Member:
YESHEAD777
(Profile)
(All Album Reviews by YESHEAD777)
Date:
8/31/2007
Format:
CD (Album)
This is the second release from Qwaarn, a group from Quebec City started in 2004 by drummer François Bernatchez. “The musical formation Qwaarn proposes a musical epic entirely in progressive rock, an interplanetary voyage lived through Qwaarn, the story’s main character.”
Qwaarn is also a “group in progress” whose members are fluid, appearing according to the musical needs of the piece they are working on. Several of them are active in other groups or are working on solo projects. “The varied backgrounds and the fluidity of the musicians also enriches the sound and musical landscape of this group with its unusual way of operating.”(Quotes from the Qwaarn website).
And in my paraphrase this is some of the most unusual music I've ever heard, with flashes of brilliance and unparalleled originality, and other instances (more frequent) of totally disjointed and almost inaccessible psychedelic craziness. Whether or not it will be something that grows on me or gets lost in the shuffle quickly remains to be seen, Almost all 10 songs have at least a few moments that I really enjoy, so I might keep coming back. Didier Berthuit's vocal stylings, phrasings and lyrics remind me a lot of Adrian Belew at one moment, and of Marillion's Steve Hogarth at others. Alot of the music is reminiscent of mid-late 60's psychedelic rock esp. Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. My favs have to be "Dream I Am" and "Did you say Salmon", with "Mr.Lotto", and "Talking to Flowers" close behind. If I didn't have so much other new music to listen to and review at this time, I might have devoted a little more time to this (I've listened to it all the way through 5-6 times) at the time of this writing, and found it a little more consistent, and satisfying. Right now it's still a jumbled mess with many brief brilliant moments. Time will tell. Highly recommended for the very musically adventurous that have a lot of time on their hands. Not recommended at all for the musically impatient. You need to give it at least 5-6 listens before forming an opinion, and many I'm afraid won't be willing to do that. 6/10 stars.
Member:
Windhawk
(Profile)
(All Album Reviews by Windhawk)
Date:
7/20/2008
Format:
CD (Album)
(originally written for www.prog4you.com)
Qwaarn is a Canadian band formed in January 2004 for the purpose of creating "highly imaged musical networks that melt into a space-time continuum that unites science fiction and pathetic reality", to quote from the bands homepage. Aberrations is their sophomore release, released 3 years after the debut album The Word of Qwaarn.
Musically the band claims influences from bands like Beatles and Pink Floyd have helped shape the music in their latest release. And to a certain degree those traces can be found. What dominates mostly on Aberrations are synths though, often layers of synths creating a musical backdrop most people will associate with symphonic prog or neo prog.
Qwaarm has quite a few elements to their music that sets it apart from others though; elements that do create a very distinct and rather unique sound. The vocals here, apart from being accented, are also delivered with a great deal of drama to them; as well as a certain tinge and pitch that makes them a classic love/hate aspect of the bands sound. Furthermore; whether intended or not; most tracks have some or numerous passages that comes across as disharmonic; and both instruments as well as vocals here take on atonal qualities at times. The end result is music that sounds rather alien and an overall sound that is pretty far away from anything I've come across so far in life.
Personally I'll have to say that I was less than impressed by this release though. Opening track "Privilege" is the highlight of the album, and is a very promising start. But after that song the quality lowers in my opinion; there are a few nice tracks spread throughout; but too many tracks come across as songs with interesting moments ruined rather than lifted by the atonal and disharmonic elements. And I have to admit that the vocal delivery here isn't my cup of tea either.
Kudos to the band for trying out something new though and I do hope the release will be discovered by people that can appreciate their brand of symphonic prog with atonal and disharmonic elements.
My rating: 46/100
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