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Reviews

Vast Conduit — Always Be There
(Bandcamp no#, 2021, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2022-11-19

Always Be There Cover art

Vast Conduit is a rather odd band in the area of progressive rock. The prime mover is Bill Jenkins, who has played keyboards with Enchant since Tug of War (2003) and is also involved with the band Thought Chamber. I’m actually not familiar with either of those groups, so I can’t offer any comparisons with them, but I can describe Always Be There as a work on its own. Jenkins is joined by Michael Harris (guitar), Will Jenkins (drums), Jeff Plant (bass), Jim Hurley (violin), and Friel (lead vocals). And yes, the singer goes by the single name. There are also a few guests here and there through the eleven tracks. At its core, the music of Vast Conduit is a highly accessible take on modern prog rock, with some flourishes of complexity but never venturing into anything awkward or abrasive. Hurley’s violin is often the element setting the music apart from any number of neo-progressive bands of the last 40 years, and there’s a casual virtuosity to Plant’s bass work that is quite effective. The instrumental track “Soul Tuck” is a highlight, with its hyperactive rhythms and soaring melodies, and even the funky slap bass works in this context. Over the course of five minutes, the piece explores a number of moods, and there’s not a dull moment. “Too Busy” is another similarly successful instrumental. The songs with lyrics sometimes fit into this mold as solid pieces with vocal lines added. There are occasional missteps, however, like the female backing vocals in “Barrier,” which are mixed in such a way that they sound very harsh and shrill, though I’m not sure is the fault of the singer. But the lowest point by far is “Philly Etymology,” a hopelessly lame attempt at something like jazz. A change of mood is welcome, but this piece is not much more interesting than something by Kenny G — and I detest Kenny G. The fusion-related parts of the album are quite good, but this more traditional sound is definitely not their forte. On the whole, however, there are enough good parts to Always Be There that I’m OK with skipping one track. For fans of the modern stream of music represented by Echolyn, Vast Conduit should be a winner.

Filed under: New releases, 2021 releases

Related artist(s): Bert Lams, Vast Conduit

More info
http://vastconduit.bandcamp.com/album/always-be-there

 

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