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Okay. I’m ready to review this album. Hopefully. Simon
Collins, son of Phil Collins, has formed a progressive rock band named Sound of
Contact. Their debut album, “Dimensionaut”, has been played an awful lot this
past week or so in my house. This album is somewhat difficult to process; not
because it is so complex, but because it is not. Simon is certainly influenced by his father’s music. I hear
quite a bit of Genesis in the progressive side of this album, but I also hear
Phil’s solo career in the poppier side. In fact, Simon sounds a lot like his
father vocally. Yet, there is more than that. There is a little neo-prog here,
some heavy prog moments (especially the excellent drums), and a lot of space
rock. The guitars are rather Gimour-like, the drums remind me of something from
the band DeeExpus, and the spacey synth is something fairly original. All of
these elements speak right to me: The combination is awesome. I also have
enjoyed the philosophical storyline that discusses a space/time traveler that is
searching for a way to expand the human experience. If I’m correct, I think he
finds that expansion is right here and now on Earth. “Dimensionaut” has really surprised me. I
wasn’t sure what to expect from Simon Collins, but his band has crafted a pretty
great album here. There are some solid, and even exceptional, prog songs here.
“Cosmic Distance Ladder” is an excellent
instrumental track with some amazing moments. “I Am Dimensionaut” is an
exceptional prog rock song that is easily one of the top 10 songs I’ve heard
this year: The instrumental passage in the second half is extraordinary. There
are some much poppier songs, though. “Pale Blue Dot”, “Remote View”, and “Only
Breathing Out” are semi-radio friendly. Yet, then “Beyond Illumination” gives us
some extra spacey synth and a reggae beat. Lastly, “Mobius Slip” gives us an
18-minute epic with some of the high points of the album. You see, this album is
all over the place in style and structure. Yet, somehow it all works. It all
fits together perfectly. Like I said, this is a difficult album to
rate. Some of the songs have a healthy dose of pop, and I have to squint just a
little in order to enjoy them. On the other hand, the prog rock focused tracks
are excellent, and the entire album fits together as an interesting, unique, and
well-composed whole. I think this will end up being one of my favorites of 2013.
Is this a masterpiece?
No.
Is it an exceptional and a must-hear album?
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