Unitopia are not a band given to rushing things. Formed in 1996 in their native Australia it took them the best part of nine years to release their first album, More Than A Dream. Now we have their second effort the huge, sprawling, grandiose double CD set called The Garden (Inside Out Music, 2008).
Drawing on their inspiration from classic progressive bands such as Genesis and Yes, Unitopia have come up with a truly epic work in both scale and execution. In doing so they have run the risk of falling into the age old prog-rock trap of being seen as a touch over indulgent.
However the end result, a hundred high quality minutes, dispels that fear with some superbly written, and constantly intriguing music.
The over riding triumph of this album is the band’s stunning musicianship. Unitopia consists of lead singer Mark Trueack, guitarist Matt Williams, keyboard player Sean Timms, drummer Monty Ruggiero, the additional percussion of Tim Irrgang, and bass player Shireen Khemlani who adds some atmospheric vocals to her bass playing skills.
Clearly there is a strong collective belief in what they aim to achieve. The Garden has all the band's constituent parts working together to such great effect that each has a hugely influential contribution towards the end result.
The instrumentation is totally flawless throughout and along with some intricate writing manages to keep your attention focused, despite the album’s massive scope.
The album itself is presented with some exquisite artwork that conjures up images of The Garden, a place of ‘kaleidoscopic delights’. Despite this, it isn’t a concept album as such. Sean Timms describes it’s theme as ‘hope coming from despair’. However by the end of the second CD, I had long since stopped looking for a link and just sat back to enjoy the power and drama of the music.
Opening with the modest introduction of “One Day”, it moves quickly into an epic centre piece written around the album’s title. Running smoothly through its six parts totalling over 22 minutes, “The Garden” has all the pomp and grandeur of prog at its zenith. Yet it is never over laboured, forced, or pushed, and flows from idea to idea in a multi layered musical tapestry of creation.
Lyrically it can become a touch predictable, but musically it conquers any doubts and provides a valuable addition to the collection of any admirer of classic prog rock. There is a tangible volume of care and craft to justify the time spent on its production.
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