THE REASONING - Adventures In Neverland (2012)

*

All albums are important and significant in the life of a band, no matter what the circumstances, but it's fair to say that some can be regarded as genuine milestones, even game-changers, in that they'll influence the whole future of the band.
In view of what THE REASONING have gone through over the last two years, it's fair to say that "Adventures In Neverland" is going to be one of the most important in the band’s career.

For a start, the personnel upheavals since the band's last album have seen the the combo slimmed down to a five-piece and with new guitarist Keith Hawkins, after their original Owain Roberts mysteriously vanished March 10th after going for a stroll that morning in his hometown of Cardigan, located in Mid Wales, and was never found.
It's also the band's first full length release since signing a deal with the Esoteric Antenna label, so even without the personal issues, there is an awful lot riding on this album for the band.
Opener "Hyperdrive" is something of a statement of intent, as if the band are ready for a full-powered launch into the future. They sound like a band with something to prove, but this really couldn’t be any other band than The Reasoning with Rachel Cohen’s soaring, passionate vocals over backing that has so much going on, it’s really hard to take everything in on one listen.
‘Urgent’ and ‘fast and furious’ haven’t often been phrases used to describe the band, but this really sets out to almost forcibly grab the listener’s attention.

"The Omega Point", inspired by the novels of Scarlet Thomas, it references the band’s past work a little more than the opener, but even so it still sounds as if there’s a lot of pent-up energy in the band with some fine soloing by Hawkins and Tony Turrell on keys.
Other highlights include "Stop The Clock", with its extended intro almost making you assume the song is an instrumental, until Rachel comes in with the vocal, and there are some previously unheard folky prog influences that make "End Of Days" a particular treat.
Also to mention is "No Friend Of Mine", a song about the perils of Facebook and Social Networking as a whole.
"Threnody" (Dictionary definition: ‘a poem, speech or song of lamentation, especially for the dead’) will get particular attention as well, another very fine song, and it has to be said that throughout this album new boy Keith Hawkins sounds a real find, with some excellent six-string work, including very nice neo-classical links on "Stop The Clock".


On "Adventures In Neverland" all the playing and indeed singing are out of the top draw.
The Reasoning approach on this new recording can be labeled as Neo Prog, but they go for other styles such as folky prog and even more harder sounds at times. The lyrics are intellectual, almost close to Art Rock.
There are some albums you can make your mind up about fairly quickly, in "Adventures In Neverland" with each listen you'll find something new to enjoy.
By anybody's standards, this is a very strong release from a UK band who more than one commentator has said are ready to break through to the next level, and this could well be the album to take them there.


01 - Hyperdrive
02 - The Omega Point
03 - The Glass Half
04 - Stop The Clock
05 - Otherworld
06 - End Of Days
07 - No Friend Of Mine
08 - Threnody
09 - Forest Of Hands And Teeth
10 - Adventures In Neverland


Rachel Cohen - lead vocals, percussion
Matthew Cohen - bass, backing vocals, keyboards & programming
Keith Hawkins - electric & acoustic guitars
Tony Turrell - keyboards, backing vocals
Jake Bradford - drums
guests;
Dave Foster - guitar solo on 7
James Kennedy - Backing vocals, guitar solo on 5 & 10
Charlote Evans - Backing vocals



BUY IT !
hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=888557