Inside Out – Out Now.

The Tangent is one of those bands that have only recently come to my attention and after I realised what Andy Tillison and his highly skilled colleagues are capable of achieving, especially on the strength of the band’s 2011 opus “COMM”, I made a promise to myself that the next time these UK Prog Rockers were to release a studio album, I would be the one to review it.

Well, that time has finally arrived, since Tillison & Co are just about to deliver into this world their latest musical offspring, entitled “Le Sacre Du Travail”. So let’s see what it is that the band’s eighth studio album has to offer to us.

“COMM” was an album with a very strong 70s Prog ethos and with strong references to bands both old (Yes) and new (Transatlantic) and this type of approach to song-writing is also present in “Le Sacre Du Travail”, with one major exception. This time round, Tillison is really pushing things to the next level by incorporating the above mentioned elements through a…wait for it…orchestral suite (albeit simulated)!

Some of you might feel perplexed by this and so was I, before I heard the end result. The truth of the matter is, however, that the sextet has come up with a pretty impressive effort – the kind of album which operates in a musical space where Rock and Classical music fight for supremacy on equal terms, almost certainly drawing comparisons with legends, such as Pink Floyd (again) and early Deep Purple.

“Le Sacre Du Travail” is a concept album which consists of five separate themes/movements which seem to be much more connected on a lyrical rather than on a musical level. Having said that, the melodies and rhythmical themes seem to work in perfect unison: take, for example, the orchestral opening track “1^st Movement: Coming Up On The Hour (Overture)”.

Not many bands have the skill needed to create a twenty two minute track that is capable of retaining one’s attention throughout, but it is the clever combination of moody orchestral arrangements and Yes-influenced rhythmical passages that make “2^nd Movement: Morning Journey & Arrival” such an irresistible musical proposition!

The follow-up “3^rd Movement: Afternoon Malaise” is another long composition which relies more on individual performances, rather than on collective themes for effect. Theo Travis’ saxophone adds many beautiful colours to the song’s already impressive musical palette and the assistance of Gavin Harrison (drums), Tillison’s keys indulge in numerous Prog/Jazz melodies, culminating in a dramatic vocal narrative, that seem to be influenced by those employed by Roger Waters on “The Wall”.

A much needed ‘breather’ is provided by the three minute instrumental “4^th Movement: A Voyage Through Rush Hour” (the irony is not at all lost in the song’s title), while the closing twelve minute opus “5^th Movement: Evening TV” is a more up-beat piece that finds the band flexing its Prog muscles. Those of you who opt for the limited edition will be treated to three bonus tracks: a four minute piano lounge theme, entitled “Muffled Epiphany”, the one minute live Punk (!) piece called “Hat” and the radio edit version of “Evening TV” – the album’s last movement.

In the press release provided by Inside Out, the band’s label, Andy Tillison comes across as slightly unsure as to whether the band’s loyal fans will appreciate and embrace this ‘new direction’ that the band chose to follow with “Le Sacre Du Travail”, but I fail to see how this could ever be possible. It is fine to be daring, as long as you have the skills to pull off such a difficult task, and Tillison and Co have achieved this with unnerving ease.

For some, being a Progressive musician means operating and adhering to rules and formulae, first established four decades ago – others feel that the term inherently implies that boundaries should be pushed. Tillison’s success is that he somehow manages to satisfy both and this is what makes “Le Sacre Du Travail” such a good album.

John Stefanis

Rating: **** (4.0/5.0)

Interview with Andy Tillison of the Tangent

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