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The Syn were a psychedelic/beat combo which existed for
a short period in the mid-60's, making a handful of singles
and well recieved live shows before disolving. They were:
Steve Nardelli(vocals), Chris Squire(bass), Peter Banks(guitar),
Andrew Pryce Jackman(keyboards) and Gunnar Hakonarson(drums).
Of course, Squire and Banks went on to make history with the
original YES, Andrew Pryce Jackman went into composing and
arranging for orchestra, and Nardelli left the music business
altogether for the clothing industry. The only thing I really
knew about them is that they were one of Squire's pre-YES
bands and that they had some song called 'FLOWERMAN' or something.
Some 40 years after they first formed, the Syn reformed, and
the SYNDESTRUCTIBLE album came into being- one of the best
rock albums of 2005. Now there is a new DVD, talk of a live
album and eventually a new studio album for 2006. Not bad
for some geezers who reformed for old time sake. But what
is amazing is that the Syn's music of the 2000's sounds nothing
akin to the flower power combo they once were, and is oddly
quite contemporary sounding. If a band comes back from oblivion
35 years later, might as well be with something substantial,
which is what SYNDESTRUCTIBLE was.***
ORIGINAL SYN 1965-2004 offers up material from the beginning,
which includes the singles plus other recordings from that
era. The second disc is new material from 2004, recorded after
the SYN had regrouped. Listening to the 60's material, one
can see some of the vocal tricks, guitar and especially bass
guitar textures which would eventually serve YES well, a few
years later. Squire's trademark bass sound is already mostly
formulated and is quite audible in the mix on a number of
these tracks. That said, the music is certainly from that
era. Talking with Nardelli briefly after a SYN show in January,
he said something along the lines of 'You heard that song
'Flowerman' that we did tonight. Well, that was what we USED
to sound like!'. Indeed, the original Syn material won't turn
the heads of anyone looking for YES in large doses. These
are formative years. The material is dated indeed, but should
be taken for what it is: an artifact from its time. Even better,
it can even be enjoyed. The Syn sound as vibrant and up-and-coming
as The Nice or Pink Floyd with Syd from that same era. So,
those into 60's psychedelia will probably enjoy this.***
The second disc is from 2004, as the Syn regroups. Chris
Squire was not part of this, but Peter Banks was. Banks' trademark
guitar captures the spirit of the old SYN, while Nardelli
steers the band into the more current direction of SYNDESTRUCTIBLE.
He and Banks are they only original members on the secod disc.
The 2004 material is worth the price of the disc alone. A
shame it wasn't longer. Two more tracks and maybe it could
have been a new album in its own right. But disc two presents
the Syn as an entirely new band, almost as if the 60's Syn
never existed and this was a new band. This material is closer
in spirit and in sound to the original YES. And the 14-minute
remake of TIME & A WORD has little to do with it. So here
we have two versions of The Syn: the 60's psychedelic beat
combo, and the melodic progressive rock band of the mid 2000's.
Both vibrant, both musical and both highly enjoyable.***
disc one: MALLARD WAY: short classical piano intro from
Andrew Pryce Jackman, showing that he could have joined YES
at any moment back then.***
GROUNDED: spotty rocker which screams 60's. You can almost
see the tye-die psychedelic colors swirling around. It was
a single.***
14 HOUR TECHNICOLOR DREAM: another single track which
was the B-side of FLOWERMAN. Don't kick me if I mention the
Monkees or something. ***
CREATED BY CLIVE: a very whimsical and English sound.
