The total list of reviews to date, we've not just selected the good ones...
Progress
Report - USA
Babyblaue - Germany
Hairless Heart Herald - UK
New Horizons - UK
Progressor - Uzbekistan
CD Services - UK
A
fan's viewpoint - from Colombia
Jurriaan Hage - Holland
Classic Rock Society, UK
The Dutch Progressive Rock Page
MTM, Sweden
Prog Reviews - Sweden
Koid '9 - France
Stargazer - Italy
Expose - USA
Harmonie - France
Eclectic Earwig - USA
The Organ - UK
Two unidentifiable German reviews - erm, Germany
Feedback - UK
Background - Holland
Ghostland - USA
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May 2nd - 'Progress Report', USA
Thieves' Kitchen - 'Argot'
There are not very many bands who could put out a full length CD with just four songs, but here we go again. Thieves' Kitchen made their presence known with 'Head' last year and now they hit us with 'Argot'. I'm not a big fan of mostly instrumental CD's, as they tend to overplay a lot and go nowhere. This is not the case here. Thieves' Kitchen have raised the mark.
This has elements of King Crimson, their best stuff. The new bass player is amazing, he fits in so well with the band. This is hands down the best CD of its kind. Back to the Crimson reference: I put on some King Crimson after listening to Argot, and I had to go back to this CD. 'John Doe Number One' is Emerson, Crimson and Giant, plus killer guitar - this guy gets better and better, and must be listed as one of the best guitarists around.
'Escape' has some great piano work and more stunning bass and drums, you'd swear these two were playing together for years. Add some Vincent Crane organ and some John McLaughlin riffs and you have another winner.
'Proximity'. More groundbreaking music that harkens back to the masters, and at the same time takes you to new places. Just good music. The last track, 'Call To Whoever', is a fitting last song. It's a teaser, a song that leaves you wanting more, and lets you know that you've been someplace new, someplace you want to go again SOON.
If there is a better band doing this type of music, I have yet to hear them.
Dave Haslam
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May 13th - 'Babyblaue' in Germany
A year
after their debut album ‘Head’, TK are stoking it up once more. And again we
have a tasty menu from the kitchen of thieves. First of all, a change of
personnel should be noted - for personal reasons, Paul Beecham has passed his
bass duties to the very young Andy Bonham (I can however tell you that he deals
with this supremely well), but Paul stays close to the band and also contributes
a few oboe parts on ‘Argot’.
By the
way, ‘Argot’ means a secret language of thieves. Therefore the lyrics in the
booklet are not to be found in the original tongue, but are translated into
strange languages (well, not strange, but ones I don’t understand …) like
Arabic, Swedish or Russian.
Musically one already feels at home after a few bars. It is amazing how TK have managed to find a completely typical, very identifiable sound after only two albums. And this is meant as a compliment, because the band don’t just copy their first album with ‘Argot’ - on the contrary, their sound has matured, and this results in the development of a distinct musical language (argot?). Compared to ‘Head’, the songs are even more complex and uncompromising - one odd time signature follows the next, melody lines tightly entwined between guitar and keyboards wind around every corner, harmony progressions and themes are constantly picked up and continued in several variations. But in doing so, TK never lose their footing, and don’t use weird chords for the sake of it.
In
addition, we have Mark Robotham playing e-drums distinctly and tightly, Simon
Boys’ powerful vocals, Paul Beecham’s acoustic oboe parts and Phil Mercy’s
fresh guitar and breakneck solos. A lot has also happened in the keyboard
department since ‘Head’, on which some of the patches sounded a bit too
plastic. The sounds are now more diverse (some electric piano, some brass and
woodwind sounds, strings, piano, organ and typical synth sounds) and more
natural, although the occasional one, especially in the area of brass or
woodwind emulation, sounds too much artificial for my personal tastes.
Maybe
the songs have lost some of the instant impact due to the increased
mischievousness and complexity, but there is even more to be discovered on
listening again - especially in the opener, where an irresistible whirl of
complex lines develop for the well-disposed listener, almost hypnotically. And
despite all the complexity, the band now manages even more effectively to
introduce different worlds of sound, for example the floating part in
‘Proximity’ with soft silent vocals combined with an active guitar riff, or
the hymn-like bits in ‘Call To Whoever’.
So, ‘Argot’ turns out to be an excellent album and consequently confirms the trend that the prog year 2001 will be more pleasant for me than the last one. If you like complex stuff, but you find the eclectic avant-prog of the RIO-genre too weird and unapproachable, you should give ‘Argot’ a listen at all costs. And if you liked ‘Head’, I can recommend ‘Argot’ without hesitation.
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May 15th - 'Hairless Heart Herald', UK
Though not dated in any way, these guys sound as if they have been going since the 70's, such is the quality of this work. The CD contains just four tracks
totaling some 64 minutes and each track goes remarkably quickly to this listener's ears. This is the best new British, dare I say English plus a dash of German, band I have heard in a long while. Here, the label 'neo-prog' does not apply. They are out and out prog in the traditional sense. Well done chaps!
I contacted the band after learning that they composed purely using MIDI, to ask whether any conflicts arose using this method. Phil Mercy (guitar/backing vocals) explained the process in more depth.
Phil Mercy: 'The way it tends to work is this: there are three main musical composers at present, namely Wolfgang, Paul Beecham and myself. Any one of us may start off with an idea. We will usually run with the idea as individuals until we've got as far in developing it as is possible on our own, then we email it on to one of the others. This allows us to put as little or as much into the creation of a single song as we wish to.
Once passed on, the others have as much leeway as they wish to play with the ideas in the track. If the originator really doesn't like the direction it's being taken in, then he can say so, but in practice that hasn't tended to happen yet. I guess that's a measure of how much we all admire each others' styles!
Currently I'm being used as the main arranger, so the track will eventually make its way to me and I'll rearrange it, smooth it out, and add or delete as appropriate to create a finished piece for review. This sounds as if it puts my name in the frame as the one having the 'final say', but in fact it was a natural thing as Paul and Wolfgang tend to write parts and embellish them rather than compose finished pieces.
