Osada Vida - The Body Parts Party

Year of Release: 2008
Label: Metal Mind
Catalog Number: MMP CD 0598
Format: CD
Total Time: 57:21:00

Poland's Osada Vida may be signed to the Metal Mind label, but the band are at the intersection between modern - some might say alternative - rock, neo-prog, and prog metal with several jazz touches thrown in. The album title might seem amusing - perhaps suggesting something a bit salacious. But no, those body parts aren't at The Body Parts Party. It's all metaphor - the guests at this party are given the characteristics of representative body parts, but really the party metaphor itself only appears in the first track, which is the least successful of the bunch, if only because there are moments that are, at least to me, just a tad silly. If you can ignore that silliness, even as it's presented in earnest, the rest of the album is a bit more substantial and I feel gets stronger the deeper into it.

Live, their sound seemed heavier, but on the studio release, the sound is more textured, layered. It is far from a perfect album, as I'm not particularly fond of the vocal delivery through the first three or so tracks. But there are a lot of interesting things going on in the arrangements. Guitar solos aren't just bits of flash, but are part and parcel of what the song is trying to communicate (as they should be). The whole interplay between guitar, bass, and drums is quite dynamic. Those expecting it to be anyone thing will be pleasantly surprised, and I think that's down to the mix of rock, metal and jazz. While keyboards are present throughout, they come more to the fore at the beginning of "Heart," creating the song's shape and tempo; they also come to the surface here again in a brief shimmery solo. More soloing - keyboard and piano-like - can be heard in "Muscle," which is muscular with a chugga-chugga rhythm. And to close out the album, a moody, jazzy piano figure in "Body."

In fact, the music is more interesting during these instrumental sections than during the vocals sections - on the whole. I actually wish there was more life to the vocals, but they seem quite dreary, sleepy. It works for what seems like resignation in "Brain," even as the lyrics seem boastful -- which does create an interesting dichotomy as I think the effect being attempted was meant to be dreamy (this is much more effective on "Heart," and "Bone." Overall, this understatement takes something away from the CD as whole. And, the metaphor between title and concept doesn't extend out to the songs, the exceptions being "Tongue" and "Heart" ("Spine" is an instrumental).

Who do they sound like? Well, I don't rightly know. And I like the idea that I have no easy crutch to stand on. I mean, their sound isn't without influence, but it's not worn on their sleeves. And maybe that's because the arrangements are that mix 'n' match of genres, yet not a hodgepodge that doesn't hold together -- flat out, it works. The emphasis is on the progressive in that you can really hear an attempt at marking artful music. I suppose we could point to the intensity and maturity of latter day Pendragon, but that doesn't really capture it. There's interplay that reminds me of King Crimson, yet I wouldn't say that Osada Vida are as skillful as the various members of Crimson are. But it's that angularity, the artiness ascribed to Crimson, combined with the sometimes searing soloing that adds another element to that mix (for example, during "Spine" or in "Heart," where it's a bit more acidic). In fact, "Heart" is a track that made me think of RPWL (circa World Through My Eyes) - a time where the understated vocals work and render well the dreamy haze being created (and again on "Bone"). And, for just a brief moment, I also thought of Fish. In "Muscle," I thought a bit of ELP because here Lucasz Lisiak sounds a like Greg Lake.

I must mention a moment that kinda freaked me out while listening to this (versus merely hearing, as I'd done at work). So, I was driving in my car, with the CD playing, when suddenly I hear this woman's voice speaking. I can't hear what she said, but I just sorta hear a voice. At first, I thought it was a police loudspeaker (nope), then maybe the GPS on my phone (nope). As it was a long trip (and driving in LA, sometimes even the shortest distance is a long trip), the CD was replaying and... there was the voice again. Ah ha! It was the CD! The track was "Tongue" (which is one my favorite tracks here, it finding the best balance between music and vocals) and on it, in the background, a woman speaks, repeating the lyrics that are being sung.

All in all, the parts of The Body Parts Party fit together well, a skeleton with meat on its bones, very little fat, an unclogged circulatory system and a good head on its shoulders.

The digi-pack version contains a furthur two tracks: "Remember Your Name" and "Echoes Of The Seat."

Tracklisting:
Body (The Body Parts Party) (6:42) / Liver (Mr. Liver's Letter To You) (8:58) / Brain (Mind On Cloud Nine) (4:21) / Tongue (A White Lie) (7:40) / Spine (In Full Swing) (6:54) / Heart (Back And Forth) (5:12) / Muscle (Strong But Powerless) (6:25) / Bone (My Name Is Bone The Single Bone) (11:04)

Musicians:
Łukasz Lisiak - bass guitar, programming, vocals
Bartek Bereska - electric & acoustic guitars
Adam Podzimski - drums & percussion
Rafał 'R6' Paluszek - keyboards, synth, mellotron, Hammond

Guest:

Marcel Lisiak - additional vocals (1)

Discography:
Moment Krytyczny (2000)
Osada Vida (2004)
Three Seats Behind A Triangle (2006)
The Body Parts Party (2008)
Uninvited Dreams (2009)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin PL

Added: July 30th 2011
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.osadavida.art.pl
Hits: 4219
Language: english