*Frost – Day and Age
Release Date: 14th May 2021
Label: Inside Out Records
Pre-Order/Stream
Genre: Prog Rock
FFO: Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, Marillion, et al.
Review By: Ben Harris-Hayes
*Frost have been around for a bit of time now and have had a varying line-up of who’s who in the Progressive Rock scene since their inception in 2004.
Vocalist and keyboard player, Jem Godfrey, has been at the heart of things since their inception; co-writing with respected multi-project Prog stalwart, Jon Mitchell, who has handled guitar/vocals across their releases.
Drummers and bassists have come and gone over the years, with the band deciding on this latest record to work with 3 of the world’s best groove kings in the form of Kaz Rodriguez (Chaka Khan, Josh Groban), Darby Todd (Martin Barre, The Darkness) and Prog drumming legend, Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson and many others).
Enough preamble…let’s dive into the thing that counts…the music.
The title and opening track, ‘Day and Age’, cordially invites us to “enjoy yourselves, you scum” from the off…Charmed, I’m sure! Racing out of the blocks with a firm page taken from Porcupine Tree book of proggy rock; this nearly 12-minute track has all the hallmarks of a song that devotees of Steven Wilson’s more rockier output will grab onto. It’s a good song with a catchy chorus and the length didn’t really seem to matter because it kept chugging along, resolving sections with that aforementioned chorus. Much enjoy!
‘Terrestrial’ bullies us with its heavier timing signature-fuelled guitar riff and strong vocal before segueing into what I could only say was a passage inspired by the 80’s band, The Police. It really reminded me of Sting, Summers, and Copeland with its harmonies and feel. Not sure why my mind took me there, but hey…it’s not a bad thing as I love The Police’s music. #80sChild
The third track, ‘Waiting For The Lie’ has a sweet, sweet piano arrangement accompanied by some staccato orchestral strings and plows along with this for half the song before we’re treated to some groovy ghost-note-driven drum parts with sweet accents. As a song, I didn’t feel it was complete…like it should have double the length to make it work better, but what do I know, eh? Bands and songwriters can do what the hell they want…and this interesting arrangement is all about that. haha
One thing that I have always enjoyed about Jon Mitchell and his myriad of projects is that the guy knows his way around a catchy riff or interesting run on his 6 stringy wooden child…and that is sometimes sorely missing from a lot of music these days. So, hats off to him for maintaining that ability.
With its interesting 80’s/Mike and The Mechanics-style feel, ‘The Boy Who Stood Still’ offers up a short story about a boy who could, well, stand very still. It’s super-prog and quite silly in terms of concept…and yet I guess that is what I enjoy about this genre. It’s a clear ‘We don’t care, and we’ll do what we want’ approach from the band and that makes me tip my hat to them. It’s a musical freedom that I’ve always admired. The bonkers outro to the song merely rams home that methodology with its samples, odd melodies, and plain far-out-there feel. Top Progging!
The ghost of Steven Wilson returns for the four and half minute rant of ‘Island Life’ before track 6, ‘Skyward’, serves us up a similar vibe. Almost musical twins in terms of feel, pace, and style. These two tracks sort of flew by for me sadly, but they weren’t bad, just not as engaging as the previous tracks.
There’s a moment in ‘Kill The Orchestra’ at around 3 minutes where the band gives it some heavy darkness with a wicked pitch-bent diving riff (synth?) and that made me raise my eyebrow, then smile. Bravo, lads. My teenage metal-self salutes you for that wonderful dirge. I rather enjoyed this track overall because it just went along in a different vibe to the others. Can’t quite explain it, but it matters not either way!
The final track didn’t do anything for me I’m afraid, but I went back to listen to the previous tracks again because I quite enjoyed them.
Well, there you have it, kiddies. It’s another perfectly fine slice of modern progressive rock on an album that doesn’t offend or outstay its welcome. It doesn’t stray from the pathways that have been trodden before and that is just fine. If something is done well, then it’s done well…and that is all that counts to me. It’s expertly performed, and a ton of bands would kill to write this sort of album.
So, why doesn’t it completely blow me away? Probably because I’m dead inside? Probably because I am seeking something to make me feel something after years of musical journeys? Somewhere in-between, I would say! The prog-loving pop-monster in me really enjoyed the accessible tunes, major resolves, and smattering of oddness; therefore, it’s a super respectable 3.5 out of 5 from that part of me.
The music fan that wanted just a little more daring in places and to feel something emotionally from it all gives it a 2.5 and a tip of the hat. I’m going to settle with the upper score because although I wasn’t moved on the deeper level that I like to be moved on with music (?), it’s a good record and one of the better MPR (Modern Prog Rock) releases I’ve heard in recent years. Could I see myself listening to it again? I may well just do that in the future, kiddies.
(3.5 / 5)
