Wilton Said are a Canadian progressive rock outfit from Toronto and have been around since the late 90’s. This is the first I have heard of them, and it has been a pleasure listening to their latest album The View. This is pretty interesting stuff. I can hear bits and pieces of artists like Queen, Roxy Music, and David Bowie but in no way are they derivative. They have infused a classic guitar sound from the 70’s with a modern sensibility that sounds fresh and exciting. I found myself having a sense of nostalgia while listening to this record, but I did not find this to be a bad thing. The album starts with a short carnival-like intro with interesting voicings which leads directly into the second song “Heavy Motion”. The song has a pounding bass and guitar that took me back to the 1970s. Wilton Said’s vocals are excellent with some nice falsetto that somewhat reminded me of Freddy Mercury, and that is not a comparison to be made lightly as we all know how tremendously talented he was. Also included is a neat little synth solo that made me think of Manfred Mann. “Merry-go-Round” is a straight-ahead rocker which almost sounds like 1970’s Blue Oyster Cult during the chorus. The song ends with the same carnival-like sounds that opened the CD. “Pretty” features nice keys, and again has a BOC feel during the chorus. I can also hear Bowie in this one. Please do not get the wrong impression with some of my comparisons. These guys are not copycats and have developed their own unique sound by taking influences of the past and making a style all their own. Tracks 7, 8, and 9 form the three-part epic, “The Empty Sky”. This is probably the most progressive song on the album and also my favourite. Very good keys, drumming, guitar, and nice tempo changes add to your listening pleasure. This one is not to be missed and makes for a rewarding listen. The saying, “good things come in small packages”, is appropriate as this is a short record (about 35 minutes). In this day and age of 75 minute long concept albums this may not be such a bad thing and dare I say almost refreshing? I really enjoyed the time I spent with this disc and recommend you give it a listen, especially if you like any of the artists I previously mentioned. Being a Canuck myself I am proud to say this is one I highly recommend! Rating: 8 (out of ten) Reviewer: Jon Neudorf

You know, part of the problem in doing a review of a progressive rock CD is that as a prog fan, you're almost certain to like at least parts of it before you even give it a fair hearing. It’s like asking a child what part of a chocolate bar he or she likes best. So, in doing a review of "The View" by Toronto’s Wilton Said... I must admit to a certain prejudice before I even gave it the customary three listenings. The temptation is to roll out the usual list of superlatives in describing this work. Instead, I will list the faults with it. To start with, those who do not like progressive music are gonna HATE this. It drips progressive music, strange time signatures, lyrics that evoke feeling, music that is not at all easy to get into. If Mantovani and Lawrence Welk light up your day, give it a pass. If you’re looking for top ten material, songs that would sell soda pop, er, no. But if you're looking for musical challenge, this album is for you. If Peter Gabriel and Fish are in your catalogue of prog, then add this one, and quickly. The music is powerful and evocative, the lyrics are startling in their clarity, the concepts challenging. "The View" literally gives you a different view of different aspects of life. The album opens with "Carnival?" with its carnival music, and the note "the wrong side of me". An excellent opening, and it only gets better. “Heavy Motion" gets things moving with a thundering bass line, followed by Wilton’s singing, changing from the heavier tone set earlier. The song is difficult with the time changes, but the band is more than equal to the task. Which brings up an interesting point. Why is it that prog artists seem so much more talented, more capable, than there rock counterparts? Is it the music that brings out their abilities, or is it that the more talented musicians are drawn to the more demanding art form? Or is it various combinations thereof? At any rate, this work is a prog fan’s delight. Wilton himself is a master at stage presence, presenting different aspects of the music like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. The songs presented on ‘The View’ capture that same quality. Again, you have to wonder why a band with this much talent, presence and entertainment can be so overlooked. Incidentally, you might not want to listen to this if you’re nursing a hangover. I think you’ll find it can be quite disorienting. For those who like musical kaleidoscopes, it's a trip not to be missed!

