Title

Label/Cat No.

Year

Length

Tales Of The Future

Brainstorm

1999

60:26

Brainstorm Two - Earth Zero

Brainstorm

2001

58:55

Desert World

Brainstorm

2005

72:17

TALES OF THE FUTURE

Brainstorm come from Melbourne, Australia and were formed some twelve years ago, initially playing as a covers band. An eponymous cassette tape release of their own songs, in 1993, they say "represented a real definition of the band as an original unit". Over the next five years they concentrated on songwriting releasing 'Brainstorm 2 Earth Zero', described as space-rock with lots of Hawkwind influences, in 1995 and this CD late in 1998.

The band are fronted by vocalist/guitarist Paul Foley who's a Yes fan. He says "In the beginning, God created Close to the Edge and then everything else was an afterthought.  I spent my days listening to Jethro Tull, Tangerine Dream, Hawkwind, Yes and all the other icons of those years ... and still do".

Paul tells that "we had augmented our lineup at our second rehearsal with a friend of mine, Steve Bechervaise, who was (and is) an excellent guitarist, so naturally we made him our keyboard player ... (he's) into much the same type of music as me, but with a preference for Brian Eno and Jazz Fusion. Lead guitarist Craig Carter was also a late seventies person, but more broad in his musical interests. Bassist, Jeff Powerlett, was distinguished by having previously been in a band called the Swing Club and, alone among us all, had his name in the index of the Australian Encyclopedia of Rock".

The line up is completed by drummer and keyboard player, Vittorio Di Iorio, who's "very erudite musically (being able to play guitar, piano and many other instruments as well, and being the only one in the band who can actually sight-read music). His influence has helped us move further towards what I'd call Progressive Rock, with weird time-changes, long songs containing many linked parts, finger-breaking chords that I'd never heard of or played (at least on purpose) till he showed them to us".

So that's the band in their own words ... now on to the CD.  'Tales Of The Future' is very much an album with its roots in the seventies - but whilst these influences are strong, the music belongs to today. It tells the story of mankind leaving earth to colonise other planets and how the recurring insanity of pollution, war and ruin inevitably takes over each separate society.

The album opens with 'Cyborg' (8:44) which which starts with an acoustic guitar leading into the the vocals.  The piece is mainly instrumental with each person playing their part and no one instrument taking precedence - although, I must say, there's some really nice keyboard and guitar melodies in here.

'Evolution' (6:09) is a more down beat number with a dreamy quality to the verses and great vocal harmonies in the chorus.  The instrumentation is fairly delicate, starting gently and adding piano, Hammond and guitar individually and layered together.

The next song, 'Not Saying Anything' (3:28) has a guitar style and vocal harmonies that are obviously strongly influenced by the Moody Blues. This is an up tempo and all too brief song.

The Moodies' influence carries through to the main part of 'Brideshead' (8:33) is an upbeat guitar-led vocal section. This is followed by a fabulous and richly worked instrumental section ... tremendous stuff.

A sense of desolation is evident in the song 'In Violent Hours' (4:31).  I'm really impressed with this number, the vocals are supported by a minimalist instrumental backing track - and the result is very effective.

Multi layered vocals feature at the beginning and end of 'Spaceport' (3:59) ... and in between is an instrumental with a deep primitive feel, highlighted with classical guitar work.

'Still I See' (8:50) is a more low-key song but, in the last couple of minutes of the piece, it really comes to life with a wonderfully uplifting guitar solo.

In a complete change of pace, 'Sow The Wind' (2:22) begins with a frenetic beat - but this is a song of strong contrasts and it alternates between this fast rhythm and a slower pace, during which the sound is very Bowie-like in 'The Man Who Sold The World' era.

You can't help but tap your feet along to 'Conception' (3:48). It's an upbeat song that's far too sophisticated to be poppy ... a great instrumental mix with lashings of vacuole harmonies in the chorus - fabulous!

'Walks In Anonymity' (4:49) is another piece in which different instruments come to the fore in turn.  Inspiring keyboard work sits behind the gentle vocal sections complimenting and lifting the mood of the piece.

Finally, 'Egress' (5:01) has a heavier more spacey sound, reminiscent of Hawkwind, and the catchy chorus line of "Freedom".

All in all, a fine album that is hugely enjoyable to listen to and I look forward to hearing more from them.

And the future from the band's point of view?  Paul says "We've been working on our next album which will be a further progression, better (we hope) than the previous ones, with longer songs and more of Vit's jazz influence on it, reflecting the continuing development of the band's music.  Later in the year we also intend to re-release 'Earth Zero' on CD ... and having discovered the web, for the first time since 1975, I'm beginning to feel that music isn't dead and that we are not merely a curious anachronism - but part of a larger, ongoing evolution of what is, to me, the best of all music".

