I have never embarked on a review of 'The Tangent', this group which is one of the references in progressive music, all styles combined, because, tackling one of their albums, it's like climbing Everest, there are so many things to describe in their music with complex compositions that you have to take the time to listen to and listen to over and over again to draw all the richness (in the vast majority of long developments that can last more than 20 minutes which means that their albums, even if they are limited in number of titles, generally border on 80 minutes). After 'Proxy' in 2018 and 'Auto Recognition' in 2020, it is at the rate of a studio recording every two years that we can put between the ears a new opus of this formation composed of talented artists of the progressive scene with 'Andy Tillison' ('Karmakanic'), 'Jonas Reingold' ('The Flower Kings' and many other projects – see search for his name in myprogmusic here), 'Luke Machin' (ex 'Karnataka' and guest in 'Ian Jones' latest project 'ILLUMINAE', 'Steve Roberts' and 'Theo Travis' ('Steven Wilson', 'Moonparticle'). 'Songs From The Hard Shoulder' is therefore the 12th album of 'The Tangent' and it is no exception to the rule because of the 5 compositions, 3 exceed 17 minutes for 75 minutes of listening.
In order not to make too long a review by detailing each title, I will focus this one on the diversity of the musical landscapes interspersing these different compositions: apart from the short and energetic 'Wasted Soul' which is quite direct and which unfolds a light and pop melody highlighting the saxophone of 'Theo Travis', we are immersed in a patchwork of atmospheres starting with progressive rock, taking us back to the best of the 70s/80s and we can hear here and there influences of 'Genesis', 'Pink-Floyd' or even 'Yes' and I certainly pass a lot of others. In the midst of all these influences, one of the particularities of 'The Tangent' is to mix other styles, this time coming from jazz to make it something completely apart, with for example from Andy Tillison' which takes us into its original universe like this keyboard section in 'The Changes', a little before the 10th minute, and which combines a light rhythm with sounds of the first 'Pink Floyd'. It is besides the predominant style in the second title, 'The GPS Vulture', entirely instrumental which is certainly more complex, and which embarks us in a more jazzy sound labyrinth. And we also cannot miss this fantastic assembly of different atmospheres that we find in the 20 minutes of 'The Lady Tied To The Lamp Post' and in which each artist brings his own stone to this sound edifice which is centred on progressive always very sought after but deeper, sometimes melancholic, sometimes more tormented and which brings admirable alternations of tensions and relaxations. And to end this beautiful album, 'The Tangent' offers us a medley that they borrow in part from the band's eponymous album 'U.K. dating from 1978, and which still shows all the talent of these artists who form one in this title mastered by master hands from the first to the last second.
In summary, 'The Tangent' still release a dense and rich album which requires that we linger there to draw all the substance from it which intends 'Songs From The Hard Shoulder' to an informed public appreciating a progressive mixing different styles that bring us back to the 70s and who likes to discover, little by little, every corner of long, complex and inventive developments... | |
