocks hard before turning into a dreamy landscape awash in acoustic guitars, mandolin, and keyboards by Herin coupled with a pulsating beat. (In addition, he plays banjo on the cd). Consequently, this is an impressive and powerful opening title track. In parts of this song, it reminds me of Hemispheres by Rush which is a compliment. Furthermore, Paul Rarick has a terrific voice and uses it beautifully throughout the cd.

Remember to Forget is an outstanding rocker with Herin displaying fine, guitar skills while All She Knows has a mesmerizing sound (radio friendly in a good, progressive way) that stays in your head after the song is over.

Capture the Flag is a magnificent song with great rhythm as well as splendid lead guitar (Pat Deleon/drums-percussion & Jeff Whittle/bass & special guest Kim Mitchell/guitar), and Tear Water Tea touches the sound of Kansas complete with tender violin work (special guest Matthew Parmenter) for this beautiful ballad.

Now, with instrumentals such as the jazzy Stop Gap and the classically tinged piano/violin duet Unicornicopia, this cd truly shines from a variety of musical influences. Both are exceptional songs, and it proves Tiles can do more than just rock. I love it!

Paintings is an average rocker, however, A.02 is a short but sweet, acoustic guitar instrumental that provides the perfect prelude for Slippers in the Snow. This is a gorgeous, soft ballad. Hugh Syme plays delicate, enchanting keyboards/orchestration which creates the appropriate atmosphere for the song. Also, he did the artwork, design, and photography that is ideal for the concept.

Spindrift ends the cd in hard, rocking fashion. Though the song is good, the middle could have been a bit more imaginative along with an extended guitar solo as the subtle phrasing is so tastefully done.

Lastly, Terry Brown does an excellent job with the production which brings out the best in the sound of Tiles..........Tommy.

I was excited to see the release of a new Tiles CD recently. After I fell deeply in love with their previous release (Presents of Mind), I was more than anxious to get my hands on Window Dressing. The CD displays fine, fine musicianship with interesting twists and turns throughout. Fans of Rush, Enchant and Cairo (especially vocally) will feel right at home with this recording. In addition, the musicians display a great amount of prowess on their instruments (especially guitarist Chris Herin, who can hang with the best of the prog-rock arpeggio experts like Alex Lifeson and Markus Steffan from German proggers, Sieges Even). And once again, Terry Brown is back in the producers chair, though I must say I feel the sound and production quality wasn't tremendously strong on this release. It didn't knock me over.

Song wise, the CD has grown on me over time. The opening title track is interesting to say the least but somewhat of a let down. Clocking in at over 17 minutes long, I was hoping for a slightly more thematic and well-formed, melodic concept piece. However, after a beautiful opening, the piece seems to take a more avante-garde approach with deep yet scattered and somewhat confusing lyrics. Fortunately, the CD begins to take a more obvious shape from the 2nd track and grows stronger as the recording goes on. On tracks such as "Remember to Forget," "All She Knows," and "Capture the Flag," you'll find melodic, lush 6/8 choruses/pre-choruses that Tiles does so well (see "Taking Control" from Presents of Mind as an earlier example). Probably the best song on the CD is the heartfelt "Tear-Water Tea" solidifying a strong first half of the recording. The rest of the CD comprises of a few decent (not necessarily memorable, though) instrumental pieces as well as a couple more rockers such as "Paintings" and "Spindrift."

So, why the 4 stars? Well actually, I seriously contemplated on giving this CD 3 stars for a long time and finally settled on 4 because the CD has, indeed, grown on me. However, I do have some issues with this recording and the direction Tiles has taken. I'm still trying to figure out if this CD has a true gem of a FULL SONG on the recording. What I've noticed is that Tiles writes great "parts" - some sections of songs are magical. But, there are so many changes often that the listener is constantly taking right and left turns on a regular (and somewhat aggravating...) basis. This is most apparent in the title track where the musical scheme is altered much too often, mainly in chord structures and riffs, that there's very little to grasp onto at times. The interesting thing about Tiles is that they are (like Enchant) one of the more pop-related prog.bands out there. They have the TENDENCY to write a good song, but it almost seems like there's "too much" added on a constant basis to their area of progressive music. I would hope in the future that Tiles can recognize their strengths as potentially GREAT songwriters and not have to feel the need to "prove" themselves with every twist and turn. It's OK to be as progressive as you want to be - just make sure there's a good song hiding in there *FIRST.*

Someone said this is a masterpiece. Someone else said Tiles are the new Rush. Are you joking ?

This is not surely a masterpiece:the band plays well but the music and the lyrics have no body and soul. In a certain way, I find much better the first two albums, more spontaneous, sincere:they should have paved the way to something greater but it didn't happen. The titletrack is a good example of what music should not be:endless and boring, leading to nowhere without a clue, without ups and downs but only an average mediocrity. I can not retrace a single piece of it because it's only a jam of sounds.

Tiles leave me unsatisfied:there's more than something lacking in them and at the end I feel empty, without feelings. Ok, I tried to penetrate the world of Progressive and perhaps I realized that I don't like it and , thus, I don't like Tiles very much.
The more I hear Prog the more I think that, on the average, this genre is above all only a show of (not always)good techinque, good players, good vocalists but not good ideas, originality, energy , passion and so on.

And please, don't compare Tiles (and other Prog band) to Rush:they have nothing to do each other. Rush are on another planet.