Once I've done my thing, the file does the rounds again to make sure everyone's happy with arrangement, instrumentation, etc. We do sometimes get together two at a time in the same room, but this is not always the case. This has resulted in some of the best ideas, though, because the original ideas are a combination of inputs. 'Escape' from 'Argot' was much like that, with the vocal section coming out of one such session. The middle part in 'Proximity' was largely worked out with Wolfgang in another memorable session. At the other end of the scale, 'John Doe' was pretty much all mine - developed over
several months, maybe because I'd become too close to it to pass it over!
'Call To Whoever' was originally in two parts; the first was a file from Wolfgang with themes and snippets, put into a completely different context and then added to by myself. The second part was a reworking of a song I'd written with Simon earlier, which we adapted to fit. When a file is complete Simon tends to work on the lyrics, although both Mark and I have written some too. Simon, Mark and Andy also tend to add to the process mostly in production ideas or through their playing. This is why all the writing credits state 'TK' rather than individuals.
Phew, a long answer, sorry, but it was an educated question because I could imagine there being conflicts too. It seems to work for us because we all respect each other and give each other the space to develop something until we're happy - that way, we're never frustrated. Fingers crossed that it always remains that way!'
Maybe other bands should try it. This album is proof that it works.
Jem Jedrzejewski
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May 20th - 'New Horizons', U.K.
Tracklist: John Doe Number One (20.22); Escape (13.36); Proximity (12.58); Call To Whoever (17.41)
Soon after the release of Thieves' Kitchen's first album 'Head', founder member and bassist Paul Beecham decided that, due to family commitments, he would not be able to remain within the band - although he appears, playing oboe, on some of the tracks of 'Argot'.
Hence, the line-up on this album is new boy Andy Bonham (bass, fretless bass) alongside Simon Boys (vocals), Wolfgang Kindl (keyboards, b/vocals), Phil Mercy (guitars, b/vocals) and Mark Robotham (drums).
The music on 'Argot' continues in the same vein as that on 'Head', yet here it is richer and more intricate with a more jazz fusion feel. This is due somewhat to Wolfgang's inclusion in the writing process - he joined the band after the music for the previous album had been composed.
All of the music on 'Argot' has been written in the fourteen months since the release of its predecessor and therefore utilises the strengths of each member of the band - and they are all excellent musicians who complement each other perfectly.
A simple, yet ominous, piano phrase starts 'John Doe Number One', and alternates with the contrasting heavy instrumentation that leads up to the initial vocals. From here on in the composition evolves; the complex, interwoven musical tapestry is bright with pure clear sounds and each of the fine musicians contributes fully to the overall sound.
A fabulous organ sound introduces 'Escape' a faster moving piece with jazzier overtones which slows towards the end. While 'Proximity', the shortest track at just under thirteen minutes, moves through so many moods that you've got to hear it to believe it! Yet, bizarrely, this is the nearest to a pop feel that the band have ever got.
Lastly, 'Call To Whoever' combines a smoothly flowing instrumental backing track, some nice vocal harmonies and touches of quirkiness to create a fabulous lush composition that's a joy to listen to.
I must be honest and say that 'Argot' is not an immediately accessible album; in fact, the first time I played it I said simply, "I don't like it!". But after a couple more times through, with it playing surreptitiously in the background, it was beginning to grow on me; my interest was piqued and I was on the way to becoming hooked...
Some of the music from 'Argot' is available as MP3 files to download from the band's website and it'll be worth your time to give them a listen. This is an excellent album that is well worth persevering with ... you'll be glad that you learned the 'Argot'!
Marisa 20th May, 2001
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May 15th - 'Progessor' - Uzbekistan
Thieves'
Kitchen (UK) - 2001 - "Argot" ******
(66 min, Thieves' Kitchen)
John Doe Number One 20:22
Escape13:36
Proximity12:58
Call To Whoever 17:41
All material written & produced by Thieves' Kitchen.
Recorded, engineered & mixed by Phil Mercy at "High Street"
studios, England: January - March 2001.
Line-up:
Mark Robotham - drums
Phil Mercy - electric & acoustic guitars
Simon Boys - lead vocals
Wolfgang Kindl - keyboards, backing vocals
Andy Bonham (newcomer) - bass
With:
Paul Beecham - oboe
Prologue
I've just finished reviewing Clear Blue Sky's and Tantalus' (both are UK bands) latest albums, as well as an article on their label "Hi-Note", located (of course!) in England, too. So it seems now's the time to think seriously once again of the renaissance of British Progressive Music, whose source originates precisely from the threshold of the new millennium. Being a dweller on the threshold of the new millennium too, I must ask myself (regarding this powerful rise of the UK's serious Prog) - is it a sign?
Because Thieves' Kitchen - with their two strong albums (composed, performed, recorded and released prolifically, just as it was in those good, old'n'gold 1970s) - are undoubtedly under the same banner of this reincarnation of British profound Progressive, together with those (so far just a few) Hi-Note performers whose music I've heard.
The Album
So, "Argot" is the second Thieves' Kitchen album (the first one was released about a year ago), and now I just want to leap straight into summarising the review (as I've always done before).
Well, all in all, it doesn't matter, so … well, whilst the band's debut album "Head" with its five and a half rating stars is, in my view, almost a masterpiece, "Argot" is not just a step forward: this is a real masterpiece whose appearance on the British and International Progressive scenes I regard as a very important event that confirms that a 'profound' Progressive movement in the UK still lives.
Consisting of only four tracks, two of which are the so called 'side long' pieces, Thieves' Kitchen's "Argot" actually contains no less than 40 (and quite diverse, by the way) songs that most of the Neo bands would be happy to include in their '4 future albums'.
It's wonderful to know that these young Thieves don't steal anything from anyone. On the contrary, they have been able to create their own, distinctly original style even from their debut album.
