NEO-PROG ALERT :: THE BARDIC DEPTHS

[JKL2000]

Attention neo-prog fans (and goodbye to non-neo-prog fans!): I just listened to a great new release, the self-titled debut album by UK band The Bardic Depths. This album is excellent neo-prog with a somewhat relaxed feel. The drummer plays a little loosely, which gives this a little more human feeling than sometimes comes through the widdly widdly. I'm not a musician so I'm not sure. but I think he's playing a litte behind the beat or something. The vocals too are good, but a little less smooth than some, and with a VERY slight bit of Mick Jones going on. Very slight, I don't want to scare anyone awy with that, this does sound primarily like neo-prog. The compositions are strong, the lyrics are pretty interesting and vaguely political in some way. Apparently there's a them but I haven't quite focused on it. War, death, something.

Anyway, it's a damned good album on first listen. Oh, and Peter Jones guests on saxophone, which is pretty good! I think I ordered it from their Bandcamp page, or possibly from Magenta's webstore. Anyway, there are a couple of FB groups for the band (one is smalled and for discussion of the music, etc.). I think think that in some way this band spawned from the Big Big Train world - maybe fans? Oh, for some reason the cover is ugly as hell. Oh well...

Here's a teaser I haven't watched yet! You might try some full songs on YouTube instead. Let me know what you think!

[progmeister]

Thx for the tip JKL2000. Usually like your taste and it is indeed a winner. Purchased.

[JKL2000]

Thx for the tip JKL2000. Usually like your taste and it is indeed a winner. Purchased.

Great, you're welcome!

[progmeister]

Great, you're welcome!

Our biggest disagreement though is the new Pendragon, a band that I have loved throughout the years. Gotta say this album just leaves me cold. I keep trying but it just seems “slight”. Nick’s melodies are one of his strongest talents and I just find this album’s songs “meh”. The whole project just comes across as lazy to me.

[Rael]

Our biggest disagreement though is the new Pendragon, a band that I have loved throughout the years. Gotta say this album just leaves me cold. I keep trying but it just seems “slight”. Nick’s melodies are one of his strongest talents and I just find this album’s songs “meh”. The whole project just comes across as lazy to me.

I find that I keep returning to Love Over Fear. I initially felt the way you did. It's a mellow record and sort of a shock to the system after the last few. But I think it's probably the best Pendragon since Not of This World. As a point of comparison, it's stuck with me more than the last IQ album. YMMV and all that.

[JKL2000]

Wow, yes, Progmeister, we definitely, and respectfully, disagree. I liked the album right away, and the opinion of pretty much everyone on their FB group agrees with me. Who knows? It certainly doesn't seem lazy to me, but I really didn't think their previous two albums were among their best work, so I guess we're looking for different things.

[moecurlythanu]

I was listening to it, and thought it was pretty good, when all of a sudden a loud buzzing went off. I thought to myself, "What the hell is that sound?" After a few minutes it occurred to me...That's the Neo-Prog alert! I'm not supposed to listen to this! Think about your reputation! I quickly ejected the CD, of course.

[JKL2000]

It isn't that you're NOT SUPPOSED to listen to it. It's that you're NOT WORTHY!

[JKL2000]

Boy, my typing was lacking when I posted that review! I may have had a drink or two, but the album IS good!