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Review:
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Approaching a review for a new Frost* album is incredibly
daunting. These are the guys that released what I consider
a modern prog classic in “Milliontown”, an album that may
possibly have changed progressive music for the new generation.
This is the band that we have been waiting to hear from
for so long now: It’s been eight years since their last
album! This is the band that became a progressive giant
in just one album. So, what can be said about their new
album “Falling Satellites”?***
Let’s get one thing out of the way: This album should
not be compared with “Milliontown”, or even “Experiments
in Mass Appeal”. All three albums are very different in
approach, though “Falling Satellites” does seem to fall
somewhere between the other two. This new album will also
never be lauded as much as the debut, and that’s perfectly
fine. “Falling Satellites”, a quite different album, stands
on its own with a deliberate attempt to reinvent prog once
again.*** The old line-up is halfway back, as Jem Godfrey
(keys, vocals) and John Mitchell (guitars, vocals) are back
and honestly sound better than ever. Newcomers Nathan King
(bass) and Craig Blundell (drums) complete the band this
time, forming what might be the best line-up of the three
albums. Honestly, these guys have been working together
since 2010, so the line-up isn’t exactly new.***
Let’s talk about the album before we go into the performances.
“Falling Satellites” is Frost*’s most pop-influenced album,
without a doubt. Tackling the heavy concept of the astounding
impossibility of our existence and the resulting lessons
that should be learned, the album addresses life with upbeat
music that get progressively more serene with each track.
So, if you are looking for some sort of retro prog or maybe
a heavier sound, they went in exactly the opposite direction.
Unswayed by the modern trends in progressive rock, Frost*
have released an album that celebrates the missing progressive
pop subgenre with sounds ranging from subtle to sweeping
to dubstep. Yes, dubstep (more on that in a bit). This is
an album that might shock the prog snob in all of us, as
it presents us with razor sharp vocal hooks, upbeat melodies,
and some songs that might not be progressive at all. Yet,
it also offers incredibly technical grooves, layers and
layers of gorgeous sounds, progressive structures, and,
of course, some of the best soloing you will ever hear on
any album.***
The album has a little bit for everyone. Bookended
by an ethereal intro and outro, the album truly begins with
“Numbers”, a song that could have been on “Experiments”,
which means it’s fast-paced and catchy as hell. Other similar
songs are “Lights Out” (a pop song through and through),
and the incredible track “Heartstrings”. Other songs lean
towards “Milliontown”, such as the big build of “Signs”,
the subtle “Closer to the Sun”, or the complex labyrinth
of “Nice Day for It”. The album seems a bit all over the
place at first, but comes together when you realize that
the last six songs on the album are a suite called “Sunlight”.
In fact, you’ll hear the basic melodies of “Heartstrings”
reoccur in “Nice Day for It”. Once you understand the structure
of the album, it really starts to makes sense, especially
as the last half of the album surges and then hits a cooldown
for the last two tracks.***
Perhaps my favorite track on the album, however, is
“Towerblock”. I like it so much that I want to devote a
paragraph to it. This track has achieved what bands likes
Muse could not do: They have incorporated dubstep into a
progressive album seamlessly. “Towerblock” is a song of
explosive vocals, winding instrumentals, and a dubstep section
that feels right at home. I especially love the way Jem’s
keyboards break forward from the last dubstep beat. “Falling
Satellites” is full of sublime moments like that.***
I guess it’s time to talk about the performances now.
Jem and John are obviously the focus here. Jem’s keys are
inimitable, winding and streaming with a consciousness of
their own. Every time his keys sweep in, my heart races
just a little more quickly, and his mastery of new instruments
like The Chapman Railboard (played horizontally) is all
the more impressive. John, too, is at the top of his game.
After Lonely Robot’s offering last year, I was more excited
to hear him play again, and he does not disappoint. His
guitar solos strike that emotionally perfect first note
that few guitarists can achieve. Nathan and Craig, however,
may be the unsung heroes of the album. Nathan’s bass is
exceedingly important here, establishing the grooves around
which the keys and guitars orbit. Craig, a proven talent
on the drums, lays down deceptively simple beats that you
will find yourself trying to follow, but then you’ll realize
that they are way more complicated than you thought.***
That kind of subtle complexity is a huge part of “Falling
Satellites”. Some will hear this album and proclaim it as
a pop. They’d be wrong, of course. Yes, there is pop influence
here that is undeniable (and I love it), but there is also
an underlying technicality here that will blow your mind
if you give it a chance, especially the second half. In
many ways, Frost* has once again redefined what we understand
to be progressive music, and they’ve done it with gusto
and pomp and a smile on their faces.***
The
Prog Mind
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