Two years ago, after a fairly long gestation period, the self-titled debut album (which I reviewed here) from the progressive rock/AOR duo Dukes of the Orient was released. Made up of songwriting duo John Payne and Erik Norlander, Dukes of the Orient was what essentially became of the studio arm of Asia featuring John Payne - the band formed by Payne in 2007 when the original Asia line-up reunited and left him without a job. Prior to this, Payne had fronted Asia since 1991 and had become a big part of the band's creative arm. As a member of Asia, Payne released five studio albums and, along with Geoff Downes, helped keep the popular band on the road and creating new material despite a changing musical landscape and a fluctuating line-up. Due to his long history with the band, Payne was allowed to use the moniker Asia featuring John Payne going forward following the original band's reunion. New material was always teased, but essentially the band became a touring-only act - playing Asia's greatest hits up and down America with a handful of different members. It is my understanding however that Dukes of the Orient was supposed to be Asia featuring John Payne's debut release but, following the death of Asia founder John Wetton, Payne decided to rebrand out of respect for Wetton's legacy. Asia featuring John Payne still plays live, but it seems that Dukes of the Orient is the vehicle for which Payne, and Norlander (who was a part of Payne's Asia for a while), will use to continue to showcase their new material. Dukes of the Orient had more of a project feel than that of an actual band however, with Payne and Norlander writing all of the songs while being backed by a large cast of characters (many of whom were also Payne's Asia alumni) - something which is different on the duo's follow-up album Freakshow, which was released last month. With Payne and Norlander still on songwriting duty (although each has written five tunes apiece here rather than collaborating together on them all), the duo are backed this time by guitarist Alex Garcia, drummer Frank Klepacki, and saxophonist Eric Tewalt. Payne still handles the vocals, bass, and additional guitars, while Norlander once again takes on keyboard duties - but the choice to go with a smaller pool of talent this time around leads to a tighter, 'band' feel throughout the album. Style wise, Freakshow is similar to the previous album - but somewhat more theatrical. Melodic soundscapes dominated the band's debut album, which do return here, but there is something spiker and grander about the sound this time around. The addition of Tewalt's saxophone, which is utilised liberally throughout the album, helps to add a different edge to the songs here - while the overall songwriting respects the band's previous effort, and Payne's time with Asia, despite a few new tricks being thrown into the mix.
The ten-track album contains a fair bit of variety, but it chooses to open in a way that will be familiar to any Asia fan with the melodic pomp-rock of The Dukes Return. The song channels the spirit of the original Asia line-up nicely, with Norlander's keyboards dominating with majestic lead lines, ringing piano chords, and pomp-tastic stabs forming the basis of the track. In truth, this description could be used to describe many of the songs here, as Norlander's keyboards are a constant touchstone throughout - much as Downes' were in Asia. Garcia's guitar is often used as more of a supporting instrument, either providing crunching rhythms during the somewhat heavier tracks or adding colour and depth. The latter approach is taken here, with chiming melodies during the poppy chorus backing up Norlander's dominant keyboards nicely, although a short, bluesy guitar solo allows him a chance to show off. Despite Payne's era of Asia often going for a more atmospheric approach, this song has a very similar style to those first two John Wetton releases. Progressive touches can be found in Tewalt's saxophone solo and Norlander's synth patches - but in truth this is a very memorable, poppy rock track that features a strong Payne vocal. Payne has always been huskier than Wetton, but he can still deliver finely-crafted pop nicely, and the song is a perfect way to open the album. The Ice is Thin is more atmospheric and progressive, instantly harking back to the first Dukes of the Orient album with some doomy piano and a short guitar solo from Payne himself. While Payne sung the first song well, it is songs like this that really showcase him at his best. He can be a very theatrical singer at times, and darker songs like this allow him to showcase his dramatic side. Fans of Asia albums like 1994's Aria and 1996's Arena will instantly feel at home here, as The Ice is Thin really taps into the spirit and style of those album. While the hooks are very prominent, which helps to make the song memorable, there is a real depth here. Payne's bass often rises to the top of the mix to give the song a real rumble which, when doubled up with Norlander's keyboards, creates something of an oppressive feel. Short lead breaks from Garcia add a little melodic flair, but on the whole this is a song that revels in its darker atmosphere - with Payne's husky voice perfectly suiting the overall mood created. The album's title track follows and it is certainly the heaviest moment on the album - with Garcia's weighty guitar riff mixing in perfectly with Norlander's organ and Payne's bass to create a strong, Deep Purple-esque groove. Payne really hams it up throughout the song, delivering a very Alice Cooper/Jon Oliva-esque vocal performance throughout that really plays into the song's playful, yet creepy, atmosphere. It is a song which also really benefits from Tewalt's presence. The song's groovy nature really allows his saxophone leads to add a breathy darkness to the piece, their squawking melodies fitting perfectly into the gloom. The song is a strange one overall, and nothing else on the album really sounds like it - but as a result it allows Payne to really showcase a different side to his voice, and Norlander to flex his songwriting muscles in a heavier direction.