"Argot" has a firm, clear Thieves' Kitchen's sound, yet no theme here will remind you of "Head". Usually, such a categorically different approach to creating (composing, performing and producing) any new material was a 'privilege of the Gods' and other truly major names of Rock Music. So it is really pleasant to hear how wise (at least musically) these relatively very young musicians are in working in such a masterly fashion so near to the beginning of their (hopefully, long and fruitful) musical career.
I won't
describe any track on "Argot" since you already have an idea of my
opinion on this album. I'll just add that each of the four tracks
featured is a pure masterpiece, even taken separately. The few episodes with
oboe passages, involved always in wonderful joint instrumental arrangements in the
best (just beautiful!) way, add new, very tasteful, refined and rich colours to
an overall musical palette on "Argot".
Summary
While the
band's own description of the style they work in (if briefly) is a mix of
Classic Progressive and Fusion, I find in Thieves' Kitchen's music just as many
elements of real Progressive Metal as
(simply) fusion-like guitar solos. The origins of the strong and diverse guitar
riffs Phil demonstrates from time to time (yet throughout the album) are
obvious, whereas the factual roots of his intricate,
virtuoso and original (clearly) pseudo fusion solos won't be as clear as in the
previous one for many 'traditional' (classic) Prog-lovers. It is because Phil is
one of maybe just a few guitarists who can compose (according to the laws of
Classical Harmony, not of jazz) solos that always sound like amazing
improvisations.
So this
unique band's music blends together all the three 'chief' genres of Progressive
Rock: Classic Art Rock (or Symphonic Progressive, if you wish), Prog Metal, and
Jazz Fusion
(in the progressive, not jazzy, sense of the second word) - in other words a
blend or mixture of jazz with other Progressive genres).
Also, recalling Mark's old band, I sincerely congratulate him on the right choice he made in kicking off, like some old socks, those Neo wannabees Grey Lady Down and forming (at least joining, it doesn't matter which) such a wonderful, truly Progressive unit as Thieves' Kitchen.
This band is
now able to not only seriously kick the asses of some of the wannabees, but can
go on to become one of the leading British Prog-acts of the new millennium.
Vitaly Menschikov
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May 28th - CD Services (Scotland)
THIEVES' KITCHEN: Argot
The bit you might find has a bearing on whether you consider buying this album right at the outset is the fact that there are only four tracks on it, and they last 20, 13, 12 and 17 minutes respectively.
Got that? LL-OO-NN-GG TRACKS, OK!!!!
Add that the first sounds you hear on the album as lead instruments are piano and mellotron, and there's a distinct
probability that by now you are reading this with ever more eager anticipation.
If I tell you that the band have pulled off a similar masterstroke to that which
Spock's Beard achieved with their third album compared to the first two, would you believe me? Well, you'd be nearly spot on if you did.
Now you'll note I said 'nearly' - well, instrumentally it's got the lot - Emerson style organ, synths, mellotrons, stinging guitar leads, complex rhythms, a sound that sounds like way more than 'the kitchen sink' went into it and
arrangements/production that puts prog into a wholly modern dimension without sacrificing the feel, heart, warmth and atmosphere of the past giants of the genre.
So to the clincher - follow me on this - if Porcupine Tree are Pink Floyd, Flower Kings are Genesis and
Spock's Beard are a sort of Yes, this lot are....Gentle Giant. (Don't turn off - read on....)
Actually there's way more to this album than that might imply but the vocalist has that unmistakable sound to his singing that wreaks of the GG combo. But the playing, and there are, as I said, lengthy stretches of that, is every prog-lover's dream (well, a lot anyway), and this, to me, is every bit as good as the aforementioned bands' 'leap into maturity' albums, and so much better than their first album, you'd think it was a different band.
In short - incredible, just flamin' incredible. You have to get this album.
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A fan's viewpoint - from Mario Mejia in Colombia...
I finally got 'Argot' a week ago, and I've been listening to it carefully, what can I say... CONGRATULATIONS...
'Head' was a
good prog CD, this is a contemporary classic.... on 'Head', you had nice ideas,
good music but some parts were not as good as others..... talking about 'Head's
sound mix, even though it
sounded OK , the drums IMHO did not sound loud enough,
and some boomy bass gave me a headache....
Guess what, with 'Argot' you managed to fix those problems, and along with an
inspirational compositional spirit and breathtaking music interplay you hit the
soul of the new wave of prog music.... it's just so original... the music is
incredibly tight, and the marriage between melody and complexity is really
inspirational!!!
Do you remember
I gave you my opinion about Simon's vocals? I apologise, now he proved he
has a wonderful voice... !!!!
God, how can you play that weird? I mean, I'm not a musician, but I can
recognise very complex music, stop, go, stop, go, don't you ever get tired? The rhythm
section is wonderful.... and the guitar and
keys are overwhelming!!!
I like all the 4 songs, with 4 being my favourite, then 1, then 2, and finally
3. What more can I say? 4.5/5, is that enough?
Take care and say Hi to the guys!!!
Your Colombian fan,
Mario Mejia
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June 7th
Thieves'
Kitchen: Argot (2001; self produced TKCD002) 64m
Line up:
Andy Bonham - bass
Simon Boys - vocals
Wolfgang Kindl - keyboards, backing vocals
Phil Mercy - guitars, backing vocals
Mark Robotham - electric drums
Paul Beecham -
woodwind
Tracks:
1) John Doe Number One 20.22
2) Escape 13.36
3) Proximity 12.58
4) Call To Whoever 17.41
Summary of history:
The boys from the UK are back, with an album featuring four mile-long tracks.
The album:
We open directly with the longest track. At first I think I am listening to
No. 6 by Present, if we forget about the droning rhythm guitars for a minute.
This is a top-notch opening with plenty of dark driving drama and some menacing
piano playing to boot. Think Anekdoten, think Anglagard (yes, plenty of
mellotron), but more up-beat. The lyrics to the four tracks are in Swedish,
Polish, Arabic and Russian respectively, but do not be afraid: they are still
sung in English.
