{"id":7855,"date":"2021-03-05T11:21:40","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T10:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/?p=7855"},"modified":"2024-06-16T15:53:43","modified_gmt":"2024-06-16T13:53:43","slug":"eyesberg-claustrophobia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/cd-recensie\/eyesberg-claustrophobia\/","title":{"rendered":"Eyesberg \u2013 Claustrophobia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Als je deze recensie liever in het Nederlands leest, kun je hier klikken<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Eyesberg is a neo progressive project. The drummer is a big name in the prog world. It is Jimmy Keegan (Seeking Animals and ex-Spock’s Beard). The previous album ‘Masquerade’ received rave reviews.
And now, about five years later, ‘Claustrophobia’ is out. The CD itself features sunflowers, which gives away the concept a bit. This album is about the life of painter Vincent van Gogh. From his youth, until his self-chosen death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The album starts with the title track, to which mysterious sounds are added. Vincent’s mother had a destructive influence on his youth. For example, she asks in Dutch, “Vincent. Are you crazy?”, after which she laughs strangely. The music remains quite calm, even when Malcolm Shuttleworth starts singing. Vocals and music form a good harmony, and there is a good balance between vocal and instrumental parts. There are fine twist and turns in the music. The lyrics give a glimpse into the feelings\/thoughts Vincent might have had. The background vocals form a nice combination with lead vocals. If you don’t listen carefully to the lyrics of ‘Strange Boy’, at first you won’t notice that this is a concept album.
For the whole thing is much more accessible than you might expect.
In a minimalistic, mysterious part, you hear the voice of the mother again. Then, partly due to the way of singing, it becomes clear again that this is a concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vincent seeks his peace outside, preferably in stormy weather. ‘Walking In Storms’ has more pace and volume. There are a number of twists, not only in tempo and volume, but also in instruments. One moment the keys are more in the foreground, the next you hear low, deep basses. The cymbals have a nice clear sound, and the tonal differences of the drums are clearly audible. The drumming is mainly subdued, but it is perfectly dosed. In a cool instrumental piece, there are some short rests.
‘Sacrifice’ describes why Vincent cut off his ear. The psychological problems Vincent had been not reflected in the colour of the vocals and music. The lyrics are the key to that. The sampling provides a surprising, yet fitting ending. Non-stop follows ‘We Want You Out’. People want the psychotic painter to leave Arles, there is a petition and protests. Here I miss some conviction in song and music. The differences between the opinion of the people and the thoughts of Vincent do not come forward enough. At the end the mother talks again about the madhouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The possible thoughts of Vincent are sung in a quiet way in ‘Into The Asylum’. Vocals and music become a little more optimistic. An instrumental part dies away, after which a beautiful but bizarre piece follows. Non-stop and up-tempo it goes on to ‘Final Ride’. Especially here, the lyrics are impressive, because it is about the peace that Vincent will find in death. In another life, the sunflowers will bloom. At the end, the music becomes much slower and quieter. This is a beautiful ending, goosebumps\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lyrics of ‘Claustrophobia’ are not something you just sing along to. They are clearly printed in the booklet, so you can read along. If the artwork had been printed on matt paper\/cardboard, you would have had more of a ‘van Gogh’ atmosphere. That would certainly have increased the experience of Vincent’s life. The concept becomes clear through the lyrics, and somewhat less so through the color of the voice and the atmosphere of the music. Eyesberg’ has made an accessible but detailed album, which has to grow on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(79\/100) (Progressive Promotion Records<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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