Relayer - The Teething Fashion


Year of Release: 1996
Label: Angular Records
Catalog Number: WMO4126-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 51:00:00

Although elements of Yes are scattered throughout this album, Relayer isn't as Yes-like as you might expect from their name. A lot of different influences crop up. The first track, "Beyond The End," for example, starts out Yes-like, but the song's verses and choruses remind one of Fleetwood Mac, probably because vocalist John Sahagian sounds a whole lot like a male Christine McVie. The track "Primitive You" not only makes one think of McVie on the vocals, but also on the songwriting, sounding as if it were drawn from her pen for the next Fleetwood Mac album.

But don't get the idea that the entire album has much to do with Fleetwood Mac. Elements of the track "Left Behind" remind one of King's X and Genesis. The Genesis influence also rears its head on the track "Cairo," which starts off like a heavy version of "Fly On A Windshield" from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, though the main part of the song sounds Floydish right down to the Gilmour-esque guitar fills. On "Everyday Disguise" the band no doubt had Queen in mind, with Sahagian doing his best Freddie Mercury imitation. On the other hand, "Common Goal" could be an acoustic Dream Theater ballad.

Although much of this album is melodic in nature, Relayer isn't afraid to tread on the wild side. The track "Eleven Steps," a short (way too short) instrumental, brings Anglagard to mind, while "Madness," one of the strongest (not to mention longest) pieces on the album, is high-octane "Supper's Ready"-era Genesis, with a complex center section that sounds like Gentle Giant gone freaky. The things that unify the disparate influences on this album are the fine melodies and Sahagian's strong, confident, but pleasant, vocals. The great guitar playing, strong keyboards, and powerful rhythm section don't hurt, either. There's not much to complain about on this album -- good melodic prog and recommended.

Distributed by Musea Records, of which Angular is a unit; the Musea cat no is SKAN 8203.AR


Tracklisting:
Beyond The End (4:51) / Left Behind (4:32) / Marburg Friends (7:57) / Common Goal (3:25) / Cairo (5:36) / Everyday Disguise (3:45) / Eleven Steps (1:33) / Madness (8:10) / My Black Cat (1:59) / Primitive You (4:19) / ...I Am (4:43)

Musicians:
Tom Burke - bass, vocals
Tim LaRoi - guitars, vocals
John Sahagian - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
Gregg Pannier - keyboards, vocals
Bill Kiser - drums, percussion, vocals

Discography:
Grander Vision (1994)
The Teething Fashion (1996)
Last Man on Earth (1999)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: April 25th 2001
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum

Hits: 3673
Language: english

  

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