Title: Delusion Rain
Artiste: Mystery
Year 2015
Nationality: Canadian
Familiarity: 75%; I've heard and enjoyed two of their, until now, five albums
Genre: Progressive Rock
6
Expectations: If it follows on from the quality of the previous two albums, it should be really good indeed. Mind you, I've known bands to change lineups, but not
entire lineups! Nobody, other than founder and guitarist/keyboardist Michel St-Pere, remains from the band that recorded 2012's
The World is a Game, although in fairness the band has pretty much consisted of St-Pere and vocalist Benoît David since 2010. Still, to see David go is a wrench; he's best known of course as being the replacement for Jon Anderson in Yes, but recently had to quit that band due to ill health. The album is, as ever, pretty much written entirely by St-Pere, with a new vocalist in place, though whether Jean Pageau is a permanent replacement for David or just another cog in St-Pere's rotating lineup is open to question. I do see that Benoît Dupuis (keys) and François Fournier (bass) return from the lineup that recorded
One Among the Living, so that's something of a relief.
1. Delusion rain: True to progressive rock form, though there are only six tracks here, one is twelve and a half minutes, one is nineteen and a half and this one is ten, so we're not exactly talking about short songs here. An understated opening with somehow a hint of menace in the dark keys of St-Pere gives way to a powerful guitar intro then a very Yes-like vocal harmony backed by simple electric piano. When he takes the vocal on his own though, new boy Jean Pageau, who also takes a stint on keys and, Gabriel-like, tootles on the flute too, sounds like a credible replacement for Benoît David, maintaining the sound I've come to expect from Mystery over the years. The phantom fingerprints of Pink Floyd's “Echoes” can certainly be detected in passages here, and there's some great instrumental work as ever.
2. If you see her: In contrast to the opener, this is a nice little simple love song driven by a delicate twelve-string from Sylvain Moineau and an answering electric from St-Pere. Short by Mystery's standards at a mere six minutes and change, again some very Yeslike vocal harmonies enhancing the song rather than detracting from it.
3. The last glass of wine: Another lovely twelve-string joined by what certainly sounds like violin, but it hardens up quickly on electric guitar and I doubt this will be a ballad, despite being another six-minuter. Like the way they namecheck themselves in the lyric. Very aching and passionate song. Slight edge of “Kashmir” here.
4. The willow tree: This is the big one. Almost twenty minutes long. The album has been great so far, but may stand or fall on this; after all, it's almost a third of the full running time. As expected, there's a long instrumental intro, and it's almost three minutes before Pageau comes in with the smooth vocal, pulling the song along at, initially at first, a gentle, relaxing pace. Seems to be about an old gardener who tends trees but never falls in love, and regrets it as he nears the end of his life. Picking up tempo now in the fifth minute and bringing in some flute from Pageau as it hits a semi-eastern feel with a soaraway solo from St-Pere. Some very Genesis keyboards too and the extended instrumental break lasts well into the ninth minute, but even when it breaks down on soft piano and Pageau comes back in, we have another ten to go. The melody here sounds very familiar, but I can't quite place it. Marillion maybe? I think so. Like many prog rock tracks, this one is extended to its almost silly length by the addition of plenty of long instrumentals, but whereas these can be often technical wankery and showing off, I feel everything here works. Though it is still possibly too long.
5. Wall Street King: Not surprisingly, there's a political/economic theme to this, and it's attended by a mostly angry guitar and a very dark vibe. Lovely guitar and piano ending.
6. A song for you: And one more epic to close. This runs for over twelve minutes, so expect, again, a lengthy instrumental beginning. Sort of a semi-ballad with a lot of emotion in the vocal from Jean Pageau and some fine keyboard work from Michel St-Pere.
Final result: Pretty much as expected, which is excellent. Despite a somewhat fluctuating lineup and a new vocalist, Mystery as ever rides on the direction of Michel St-Pere, who also wrote the six songs here, and as long as he is involved they will survive, and more, produce excellent albums like this one. Another reason why Canada should not be discounted for its progressive rock output (this is the country that gave us Rush, after all!) and why you should listen to Mystery if you like classy, intricate but not overblown prog rock with a real message in the lyrics.
Rating:
