If music without borders or preconceived notions is your idea of a satisfying listen (and let's face it, for most of us it is) then chances are you'll want to check out what Now Soon Nowhere, a quartet based out of Philadelphia, have done on their debut CD entitled Samadhi. The influences are wide and varied here and without putting a lot of emphasis on unnecessary comparisons, it's hard to ignore the eclectic permeations of King Crimson, Frank Zappa as well as newer bands like Radiohead and Tub Ring in their overall palate of sound. The lineup on Samadhi is the brothers Radway, Scott (keyboards and a bit of everything else) and Chris (drums) along with Vinny Tiver on bass and a vocalist who goes by the name of Inspector Minsini. Scott Radway not only handles the keys but is also responsible for writing all of the songs as well as producing the record, so it's safe to say it's his own stamp with regards to the music and arrangements. This is actually one of Samadhi's main strong points, as each song has it's own unique flavor and solitary appeal, highlighting the perfect blend of acoustic and electronic instrumentation. There is often a lot more going on within the song that what you hear on the surface and the top notch production job reveals more sonic layers than your average onion. Drummer Chris Radway keeps busy behind the kit by playing a wide variety of complex patterns and rhythms which constantly propels the music forward with very little momentum left behind. The best tracks on this disc are "Your Alibi", "October" and twelve minute epic "Forget". If there's one thing which I think holds things back here it would unfortunately have to be Minsini's vocals. He's just not that strong vocally and more often than not I found that his voice didn't really complement the song and the power of the music as well as it should have.
I think Now Soon Nowhere have come up with a very respectable debut and while it might not be considered progressive rock in the true sense, it borrows from it's elements in an attempt to forge new ground.
Note: As of this writing the bands lineup has expanded to 5 members having added guitarist Adam Graham with Ben Owens taking over on drums.
Track Listing
1) Geburah
2) Your Alibi
a) Fantastic animation
b) The lampposts of the sky fall into place
3) Dead Air Compartment (Passenger aboard a fast moving train)
4) Simple Devices
5) Samadhi
6) Radar Shifts
7) Cease and Desist
8) October
9) Forget
a) Trials
b) Sucking the desert floor
c) Struggling to align
10) Lost Soul
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