Skeletal and bluesy
Prog in character. But not over the top nor ludicrously grandiose at all Purple/Black Vol. 2 is our new album of the week. The themes are skeletal and bluesy - it's a power guitar, bass guitar, piano and drums affair.
Preamble
Bass guitarist Kevin Glasgow is a tonal master and highly flexible. Check him out with David Preston and drummer Laurie Lowe on a recording made a decade ago.
clockwise Preston, north end, top left, Kit Downes, Kevin Glasgow, Seb Rochford. Photo: Whirlwind
My, how the Preston touch pans out so evocatively jacking things up in the rising arcs of this just issued new material, a counterpart to an earlier release created at the same sessions. As so often with battling keyboardist Kit Downes he also keeps you guessing: he's Ginger to Fred harmonically, toe tappers.
Downes' work with Sebastian Rochford on the Polar Bear player's most personal work to date A Short Diary is a huge leap away from what's much more exuberantly present 'ere.
Sits well with what Enemy do
Mouldy Figges don't wear ear-rings
Piercing through what's here sits very nicely with Enemy, Downes in a burning trio with James Maddren and Petter Eldh. For an even proggier onslaught and again a decent comparison Chris Montague is far more Alan Holdsworth in character than Preston if venturing back and leaping context further back to hear Downes in Troyka especially circa 2009. Mouldy Figges don't wear ear-rings. If prog jazz rock is dermatologically challenging personally apply some lotion. You'd be rash pun intended to forsake the motion of Purple/Black Vol. 2.
'Roma' is the most compelling piece
The guitarist leader Preston’s tunes are really strong particularly the ballad 'Roma' where Downes delivers a really well caught solo.
Rochford - who was so significant a presence in Sons of Kemet for years (peak-Kemet for us was circa Burn [2013] alongside Tom Skinner since of The Smile) gives the bass drum of the kit a bit more of a thump appealingly on 'Karma Radio.’
That energy and frisson are what you come to this largely pretty appealing album for. It proves far better than its earlier companion set (above). Because this latest happens to be more reflective. That characteristic suits all these imaginative players down to the ground.
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