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Tracklist: Lighthouse (12:50), Telephone (9:15), Fridge Full of Stars (11:17), At the end of the World (8:23), Carousel (11:46) 

2013 is promising to be a very exciting year for progressive rock. New albums by Steven Wilson, Big Big Train, Thieves Kitchen, Cosmograf and Nosound are just a few of the artists/bands who are going to release or have just released new material in 2013. I am also very much looking forward to the new La Machera di Cera, Jolly and Oblivion Sun. And that's just the first three months of this year! What an incredible wealth for a genre that has been the laughing stock of the music industry for so many years. It is going to be an expensive first couple of months. And then on top of all this there is a new band that have just released their debut album; Lifesigns. This band consists of John Young (vocals, keyboards), Nick Beggs (bass, chapman stick, backing vocals) and Frosty Beedle (drums), all very experienced musicians who have played with a lot of bands in the past. However, the album also features guests like Steve Hackett, Thijs van Leer, Robin Boult and Jakko Jakszyk. The attention of the prog community was certainly heightened after they put an album teaser on the various social media sites:- 

Now this star packed ensemble's debut album could have resulted in a "look at how good we can play" record. That is certainly not the case as Lifesigns is packed full of modern yet classic progressive rock that focuses on strong melodies and above all the album focuses on songs. And these songs are nicely enhanced by great complex but still accessible instrumental passages and finales. All songs were written by John Young, who has had a very long history in music so far with his involvement with bands and artists like Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), Jon Camp (Renaissance), Greenslade, Asia, Fish and Jon Anderson to name just a few. And next to all this he has his own John Young Band. He has a very strong voice and has solid backing in the vocal department from bass player Nick Beggs, who you might know from Kajagoogoo, Ellis, Beggs and Howard, Iona, Steve Hackett and Steven Wilson. A very nice example of this can be heard on Telephone which has some wonderful harmonies. Still, it's the track that I find the weakest of the album, at least the first part sounds a bit too easy, too commercial to my liking. It opens with a very Peter Gabriel sounding stick part from Mr. Beggs and some very tight drumming by Martin "Frosty" Beedle (The Cutting Crew). Maybe my initial disappointment with Telephone might also have had something to do with the mammoth and epic way the album opens with the very impressive Lighthouse. After an atmospheric intro the song immediately kicks into fifth gear with strong melodies, wonderful vocals and some great keyboard solos by Young. The rhythm section make themselves heard with some very strong playing. Listen especially to the massive bass melodies. As the Americans say: AWESOME! The second part of the song focuses on an exquisite vocal part with a great chorus. What a blistering track to start the album, it left me speechless. And so after that opening Telephone might sound disappointing at first but it did grow on me. During Fridge Full of Stars the instrumental opening melody has, what I like to call some BBBB (Big Badass Beggs Bass!!). The chorus and the vocal end section both have a Yes feel to it. There are not a lot of other prog bands that spring to mind while listening to the record. It sounds modern but does have that classic progressive rock feel. During the more "commercial" parts they're sound could be compared to a band like It Bites and during the complex parts Frost* could be an indication, but it's not very obvious as they sound comfortably like themselves. As I said earlier, John Young has a very pleasant but strong voice which reminds me of John Wetton during his U.K. days. And also his piano playing reminds me of that same great band sometimes. While listening to the album it is very clear to me that a lot of effort, time and love was put into the arranging of the tracks as they all flow very naturally. Here Beedle's impressive drum skills play an important part in keeping it all together as does fourth band member Steve Rispin who was responsible for the great sound of the album. 

I don't think that this band really needed any guest players but it is still a joy to hear them all delivering some very inspiring contributions to the album. It's lovely to hear the great Thijs van Leer's flute (there's no need for you to laugh now...) during the musical battle he has with Steve Hackett's guitar during Fridge Full of Stars. And he also delivers some stunning flute playing during the album closer Carousel, another massive track that starts like a jam session and contains a lot of exciting, complex instrumental parts and the finale of the track is...well...big. And Robin Boult adds some great lead guitar throughout the entire album but I want to especially point out his solos at the end of Lighthouse. I thought it was him who played the solo at the beginning of Carousel but that one seems to be played by BBBB on chapman stick (show off!!). Now I'm not a very big fan of track by track reviews but the only track I haven't mentioned yet is At The End Of The World so I'll make an exception. It's, like Telephone, a more accessible track. The sequence that starts the track reminded me of Massive Attack. It starts as a ballad with again some beautiful acoustic guitar playing from Boult. Young does a great job with some very atmospheric keyboards like a modern Rick Wakeman (who did the same to great effect to link the different parts of Close to the Edge and The Revealing...). The track ends in very up tempo fashion with an uplifting, almost anthemic chorus. Lovely. 

With this album Lifesigns immediately positions itself in the Champions League of Prog with an incredibly impressive debut album that I can whole heartedly recommend to anyone who is interested in modern, accessible yet highly complex classic progressive rock. Listen to the teaser but be warned; it barely scratches the surface! Buy!

Bron: DPRP