Half Past Four - Rabbit In The Vestibule

Year of Release: 2008
Label: self-released
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 63:33:00

I'd bumped this CD ahead in the very long queue because of their (then) upcoming performance at ProgDay over the 2010 Labor Day Weekend and I'm glad for it as I'm really digging this CD. So much so, that the pre-fest review didn't happen.

How to describe Half Past Four? If you merely say "prog rock band," or "avant-garde jazz prog" it only captures one or the other aspect to the group. While Half Past Four can be quirky, as in, at the extreme, "Dwayne;"* they can also be decidedly earnest, as in "Lullaby," for example. They are, in many ways, eclectic; and yet the album fits together organically; Rabbit At The Vestibule is not disjointed.

At first they reminded me of Echolyn at about the time of their debut album. But here at track 12, "Bamboo," I'm thinking instead of late 60s rock ... a bit quirky, to be sure. With the female vocals a bit "arty," scatty, my flash-thought was of Jefferson Airplane ... not that Kyree Vibrant sounds like Grace Slick (well maybe a tad in the approach). And that reference isn't because the word rabbit hops around here -- did she just sing "kill the rabbit?" [cue horrified expression]. Yes, she did; but it's in the middle of "Rabbit". And they are quite insistent, verbally waving torches and shaking pitchforks at the titular rabbit. However, it's Echolyn, but Finneus Gage (an offshoot, though I prefer HPF). Maybe it's the female vocals, I don't know.

You know how some groups really were "out-there" in an arty, experimental way? That is, "convention-schemention" (should I mention I made that latter word up?). The pairing of organ and guitar typifies this particular branch. I think of the early forays into prog -- specifically the German psych-prog released in the late 60s-early 70s. A sense of anything goes and not adhering to any "blueprint" of what "prog" should be because it's before prog as we know it was "defined" - except this was released in 2008.

Anyway, the above describes: the second track "Johnny," a jazzy, active mix of guitar, electric piano, drums; there's barely breathing room, the mix is so busy, textured. And the more lyrical "Poisoned Tune," which also throws in some "folk" touches - namely, the tin whistle. "Poisoned..." is a free-spirited track, twirling and skipping along -- while the lyrics don't support this exactly, visually you can imagine a figure joyously strolling along a busy avenue, touching each passerby to include them in whatever bliss is being felt. It must be a power of suggestion here - the words "walk" and "bliss" appear in the lyrics; and there's also this: "Faces change as I walk by ground seems low and the sky seems high?" A neat part is the blending of the phrase "ignorance is bliss." I can't say it has never been done before, as I kept thinking of Izz each time I played the CD; that they've done something similar.

While I can't exactly say HPF will turn the progressive music world on its ear, because we have had quirky prog before -- French TV, Miriodor, others? Frank Zappa? --, I can say that Half Past Four's mix does have a certain something to it that makes it electric. For example, the instrumental "Salome;" a peppy, spirited jazz number, where piano takes the lead, barring a tart guitar solo (tight and noodly simultaneously), which then takes over the lead role for the latter portion. Also the album's opener, "Missing Sevenths'" it is high-energy, and could, in part, be fueled by some particularly good acid (though I can only guess, as I've never dropped acid). It's frenetic, and certainly avant-guard.

There are some "conventional prog" touches, too - esp. in those organs/electric pianos/keyboards. But then throw in some frenetic, energetic structures about which these organs are dancing (as in the above mentioned "Missing Sevenths"), and it becomes quite a strange creature indeed. It's sometimes noodlely, but not so noodlely that you think they've "lost the plot." There aren't extended jams, but certain a sense that the complex arrangements are just as much a part of the story as the vocals. Vocally I find my "sounds-like" blender includes bits of Fluttr Effect, the new entry Strawberry Fields, Magenta.

I think if you dig deep, you will also find parts that recall Genesis and Pink Floyd -- for instance, in the instrumentation (guitar, tin whistle) of "Poisoned Tune," The intro to "Lullaby" seems like something we'd hear from 80s Marillion, Pendragon, IQ. Moody understated, atmospheric keyboards; quiet, gentle, sparse deep bass; and sadly keening guitar. This leads into a rocking passage - churning guitars, punchy drums, throbbing bass. Essentially prog rock as we've come to know it in the early 80s-now. (I won't say "neo;" that'd be wrong). The track builds from this to an angular crescendo; distorted guitar, chunky bass lines, all over a stomping beat.

But that doesn't describe it all, because there's a track that has a 20s vibe - "Southern Boogie." Maybe I'm missing the southern boogie aspect to it (or was expecting ZZ Top), but Vibrant croons torchily over walking bass and piano, and the warm brassy tones of sax, All this suggest the '20s.

The breezy "Underwater" is, for the most part, a very poppy tune. We have to think outside the prog box here - and shouldn't we anyway? But, I could easy see/hear someone like Marilyn McCoo or Dionne Warwick singing this. It's a happy, upbeat tune like "Do You Know The Way San José?" - in arrangement; lyrically, it's abstract, yet not obtuse. And you'd not expect a searing guitar solo the likes of which is heard here in the MOR, soft-pop of that top 40 classic.

Then there's "Strangest Dream," which starts off recalling 70s soft-rock; airy guitar, sparse percussion, electronic piano, all with a smooth, jazzy arrangement. My thought: Firefall. Vibrant verily trills here, vocals high and sweet. Harder rock elements take over - distorted guitars namely, and so the whole 70s vibe is shed.

And the dramatic, operatic "Biel," just adds more to the mix. Early on in the track you get a bit of opera - made me think of Magma a bit. It's the inclusion of the Burlington Seniors Four Part Harmony Choir, I think. It does include "traditionally" prog aspects - notably the widdly, epic keyboards at the 4-plus minute mark.

There's quite a bit of meat in their rabbit stew**; I know there's plenty more still left in the pot that I've not dished up here. But you'll just have to serve yourself and discover what I missed. I haven't really even talked about how vivid yet abstract, to a certain degree, all their lyrics all. Even those're quirky; even those songs with a pop veneer (fur coat?) aren't what they seem.

Fun. I think that sums this CD up. Whether the lyrics or dark or not, the whole result is fun. It's musically whimsical, and yet not shallowly so. They're not "cute" for cute's sake, which can get tiring after a while. It's odd prog that you can dance to and yet also get your noodly-prog fixation satisfied.

[In addition to this CD, there're 4 new tracks from 2009 available for download at their website]

*or as listed in the booklet, but not on the tray liner: "The Ballad Of Dwayne's Plane"


Tracklisting:
Missing Sevenths (2:37) / Johnny (2:54) / Poisoned Tune (7:53) / Southern Boogie (4:15) / Twelve Little Words (5:18) / Underwater (4:58) / Lullaby (4:20) / Strangest Dream (6:29) / Biel (8:14) / Dwayne [or The Ballad Of Dwayne's Plane] (4:53) / Salome (2:45) / Bamboo (2:41) / Rabbit (6:08)

Musicians:
Constantin Necrasov - electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin bass, and vocals
Dmitry Lesov - bass, acoustic guitar and vocals
Igor Kurtzman - keyboards and sound effects
Kyree Vibrant - lead vocals

Discography:
The Mad (sndtrk) (2006)
Rabbit In The Vestibule (2008)
Good Things (2013)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin CA

Added: September 28th 2010
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.halfpastfour.com
Hits: 4251
Language: english