CD Review  

Frost*
 "Milliontown"

 

Rating 105%

reviewed by Charlie O'

 So, it's finally here! Nearly two years after Jem Godfrey emailed me about Black Light Machine, a band so secret, he had to instantly deny all knowledge of it, and six months after the Buncefield disaster made them choose a new cover, Milliontown finally comes home to roost! But after all the hype, does it rule the roost it has come home to?

The answer has to be probably!

Milliontown may well be the best album you listen to this year. It may be the greatest album you have heard of all time!

It all starts quietly with Hyperventilate, delicate piano, could be Richard Clayderman, but after 90 seconds you know that it aint so cos they all kick in! Jem widdling his keys like it's no-ones business 'cept his own. Despite being instrumental, this is a great introduction to the bands music. Layers of widdling keyboards, pounding drums by Andy Edwards, thumping bass from John Jowitt and scorching guitar runs from Johns Mitchell and Boyes.

No Me No You takes up the baton utilizing the first of many sampled intros twisting and turning while the band take a back seat, but not for long! Jem and John M share the vocals on the album, and on this track, one minute growling, the next soaring. It's an intriguing mix, set to an aggressive musical backdrop, which the lazy amongst us might say sounds like a harder It Bites.

Snowman is a mellower track, reminiscent of something else, in that irritating "tip of my tongue" way, (answers on a postcard to silhobbit@silhobbit.com). It provides a welcome, but short diversion before the band take off again with The Other Me with it's layered vocals which leads into the epic Black Light Machine. I'm sure you've all already heard this, as we played it on Podcast #02 way on back in February. But that was the old version with crap drums and no oooomph! This has decent drums and ooodles of ooomph! And enough keyboards to fill the Albert Hall. Twice. With knobs on.

But all this has been but a starter for ten. The real meat'n'two veg comes along in the form of the 26 minute epic title track, Milliontown, featuring all that has gone before, but better in so many ways. Yes in places, It Bites in others. A bit of King Crimson here, some IQ there, sprinkled with a dash of James Bond as well, no doubt. It is stunning.

It would be safe to say that the music on this album has taken keyboard based prog rock music into the 21st century.

I'm sure you were worried that there'd be a touch of the Atomic Kitten about this, or a bit of Jennifer Ellison here and some Lulu and Ronan Keating there, but apart from some top notch studio trickery, and a load of decent performances, stripped down, this is prog rock in it's purest form and I can't wait to be guest listed for some of their shows!

Shame there's no Holly Valance though. Wonder what she's doing now?