The Dutch from 'TumbleTown', whom I discovered with their second album 'Never Too Late' in 2018, released a new album 'On The Highwire'. To tell you the truth, the first listen didn't attract me that much, but, as is often the case with progressive music, it was the successive listens that allowed me to gradually get into this album which I ultimately find excellent. It must be said that the line up (unchanged since 2018) is of quality, all the members being experienced progressive artists: a quick search in myprogmusic of the keyboardist 'Erik Laan' allows you to see some of his projects. Regarding 'Han Uil', he has also worked on numerous projects ('Seven Day Hunt', 'Antares') but also pursues a solo career and his latest album 'Walking in Circles' dates from 2022. As for 'Aldo Adema', he has also been active in different projects including 'Egdon Heath' in the 80s/90s and 'Seven Day Hunt' until 2008. The line up has been completed since the last album by 'Arjan Laan' on drums, who is the Erik's son.
Musically, this new album offers 10 compositions which range between 4 and 8 minutes, leaving room for numerous progressive instrumental peregrinations alternating with the parts sung by 'Han Uil'. Besides, I had already mentioned it in my first review, 'Han Uil' has intonations of 'Ian Anderson', and in the title song which opens the album, this resemblance is quite striking. This first track is a good example of this imaginative progressive with omnipresent keyboards, Aldo Adema's guitar embellishing the whole. Remarkably diverse, this album takes us on a journey through different styles with, for example, the rhythmic 'The Greatest Bragger' which fuses jazzy intonations with symphonic rock in a very beautiful way. Starting more calmly, 'Rush Hour' is a magnificent track which then gains momentum to take us into a sort of mix between 'Pink Floyd', 'Genesis' and 'Jethro Tull'. Follows the rhythmic and bouncy 'Part Of The Wind' in which 'Aldo Adema' illuminates this title with his electric guitar, then, a return to calm with 'Forget The Road Not Taken' which begins with a very beautiful acoustic part in which we feel lets you be lulled by the melodious singing of 'Han Uil' and which continues by gaining power in an instrumental section provided with several remarkable keyboard and guitar solos. 'The Truth Now', which follows, highlights a more complex progressive construction, the changes of rhythm being numerous but all leading to the magnificent melodic theme of the chorus which benefits from an admirable new guitar solo in the finale. The longest track on the album, 'In The Eye Of The Storm' takes us into an intense progressive saga which shifts with rhythmic, intensity and melodic changes and which is filled with quite diverse influences. New, calmer moment, 'Thoughts Of Love' is a ballad with a violin which brings a certain melancholy to the whole, the finale gaining in intensity by again offering a very beautiful guitar solo, then, 'Trapped On Memory Lane' unfolds a light and catchy melody in which an important place is given to instrumental sections provided, and the album ends with 'Time For Joy' which is a more direct title which moves away from progressive but which offers us a last catchy melody on which we let ourselves be carried away by Han Ian's remarkable vocal performance.
In summary, the Dutch from 'TumbleTown' have released yet another quality album which it took me some time to get to grips with and which, in the end, shows all the talent of these four artists who each bring their own stone to the table. the building: 'On The Highwire' should please an audience loving moderate progressive rock taking us back a few decades... | |
