Try before you buy.

PGM is not a band that I had previously encountered, despite 'Island Noises' being their seventh release. The nucleus of this progressive/ambient outfit is German, but includes a British lead singer (Philip Griffiths), who – for those who like scraps of minutiae – is the son of Martin, who was the original lead singer for Beggars Opera, the early Scottish progressive band formed in 1969 (and whose second album 'Waters Of Change' has been a long-time favourite of mine). But I digress! PGM is a studio-only combo, having taken the decision to focus on the writing and recording of new material rather than having to rehearse and then perform their previous works.

While some of their early output from the turn of the millennium in turn took each of the seasons as inspiration, this time around it is Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' providing the underlying basis for an expansive conceptual work that is spread across a 2CD package. It is quite a complex work, and took the band no less than four years to complete!

I have to remark that giving this release several listens for the purpose of a balanced review has been quite a daunting task! There is just so much to absorb, and trying to identify the plethora of different influences and styles is a considerable challenge. Although I have given the album several plays, I feel that I still have much to discover. It is an album for those whose primary musical preference is the progressive rock (not metal) genre, and I can especially recommend it to those of you who enjoy albums that can initially intrigue, but over time really capture the imagination.

The band comprises accomplished musicians and they have been joined by a number of guests to complete the palette of moods and musical textures. The vocalist's father also makes an appearance in various places throughout the album, with a mixture of short recitations from the play that inspired it. Such oration can be a distraction; here it is not and in a number of places provides an effective bridge between tracks. The vocalist himself has a pleasant, clear, baritone voice, which nods in the direction of that of his father, but also more strongly I feel, towards Damian Wilson as heard on his solo material.

Of the two, the second disc is, I feel, the more accessible and encompasses eight tracks: seven of which are chunky numbers with contrasting characteristics, of which the opening instrumental 'Banquet Of Illusions', the wonderful and rather languid 'Assassins And Sleepers' and the extraordinarily diverse 'Fountain Of Innocence are the pick of the bunch. The first disc comprises five shorter numbers plus the monolithic title track which lasts for all but 20 minutes. Some of this I would have to describe as "experimental" and requires some perseverance. This is not the same as suggesting it is unpalatable or inaccessible, but rather that it requires focus and concentration. Background music this is not. By way of amplification, my notes about the lengthy 'Island Noises' includes such comments as "inventive instrumentation", "abstract", "meandering" and "fascinating tonal textures".

I like it, but I do really think that this is one of those albums where you would be advised to try before you buy.

Paul Jerome Smith