Spaced Out
Evolution

Progressive. Meant as the search for the new, structural innovation, sound evolution, uniqueness. Everything else cannot be defined as such, especially those sound solutions characterized by: clean singing, melodic and airy openings, overly decipherable structure, copycat bands of Dream Theater, or even Symphony X and Elegy. I define them as "Progressive Truths", those that continuously renew themselves, never falling into repetition, that is, into banality. This is the determining axiom to fully understand and engage with the music (thought) of often overlooked progressive realities because they are not understood, or worse, banned as sterile demonstrations of technique. That being said, I am about to review (introduce) Spaced Out, a Canadian combo active for almost ten years, and the flagship of Unicorn Digital Records, a Canadian label also keen on promoting prog (rock and metal) groups, almost exclusively from their own country.

An entity with undisputed technical-compositional abilities, this creature published in the years 2000 and 2001, two works recognizable in prog/jazz-rock perfectly played and arranged in a modern key (not a reprisal of seventies prog), they evolve with "Slow Gin," a third work from 2003, into an intricate, dark, symphonic reality, with fusion undertones; where keyboards had a predominant role, and distortion began to make its way, thus anticipating, the solutions presented in the fourth work "Unstable Matter," characterized by a sound that is indeed dark, but more solid, more metal. We are in the year 2008, and Spaced Out gives us the fifth studio work "Evolution," devoted to the previous, but proud of its own personality, within which one can breathe more (unlike "Unstable Matter," obsessive and claustrophobic), thanks to a greater search for melody (this statement should be taken with a grain of salt).

The bass, as well as the group leader, is always prominent, as if to prove itself, guiding the way to the guitar, both solo and rhythm, painting spatial and essential scenarios, and engaging in amazing duets with the drums, thus determining one of the best existing rhythm sections. The keyboards condense everything, composed of polyrhythms, syncopated tempos, and broken rhythms, into a blend as fluid as it is edgy.

The production (perfect) pays homage to all the instruments. It's useless to speak of a masterpiece, as the last three works can be recognized as such. Almost forgot! The proposal of the interested parties has been in the past and is today, totally instrumental.

For now, the best album of the year. Only for refined and demanding palates, enjoy.