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Review:
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Who would look for the most gloriously
retro progressive rock sound in oh so hip and modern San
Francisco? Not me, but that's just where we find Moth Vellum.
Seeing as how progressive rock is so decidedly un-revolutionary
and how it takes a large bit of its core inspiration from
dead white males, it's really remarkable that the band hasn't
been run out of town by now. Seriously though, growing up
near San Francisco, I always found the city to be an inexhaustible
source of great music and home to scores of prog rock fans,
but it was never a source of prog rock. Yes, that is a long
and self indulgent way of saying that I am surprised (and
delighted) to have found out about Moth Vellum and the excellent
self titled debut album they have produced.***
Like the best works of classic symphonic
prog, Moth Vellum's music seems to have somehow just sprung
fully formed, like Athena from the forehead of Zeus. They
have managed to produce six tunes - one nearly ten minutes
and three that are over eleven minutes - that feel like
they arose organic and complete, each an epiphany. Very
reminiscent of mid period Yes, Moth Vellum presents a wonderful
set of contemplative yet still propulsive and powerful works
full of lush, fat synthesizers, melodic guitar lines and
clear, high vocal harmonies. They are the masters of long
melodic passages, presenting beautiful themes which are
often reprised after some quite subtle but compelling variations.
This quartet is made up of clearly accomplished players
but there is nary a hint of showing off and there is certainly
not a note of filler anywhere.***
"Let The Race Begin" is calm and lovely
from beginning to end, its fine guitar work reminding one
at times of Steve Howe's solo in Going For The One's "Awaken."
"Whalehead" follows with slippery synth lines and Yes-like
harmonies in its center section. "Salvo," with its stabbing
chords and off kilter tempo, provides an exciting change
of pace before the magnificent "Against The Suns." "Salvo"
also boasts an very nice set of variations that break in
on its main theme again and again and these passages provide
ample room for the band members to display their fine instrumental
abilities. The opening rain of harmonics makes "Walk It
Off" seem to float for a moment before its pedestrian pace
appropriately begins and the disc ends with a reprise of
"Against The Suns."***
Moth Vellum creates classic English style
retro symphonic progressive rock that is deceptively simple
at first listen, but like the best of vintage prog, this
disc grows on you and with each listen this well crafted
music seems less and less "simple." Moth Vellum's debut
is wonderfully self confident and the band writes and plays
as if they had been together for decades. Another release
will be needed to discover if Moth Vellum is as sure of
their direction as this album seems to indicate, but absent
that, for now I will simply have to consider this disc one
of the very best in recent years. This is one of those albums
you can happily play over and over again with no fear of
it growing old.***
Moth Vellum is a disc that you really
do need to have in your collection and a disc that also
gets my highest rating.***
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