Cairo: Nemesis

Nemesis is the second album from former Touchstone lynchpin Rob Cottingham and his new band Cairo. Their debut, Say, landed some 5 years ago and made a strong impact within the progressive rock community. Since then they have seen a couple of comings and goings in the singing department and hence it is no longer Rachel Hill leading from the front but young chanteuse, Sarah Bayley who handles vocals alongside Cottingham himself. The album is produced by man of many bands, John Mitchell (Lonely Robot, Arena, It Bites), and I’d suggest that his talents inform more than just the sonic quality here, with occasional nods to some of Mitchell’s signature sounds popping into view as the album plays out. That said, there’s much more going on here than that, with the ‘is it prog, is it rock, is it pop?’ Cottingham calling card very much in evidence as Nemesis ebbs and flows.

Cottingham himself also handles keyboards and ‘SFX’, with Cairo’s number rounded out by James Hards on guitar, Paul Stocker on bass and Graham Brown on drums. Together they make an accessible impact that veers into less obvious areas as the mood takes them. In fact, it’s the more progressive and almost Porcupine Tree like “Asleep At The Wheel� that introduces proceedings, a darker smack of riffs and time changes than might have been expected thrown our way. Working neatly against the onslaught Bayley and Cottingham keep the vocals quite contained and smooth, although a certain amount of threat is undoubtedly maintained. Pulling from a similar but different source, “Tripwire� offers a more forceful take on what’s come before and also allows Bayley to open up vocally somewhat. The guitars buzz and cut with a glinting intent, adding a bluntness that certainly takes you by surprise. Good up until now, it’s interesting that Bayley really blossoms when she’s allowed to work in a more ethereal situation, with a certain Enya-ness shining through magnificently on the floating “Glow� and pulled in, but then exploding, “The Love�, which also possesses a stunning guitar solo that demands your full attention. For me, the less adventurous “Deja Vu�, while hardly coming across as though you’ve heard it all before, proves a little uneventful, which can maybe also be said about “Jumping On The Moon� which, to me, sounds more like John Mitchell era It Bites than it does the debut Cairo album - although there are worse things that songs can be accused of… That said, on this occasion, I can’t say it’s the strongest example of that sound that I’ve ever heard.

When Nemesis is good it really is excellent but when things slip just a little I’ve found that the results aren’t as memorable as I’d have hoped they would be. Still, Rob Cottingham is always an enigmatic songwriter and teller of musical stories, while in Sarah Bayley he has found - and can hopefully keep - a vocal talent to match.

Track Listing
1. Asleep At The Wheel
2. Trip Wire
3. Glow
4. Rogue
5. The Love
6. New Beauty
7. Déjà Vu
8. Jumping On The Moon
9. Save The Earth
10. Nemesis

Added: March 14th 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Nemesis @ Cherry Red
Hits: 1943
Language: english

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