Interpose - Indifferent

Year of Release: 2007
Label: Musea
Catalog Number: FGBG 4706AR
Format: CD
Total Time: 41:30:00

If anything, I am a sucker for good symphonic prog. And if I may give a short lesson, when I say symphonic prog, I do not mean prog that just sounds like something you might hear in the concert hall. I mean music that is written and arranged in symphonic fashion. The various players produce parts that are like those a section of an orchestra might play. Complex melodies and harmonies are produced and counterpoint is employed, while unison playing is avoided. Music that sounds purely like rock or jazz can be played in this fashion, as well as music that sounds "classical." This sort of approach is why old bands from the 70s sounded so darn good and it's also why some of the newer groups, say Interpose for instance, sound so darn good.

I saw Interpose live in 2006 after the release of their first, self titled, disc late in 2005, and I was immediately impressed with the band, their musicianship, their vocalist, their writing and the great sense of promise that Interpose presented. Now Interpose returns with a revamped, high energy line up and a spectacular second release.

Their first disc was pretty good, especially the first track "Aircon," which has become one of my all time favorite songs, but their new release Indifferent is something really special. How good is it? Should I be raving at this moment about how this is one of the best releases of high quality, serious, authentic and inspired prog I've heard lately? Probably not I guess, because I fall for bands at regular intervals (and isn't that part of the fun of hearing new music?) and too much hyperbole is a very bad thing indeed, but everything I just said about the new Interpose release is true.

Interpose is a traditional symphonic quintet who just happens to be blessed with the most charming and engaging lead vocalist around. I like all kinds of singers for all kinds of reasons, and Sayuri Aruga has got to be the best female vocalist to come around in many years. She has a high, clean voice with enough strength to pull off anything she tries, but with a sense of innocence and fragility that leaves me wanting to cheer her on every time I hear her voice. On this release she is front and center much more than the last. There are no instrumentals this time and Sayuri not only does the vocals this time, but she also chimes in with wordless lines where she becomes the fourth melodic line in a few of this disc's 6 excellent songs. She sings some wonderfully jazzy lines in the disc's final track "Anonymous" and she dominates a lot of the other material, which is a task in itself, as the instrumental firepower unleashed on a lot of this material is pretty formidable. And, as on many of my favorite discs, I love the vocals despite the fact that they are in Japanese (or Italian, Spanish, etc?) and I have no clue as to what is being sung.

Now, a word about that instrumental firepower I mentioned. New keyboardist Nobuo Watanabe and guitarist Kenji Tanaka engage in virtual non-stop warfare throughout this fine disc, with layers of fiery keys battling Tanaka's often aggressive guitar work. The first album was loaded with nice keys but nothing that awakened the keyboard aficionado lurking in me. Indifferent is quite another story however, with Watanabe's playing taking a huge step towards keyboard godhood. He also makes his Hammond organ patch his main voice, and the few others he uses are all old standards as well, Mellotron, acoustic and electric pianos and old, analog synth sounds. Guitarist Kenji Tanaka doesn't have the smoothest sounding legato technique I've ever heard, but I can't hold that against him because he is often playing so far outside the envelope no criticism I can make will stick to him. His lead work is a blend of angry metal licks and cool be bop lines like those that a saxophonist like Wayne Shorter might blow and the sound of his rhythm work is diverse and generally flawless. Also a new band member, the bassist Dani (That's it, just Dani) is a phenomenal player, pumping out brilliant, very busy lines and drummer Katsu Sato is no less a master of his instrument than anyone else in the band.

Indifferent is a fairly short album by modern standards, just about 42 minutes long, with 6 compositions that are all 6 to 7 minutes in length. Next to a lot of what I've heard this year however, Indifferent still comes out on top. All the tracks are excellent and there is not a moment of filler and nary a hint of mediocrity to be found anywhere.

There is a great deal of jazz influence in the music of Interpose but, unlike their self titled debut, there is nothing that one could call "fusion" going on. Jazz/Rock fusion exists mainly to provide a platform for soloists to improvise over. Everything on this new release is definitely song based and while there is ample room for the members of Interpose to solo on Indifferent, the point of this music is the song and the vocal melodies.

I really can't find anything to fault on this disc. It is a very, very pleasant surprise and it meets and exceeds all the expectations I had for the band's sophomore release. Perhaps the Japanese vocals will limit this disc's appeal but that would be a terrible shame. This is just the kind of disc that appeals to me on every level and it is without doubt one of the best albums I've come across in some time.

Released in Japan by Poseidon Records (PRF-042)

Tracklisting:
Rosetta / Man From The Forest / Dayflower Part 3 / Heliopause / ALIVE / Anonymous

Musicians:
Kenji Tanaka - guitars
Katsu Sota - drums
Sayuri Aruga - vocals
Nobuo Watanabe - keyboards
Dani - bass

Discography:
Interpose (2005)
Indifferent (2007)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin JP

Added: November 29th 2007
Reviewer: Tom Karr
Score:
Artist website: www.interpose.jpg
Hits: 3661
Language: english