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CLOSER (EP)
Tracklist:
Half Moon Street (5.51)
A World Somewhere (4.12)
The Bonding (5.21)
Sacrifice (5.21)
Closer (3.04)
LINEUP
Agneiszka Swita - vocals
Clive Nolan - keyboards and backing vocals
REVIEW
Last year Clive Nolan launched a new venture Caamora, a project that centres around the nucleus of Clive Nolan (Arena, Pendragon, Shadowland) and Polish singer / songwriter Agneiszka Swita.
Towards the end of 2007 they plan to release a full length album, recorded with
the aid of a full band and orchestra, which will be a musical interpretation of the Victorian novel 'She' (written by H. Rider Haggard). To pave the way for what is to come however the duo have released 'Closer', a five track EP which serves a dual purpose - partly to serve as an introduction to Agneiszka's undoubted vocal talents, and partly to provide a valuable insight into the 'She' phenomenon.
The first song on the disk is a reworking of the Shadowland track 'Half Moon Street'.
In it's original form on the 1994 album 'Through the Looking Glass' this track featured Clive on vocals, a role which Agneiszka takes over with relish delivering a strong and emotional performance which gives the song a whole new lease of life. Paradoxically there is a sense of both power and restraint in her voice and the result produces a lovely sense of tension perfectly suited to the lyrics she is singing.
The next two tracks, 'A World Somewhere' and 'The Bonding', are both pieces taken from the forthcoming 'She' project.
The first of these has a beautifully theatrical mood, and one can easily imagine this being performed on the stage. To my mind (and I mean this in a very positive way) this is every bit as good as anything Andrew Lloyd Webber has ever produced. There is a passion here that really carries the listener along, and it's really hard to fault.
'The Bonding' starts in a slow fairly low key manner, but it picks up with a strong melody and a chorus that gives the song an added appeal that should extend well beyond the usual progressive rock circles.
It put me in mind of the likes of Evanescence and is certainly a number that grows on you with repeated listens.
Next up is 'Sacrifice' which is another rerecording of an older song, this time a Strangers On a Train piece from the 1990 album, 'The Key: Part 1'.
Musically this is a very strong number with it's heavily orchestrated sound, yet despite it's very different nature from the preceding pieces Agneiszka's vocals continue to deliver the goods in fine style.
Finally we come to the title track for the EP, 'Closer'. This tracks takes on more of a ballad like approach with a softer vocal delivery set against a predominantly piano based back drop.
With it's mix of old and new songs, and the it's range in terms of both styles and tempos, this EP certainly succeeds admirably in terms of it's perceived objectives. Primarily it does indeed demonstrate the
star qualities in Agneiszka Swita's singing, and at the same time it generates an air of expectancy with regard to the much anticipated full band release which hopefully we will hear in the latter part of the year.
Well worth checking out!
Simon 28th January 2007
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