| CD REVIEW Ginger Trees |
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Band : Ginger Trees “Along with The Tide” is a dark, melancholic, unhappy collection. It is also a very good, though somewhat derivative, progressive rock album. By derivative, I mean the band has not taken enormous risks in developing their music, the melodies are fairly simple but catchy and the musical arrangements, while never being complex, manage to have enough variety to keep your attention throughout. The tempo is low throughout the entire album, which makes it a bit too monotone for me, to be honest. A very laid back recording except for a few moments when the band decides to stretch a bit. You are begging at times for this band to open it up The overall style is a modern version (Riverside, Blackfield, Anekdoten) of classic 70’s prog and hard rock, with apparent influences from Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd, Gentle Giant, The Doors and Led Zeppelin. There is nothing particularly new on offer, but it is an interesting blend of tried and tested styles. The CD’s engineering and production are very good. I would have preferred a more rawer guitar mix and would like to hear stronger vocal execution, but otherwise this CD is a very enjoyable listen on the whole and allows for growing appreciation with each spin. Those who enjoy sombre yet accessible prog rock are likely to lap up every last lead. Those who prefer a little more invention and variety may prefer to take a sip first. 82/100 Cosmicmasseur. |