On the same day as the Italians of 'Melting Clock' with their album 'Altrove', the British band 'Pure Reason Revolution' released a new album 'Coming Up To Consciousness' which is their 6th studio recording and, as for the Italians of 'Melting Clock', it is also the first review I write about the British. However, I had discovered them with their last album 'Above Cirrus' from 2022 but without having hooked more than that. This is not the case of 'Coming Up To Consciousness' which I liked at first listen, certainly because of the musicality that emerges from the whole but also thanks to magnificent vocal harmonies, the new singer 'Annicke Shireen' who temporarily replaced the bassist and singer 'Chloe Alper' for this album, forming a very beautiful vocal duo with 'Jon Courtney'. Also note that 'Ravi Kesavaram' is the new drummer and that several guests have come to strengthen the group with, among others, the well-known 'Guy Pratt' who played for a long time with 'Pink Floyd' ('Gilmour' period in the 80s and 90s) and the no less known 'Bruce Soord', singer and guitarist of 'The Pineapple Thief' who provided the mixing and mastering. Written by 'Jon Courtney', the general theme revolves around the painful side of relationships between living beings, with for example the difficult experience that John had with his dog that he was forced to euthanize, but, musically, the atmospheres released remain generally light and even quite soft.
With 14 tracks, including 1 prelude and 5 very short interludes to make the link between the different compositions, we embark with 'Dig Till You Die' (see the video above) which begins with a magnificent vocal exchange between 'Jon Courtney' and 'Annicke Shireen' in a peaceful atmosphere, then, after a few heavy guitar riffs, return to serenity for a finale that shows a very catchy face. With 'Betrayal', we continue in this light pop atmosphere on a very beautiful melody benefiting from very beautiful vocal harmonies, 'Annicke Shireen' coming this time in accompaniment of 'Jon Courtney', then, 'The Gallows' also shows a harmonious face with a first part on a slow tempo which accelerates the rhythm then to change musical theme halfway through and to offer us a relaxed atmosphere like 'Chris Rea', the slide guitar bringing this nonchalant side. The emotional slider goes up a few notches with 'Useless Animal' which is a mid-tempo in which the vocal harmonies are wonderful and bring a captivating atmosphere contrasting beautifully with the parts led by a marked rhythm section (see the video here).
Follows 'Worship' which also shows remarkable contrasts, starting gently and which, little by little, gains momentum to explode in the second half with very muscular guitar riffs, then, 'Bend the Earth' alternates verses punctuated by an electronic rhythm section again highlighting the very beautiful vocal duet 'Jon Courtney'/'Annicke Shireen' and a more energetic chorus bringing a beautiful diversity within this title. More progressive in construction, 'Lifeless Creature' shows different faces with, first of all, a part sung on the same melodic phrase that increases in power until a more powerful change of tone leaving again the place to striking changes of intensity. The album ends with 'As We Disappear' which is a long catchy crescendo and which takes all its force in the last minute sung, allowing one last time to hear the very beautiful vocal synergy between 'Jon Courtney' and 'Annicke Shireen'.
In summary, with this latest album which highlights a very beautiful mixed vocal duo, the British of 'Pure Reason Revolution' offer us compositions which are part of a resolutely modern progressive trend while remaining accessible thanks to melodic lines which hook the listener quite quickly, the great strength of this group being to offer us magnificent contrasts within each title, bringing a beautiful originality to 'Coming Up To Consciousness'... | |
