FROST - MILLIONTOWN

FROST* - MILLIONTOWN

Disk 1 . . . . . . .59:05
1) Hyperventilate . . . . . . 7:31
2) No Me No You . . . . . . 6:06
3) Snowman . . . . . . . . . 3:55
4) The Other Me . . . . . . 4:51
5) Black Light Machine . . 10:06
6) Milliontown . . . . . . . 26:35

Frost* official website at:
http://www.frost-music.com/

Line-up
- Jem Godfrey: vocals, keyboards
- John Mitchell: guitars, vocals
- Andy Edwards: drums
- John Jowitt: bass

Guest musician:
- John Boyes: guitars

format: Single CD • Insideout # SPV IOMCD252
release date: July 16, 2006

A review by guest critic Yves Dubé
The progressive world has its share of established musicians that manage to make a name for themselves and create a small ripple in the vast musical ocean. Occasionally these musicians like to team up on projects and create what we call “supergroups”. It seems to be a growing trend as every year seems to bring us a new such project. 2006’s entry is the band currently under review: Frost* (yes…with an asterix). Milliontown is the name of the album born out of the meeting of Jem Godfrey (keyboards), John Mitchell (guitar), John Jowitt (bass), and Andy Edwards (drums). Jem’s musical background is rooted in pop music, where he wrote songs for bands such as Atomic Kitten. Mr Mitchell’s pedigree includes stints with such notables as Arena, and last year’s supergroup sensation KINO, among others. John Jowitt has been around, well…forever. Best known for his work with IQ, he has also worked with Gary Chandler’s band Jadis. Mr. Edwards is IQ’s newest drummer, replacing Paul Cook.

Born out of Jem’s love for progressive music, Milliontown juxtaposes shorter pop-laced numbers with a long sprawling epic. The music goes from quiet acoustic piano excursions, to full-blown bombast, and back again, within a few heartbeats. Jem demonstrates a flair for flamboyant keyboard work and his style is firmly rooted in following the footsteps of keyboard giants such as Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson, while retaining a modern edge to his sound. His writing style is very grandiose and the entire disc has a larger-than-life sound which tends to please fans of the new modern symphonic progressive music. The opening Hyperventilate sets the mood for the entire disc. It’s a slightly over-the-top instrumental number that amply demonstrates the tightness and musical proficiency of the band members. It is followed by No Me No You, which has a very Porcupine Tree feel to it. It’s a fast-paced crunchy number with a very catchy chorus. Jem’s voice is heard for the first time. I find his vocals to be reminiscent of Neal Morse’s lower range utterances, and quite pleasant. In fact, Jem’s approach, his prog via pop route has a few resemblances to Mr Morse’s. Nothing blatant, mind you, but a vocal line here or there that rings familiar bells in this reviewers ears. John Mitchell also supplies some backing vocals, giving the tracks interesting counterpoint voices. Snowman is the third track on the disc. It opens in a Beatlesque manner with Jem playing piano and crooning softly. The track is the disc’s only ballad, but fits in well with the bombast of the other numbers and acts as a great musical sorbet, if you will. The Other Me is the next number. Yet again I hear early Spock’s Beard (circa The Kindness Of Strangers) on this number. It has a slightly pop penchant and an almost danceable beat. One can’t help but tap one’s foot to the song’s infectious groove. More radio-friendly music ensues with Black Light Machine, only this time there’s a twist. Pop tunes don’t run 10:06, and this track soon shakes off its thin pop veneer and delves into classic progressive music. John Mitchell lays down a very emotional and tasteful solo in the middle portion and the track never looks back from that point. The closing segments have got all members firing on all cylinders, and remind us that this isn’t a pop disc that we’re spinning. But, this is but a warm-up .The meat of the disc is yet to come. It’s supplied courtesy of the 26:35 title track. All the musical ideas that were hinted at in the opening 5 numbers all come to fruition on Milliontown. The number dances and weaves its way through a kaleidoscopic musical tapestry. Long musical flourishes show off individual members prowesses, but always within the context of the song itself. There’s a guiding hand directing this sprawling number. Godfrey’s obvious keyboard wizardry is front and center, in counterpoint to Mitchell’s fast and furious fretwork. Fans of the epic are well served indeed here. Denigrators of “the song that never ends” can take solace in the fact that this number does not come across as a mish-mash of shorter numbers awkwardly sewn together. The entire number, like the entire disc, has been well crafted. It closes off a surprisingly good hour of music.

This band and disc, as stated in the opening, have created a buzz in the prog community. The band will be making a much anticipated appearance at the Rites Of Spring Festival in April 2007. There have been rumors of the band making this project the only one under this name. It would be a shame if Milliontown were to be the band’s debut and swan song, but rumors are just that. Time will tell if this foursome will release any more music together. It would be a shame if they didn’t.

My rating for Milliontown : 8.5/10(album reviewed by Yves Dubé © 2006. All Rights reserved)