Kinda Syd Barret's Pink Floyd vibe.***
FLOWERMAN: the Syn's most known single is in some ways
the band's 'ROUNDABOUT'. This sums up the band and maybe the
whole 60's psychedelic thing in one swoop. It's also a decent
pop song.***
THE LAST PERFORMANCE OF THE ROYAL REGIMENTAL, VERY VICTORIOUS
AND VALIANT BAND: arranged by Jackman, this long titled one
is another whimsical foray into a somewhat 'theatre' sound
with marching band imagery ala Sgt. PEPPER.***
MR. WHITE'S WHITE FLYING MACHINE: guest lead vocals by
a lady called Ayshea. This almost gives the track a CURVED
AIR sound, or maybe even- don't kick me- 'Georgie Girl' or
something'. More 'band' orchestration from Jackman, and the
theme of 'Mallard Way' reprises itself.. And Squire's trademark
bass sound is there in full power.***
CADILLAC DREAMS: the next batch of tracks dip slightly
in sound quality. This one is a Springsteen-like track with
just piano and vocals, maybe a little Lou Reed. Here, Nardelli
shows his soulful side.***
SUNSET BOULEVARD LAMENT: another demo-like recording,
this one a Dylan sound. Just acoustic guitar and Nardelli.***
MERRY GO ROUND: the Who shows their influence for this
one, but there's an earlier 60's feel as well. The drums sound
fantastically dated, as if recorded inside of a trash recepticle-
like a lot of those doowop records of the early 60's.***
THE GANGSTER OPERA: the same goes for here. This is the
band's 'epic' track(at over 5 minutes- for the mid 60's anything
over 5 minutes was probably considered an epic track). The
cozy sounding dialogue section in the middle reminds me of
some really early Zappa/Mothers material. This is mostly a
slab of R&B flavored material, done up medley style.***
I CAN'T EXPLAIN: a cover of the contemporary(for then)
hit from The WHO, and the first recording of Chris Squire,
then 16 years old.***
LOVE YOU: bopping pop song with the same vocal backing
harmonies which would serve YES well in a few years.***
FLOWERMAN: this is the original version, not too much
difference.***
Disc two: ILLUSION: this 14-minute track is worth the
price of admission alone. With Yes floundering around without
any new material in years and on the brink of disbanding,
The Syn have in effect now replaced them. This is the type
of epic Yes haven't been able to do in some time- and the
Syn didn't have the Yes torch handed down to them so much
as they slapped it out of Jon Anderson's cosmic hand. This
one goes through a number of musical sections: a rocking main
theme, a beautiful and spacey middle section, an acoustic
passage, an instrumental workout for Banks, and the reprise
of the main theme. Banks couldn't help but insert a snippet
of the riff from Yes' ASTRAL TRAVELLER. Pretty happening track.***
GROUNDED(2004 version): a superior version of the 60's
Syn track which is more modern in feel with a killer rhythm.
What strikes me about this track is how a track written in
the mid 60's would sound this fresh. The Darkness could have
a hit with this. But this is what I like about the current
SYN- Steve Nardelli could be in his 30's instead of his 60's.
This is a vibrant song which could have been concocted by
someone half his age. It shows that some music can transcend
time. Perhaps it's good in some ways that the Syn never became
a big rock jaugernaut like the Stones. Less baggage, less
temptation to play the hits and live in the past or to live
up to an image. Durning that Syn concert, they only played
three old tracks: this one, 14 Hour technicolor, and Flowerman.
Fortunately for them, the Syn have more of a future than a
past, as they only existed for a short time in the 60's. This
means less preconceieved ideas of what they could or should
do. I'm sure a lot of older bands would kill to be in a position
like this. It's almost as if the Syn started in 2004.***
TIME AND A WORD: The Syn don't remake this early Yes track
as much as reinvent it. Here, the early sweet Jon Anderson
love anthem is transformed into a 16 minute epic which is
neither drawn out nor pretentious. Not only do they redo the
song, they develope it into something more. Steve Nardelli
fortunately does not try to duplicate Jon Anderson's high
vocals, instead offering a laid-back often spoken sound. It
starts as an atmospheric anthem, and goes into an added 'movement'
called TIDE IN THE AFFAIRS OF MAN which follows in a Yes style
blended with the direction the Syn would continue with SYNDESTRUCTIBLE.
When they do return to the main theme, it's all the more powerful.***
Peter Banks left the SYN through the recording of these
tracks, leaving a scathing message about his departure on
his webite. This is a shame, as his guitar playing is always,
always, tastefully executed and underrated. He displays a
masterful technique of order and chaos, often at the same
time. Would have been great to see him and Squire reunited
in this fine ensemble. In the meantime, I hope Nardelli- with
or without any Yes member involvement- continues to keep the
current SYN alive and happy, for that is what I hear on SYNDESTRUCTIBLE
and on this second disc- music that is both alive and happy.***
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