Rain
Singularity

For all of you with a slight interest in space and science fiction I think a singularity is very familiar concept. That is what the band Rain calls its debut album. It is a band with Jon Jowitt and Alan Edwards who played together in great bands like IQ and Frost* and now they have once again banded together along with two other guys to create this singularity. It has been given a really nice and interesting artwork, it has five tracks that are all quite long – hallmarks of the progressive rock genre, but unlike most progressive rock I would actually say that this one is progressive.

The music draws inspiration from many areas, and I would say that it is a bit dreamy, sound fresh yet classic. The tempo is often low and the songs require attention and you might need to listen through the album a few times to let it sink in, it is not an easily accessible album with radio friendly hit songs – it has much more longevity than that, but it requires something from the listener. The songs have depth and there are things to discover, there are some surprises and it is certainly a progressive album that is adventurous in its entirety rather than in some of the instrumental masturbation as is the case with many progressive bands.

I find this album to be quite excellent, a few faster songs wouldn’t have hurt but it still works and while more dynamics probably would have benefitted the album, the lack of it isn’t too detrimental. I like this one, it grows for every time you hear it and as it requires something from the listener it has you thinking, and unlike much stuff I get I think it caters to the more intelligent music fan. If you don’t like the progressive stuff, there is a good chance that you will not like this album – it may seem a little bit inaccessible. But for those willing to give it time and attention, it will be a very enjoyable release.

Singularity is an excellent album with great songs, the best one might be the ending title track, but they are all great. It is adventurous, fresh and novel, exciting, and it offers a few surprises, more or less what you need from an album. It is a singularity and it is great.

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