In comparison with their previous disc this is a giant leap forward, with for instance, the melodic guitar part around the four minute mark. As on their debut, the band is not out to compromise (as the drummer I think once told me) and wish to produce something in the U.K. that is not neo-prog - but this time they also succeed in writing songs that stick, that captivate and that take the listener by the lapels, shaking him up thoroughly.
All members
have a hand in this: the vocalist does not sing very melodically, but in his
louder moments he conveys fear, anxiety and all those not so positive emotions
in a convincing way. Other references beside the already mentioned: a large dose
of King
Crimson here, some ELP in the keyboards, but strangely enough the vocal melody
reminds me most of (the verses of) Mr Mister's Kyrie. I admit that that's weird.
The keyboards of Kindl are strongly varied on this track: large doses of organ, mellotron, but also piano and Emersonian excursions are taking place right here. Robotham and Bonham make up the rhythm section, with the latter making some nicely zooming additions to the sound spectrum. Robotham puts a lot of adversity in the track in the middle part as he interacts with keyboards and guitar. This part I think takes a bit too long. Around the thirteen minute mark the pace comes back in.
The guitar
work is rather in the jazz-rock vein and is best appreciated by people who enjoy
this. I preferred his more melodic solo in the beginning. Because of the
jazz-rock influences, one might be tempted to think of Finneus Gauge, but with
very different vocals. The piano right after, playing its question and answer
game with the guitar, also has a jazzy feel. Around the 17 minute mark the
vocals return, with powerful organ playing in the background and strong chords
on the guitar. A good finale.
Phew, quite a paragraph there. The second track then. 'Escape' opens with church
organ. This is a much slower track with staccato drumming by Robotham,
alternated with rather relaxed, but disjointed drumming. The prominent feeling
this track is one of jazziness and ponderousness. The vocal melody falls a bit
short, but at times there is something to it. The repetitive short notes on the
guitar irritate
me a bit. I prefer the sound of the bass, which is rather prominent at times.
When the pace finally comes in a bit and the ELPish keys enter the picture, the
music becomes more interesting. One is tempted to think of the more complex
bands here as well.
The third track combines more or less what happened on the first two tracks. I
do miss a bit the menacing aspects of the first track, in fact I've been missing
these since that first track, because to me the music is now more jazz-rock than
anything else. Not the easiest kind of jazz-rock, and there are plenty of non
jazz-rock aspects as well,
but the meandering of the guitar, the laid back keyboards and piano all give
rise to this idea. The rhythm guitar part is actually rather playful, with some
oboe thrown in for good measure.
The opening of 'Call To Whoever' is again much to my liking because of its grand
sounding melody. After the vocal part the music winds down a bit, become more
sparse. The bass player bounces around nicely and some marimba like keyboards
add to the atmosphere. There is even some melodic acoustic guitar here,
accompanied by the oboe again. Plenty of meandering guitar in the middle, but
like the first track a good track ending on an optimistic note.
Conclusion:
To me there are two really good tracks on this disc and two that are okay, but
are maybe a bit too free form, too jazzy, too much lacking in interesting
melodic material without compensating for it in some way, like having a nice
atmosphere. References for Thieves' Kitchen are King Crimson with plenty of
meandering electric guitar, plenty of mellotron, organ and basically all the
ingredients we have come to
expect on a pure progressive record with strong technical prowess. Quite a step
up from their debut, too bad about the second and third track not being much to
my tastes.
Jurriaan Hage
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June 10th - 'Wondrous Stories' - the magazine of the Classic Rock Society, U.K.
For some reason, we've been lucky enough to get two reviews in the latest edition of 'Wondrous Stories'! Here are both - the first is by Steve Ward and the second from Bernard Law.
This is the second album from Thieves' Kitchen, following last years' highly rated debut 'Head', and is something of a prog fan's dream, consisting of four epic tracks clocking in at between thirteen and twenty minutes.
Complicated arrangements, lengthy instrumental sections and intricate guitar and keyboard interplay are the order of the day, and they certainly prompt comparison with the likes of Gentle Giant (for those like myself who are old enough to remember the wonderful 70's band), but it is not all 70's influenced as more modern-day similarities would include Jadis and, vocally at least, Medicine Man, with Simon Boys' voice being in a similar vein to Paul Wilson's.
Opener 'John Doe Number One' contains all the above qualities, whilst 'Escape' features some very Emersonesque keyboard work a la 'Tarkus', but the album's tour de force is the superb 'Call To Whoever' with its medieval introduction and tremendous instrumental section which highlights the guitar and keyboard interaction to great effect.
All in all a great follow up to their debut, and an album of which they can be very proud.
This is the second outing for Thieves' Kitchen, a band noted perhaps in CRS circles for featuring former Grey Lady Down drummer Mark Robotham. A little unfairly though, for the music here is very different from that band's. I'd expected a sort of Crimson influence with quite angular, intense pieces. There is a little of that, it must be said, but there is a very healthy dose of jazz-rock on display.
You might not be surprised to find that it is not unlike Bruford in their rockier moments. The guitar work of Phil Mercy has an air of Allan Holdsworth, whilst Andy Bonham provides some excellent bass and Wolfgang Kindl's jazzy keyboard flavourings lead the music into some quite interesting areas. Simon Boys' vocals are quite edgy, with an angst that suits the music well.
The album consists of four very lengthy tracks, the longest being the opener 'John Doe Number One' at around twenty and a half minutes, and the shortest, 'Proximity', just shy of thirteen. Music of this style needs time and space to develop and progress, and this all four tracks definitely do.
Although I've made mention of obvious influences - always a useful tool for a reviewer to locate the music for the reader - the band do have their own voices, which will hopefully develop further on future releases. Mark Robotham's switch to an electric kit has given him more room for inventiveness, and there are some very good fils and tricks from him. There are some interesting touches from guest musician Paul Beecham on oboe too, the acoustic instrument contrasting well with the predominantly electric band.
