Marygold - The Guns Of Marygold


Year of Release: 2006
Label: self-released
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 39:20:00

The album begins with a sustained synth; a sound that decrees traditional "Neo" ... Then it breaks into a deep Hammond sound and Guido Cavalleri's breathy vocals. Some ripping moog passages and we're back to the Marillion sound, before we relax into a flute-driven instrumental.

If this description appeals to you, you will like Marygold. The Guns Of Marygold is a consistently good Neo Progressive album that straddles the world of the old and the new. Mixing the use of analog and digital keyboards, and with the occasional use of flute, the band manages to sound different enough to be their own. Songs are mostly mid-tempo, richly flavoured by keyboards, with the occasional rip of guitar to give it heaviness.

Each of the songs, except one, are fairly lengthy, often starting slowly, then building to a crescendo, then mellowing out and repeating the whole thing again. As such, the intent reminds me of Genesis' early days, but without the force. These "burst-out" dynamics are a constant theme around the generally symphonic sound of the band.

And as I mentioned, Cavalleri has quite a unique voice; deep, throaty yet still melodic. His thick accent in English may be a turnoff at first, but one appreciates the quality of his voice after a few listens. And he manages to carve out fairly harmonic sounds without the use of a lot of vocal backup.

That said, it could also be pointed out the sparseness of instruments in the mix on Guns Of Marygold. Sometimes overdubbing can be a good thing, often it is not. Some of the best albums (like Sabbath's 1st) were recorded with few overdubs in just a few days. In an age of technical wanking, this reviewer prefers a more stripped down sound and that is something that Marygold does with grace.

As faults go, the song writing is good, but not excellent. This is a new band that is still finding their groove. Many songs are similar and though there are dramatic changes throughout within each song, there is not the variance of an overall sound that makes this first recording classic.

The production is little muddy, but the instruments, because of the minimal overdubbing, manage to stand out when needed. The guitar is generally played down in the mix, so if your orientation is towards a harder, edgier sound, you won't find it here. Marygold can rock when they choose to, but the band prefers a more subtle approach.

In conclusion, Marygold have a bright future ahead of them. They've managed to find a sound that blends the old and the new, have competent musicianship and a unique singer, and know how to write songs. The latter are the skills they need to hone to reach the next level.


Tracklisting:
Hara-Kiri show (7:25) / Crows On The Tree (6:32) / Marygold (7:20) / Sunflowers (5:21) / Tania Stands (2:56) / The Wizard (9:46)

Musicians:
Guido Cavalleri - voice and flute
Marco Pasquetto - drums
Massimo Basaglia - guitars and bass
Stefano Bigarelli - keyboards

Discography:
The Guns Of Marygold (2006)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin IT

Added: May 7th 2006
Reviewer: Richard Zywotkiewicz

Artist website: www.marygold.net
Hits: 2534
Language: english

  

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