Summer Breeze Project (SBP) is a Dutch progressive rock group that has been featured on these pages before (and of course singer Gert Bruins has been writing on these pages - bonus points for that). So far the band has not made it into my CD player (despite the fact that I have the 2012 compilation album Dutch Exposure Project (see review) which features them; I just haven't had the time to play it yet) so here was new ground to cover and discover. Contact Part Two is the second chapter of a trilogy and contains three new songs: Old, Grey and Metropolis. Contact Part One (see review) appeared in 2014 and received a favourable review from our main editor. So, let's find out what I think. For some reason I expected neo prog, but in fact SBP's sound is a bit heavier with more stress on guitars. Still, the first piece also has some nice organ and keys, although not as prominently in the mix. The singing is typical Dutch, in a way. Not brilliant, but certainly competent. The second piece continues in the same direction with good enough melodic progressive rock that is a bit rough around the edges. In a way I'm reminded of some of the bands on the former SI Music label, like Timelock. The final piece, Metropolis, reminds me a bit of Pink Floyd and Roger Waters because of the slow pace, the somewhat biting (and little melodic, sorry) singing and the general (somewhat depressive) atmosphere. Alas the piece lacks that special touch that PF or RW manage to add - not in the least there is lack of some soaring guitar solo or something like that to loosen up things. SBP does an attempt in the last two minutes, but somehow it isn't the climax that I was hoping for that might have saved the piece. Although it has to be said that the build up to the climax with threatening keys actually is the best part of the track and does show some of the promise that lies in this band. And then the CD-single is over. Actually a bit short for a proper judgement, isn't it? Well, let's just wait for Contact Part 3 and then do the entire Contact concept (?) in one sitting. Might be interesting to see whether and how the band has progressed. *** Carsten Busch (edited by Robert James Pashman) Where to buy? |
