[ng] Who play bass on the album?
[ij] It's me using my keyboards. It's a sample of a Rickenbacker.
AN INTERVIEW
[ng] Hello dear Iain,
[ij]
Hey Nick, it is you I recognized your voice.
How are you doing?
[ng] Thanks, I'm oke and you?
[ij] Fine, thank you.....
[ng] May I ask you some questions about the new album?
[ij] Of course.....
[ng] And the other lyrics have they a meaning?
[ng] Who play bass on the album?
[ij] It's me using my keyboards.
It's a sample of a Rickenbacker.
[ng]
Thanks, that's were my site is about; who is who.[ng] Thanks Iain.
 |
 |
Iain Jennings | Liam Davison |
A REVIEW
A solo album from the friendly keyboardist Iain Jennings. A man who wrote Mostly Autumn classics like
"The Gab Is Too Wide", "Hollow", "The Spirit Of Autumn Past Part I", "Distant Train" and others, a man
who co-wrote even more Mostly Autumn higlights. What can you expect of such a man?
A freaky album with lots of magic keyboards, a new age album filled with smooth synthesizers,
a Mostly Autumn Part III, a more mainstream pop album with quality pop music? No... yes!
All of that a bit.
Forgive Or Surrender is probably the most Mostly Autumnish sounding song. An up tempo
rock song in the vein of "Never The Rainbow", or the most recent songs like "Broken Glass"
or "Ghost In A Dreamland". And what a brilliant voice Olivia got, happily it is sounding
different as Heather's lovely voice, so the connection with Mostly Autumn
isn't so clear. You want to hear more, a great opener.
With the chorus of the second song I've Been Thinking Olivia is trying to break your crystal glasses, she sings
very high notes. I like her voice a bit lower more. A rock ballad, nice...
Shades Of Grey, a beautiful ballad and in the end a bit psychedelic. Next to
Iain's keyboard magic is Liam present with some great guitar sounds, well done!
A mysterious classical piano tune is the base of No Promise with a just so classical Bryan Josh's
guitar solo.
Thought the album would have more instrumental tracks, but with a singer like Olivia, you
don't want that. Nevertheless Man Made Circles is one of the two great instrumental tracks.
A simple piano play starts this one. Keyboards are coming in and the wizards from the past will
come into your mind;
Jean Michel Jarre or Vangelos Odyssey Papathanassiou aka Vangelis, or maybe Richard
Barbieri is one that you will think of. But of course it's unmistakable a new
song with the scratching sounds. Then Liam's finger picking take the song over into another level.
Splendid! People who've seen Mostly Autumn live know that Liam is an excellent guitarist.
Most of the extraordinary guitar sounds of the Mostly Floyd gigs he did, and on this song you
can hear why.
Iain can write nice lyrics too; Wasted All Times is an example. A slow start and then
keyboards and Liams guitar give some more rockin' feeling.
The lyrics of Believe are written by Olivia. A thank you to her parents for all their support.
Sweet emotional, without becoming cloyingly. Gentle piano and her lovely voice makes this song a
highlight of the album. And another marvelous solo of Bryan's hand, makes this song complete,
a beauty.
You Still Linger, the first two minutes are filled with that amazing voice of Olivia
and piano. Andrew kicks in and brings some tempo change to it. And when Liam is getting loose
you will not linger anymore... A nice Tony Banks piano bridge brings us back to Liams
skills and a chanting Enigma like outro; fabulous!
Escape, written with Steve Helstrip it is a song that was available on several
dance albums already. So I was thinking of a track a la Faithless or Tiesto aka Tijs Verwest,
but no
it isn't. It is a more a Breathing Space, a space to chill out, to relax. More Tangering Dream,
Gandalf aka Heinz Stobl, Ashra Temple a like. Close you're eyes and let it flow, don't linger anymore;
buy this album!
If you're a Mostly Autumn fan already, then this album is a must have, without a doubt.
Althrough it isn't a symfo or prog album it isn't a pop album either, it's something
in between. Don't put it a box. It's nice accessible and
adventurous quality music. Olivia's voice is excellent, like a diamond, pure ...
Liam is an excellent guitar player and on this album he is getting some room to expose it
more. The drums are in good hands and feet of the little brother Andrew Jennings.
Maybe the album had even become more adventureous with a live bass, think the six strings
of Matthew Cohen, or John Jowitts loops could have add an extra dimension. But do I miss
that? No! Live they'll
need one and I'm curious who it will be.
Iain has successfully managed to make an album with his Mostly Autumn friends without becoming
a Mostly Autumn clone band.
A very enjoyable album.
Mostly Recommended!
Nick from the lovely South of the Netherlands.
| Escape | Forgive Or Surrender | Man Made Circles | No Promises | You Still Linger |
| 639Kb | 613Kb | 592Kb | 604Kb | 806Kb |
This is a snapshot of David Whites interview, you can find it at: www.mostly-autumn.com/:
DW Who are your influences?
IJ
have a wide range of influences. I like anything so long as it moves me or
makes me feel something. In every particular style of music there are pieces
that I like and ones that don't do anything for me. I grew up with a lot of
Rock and Classical music but got into Jazz, Reggae, and Dance music in my
teens. The keyboard players that have influenced me the most would have to
be Tony Banks, Rick Wright and John Lord.
DW Can you explain all nine tracks separately lyrics wise?
IJ 1) Forgive or Surrender- Running
from things that you don't want to confront and not being able to compromise
your emotions.
2) I've been Thinking- This is a
sad song but it makes me feel good listening to it. It deals with life and
clambering over its obstacles.
3) Shades of Grey- Nobody is
perfect or without faults. People often put up a front to disguise who they
really are. Sometimes you have to look below the surface of a person and not
simply to judge people as being right or wrong/good or bad.
4) No Promises- Relationships and
finding the right person for you.
5) Man made Circles- This instrumental track features Liam Davison on
guitar and is a textural groove which has two main sections. The
superimposed layers of the1st section are purely synthetic. This is in
contrast to the more rock-based psychedelic quality of the 2nd section.
6) Wasted all the Time- Not
letting the grass grow under your feet. Taking your opportunities and making
the most of what you have.
7) Belief- Olivia wrote the
lyrics to this song and they are inspired by her parents support over the
years.
8) You still Linger- Remembering
the past and dreaming of lost friends. The song takes a turn as the dream
turns into a nightmare. The struggle to deal with loss is overwhelming.
9) Escape- This piece of music is the
breathing space of the album where the nightmare ends and another days
begins.
Thanks to Dave White, read more at www.mostly-autumn.com/.
Back to Mostly Autumn's main page.
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