Album review : BURNING ROPE – Dissolution

June 22nd, 2026 by petefeenstra

Self Release [Release date : 29.05.26]

‘Dissolution’ is an album which diligently works its way round the theme of broken relationships, with plenty of musical variety (rock, prog, funk and blues), tough riffs and emotionally honest songs.

It’s a notable step-up from their debut album in terms of song writing and establishing the band’s own broad based musical identity.

It’s an album built on admirable ambition, only hampered by the fact that it lacks a powerful vocalist with the ability to nail several emotionally charged songs.

You never quite escape the feeling that this is still a nascent project, which for all its sparkling moments still occasionally sounds tentative.

It’s certainly not for a lack of trying, as they dig deep for their grooves and adventurously swap vocalists.

The problem is they have 3 passable vocalists who aren’t always capable of wringing out the core substance of a song.

The opening track ‘Waste’ illustrates the point. The visceral riff-driven song finds vocalist Adam Pyke in danger of over singing, as he tries to match the musical muscularity and significant bv’s of a challenging song.

The band is at its best on the wah-wah bluster of ‘Houdini’, which along with the title evokes memories of early 70’s Stray.

However, the promise of a boisterous stomping rocker is slightly compromised by Paul Long’s smooth vocals, which otherwise sit well with what becomes a funky groove with double tracked vocals, a ‘call and response’ sequence and nimble stick work from Mitch Weaving.

They are slightly more concise on the lilting funk and addictive riff of ‘Second Time Around’, which is a cool locked in groove.

The declaratory ‘Not Guilty’ has a similar mid-tempo funky feel. It features guitarist Alex Voysey on confident vocal with Paul Long doubling on Fender Rhodes and Hammond, as part of a warm layered sound with a sweet toned guitar solo.

Given the album is glued together by relationship songs, there’s plenty of plenty lyrical substance here.

For example, Fiona Long’s spiky ‘Just Leave Now’ cleverly swaps pronouns to facilitate different perspectives; while Voysey’s metallic guitar tone evokes lyrical intent.

And while the opening 3 tracks are melodic grooves, Adam Pyke’s extended ‘Flow’ illustrates the band’s more proggy side, and might well be a clue as to their future musical direction.

It’s a Fender Rhodes-led groove with an interesting lyrical opening: “Tear down your posters from the wall, They’ve been hiding the cracks for far too long.”

Pyke’s voice floats over some intricate rhythmic interplay on a track which literally flows into big guitar solo at 5.03.

The final verse employs a layered sound, fattened by a Mellotron and a final guitar flurry on a well judged finish.

Each track offers a different facet of the overarching relationship theme, none more so than the well chosen cover of Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up The Hill’.

It’s a good example of the band’s detailed arranging abilities, on a song about the insecurities of a relationship and the struggle for empathy and ultimately resilience.

They eschew the original electro riff-driven tension for a solid rock arrangement with a resolving guitar solo.

You could imagine this may well become a live favourite, but at the moment it’s still a work in progress, as Pyke doesn’t quite have the vocal gravitas to nail either the emotion or the quirky drama of the original.

They finish with ‘Sad Like Sinatra’ – an exquisitely titled 13-and-a-half minute mini suite – which is arguably their most ambitious work so far.

Featuring Paul Long’s best vocal performance, the track ebbs and flows from its sonorous piano-led balladic origins into different linked musical sections, while being guided by a delicious opening couplet: “She was sad like Sinatra in the wee small hours, she could hardly remember, how it all turned sour.”

There’s also an equally good repeated refrain: “Childhood memories are buried so deep, they come back to haunt you when you sleep.”

Long’s lyrics even manage to incorporate several Sinatra song titles (no spoilers), as part of linked musical sections which recall bands such as 10CC, Jethro Tull, Frank Zappa and Genesis.

Burning Rope choose to evoke the latter with a dreamy keyboard solo at 3.20, while the gentle bass and organ-led conduit leads to a Tull style staccato break at 5.03. which ushers in an urgent ‘call and response’ section.

Some brief acapella vocal gymnastics give way to a heavy organ riff and edgy guitar playing which illuminates a defining couplet sung by Pyke: “ Stormy weather hanging over our heads, then a break up with so much left unsaid.”,

Some drum led bluster brings us back to the ballad format and a resolved narrative. A climatic proggy guitar solo with choral style bv’s leads to another memorable couplet in the final chorus: “I was said as Sinatra, as we said our goodbyes, As she carried the wisdom of all her times.”

In sum, Burning Rope work hard to find equilibrium between their cerebral proggy elements and a penchant for melodic funk.

‘Dissolution’ impressively achieves its aim of holding a mirror up to broken relationship songs. It mixes reflective and angst ridden narratives with deft arrangements and inspired playing, leaving it just a couple of decent vocals short of the full pack. ****

Review by Pete Feenstra

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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