CD Review  

Pure Reason Revolution
 "Cautionary Tales For The Brave"

Rating 94%

reviewed by Charlie O'

 

Available from
Coldplay were formed at the University College London, and are as boring as shite. This lot, Prog's newest great white hopes, met up at the Uni of Westminister (as The Wow) instead and are not. Anyway, we've heard a lot about them, missed a couple of singles, but finally have a copy of their brand new mini-album.
With a title longer than a Classic Rock Soc review, Reading's Pure Reason Revolution hit us with Cautionary Tales For The Brave, but caution is the last thing they display here, mixing old skool Progressive Rock with old skool grunge - imagine Pink Floyd meets Soundgarden sprinkled with a touch of Hawkwind layered over the top and you'll be somewhere near, but still a million miles off.

Somehow this bunch of 20-somethings have managed to achieve the elusive freshness in their first album that Marillion have been struggling to attain for the last ten years. Perhaps it's something to do with them actually being fresh?
It starts off with In Aurelia, but really gets going with their second single, the 12 minute The Bright Ambassadors Of Morning. A point here, it's good to see a girl, Chloe in this case, involved in a Prog band WITHOUT being stuck at the front, just looking good and singing.

The third track is the nearly as long Arrival - the second part of which, The Intention Craft, has just been released as their new single and currently resides just outside the Top 40. The album finishes with He Tried To Show Them Magic / Ambassadors Return.

Pure Reason Revolution are a breath of fresh air in a lift full of old men.
Track Listing:
I - In Aurelia
II - The Bright Ambassadors Of Morning
III i - Arrival
III ii The Intention Craft
IV i - He Tried To Show Them Magic
IV ii - Ambassadors Return		 Band
Jon - Vox / Guitars / Synths
Jamie - Guitars / Vox
Chloe - Vox / Bass / Synths / Tamba
Jim'll - Synths / Sampler / Vox / Bass
Andrew - Drums