Marisa 6th August 2000

The CDs can be purchased through the band's web site - see our links page.

BRAINSTORM TWO - EARTH ZERO

Tracklist: Freeway; Vandals Hymn; No-One Knows; Stasis; Slow Train of the Lie; Back Home on Terra; Triplanetary; The Last Long Summer; Anarchy; Tyranny; Armageddon.

'Earth Zero' was originally released as a cassette back in 1995 and consists, for the most part, of songs written by the band during the period 1992-93, as well as featuring some earlier material missed off their first album.  For the re-issue on CD the tracks have been fully re-mastered and the accompanying booklet includes full lyrics and additional notes explaining the background to the songs.

Rather than repeat the band's history here, I will instead refer readers to our review of the 'Tales from the Future' album, also to be found on this page.  The lineup for 'Earth Zero' is virtually the same as the one listed there, the only change being that the drummer on this CD is Phil Schreck, who was later superseded by Vittorio Di Iorio after Phil left the band in 1996.

This album is on the whole a touch heavier than 'Tales...', and shows more obvious 'Spacerock' influences, but that said there is still a good mix of sounds and styles to be found here and some of the lighter moments really stand out.

The first track, 'Freeway' gets things off to a magnificent start. The swirling synth sounds which mark the opening soon give way to a hard driving bass line, which excels throughout, backed by a solid percussive beat.  Guitar and vocals are dependable and the use of Hammond organ gives the track an edge reminiscent of the Doors at times.  It's impossible not to get caught up in the swinging rhythms and rocking beat of this track ... a real classic!

'Vandals Hymn' opens with strong guitar and bass work and a very stark vocal style. The imagery behind the lyrics is very powerful indeed and the delivery conveys a sense of passion and feeling. For me however, the real highlight of the piece comes with the beautifully played acoustic guitar section mid way through the song.  The tones are really strong and provide a wonderful sense of contrast with the passages on either side.

Next up comes 'No-One Knows', another track with a prominent, driving bass line. The song comes over well enough, although it somehow lacks the power and energy of some of the other featured numbers.  On the positive side though, there are some nice lead guitar licks mid section, and the vocal tones go a long way to keeping things interesting.

The sound of thunder, rain and bird song all herald the arrival of 'Stasis'. These give way to gentle acoustic guitar work supporting a soft and delicate vocal line.  As the track develops further, the percussion and keyboards build up the intensity, but the initial mood of the song is maintained perfectly throughout.  After reaching its peak, the instrumentation starts to fade gradually back down again, and the final section plays out with the acoustic guitar supported by some very nice piano sounds.

On hearing 'Slow Train of the Lie' I was immediately put in mind of another Australian band, as the vocal style here bears a striking resemblance to Midnight Oil - I should perhaps point out that this comment is intended as a compliment rather than a negative criticsm however.  The song is mid paced, with guitar and bass both coming over well, and piano style keyboard work adds some additional rhythm and depth to the piece.

Another change in direction follows with the slow paced lament, 'Back Home on Terra'. This track is more folk oriented, with a Celtic feel accentuated by the Irish accent applied to the vocals, and the use of the tin whistle.  Mixed in with this there is still an element of space rock and the result is a song full of atmosphere and feeling.

'Triplanetary' continues the slow, laid back mood. This starts out slow but there is a gradual build up of tension as it progresses. The use of the Hammond early on, combined with good use of backing vocals, not to mention some inspired guitar work, all give a vaguely Pink Floyd feel to the track.

'The Last Long Summer' comes across as being in the tradition of a protest song, strangely it put me in mind of Dylan - but without actually sounding like him! Acoustic guitar dominates with strong but unobtrusive keyboard backing giving solid support.  In fact, it's worth listening to this and concentrating on the background as it's only then you start to realise how much depth there is to what, at first, appears to be a fairly straightforward track.

The strong seventies' space rock feel is evident in the slow paced 'Anarchy', and continues on into the more upbeat 'Tyranny', which features heavier guitar riffs which are very much in the Hawkwind mould.

The final song on the album is 'Armageddon', which is something of a mini epic split, as it is, into six parts and with a running time of nearly 21 minutes. Not unexpectedly in view of its length, this piece has by far the greatest complexity of all those featured.  The music forms constantly shifting patterns which conjure up a range of mixed emotions.  Sometimes the mood is soft and gentle, while at others there is a darker, more sinister edge - all of which is further emphasised by the vocals. This combination of lyrical imagery with some very stirring instrumental work together serves to epitomize the spirit of the band in concentrated form.

This album is essential listening for all 'spacerock' fans, and is worth buying for the track 'Freeway' alone!

