I’d like to think I’m a dude who has a pretty good track on rock-music in general and knows a thing or two about what’s going on. I know who Phil Collins is, for example. Everybody knows who Phil Collins is. I know he used be a progressive drummer in Genesis and I know he spent the 80’s recording dull, mainstream ballads for mainstream radio. I knew he has kids. What I didn’t know was that one of his kids, this guy Simon, is a rock musician who makes records. I have tendency to forget to read press-releases so when I gave this record a listen, I had no clue who Simon Collins was or why Frontiers had signed him – because musically, this is not exactly what you’s expect from that company. So, I had to find out who the guy was so I read the press release. Phil Collins’ son, huh. I’ll be damned. I feel like an idiot…
What I have learned since finding this out is the following: Collins has released three solo albums prior to this one – All Of Who You Are (1999), Time For Truth (2005) and U-Catastrophe (2008). This means that it’s a good twelve years since Collins last released an album under his own name. In 2012 he released the Genesis Revisited II with Steve Hackett and in 2013 the album Dimensionaut with the Sound Of Contact project where he contributed drums and lead vocals. Yes, Simon Collins is a drummer, just like dad. Of course. And now he’s back with a brand new record and the best thing with me not knowing who he was beforehand is that I had no expectations whatsoever. In my mind, Collins was just another dude releasing a record. So here’s my thoughts.
A dark and atmospheric intro called “Into The Fray” opens up the album, built on synthesizers and percussion and it paves way for the first real track, the album’s title-track and leading single. The tune comes in a mid-pace to slow tempo, created around a big keyboard soundscape. With lots of synths and electronic sounds, the tune is quite spacey and futuristic and at times, I think of Ayreon. It’s a progressive track for sure but it also holds a straight-forward vocal-melody. It’s dark yet uplifting and even though it’s a Rock track, it’s built around electronics rather than guitars even though they’re around. It also comes with an astounding chorus. I know I said I didn’t have any expectations but I feel dumbfounded – I didn’t expect this at all. But I like it. In fact, I think it’s great track.
Released as an official audio, “The Universe Inside Of Me” continues where its predecessor finished – at first. As it goes along, the song takes a faster pace and a bouncier rhythm, still with the synthesizers up front albeit with the guitars a bit higher in the mix and a heavier outlook. It’s a progressive piece with a prominent main-melody and a spacey, electronic passage for dynamic’s sake and an all but radio-flirtatious yet very direct refrain that really hits home right off the bat. Very good indeed. On a heavy and punchy note, “Man Made Man” takes on a rhythmic groove and a stompy beat. It’s ambient but also very direct and spot-on and the synthesizers are still at frontline in the mix. The verses’ vocal-melody is really smooth but the effective and striking chorus is right up in your face. Good stuff.
“This Is The Time” brings on some laid-back verses on a solid beat where the vocal melody again reminds me of something that Arjen Lucassen could have written. The track gives us a dramatic and cinematic soundscape and a dream-like arrangement but also straight ahead melodies and some juicy hooks. The chorus is distinct, proggy rhythm-grooves and a sing-along-friendly yet never aiming for airplay chorus. Brilliant track. “Thoughts Become Matter” kicks off with some upbeat and punchy drumming and a direct and rock steady outlook. The tempo goes down for the verses, which comes with a vocal melody reminiscent of A Perfect Circle – at least their latest record – and a dramatic undertone. It’s more of a bang-on-target track than its predecessors and the chorus holds an instant catchiness and a contagious vocal-melody. Love it.
“I Will Be Waiting” opens with a spacey, synth-laden intro and continues with a slow and held-back verse, stripped but also grandiose in a plethora of synth-strings. The song gets bouncier and more upbeat, carried by an intense and tough drum-beat. It gets dark, heavy and progressive in a spacey soundscape with lots of electronic sound-effects when the gritty guitars blends in with the big keyboard-sound. On top lies a memorable vocal-hook which makes the chorus stick. Good one. “No Love” is an uptempo piece with an almost danceable rhythm. On a straight-forward beat with an accessible and easy-listnened, pop-laden main-melody, it’s almost like the song breaks new ground here. The guitars lies in perfect symbiosis with the wide keyboard soundscape and the chorus is massive and catches on in no time – very catchy and even hitty at times. A future single, maybe?
Another official audio, “Living In Silence” brings us a catchy riff, a meaty rhythm and an upbeat pace with a stellar groove. On a laid-back note, the verse is sparse and intimate yet crafty and strong and brings us along to a more upbeat chorus that holds more pop-laden and memorable vocal arrangements which in turn gives the song a very catchy outlook. It’s built on keyboards and electronica more than guitars, which matters little as the song is brilliant and to my ears, a hit. He should have made a proper video for this one. Great. The mid-paced “40 Years” is sullen, melancholic and laid-back yet uplifting and positive. The melodies are all smooth yet not commercial laden and the refrain holds a big chunk of catchiness but I wouldn’t call it hit-friendly at all. What is is a great song with lots of feel and intensity.
Speaking of breaking new ground, “So Real”, albeit built on electronica, feels like a Melodic Rock stomper, upbeat and risen on a pop-ground. It holds a smooth melody-arrangement and a mastodon chorus, all catchy and poppy albeit on a slight saturnine outlook. A fantastic tune. Closer “Dead End”, is a massive, 9-minute epic number which begins with a dark, spacey and cold intro of electronic sounds. A taciturn and laid-back piano joins in before the big chorus comes in – punchy, heavy, somewhat industrial and not only is the chorus monumental where the melodies of Ayreon and A Perfect Circle meets, it’s also followed by the contrasts of a slow, earthy passage with piano, strings and saxophone before the song heavies up again. It’s moody, ambient and grandiose on a progressive soundscape but not hard to get into one bit. It just might be my favorite song off the album.
Oh my! I know I said that I had no expectations for this record but… Well, I hadn’t expected this. For folks raving on about Frontiers needing to crawl out of their comfort zone and safe-box, well, here you go. Musically, it’s not Metal, not Hard Rock, not Pop and at the same time, it’s all of the above – and it’s progressive. It’s also a brilliant record. Unpredictable, ground-breaking and original. It’s driven by electronica. Lots and lots of synthesizers. And drums, of course. Simon is after all a drummer – and a damn good one. Sure, we get bass and guitars, but not as main-instruments, something that’s new to me. It has a mechanical feel to it, but it’s also alive and organic and without being the least commercial, it’s a lot more easy-listened than it might look from this review. Lyrically, it’s a deep, soul-searching and revealing album – both dark and uplifting. It’s very hard to categorize so I’ll just call this a Rock album, plain and simple. I will also call it great.
8/10
Tracklist:
1. Into The Fray
2. Becoming Human
3. The Universe Inside Of Me
4. Man Made Man
5. This Is The Time
6. Thoughts Become Matter
7. I Will Be Waiting
8. No Love
9. Living In Silence
10. 40 Years
11. So Real
12. Dead Ends
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