Member:
stevepalmer
Date:
7/5/2009
Baraka are a Japanese progressive rock trio: Issei Takami on guitars and guitar-synth, Shin Ichikawa on bass and Max Hiraishi on drums. Together they make a complex whirl of sound that on their latest album, Shade Of Evolution, combines power-rock with lighter, almost ambient sections. This sound echoes Rush in one or two ways. Takami's guitars recall those of Alex Lifeson, while the music itself is complex, changing and progressive - instrumental, as there are no vocals of any sort. But Baraka are not Rush copyists. Shade Of Evolution is their eighth album since their foundation in 1997, and they have created their own sound.
The album begins with the immense "Five Rings," a twenty-nine minute suite that begins with a guitar chord straight out of Rush's Permanent Waves or Moving Pictures era. Taking various musical themes, the suite explores the powerful side of the group before Takami's guitar-synth comes in to calm things down. Every minute or so the style and timbre of the music changes, passing through a bewildering array of genres (rock, jazz rock, prog rock), but the skill of the playing and inventiveness of the music keeps the listener anchored, even as the twenty minute mark passes; lesser bands would be struggling here. It helps that there is the Rush reference coming in and out - the effect is rather like listening to a stretched out remix of "YYZ" - but the band manages to keep themselves on track and not stray into pastiche. Hiraishi's drumming is more delicate and not as baroque as Neal Peart's, while Ichikawa's bass playing is solid, only occasionally straying into Geddy Lee and Rickenbacker territory. A brief sidestep into reggae/calypso near the end of the suite is perhaps ill-judged, too-obviously referencing the influences on "Signals," but I suppose you can't get everything right in a piece of music lasting half an hour...
The album is great for listening to while driving, particularly this opening suite. The music has a propulsive force that lends itself to road journeys. I had it on in the car a lot.
The next six tracks are much shorter, some of them less than three minutes, while the closing track pushes eight minutes. "Drag The Nation" is an ambient guitar-synth solo serving as a bridge between the epic first track and the rest of the album. "Edge Of Sphere" combines more "YYZ"-era Rush guitar sounds with a simple, solid rhythm that every now and again lurches into odd time signatures. The bass growls in classic Rickenbacker fashion. This is perhaps the most Rush-like track on the album; it could have been an out-take from "Moving Pictures." Great bass playing from Ichikawa on this track. "Prominence" is a barnstorming performance with wild guitars and more difficult time-signatures. "Ladder Of The Cloud" begins with drifting guitar-synth chords before a brief melody comes in, and then the track is over. "Raiden" is a quick foray into stomping, gritty rock, before the penultimate track "Nu-809" arrives, with its whirring guitar-synth sounds and floating textures. Very effective.
The album closer, "Tenku," is another high-energy tour de force, with stomping rock sections, twirly virtuoso bits and floaty interludes. It concludes the album perfectly. Takami's combination of overdriven guitars and delicate guitar-synth textures is perfect here.
I liked this album a lot. It is definitely one to return to, especially on long car journeys. Inventive, varied and well played, it would certainly appeal to Rush fans, but it should find a wider audience if there is any justice in the world. Most fans of instrumental progressive rock would appreciate this group and this album, so I recommend it enthusiastically. Baraka tour outside Japan, and I would imagine they are fantastic live. Check them out if you see them in the vicinity. On the internet, the band can be found at www.barakarock.com.
|
|
|
