Mind Gallery - Three Meals From Revolution


Year of Release: 2000
Label: Mind Game Productions
Catalog Number: MGP 003
Format: CD
Total Time: 58:27:00

For the short version, I need only say two words: Excellent stuff.

Of course, when have I ever been brief? And I'm not about to start, either, because there's no doubt about it - Mind Gallery have the goods. And I've gotta tell you why and how.

A deceptively light, Celtic-esque intro of bagpipe like keys and acoustic guitar begins Mind Gallery's latest release Three Meals From Revolution, as "To The Four Winds" soon becomes an energy charged montage of churning guitars, swirling keys, and heavy percussion - not metal heavy, but dark heavy. In between you get a warm guitar lead mid-tempo section, the pastoral calm before the storm. There are sections where keys swirl in a neo-proggy way (cf. Clive Nolan or Mark Kelly). Quite an interesting contrast, as one gets, say, Tempest and Djam Karet all at one go. Great stuff!

Actually, Djam Karet is a good reference point, as "Armageddonouddahere" compares favourably with much of what DK have done over the past few years, as the Canada based Mind Gallery employ similar textures and effects in their almost improvisational sounding soundscapes. It's head music, really, and though I'm not listening to it on headphones at the moment, I am imagining the sonic wonders that I'm not hearing, given the ones I am. But, you can't say Djam Karet is the only touchstone, as a track like "The Increate" has a more neo-prog feel. And "Ennui In You" is a beautiful, mostly piano piece that will appeal to not only prog fans, but also those of contemporary instrumental. Haunting guitar glides across in the middle section, giving this a kind of spacey feel, too. It is far too short at only 3 minutes.

"Free The Free" has a Middle-Eastern flavour to it, which is a code phrase for saying that has tones that one associates with music coming out of Iran, Iraq, India?those regions in general, even if it is not entirely accurate. The first few notes of "Nothing Is Not" made me think of The Who, and there is a bluesy, but cool and harsh, guitar solo here, too, trading off with the keyboards. I can also bet that live, this becomes an extended jam (the track here lasts only a little over four minutes).

A word, too, about song and album titles. Their debut is entitled The Lemmings Were Pushed, and it is a phrase that pops into my head quite often, though this is the first time I've actually heard Mind Gallery's music (well, the second, actually, as I listened to one of the tracks on their site). Most often, when I am feeling like a lemming, this phrase comes to mind. My impression was that Mind Gallery were a band like say ? oh, I don't know ? It Bites, maybe or, or Mirror Garden. So while I won't say I'm surprised to find otherwise, which would suggest I don't like It Bites or Mirror Garden, because I do (at least It Bites), but I'm certainly not disappointed.

Anyway, here we get, besides "Armageddonoutddahere," other plays on words like "Ennui In You," "Walking The Dogma" and "Medieval To Fullevil".

This is really great stuff, the stuff I love about music, progressive or otherwise - haunting melodies, a great weaving of sonic textures, contrasts, soaring guitar leads? oh yeh, Mind Gallery are all instrumental. Well, not entirely, as there are some vocalizations on "Armageddonouddahere." Does the music need a vocalist? No. This quartet fills the space nicely.

If you like instrumental progressive with both bite and texture, this is an album to look for. Recommended.


Tracklisting:
To The Four Winds (8:06) / Armageddonouddahere (6:13) / Free The Free (4:45) / Nothing Is Not (4:35) / The Increate (6:55) a) Sang Real b) The Increate Light / Ennui In You (3:10) / What Goes A Round (4:58) / Walking The Dogma (6:55) / Medieval To Fullevil (7:45) / Custer's Last Stand (7:05)

Musicians:
Mike Anderton - bass, bass pedals
Tracy Gloeckner - drums
Gary Bourgeois - guitar
Elio Bruno - keyboards

Discography:
The Lemmings Were Pushed (1991/1999)
Guilty Until Proven Rich (1995)
Three Meals From Revolution (2000)
10th Anniversary (2001)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin CA

Added: March 1st 2000
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: griffin.multimedia.edu/~mindgame/
Hits: 2216
Language: english

  

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