by Steve Joyce
UK band Pure Reason Revolution return with their sixth album, and 3rd since reforming, “Coming up to Consciousness” Continuing the rich vein of form following 2020’s “Eupnea” and 2022’s Above Cirrus, the album explores themes of betrayal, deception, fear, mortality and sanity over its 42 minutes.
Songwriters Jon Courtney and Greg Jong have crafted an intensely personal album, grappling with darkness of various kinds. The album’s title intriguingly relates to the line between sleeping and walking. Lyrically and emotionally, the music was inspired by recent events in Courtney’s life. First and foremost was that of putting his 17-year-old dog to sleep, the impact of which he had underestimated. Says Courtney, “There was a lot more grief than I expected. It created feelings of guilt and a sharp focus on death.”
It’s an album of terrific tunes, magnificent musicianship, heartfelt vocals and dynamic contrast which grabs the attention and holds it in a vice-like grip. The album is sonically luxurious, with mixing and mastering by The Pineapple Thief’s Bruce Soord and Steve Kitch, respectively.
Prog rock royalty graces the album in the form of bassist Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets), who performs on all songs but one, contributing tasteful, melodic lines that underpin the album and forms an effective partnership with drummer Ravi Kesavaram (My Vitriol).
Six of the album’s fourteen tracks are interludes (and a prelude) of between 12 and 38 seconds in length. This reviewer is not generally a fan of such interludes, which rarely add a great deal musically; on this album they serve to ensure that the music flows effortlessly and cohesively and from that point of view, they do their job well. However, it’s the eight ‘proper’ songs that we need to focus our attention upon. And what awesome songs they are!
Lead single ‘Dig Till You Die’ opens with a dreamy, (dare I say it) Floydian-vibe and then immediately showcases a striking feature of the album: Courtney’s vocal partnership with Annicke Shireen, newly joining PRR’s recording line-up having been part of the live set-up since original member Chloe Alper became unavailable. Their voices complement each other delightfully, providing genuine emotion and absolutely gorgeous melodies. The listener is reminded of other successful male/female combinations in modern progressive rock such as Anathema’s Vincent Cavanagh and Lee Douglas, or perhaps Steven Wilson and Ninet Tayeb – but I would say the vocals on “…Consciousness” are in their own class in terms of generating heart-stirring feels. The second half of the song delivers the first of several exhilarating prog riffs that punctuate the album and finishes with a soaraway coda.
“Betrayal” begins with a delicate piano/vocal section with bass and drums joining to add layers of texture ahead of a short but rousing chorus. Like all songs on “…Consciousness”, it’s a concise, superbly arranged song of diverse dynamics and unsettling lyrics: here, the “…it’s a cruel betrayal…” refrain hooks like barbed wire.
‘The Gallows’ evokes ‘Damnation’-era Opeth in its overall musical vibe and with lyrics dripping with metaphor, darkness and pain. “Is it all right to fear? Is it all right to feel cruel?” is sung over Steve Rothery-esque guitar tones and the vocal melodies are infectious.
Second single ‘Useless Animal’ has an affecting vocal with achingly poignant lyrics which work on multiple levels. An action-packed instrumental workout ends the song in climactic fashion – this is surely one to indulge those who like the heavier aspects of prog.
After its relatively gentle opening verses, ‘Worship’ builds in musical intensity adding layers of tension including a tom-heavy groove, Kesavaram showcasing his deft musical touch and immense percussive power. Energetic prog riffs supply a mighty impetus to the coda and deliver a massively satisfying pay off.
‘Bend The Earth’ is propelled by a high-energy drum part and features a tasteful guitar solo. The Courtney/Shireen vocals combine brilliantly on this song, which to this listener relates a love story but with an ominous undercurrent, as though inevitable tragedy looms. In fact, the lyrics throughout this album cleverly work on multiple levels and it’s fun, if that’s the right word given the subject matter, for the listener to decipher the possible interpretations. Dark electronica sounds end the song, providing yet more sonic depth.
‘Lifeless Creature’ is a song of several movements and during its six minutes there’s sufficient space for the band members to flex their musicianship muscles to dramatic effect. The lyrics are startlingly visceral (…“I see her cancer, the wound…I see my child in the tomb…”). There’s authentic anguish in Courtney’s vocal performance over the coda. This is a brilliant song and it’s my favourite on the album.
While the concise arrangements and short songs are clear strengths of this album, it’s on the longer tracks “Bend the Earth” and “Lifeless Creature” where the musical journey is at its most gratifying.
Final song ‘As We Disappear’ is named after the album cover art by Jill Tegan Doherty, featuring a dog in a dreamlike sea. The song was originally titled ‘Rosengarten’, for the park in Berlin where Courtney’s family distributed their pet dog’s ashes. Grief is one of the feelings evoked by the lyrics, but the music is actually uplifting; like all great album closers, this song gives a sense of closure and provides unalloyed musical pleasure.
As a dog owner, I completely relate to the devastation of losing a beloved canine companion, a trauma suffered four times in my life and at time of writing (August 2024), mortality is prominent in our thoughts as our eldest dog (of six) is approaching her sixteenth birthday and sadly slowing down. A dog is a true family member, giving (and receiving) incredible amounts of joy. Often a heart-breaking decision to act in their interests is involved and is always deeply upsetting. The heartbreak that is felt is the price we pay for happy times and unconditional love exchanged during the dog’s life. In drawing upon his personal experiences, Courtney’s lyrics and vocal performances on this album convey true emotion and resonate hard with the listener.
Overall, “Coming up to Consciousness” is an accessible, immersive listen and the immediate temptation is to hit replay and experience it again. But it’s also worth pausing for a moment and reflecting on the journey the album has taken you. The lyrics are unsettling, deeply personal and require time and thought to properly comprehend.
This album is sure to delight PRR’s many fans and if there’s any justice, it will reach a widespread new audience too. Despite the often challenging subject matter, this album is not a depressing listen – far from it. It’s a frequently thrilling journey of musical splendour, catharsis and fulfilment. There are enough epic, proggy and beautiful moments to delight the full range of genre enthusiasts. It’s one of the strongest releases of 2024, and it’s sure to demand frequent revisitation for many years to come.
Released on September 6th, 2024 via InsideOut Music
Tracklisting:
1. Prelude: Coming up to Consciousness 0:32
2. Dig Till You Die 4:36
3. Interlude 1 0:23
4. Betrayal 4:05
5. The Gallows 4:36
6. Interlude 2 0:21
7. Useless Animal 3:56
8. Interlude 3 0:12
9. Worship 5:02
10. Interlude 4 0:17
11. Bend the Earth 6:19
12. Lifeless Creature 6:10
13. Interlude 5 0:38
14. As We Disappear 4:50
Personnel:
Jon Courtney – Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards
Greg Jong – Guitars, Vocals
Annicke Shireen – Vocals
Ravi Kesavaram – Drums
Guy Pratt – Bass
Jon Sykes – Bass
Mixed by: Bruce Soord
Mastered by: Steve Kitch