The Monitors returns to more of a classic Asia sound, with Norlander's jaunty keyboard motif dominating early on before Payne takes over for an atmospheric verse that features a strong beat from Klepacki throughout. Songs like this recall Asia's 1992 transition album Aqua, Payne's first with the band, which still featured some of the upbeat nature of the Wetton era before the band transitioned into more of a soundscape-heavy act. It is a song that shows that Payne can do it all however, but he often has his spotlight stolen here by Norlander who plays out of his skin throughout. There are so many great keyboard sounds on display, be it pompy riffs or synth leads, with the highlight being a busy synth solo that actually transitions from a Payne guitar solo. It is a great pop-prog moment that features some of Norlander's flashiest playing on the album, while staying melodic and accessible for those who love Asia for their pop melodies. Man of Machine is similar, but transitions back to the Arena-era of Asia for a groove-based soundscape and a real focus on Payne's vocal melodies. Musically, the song is quite atmospheric, but it still has an urgency and a rock flair to it. Klepacki's drums throughout really keep things moving along with a great shuffling groove, while atmospheric keyboards and pulsing bass form the perfect backing for Payne's tight vocal melodies. It is also another great showcase piece for Tewalt, who has fit perfectly into the Dukes of the Orient sound. Asia never really featured saxophone in a big way, but his addition to the album really adds another dimension to the sound. The classy sound of the saxophone fits nicely with Norlander's dramatic and grand keyboard patches, and his virtuoso playing often takes the place of a traditional guitar or keyboard solo to help keep the listener guessing - adding to the overall progressive feel of the album as a result. The Last Time Traveller carries on the progressive nature of the previous song, but doubles down on it and also injects a little more of the theatrical vibe from earlier. As a result, the song is one of my favourite cuts here as it showcases the best of Payne vocally and Norlander as a songwriter and musician. It starts out in quite a low-key fashion, with simple piano lines for Payne to deliver a varied and emotional vocal performance over the top of. The chorus section of this early portion is easily one of the most memorable parts of the song due to Payne's soaring melodies, but there are still plenty of great moments to come. A lengthy instrumental section follows the vocal-dominated section, which brings out the best of both Norlander and Tewalt. This part of the song is very Pink Floyd-esque, with spacey keyboard lines and Dick Parry-esque saxophone parts. It is a busy instrumental section, which is perfectly bookended by the two piano-based vocal sections - creating a great journey within the song as it transitions from section to section. A Quest for Knowledge is a bit more energetic. A pulsing bassline leads the song throughout, while Klepacki goes for a busier approach behind his kit with occasional bursts of double bass drumming. That being said, the band's classic atmospheric approach is still present. The choruses slip back into this soaring mode to allow a big Payne vocal to dominate, but the rest of the track is harder rocking and more energetic. Genuinely energetic moments are somewhat rare on the album, so the change of pace is always appreciated. While the core atmospheric approach of the band is very good, and it certainly suits Payne's voice the best, changing things up every so often help the album to flow and stay varied.
The Great Brass Steam Engine is the album's only instrumental piece. Written by Norlander, it is unsurprisingly very keyboard heavy. In fact, the song features only keyboards, along with Payne's bass and Klepacki's drums, meaning that all of the main melodies come from Norlander - while the other two create rhythms and a basis for his creations. Given the album's progressive side, a busy instrumental fits nicely here. While many of the songs on the album feature keyboard solos and leads, it is nice to have a whole track here to showcase them. It is a very melodic instrumental piece too, with lots of memorable melodies throughout and repeating riffs that really draw the listener in. There is unsurprisingly something of a 1970s feel throughout the track, which is reinforced by some of the keyboard patches used, but it still fits really well within the context of the album - and allows Norlander to expand on some of the keyboard techniques used during the other songs. When Ravens Cry, the album's penultimate song, returns to the pomp feel of some of the other songs here. Dramatic keyboards dominate the early moments, before Norlander settles on some rumbling piano lines to form the basis of the verse. These parts are quite stripped back, and again allow Payne's voice to dominate, but other sections build up the atmospheric layers to create that pomp sound. The choruses are certainly much bigger, with Garcia's subtle but melodic guitars cutting through the mix while Norlander's many keyboard layers creating a rich, atmospheric tapestry. It might not be the driving pomp of some of the album's early tracks, but it is certainly pomp in the sense of the song's depth and grand arrangement. There is a lot going on here, despite Payne's accessible vocal melodies, and it is one of those songs that needs a few listens to fully appreciate. Until Then is similar, and its grand approach is a great way to close out the album. Big piano-led sections are once again prominent here, but this another song that alternates between stripped-back moments and grander, more progressive ones. Payne seems to favour this sort of arrangement for the songs that he writes. The piano backing certainly allows his vocals to really shine, but I also like the contrasts that occur in these songs. The simplicity of the piano-led sections and the progressive depth of the other sections help to create varied and atmospheric songs that bring the best out of everyone involved. Even Garcia, who is often something of a supporting player throughout this album, showcases some great atmospheric guitar playing here. Lots of guitar leads are featured here, with his playing taking on a very old-school progressive rock feel which perfectly melds with the overall atmospheric and gentle approach the song takes. It helps the album to end on a high, as Norlander's synth solo and some spacey vocals bring things to a close. Overall, Freakshow is a strong second album from Payne and Norlander that builds on what they achieved on their first collaboration a couple of years ago. Freakshow is more varied than the first album, and the songwriting here feels more confident and grand this time around - with the pomp and the progressive sitting perfectly side by side.
The album was released on 7th August 2020 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Monitors.
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