Tanagra

Tanagra

Meridiem

Self-Release

Release: 26 April 2019

Tanagra (2010), despite operating out of the nearby state of Oregon, is a new name in the pages of this publication. They are a progressive power band, with sing-along good vocals and ambitious songwriting that should be a cool, challenging listen while still offering lots of melodic elements. The album is a gargantuan 65 minutes in seven songs. It is important to tell the truth. No matter how melodic and catchy an album is, if it’s more than an hour, it’s going to be a challenge because it’s really a double album. It is asking a lot from the audience, and the band is purposely separating the wheat from the chaff, the dedicated listeners from the casual. Think of it this way: If these musicians have poured their efforts towards making an album that can withstand the ravages of time, then it’s only right that they ask for some serious fans, too. This band, as you can tell, is talking the talk, but do they walk the walk? The sound quality is pretty solid. This is an independent release, and unless someone in the band is wealthy, it means that they are not going to make another album soon because they won’t have the money. Even so, this is not their first album, it is their second one in their near-decade existence, the previous one being from 2015.

The skill level here is very high. The prog and melodic guitar fan will get quite the bang for the buck. This is what it sounds like when guitarists are obsessed with being good guitarists. You are going to tell right away that this is the realm of the guitar. The songwriting is prog power through and through. It’s not simple-and-easy songs, but in their defense, they have thankfully avoided the curse that plagues progressive bands: they have not forgotten to rock. That saves the album because if this did not have the rocking, then that would be a deal breaker with such a long album. The singing is one of the best things about the album. It is a strong, midrange tone that sounds good to just about any human ear that is listening. This is how the male voice can sound when it stays in its strong point. It’s melodic, not too high, and it projects rather well, with a certain gentleness to it on the recording. tanagraband.bandcamp.com