Detailed Reviews [Gintonic - 2019 - "Gintonic 3"]

Prolusion. Spanish band GINTONIC was formed back in 2008, and have been an active performing and recording unit ever since, although focusing mainly on their home base in Spain from what I can understand. "Gintonic 3" is their third studio album, and was self released in the spring of 2019.

Analysis. Encountering bands that are difficult to describe in an accurate manner is something of a staple for someone covering progressive rock, and Gintonic is one of those bands that fills another crevice in the nooks and crannies of the progressive rock universe. Their music isn't quite like any other artist I've encountered, and despite the fact that the greater majority of the material is fairly easy on the mind and the ears it is also challenging to pinpoint or point it towards any specific subset of progressive rock as such. What makes this band and this album so ambiguous is in part due to how this album plays out, with compositions sharing similar qualities placed more or less in bulks throughout the album. Hence we're first introduced to the band as purveyors of an almost easy listening combination of pop music, jazz and folk music, with delicate piano and flute movements leading the way. We get some dramatic organ details here, a touch of disco groove bass guitar there and atmospheric laden, theatrical piano effects tossed in for good measure, and some songs with perhaps a stronger emphasis on jazz as well, but by and large easygoing and free flowing music that mix and blend pop music sensibilities with jazz, folk music and a wee bit of progressive rock for good measure. As the album continues on it's journey the keyboards becomes a gradually more dominant presence however, with both classic era organ sounds as well as more distant as well as more recent keyboard and synthesizer textures playing around with more of a progressive rock oriented sound, with and without flute support. In between we get a playful rhythms workout as well, before this album concludes with perhaps a step back to the jazz and folk meets pop music sensibilities again but now with keyboards and synthesizers replacing the piano in this context. A bonus track has been added as well, showcasing the band performing a more distinctly jazz-oriented composition and in a live setting at that. There's no denying the talent at hand here, with a band consisting of veteran musicians making a living as music teachers the craftsmanship is impeccable. They do know how to pen a good tune as well, but perhaps not always managing to add in the details that manage to elevate and draw out all compositions to their very greatest potential. Very much depending on personal taste in music of course, and what you listen for and focus on when immersing yourself in the world of music. The greater majority of the music here is easy to enjoy and fills fulfilling even on initial inspection, and at their best the band manages to implement those finer details that creates moments of true magic as well. For my particular taste in music the composition 'Sexy Glasses' is the most brilliant shining light on this album due to certain details that appeals to me in particular, but there are plenty of other contenders for being such a track on this album, very much depending on and reliant on the musical taste of the individual giving this production a spin.

Conclusion. Gintonic supplies both the gin and the tonic on this third album of theirs, exploring two related but different types of music throughout the album and touching base on a couple of other fronts as well. The first half of this album should appeal to those with a taste for a lighter toned meeting between jazz and folk music, complete with some popular music sensibilities, while the second half of this album should find favor among those with a taste for keyboard driven progressive rock with as well as without flavors of jazz or folk music. The main folk music element for both sets of music being the flute as an instrument, as well as the manner in which it is used. Oh, and a wee bit of Flamenco too. The perfect audience for this album obviously people that find the main sets of music appealing to their personal taste in music.

Progmessor: October 30th 2019
The Rating Room