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The Tangent: Proxy
The Tangent - Proxy Music Review

The Tangent: Proxy

Progressive Rock
4.0/5.0

Website
Inside Out Music
Released: 06.11.2018
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 31.10.2018

Is it prog? Indeed it is. Founder and composer Andy Tillison and his band, The Tangent, return with their eleventh album in a 16 year career, Proxy. Mostly composed during a recent tour with Karmakanic, The Tangent features the familiar musical personalities of Jonas Reingold (Flower Kings/Steve Hackett Band), Theo Travis (Soft Machine/Travis-Fripp), Luke Machin (Maschine/Francis Dunnery Band), and Steve Roberts (ex Magenta/Godsticks), with a special appearance by vocalist Goran Edman.

Andy Tillison Photo Click For Larger Image

Andy Tillison

Also familiar is The Tangent's progressive musical style. While finding influences in classic prog and rock, such as Traffic, Camel, ELP, Genesis, and more, the band also continues to be both constant and evolving. For me, however, especially with this album, they remind me of a 21st century incarnation of Brand X, if you remember them. Both bands have a distinct and inherent wish to create a fusion of music that blurs the lines of prog, jazz, blues, and rock. While many compositional parts and instruments are involved, you hear these particulars largely from the bass lines, droppings of sax, Metheny-like guitar parts, and simply the ever present effervescent rhythm and groove. Alternatively, yet with perhaps some later second guessing, Proxy also features a larger keyboard presence from Tillison, notable in The Melting Andalusian Skies and the synth thick and lush title cut. Needless to say, you need to both listen carefully and casually. Enjoy the intrigue of the arrangements, but be also be entertained by them in a carefree sort of way. If anything is lacking in this disc, it's likely the vocal parts, which seem dull and tired at times, almost as if their inclusion was an afterthought. Nevertheless, Proxy and The Tangent are the real deal, genuinely creative and entertaining melodic progressive rock. Enjoy! Recommended.


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The Bottom Line

Proxy and The Tangent are the real deal, genuinely creative and entertaining melodic progressive rock. Enjoy! Recommended.

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