Popular opinion states that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”; did you know that the full quote from Oscar Wilde is in fact “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness”? Well, for once I’ll forestall my pedantry and run with the generally known first half of the quote, and say that whilst Karisma Records may be playing on their name to invoke the memory of their ancestral champions of Prog, ‘Charisma Records’, with the release of Wizrd’s ‘Seasons’ they are not simply riding on the coat tails of the aforementioned legends, rather they are paying respectful homage, and indeed, taking up the reins, of said Prog legends.
Barely a couple of seconds into track one of ‘Seasons’ and I was transported back nigh on fifty years ago to when I used to listen to my mother spin vinyl from the likes of Supertramp, the ethereal and hook laden vocals of ‘Lessons’ transporting me back in time to an age before computerised musical engineering when experimentation and exploration relied on musical creativity rather than the ability to program a computer. ‘Free Will’ continues this musical exploration, introducing an initial Steve Howe inspired guitar rush that mellows into a full on Yes odyssey, bass sprints intertwining with swirling keyboards and galloping guitars all weaving around precise drum histrionics. This enterprise of intellectualism is almost kicked aside by the following Budgie inspired heavy proto-metal chug of the appropriately named ‘Spitfire’, the track being delivered with the power of the strafing machine guns of the titular legendary warplane.
After the attack of ‘Spitfire’, Wizrd delve into the dangerous territory of ELP with ‘All Is As It Should Be’, their energetic delivery coalescing to just avoid falling into the pitfall of self-indulgence, their melding of retro keyboards and ever insistent and evolving rhythms successfully negotiating the fine line between virtuosity and technical boasting for the sake of it. It is far too easy to become overly enamoured with your own ability, but Wizrd avoid that dangerous territory even though this eight-minute plus track offers chances aplenty to stumble. ‘Show Me What You Got’ continues to travel that same narrow pathway, successfully managing not to trip over the obstacles of their own obvious skills, serving up instead a pleasing and cohesive track as opposed to a jarring hotch-potch of musicians competing to show off their ability in a game of technical one-upmanship. By comparison ‘Fire & Water’ is an almost poppy display that would be able to travel back through time and be introduced on The Old Grey Whistle Test by Whispering Bob Harris without seeming out of place in the slightest, segueing into the trippy Topographic realm of ‘Divine’ before mellowing away into the calming waters of ‘When You Call’.
‘Seasons’ is an album that will sound new, fresh, and vibrant to younger generations of musical explorers, soothing the psyches of those who want to trip away into the realms of the simultaneously technically capable yet mellow. For old gits like me, it will be firing up neurons that have been storing memories of days gone by when the ability to explore the musical landscape required imagination rather than the ability to mould bits and bytes in a digital memory. Whatever direction you approach this music from, all I can say is that I bloody well enjoyed it, and can only recommend it to you.
(8/10 Spenny)
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