Fearful Symmetry is a studio-based English progressive music project created by multi-instrumentalist Suzi James, joined by vocalist Yael Shotts and drummer Sharon Petrover. The Difficult Second is their latest album and the ten new songs are again an exquisite blend of classic progressive rock, rock, jazz, and symphonic rock. This new album kicks off with one of the highlights, being: Mood Swings And Roundabouts, a track with a sixties feeling, starting with an a cappella version of the chorus, followed by acoustic guitar, and evolving into a catchy proggy Yes-like, almost AOR song with an utterly addictive chorus. Next up is the title track, being an instrumental one, featuring Suzi's amazing guitar picking, but also some jazzy piano passages; while Light Of My Life is a very melodic, ballad-like pop/rock song, again with a rather infectious chorus indeed! Sandworm starts off as a heavy one, almost metal-like, and it stands out due to the rather pure vocals of Shotts! Fearful Symmetry saves the best for last, as The Difficult Second ends with the epic song Warlords. Clocking in at almost fifteen minutes, Warlords, has it all: an enormous diversity of styles, even symphonic and folky components, lots of musical moods, time, and tempo changes galore and some fantastic harmonious angles! The Difficult Second gets better every time you listen to it, and it is indeed fun, thoughtful, melodic, rocky, jazzy, and amazing, a musical treat for your ears, something for everyone indeed! **** Martien Koolen (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
