The Confidence Trick is the sixth album from the always excellent Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate.
Generally described as progressive rock – though there’s so much going on with a Hats Off album I defy anyone to label them and that’s a good thing – there are elements of any musical genre you’d care to name.
As with a Hats Off album there’s a running central theme to proceedings. This time it’s based around cognitive errors, particularly overconfidence, and our repeated failure to learn from history.
If you might not have heard of the band before – comprises of Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland aided by Kathryn Thomas who pops up on flute and backing vocals.
Here on the Confidence Trick we have around seventy minutes of an eclectic mixture of thought-provoking lyrics, songs which range from bleakly start and minimalist to straight up prog and everything in between.
Sprinkled in are some instrumentals – including the centrepiece of the majestic instrumental Refuge, which is inspired by Malcolm’s great-grandmother’s escape from the Nazi holocaust. After a quiet start it expands in to intense twisting and turning symphonic progressive rock of immense standards. A breath taking listen.
Silence is a Statement is an interesting opener. Melodic, electronic, washes of guitar and a thumping bass line with a powerful vocal delivery.
Back Where I started gives Karthryn Thomas a place to shine – and so she does. Her magical, atmospheric flute combining with then keys and some chunky guitar. She also features prominently on End of the Line.
Perky Pat is a progged-up instrumental with some fine synth work going on. Interlude and Lava Lamprey are another couple of instrumentals with the guitar and drums on Interlude making for a fine listen.
The title track is sublime with stark lyrics around repeated the mistakes of the past instead of learning from the past.
The Confidence Trick is overall a stunning album of so many different styles with thoughtful, deep lyrics exploring a tricky subject matter. As with other Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate albums it’s all done with consummate skill and an album which draws you in deeper and rewards the ears more with each listen.
To whet your appetite, have a listen to Silence is a Statement:
There’s certainly nothing adequate here……..perhaps they should rename themselves Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Rather Jolly Good…..!
Go to their BandCamp page and pick up the CD or if you prefer the digital version:
https://hatsoffgentlemen.bandcamp.com/album/the-confidence-trick
My thanks for Malcolm Galloway for sending a review copy of the CD.
And check out my reviews of a couple of their previous albums:
Hats off Gentlemen it’s Adequate: Nostalgia for Infinity Review