There is no greater thrill than writing and posting a review from an artist or band that subsequently replies with a comment like “You actually got it!”. There are prog musicians , who, in my eyes, can do no wrong throughout their discography, unless they absentmindedly veer into a fusion of Pomeranian polka, proto-post punk, crypto- psychedelic, endless pyrotechnics, and faux folk. I have been devoutly following this thrilling artist since his initial arrival in 2018 into the prog community and the prolific nature of his output as well as the ever-increasing quality of his work is quite extraordinary. “The Great Divide” is his sixth album and we are all blessed to have something new already so quickly after last year’s magnificent ‘Proximity and Chance’. Both vocalist Peter Jones and guitar ace Luke Machin are back, adding new performers Michel St-Père of Mystery on electric guitar (Art & Craft) as well as Jon Poole on bass on one track, vocalists Sertari of Karnataka on Runes and Sandcastles and Iain Hornal singing on both Art & Craft as well as Leaf to Blade. John Holden does all the rest, and you can bet that it’s utterly smashing! The cover art and booklet are equally sumptuous and well deserving of visual applause, so expect me to wax poetic and enthusiastic throughout.
The epic title track wastes little time in sensually suffusing us with inspirational sounds and words, and as befits the title, the various contrasts that divide us on a daily basis and in all facets of our lives come to the forefront. I fondly (yet fearfully) recall a comment by a wise history professor who told me that the scourge of humanity is its inherent craving to control , individually or collectively, the fate and outcome of others. It is there we find the need to divide and conquer in order to better control. Unity has a habit of disturbing the powers to be. During the course of its 13 minute+ running time, the various layers are peeled like an onion, with surely some tears as the music proposed is both striking and poignant, the vocals brilliantly exposing the weakness of our resolve. It is arguably Holden’s finest moment, a melody etched in simplicity of the purest kind, with unequivocal singing that is ‘so close’ to perfection, an idyllic set-up for a colossal slice of symphonic prog where both guitars and keyboards unite with bass and drum forcefulness, yet all governed by melodic sensibilities. Holden fusions the electric bass and guitars to serve as the spinal backbone on which he can express a wide variety of inflections that keep the drama buoyant and adventurous. The sumptuous female vocal elevates the already magnificent arrangement to even loftier heights, a folkier section where the violin dances along, the male vocal taking over with equal gentility as the three main protagonists weld into one cresting anthem. It’s just plain beautiful. No divide here, rather a bond, a union and a whole. As the piece progresses towards its eventual eternity, the emphatic symphonics rise up to the clouds, the beseeching guitars egging on the passion, opening up the gates to a musical area not to far from Iona/Dave Bainbridge and its Celtic spirit.
“Storm Warning” keeps the momentum emboldened , as if a thought-out segue to preceding masterclass, yet here there is an obvious ominous susceptibility. Eyes closed, one can sense the greying vapours circling into position, potential flashes of lightning and thunderous drumming in support. Pete Jones never fails to emote perfectly with the storyline, and he works wonders with Holden’s delicacy on the piano, sliced open with an illuminating Machin electric solo that starts off as a spark and expands into a blazing inferno that shoots straight up into the cosmos. Adding a bass rumble can only infuse a bolder outcome, as desperate chants of ‘save me’ intersperse with that furious guitar rampage, easily on of Luke’s finest moments (among so many, I lost count).
Going way back in time will always sit well with my medieval spirit and “Runes” satisfies both the intense melodicism as well as the visionary tendencies of our Elders (the Seers), Holden setting the stage for one of my favorite singers, the incredible Sertari of Karnataka fame, to shine in mercurial fashion, a vibrant voice that can emote, expand, and tell a story with conviction. Her presence generally gives me goose bumps, and here the same applies. Holden provides all the rhythmic decoration (note: the drum programming here is world class), the bass carving hard, while adorning discreet keyboard and guitar atmospherics. The main melody is a sheer delight.
Holden ventures into delving into the current polarization that befalls our current societies, where extremes seem to rule on both sides, war of words, lines in the sand. “Leaf to Blade” waves my Canadian flag, even though we have problems as well, yet seemingly remaining polite and caring, as befits our reputation. Our Southern neighbor has the misfortune of relying on two colors while the universe has an entire spectrum that keeps on expanding. Personally, it’s time the aliens (or our creators) to come and put things in perspective. A wonderful intermission that provides some current thoughtfulness on our failures (hello media). Iain Hornal does a wonderful job on reciting the vocalized lyrics that should not come as any surprise.
Peter Jones returns with a valorous vocal, egged along by a fantastic fretless and bass duo that collides with the lush string orchestral backdrop, the choral symmetry and just a tad of quirk, strangeness and charm (excuse the pun theft). What an amazing mid-section that had me in a delirious frenzy, at times reminiscent of Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds classic. “The Jewel was Ours” shows the more experimental side that Holden always seems to include in his albums, with inquisitive lyrical content : “Loyalty in evidence, Friendship and intelligence, Duty and remembrance, Sunlight setting”. Our world is at a crossroads and the puzzle to find a solution is like a crossword. But only few people read or write anymore, somewhat worrisome.
Sertari shows her range and versatility on the bopping “Sandcastles”, fueled by Jon Poole’s extraverted bass inflections, with a jazzier mood that fits perfectly within the vast gamut of sounds offered on this incredible album. The e-piano, clever percussion and the shifting time signatures are closer to Stealy Dan than conventional symphonic prog, the electric guitar flickers convincing proof of the matter.
The finale “Art and Craft” conveys a sense of irrevocability, as well as a lighter shade of historical adventure, relating the Glasgow Four, part of the international Art Nouveau movement that flourished from the 1890s to 1910. Today, the Glasgow School of Art keeps the tradition alive. From stained glass painter Margaret McDonald, her husband architect Charles MacIntosh and Margaret’s sister Frances and Herbert McNair. As befits the subject, this artistic flair offers seamless purity in décor, exuding natural tendencies with Japanese traditional art influences. The arrangement reverently keeps the sounds organic, limpid and transparent, yet infused with immense subtlety. Holden tosses in some Japanese tones on his guitar and keys (koto-like at times overtly) and as the mood advances into ethereal realms with a solid rhythmic pulse, the lead guitar is expertly proposed by Mystery’s Michel St-Père, who propels his six-strings into a majestic execution of passionate reverence.
The divide is long but maybe not so wide after all, perhaps that is where the solution lies. With the need to repeat the beautiful cover and artwork, impeccable production, as well as world class implication from choice guests , this is definitely Holden’s finest hour. Among my top albums for 2025.
5 prodigious gulfs