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 1. In the Well 2. The Majority 3. Newgate 4. Showpiece in Her Showroom 5. Emily Dawn 6. Marble Island All songs with playing time 5 to 7 minutes written by Twin Age. Karl Johan Kilborn - keyboards Johan Hansson - vocals Jorgen Hansson - drums John Lowenadler - guitars Petter Pettersson - bass This is one of the latest bands again from Sweden, from where comes a considerable part of the present-day progressive rock groups of high-quality. "Month of the Year" is their first album from two they have for three years. This article is just another "example" regarding to terms we use writing the reviews (in that case see especially Ozric Tentacles' "Srangeitudes" and Spock's Beard detailed reviews, Xitizen Cain's "Somewhere but Yesterday" and Grey Lady Down short reviews). In the Well opens with acoustic guitar passages and vocals supported with keyboards only, and although the voice of J.Hansson and his vocal arrangement are absolutely even non-inspired, the way of the main arrangements making, as usual for bands with this five piece format, by keyboards and guitars is very familiar even with the first notes. This is the way of Genesis circa 1976 - 1978 years. These remminicsencies are especially open in instrumental part of this song, as well as of any song on that album. The Majority shows the same instrumental developments between vocals parts. But if acoustic guitar passages on previous track were, undoubtedly, Steve Hackett influenced, here are more of electric guitar Rutherford-like solos, whereas keyboard arrangements everywhere are made imitating of typical Banks' stylistics. Going over the album we'll see (or hear) the same "picture" within any song just sometimes with a bit changes. So, vocals on The Newgate is slightly more dramatic than on the other tracks, or guitar solos on Showpiece in Her Showroom is more "rockish", and a bit later, for the first time, more Hackett-like to the accompaniment of , for the first time too, piano passages. This short piece is open influenced by the mid-part from Firth of Fifth ("Selling England by the Pound"). Emily Dawn contains already familiar Banks-like keyboard themes intermixed with acoustic Hackett-like passages or electric Rutherford-like solos. With that sort solo the song was completed. The Marble Island's beginning is very similar to the first track with long, quite monotonous, acoustic guitar intro. The further instrumental developments here are slightly different from all were on previous tracks. Especially "unusally" sound interplays between electric and acoustic guitar, and even keyboards parts are a less "familiar" here than earlier. All in all, with such instrumental part this is outstanding, the most original song on album. And if Hackett and Rutherford are never plays together, Lowenadler alone shows how it should been could...
Summary. Twin Age is a typical very Genesis influenced band, and although the style on "Month of
the Year" almost absolutely is similar to "Wind and Wuthering" and "And Then There Were Three",
an arrangements here are much more delicate, gentle and soft than the same in their idols. That's a
good factor showed the search of original ways in arrangement of famous and familiar structures,
but here are it was made not so effective as in original, and not so bright, including vocals, as in
cases of another followers of Genesis, Marillion and IQ. So, Twin Age is simply a good copy of
that well known band, because, unlike of aforesaid followers, these young Swedish proggers for
the present almost haven't their own original ideas. Released on Swedish (their own?) "Altair"
label.
VM. 3.12.1998 |
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