The Tangent – Down And Out in PARIS and LONDON
Fans of The Rotter’s Club please form an orderly queue. If you were growing a little bored waiting for a new Caravan album and needed a Canterbury fix then you’re luck is in. It’s just arrived. The Tangent have been around for a while now and are without doubt the best exponent of the eclectic Canterbury sound since the late seventies. If like me you are a fan of the fat analogue sounds of The Mini Moog etc then you will simply adore this album, It’s not for the faint hearted though. If you cast caution to the wind and want to hear some “all out prog” then this is very album for you.
Opening with the 10:10 minute opus “Where Are They Now” everything from King Crimson to caravan can be heard and most things in between. I must admit to feeling in need of a lay down after listening to this track, it certainly moves on swiftly. Paroxetine – 20mg has some nice keyboard texture in it though i was bemused by it’s lyrical content. I think it fair to say that this is an album to me enjoyed more for it’s musical content than it’s messages. a difficult subject to get your head round really. Paroxetine, better known as “Seroxat” went through a fair bit of controvercy as anti depressants go and to attempt to put lyrics to such a subject within such musical accompaniment just lose’s the point. Having said that it’s a cracking piece of music as is the rest of the album.
Perdu Dans Paris is what you could probably say is the nearest thing to the title track. Head honcho “Andy Tillison dons his finest french accent to sing this cheeky little number. In fact this track had me comparing Andy to Rupert Hind in the heady days of “Quantum Jump”. Andy really is a superb musician and his keyboards on this album sound the best they have ever sounded. Paul Burgess (ex Camel/10cc etc) too sounds magnificent playing the best drums i have heard him play. The Company Car is yet another diamond which is probably the most accessible track on the album for those unable to combat the more complicated and lengthy pieces on the album.
My copy of this album was a limited edition and contained a bonus track entitled “Everyman’s Forgotten Monday”. It contained fairly strong language and was described as being “In Memory Of Richard Wright”. Why? i don’t know! I could find little reference in the lyrics to suggest any thing about Richard or comment about his life. I suppose it must be dedicated in the same way that you would a park bench to someone recently past away.
The final 12:55 minute track needs no description. The simply title “The Canterbury Sequence Volume 2 concludes where volume one began on the Tangent’s first album and is given the full Caravan with the brakes off treatment. Absolutely wonderful. Send your better half to the Bingo, crank up the CD player have a beer and enjoy!
Big thumbs up from The Progmeister.
