Envy Of None: Envy Of None

It’s interesting that when I cue up the songs on Envy Of None’s self titled debut album on i-tunes, the music platform informs me that this album is an ‘unknown genre’. That, for me, would be taking things too far, and instead what I’d suggest is that rather than the collaboration between guitarist Alex Lifeson (Rush), bassist Andy Curran (Coney Hatch), vocalist Maiah Wynne and guitarist Alfio Annibalini being some new fangled style of music, it’s simply unconcerned by genre boxing. Instead, this album veers - within an admittedly tight framework - from mood to mood as it takes in slick pop music, prog rock, industrial, art-rock and much else in between.

Wynne, it has to be said is something of a find and it’s no wonder that when Lifeson heard her sing he immediately knew who the front-person of his first post Rush band would be. She really is quite magnificent, with companions being made to Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins) not being too far from the mark in many ways. In the dreamy but angular setting of “Look Inside� she’s the absolute centre of everything going on around her and as the album slides into the mid-paced industrial prog-metal of “Liar� so too does she shine dazzlingly here also.

For those expecting the resumes of either Lifeson or Curran to be vaguely relevant here, Envy Of None will be something of a shock, but with Rush being peerless prog pioneers and Coney Hatch underusing catchy rock masters, what would be the point in aping either? Therefore that this album feels like a left turn for both should be welcome and admired. And yet, that doesn’t automatically ensure that it should also be loved by those most likely to be drawn towards what’s been put together. That’s not to say that Rush or Hatch fans won’t find much to enjoy, but on a purely personal level, I have to admit to feeling like this album is already ten, if not more, years behind the curve, with the mid-paced industrial meander you’ll unearth here already a scene that’s come and gone. And when you add in that for the most part Lifeson’s guitar work feels as buried as it was in 80s era Rush - the solo on “Spy House� being an obvious exception - then that feels like a little bit of a waste. Of course, the other way of looking at that would be that if the songs don’t require a blistering guitar solo - and there’s no doubt that the clatter and swoon of “Dog’s Life� or the closing acoustic strum of “Western Sunset� do not - then surely the more admirable option would be to resist simply welding on aspects that don’t belong to satisfy those who might well crave them?

There’s no doubt that moving on from a lifelong and worshipped endeavour is a near impossible task and I’d argue that if you’re going to even attempt that feat, then something entirely different is required. Envy Of None is indeed entirely different to anything that’s come previously from Alex Lifeson, or for that matter Andy Curran. That in itself is something to be celebrated, but at the same time it doesn’t always follow that it results in an album I’m going to personally be drawn back to time and again.

Track Listing
1. Never Said I Love You
2. Shadow
3. Look Inside
4. Liar
5. Spy House
6. Dog`s Life
7. Kabul Blues
8. Old Strings
9. Dumb
10. Enemy
11. Western Sunset

Added: May 8th 2022
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Envy Of None online
Hits: 1254
Language: english

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