Parallel or 90 Degrees Album Review

'Gods of Convenience'
'Migraine'
'Unbranded'
'Shoulder to Shoulder'
'Space Junk'
'An Autopsy in Artificial Light'.
(This 22 minute epic forms part 2 of the track 'Afterlifecycle' from the album of that name released in 1997). The track is subtitled as follows...1. Simmer, 2. Artificial Light, 3. Sitting Duck on a Car Park Floor, 4. Gears, Dandelions, Total Darkness, 5. Afterlife wot? (Part 3), 6.The Five O Clock Rush.

Personnel :
Andy Tillison Diskdrive,
Sam Baine
Ken Senior
Alex King
Gareth Harwood

"The true definition of progressive music has always been a music that drew on every other kind of music and somehow found a way to create something new out of the fusion" - Steve Wilson - Porcupine Tree

Now to me this has to be the quote of the year (in fact it was last year) and something that should be written in to the manifesto of every band that calls itself 'Progressive'. In the UK, as we've previously moaned about, no one seems to have taken any notice of this very succinct description of the genre for at least the last decade. (It isn't that I'm so against the 'Neo' sound so much as being totally and utterly bored by it).

However, thankfully, things are starting to change. Steve Wilson's Porcupine Tree issued the excellent 'Stupid Dream' last year - but unfortunately recently followed it up with the disappointing 'Lightbulb Sun'. Early this year we had the rather interesting debut from 'Thieves Kitchen' and on the horizon we have the debut of the new band 'Sphere'. (Not forgetting the slightly more mainstream 'Mostly Autumn').

I first heard Parallel or 90 Degrees supporting 'The Flower Kings' at the CRS in Rotherham. I have to say at the time they didn't make that much impression on me - Maybe understandably as The Flower Kings, my favourite current band, were headlining and it was my very first opportunity to see them live. In fact that was also the day that BoA was born...

I did write a review of the concert (my first ever published) but unfortunately my written dismissal of the support band did not go down too well…

That was over a year ago. I'm very glad to say that there was no continuing bad feeling on either side and recently leader /vocalist/keyboardist Andy Tillison Diskdrive offered me a chance to hear an advance copy of their new album 'UNBRANDED - Music from the EEC Surplus'.

Parallel or 90 Degrees hail from North East England and 'Unbranded...' is their fifth official release.

The overall sound of the album is undeniably 'English'. In the main, the band take their prog reference points from the music of VDGG (Especially in Andy's Hammill-esque vocal performance) combined with the 'Space Rock' ventures of Hawkwind and Gong and maybe a little of Waters Floyd. What makes this album for me is the combination of these elements with effective, occasional, use of the British dance scene's 'Drum and Bass' sound (Think Roni Size, The Orb) and a sense of harmony which could have been learnt straight off our Swedish and American friends. (I think you know who I mean here...) Although it must be said Por90Degs is undeniably 'Andy's band', all members act as a tight coherent unit with not one major instrument or party allowed to totally dominate the proceedings.

'Gods of Convenience' with its differing sound scapes including some Hawkwind like driving guitar riffs punctuated by glorious anthemic lead breaks.

'Unbranded' for its melodic song writing. This track in particular really shows Andy's lyrical writing talent with its thought provoking social comment.

And 'Shoulder to Shoulder' (which features a guest flute performance from the Jadis/IQ keyboards player Martin Orford) Its this track that gets closest to that ambient melodious sound spectrum found in bands like Gong.

Live, it is the ten minute chaotic 'Space Junk', which glides almost effortlessly from thrash metal to acid jazz to chill out zone (and a few points in between), that will probably be most appreciated by the gathered throng.

I have only heard one other Por90Deg album - last years 'The Time Capsule'. 'UNBRANDED' sounds more mature in composition and musically, more 'together' than that album. This is particularly noticeable in the bands new rhythm section (Ken Senior and Alex King).

After the disappointment of the Porcupine Tree album 'Lightbulb Sun' it seems that Por90Deg are now the ones that have taken Wilson's Prog definition to heart. 'Unbranded' sounds better than 'LS' and is certainly a lot more adventurous. With enough support the album could just do for Po90Deg what 'Stupid Dream' did for PT. A further indication of a resurgence in the UK Prog scene? - God I hope so :-)..