C Sides Project – Purple Hearts Corner
Wow! When I first heard some of the new music from CSides Project I knew this was going to be a new favorite to add to my progressive rock watch list. I was correct after listening to this whole album. It is sensational. Purple Hearts Corner, was released February 1, 2020, and it is now my favorite progressive rock album of early 2020!
The South Wales “CSides Project began while Martin Rosser was a guitarist in the well-established British band Magenta. Allan Mason-Jones also played the drums during this period of Magenta’s history and it became apparent that they both shared common musical tastes. Conversations during gigs and practices eventually sparked Martin’s idea into reality. Later in 2007 Martin and Allan formed the first incarnation of their new musical experiment, CSides”. “Dan Fry, an ex-Magenta bassist, join CSides on bass and vocals. The cooperative efforts of the group became the band’s first album, Devitrification, which was well received by prog rock audiophiles”.
Purple Hearts Corner, is “based on the story of “Ye Old Pub” a WWII B17 flying fortress bomber and its crew who miraculously escaped death due to the empathy of a Luftwaffe Messerschmitt pilot who refused to shoot them down after they were heavily damaged by flack during a bombing raid over Bremen”. Purple Hearts Corner is only the first part of this two-part epic. Part II will be released in the future. Purple Hearts Corner is the fourth album released by CSides Project, following: 10 Days, which was released onOctober 2018; We Are Now, released in March of 2017; and Truth Through Clowns, released in February of 2017.
CSides Project is made
up of: Allen McCarthy, on lyrics, vocals, and bass: Sian Elson, on lead
vocals; Martin Rosser, on lead guitar; Kevin Dawson, on keyboards;
and Allan Mason-Jones, on drums.
This band, like Pink Floyd and many others before, demonstrate how five songs can be extended into a wonderful story full of stirring music.
“Fields”, opens with cool keyboards and airplane props, propelling the bomber through the air. Then; cool electric guitar, drums and pounding bass. A perfect welcoming entrance. Followed by a lurching and pounding opening, before first vocals; sounding a little like Paul Carrack, in the early days of Mike and the Mechanics; “Cold silhouette in the midnight dawn. Long silent wait, from the home-front door. Back in the field. Reality calls. Its life or death, reality falls…in the field”. Lyrics that perfectly rivet you to the story and music. Female backing vocals that warm and balance the sound. That cool, Pink Floyd, elongated air raid sound in the background. Thank you for that. Excellent track, but we have only just begun.
“Into Clouds”, opens with beautiful piano and keyboards just like I would want a CSides, (or for me seaside), project to begin. Deep, rain dripping keyboards that hold your attention still. Then a cascade of rain drop keys that you just never want to end. Like Tony Banks on The Lamb or Trick of the Tail. Don’t let it end. Female vocals, “December grey skies”, set to cool keys; then powerful organ, bass, drums and lead electric guitars, smash through the calm, loudly. An instrumental extravaganza follows. Close your eyes and enjoy those excellent guitar solos.
“Bremen”, opens with propeller sounds and some cool keyboards. Communication over the airwaves as Pink Floyd level bass, electric lead guitar and drums build melody. The keys centrally providing the way forward. Then cool high keys, awesome. Lyrics reflect the view looking down from the skies and up from the cities below. Great balance in vocals between male and female.
“Engine Down”, opens with some cool electric guitar and keyboard distortions. Brilliant lead electric guitar riffs, coupled with hard bass and perfectly placed drumming with percussion. The drum and percussion work that follows is excellent. The keyboards towards the end are magnificent.
“Purple Hearts Corner”, is a cool drum and percussion rocker at the opening. Then electric lead guitar joins in with ELP like keys. The longest song on the album and an excellent closer.
This is an excellent progressive rock album filled with incredible instrumental highlights. The vocals are kept to a minimal, only used to help tell the story. Other that that, the music is allowed to tell the story. Get this album and add CSides Project, to your list of bands to watch for in the future.
Track List
- Fields – 8:08
- Into Clouds – 12:07
- Bremen – 10:39
- Engine Down – 10:58
- Purple Hearts Corner – 12:29
https://www.thecsidesproject.com/