Cuneiform Records CD  2016 USA 51:44

www.bentkneemusic.com

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Rating 80/100

This is an altogether sultry and enormously moody album that includes particularly versatile, stylish and expressive female vocals. The musical arrangements are quite ingeniously put together with distinctively atmospheric chord sequences provided by the keyboard / synth department such contributions taking  the  form of extensive wide-ranging fills colouring the overall sound and providing foundations for the rest of the  instruments to shine through. As I worked my way through the tracks I found it difficult  to know exactly which instruments were  playing together at any one particular time because  the individual sounds tend to merge and fuse together forming one complete grandiose wall of sound. Complementing the proceedings completely are a whole raft of wonderful complex drum patterns that together with the keyboards anchor the whole affair together. Interposed within the framework of keyboards and drums include swathes of violin contributions and  bursts of guitar, both in the form of acoustic and electric leads adding interesting contrasts to the structure of the main themes. There are many instances throughout when the whole band seem to drift off into auto-pilot mode and as a consequence let things rip resulting in  a complete cacophony of well-ordered noise. In a sense the melodic element associated with the music is almost entirely projected from the cool really interesting, very complex and extremely dominating female vocals. But having said that the embodiment of the music is created within the overall structure of the individual compositions, the skill of the specific musicians, the quirky arrangements, the originality of the whole affair and the subtle time changes.  The album is indeed a delightfully complete musical journey, almost in every sense a guided tour through the various faces and aspects of avant-garde rock and cool jazz. Remarkably though, it remains wonderfully interesting throughout

The lyrics are pretty strange and somewhat ‘way-out’ but quite fun.

 

Summary: An interesting avant-garde musical journey with stunning vocals and superb arrangements.

 

Artwork: A nicely packaged fully detailed digipak.

 

Line Up: Ben Levin –Guitar and Support Vocals

Chris Baum-Violin and Support Vocals

Courtney Swain Lead Vocals and Keyboards

Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth –Drums

Jessica Kion-Bass and Support Vocals

Vince Welch –Synths and sounds.