On listening to this first time around, a few things struck me - first, that I didn't think I'd seen The Unknown in concert THAT many times; secondly, that I never really thought of them as a band that I loved, more liked and appreciated; and thirdly that, despite the times I've seen them, that I didn't know the compositions that well.
So, it was with some surprise, and then a wry smile, that I listened to this 28 minute 7-tracker, only to find that, not only did I actually know all the songs on here, that I was actually humming along with them, but that I was actually warming to them, too. In short, it's a marvellous testament to a band that, quite simply, writes, arranges and performs songs which do that all-important thing of sliding into your consciousness with the ease and grace of a professional ice skater.
So, what does this band have that makes them so special? Well, apart from the songs, they play as a band, they have a vocalist who has a voice which, while initially sounding slightly dry, does in fact fit the songs like a glove, with an almost warm mix of chilled-out flow and dynamic relaxation, the vocal equivalent of a favourite armchair. Secondly, they have an ace in the hole in the form of a keyboard player who is largely the central focus of attention when it comes to the lead work, or at least the lead work you tend to notice the most. Their rhythm section is solid as the drummer provides the foundations on which the bass can drive effortlessly forward, while two guitarists chime and ring on the slower tracks, then chug to perfection on the others. In essence, a tight, languid, flowing unit.
The CD opens with "Jane", as a squall of feedback guitar introduces a cascading riff which turns into a reggae-fied main rhythm as the guitars ring out, over which the vocals soar before the whole thing lifts off in what amounts to a chorus, some brief organ work being the icing on the cake before it all then drops back to the reggae-fied verses, but so intricately arranged and solidly delivered as the two contasts stand next to each other. Then the sound of electric piano ushers in the Floydian "Set The Controls" drums al too briefly as a phased vocal makes an appearance, only for the guitars to shimmer and soar, as organ enters and the whole thing takes off in a spiralling finale.
"Can't Go On", one of the long-standing live ballad favourites, starts a sinuous trip with crooning vocals and languid instrumentation, before firing up (or as good as, for such a relaxed band), and introducing organ to the gorgeous electric piano chords and chiming guitars, the rhythm section solid but not overbearing, as the song veers between verse and chorus in a chilledout manner, the mid-section solos from organ, guitar and synth proving to be absolutely perfect and incredibly early seventies-sounding bliss - you could just imagine this track to have been some lost piece from that era's tastier bands.
"Inner Soul" is a more sprightly track, introduced with a surging twin-guitar staccato riff as the rhythm section marches along and occasional organ work comes and goes, the vocalist relating the story with light but firm mid-range vocals as it all unfolds and maintains a solid, driving pace, one of their more powerful pieces, almost like an indie-rock tango!
"Living A Lie" is an even smoother sounding ballad, opening with acoustic guitar before slowly solid bass and crunchy drums enter, the vocals more harmonious this time as the guitar lead rings out and the organ work gives that extra dimension and depth to the composition, the guitar leads smooth and eloquent as the tighter-than-you-think track unfolds, all with a sense of deep emotion and lazy passion, the sort of song that warm summer days are made of, and the sort of song that you'd have expected to come wafting out of speaker stacks at Glastonbury Festivals in the early seventies, to heartwarming effect.
"Introducing Madness" opens with lilting and rippling piano chords as the guitar chimes in, the rhythm section grooves along and the vocal soars, the whole thing having much more of a tasty, jazzy feel to it, almost a bit like a more sedate version of a band as Traffic from the seventies, with hints of Caravan along the way, managing somewhat effortlessly to bring a long-forgotten seventies style from bands such as Traffic and Allman Brothers, firmly up to date and cooking. The instrumental parts are superb and the piece is definitely a highlight of a great CD.
"Be My Savoiur" is also familiar, yet, for me, took a bit log to really hit its stride and, with its more stabbing arrangements, at times sounded like an outtake to a seventies Kate Bush backing track, but as a song, apart from a few bits here and there, all seems too "bitty" to be that special, although at three and half minutes, it's OK and certainly nothing to interrupt the overall flow or enjoyment of the CD as a whole.
"Swallowed You Whole" is a quite powerful mix of sedate and surging, jazzy and indie, rock and fusion, that has long been a favourite set-closer and, here, contains every bit of the passion that the band injects into it in the liver performances, veering from relaxed to urgent with ease and passionate grace, as, once again, it's a whole tight unit at work with every member standing out and yet at the same time, no one person dominating, the urgency of the vocals excellent set against the solid electric piano chords and the restrained but searing electric guitar work, as once more, the drums and bass prove to be solid and dependable.
As songs, EP's and bands go, if you like good songs well written and in this style, nothing bombastic, long-lasting enjoyment and tracks for the more chilledout times in your life, then this is really rather excellent and proves that this, indeed, is a band with a lot to offer.