Lalu – ‘A Mythmaker’s Demise’

(Frontiers Music)

Progressive Rock has always been a bit of a difficult beast for me. I can appreciate the talent involved, the technical ability and the sheer ambition that goes into creating music that refuses to follow the traditional rules of verse, chorus and hook. But appreciation and enjoyment are two very different things, and when it comes to progressive music, I need something else to grab me. I need a commercial edge, a memorable chorus, a melodic hook or simply something that makes me want to come back for another listen. Sadly, A Mythmaker's Demise doesn't provide me with that connection, and after numerous spins I'm still left standing outside looking in.

Lalu are clearly musicians of considerable ability. There is absolutely no question about that. The playing throughout this album is accomplished, intricate and technically impressive, with an obvious attention to detail in the arrangements. Every instrument has a role to play and there is plenty here to demonstrate just how skilled the musicians are. For progressive rock devotees who get excited by complex arrangements, shifting dynamics, instrumental interplay and music that demands concentration from the listener, I suspect this album will have considerably more appeal than it does to me.

Unfortunately, technical proficiency alone doesn't make an album work for me.

My problem with A Mythmaker's Demise is that I simply can't find the emotional or melodic doorway into it. I'm listening carefully, I'm giving it every opportunity, but the songs continually seem to move away from the things I need from music. Rather than pulling me in, they often leave me feeling detached. There are plenty of interesting musical ideas, but they don't translate into the kind of memorable songwriting that I personally look for.

And that's where the commercial edge becomes so important.

I'm not asking progressive rock to become straightforward AOR or melodic rock. Far from it. Some of the best progressive albums manage to combine sophisticated musicianship with hooks that stay lodged in your head. That's the balance that works for me. Give me the complexity, but give me something melodic to hang onto. Give me the technical passages, but make sure there's a chorus or vocal melody waiting around the corner that makes me want to hear it again. Unfortunately, A Mythmaker's Demise feels weighted heavily towards the former and doesn't give me enough of the latter.

The result is an album that I find rather cold.

There is very little here that makes me want to press play simply for pleasure. Instead, it feels like an album I should be studying rather than enjoying. I can recognise the skill, hear the layers and understand why someone who lives and breathes progressive rock might be impressed, but I'm not getting that spark of excitement that turns admiration into genuine enthusiasm.

The instrumental passages are another example of where we probably part company. Instrumental music can be fantastic when it has atmosphere, tension, melody and a clear sense of purpose. Here, however, the absence of vocals and conventional song structures makes it even harder for me to establish an emotional connection. I'm sure there is considerable artistry involved, but artistry doesn't necessarily equal accessibility, and accessibility is something I really need from an album.

Vocally, when the singing is present, it is perfectly competent within the overall progressive framework, but again I'm missing those big, instantly identifiable melodies that would make the vocal performances stand out for me. I'm a sucker for a great vocal hook. Give me a singer who can deliver a chorus that has me singing along after two listens and you've probably got me. Here, I find myself listening to the musicianship rather than the songs.

That distinction is important because I don't think A Mythmaker's Demise is a badly made record. Quite the opposite. It is a very well played, carefully constructed and undoubtedly ambitious piece of progressive rock. My issue is entirely about the connection between the music and the listener, and unfortunately that connection just isn't happening for me.

I suspect this is one of those albums where your opinion will be heavily influenced by your relationship with progressive music. If you're someone who enjoys getting lost in elaborate compositions, dissecting arrangements and appreciating musicianship for its own sake, then Lalu's latest could well prove to be a rewarding experience. There is clearly plenty going on beneath the surface, and I have no doubt that repeated listens will reveal more details and nuances.

For me, though, repeated listens have simply reinforced the feeling that this isn't my kind of progressive rock.

I wanted more melody. I wanted more hooks. I wanted something that would make me forget about analysing what was happening and simply enjoy the music. Instead, A Mythmaker's Demise leaves me admiring the craftsmanship while remaining emotionally unmoved.

That's never an easy thing to say about an album where the musicianship is so obviously strong, but reviews are about personal reactions as much as technical assessment. I'm sure there will be plenty of Prog devotees who completely disagree with me, and quite rightly so. Music is subjective, and what leaves one listener cold can be another listener's musical paradise.

Unfortunately, this particular myth isn't one I can get behind.

3/10

Essential Track – ‘Tears Of The Muse’

Review by Woody