ÜÛÛÛÛÛÜ °ÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÜ°ÛÜ °ÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÛÛÛÜÛÛ ÜÛÛ ÜÛÜ ÜÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÜÛÜ ÜÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛßÛÛÛÛ² ßÛÛ ÜÛÛ°ßÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ² ÛÛÛÛÛÛ²ÛÛ ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²°ßÛßÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ² ÛÛÛ² ²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛ ÛÛÜ ÜÛÛ²ÛÛ ²ÛÛÛ²ÛÛ° ²ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ° ÜÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÜÛß° ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ ²ÛÛ°ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ² °ÛÛ ÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛ² °ÛÛ ßÛÛ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛÜ ÛÛ²ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÜ ÛÛ°ÛÛ² ÛÛÛ ßßÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²°ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛ²ÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛ² ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ° ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÜ ²ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛÛ² ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ²ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ²ÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ²ÛÛÜ ÛÛÛ°ÛÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ²°ÛÛÜ ÛÛÛ ²Ûß ²ÛÛÜ ÛÛÛ ÛÛ° ÛÛÛ ÛÛ² ÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ °ÛÛÛß °Ûß ÛÛ° ÛÛ °Ûß °ÛÛÛÜ ß ß ²Ûß ÛÛÛ° °Ûß ÛÛß ÛÛ° ÜÛÛß °ÛÜ ÜÛÛÛß °ÛÛ ° ÛÛ ²° ²° ÛÛ° ²Û° °Ûß ßÛ° °Û² ° ÛÛ ÛÛ Artist: Southern Empire ÛÛ ÛÛ ² Û°° þÛ Album: Civilisation Ûþ °°Û þ Û²ß Û Year: 2018 Û ß²Û ° Û ² Rel. Date: 2019-03-09 ² Û ± ± Genre: Progressive Rock ± ± ÛÜ ° Label: Giant Electric Pea ° ÜÛ ° ÛÜ ° Source: CD ° ÜÛ ° Û² Type: Album ²Û ° ² Û Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo Û ° ² ² Û Û ° ² Ü þ þ ² þ °Û Û° ß Û Sophomore albums often encounter the challenge of Û Û living up to their predecessor, but in some cases Û Û they actually surpass the debut. Such is the case Û Û with Civilisation, Southern Empire’s new album, Û Û and they only needed four songs to do it. Yep, Û Û four songs. No time for pop prog hits here, this Û Û band with a steampunk image has already fired the Û Û warning shots and is ready to deliver the epics. Û Û Sean Timms put Southern Empire together after the Û Û demise of his previous muse from down under, Û Û Unitopia, and he has chosen his players well. Û Û Exciting performances from the band, artful Û Û songwriting & arrangements and impeccable Û Û production make this one of the top releases of Û Û 2018. Û Û Let’s start at the beginning: “Goliath’s Moon” is Û Û a jet-fueled opener, beginning with an old-timey Û Û radio broadcast of “By the light of the silvery Û Û moon” before launching into the Empire’s groove. Û Û This has prog written all over it already. Penned Û Û by guitarist extraordinaire Cam Blokland and Û Û aforementioned grand wizard Sean Timms, this Û Û rocker is a choice way to begin our journey. Û Û Singer Danny Lopresto wastes no time in Û Û establishing his vocal prowess, bringing us along Û Û with him. Unfortunately, the celestial theme Û Û doesn’t really develop much of a plot through its Û Û lyrics and chooses to repeat the same verse twice, Û Û so we don’t get to journey with the storyline in Û Û the same way that the music transports us. Û Û However, a beautiful middle section features Û Û three-part support vocals from Cam and drummer Û Û Brody Green which shows that the band can deliver Û Û vocally as well as instrumentally. As the song Û Û progresses, Brody becomes more and more pronounced Û Û on the drum kit until the ending flurry of hits Û Û leaves the listener breathless. The shortest track Û Û on the album at a very rewarding and exhilarating Û Û nine minutes, “Goliath’s Moon” returns us to earth Û Û primed for much more to come. Û Û “Cries for the Lonely” is next on deck, and we Û Û are more than ready for this epic which serves up Û Û pure symphonic bliss. Sean Timms’ songwriting Û Û shines forth, along with solid input from Brody Û Û and again from Cam, and is superbly supported with Û Û instrumentation and arrangement ideas from the Û Û entire band and some very choice guests. It’s Û Û always a treat to hear prog so ably delivered in Û Û the vocal department, and in Southern Empire not Û Û only does lead singer Danny have the chops, but Û Û the backup vocals from the band are solid and Û Û powerful. Blistering lead guitar lines from Cam Û Û are traded with equally impressive violin soloing Û Û from Steve Unruh. Brody Green is particularly on Û Û fire on the drum kit, this time from the get-go. Û Û The tight runs with