Last Updated on 11:40 PM by Giorgos Tsekas
Genre: Progressive
Country:Sweden/England
Label:InsideOut Music
Year:2016
When two giants of the prog scene collaborate, there are always two possibilities. First, to produce something mediocre, a mere exposition of musical abilities that will sell only because it bears the heavy names of the musicians. The second though is to have music written and performed, real music and not just a show off and deaf musical masturbation. Thank God, here we have the second case.
Jon Anderson from the mighty Gods Yes and Roine Stolt have joined forces for that record. Those names only make you stand in awe. We are not talking about show offs, but for real musicians, masters of lyricism and melody. And thankfully here they show us a big part of their capacities. Prog usually bores the shit out of me, the songs need to be really good, I need something to remember after the song is finished. “Invention of Knowledge” is one of the few prog records of the last years that I am sure will find its way to my stereo many times. Don’t you think it is a simplistic record. It is very well worked out both in sound, performance and orcherstration. But it contains actual songs with melodies. I know many of my pals (and especially some nephews and nieces) will not like it at all. If you want in your face rock and roll, just avoid it. But if you want company for musical journeys, here we are. I understand if I like these kind of albums by closing my eyes and waiting to see if any images come to me while listening to them (Now you start thinking weird about me or some good guys will come to put the white shirt with the straps on the back and take me away).
The record is comprised by 4 tracks/parts, “Invention of Knowledge”, “Knowing”, “Everybody Heals” and “Know”. I know, most of you will think these are huge songs, boring and high culture for nothing. Not really, the whole album flows easily. I am not even going to judge the performance or the music abilities, here we are talking about musical giants and of course everything is well taken care of. No, I am not going to pick out a special part, you can’t do that. I am not going to listen to it in pieces anyway and this is not the right way to enjoy it. Of course that makes it harder to listen to it, it needs plenty of time and quietness plus a bottle and a glass to chill. Can we do that in the rhythms we are living nowadays? It is hard, but who said that the real enjoyments are easy?
5/6