MAGIC PIE: Circus Of Life (PROGRESSIVE ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Two years after "Motions Of Desire", whose brilliance revealed the birth of a promising band and aroused the curiosity and interest of music critics, the Finnish band "Magic Pie" comes back and delivers us a second opus, entitled "Circus Of Life".

The richness of this universe of endless charms is multiple. They are essentially found through the unification of different tendencies. So, according to the seven tracks of this album, we are alternately plunged in an atmosphere sometimes "seventies", sometimes "modern", sometimes "hard-rock" and "melodic metal", sometimes "harmonious pop" and "neo-progressive". The synthesis is magical, perfectly interpreted, with a really surprising talent and leads to a sound whirlwind of sumptuous rainbow colours.

The light of this album also shines through the brilliance of its voices which solemnly haunt its universe. "Magic Pie" succeeds where many bands fail, that is to say, in merging high quality instrumental experimentation with vocal parts of bewitching emotional intensity. One of the great strengths of this band is that it has three perfectly complementary lead vocals that superimpose themselves wonderfully, further amplifying the diversity that emerges from its musical purpose.

The splendour of this work also shines through in the excellence of its titles. Also, after a welcome to the acoustic tones, we are possessed by an instrumental track that highlights the crossing of an inspired organ with the more sustained rhythm of an aggressive guitar. The sequence of these two initial tracks seems to be a metaphor for the magical and peaceful moments of our childhood until the first abrupt separations our soul was confronted with. This alternation deliberately awakens our perceptions in order to better welcome the softness of the next track, "What If". The voices of this bewitching ballad, mixing the "Chicago" of its beginnings with the slows of "hard-rock", marry a guitar with subtle "Wilsonian" tunes, then follow one another and come together to form a whole of a divinely harmonious melancholy. "Trick Of The Mind" is presented as a powerful piece of progressive rock in four acts, a marriage between "The Flower Kings" and "Dream Theater", and within which we go through all states of mind; room for variations, grandiloquent refrains, diversity, creativity: Epic! The last two tracks, " Pointless Masquerade ", reminiscent of " Spock's Beard ", and " Watching The Waters ", based on the keyboards of its designer Gilbert Marshall and overwhelmed by a very seventies harmonica, prolong this moment of intense happiness.

"Circus Of Life" is thus a masterful work, flirting with the brilliant, the sublime and the bewitching. With this high artistic testimony, "Magic Pie" confirms all the excellence of his multi-faceted talent and delivers us a magical album which, like "Fear Of A Blank Planet" from "Porcupine Tree", is one of the major releases of 2007 and represents a sure value brought to join the great classics. - Official website

MAGIC PIE

CIRCUS OF LIFE

PROGRESS RECORDS

PROGRESSIVE ROCK