All in all a highly enjoyable album. It would be good to see the band play live too.
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The
Dutch Progressive Rock Page (June 17th, 2001)
Reviewed by Remco Schoenmakers
 |
|
Yes, my dear proggin' readers, an album with four epics. Didn't we long pass that era? Well in a sense we have. The music has a complexity not often heard nowadays anymore, combined with many elements from old and modern classical music. The music theorists amongst you will have something to sink their teeth in. Melodies and contra-melodies, truly odd time signatures. Classical organ and keyboard playing (mixtures between Emerson and Wakeman), fine interplay between the guitar and keys and an ELP-like rhythmic section. It is all present here. This makes it also a difficult album to write a long review about.
'Argot', the secret language of thieves, is an album which every prog-lover should own. Not because the melodies are so beautiful (in fact, in my opinion they are rather clinical), not because it "rocks" (it does everything but that), but because this is music that is composed, in the literal meaning of the word, and appeals to the intelligence of the listener, just as "the old ones" (ELP, Yes, Gentle Giant) used to do, a long time ago. These folks are the true heirs to their crown, in the sense that they adhere most strictly to the paths paved by these dinosaurs. The booklet, which is in itself nicely produced, features the lyrics to the tracks in Arabic, Russian, Swedish and Polish (I guess). This is a funny feature, however, I would have preferred an English version (on the album, everything is sung in English) as well. Especially since it features something that I tend to think on the Dutch roads sometimes as well: "Should I ram the car right next to me? A millisecond can change your destiny" ;-).
Anyway, I will not waste any more words. I urge you to check out the sound clips and then buy the album. You will not like it at first (I guess), but it grows, trust me. I can recommend it, since it really appeals to my conception of progressive music; it should pose a bit of a challenge to the listener, but at the same keep him convinced he can follow what is happening. Thieves' Kitchen do succeed in doing that.
Conclusion: 8 out of 10.
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MTM,
Sweden, June 29th
Reviewed by Magnus Florin
Thieves' Kitchen -
'Argot'
The latest from Thieves' Kitchen is a totally different thing if you compare it to the previous work. It's not that they've
changed musical direction so much, but within this album I find much more intense emotions, greater arrangements, and in general better music and songs. It's still symphonic stuff in the similar style of Genesis and
Yes, with very dominate keyboards.
In your first contact with this CD you won't get a clear picture of the songs, since all of them are over 10 minutes long (two of them over 15). It's still this typical old artrock touch to the songs, which suits me just fine. The organ is used plenty, as well as the guitars.
The vocals have for sure improved since the last album too. This time I find them to be very interesting and well
interspersed with the music. It seem as though it's kind of hard to put in the emotion that, for instance, a regular rock singer would have done when
this is such complex music and arrangements. But this is managed pretty well anyway.
The best from Thieves' Kitchen? Well, this is a finalist!
1. John Doe Number One
2. Escape
3. Proximity
4. Call To Whoever
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THIEVES'
KITCHEN - Argot
UK
April 12th, 2001
INDEPENDENT
TKCD002
Time: 64:38
Rating: 9/10
Thieves' Kitchen's debut CD "Head"
was very good but their new CD "Argot" is even better. It's close to
being a masterpiece.
It's
only one year between the two releases, but they have grown and matured as a
band, as composers and musicians. This CD is even more complex than their debut
with lots of odd time signatures, rhythm & mood changes and lengthy
instrumental passages, but the big different lies in the arrangements,
compositions and
performance. My first impression is that the music is quite similar to new bands
such as The Flower Kings and Spock's Beard but with the influences from the old
prog heroes Emerson Lake & Palmer, Genesis, King Crimson and Yes ever
present. Their music is very much in the 70's progressive rock style.
The musicians are very skilled, especially the fast fingered keyboard player
Wolfgang Kindl. Even the vocalist Simon Boys, who I didn't like that much
before, has gotten a lot better. All the tracks are +13 minutes but they never
get boring despite their length, not even for a second. The first track
"John Doe Number One" is a progressive masterpiece.
Although the debut album was really good, it didn't have any clear
direction. But "Argot" has a clear direction and everything you could
wish for from a progressive rock album. At least, the kind of progressive rock I
love. Make way for Thieves' Kitchen on their road to progressive rock stardom!
Musicians:
Andy Bonham - Fender Precision bass, Yamaha TRB fretless bass
Simon Boys - Vocals
Wolfgang Kindl - Proteus 2000, Korg M1 and X3, backing vocals
Phil Mercy - Ibanez, Fender, Yamaha and JayDee guitars, E-bow, backing vocals
Mark Robotham - Pintech electric drums, Alesis DM-5
Guest musician:
Paul Beecham - Oboe
Tracklist:
John Doe Number One (20:22)
Escape (13.36)
Proximity (12:58)
Call To Whoever (17:41)
Date: 2001-07-26
Reviewer: Greger Rönnqvist
greger.ronnqvist@infodata.sema.se
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Koid '9 - France - August 8th 2001
THIEVES'
KITCHEN - Argot
UK
April 12th, 2001
INDEPENDENT
TKCD002
Thieves' Kitchen can only be described as a UFO within the field. A totally unclassifiable group. In 2 albums (the first, "Head", came out last year), they have reinvented the genre. In 9 songs (in total), they have forged a new style. A unique style. Distinct from a thousand others. It is what gives them their strength. They cannot leave the listener feeling indifferent. One either likes or one does not like.
Thieves' Kitchen produce a complex, rich and mature music. A music which has stored and combined a mixture of influences: neo, jazz, jazz-rock.etc. And with "Argot", they do not deviate from this rule. This disc includes only 4 titles at the consequent durations (including one of 20'). Breaks-a-gogo, fractured rhythms and a profusion of keyboards ("Escape"). It is really original. Ambitious and daring.
This harmonic experience will pass by many listeners. Because it uses less melody than its predecessor, it is overwhelmingly difficult. It is also always hypnotic. They lead the listener into a real musical maze. A left auditive labyrinth from which only the listener can seek the exit.
