I am… very familiar with this Dutch artist as I have his album “Walking I Circles” and know of his participation in Tumbletown , of which I own 3 albums. So, I was looking forward to delving into this latest opus and expound of my sentiments on his offerings, where he plays everything and sings. First of all, the cover art is quite the eye opener, a rather imminent glimpse of the future of mankind, where human body parts will be replaced by technical innovations, in the ongoing quest to make us eventually faster, smarter and better. My only comment is …gulp!
Therefore, the opening title track sets the futuristic tone with its sleek synthesized slivers of stridency, the animate organ fleshing out the sound and Han describing his android inconsistency as he may be considered fully ‘upgraded’ but his heart remains defiant and true. The sweltering guitar tirade underlines a mechanical component difficult to clone: the soul.
Where old school crooning collides with cosmic relevance ,“We Are Connected” is a futuristic ballad that transcends time and most certainly space, with a Bowie/Numan like feel, slippery electronics clashing with a jazzy guitar flurry two steps from George Benson. Actually, a stunning piece that caught my attention immediately, as the arrangement stretches beyond six minutes , with enough instrumental adornment and variance to satisfy the discriminating ear. The interstellar funky e-piano bit really hit home, the ravaging axe solo full of bluster and trill made me smile and the rowdy final vocal part, screwed in the last titanium bolt.
In a complete shift of style ,“Strings of Freedom” offers a mixture of melodic poppy musings, a liquid guitar oozing into the crevices and a playful playground organ, leading to a jazzy variance in groove and an eccentric guitar splurge that eventually finishes off this rather breezy and accessible track. Yes, it’s more a hybrid mainstream/prog style but still glows nicely in the dark. Maintaining the mood that Han masters to the fullest, “Forcing Out the Silence” shows why this fusion works so well, as there are darker moments of gloom, rapidly replaced by more open-minded honky-tonk accessibility, a female background vocal expertly placed, a radiant solo from the avid fretboard extolling the musical prowess Uil so overtly possesses. How about a little bluesy number, complete with the obligatory rolling Hammond, the choppy riffs and a pleading voice ? ”Won by a Landslide” also provides an extensive platform for Han to demonstrate his affinity for icons like Gary Moore (RIP), ‘now the power is mine’ exhorts our man, on a subject seemingly drenched with political scorn. A highly enjoyable track that keeps the focus on current events with just a tad of sarcastic irony, expertly Dutch, may I add.
Off to Scotland’s Western shore on the brief “Island of Skye”, a clearly Celtic inspired muse of ancient lore, a magnificent melody and chorus that would make any Mac smile, Han showing off (and rightly so) a mastery of clever detail on his guitar playing, his shivering tones are breathtaking , the voice fully engrossed, the passion forevermore present. A delightful gem that could have morphed into a 12-minute prog epic with ease.
Driving back into the shadowy bluesy alley displayed earlier in the album, “All in Good Time” is pure sonic gold, twinkling e-piano pooling the tide where the effervescent electric six-string appliance gets to lay down the law. The bass interlope is immense, the vocals patiently stressed and the discreet organ flowing under the bridge, all subjugated by the delirious axe expression. The man can play. My favourite track here.
A personal song with introspective lyrics looking back at the life span we must all face, “Grown” is wholly a different kettle of fish (probably herring), with somewhat minimalist instrumentation that sets the spotlight on the words sung, a pleasant tempo and earnest melody. Yes, the string instruments show up for roll call, the lead solo become swiftly a blistering affair full of frazzle and sizzle, as the voice gets more and more intense with maturity. The track grows, hence the title. Well played !
A love song from a “Vegan Love” with a masterfully quirky lyric to die for: “I had to give up meat just to get a kiss or two, but would I cheat if I ate a good beef stew”. What is wrong with humour ? I recall an ABC (the posh 80s band) lyric that went: ‘She’s a vegetarian except when it comes to sex’ . All in good fun, after , its entertainment…
The final and lengthiest track, clocking in at 7 minutes and 39 seconds, is “Night of Decision” is definitely not about politics (that painful subject was dealt with earlier) , a more natural form is known as flirtation, and is expertly expressed both lyrically and musically, with the sexy guitar musings thrilling the senses , a suave dalliance of feelings and appropriate words, ‘playing with fire, when I give in to this burning desire’ ! I mean, how deliciously primal and yet so natural!
A thoroughly enjoyable album that efficiently straddles the line between progressive and more accessible rock music, with a dash of blues, just for comfort. A very gifted musician indeed, now can he kick a football ?
4 ik bens