Detailed Reviews [Spaced Out - 2003 - "Slow Gin"]

Prolusion. "Slow Gin" is the third album by the established Canadian band Spaced Out. If you wish to read the reviews of their previous albums, click > here and > here.

Synopsis. Antoine Fafard, the main mastermind behind Spaced Out, continues transforming the band's style, which happens by no means often on today's progressive scene, and "Slow Gin" is as different from any of the band's previous albums as both of them are different among themselves. Apart from playing a bass guitar, Antoine displays here a great ability in using potentialities inherent in modern keyboards and the album is just filled with very inventive solos and passages of varied synthesizers, organs, and pianos. (While keyboardist Eric St-Jean plays here only an acoustic piano and only on three tracks: see above.) Quite a dark, mysterious, and highly innovative music representing a unique blend of Cathedral Metal and Jazz-Fusion with elements of Symphonic Art-Rock, Space Rock, and Psychedelic Rock is what the contents of the first two fifths of the CD are about. In conjunction, all of this is certainly nothing else but another new manifestation of Fifth Element. Indeed, each of the first four compositions here: Introx, Slow Gin, Spaced In, and Minor Blast is a fantastic journey into the world of new musical forms full of mystery and magic and is very imaginative. Just a highly original Jazz-Fusion with elements of the same genres, listed above, is presented on all four of the following tracks: The Thing, EMO, Bright Space, and Glassosphere III (5 to 8). Even though the music here is less dynamic than that on those about Fifth Element, it is filled with dramatic and tense arrangements and is very imaginative as well. Apart from the parts of synthesizers and piano and those of the other instruments, Bright Space features rich orchestral arrangements. The music on both of the remaining pieces: Blue Ron Pipe a. m. & p. m. (9 & 10), the first of which is marked with the wild saxophone solos, represents Avant-garde Jazz-Fusion with elements of Symphonic Art-Rock, Cathedral Metal, Space Rock, and Free Jazz.

Conclusion. If you comprehend the music of Spaced Out in general and like their "Spaced Out" and "Eponymus II" albums in particular, you will certainly love "Slow Gin" as well. Spaced Out's creation is outstanding. All of the band's albums are masterpieces, though this one is undoubtedly the most innovative of them. Don't pass over the album, most of the contents of which are worthy to be called the music of the new millennium!

VM: May 9, 2003