Tangent (For One), The: To Follow Polaris

Notice the subtle change in band name for this latest The Tangent album? Well, this offering isn’t a release intended for just one listener, or indeed designed for listening on your lonesome but instead an album recorded by, well not quite The Tangent, but Andy Tillison alone. Now, I know that the observant amongst you will probably be suggesting that Andy pretty much is The Tangent - it’s his band and he’s their only ever present - but To Follow Polaris wasn’t intended to be this way. With his ever in demand band (Luke Machin (guitar) Theo Travis (saxophone, flute) Jonas Reingold (bass) and Steve Roberts (drums)) finding their time more and more squeezed by other gigs, so the collective decision was taken for Tillison to go it completely alone for this one time only. With the multi-talented chap also behind the mixing desk, designing the art and presumably making the tea during recording, this is a true solo endeavour, even if everyone is going to great pains to reassure us that The Tangent are still a band.

Maybe the biggest thing that strikes you straight away is that it’s actually difficult to really hear a huge amount of difference from the norm. I mean, throughout this band’s history members have come and gone and the results have still sounded decidedly Tangential, and so it proves here. That in itself is a huge compliment because there’s also been an incredible amount of talented musicians involved over the years, and while Andy has gone to great pains to point out that he hasn’t tried to ape his band mates, he does say he couldn’t have made this album without being inspired by what he’s learnt from them.

So not business as usual, but actually it is. English sounding prog, with hints of folk, flashes of jazz and lyrics that suggest Andy doesn’t like, well much at all - governments, social media, news reporting and so on all in the firing line. Now while all well observed, well placed and pretty much spot on, for me this time round those lyrics come across a little bit like finger waving in places. Personally The Tangent work best when these expected, intelligent takes on the world are offset by some more sideways glancing observational lyrics - something that Mr Tillison is an absolute master of.

“The North Sky� opens, bouncy, energetic, upbeat and decidedly catchy. The cohesion here between all of the different musical aspects and the dancing darting keyboards making for a rather wonderful introduction and one that pushes The Tangent into a a heavier, more rocking spotlight. It suits them well. “A Like In The Darkness� brings a change of focus and a feel that’s as lacking in light and hope as its name suggests, but again that’s something this outfit are known for. As is the jazzier feel of “The Fine Line�, which also possesses a pleasing pop twist in places. However, it’s “The Anachronism� that feels like this album’s centrepiece, 21 minutes in length, possibly the most broad-sweeping musically, and lyrically swiping at the manner in which a lot of everyday modern life does most people’s mental health no favours at all. It’s to Tillison’s credit that the sounds themselves convey that message as keenly as the words.

As you’d expect, “The Single� offers a short release from what it follows, although the lyrics aren’t necessarily any more hopeful, before a ‘radio edit’ of the song that opened the album bookends everything by also closing it out. Unless of course you have a version that contains the 17 minute-plus bonus track “Tea At Betty’s Simulation�, which moves through a variety of off kilter situations to get to its destination in almost one piece.

For me, I don’t know if it’s the unusual step of including two versions of the same song in the main album’s running order, or maybe the bleakness of the lyrics and their (to me anyway) lack of trademark rye humour, but I find To Follow Polaris resolutely keeping me at arm’s length. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a strong The Tangent album - in all honesty there hasn’t been a bad one yet - but I’m still waiting for that wow moment, or that one song that truly opens to door to everything else. It may well happen but for now, while I’m still enjoying this latest offering from Andy Tillison, I must admit that I’m not quite as sold as I usually am.

Track Listing
1. The North Sky
2. A ‘Like’ In The Darkness
3. The Fine Line
4. The Anachronism

5. The Single (From A Re-Opened Time Capsule)
6. The North Sky (Radio Edit)
Bonus track
7. Tea At Betty’s Simulation

Added: May 3rd 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: The Tangent online
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Language: english

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