After the remarkable covers of the albums of his project 'tRKproject' (see below the reviews of myprogmusic) in which 'Ryszard Kramarski' offered us, honor to the ladies, a version with the female singer 'Karolina Leszko' and another with the singer 'Dawid Lewandowski', the Pole is releasing in this year 2021 a new album 'Books That End in Tears' still on the same principle with two versions of his favorite performers. This fifth studio album of 'tRKproject' includes four long developments inspired by four strong novels of the XXth century and which were certainly chosen by 'Ryszard Kramarski' for their resonance in the current period that we live with the health crisis and all its political excesses : 'Lord Of The Flies' by 'William Golding', 'The Trial' of 'Franz Kafka', '1984' and 'The Animal Farm' by 'George Orwell'. We're starting to get used to it now, it's up to you to choose the version that suits you the most between 'Karalina Leszko' or 'Dawid Lewandowski', for my part, the two versions of this last opus gave me each very pleasant moments of listening.
'Lord of the Flies' begins the album in a 'Floydian' atmosphere ('Shine On You Crazy Diamond' is not far away) but after a minute a slow tempo develops which pleasantly brings the uncluttered piano/voice sung part with string arrangements accentuating the sweetness of the beautiful melody winding peacefully throughout the first part with the addition here and there of a crystalline acoustic guitar, then, halfway, the electric instruments are more energetic and start a faster section with a nice instrumental part on keyboards which then returns to a slower tempo with a magnificent 'Gilmourian' guitar solo. In the last part, after a section made up of a heavy tribal rhythm section accompanied by a monotonous narration and little cries, the sung finale gradually returns to the sweetness of the starting theme with its heady melody that never leaves us.
With 'The Trial', we are embarked from the start in a catchy tempo with a new melody that we immediately tame, the singing of the two performers being filled with a communicative liveliness, then, the central instrumental part slows down the rhythm bringing a new hovering guitar solo that gives way to a quiet sung part with beautiful choruses before a tormented new instrumental section supported by unbridled drums, the sung finale returning to the vivacity of the first part.
The composition 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' begins with a few marked hits of the drums accompanied by an aerial guitar, then, in the version of 'Karolina Leszko', the singer's rather low register further accentuates the anxiety-provoking lyrics of 'Orwell' with his famous 'Big Brother is watching you', the melodic lines being of any beauty (reminding me of those of 'Hotel California' in a calmer tempo), then, the suite offers us an instrumental 'Floydian' section, then sung, more tormented which end with a break returning for the very moving finale to a much slower tempo with a refined piano/voice duet that leaves room with a last masterful guitar solo and a few sung bars : simply magnificent !
The last long development is devoted to 'Orwell's novel which tells of the takeover of animals on a farm and which starts in a pastoral atmosphere with a light melody. After 4 minutes, the atmosphere takes a quieter turn with some guitar notes and beautiful vocalizations, then, we find the main theme sung interspersed by new melodious guitar solos until the very beautiful refined and uncluttered final guitar/voice.
In summary, it is still a very beautiful album which is offered to us by 'Ryszard Kramarski' with four long developments all as addictive as each other, each bringing its share of emotion and which can be enjoyed quietly with headphones on the ears. 'Books That End in Tears' is recommended for audiences who like a progressive close to 'Pink Floyd' and airy atmospheres with beautiful melodic lines…
List of myprogmusic reviews of tRKproject :
= 2017 - 'Music Inspired By The Little Prince'
= 2019 - 'Mr Scrooge'
= 2019 - 'Kay & Gerda'
= 2020 - 'Sounds from the Past'
= 2021 - 'The Little Prince' | |
