Shadowland - Mad As a Hatter (+1 Bonus Track)
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CD Details
Artist: ShadowlandEdition: Music CD
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 1997-02-26
Music Label: Pony
Music reviews of Mad As a Hatter (+1 Bonus Track)
Music Review: Shadowland returns! Great prog rock by an underrated band!
Rating: 5 Stars
If I may respectfull disagree with one of the other reviews of this album... I have played this album many, MANY times since its release in 1996 and have yet to "yawn" during it! : ) SHADOWLAND (for those that are unfamiliar with them) is something of a modern progressive rock "supergroup", made up of some well-known players from the English prog scene; namely keyboardist Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena, Nolan & Wakeman, Strangers On A Train), Karl Groom (Threshold, Strangers On A Train), Ian Salmon (Arena, Janison Edge), Mike Varty (Janison Edge, Credo), and Nick Harradence (Threshold). "Mad As A Hatter" is the bands third release, preceded by 1991's "Ring of Roses", and 1994's "Through The Looking Glass". Many Shadowland fans consider "Ring of Roses" to be the band's best album (and to be fair, it is still quite a stunner 10 years later!), but I find that the music on the two later albums is a bit more varied, and at least equally enjoyable. Although critics often lump Shadowland into the whole 80's/90's "neo-prog" catagory alongside Marillion, Pendragon, Jadis and I.Q., I find that the music of Shadowland is fairly unique, distinctive and original! (more dark and brooding than anything you'd expect from Pendragon or Jadis, more variation of sound and style than I.Q., and more intricate instumental passages than you'd ever hear from Marillion.) Clive Nolan is definitely the leader of the project, and aside from his distinctive keyboards he also handles the majority of the songwriting, arranging, production, and even the lead vocals! Karl Groom also makes his presence felt with some gut-wrenching fret work, and once again proves that he may well be one of prog rock's most underappreciated guitar heroes! Instead of the harsh distorted squealing of so many rock guitarists, Groom uses a thick, warm, "clear" tone for most of his solos, and he has an excellent melodic sense as well. (Comparisons to Brian May of Queen, who also fuses melody and hard-rock riffs, would not be too far off base.) As for the songs? There are plenty of memorable pieces on offer here, and they give a good overview of what Shadowland is all about- The lengthier tracks like "U.S.I. (United States of Insanity)", "Mephisto Bridge" and "Mas As a Hatter" show the band at their "progressive" best with lots of mood shifts, mysterious lyrics, and dramatic crescendos. By contrast, "Zulieka" sounds quite jovial and upbeat for a Shadowland tune, while "The Burning" and "Flatline" provide the album with some dark, keyboard-dominated rockers. "Father" is the probably the closest that the band have ever some to a folky acoustic song, and the melodic and haunting "Salvation Comes" closes the album on a "anthemic" note - overall, a very satisfying collection of tracks. Shadowland are a band that tends to "grow on" their listeners (and this album is no exception), so it is best to give the album a few listens before passing judgement. Heck, I consider myself one of their biggest fans, and even I must admit that I had somewhat a lukewarm reaction the very first time I heard "Ring of Roses"...but further listens brough out qualities and complexities that escaped me the first time around. Shadowland are (in my mind anyway) a band that simply tries harder; and like many great progressive albums there is a lot going on in these songs, and many "intricate" moments that can take a few listens to be fully appreciated. Clive Nolan's lead vocals tend to be a point of contention for some critics of the band, but I find that his dark and intense delieverly fits the brooding quality of the words and music, and in fact, I have really come to enjoy his vocals. While it can be misleading to use comparisons, I suppose that Clive's singing is more akin to the vocal style of bands like U2 and Tears For Fears than it is to the usual "prog" vocal influences of Jon Anderson, Peter Gabriel or Fish, so perhaps his style just goes against peoples expectations of what "prog" vocals are supposed to sound like. But to me, the vocal sound is just one of the things that gives Shadowland their own unique flavor...and anyway, an ethereal Anderson-like tenor would simply not fit the dark, paranoid mood of Clive's lyrics! All in all, if you are a fan of Nolan's work with Pendragon, Arena, or Nolan & Wakeman, or just a music fan looking for something new and a bit different...by all means, check out Shadowland!
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