A Dark, Emotive, and Achingly Human Album--Excellent!
author: Bill Wallberg
Not too many people can pull of the "one-man band" thing. Too often, the results sound mechanical and dull. Not this one...
Matthew Parmenter, the driving force behind the band Discipline, has devised a solo album that feels more personal than that band's output. This work is heavily in the vein of Van Der Graaf Generator and mid-era King Crimson. Highly structured, but allow plenty of room for Parmenter to show off his instrumental skills on keyboards, guitar, percussion, etc. This is, however, not merely a musician's showcase. Every note and phrase is played as a part of the larger whole and sounds as if it has purpose. The effect is that of a highly skilled instrumentalist playing whatever the song requires. Parmenter is a skilled songwriter who writes very deeply human lyrics filled with dark imagery that feels oddly both hopeful and yet cynical about the human condition.
This album comes highly recommended to fans of Discipline, and to those who simply want to hear a very talented musician and songwriter at a creative peak.
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Dark, honest, creative and moving
author: Scott Ellison
This CD is very dark and emotional, not a surprise to fans of Discipline. Matthew does a nice job playing pretty much all instruments. However, this album lacks some of the instrumental intensity that Unfolded Like Staircase had. Album strengths are Matthew's vocals, keyboard playing and song writing. If you like Vandergraaf Generator, King Crimson, and emotional music like Pink Floyd, The Wall, you will like this CD. This is a very good CD. It potentially could have been an outstanding CD if it had been a "Discipline" CD and not a solo CD, with input from all Discipline members. With that being said, I love everything Matthew does, and this is a very strong effort. I've told Matthew myself that if he had been born in the 70's, he would have been a huge success! His musical talent, creativity, lyrics, dark view of life, and song writing ability is right up there with Peter Gabriel and Roger Waters, two of my all time favorite artists.
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Wow, without discipline there is perfectionism!
author: Jonas Bang
I no longer miss Van der Graaf Generator and Peter Hammill. Solo, without Discipline, Matthew Parmenter just infused fresh life to this form of art, and how he does it! Brilliant lyrics and glowing creativeness that really sweeps you away in an emotional outburst. I hope Matthew stays unDisciplined and continues to create more of this.
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