Griot

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Dec 16 18:09:08 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит Griot/(2016)_Gerald

Молодая португальская прог/фьюджн-группа. Отпочковалась от группы Сфера, о которой я писал не так давно. Это - их дебютный альбом.
Играют психоделию в стиле среднего Пинкфлойда и приджазованный фьюджн.
Очень всё красиво, органично и концептуально.
Весьма рекомендую!

===
GRIOT is an Eclectic Prog band from Leiria, Portugal, formed in 2014 by Joao PASCOAL (guitars, bass, keyboards) and Sergio FERREIRA (drums, percussion). Later on, Nuno ALELUIA a member of Esfera, joined the band as lead singer.

Their conceptual debut album Gerald, released in 2016, is very mellow and diverse, although really cohesive work. It carefully blends many different Prog genres, from Symphonic Prog (mainly from the extensive use of keyboards, string instruments and flute), to ambient and psychedelic excursions, some Jazz Fusion (check out the first and last track) and Crossover Prog (particularly in the vocal delivery), but also moments that show their heavier side.

(c) Meltdowner, PA
===

Gerald
Griot
Eclectic Prog, 2016
(c) Review by Aussie-Byrd-Brother, PA

It's always exciting to see young bands emerging playing all kinds of progressive rock styles, and it's even better when they're displaying admirable technical and melodic skills from the get-go, putting out superb works right from the very start of their careers. Portuguese trio Griot, formed in 2014 and having connections to crossover band Esfera, tick so many boxes, incorporating everything from symphonic prog, heavier bursts, ambitious orchestration and lightly jazzy touches, all topped off with strong accessible melodies and sleek vocals in their eclectic mix, plus their teasing little 33-minute debut album `Gerald' is a concept work to boot - nothing like the confidence of working in a proudly self-indulgent proggy tradition on launch!

Indexed into five chapters, opener `The Drive' is frequently up-tempo thanks to Sérgio Ferreira's snappy nimble drumming and multi-instrumentalist João Pascoal's dreamy chiming guitars and pumping bass building a gentle jazzy momentum. There's plenty of eerie washes of electronics, deliriously peppy synth noodling and sparkling piano that moves between sprightly and ruminative, and Nuno Aleluia's superior English vocals are crisp and soar with plenty of emotion. The first instrumental `Through the Нaze' twitches with programmed beats, trickling electronics and heavier dramatic surges. Some elegant and thoughtful late-night saxophone trills quickly remind of `Dark Side.../Wish You Were Нere'-era Pink Floyd, and the whole piece is capped off with subtle sweeping orchestration that never overwhelms or becomes bombastic (and some little fleeting pockets of Mellotron and real flute in unison sound lovely!).

`Into the Fold' throws in everything from intelligent striking clarinet, zippy Moog Lines and playful flute leading to a grand climax, and damned if the gentle funkiness and smooth lead and backing vocals wouldn't have sounded out of place of a New Jack Swing album circa late 80's/early 90's ? NOT an insult! `The Curtain Falls' is a vocally rich and dexterous ballad that grows in strength with soothing orchestration and a sudden energetic rush in the final minute, but the group leave their most ambitious work until closer `Fadeaway (Chapter V)'. Brisk jazzy piano, sweeping strings that soar with grace, chunky bass crunches, glistening ambient interludes and colourful psychedelic washes weave around skilfully implemented reprises of past vocal themes, and there's even a fiery bluesy electric guitar solo in the final minutes that holds a little bit of unexpected bite!

A great plus is that the Griot fellas here never sound like they're imitating any better known band, only properly influenced instead to carry their own original ideas forward. The band clearly calling in favours from a bunch of friends and musical acquaintances to fill out the disc with orchestral grandiosity in several moments also makes the album sound suitably sophisticated and lavish - no slumming it with emulated orchestral synths here, thank you very much! Perhaps the short running time is a little disappointing, but think of the disc as a complete suite of music that you might find closing the end of a fuller prog album!

Regardless of how you view it, this debut proves to be extremely addictive, easy to replay and hugely enjoyable due to the tastefulness of the instrumental qualities and the breezy crisp vocals, and if this bright young band of prog-rock hopefuls are already displaying this much potential, imagine how good they'll be with a few more years behind them?

Four stars for a terrific first effort, and bonus points for the lovely cover art and story/booklet that comes with initial copies of the CD!
===

Инджой!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Sep 20 10:07:12 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит Griot/(2020)_Elisabeth

Через четыре года португальский дуэт вышел на нас с новым романом в песнях. Ну, как "дуэт"? - Да основа состава та же, но приглашённых музыкантов человек 20 не меньше.
Как и дебют, это - концептуальный диск, являющийся частью и иллюстрацией к новелле. Новелла - частично в буклете. На меня она особого впечатления не произвела. Полный текст выходит в отдельной книжке.
Теперь о грустном. Несмотря на то, что музыка интересная и отлично сыграна, а голос вокалистки красив, гибок и обладает хорошим диапазоном... КАК ЖЕ ОН МЕНЯ ЗАДОЛБАЛ! Как можно умудриться ТАК нудно подавть материал - я не знаю, но она справилась... Если не считать это,то диск интересен - современный, не совсем обычный нео-прог/прог-металл в смеси с олд-скулом.

===
ELISABETН
Griot
Eclectic Prog, 2020

Elisabeth, the second album by the portuguese Griot, is a very interesting conceptual work, an impeccable production, where progressive and jazz styles are merged, but which give them their own space to make them recognizable. There is no musical instrument that is in excess, each one has a reason to be and add value to the compositions.

The best of the work: the intense and painful A Weak Foundation and Retrospection, where the terrible losses of mother and father generate a devastating effect on the central character, the thoughtful Unearthing the Past, and the powerful and hopeless Making Amends. But undoubtedly the tension remains present throughout the development of the entire album.

On the other hand, in my opinion Elisabeth has a debt on the vocal part. Although Maria Branco's voice is consistent and of good tone, doesn´t leave the mold. It may work at times, but it's probably not what many of the great sound constructions require, taking away from drama rather than enhancing it.

All in all, Elisabeth is a very good album and highly recommended for those who like the genre.

(c) Нector Enrique, PA
===

The first minute and a half of this record constitutes a bold statement of intent: this record is going draw from all 4 corners of the prog world and serve up a genuinely diverse listening experience. Robert Fripp's mellotron, Keith Emerson's organ and piano, and even Misha Mansoor's extended range guitar riffing all manage to find their place somewhere in this record. I am sure there are influences that I can't even begin to recognize and appreciate. And yet all of it is pulled together into a tasteful tapestry that is still, somehow, thoroughly modern sounding.

Although formally the brain child of Portuguese musicians Joao Pascoal and Sergio Ferreira, Elisabeth relies heavily on contributions from musicians from all over the world. A global project in scope, the album continues to push its ambition by incorporating a mini-novel to accompany and further flesh out the story told by the music. I am a poor evaluator of literature and so will refrain from passing any judgement. But I certainly respect the attempt at cross pollinating different art forms.

For all the record's strengths, I do have one gripe. Vocalist Maria Branco who performs the lead vocals on all the tracks but the last is clearly a talented and competent singer. But her versatility is limited which is a problem for a record as diverse as this one. For the softer and jazzier passages, Maria's voice shines. But as the music progresses to heavier passages, her delivery stagnates. There were several points on this record where I found this jarring.

In sum, this is definitely one of my favorite records of the year thus far and is essential for prog fans of any stripe looking for good new music to in which to sink their teeth.

(c) ssmarcus, PA
===

Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido