The duo of Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland – otherwise known as Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate – return with another glorious album of powerful, inventive and varied progressive rock of the highest order which brings in so much to the table as always.
A huge thanks to Malcolm for sending me a copy of the CD as he has done with their previous albums. Thank you Malcolm.
Quickly on previous albums – the preceding album to Parallel Lives is the tremendous The Uncertainty Principle. Do check that out as it’s one not to miss.
As is Parallel Lives. There is something of a running theme throughout – not a concept album in the truest sense, rather around coping with challenges and isolation whilst giving hope.
That will become apparent in the lyrics as, for example, Malcolm is dealing with some significant health issues and over the course of the album I feel he’s getting some of it out of his system. If you do buy the album, the booklet notes from Malcolm will give you more detail.
We have eleven tracks, some of which are instrumentals. The instrumentals do not interrupt the flow of the album at all. It is a cohesive listen.
The instrumentals are each different and varied ranging from the chilled out to the funky, jazzy and quirky to full on electronica prog with all sorts of loops and rhythms.
Take for example Never Really Felt Like Home. A haunting, generally ambient affair with Kathryn Thomas coming in with some wonderful woodwind – flute and whatnot. Intermission gives that quirky, funky jazz feel and Pretty Blue Fox gradually builds things up with all sorts of sounds and loops.
As to those with lyrics…..
My Blistering Mind is edgy and fast paced with Malcolm’s urgent, intense vocal punctuated with a rather catchy chorus. Gets across how Malcolm must be feeling.
The Mandatory Prize is another busy one with all manner of drums, electronic sounds, piano and bass all fitting together and nicely paced. Lyrically interesting too based around a Philip K Dick story about somebody who wins a prize in a lottery they didn’t enter. And a prize they’d probably rather not have given what it is.
Smile, Smile Smile comes from another Philip K Dick story in which a famous person becomes unknown. Rapid fire vocals which are almost spoken in parts. Busy drums and all sorts of other noises. Bleak, Intense, compelling.
The title track is a moody, gentle and emotional generally piano based almost ballad with some bass and gentle drums. Emotional, bleak, melancholy and poignant.
There’s feeling of brooding tension with Eversion between the whirl of intensity and changes of pace. Made me think it’s not unlike something Peter Hammill might have come up with for his PH7 album from the ‘70s or indeed and VDGG album.
Just Another Think has a big, flowing, fractured guitar riff and a prog-rap vocal which Malcolm spits out at machine gun speed. It also has catchy chorus and a glorious synth break followed by a superbly constructed guitar solo. The most “non-prog” song on the album yet it is still prog.
The big finish is provided by Just Hold On (Parts 1 and 2). A choral/orchestration simmers for a couple of minutes or so then instruments come in one by one to build things up.
First the sublime, moody guitar then the bass then the drums coming together creating a huge atmosphere. Eventually the vocals begin and delivered in style. More lush guitar, keyboards and synths extend over the marvellous nine minutes or so.
All uplifting and inspiring making the point that it’s never too late. When life does throw up challenges, just holding on is an achievement in itself.
A special song to round off a special album. The more you listen to Parallel Lives, the more it will reward.
Here’s the “sneak peak” video:
Parallel Lives is available of the HOGIA BandCamp page:
https://hatsoffgentlemen.bandcamp.com
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