Finnegans Wake: Blue

Despite taking their name from Irish author James Joyce, Finnegans Wake actually hail from Belgium and have been around since 1993; Blue marks their fifth studio album and was recorded both in Belgium and Brazil. Fundamentally this is a hybrid of electronic and chamber music interspersed with both progressive and jazz influences and only sparse use of vocals. Flute, piano, keyboards and bass are the lead instruments with guitars and percussion playing very much a supporting role along with woodwind and violin, all of which are supplied by a number of guest musicians that expand on the bands four core members.

Whilst for the most part much of this sounds almost entirely freeform improvisation and experimental there is an occasional rock reference, one example being the title track which boasts a jaunty synth line that sounds like it could have been lifted from Jethro Tull's 'Steel Monkey', a track that dates from Tull's own electronic period and the Grammy winning Crest of a Knave. Classically trained soprano Amarilis de Rubua adds her voice to 'Luftspiel' with the lyrics sung in German, although this actually has less impact than the wholly instrumental pieces and it is possible that for a band such as Finnegans Wake vocals might be considered unnecessary. Similarly on 'Magical Cave', another piece with vocals, the end result is more diminished rather than enhanced whereas the altogether more bright and breezy 'The Battle Of Novgorod' seems to be far more at the very essence of the bands sound.

Although it only really seems to gel on occasion, Blue represents another interesting release from AltrOck.

Track Listing

1. Honfleur La Jolie
2. Die Geste von Kreuzlingen
3. Mida
4. Luftspiel
5. Blue
6. Ents and Things
7. Magical Cave
8. The Battle of Novgorod
9. Vulnavia
10. Agakuk

Added: March 15th 2009
Reviewer: Dean Pedley
Score:
Related Link: MySpace Page
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Language: english

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