Simon  May 2nd 2001

DESERT WORLD

Tracklist:
The Light (Eunomia Sunrise) (11:46);
Occupation (6:58);
Unfathomed Darkness (4:59);
Mutants (10:24);
Shadows of the Past (7:02);
Paradise Lost (8:46);
Martian Chronicle (7:16);
Goblins (3:44);
Desert World (11:22)

LINEUP
Steve Bechervaise - Keyboards
Craig Carter - Guitars, vocals
Vittorio Di Iorio -  Percussion
Paul Foley - Vocals, guitars
Jeff Powerlett - Bass, vocals

REVIEW

It's been nearly six years since Brainstorm re-released their superb "Earth Zero" album, but thankfully that time has been put to good use as the band's latest offering "Desert World" clearly demonstrates.

With the same stable lineup as before Brainstorm have been able to capitalise on their experience and have continued to build on their earlier work. The superb seventies space rock sound we heard on "Earth Zero" is still here in abundance but there is so much more besides. As well as pouring out the hard rock rhythms this is a band who seem to be equally at ease playing softer delicate passages with clear progressive overtones, and boy does it work.

The album itself is a concept work set in the future at a time when the Earth has been ravaged by climatic disaster and the remnants of mankind are eking out an existence as Mars colonists who perhaps ironically are having to utilise the technology that brought about Earth's demise as being ultimately the only thing that can save them.

The album gets underway with "The Light", a track that kicks things off in fine style. The vocals here are clear and well defined and really hold the attention while the guitar work is strong without being over bearing.  After the initial vocal section the pace picks up and we get into a slightly more manic musical break which has something of a space rock feel to it with some great synth effects adding to the atmosphere.  By the mid point the pace slows down once again and the music becomes more moody with with the keyboards creating strong undercurrents that add texture to the overall sound. There is a nice sense of flow to this track and the changes in mood and tempo make it a strong opening number.

'Occupation' continues to build on the strong start with excellent bass and drum work powering things forward while the keyboard sound adds a very progressive feel to the track.  

Next we come to 'Unfathomed Darkness' which is the first of two purely instrumental pieces on the album. Bass is used strongly here and this coupled with the slightly distorted effects added to some of the guitar work creates an atmosphere of expectancy and tension within the track.

'Mutants' with it's dark undercurrents and confident vocal delivery provides not just great music but also injects a sense of fun. The lyrics, which are perhaps a little tongue in cheek at times, have a certain poignancy and seem to make a philosophical point regarding how we have our lives dictated to us by fashion and politics. Musically this is a piece with many changes of mood and direction and just when you think you have it pegged there is a shift of focus, even so everything holds together wonderfully well from start to finish.  Of particular note is the nice use of flute which adds depth to the final section.

Initially 'Shadows of the Past' did not really catch my attention but when I went back and really listened to it, it quickly became a firm favourite. The driving bass line here pushes things along with a strong dynamic but at the same time there are some quieter interludes where melancholic guitar with string samples providing orchestrated backing that create areas of contrast. Vocals, as ever, are well delivered, with a slightly rough edge which also add to the timbre of the piece.  The addition of a strong keyboard line towards the close brings things to a perfect finish.

Another excellent track is 'Paradise Lost' which gets underway with acoustic guitar supported by delicate flute work which once again gives a sense of sadness and desolation.  The softer vocals here work very well indeed and are well suited to preserving the atmosphere and mood of the song. In all this is an amazingly sensitive number which is made even more effective when considered in context next to the preceding piece.

'Martian Chronicle' is a a more straightforward and yet punchy number which utilises a strong bass line to provide impetus. The song also gives rise to fine guitar playing.

'Goblins' is a shorter instrumental number which seems to serve to link together the tracks either side of it. Slightly jazzy at times I found it to be a little quirky in nature, but pleasant enough all the same.

Finally we come to the title track which also serves as the end piece to the album. This is another long number which nevertheless manages to hold the attention really well. A soft jazzy guitar intro with flute overlay gives a soft mellow tone which is further accentuated by the vocals.  Keyboards help build up the sound and as the number progresses further use is made of synth effects to help give that space touch once again, and the use of backing vocals in the chorus is quite notable. Although I am not generally a big fan of long numbers I have to concede that the variety contained within this particular number makes it very pleasant listening.

The presentation of the CD is very good for an independent work with an 8 page booklet that provides both a short story to introduce the concept behind the album and the full set of lyrics set against a competent photographic backdrop.  Only the cover picture itself is a little lack lustre, but then the theme of the album is bleak so it is at least in keeping.

Despite the length of some of the tracks, and indeed the album itself, this is music that never seems to outstay it's welcome, and from beginning to end there is a flow and sense of change that helps to keeps things fresh.  All things considered I am pleased to report that Brainstorm have once again delivered the goods with another well thought out and well put together album that seldom disappoints.  Very listenable and strongly recommended!

Simon  August 2006