Gentle Art Of Music [Release date: 28.05.21]
Sylvan are one of Europe’s finest progressive rock bands whose stock has been rising for some time, but particularly since they signed up to the Gentle Art Of Music label run by fellow progressive rock greats RPWL.
Their outstanding album ‘Sceneries’ from 2012 laid down their template of melodic prog rock with a real cutting edge – which has reached its zenith here with one of the best progressive rock albums I’ve heard for some time.
Produced and mixed by RPWL stalwarts Kalle Walner and Yogi Lang, the inevitable comparisons with their stable-mates are bound to be made – and why not? This is a quality to be celebrated rather than disparaged.
Another aspect of ‘One To Zero’ that may fire up the naysayers is that it’s a ‘concept’ album – described by the band as “the autobiography of an A.I. from its own perspective”.
It sounds pretentious, but get past the concept and what lies beneath is a work of real quality and depth, packed out with cracking tunes and exceptional musicianship.
Tracks such as opener ‘Bit By Bit’s ear-worm of a keyboard riff supplemented by exquisite guitar sets the bar incredibly high for the rest of the album to follow – which it matches and frequently surpasses.
There’s great piano work on ‘Encoded At Heart’ and the fragile ‘Unleashed Power’, pounding riffs on ‘Start Of Your Life’ and some tasty violin and blistering guitar on ‘Trust In Yourself’.
Highlights everywhere, but two tracks in particular really push the album into ‘very special’ territory – the anthemic ‘Part Of Me’ is just a great song brilliantly played and ‘On My Odyssey’, for me the album’s high-water mark, has everything that makes a progressive rock track majestic – an “Old Grey Whistle Test” chorus, great vocals, more violin, some nice acoustic guitar and outstanding electric work.
‘Go Viral’ is the single from the album and sounds as you would expect – with heavy rifferama, a high quality synth solo and great guitar work.
‘Not A Goodbye’ winds the album down, literally, with ten minutes of progressive bliss – its chiming guitar arpeggios, stuttering riff and fragile vocals combining superbly to add the finishing touch to an album that will live long in the memory of all those lucky enough to hear it.
If you could compose an album yourself which combined all the elements that make melodic progressive rock so utterly listenable to – this is how it would sound.
Superb – there’s no other word. *****
Review by Alan Jones
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
