STRANGEFISH - FULL SCALE - 2003

YEAR: 2003
STYLE: Neo Progressive Rock
FORMAT: FLAC (Image + Log + .Cue + Scans + 5% Recovery)
SIZE: 491 Mb
COUNTRY: UK
THE BAND: Julian Gregory / bass and violin; Steve Taylor / vocals; Bob / lead guitar; Paul O'Neill / keyboards; Dave Whittaker / drums

[blockquote]This came highly recommended to me,but i had to wait for it as they sold out their first pressing.My first impressions were not that favourable,as keyboard led Neo prog isn't at the top of my list.To be fair though, i wasn't giving the music my full attention.Well after repeated listens these guys have won me over.The synths are great,and the guitarist can flat out play.The vocalist has this uncanny resemblance to Marco from SYLVAN,which is a plus ,as i really like his vocals.The songs themselves have some thoughtful lyrics with a lot of humour. "Shifting Sands and Turning Tides" features some good synth work, piano and vocals.Mood shifts abound, and check out the guitar playing after 6 minutes, as he goes on a bit of a tear."Oceans Deep" again brings to mind that these guys are the UK version of SYLVAN.I prefer the mellow passages on this song,especially the synths."Listening to Ghosts" has some excellent guitar,as he really lets it rip.This is such a catchy tune.Spacey synths to end it."Take a Holiday" is a very uptempo,fun song,including a funny Carribean section, as well as the sound of an ice cube dropping into a glass."At First Sight" is mellow for the most part,with tempo changes galore.Drums dominate 5 minutes in.Some nice guitar work,as he plays the same melody over and over,but higher up the scales each time."Touch Sensitive" is my favourite song on this record.It's quite heavy,and the soaring guitar 4 minutes in is so beautiful as a vocal melody comes in.The soundscape to follow is wonderful."Wallflower" could have been released as a single.The drumming is fabulous to open.The chorus is great with back ground synths."Simple Life" has some good bass and synths early.There is a jazzy sound 4 minutes in.He's so exhuberant when he shouts "The sun's still in the sky!"Uplifting guitar to follow.Nice. If you are a fan of SYLVAN, i know you'll love this cd,but any fan of the Neo genre needs to check this out.
http://www.progarchives.com

Yes, Virginia, there is good neo progressive rock. Early Marillion was an excellent example – and now, so is Strangefish.

Full Scale has all the elements of good neo: The standard rock lineup, lots of keys to give it texture, excellent guitar work, clearly enunciated mid-range vocals, intelligent song structures, and all the tempo changes and key changes and multi-layered instrumentation that define progressive music. And more than a tip of the hat to early Genesis. And if that doesn't convince you, perhaps this will: Strangefish was voted Best New Band of 2003 by the UK's Classic Rock Society The received top honors in three categories: Best New Band, Best Male Vocalist and Best Drummer. They came second in many other categories. In fact the only area they didn't achieve honor was Best Female Vocalist – and that's only because they don't have one!

This certainly doesn't sound like a debut album. It is tight, the music is complex but played with the comfortable ease of deep experience And perhaps the "new band" category is a bit of a stretch. You see Full Scale is the band's debut album, but they've been playing together for no less than fourteen years – and that depth shows.

Songwriting is one of Strangefish's strengths, along with excellent musicianship. Each song has its own very distinct character and you won't be bored. The vocals are full of emotion and expression in the mold of an early Gabriel or Hammill – the best example being the eclectic, Genesis- esque "Touch Sensitive" – which is surely the standout track.. The lyrics seem to be intelligent and are peppered with snippets of Brit wit. It was hard to tell for sure because the promotional copy we received was a hand-labeled CD-R and a half-page bio, with no cover art, and no lyrics.

So Full Scale is very good neo prog, but more important, you just might find yourself playing it again and again.
http://www.seaoftranquility.org[/blockquote]


Track Listing:
1. Shifting Sands And Turning Tides (10:08)
2. Oceans Deep (11:19)
3. Listening To Ghosts (7:46)
4. Take A Holiday (4:39)
5. At First Sight (11:38)
6. Touch Sensitive (7:12)
7. Wallflower (5:29)
8. Simple Life (9:05)

The Band:
- Julian Gregory / bass and violin
- Steve Taylor / vocals
- Bob / lead guitar
- Paul O'Neill / keyboards
- Dave Whittaker / drums