Great Amazon.ca review by Richard S. Warner:- A Powerful Rock / Psy-Techno Fusion of Extraordinary Beauty System 7s Sept, 2013 release Phoenix Rising is a major, quantum leap for the 24 year old band. Always leaping ahead and covering new territory has been a hallmark of the psy-techno band. Only this time the leap is gigantic. Having spent many years playing live in Japan, where they are immensely popular, Hillage and Giraudy have teamed up with Japanese, progressive-techno-jam band ROVO to produce an album that is tremendously rich, powerful and FULL of spectacular musical imagination. In the liner notes Hillage speaks of the success of blending System 7s electronica and electronicly based beats, SEAMLESSLY, with the standard instrumentation of the rock band. Yet, as much as this album is a marked departure from any official System 7 albums, the closest of which was 2008s Phoenix, this kind of fusion is not without precedent for Hillage and Giraudy. In 2009, they teamed up again with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Didier Malherbe for the 3rd of the second Gong Trilogy albums, 2032. Both Hillage and Giruady were in the original Gong band back in the 70s and played on Flying Teapot, Angels Egg and the legendary YOU. 2032 was a powerful rock driven album of exceptional musicality and absolutely, perfectly GONG. Hillage lent his signature lead guitar and some of the guitar effects techniques that he uses in System 7 to Allens musical genius and Smyths poetic madness. Giraudy took the place of old Gong synthesist Tim Blake to add her distinguishable synth lines and effects and it was all done over a solid rock format. You might say it prepped them for this new work with ROVO. Phoenix Rising was so named to refer to the legendary, Japanese myth of the Phoenix, but this time, unlike the 2008 album that celebrated the myth itself, the theme of this album uses the metaphor of the phoenix to honour Japan after the horrific tragedy of the 2011 earthquake and massive tsunami. Japan is still rebuilding and here there is an offering to the re-birth of the country and a testament to the beautiful spirit of the Japanese people. There are 7 tracks, all longish in nature, but the music is so transporting, so complex and imaginative that the album finishes with a fulfilling completion, yet seeming as if only a short time has passed. There are 3 pieces penned by Hillage and Giraudy, 2 by ROVO musicians and one by Giraudy herself. Another track is a cover of Mahavishnu Orchestras Meeting of the Spirits. Its a fantastic cover, with Yuji Katsuis very electric violin featured along with some classy guitar work from Hillage. Its a favourite piece of Hillages, something hes wanted to cover for a long time and the wait is worth it. It becomes clear that this song was the inspiration for the movement in Hillages Solar Musick Suite called Hiram Aftaglid Meets the Dervish. The piece stands out for its complex structure and jazz flavourings but rounds out the rather rich spectrum of styles and tempo that make this extraordinary album such a pleasure to listen to. Fans of Ozric Tentacles will love this. Fans of Gongs YOU will love this as well. It could be said that Phoenix Rising is a beautiful blend of say Jurassic Shift and YOUs more expanded instrumental inspiriations. So this is not a psy-techno album, a typical System 7 release, it is a sparkling, powerful, light-filled bit of divine inspiration, a fusion of rock and techno performed with breathtaking skill and imagination. Some System 7 fans may not like this. But if you were a fan of Gong and the Steve Hillage solo albums, this will be a very special treat for you. This album may just mark the beginning of a trend that could blossom into some spectacular possibilities. Its a bona fide masterpiece, without a doubt.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Feb 2014 15:22:17 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015