Detailed Reviews [The Mighty Handful - 2016 - "Still Sitting in Danny's Car". Part 3 ("Rubicon")]

Prolusion. UK band THE MIGHTY HANDFUL can look back at 10 years or so as a recording band unit, and the majority of that time period has been devoted to their concept series of albums and EPs named "Still Sitting in Danny's Car". The third part of this conceptual creation is called "Rubicon", and was self released in 2016.

Analysis. Like the previous two chapters of this saga, the music on this album is one that stretches across several types of music and genres, with 70's rock and progressive rock being among the key foundations. The manner of progressive rock is by and large an accessible one, and again I'd assume that the music here should have a fairly good reach also beyond progressive rock circles. We get the first taste of a progressive rock item already on the opening track 'Rubicon', with organ and keyboards present and accounted for alongside lead vocals, vocal harmonies, spoken words, an acapella interlude and a more energetic run through harder progressive rock landscapes at the end. Some similar tendencies stick also for the next track, before 'Whatever Happened to Mary Jane' takes us on a slight detour into softer, jazz-tinged landscapes with a dirtier, blues-tinged searing solo placed midways or thereabouts. Softer piano driven rock alternating with a busy, hard piano and vocals driven arrangement that reminded me ever so slightly of classic era Madness follows on 'Gwen in Stasis', while 'Madame Geneva' alternates between a softer piano driven ballad and a pub rock anthem. 'We Had the Rock / Lost Boys' is a dual affair with the main part being a tight, hard and energetic 70's rock song and the concluding one being a soft and gentle epilogue, and at last 'Albion' alternates between piano driven rock and a quirkier vocal harmonies driven section with clear and distinct references to Gentle Giant. There's a lot of variety at hand here, and everything is well executed and possibly a bit better mixed and produced than on the initial two parts of this conceptual cycle too. I do find that the opening and concluding songs are a notch more intriguing than the rest of the songs here though, with 'Rubicon' in particular striking me as a high class, high quality creation.

Conclusion. While not what you'd describe as a purebred progressive rock album, The Mighty Handful continues to alternate between 70's rock with more or less art-oriented flavoring and an easy and fairly accessible variety of progressive rock also on this third chapter of their saga "Still Sitting in Danny's Car". Many of those who generally treasure varied productions that jumps back and forth between 70's rock and accessible progressive rock will most likely find this album to be quite the little gem.

Progmessor: July 2021
The Rating Room