A small change of personnel must be announced - the ex-bass player Paul Beecham, who now only intervenes with the oboe and with that on one piece only, is replaced by Andy Bonham. The vocal parts (by Simon Boys) are carefully proportioned to leave many spaces for the two leaders, who are Phil Mercy with the guitar and Wolfgang Kindl with the keyboards. This creates a permanent musical paper-chase. The guitars are less oppressive than on "Head", but the playing of Phil Mercy is however almost as heavy on "Proximity" with its well supported riffs. He again shows his talent as a soloist on "Call To Whoever", a piece for which I have quite a weakness - the instrumental sequences are enthralling. For its part, the rhythm section made up of Bonham and Mark Robotham remains full of relentless rigour.
One can say that "Argot" keeps the group a step ahead of conventional prog. Then again, if you liked "Head" you will like "Argot". If you hated "Head", I cannot do anything any more for you, but do not decry the enthusiasm of others for this album. An essential discovery!
Denis Perrot - Koid '9
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Stargazer
- Italy - August 10th, 2001
Reviewed by Lorenzo Capellini
Reviewing an album like "Argot" (the second work from England's Thieves' Kitchen) is no easy feat: only four tracks in about an hour of music means that the contents cannot be described in easy sentences, but obviously this record was made for any fan of elaborate progressive rock.
Sometimes it sounds like emotion and feeling can find little space within these tracks. The band plays in an absolutely flawless and perfect style, recalling all those great names from the Seventies (ELP, Gentle Giant and Yes are the most obvious references here); the technical skills are quite high, but TK never overdo it and the blending of all the instruments is quite ear-catching, with a general sensation of freshness, refinement and restrained fun. It is clear that Thieves' Kitchen's members love their music and derive great pleasure in building intricate pieces of music, full of different melodies, continual time changes, long solos, jazz/fusion interludes, moody moments and pleasant musical surprises. It is quite difficult, though, to be truly touched by a 20+ minute track when it is so immensely detailed.
This English band reminded me on occasion of USA's Cairo; lots of interesting music but minimum accessibility. This means that "Argot" is a beautiful record, but the final judgement on this CD is down to the listener's taste. If, for you, "progressive" means extreme complexity and a constant challenge to your musical intelligence and knowledge, then Thieves' Kitchen have just released the album you were looking for. But if you're looking for full blown emotion and heart rending material then you perhaps won't find much of that within "Argot", although the album will probably grow on you in the long term. The choice is up to you.
Anyhow, hats off to this band, who managed to come up with a really good record which is quite different to that which is popular in Europe these days.
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Expose
- USA - July 2001 edition
Reviewed by Paul Hightower
Thieves' Kitchen could have easily followed in the footsteps of Arena or IQ, but instead decided to reach much farther. The lineup even includes ex-Grey Lady Down drummer Mark Robotham though the spritual leader is guitarist Phil Mercy, whose many years of schlepping in bar bands led him to devise a musical project based on principles and sound musical values over popular trends. If it sounds good on paper, then chances are you'll like what's on the plastic.
'Argot' is actually the follow-up to last year's debut, 'Head'. Other than Mercy and Robotham, Simon Boys and Wolfgang Kindl return on vocals and keys, though newcomer Andy Bonham now occupies the bass position.
On 'Argot', Thieves' Kitchen accomplishes jazz-like melodic angularity in a rock context that is original and refreshing. The songwriting and arranging encompass everything from the rock riffing of Rush to the complexity of National Health. Boys' vocals are the most conventional aspect of the group chemistry and his performance on 'Argot' is a marked improvement over the debut. Otherwise the band is again in fine form with Mercy and Kindl deserving special praise. They are clearly the instrumental backbone of the group and both easily carry the material on their shoulders. This is particularly important since the songs are weighted mostly towards scripted instrumental arrangements, with the longest clocking in at 20+ minutes!
'Argot' succeeds from start to finish and even surpasses the debut. For those wishing for more from bands like Spock's Beard or Flower Kings, this may be the place to go.
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Harmonie
- France - July 2001 edition
Reviewed by Philippe Gnana
Strike whilst the iron's hot! Barely a year after the release of their first album, Thieves' Kitchen are back with a second album to reinforce the key to their musical rhetoric which is at once both complex and adventurous. Yet by setting sail on difficult seas in reaction to neo-prog simplicity, Thieves' Kitchen hardly have the need to reinforce their personality as they are so much in opposition to that style. A strong, valuable personality that deserves to exist purely on its own merits. It is almost as if they are on a religious crusade to stand up against the provocations of that very British joke.
TK is a scheme born of a passionate desire to break down a number of barriers using the talent of exceptional instrumentalists, who also provide a backing for the vocalist to make exactly the points he wishes. TK is the explosive guitar of Phil Mercy and the exuberant and solid keys of Wolfgang Kindl, backed by a dynamic, efficient rhythm section (Andy Bonham and Mark Robotham, transformed from Grey Lady Down... a neo-progressive group).
The alchemy between the group functions wonderfully, to the point where the group is able to free itself from formal musical constraints and inject freedom into the music, which evolves without a clear structure. Take the first piece, 'John Doe Number One' - twenty minutes of an incessant surge of ideas, a musical mixture both masterful and cohesive. In this context, one must salute more and more the performance of the singer Simon Boys, for managing to position his melodic vocals on top of the erupting volcano underneath. This is only possible as he has behind him soloists like Phil Mercy and the impressive Wolfgang Kindl (a quite simply top class keyboard player).
Thieves' Kitchen seem like the British response to the Germans, Versus X, but with a perhaps slightly more highly-charged version, more like A Triggering Myth. These 'thieves of the kitchen' are perfectly comfortable with their musical Argot, which can only delight those who speak 'progressive'.
