Izz - I Move


Year of Release: 2002
Label: Doone Records
Catalog Number: DR2-669563
Format: CD
Total Time: 73:03:00

Some prog groups have the knack for pleasing a wide and disparate audience. These groups, which include the likes of Porcupine Tree, Crack the Sky, ScapeLand Wish, Marillion, and Relayer, generally play a style you might call prog-pop, where melodies and beats are as important as the "fancy" bits. Izz have this style down pat with their amazing new album I Move, which features one great song after another, all done in a very modern style, but still retaining the smart arranging and inventive sense of the best prog. Start with Kevin Gilbert and then stir in tastes of ELP, King Crimson, Ambrosia, Genesis, and the Beatles, and you'll have an idea of the many places this album goes.

All in all, there are so many styles and textures on this album--from hip-hop beats to classic prog--that it's pretty hard to describe concisely. I'll give it a shot, though: If you like Kevin Gilbert's Shaming Of The True, you will go absolutely ga-ga over this one. The song-writing and production here often sound a lot like Gilbert's. That's really only half the story, though, because the songs here tend toward more complexity in the arrangements and playing--including some overtly progressive pieces--while retaining all the hallmarks of great pop.

Although there are a lot of songs on the album, the tracks often segue one into the other, giving the illusion of longer, multi-part compositions. The songs are, in fact, pieced together so well that if you don't keep an eye on your CD player's track indicator, you won't even know you've moved to the next song. Along the way, you'll discover a couple of long, very progressive tracks. One is the outstanding instrumental "Star Evil Gnoma Su," which runs to nearly nine minutes. Another is the astonishing, nearly 12-minute "Coming Like Light," which just may turn out to be the best progressive-rock song of the year.

I tried not to overdo the praise in this review, but words like amazing, outstanding, and astonishing fit just fine. That's because this album is that good and is so far my favorite of the year. You'd have to be crazy to not to start listening to I Move at your first opportunity.


Tracklisting:
Spinnin' Round (2:59) / I Move (5:24) / Weak Little Lad (3:50) / I Already Know (3:55) / I Wanna Win (5:45) / All The New (1:18) / Star Evil Gnoma Su (8:37) / Another Door (4:42) / Something True (2:37) / Believe (3:31) / Knights Of Nights (6:37) / The Mists Of Dalriada (2:41) / Oh, How It's Great! (4:46) / Coming Like Light (11:40) / Light From Your Eyes (4:23)

Musicians:
Tom Galgano - keyboards, vocals
Paul Bremner - guitars
Brian Coralian - electronic and acoustic percussion, drum programming
Greg DiMiceli - acoustic percussion
John Galgano - bass, guitar, vocals

Discography:
Sliver Of A Sun (1998)
I Move (2002)
Ampersand (2004)
My River Flows (2005)
Live At NEARfest (2007)
The Darkened Room (2009)
"Places To Hide" (2009)
"Red Rain" (2011)
Crush Of Night (2012)
Everlasting Instant (2015)
Ampersand Vol 2 (2016)
Don't Panic (2019)

Izz Live (DVD) (2011)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: June 26th 2002
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum

Artist website: www.izznet.com
Hits: 2800
Language: english

  

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