Ten Jinn - As On A Darkling Plain


Year of Release: 1999
Label: Musea Records
Catalog Number: FGBG 4329.AR
Format: CD
Total Time: 70:21:00

"Typical American!" Whatever that might mean. And yet, a lot of the American artists in the domain of progressive rock have a "different" sound than their European brothers and sisters. I think it all happened with Happy the Man who created, in a very playful way, a new "sound" which was then used by a lot of American bands at that particular time. In fact the music of Ten Jinn gets very close to that of Echolyn (the latter has just joined forces again under the banner of Echolyn and already ten new songs are waiting to be recorded!). The album As On A Darkling Plain in fact results in just one song (40:05) which is based on the book The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice.

During "Darkling Plain" and "Byzantic Fire" it strikes me how close this band gets to the true Jethro Tull sound as well ? without even using flute! All the credit goes towards singer John Paul Strauss. With a name like Strauss, of course, the classical influences should be there, which is apparent during the opera-like "Theater Of The Vampires." Classical piano is omnipresent and in "The Legacy of Magnus" the band even uses an authentic church organ. A classic is also noted in the presence of guitarist Stan Whitaker, of Happy the Man fame, who is performing here as a "guest." During the uptempo "Run Away" the band suddenly finds itself in the same league as Saga.

What the band Boston has been for AOR, this Ten Jinn could well be for symphonic rock. Now let's hope their As On A Darkling Plain will also sell a couple of million copies!

Also released by Wild Man Records (WMR 002), Record Heaven (RHCD 18), and InsideOut Music America (IOMA 2004-2) in 1999


Tracklisting:
The Dance Of Les Innocents (5:40) / Darkling Plain (7:19) / Byzantine Fire (5:07) / Theater Of The Vampires (1:32) / Those Who Must Be Kept (4:45) / Beautiful Marquise (5:28) / The Legacy Of Magnus (5:28) / Run Away (5:35) / Lost In The Money (5:55) / Blind Authority (3:51) / Rock (5:56) / I Can't See (5:03) / Tomorrow (6:19) / Lay Down Beside Me (In The Rain) (5:03)

Musicians:
John Paul Strauss - vocals, piano, keyboards
Mark Wickliffe - drums, percussion, keyboards, guitars, bass, backing vocals
Matt Overholser - electric and acoustic bass, stick
Bob Niemeyer - keyboards, backing vocals
Michael Matier - electric, acoustic and midi guitars

Discography:
Wildman (1997)
As On A Darkling Plain (1999)
Alone (2004)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: January 1st 2000
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.tenjinn.com
Hits: 2336
Language: english

  

[ Back to Reviews Index | Post Comment ]