Excerpt of Album Review by Lucas
As announced in preamble of this review, this album is a festival of musical sounds, as diverse as the origin of the musicians involved. While music in general is in the field of progressive rock, it's easy to notice that the band doesn't care about labels. Progressive rock is a means to sublimate their influences rather than an end in itself. Therefore, you will hear pop (the baroque echoes of the harpsicord in the opener with beatlesque vocal harmonies, the pastoral accents of "Eternal universe"). Other popular forms of music are also represented. Let's start with blues-rock. First with the cover of Murky Red's "Boots for hire", where the virile voice is provided by none other than Murky Red's frontman, Stef Flaming, yet in a context slightly different from the original version, through its spacey keys and arabesques. Then, the blues influence is also obvious in the languid "Mystery man", with its eerie keys and reminiscences of The Beatles' "I want you (she's so heavy)" in the closing section. Rock'n'roll is there as well with the hellish "Purple stone" and a short wink to Deep Purple's "Highway star". Folk music, highlighted by the use of finnish in the lyrics ("Campfire"), has also its place in this monumental album. On the other hand, "Uncle Schunkle" with its groovy rhythms and its vintage hammond, recalls the golden age of jazz-funk. And obviously, since Corvus Stone are regarded as a progressive rock act, the instrumental "A stoned crow meets the rusty Wolff" is a piece that goes in this direction, with many rhythm changes and colourful keys. The title of the song is a pun on the drummer's name but might also be a reference to Happy The Man's humorous piece "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest". Besides those influences, some dances are honoured throughout the record: salsa ("Scandinavians in Mexico"), cha cha cha ("Mr Cha Cha"), waltz ("Early morning call" with echoes of Stranglers' "Golden Brown"), bolero ("Camelus bactrianus"), flamenco (Colin's guitar opening to some tracks). Moreover, some neo-classical interludes intersperse the album, be it in a mozartian way ("Lisa has a cigar"), or romantic fashion ("Dark Tower"). More surprising is the pastoral symphony in four movements "Moaning Lisa" (two movements in the tradition of british songs of the elisabethan era, separated by a mouth organ-lead boiling instrumental movement, and a final waltz closing the symphony).
As announced in preamble of this review, this album is a festival of musical sounds, as diverse as the origin of the musicians involved. While music in general is in the field of progressive rock, it's easy to notice that the band doesn't care about labels. Progressive rock is a means to sublimate their influences rather than an end in itself. Therefore, you will hear pop (the baroque echoes of the harpsicord in the opener with beatlesque vocal harmonies, the pastoral accents of "Eternal universe"). Other popular forms of music are also represented. Let's start with blues-rock. First with the cover of Murky Red's "Boots for hire", where the virile voice is provided by none other than Murky Red's frontman, Stef Flaming, yet in a context slightly different from the original version, through its spacey keys and arabesques. Then, the blues influence is also obvious in the languid "Mystery man", with its eerie keys and reminiscences of The Beatles' "I want you (she's so heavy)" in the closing section. Rock'n'roll is there as well with the hellish "Purple stone" and a short wink to Deep Purple's "Highway star". Folk music, highlighted by the use of finnish in the lyrics ("Campfire"), has also its place in this monumental album. On the other hand, "Uncle Schunkle" with its groovy rhythms and its vintage hammond, recalls the golden age of jazz-funk. And obviously, since Corvus Stone are regarded as a progressive rock act, the instrumental "A stoned crow meets the rusty Wolff" is a piece that goes in this direction, with many rhythm changes and colourful keys. The title of the song is a pun on the drummer's name but might also be a reference to Happy The Man's humorous piece "Stumpy Meets the Firecracker in Stencil Forest". Besides those influences, some dances are honoured throughout the record: salsa ("Scandinavians in Mexico"), cha cha cha ("Mr Cha Cha"), waltz ("Early morning call" with echoes of Stranglers' "Golden Brown"), bolero ("Camelus bactrianus"), flamenco (Colin's guitar opening to some tracks). Moreover, some neo-classical interludes intersperse the album, be it in a mozartian way ("Lisa has a cigar"), or romantic fashion ("Dark Tower"). More surprising is the pastoral symphony in four movements "Moaning Lisa" (two movements in the tradition of british songs of the elisabethan era, separated by a mouth organ-lead boiling instrumental movement, and a final waltz closing the symphony).
1. The Simple Life – 01:59
2. Early Morning Call – 03:51
3. Boots For Hire – 08:58
4. Sneaky Entrance In To Lisa – 00:30
5. Purple Stone – 03:21
6. A Stoned Crow Meets The Rusty Wolff Rat – 7:37
7. Lisa Has A Cigar – 00:46
8. Mr Cha Cha - 04:49
9. Dark Tower – 01:48
10. Scandinavians In Mexico – 05:06
11. Mystery Man – 06:37
12. Camelus Bactrianus (Tuolla tuonnempana) 08:42
13. Uncle Schunkle – 04:37
14. Eternal Universe – 03:52
15. Moaning Lisa -14:07
16. Campfire (Tulen Luona) 02:17
Total time: 79:06
2. Early Morning Call – 03:51
3. Boots For Hire – 08:58
4. Sneaky Entrance In To Lisa – 00:30
5. Purple Stone – 03:21
6. A Stoned Crow Meets The Rusty Wolff Rat – 7:37
7. Lisa Has A Cigar – 00:46
8. Mr Cha Cha - 04:49
9. Dark Tower – 01:48
10. Scandinavians In Mexico – 05:06
11. Mystery Man – 06:37
12. Camelus Bactrianus (Tuolla tuonnempana) 08:42
13. Uncle Schunkle – 04:37
14. Eternal Universe – 03:52
15. Moaning Lisa -14:07
16. Campfire (Tulen Luona) 02:17
Total time: 79:06
CORVUS STONE 2 line-up
Colin Tench - Guitars
Petri Lemmy Lindström - Bass
Pasi Koivu - keyboards
Robert Wolff - Drums & Percussion
Sonia Mota - All artwork and video work
Special Guests:
Sean Filkins - Vocals
Phil Naro - Vocals
German Vergara - Vocals
Timo Rautiainen - Vocals
Blake Carpenter - Vocals
Stef Flaming - Vocals
Andres Guazzelli - Vocals
Victor Tassone - Percussion
Colin Tench - Guitars
Petri Lemmy Lindström - Bass
Pasi Koivu - keyboards
Robert Wolff - Drums & Percussion
Sonia Mota - All artwork and video work
Special Guests:
Sean Filkins - Vocals
Phil Naro - Vocals
German Vergara - Vocals
Timo Rautiainen - Vocals
Blake Carpenter - Vocals
Stef Flaming - Vocals
Andres Guazzelli - Vocals
Victor Tassone - Percussion
Pre-order the CD: http://mrrcorvusstone.bandcamp.com/album/corvus-stone-ii
