Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks - True (2024)

Jon Anderson is a true legend of Progressive Rock music, author with YES of some of the absolute masterpieces of the genre. After a successful live performances with The Band Geeks, the collaboration continued with a new studio album. Titled “True,” it was released on August 23, 2024 via Frontiers Music Srl. and contains 9 tracks including an epic over 16 minutes long. The opener “True Messenger,” which we listened to as a single extract to introduce the album, immediately immerses us in Jon‘s trademark classic Prog Rock sounds. His voice has remained unchanged over time and is always sweet and harmonious, while the music proposed by the band takes us back to the classic atmospheres of Progressive Rock with a fresh and modern edge. The rhythm section is solid and elaborate and is enriched with tempo changes on which guitar and keyboards draw refined melodies and solo inserts. A choral refrain opens “Shine On,” a solid and incisive track that alternates between elaborate passages with fine guitar and keyboard breakdowns and symphonic intervals. Jon‘s vocals are emotive, energetically interpreting the lyrics, while The Band Geeks offer an outstanding instrumental performance. A perfect alternation of sung parts and instrumental sections full of quality textures and cues, with the title refrain that sticks in the listener’s mind. “Counties And Countries” is the single with music video that was released on the day of the album’s release. A long track, reaching almost 10 minutes and exploring the classic sounds that have made the Progressive genre great. Jon‘s dynamic and melodic vocals are set in an elaborate and refined musical context. A perfect mix of symphonic instrumental parts and vocals that create dreamy atmospheres alternating with more energetic and intricate Prog passages. The interpretation of the lyrics is emotional, with the theme of the track itself charged with meaning, while the guitar first and the keyboards later offer valuable solo inserts. Tracks like this are worth the price of the disc. The shortest track in duration “Build Me An Ocean” is a delicate song, sweet and full of pathos, creating dreamy atmospheres that enhance Jon’s vocals. A harmonious, softer passage with a fine solo acoustic guitar intervention in the second part, then returns to the singing and ends softly. We return to more energetic and elaborate prog sounds with “Still A Friend,” which enhances the classic imprint of the artist’s sound. Between continuous tempo changes, interweaving guitar and keyboard of absolute value, it is another Symphonic Prog track that combines tradition with a fresh, modern touch. Guitar and keyboard solo interlacing characterises the instrumental sections, alternating perfectly with the intense vocal parts, another example of how to compose and perform a Prog song. Acoustic guitar arpeggios and Jon‘s sweet vocals open “Make It Right,” another softer, gentler track that pleasantly accompanies us for over six minutes. In a continuous musical crescendo that increases in intensity as the song progresses, offering a solo guitar insert. The vocals return for the last few verses and the song ends softly, leaving us with good feelings. Linking to the previous one with the guitar arpeggio, “Realization Part Two” is an intense, rhythmic track that shows influences from World Music. The choral vocal is passionate and accompanies us throughout the track. We come to the epic track “Once Upon A Dream” which is over 16 minutes long and is a suite of absolute value. In the best prog tradition, we find all the ingredients one would look for in a track like this. Long instrumental textures, intense vocal parts, solo inserts and continuous tempo changes, evolving the theme of the track with refined and very sophisticated passages and interlacing. In the central part, a long section with markedly Symphonic traits and a good orchestral background, then in the second part the intensity increases in an elaborate musical crescendo with refined keyboard interventions. In the final section, after an interweaving of guitar solos and keyboards, the vocal returns for the last verses and concludes this absolute masterpiece. The album ends with a perosnle dedication to God by Jon, entitled “Thank God,” a prayer-song for all that the Lord gives us. The years pass but Jon Anderson’s talent remains unchanged, offering an album of absolute value. The classic atmospheres of Progressive Rock are brought into a fresh and modern context through eight tracks of fine workmanship, both musically and in the artist’s vode, unchanged in time and always as emotional now as it was then. An absolute masterpiece and one of the best Prog releases of 2024 so far, absolutely recommended to all lovers of YES music and Jon Anderson, whose talent is at the heart of this work. Albums like these show how Progressive music still has so much to express in 2024, an artist who made history and continues to do so over 50 years later.