For me, 'RPWL' is like a big brother that you have great pleasure in seeing again and who remembers you from time to time on the occasion of an album release or a concert and who been part of your life for more than 15 years when I discovered them in the small Swiss town of 'Grunchen' which organized a mini progressive festival in 2006, when was released 'World Through My Eyes' and during which I also discovered the German anthem 'Hole in the Sky' which gave me the same intense pleasure as 25 years earlier listening to a certain 'Shine On Your Crazy Diamond' by the 'Pink Floyds'. Here is the new album 'Crime Scene' which was released mid-March and last year have seen a change in the line up since it is now 'Markus Grützner' who takes the place of bass player and 'Yogi Lang' remains alone as a keyboardist because 'Markus Jehle' left the band at the end of last year. Always looking for a theme for each album, they took us to space in 2019 with 'Tales From Outer Spaces' and, for this latest baby from the Germans, they've tackled a much darker and thornier topic that deals with madness of certain men and particularly serial killers, this in the form of 6 compositions for a fairly short duration of 45 minutes.
And we are welcomed by the long development 'Victim of Desire' in which we immediately recognize the 'RPWL' touch with the guitar of 'Kalle Wallner' which continues with a sung part with some electronic sounds followed by a break for a long sung part alternating different intensities on a catchy melody. For this title, the members of the group staged themselves in a kind of very original mini-film that you can see above. I warned you, the general theme is dark and, for 'Red Rose', it is the story of this radiologist 'Carl Tänzler' who had developed a morbid obsession for a young Cuban-American girl with tuberculosis and the Germans chooses to treat it musically in the form of a very beautiful quiet and serene ballad supporting this unhealthy conversation between the two protagonists contrasting in a rather disturbing way with the theme. It is for this reason that, for some, I understand that it is necessary to dissociate the stories from the music to better enjoy each of the titles with the usual soft and harmonious atmospheres of 'RPWL' and, therefore, I will not attach myself than the musical aspect for the following titles. We continue with 'A Cold Spring Day in '22' (see the video here) which brings electronic sounds while keeping this feeling of fluidity which delicately touches our ears with always very melodious vocal harmonies. Same observation on 'Life in a Cage' which shows a soft and airy face and the muffled sounds of the rhythmic accompaniment make me think of the atmospheres released by 'Phil Collins' in his ballads as in 'In The Air Tonight' of 1981, while keeping this hovering style which is the trademark of the Germans. We arrive at the centerpiece of the album, 'King of the World', which takes us on board for almost 13 minutes of inventive and epic progressive in which we find all the ingredients that made the strength of 'RPWL' with the calm vocals and tranquility of 'Yogi Lang' which transports us, the instrumental parts magnified by the keyboard solos of the same 'Yogi Lang' and the 'Floydian' guitar solos of 'Kalle Wallner', 'Markus Grützner' and 'Marc Turiaux' bringing this rhythm section exuding a kind of quiet force. 'Another Life Beyond Control' concludes this very beautiful album with a ballad like the Germans know so well how to concoct for us in an atmosphere conducive to escape and we navigate between remarkable keyboard and guitar solos ('Kalle Wallner' tampering with the sound of his guitar with some electronic effects).
In summary, the Germans of 'RPWL' are continuing their journey by offering us a new album of great quality both in terms of compositions and production which is still irreproachable and, even if, it is the least we can say, they did not choose a very happy theme, this 'Crime Scene' should undoubtedly appeal not only to their fans but also to all those who like an atmospheric progressive rock releasing beautiful feelings... | |
