The British collective that is hidden behind the name Returned To The Earth consists of three musicians, of which Robin Peachey is the driving force and most important composer. Stalagmite Steeple is already the fifth album and the other collaborating musicians are Paul Johnston, who is also responsible for the recording process, and Robin's brothers Steve Peachey who contributes some keyboard parts. We can speak of a real concept album and the theme is based on the story of an elderly couple who were separated during the Covid pandemic. The man dies in a home and his wife is not allowed to visit him because of the risk of infection. Unfortunately, a well-known story and certainly not a light subject. The more general and social complications of that time are also part of the story and especially the last tracks highlight this facet. When listening to the work of this band earlier, I put it away in my memory as very quiet, atmospheric prog that strongly reminded me of Porcupine Tree of the first years. Peachey's vocals also have a clear resemblance to those of Steven Wilson, calm without too many vocal antics. A very pleasant and almost unobtrusive voice. So the question is, is Stalagmite Steeple a continuation of the previous albums? Well, yes, without a doubt because the predominantly quiet character has remained but, you already thought where is it, there is more depth in the six tracks and also compositionally Peachey has improved himself considerably. Opener Dark Morality starts very serenely and it is as if the aforementioned Wilson has released a new song, only better. What, better? Yes, the song has a very nice atmosphere and the melody is one that sticks. The wonderful guitar playing is also very beautiful and the solo seems to last forever until a driving rhythm disturbs it somewhat. The distorted vocals that follow are not necessarily beautiful, but they do indicate a kind of alienation that fits the subject of the track. If you call a track The final Time and you know what the album is about, you can almost draw the atmosphere and melancholy. I would like to use the word melancholy anyway to typify the atmosphere of this album. It's not all cheerful, but that's not where the strength of Returned To The Earth lies. The long title track also starts very quietly and the piano only makes way for a fuller sound after a good two minutes. And when the wonderful guitar solo takes over it is pure enjoyment. Now I'm a fan of longer songs because there is often more variety in them, but in this case almost ten minutes might be a bit on the long side because you shouldn't expect twists and turns and it even gets a bit boring. That is also the downside of the music of Returned To The Earth, little excitement and a reasonable degree of predictability. You can almost put a template over the tracks because they all start very quietly and then build up to a melodic guitar solo on a bed of floating keys. The very slow electronic rhythms that we know from Wilson's work are also present and in Meaningless To Worth they form the basis of almost the entire song. Yet it is the oppressive atmosphere that appeals to me and of course we are presented with a tasteful solo. Die For Me is also a longer track and in just over nine minutes the whole recognizable musical pattern passes you by. An almost busy middle section with an electronic rhythm, not all that common for Returned To The Earth, quickly makes way for the recognizable sound of the earlier tracks. Beautiful but also quite repetitive and closing track The Raging Sea follows the same pattern and certainly does not cause a storm as the title suggests. Stalagmite Steeple is a very nice album that mainly relies on the melancholic atmosphere and the wonderful guitar parts. If you are in the right mood then the music on this album is something that makes you calm and relaxed. However, if you like swirling keys, screeching guitars and constantly changing rhythms, then this is not for you. The mentioned reference, early Porcupine Tree, is very striking and if you like that then this album is for you because the performance is very beautiful. Prog without rock, so to speak. ***+ Erik Fraanje (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
