Detailed Reviews [Cary Grace - 2020 - "Lady of Turquoise"]

Prolusion. US born and UK based artist Cary Grace has been releasing material at a steady pace ever since she launched her debut album "Book Of Rhymes" back in 2004, with the greater majority of her material appearing after she moved to the UK. She has also been a fairly regular contributor to the productions of vinyl specialist label Fruits de Mer Records over the years, and is also an active live artist. " Lady of Turquoise" is the name of her most recent studio production, and was released through the label Door 13 Music in 2020.

Analysis. In the progressive rock universe, this latest album by Cary Grace is one that has situated itself pretty solidly in the psychedelic corner somewhere. A corner where cosmic effects most certainly are present, but one that also has a fairly good distance before entering the more cosmic oriented space rock galaxies. With atmospheric laden being a recurring description in my notes for this creation. It is a solid double album we are treated to here, where the often gentle landscapes explored are given plenty of time to breathe and fill out the space required. Often with a steady core foundation where the bass and sometimes the guitar is the steady element on which the other instruments and at least in part the vocals will play upon. Floating keyboard textures is a just about constant presence here, and subtle and borderline understated cosmic effects is a part of the total experience too. Sometimes explored in a more total dreamladen manner, on other occasions with a more gentle or a more spicy guitar or organ solo or harmony placed on top. With a couple of instances where Grace leads us into more acid drenched territories, and grabbing hold of us and putting us directly into such landscapes from the get go on one occasion to boot. We also get a couple of tunes where the guitars are given a more prominent role as the provider of dark and dirty fuzzed out textures of the kind that makes The Cramps sound like a happy and jubilant band in comparison, a stark and effective contrast to the more serene and otherworldly landscapes surrounding these creations. That a few more blues based creations with a Floydian feel is a part of the album isn't much of a surprise, and a firmer, more vibrant display of world music details is also a natural inhabitant in these surroundings. That we also get a brief interlude with a little bit of a progressive electronic and arguably small touch of Tangerine Dream to it doesn't feel out of place either. It should also be noted that even if controlled and dremladen landscapes dominate this production, most of the compositions do come with some sort of contrasting element attached too. Majestic surges in the instrumental parts, a slight touch of jazz on an occasion or two, as well as the various landscapes already detailed. A visit to slightly more haunting landscapes reminiscent of The Doors is just as natural here as a song with the more naive and uplifting feel of the 60's idealist psychedelic landscapes. The contrasts used are rarely dramatic and more often than not explored with elegance and sophistication. On this album, Cary Grace comes across as the queen of the subtle and understated contrasts, with only an occasional and then also surprising dramatic flair.

Conclusion. "Lady of Turquoise" isn't an album that seeks out to explore the more harrowing depths of either inner space or other space. Calm, welcoming and compelling journeys of the mind and the soul with a serene, dreamladen and softly otherworldly feel is what we get here, with occasional details of a more dramatic character and more regular surges in intensity that retains a more sophisticated and elegant character. A creation that should appeal to those who like their lightly cosmic flavored psychedelic rock explored in a careful, subtle and understated manner.

Progmessor: January 2023
The Rating Room