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Eclectic Earwig reviews (USA) - September 21, 2001
Thieves'
Kitchen: Argot; (CD, 64:40)
Independent release, TKCD002 2001
E-mail: ThievesKitchen@aol.com
Cyberhome: http://www.thieveskitchen.co.uk
TK is back with yet another fine release of hard-edged, noir-prog rock, that
spits out the truth of this world's endless stream of harsher realities. Be it
inner struggles to be true to oneself or to simply rise above the pressures of
life that would seek to drown personality in the mundane -- TK bangs out the
fight. They deliver their rocking cold shower and bed of nails via an endless
storm of riff-crunch, power chordal guitar and virtuoso keyboard superstructure.
Bass and drums provide a concrete foundation and souped-up drivetrain. Add in
vocals with that angry howl and pained resolve and this is neo-prog that blows
away most other neo-proggers by its fierce
momentum and epic jams. The onslaught buries you for over an hour in just four
songs that range from 12:58 to 20:22.
If you have that need to vent and yet dream of ultimate
resolution of
conflict, these guys are your soundtrack. There is more than enough
extensive keyboard solos and sordid axe meanderings of ecstasy to satisfy even
the most jaded prog rocker. If you dug their first release, you'll dig this one
too -- this follow-up doing an awesome job of keeping this reviewer eager for
the next project. Recommended steroidal art rock and introspective neo-prog for
the nameless heroes that walk among us each day.
John W. Patterson, EER-MUSIC.com
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'The Organ',
UK, October 2001
THIEVES KITCHEN "Argot"
This is what we want. Thieves' Kitchen's second full length album is pure unashamed totally self indulgent over the top prog rock. This full length album that only has four tracks, opens up with a blatant bit of ELP, and then the singer repeatedly yells 'Kneejerk, Kneejerk' like he's fronting King Crimson whilst all around the jesters gather and look at their other selves in the reflections in the mirrors as huge lumps of spiralling time changes and pomp and the whole history of prog rock are crammed in to the first quarter of the first song.
Massive lumps of Yes, PFM, Magma and ELP and frantic Pallas bits... and this time Thieves' Kitchen have got it just right - totally self indulgent full on gloriously over the top gratuitous prog rock, overblown for the sake of it. Why have a three minute song when you can have a 20 minute and 22 second album opener? And this time they've got it just right, they got the production and the power and everything they didn't have with the last album - it's hardly original, but hey, this time it is recommended prog earfood.
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Two miscellaneous German reviews (OK, we admit it - by the time Wolfgang had done the translations, Mark had misplaced the original emails, so we don't recall from whence they came! If anybody can identify them, please apply at the Thieves' Kitchen Lost Property office...)
1) Just a
year after the magnificent debut 'Head', Thieves' Kitchen are back with the
follow-up, 'Argot'. The news is that Andy Bonham is on bass, because Paul
Beecham had to leave the band as a full member due to personal commitments.
However, he plays a bit of oboe on two tracks.
The first song immediately proves that the band has developed. More long tracks,
less compromise, even more odd time signatures and so on. Most of the time it is
a pure joy to listen to these convoluted tracks. What irritates me a bit are the
slightly ill chosen keyboard sounds, which on tracks one and three sound in
places like a cheapo keyboard. (Reminds me of my first Yamaha keyboard. Man,
that was shite). Pity. Will result in less points in the final score.
Now a few lines about the songs. Thieves' Kitchen can be compared to and follow
on from bands like Yes, because the structures are so complex and as there's
also some jazz rock. A good example is 'John Doe Number One', which is literally
true progressive rock.
Entertaining. Lots of music, few vocals.
'Escape' starts with church organ, but shortly after that the thievish priests again preach their uncompromising gospel to the infidels. Again the melodies don't stick in your brain at once, and sometimes the listener must be quite patient. Around minute four, the track starts to grow on me. This rhythm, man, is it even humanly possible to play such stuff?
Next in line
is 'Proximity'. Again, the temperature gauge is on
100. The guitar sometimes sounds a bit like Gary Chandler (Jadis), but it rocks
much more. I can only advise keyboardist Wolfgang to rethink his sounds. I never
thought that being a amateur keyboardist myself I would have to make nasty
remarks about sounds, but for me this is a substantial source of irritation on
the album.
'Call To Whoever' is my favourite on 'Argot'. Classy ideas, and the finale
with its dreamy melody (and again a bit of oboe) convinces me all the way. In
the middle section, there is again a convoluted instrumental bit. Few vocals and
a lot of room for the musicians.
Conclusions: Not an easy album. It requires tolerance. If you'd like to get to
know Thieves' Kitchen, I would rather recommend the previous album 'Head',
because it's a bit easier to digest.
2) Thieves' Kitchen have allowed themselves just 14 months to produce a
successor to the superb debut "Head". And "Argot" is a more
than worthy follow-up, because the Brits have significantly advanced both
musically and compositionally.
There are only 4 tracks on "Argot", which leaves a lot of room for
song development, complex arrangements and long solo parts purely because of the
length of the songs. The debut was mainly influenced by neo prog, whereas now
things have become a lot more complex and detailed. It brings back memories of
70's Art Rock, and slight tendencies towards fusion and jazz rock are clear.
The tracks are a lot more bulky and somewhat dissonant, not easy to take
in. This is a problem with the four songs on one hand, since catchy melody lines
to hang on to can rarely be found. But this is also the benefit, the challenge
of this CD. You have to listen really carefully to see the structures and
appreciate how they all fit together, which is most rewarding.
TK dare to use instruments like the oboe and use keyboard sounds like the
xylophone, and not just mellotron and synth. For this reason, and because of the
relatively fluid way of playing the instruments (with keyboards in classic ELP
style, piano patterns with virtuosity or Holdsworth-like guitar), TK depart from
the usual paths and elevate their music to a very different level. The
progressive rock elements are of course still apparent, but you will not find
things heard elsewhere a thousand times. Especially in the case of the two
aforementioned instruments; namely very multifaceted and skilful keyboards from
Wolfgang Kindl, and in particular guitarist Phil Mercy, make this album very
special.