Wilton Said (the band) AND Wilton Said (the musician) hail from Toronto Ontario. Said’s quirky mix of art rock influences (Queen, Bowie, Kate Bush battle with Sarah Slean and A Perfect Circle for prominence) is on full display on The View, his newest release. Said holds a degree in Musical Composition from York University, and his contributions on vocals/piano/keyboards are joined by those of Andrew Buntain (bass), Richard Rizzo (drums) and Chris Reid (guitars). Sonically the band has forged a sound that focuses heavily on rock, with buzzing guitars, a punchy rhythm section, and Said’s dramatic, inflected vocals flitting in and out of the mix. The tracks on The View are pretty immediately accessible, but with enough quirk and twisted arrangement to move the band out of the mainstream. Art rock is quite possibly the best categorisation for their music, as it seems in many ways the logical extension of the direction bands such as Roxy Music or the Spiders From Mars took in the 1970’s. “Carnival?” opens the album with found sound; children laughing in a sonic collage with calliope music and loops of undiscernable whispers and a strange vocal line. This shifts into “Heavy Motion,” which starts with a thick, rolling bass line and processed vocals. Wilton Said’s vocals are extremely flexible here, bending notes in a way that sounds extremely close to falling off the melodic line, before snapping back. The song itself goes through a number of changes, with heavy strummed guitar at 2:00 moving into a syncopated and brief bridge before a warped synth solo takes center stage. “A Family Affair” opens like a restrained track, with dream like slide guitar and precious, fragile vocals, before said vocals are run through what sounds like ring modulation, moving the dream into nightmare territory. The song is an exercise in contrast, with alternating heavy sections adding tension to what is otherwise a pretty straightforward song. Prog fans will likely go gaga over “The Empty Sky,” a 3-part mini-epic which closes out the album. The opening movement, “The View,” is a keyboard lover’s dream come true, with layers of organ, synth and piano battling over a pounding rhythm and thick rhythm guitar before the track shifts gears, bringing the speed down a notch while keeping the sonic richness as high as possible. An organ fanfare leads to clean, chorused, picked guitar reminiscent of 1980’s Alex Lifeson. “Goodbye,” the second movement, features laser beam sustained guitar lines, starting clean before adding fuzz and overdrive in ever drenching layers, over an orchestral synth foundation and militaristic drumming. The final section of this suite, “Fallen,” starts by picking up the pace with quick drumming and a propulsive organ line, before downshifting to a somber semi-dirge, with emotionally saturated guitar line and rich, mellotron-like synth textures. Said’s lyrics are sullen and somewhat distressing; a number of potential interpretations likely exist, all of which reek with finality. His vocal delivery on the three tracks that comprise this epic is the most dramatic and emotional on the album. The View is an album packed with a variety of musical twists and turns. All the more amazing is that this is done in just over 34 minutes. In a modern musical environment where quantity is held as having far more importance than quality, it is a joy to listen to an album that hits hard and fast, with no throwaway tracks. The View is just that sort of album, and positions Wilton Said (the band) AND Wilton Said (the musician) as voices to keep an eye (and ear) open to.

Wilton Said returns in 2006 with the release of The View. This release contains some of most eclectic styles ranging from hard rocking to some dissonant singing to symphonic & art rock. On The View, the band explores several themes which makes up humanity and the way we view ourselves. All songs are sung with a flare that still reminds me of a blend of Geoff Mann and Freddie Mercury. I enjoy each and every track on this album but to me the highlight is the 3 part of The Empty Sky. This one will surely lure in the symphonic and neo prog fans. Wilton Said has always, to my ears, has always thrown out the rule book on progressive rock and re-written it to suite their musical ideals. While, they stay within the song-based format, they stretch it out to include things that make up progressive rock. With each release, Wilton Said refines themselves and while I enjoy their other releases, The View seems to be their defining moment to date. Wilton Said really brings back the fun and adventure in both the music and vocal aspects. Joining Wilton’s madness are Guitarist Chris Reid, Bassist Andrew Buntain and Drummer Richard Rizzo. In closing, I would definitely say The View is highly recommended independent or otherwise release for 2006! Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on October 17th, 2006