Short Reviews [Jeffrey Erik Mack - 2021 - "The Forgotten Earth"]

One of the issues with being a fairly well-known reviewer is that even though I do my level best to stem the flood of material heading my way and challenge myself to try and write 20 album reviews a week (I generally fail), I am always way behind on my listening and therefore my reviewing. This album came out in April last year and every time I came across a mention of it on the web, I said to myself I really needed to get that one done, but here we are nearly a year on from the release and it is only now that I feel I understand it enough to be able to write about it. I first came across Mack for his work in the excellent band Scarlet Hollow, and it is of no surprise at all to see Gregg Olson helping on a track, with the only real surprise is that he didn’t do more. Mack did bring in a few guests, but he provides the core of the music with bass, bass pedals, synths and percussion, and the result is an album which is led by the bass as opposed to guitar or keyboards, but very much in a band context. There are very few bands who have attempted to create music in this fashion without an overpowering bass, such as Chris Squire in Yes, and the one which springs most readily to mind is Mr. So & So, but even they didn’t sound like this and at times this is strangely reminiscent of Colosseum II but with less guitar. Not only is this an album which stems from the bass, but Jeffrey is also putting himself into the background and is more than happy for flash solos to be played on top of his lines, yet he is putting in a great deal of complexity, far more than just holding down the foundation and can often be found duetting with the lead instrument right at the top of the neck. This is instrumental progressive music with huge nods towards classical, and perhaps it is no surprise that the only piece not composed by Mack is one by the 19th Italian Romantic composer, conductor, and double bass virtuoso Giovanni Bottesini. It fits in well with the rest of the album, which is incredibly easy to listen to, with the complex somehow made simple and melodic. This is not music which has been created to just show off the musician’s chops but instead is something which is complex and whole, and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. There is a lightness and brightness to this, something which is often missing from progressive rock music, and there is the impression there was lots of smiling in the studio as it came together. I look forward to hearing the next release from Jeffrey, and let’s hope that is not too far in the future, and next time I promise myself I will play it far more promptly as this is a delight.