Frost*
Falling Satellites
InsideOut Music
2016
You have to give it to the Brits, no matter how funked up they appear to be these days, that they were/are a great and influential nation. Due to their size and the widespread use of the language, a great number of influential artists and groups have stemmed out of the British Isles throughout the years.
Frost, stylized as Frost*, are the brainchild of keyboard player and song-writer Jem Godfrey and they have been going on for some years now. “Falling Satellites” is their third album and for this album after a bit of a hiatus of some eight years or so, they consist of guitarist & vocalist John Mitchell (Lonely Robot, It Bites), drummer Craig Blundell (Steven Wilson) & bassist Nathan King (Level 42).
“Falling Satellites” is a fairly interesting album, effortlessly going back and forth from instrumental portions that can either push the technical envelop, but without sacrificing the musicality to pop dittos or more placid passages that build atmosphere. The final 6 songs are part of a 32-minute long suite and it should be noted that none other than guitar legend Joe Satriani (who Godfrey played with on the G3 tour in 2012) also makes an appearance. Musically I’d say it sounds a bit like Marillion jamming with Level 42 and not really giving much of a damn on the “labels” as long as it sounds cool, because you can easily go from a nice prog-pop track like “Numbers” to the very modern and sample heavy “Towerblock” just over a song and it still sounds like “the same band”. This to me is much better than the odd, newer bands that prog snobs like, only because of the odd time signatures that fail to convey any true musicality.
For a band that has had many line-up changes, the ability to keep the focus on the greater picture is quite astounding and “Falling Satellites” manages to flow freely and easily, with many great songs, a task that not every “prog” flavored album can boast. Quite highly recommended.
Frost, stylized as Frost*, are the brainchild of keyboard player and song-writer Jem Godfrey and they have been going on for some years now. “Falling Satellites” is their third album and for this album after a bit of a hiatus of some eight years or so, they consist of guitarist & vocalist John Mitchell (Lonely Robot, It Bites), drummer Craig Blundell (Steven Wilson) & bassist Nathan King (Level 42).
“Falling Satellites” is a fairly interesting album, effortlessly going back and forth from instrumental portions that can either push the technical envelop, but without sacrificing the musicality to pop dittos or more placid passages that build atmosphere. The final 6 songs are part of a 32-minute long suite and it should be noted that none other than guitar legend Joe Satriani (who Godfrey played with on the G3 tour in 2012) also makes an appearance. Musically I’d say it sounds a bit like Marillion jamming with Level 42 and not really giving much of a damn on the “labels” as long as it sounds cool, because you can easily go from a nice prog-pop track like “Numbers” to the very modern and sample heavy “Towerblock” just over a song and it still sounds like “the same band”. This to me is much better than the odd, newer bands that prog snobs like, only because of the odd time signatures that fail to convey any true musicality.
For a band that has had many line-up changes, the ability to keep the focus on the greater picture is quite astounding and “Falling Satellites” manages to flow freely and easily, with many great songs, a task that not every “prog” flavored album can boast. Quite highly recommended.