Thieves' Kitchen are about to become a really great band. Technically the
quintet are already first class, it's just the compositions that require more
hooks and more incisive moments which stick in the ear. Aside from that, 'Argot'
is a strong statement, an album without compromise.
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'Feedback' - Kevin Rowland (October 2001)
I met Mark Robotham a few weeks ago and he told me how well this was selling, a fact also confirmed by Malcolm Parker at GFT. I was determined to give this a good hearing, so I waited till I was in the car for a long drive and put it on. There are only four songs, but the album is over an hour in length and they have decided to print the lyrics, but each song in a different language! (My good mate Artur Chachlowski provided the translation for 'Escape'.)
'John Doe Number One' kicks off the album, and at twenty minutes plus I settled in to be impressed. You can tell there's a 'but' coming, can't you. It's not my fault. I really wanted to like this album, I was determined to do so, but it cannot be my type of prog. I found that my attention kept wandering. Passages that should have gripped my attention just didn't. I know there are some who are going to think this is a wonderful album, bringing together bands as diverse as King Crimson, Gentle Giant and Genesis, but it just didn't do anything for me.
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Background
- Holland (October 2001)
Thieves' Kitchen - 'Argot' - reviewed by Henri Bos ****
Last year, one particular album really surprised me musically. In the review I did together with Maurice, I wrote ' 'Head' is a strong, refreshing neo-progressive rock album. The best UK prog CD since the release of Janison Edge's debut'. I gave the album the highest rating possible.
The band that I'm taking about of course is Thieves' Kitchen. Their album 'Head' was a great product indeed. Now a year later they have released their second album, titled 'Argot'. When I saw the cover, it immediately reminded me of a painting by a famous Dutch artist. On the cover we see people drinking some wine and reading music papers. The figures are the musicians that we can hear on the disc inside the jewel case. The atmosphere is much the same as Vincent Van Gogh's 'The Potato Eaters'. As I noticed this resemblance, some other thing occurred to me: Van Gogh was a painter with a new look on art. He was part of a group of people that formed a new movement, called impressionism. They were doing things differently from other painters before them. The same can be said about Thieves' Kitchen. On their first album, but also on their second disc, they went in new directions, with a Jadis-like sound but with a heavy edge.
As said, their second album is much the same as their debut. But not all the musicians are the same as on 'Head' - Paul Beecham has been replaced by Andy Bonham. They also added an extra guest player to the line-up - oboe player Paul Beecham, their former bassist! Again, we have very long tracks to consume - the shortest clocks in at 13 minutes!
I found this album not as strong as their first one, maybe because it is too much in the same vein as their debut. It may be even more complex than 'Head' and the album just has to grow inside my 'head'. This does not mean the songs are weak. We still hear some fine musicianship with strong melody lines. It is the same as with a new born child. Some mothers don't fall in love with them at once when they see the light of day. They cherish it more the longer they hold it in their arms.
One thing is for sure, the band did not lose their humour. All lyrics in the booklet are written in strange languages. Difficult to say if they are Russian, Arabic or Swedish. They also present all the members on a menu card. The main courses are the singer, the keyboard player, the guitarist and the drummer. The side dish is the man on the woodwind.
To finish this review, it is simple to say that if you liked 'Head', you will certainly love 'Argot'.
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Ghostland
- USA October 2001
Reviewed by Jerry Lucky
Band:
Thieves' Kitchen
CD Title: “Argot”
Label: Independent Release
Label Website: www.thieveskitchen.co.uk
Release Date: 2001
Band Website: www.thieveskitchen.co.uk
Thieves’
Kitchen
started out in a self proclaimed effort to kick-start what they saw as a
stagnating progressive rock scene in the U.K. Now whether you agree with their
observation there is no denying that they have indeed added a fresh sound to the
mix. And this, their second release 'Argot' picks up where the first left off.
From
the outset, with its start-stop… Mellotron into Hammond… rolling thunder
bass and drum mix you get a sense that Thieves’ Kitchen really love what they
do. They seem to have fun playing with our ears bringing us to the edge before
settling back into the groove. The CD has only four songs but each one is an
extended opus running at 20 min, two at 13 min. and one at 17 min.
It’s
hard to put words to the Thieves’ Kitchen style but it’s like melodies
sliding in and out, all over the map with few lyrics, mostly busy musical
excursions where generally they return to some opening theme or musical motif.
Track
# 1 “John Doe Number One” features an interesting newscast voiceover
recounting political events with the Hammond plunking away in the background
before the gritty electric guitar arrives on the scene.
Soaring guitar solo spots abound within each of the tracks. Fact is, the
guitar features prominently in Thieves’ Kitchen compositions and while the
keyboards are always present, many times they contribute to the rolling backdrop
of the bass and drum rhythm components. There are many keyboard moments, most on
either piano or Mellotron, which add a softer element to their sound.
The
vocals, while at times sounding forced, manage to provide a sense of urgency
which is reinforced by the driving rhythmic nature of the music. Because of the
length of each track, band members are allowed room to move which allows for
each composition to feature not only guitar solos but many moments where the
group are all soloing together like in track #3 “Proximity” where the group
is providing a small jazz combo background.
I
find many similarities in Thieves’ Kitchen’s style to bands such as Nathan
Mahl. They use the traditional instruments of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards
to create a very busy kind of prog, with lots of loud bits turning into soft
bits, soloing into jazzy jamming and more. It's music that contains a wealth of
dynamics, at times it’s very angular and almost dissonant and others times
straight ahead rocking, all the while backed up with plenty of Mellotron
symphonics. And throughout it all their compositions display lovely melodic
segments like in track #4 “Call to Whoever” featuring a wonderful Oboe from
guest Paul Beecham as well as a recurring anthemic motif that builds to a grand
finish.
As Thieves’ Kitchen strive for recognition this second release, 'Argot', should help turn a few more converts their way.
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© Copyright 2000/2001 Thieves'
Kitchen. All rights reserved