In the world of psychedelic and imaginative progressive rock, King Bathmat reigns supreme. That was the conclusion I reached after listening to “Truth Button”. Now, 6 months later, this English quartet is back with “Overcoming the Monster”. The monster, to which King Bathmat look to do musical justice, is that of the mind and all that invades it.
If I were to write a thesis on “how to present eccentricity in an interesting and familiar way”, I’d quote King Bathmat. Their music can sound so familiar that it’s like a comfy chair. Part of that familiarity comes from their resemblance in style and technique to Pink Floyd and later Beatles, the passion for structure of Cynthesis, the fluty ambiance of Astra, and the levity of Fair to Midland, but most of all they sound like themselves. Unlike some prog bands who take off in irregular directions, King Bathmat take detours and add layers but in spite of taking the listener to new places, there’s a constancy which means we’ll never get lost. “Overcoming the Monster”, like its predecessor, is fresh and fluid. The level of experimentation and invention remains high. It can be complex. Everything is laid on the line on the opener “Sentinel”. The dark and heavy start is protracted, leading me to wonder initially and erroneously whether the level of variety had this time given way to a constant mood and atmosphere, but it suddenly goes calm. The piano and quiet instrumentals match the haunting and sad harmonies. It expands and fills you up. Interesting layer is imposed on interesting layer. It’s a monster but because of the instrumental timing, there’s finesse and subtlety. A strong bass line leads in an almost childlike chant of “no-one understands you”. It has the “so there” tone of naa-naa-na-naa-naa, but it stands in the middle of an exotic rock feast. Phew. There’s a lot to take in here. I am completely absorbed.
Hark the ringing of a bell like a child’s toy in operation, set to the backing of rumbling electronic and vocal distortions. Astral keyboard work heightens the eccentricity. From the music of the toy shop, a flowery and delicious prog section kicks in, generating all the adrenaline-inducing excitement you could want. The fizzing, catchy rhythm continues as the vocalist, sounding not dissimilar to Roy Wood, sings his childlike verse amid decidedly adult heavy rock. It’s a great combination. “Parasomnia” is pulsating. The beat goes through your head. Structurally it is superb with each element adding individual and collective spice to what is the perfect blend. The title track “Overcoming the Monster” is more reflective and disturbed. It’s the most difficult track of the album. Reflecting the theme of mental struggle, the vocal harmonies are mixed up and there’s darkness in the instrumentals. As on “Truth Button”, the vocalist sounds like Andy Fairweather Low covering the Beatles’s “Sergeant Pepper”. This is a far from conventional track. There’s an epic tension about it. King Bathmat are to be commended for their boldness in creating this carefully constructed, yet somehow chaotic and decidedly strange track.
Order is restored on the next track “Superfluous”. Dreamy, steady and full of expression, it builds up to perfection. Again it’s the developing structure which makes this nine minute emotional epic so good. Hard psychedelic rock is juxtaposed against supremely engaging synth-driven prog. As it enters its main phase, there’s a little bit of the Doobie Brothers about the guitar work. The riff is strong as ever, and the track operates on a number of levels with the synth reinforcing the steely and steady instrumentals and calm but emotionally sad vocals. So it builds up to epic proportions. As always, the build-up finds the perfect fit in the combination of musical elements. To make us think, there’s a nice bit of old-fashioned piano to reinforce the edgy mood. “Superfluous” is intricate but completely transfixing. From this we go to the finger-snapping and intriguing “Reality Mining”. There’s something faintly disturbing as the singer tells his story of dehumanisation. The harmonies are complex but the pattering rhythm prevails and it’s the smooth instrumental work which leaves the lasting impression. It’s as if the music itself is breathing. “Reality Mining” is relaxing and another example of structural balance at which King Bathmat excel. “Progressive eccentricity” is the best way I can think of describing the final epic piece “Kubrick Moon”. It has got me every time I have listened to it. After a dreamy build-up, a head of steam is developed and an utterly rampant, borderline insane and toe-tappingly catchy guitar rhythm takes over. I smile. This is the music of happiness. But to end, King Bathmat take us back to their self-confessed dream land and engage us in a typically cerebral chorus with a cosmic touch. Any why not?
King Bathmat could well achieve the completely irrelevant rarity of having two of their albums in my top ten this year. I’m not aware that there’s any law against this. Maybe “Overcoming the Monster” is harder-edged than “Truth Button” and is more thematically cohesive. I’d also say it’s less quirky and less fun than its predecessor but it’s all relative. Does it really matter? What I do know is that again I’m finding endless delight in all the progressive nooks and crannies upon each occasion that I listen to their work. The band seems have a vast collection of raw material and ideas at their disposal. King Bathmat is a synonym for open-minded creativity. Unlike some prog bands whose seriousness can be overwhelming, this band manages to inject intelligence, humour and levity into their song-writing, thus enabling them to share their music and making it a joy to experience. Moreover the structures of “Overcoming the Monster” are superb and managed with great clarity, resulting in another mature album from them which oozes freshness and originality.
(8.5/10 Andrew Doherty)
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