Edison's Children - The Final Breath Before November

[JKL2000]

Surprised there wasn't already a thread about this album - the second full-length album from Edison's Children, which is a project from Eric Blackwood and Marillion's Pete Trewavas (the band played at Brutopia during Marillion's Montreal weekend last year).

I've just been having a couple of listens in the car - the album is three tracks - one very short, one around 10 min+, the last around 60 minutes (I'm pretty sure those timings are wrong, but the album totals 79 minutes). I'm really enjoying it. Eric's vocals for some reason remind me of Bowie (though a pretty subdued Bowie). The most interesting thing about the album is that in the long track (Silhouette), the other music I hear coming through most is Collage's "Moonshine" and Roger Waters' "Pros & Cons of Hitchhiking." Not sure if that is at all intentional. The Collage could just be because Blackwood's guitar tone sounds like Mirek Gil's guitar tone on Moonshine. The Roger Waters sound is really that the melody lines to me very much recall the title track of that album. Again, not at all sure it's intentional. But overall, the album is very different from either of those. Pretty hard to describe, really. Prog, a little doom, a tiny bit of metal, and some bits of latter day Marillion. A pretty good stew, and Trewavas helps to keep it all musical (he's been described by other members of Marillion as the most musically adept member of the band).

On a related note, because I preordered my CD, it came with a little envelope of Edison's Children guitar picks. I have no use for them, but they seem to be of decent quality, so I don't want to just toss them. If anyone (in the US) wants them, speak up here and PM me your name and mailing address and I'll send them to you.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the band actually managed to have some kind of chart hit with a tune from their first album:

FMQB reports that A Million Miles Away debuted @ 109 on the Hot-AC radio Charts... the highest debut song for any song on the week of 6/26/2012, (which featured debuts from previous American Idol winners).
By Week 12 on 9/12/2012, FMQB reported that Edison's Children's A Million Miles Away (I Wish I Had A Time Machine) had reached the Top 40 on the HOT A/C U.S. Commercial Radio Play charts coming in at #39.
By Week 17 on 10/19/2012 FMQB reported that Edison's Children's A Million Miles Away (I Wish I Had A Time Machine) had reached its peak position of #32 on the U.S. Commercial Radio chart
Week 21 11/14/2012 FMQB reported that Edison's Children's A Million Miles Away (I Wish I Had A Time Machine) had maintained its 10th straight week in the Top 40 [9] before dropping out of the Top 40 on 11/21/2012 due to the introduction of the Hot A/C chart's Holiday Music additions.

[lazland]

I pre-ordered too, and I find this one even better than the debut, and that was nigh on flawless.

A superb album which will hopefully get all the success it deserves.

[Progatron]

Surprised there wasn't already a thread about this album - the second full-length album from Edison's Children, which is a project from Eric Blackwood and Marillion's Pete Trewavas (the band played at Brutopia during Marillion's Montreal weekend last year).

This arrived shortly after Christmas and I quite like it - possibly better than the first one. One complaint I do have about them is Eric's vocals are sometimes quite painful to listen to. For example, my favourite track from the new album "Where Were You" has these nice, haunting vocals from Pete (love some of those echo effects too!), and then Eric comes in and... well...

I do really like them though, and I was at that Brutopia gig!

[JKL2000]

I actually was thinking Eric's were the better vocals, and Pete's the lesser, but I guess I don't always know who's singing. It's not a vocal showcase by any stretch...

[ombasan]

The first album didn't do very much for me, but I've only listened to it 3 times or so. I must revisit it some of these days. Maybe I'll get an appetite for more?

[Progatron]

It's not a vocal showcase by any stretch...

No, certainly not, but Eric can surely make a better effort than the vocals in "Where Were You", when he sings those "Take my hand... my hand... my hand" lines. Ouch. Anyway, not a major complaint or anything, the album has some great moments and the ending track is excellent.

[Progtopia]

Just had them both on my podcast (Eric for the second time): Here it is if you're interested. A couple funny stories from Pete in there.

[Harry's Hand]

I have been meaning to get the new record but I'm a bit surprised that the chatter over this release - good or bad - dried up that quickly. I don't think it has gotten any mentions in any "best of '14" lists thus far (could be wrong about that, though).

To those who have heard this - has aged well as the year has progressed?

[JKL2000]

I need to have another spin, but this is on one of the Progstreaming sites now so have a listen.

[mellotron storm]

I prefer the debut, I find it more engaging, a little heavier at times. I'm a sucker for melancholic music though so yes I do like the latest one a lot. The final track is 67 plus minutes.