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Versione 1
Rating: In 2013, this English band delightfully and unexpectedly resurfaced from the mists of time, having not released a studio album for forty years. Flash was the quartet assembled by guitarist Peter Banks following his ousting from Yes, which occurred in 1970. They made their mark with three very solid albums between 1971 and 1973, filled with a sunny and agile progressive sound, less genius and fascinating but also more dry, sober, and enjoyable than that of Anderson, Howe, and company.
After all this time, the singer and bassist from that group have come back together, with their names conveniently suiting the somewhat inelegant but evidently utilitarian title of the work. Bennett is the driving force behind the project: in addition to his usual roles as bassist and backing vocalist, he also handles all guitars and the easier keyboard parts. Carter contributes as the lead vocalist (admittedly rather... tired: time has noticeably marked his vocal quality, in both power and range) and rhythm guitar. Both are credited as composers, but again, Bennett is the dominant force.
The memory of this remarkable musician was that of a notable bassist, very melodic and solid, a devoted disciple of the style and tone imparted by Chris Squire to the great cause of this instrument. Listening to this work allows the spectrum of his talent to be broadened: he is also an interesting guitarist, obviously very melodic and fairly refined. The ten tracks of the album also allow one to frame and admire him extensively, as he is very active from start to finish, making this work decidedly guitar-centric. After all, the three albums from the '70s by Flash were also guitar-focused, in the era of the late Banks.
Bennett's style on the six strings does not at all recall that of his former partner: Banks was dry, clean, a bit jazzy, very rhythmic, with an intensity in performance that ebbed and flowed, with his guitars coming in and out of the arrangement, often changing sound, creating very rhythmic and dynamic environments. Bennett, on the other hand, is more of a classic progressive guitarist: long and heavily distorted sounds, less dynamic, a continuous and solid presence in the pieces, which thus have less breathing space, are less agile and sunny but more lyrical, more sonorous, more pompous, and stentorian.
In short, in this their fourth work, Flash becomes what they never were: a fully-fledged progressive group, layered and super-arranged. Evident links to the historical style of Flash are still easy to catch for those who nurtured them at the time or discovered them later: Carter's voice, though not excellent, is very distinctive, and his way of articulating the vocals has remained very recognizable; Bennett's Squire-like bass is in place, sewing and counterpointing while pushing the music forward. The two mainstays are well supported by the collaborating musicians, among whom the keyboardist Rick Daugherty stands out distinctly, truly talented.
The album lasts almost sixty minutes, spread over just nine songs, half of which extend well beyond five minutes, even nearing ten. The quality is consistently interesting, with no masterpieces, and the dips in tone curiously coincide with the only two non-original songs, namely “Hurt” a Nine Inch Nails cover, and “Manhattan Mornings” actually a self-cover from the third Flash album “Out of Our Hands”. The first of these naturally loses all its industrial and electronic component but… it's too long (9:30) and ends up being tedious, the second is the degeneration of these latter-day Flash compared to the bubbly and serene group they were: gloomy, slowed down, rendered with a threadbare voice, it makes one deeply regret the gnarly and funky original arrangement.
Flash now more ornate and “heavy”, therefore… nonetheless welcome back! Even physically, the two hold up quite well in their late sixties. I judge the album of good general interest and indispensable for progressive aficionados. Salud!
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