bassist Jez Martin are Û Û delightful. Sean’s playing on the keyboards and Û Û piano – as well as arrangement ideas with other Û Û instruments such as flute – cannot be understated Û Û in their importance to holding it all together Û Û with such grace and grandeur. After a fine guitar Û Û duo section from Cam and singer Danny, who also Û Û contributes his guitar playing throughout the Û Û album, the song finally fades out to an extended Û Û guitar solo where Cam proves (again) that he is a Û Û true guitar hero. Simply put, these nineteen Û Û minutes have just about everything that a fan of Û Û symphonic progressive rock could hope for. Û Û Let’s jump next to the fourth song on the album, Û Û “Innocence & Fortune”. This would have made a Û Û perfect followup to “Cries for the Lonely”, which Û Û would give the listener a well-paced segue before Û Û the final mega-epic “The Crossroads”. This Û Û tracking issue is one of the very few minor Û Û complaints on the entire album, one that could Û Û easily be refined. “Innocence & Fortune” is a Û Û lovely ten minute piece with a lush opening, Û Û gentle acoustic passages, lilting flute solos, Û Û delightful piano playing from Sean and highlighted Û Û by Cam’s guitar soloing. Sean knows how to write Û Û anthemic choruses, and this song features a doozy, Û Û passionately delivered by Lopresto. Violinist Û Û Steve Unruh also receives co-writing credits for Û Û many of the melodies and some of the lyrics. Û Û Despite all of these superlatives (or perhaps Û Û because of them), when the band literally reaches Û Û the final chord, it feels like an anticlimactic Û Û way to end this remarkable album, which is another Û Û reason it would be best to fade it right into the Û Û tribal drums which open up… Û Û “The Crossroads”… Even given the indulgences of Û Û the progressive rock world, few “epics” dare to Û Û venture towards the half-hour mark. But this one Û Û does, and does it quite successfully. With the Û Û core band members firing on all cylinders, Û Û supplemented by guests on saxophone, flute and Û Û violin, “The Crossroads” is ready to travel the Û Û globe with exotic instrumentation and musical Û Û scales. Cam branches out with classical and Û Û flamenco runs. Flugelhorn, frame drums and hand Û Û percussion, jazzy saxophone interludes, gypsy Û Û music, middle eastern rhythms, it’s all here. We Û Û touch in on about a dozen different musical styles Û Û and movements. Unruh and Blokland trading violin Û Û and guitar solos as they are supported by the Û Û whole band is a wonder to behold. Jez and Brody Û Û hold everything down tightly as always, perfectly Û Û complimenting the dizzying melodies on top. Û Û Still…is it a bit much? Some of the sections last Û Û less than a minute and, while always intriguing, Û Û may not all truly be necessary to serve the song. Û Û Nevertheless, it’s an engaging journey around the Û Û world and the excellent arrangement and mixing Û Û skills help keep everything together; in lesser Û Û hands this could be a jumbled mess. Again, Û Û powerful choruses are featured throughout this Û Û epic, giving Lopresto plenty of room to shine, and Û Û culminating with one of the most triumphant Û Û finales one could hope for. A half hour later, we Û Û are left fulfilled and flying high. Û Û It should be mentioned that “The Crossroads” was Û Û initially slated for a Unitopia album that never Û Û saw the light of day, and was co-written by that Û Û band’s singer Mark Trueack (who recorded his own Û Û version a couple of years ago with his band UPF). Û Û His presence remains on Southern Empire’s re-write Û Û of the song, though they have now extended the Û Û original epic by a good ten minutes with several Û Û new sections. Û Û All in all, Civilisation is a remarkable modern Û Û prog classic which makes its mark at first listen Û Û and then continues to mature with each additional Û Û visit. Sean and his band should be extremely proud Û Û with this achievement and one can only hope that Û Û they will be able to travel the world often from Û Û their home in Australia. Indeed, a European tour Û Û is already slated towards the end of the year. An Û Û Empire has been created from the land which was Û Û once called Unitopia Û Û Û Û Danny Lopresto / lead & backing vocals, electric & Û Û acoustic guitars Û Û Cam Blokland / electric & acoustic guitars, Û Û mandolin, backing vocals Û Û Sean Timms / keyboards, electric & lap steel Û Û guitars, percussion, backing vocals Û Û Jez Martin / bass, flugelhorn, backing vocals Û Û Brody Green / drums, percussion, backing voca Û Û + Û Û Steve Unruh / violin, flute Û Û Marek Arnold / soprano sax Û Û James Capatch / tenor & soprano saxes, flute Û ² ² ± ± ° 1. Goliath's Moon 9:11 ° ° 2. Cries for the Lonely 19:12 ° ° 3. Crossroads 29:14 ° ° 4. 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