The Music That Died Alone
The Music That Died Alone brings the sounds of classic progressive rock together with an unusually light touch. The Tangent use long compositions, busy keyboards and plenty of solos, but their debut rarely feels weighed down by them. Strong melodies and a lively rhythm section make the complicated passages easy to follow. It is openly rooted in the past, with enough energy to make that a pleasure.
In Darkest Dreams establishes the scale immediately. Organ, guitar and saxophone give the opening a forceful push before the music moves into more spacious territory. The Midnight Watershed lets the piano lead a jazzier passage, while In Dark Dreams offers a gentler vocal section. Acoustic textures provide another change before Night Terrors returns.
The Canterbury Sequence has a different kind of charm. Flute moves through a relaxed, swinging arrangement, and the instrumental exchanges have a playful quality. The guitar and mandolin in Captain Manning's Mandolin bring the sequence to a softer conclusion. There is a lot of playing here, but the warmer details matter as much as the fast runs.
Up-Hill From Here provides a more direct rock song, driven by organ and guitar. Its simpler approach is welcome, although it does not have the same range as the surrounding pieces. The saxophone can also become a little too prominent.
The closing title composition restores the balance. A quiet piano introduction leads into a more thoughtful vocal passage, with flute and saxophone adding colour around it. The instrumental sections maintain that reflective feeling, and the ending avoids a grand, noisy finish.
The Music That Died Alone succeeds because its musicians sound interested in the same piece of music. The familiar influences are easy to hear, but the performances have warmth and movement. It is a very inviting starting point for The Tangent, particularly for anyone who enjoys ambitious prog with room to breathe.
