Intelligent Music Project VIII: Miracles Beyond

There are not many non-band music collectives with the longevity of the Intelligent Music Project, an idea that started life under a slightly different guise (John Lawton & Diana Express (in fact that debut has been renamed and released with a different, Intelligent Music Project cover since)) but which in reality has always been a revolving star-studded endeavour centred round the songwriting of Bulgarian, Dr. Milen Vrabevski. Part VIII: Miracles Beyond proves no different, Carl Sentance, Joseph Williams, Simon Phillips, John Payne and Ernest Tibbs (who I think are all pretty much long time contributors) adding their talents to a set of songs that sit somewhere between melodic pomp rock and prog-lite. Personally I’ve encountered 5 of the releases to come from this stable and while I reviewed most of them positively, I would be a liar if I was to tell you that I revisited any of them other than the aforementioned debut more than a couple of times post-review. That in itself says a lot for what’s going on here, with perfectly serviceable songs delivered by some excellent voices - John Payne especially should be star in my book - and providing some fun while they last but afterwards, it feels like there’s a lack of real substance. This time round I’d also suggest that it feels like there’s less of an investment from those involved, with even Payne, Williams and Sentance not trying too hard to shake off the notion of motions being gone through.

In all honesty, it’s difficult to find anything too terrible here but neither is the much above run of the mill. The perfunctory riff and traded vocals of opener “Thunder� is jaunty enough (although the production is decidedly unexciting), while “Expecting You�, which tries to be a kind of groovy, bluesy rocker with a more pop laden chorus, feels lumpen and leaden. In fairness, “Right, I Said� injects a little life into proceedings, with Sentance and Bulgarian singer Slavin Slavchev bringing a little urgency but it’s pretty much alone on that front.

Oddly, the last three tracks are billed as ‘The Band’ (the rest of the album is ‘The Producer’) and it’s Baser Ivanov who writes these songs, with Slavchev fronting them on his own. No more context is given as to who makes up ‘the band’ - are Simon Phillips and Ernest Tibbs present as they are with the rest of the album, for example - but there is a Bulgarian line-up that takes some Intelligent Music Project work out on the road, so who knows?

Eight albums in twelve years is quite a prolific output by any act, but, as mentioned earlier, almost unheard of in project land. Personally, I’m beginning to wonder if it isn’t maybe a step too far for Intelligent Music Project, because even with all the undoubted talents at their disposal, Miracles Beyond is pretty un-miraculous.

Track Listing
1. Intro
2. Thunder
3. Days Rollin'
4. For You
5. Real
6. Expecting You
7. Miracles Beyond
8. Then I Knew
9. Anyway
10. Right I Said
11. Believe in Love
12. A New Day
13. Walls
14. Shine For You

Added: October 4th 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Intelligent Music online
Hits: 184
Language: english

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