After a long spell with no new music (on physical format, that is), I got a couple of goodies in the mail this week. It's about bloody time.
More than a month ago, I pre-ordered the vinyl LP of Alex Lifeson's new project Envy of None. This arrived just in the nick of time. I was about to go bat-shit crazy, anxiously awaiting this cool new musical offering from the former Rush guitarist. It isn't just Alex's album, though, as he's got some very talented performers on board: Andy Curran, formerly of 80's hard rockers Coney Hatch; Maiah Wynne, a young singer extraordinaire; and guitarist Alfio Annibalini... plus a handful of other contributors on drums and strings.
The album title is sort of the name of the "project", this assemblage of musicians and their set of songs. In interviews, they often hesitate to say it is the band's name, as they may or may not consider themselves a band per se. A bit of mystery there. But fingers crossed that they DO write and record again, because I really, really like this collaboration. As the record's hype stickers reads: "...dark, cinematic alt-rock". It is indeed moody, atmospheric music that is suited to late night chillin' with the headphones on.
Lifeson's guitar seems to be barely present, with only one guitar solo I can remember on the whole disc. Yet in interviews, Alex reveals that he wanted to create an ethereal, atmospheric sonic wash of sounds, something he explored a bit in Rush's lighter, electronics-laden music of the 80's, only here the guitar is so processed that it is barely recognizable. And yet I love the feel of it all. The bass (by Curran) is mixed very up-front and it's easy to enjoy his proficient and melodic style, nothing flashy, yet perfectly aligned with the other elements. Maiah is an up-and-coming vocalist, with chops beyond her years, and I can't wait to hear more from her.
Overall, Envy of None the album is a beautiful blend of alternative, experimental and alt-rock or even pop. Even though Liar and Look Inside were the advance singles (both great, I should add), it is the instant radio hit (in my opinion) Never Said I Love You that leaps to the fore. There isn't a dull song on here. It's a consistently great album from start to finish, and it works best when digested as a whole. Catchy hooks and wonderful melodic sense somehow strike a balance with the often dark and moody material, some of which borders on edgier styles like industrial. A sort of art-rock album. Love it.
My other recent mail order purchase was an imported Japanese CD copy of the 1989 Voivod album entitled Nothingface. It's rather hard to track down at a reasonable price, but I was happy to find this "deal". I put this album off far, far too long. I have owned a digital download for more than a few years, but never really warmed to it. Only one song grabbed me, and it first did so upon the album's initial release in '89 (when I saw the "new" music video on TV)... it was Astronomy Domine, a cover of the early Pink Floyd tune. Voivod metallized the track, modernizing it for those of us unfamiliar with the original version. I've always liked Astronomy, but the rest of Nothingface... meh. I put that down to the fact that Voivod had toned down their sound for this album, and it always felt kind of limp and soft compared to their earlier thrash classics, and even other metal of the day. But fast forward to 2022, and I find I'm digging it like never before. When I'm not in the mood for the band's noiser, more chaotic music, I can easily put on Nothingface and enjoy its lighter sounding, sci-fi themed progressive hard rock. I can now appreciate the album properly and understand how this won the band mainstream success, or at least a sort of boost in their exposure, as small as that would be for such a marginalized band and genre. With a cleaner guitar tone and a lack of wall of noise, guitarist Piggy conveys a different vibe from other Voivod albums. A more palatable, sort of jazzy feel emerges in his angular riffing and soloing and his out-there chord voicings. Drummer Away is easier to pick out of the mix, too, his fascinating drum patterns driving the music in new ways. The Nothingface album... also a winner.
So, something new and something old. There IS great music out there... you just have to dig a bit to find it. Rock out, music fans!
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This is blog post #497... a milestone approaches!
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