STEVE HUGHES – Tales Fom The Silent Ocean (2015)
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“Tales From The Silent Ocean” is the debut solo album from STEVE HUGHES. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, let me add that he has been the drummer in the excellent Prog combo Big Big Train between 1991 and 2007, spent four years touring and recording with The Enid (1994-1998), was stand-in drummer for Kino in 2004, and worked as session drummer for many other acts over the past twenty years.
Recently he decided it was about time he could do more than just beating the skins and he started writing songs with lyrical contributions from his friend Sean Filkins (ex-Big Big Train) among others.
If prog music is not your thing, better continue reading, as this album has many melodic rock touches as well.
Indeed, Hughes has crafted here a stupendous Neo Prog piece of art, that is, for beginners, progressive music fused with melodic rock / rock&pop.
On this debut album Hughes adds keyboards, piano, guitar, bass, vocals and even penny whistle to his percussive talents, although several singers and guitarists (and a violinist) lend their support.
Whilst many contemporary artists are content to occupy a middle-ground between mainstream and progressive rock, there are those that embrace the prog genre in all its eclectic glory. This I’m happy to say, clocking in at a generous 80 minutes, is one such album.
Dynamic instrumental interludes, sweeping sections of epic grandeur, swirling synths / electronics, manic drum-lead moments and potent melodies, with the pop sensibility (and sensitivity) of Tears For Fears, AORish moments akin TOTO, and some ’80s Marillion brightness; Hughes covers all the bases.
“Tales From The Silent Ocean” mixes a lot of styles, but it’s got that classic progressive feeling pleny of melody.
The opening track ‘Will We Ever Be Free?’ is an epic that swirls where different moods make appearances throughout. You could have a pretty intense section, but it’ll give way to something so ethereal and beautiful. Isn’t that what we all want with our progressive music?
There’s many highlights like ’50/50 Zone’, the heartfelt ballad ‘Free Fall’ beautifully sung by Ezzy Anya, and the expansive ‘Sunshine Willow’, with its gorgeous harmonies.
Surprises are how multi-talented Steve Hughes is and how he handles a variety of the album’s instrumentation. Yes, we know what an awesome drummer he is, but there’s definitely more to him.
From concept to execution, “Tales From the Silent Ocean” is top notch Neo Prog. This is a glorious debut from Steve Hughes, and such is the attention to detail, I’m willing to bet that a long time was taken in the planning and development stages.
You can tell that he poured his soul into this one. I’m sure he’s curious as how it’s going to be received, but once the word spreads, people will see that this is a quality project.
Hopefully this is just the beginning of a successful career.
Highly Recommended.
01 – Will We Ever Be Free?
02 – 50/50 Zone
03 – Tapestry of Change
04 – One Day
05 – Secretly She Still Loves Him
06 – The Days Without You
07 – Gonna Make It
08 – Free Fall
09 – Sunshine Willow
10 – Willow’s Lament
11 – Goodbye My Love
Steve Hughes: Drums, Bass, Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals, Guitar
J.C. Strand, Stuart Bell, Gavin Sparks: Guitars
Sean Filkins: Vocals
Ezzy Anya: Vocals
Natasha Chomyn: Vocals
Angie Hughes: Vocals
Huyen Thao: Vocals
Maciej Zolnowski: Violin
Jools Slater: Sax
BUY IT !
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