Iamthemorning: The Bell

Do you ever get that feeling? You know the one where you look around and everyone else appears to be clever… in the know… like they have their finger on the pulse… and you, well, don’t? That for me is Iamthemorning, and with the universal acclaim that’s coming this band and album’s way I very nearly didn’t write this review. After all, who wants to stand on top of the hill and scream at full volume “look at me, I don’t understand!� I’ve read the plaudits coming this Russian chamber-prog duo’s way and I’ve seen the armfuls of awards they’ve scooped up and as all that has happened I’ve listened to Iamthemorning and appreciated what they do. Not really been excited by it but undoubtedly appreciated the skill, class and passion behind it. That, however, hasn’t stopped it feeling, well, a little dull. I do enjoy stark, patient, crafted prog but I’ve always kind of been left on the sidelines with this outfit awaiting the pay off that never arrives. Over and above that I was sent and really rather enjoyed Gleb Kolyadin’s self-titled solo album and therefore approached The Bell with renewed vigour and optimism that I could break down my own personal wall with this band. Once again I’m left as the fool on the hill watching the sun go down as the world keeps spinning round. And if that hindrance on my part upsets you, well, look away now…

I’m not telling you that Iamthemorning aren’t superb at what they do and I’m not going to suggest that I’m right and everyone else is wrong but I can only say it as I hear it and hope that you’ll all forgive me; for universally this gentle, loving, stark, unsettling album is headed for end of year awards and the top of best of lists and no doubt. And when I experience the heart tug of “Song Of Psyche� in isolation I do kind of become embroiled into this world as beautiful piano pulls you in and the voice of Marjana Semkina whisks you off to other places. “Lilies� likewise proves enigmatic, deep, dark and swirling through the spiral of piano notes and whispering but bold vocals. Add in the sweep of “Black And Blue�, the slowly building but hardly boisterous crescendo of “Ghost Of A Story� or the brief outburst of anger that is injected into “Freak Show� and on their own I can see the attraction, the beauty, the challenge and the reward. As a collection, however, I just can’t hang my hat on it, or, truth be told, get excited by it. And that really is where I’m left. Stranded. On an island. Isolated and with the knowledge of distant tutting and head shaking at my cluelessness. It’s genuinely a case of it’s not you, it’s me, so don’t judge me too harshly and don’t think I’m going against the grain to be controversial. Nothing could be further from the truth. But if you don’t get, then, you don’t get it and I’m sorry to say that I don’t…

If, however, you do then The Bell will more than likely continue that affair.

Track Listing
1. Freak Show

2. Sleeping Beauty

3. Blue Sea

4. Black And Blue

5. Six Feet

6. Ghost Of A Story

7. Song Of Psyche

8. Lilies

9. Salute

10. The Bell

Added: August 19th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Iamthemorning @ kscope
Hits: 1086
Language: english

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