Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate – Confidence Trick

Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate won my favorite album of 2020 award, with Nostalgia for Infinity. Now they return with an album that may be even better than that! The new album is titled The Confidence Trick, and it will be released on July 29, of 2022, on Glass Castle Recordings. The Bandcamp pre-sales release date is July, 15, 2022. I am sure this album will be at, or near, the top of my progressive rock albums of the year, following in the footsteps of Nostalgia for Infinity.

Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate is a famous and award-winning progressive rock band from the UK. In fact, they are one of the most famous as recognized by the amount of important festivals and UK concerts they have been invited to perform on a regular basis, throughout the UK and abroad. In case you don’t know them, HoGIA is made up of: Malcolm Galloway, on vocals, lead guitar, keyboards/synths, and programming; Mark Gatland, on bass guitar, additional and slide guitars, keyboards/synths, Chapman Stick, and backing vocals; and Kathryn Thomas, on flute and backing vocals.

What they have created this time for our recent post-pandemic time is a lesson to all; to avoid the repeat of world history’s fatal and traumatic mistakes. As Charles Darwin states, (on one of the slides included in the album’s booklet): “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than knowledge: It is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science”.

It is this over-confidence in our knowledge and judgement which has allowed human history to be riddled with pain and fatal mistakes, which have needlessly taken or affected the lives of many.

As Malcolm Galloway writes, “This album is a collection of songs around an overall theme of cognitive errors, particularly overconfidence, and our repeated failure to learn from history. One of the longest tracks on the album is an instrumental inspired by Malcolm’s great-grandmother’s experiences of being hunted by the Nazis, and protected by some of the kindest people that our species is capable of producing. The language that was used to dehumanize populations before the Second World War is still used to dehumanize people today. We keep saying never again, and we keep making the same mistakes”.

Every song on this album, like the last, is irresistible, and you will want to play it through many times over the rest of the year. But the title track, “The Confidence Trick”, is the best track, full of some of the album’s best lyrics and beautiful, David Gilmour – like guitar.

The keyboards, programming and synthesizer work are amazing, state of the art sounds which will remind you of Tony Banks, while at the same time help you realize this is something new, indeed.

The first single “Silence is a Statement is another of the best tracks on the album, with its catchy lines and accessible melodies.

Where Nostalgia for Infinity blew me away with the otherworldly flute work of Kathryn Thomas, The Confidence Trick is a showcase for some of the best keyboard work, from Malcolm and Mark.

Malcolm’s vocal performance on this album will give Tim Bowness a run for the money this year. This is an innovative album, full of catchy songs and deep lyrics, with meaning and learning. His intelligent delivery reminds me of Thomas Dolby, set to a more progressive rock sound.

Kathryn Thomas does another commanding job with the flute on “Back Where I Started”.  She really is essential on any and all future HoGIA albums. Her vocal support is always welcomed.

This is a more fun album in terms of just listening to the band let go and fill the air with melody and new enchanting themes. This album does feel more alive than Nostalgia.

“End of the Line”, opens a three-track symphonic and at times cinematic showcase. The track took me back to the feeling of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, at times. Just that similar, journey – styled, feeling.

“Perky Pat”, with amazing laser-like display of synthesizers and keyboards, will make any Emerson/Banks keyboard fan happy. Just sit back and listen to them have fun, laying out some of the best keyboards, with tambourine support, of the year. Larry Fast-like inspiration that will make you want to hear this one on repeat.

“World War Terminus” sounds a little like some of the songs off Nostalgia for Infinity, but it is great.

“Pretending to Breathe” is a spacey keyboard symphony any good Emerson – Banks fan will love closing their eyes and listening to, with headphones on.

“Another Plague” is a great reminder that Covid was not the first pandemic the world has faced; and a reminder that it will probably not be the last, either. Please don’t get over-confident again.

“Refuge” has a slow, guided piano rhythm that reminded me of the kind of piano that used to be played for silent movies. Then, the orchestra enters the stage and the music gets even more dramatic. Another of the best songs on an album of perfection.

“Interlude”, is another wonderful, experimental instrumental. Sit back and enjoy the sound ride. Great lead electric guitar and drums.

“Lava Lamprey”, is another wonderful instrumental.

“All Empires Fall”, opens with Malcolm’s intelligent rap. A great song, with an almost Phideaux Xavier sound to it.

“Cygnus”, is not the Rush classic. It is a piano and Galloway vocal triumph.

This is an amazing album. It is not fair to compare this to music of the past, but I have to compare this to a Genesis, Lamb Lies Down on Broadway moment, for this band. Between their last album, Nostalgia for Infinity and now, The Confidence Trick; this band is setting themselves apart from their peers in the UK. This music really is full of intelligent stories and songs that challenge you to think and hopefully change your ways. Like Genesis, which made my generation consider many deep concepts while we were at the same time fully entertained.

Please get this next chapter in the history of Hats Off Gentlemen. It is quite an adventure for the mind and ears.   

Written and performed by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland (tracks 1, 4-7, 9-11), Malcolm Galloway, Mark Gatland and Kathryn Thomas (tracks 2, 3, 12), and Malcolm Galloway (track 13). Track 8 written by Malcolm Galloway and performed by Malcolm Galloway, Mark Gatland and Kathryn Thomas. (c) Glass Castle Recordings 2022, Malcolm Galloway, Mark Gatland, Kathryn Thomas
Album produced by Malcolm Galloway, co-produced by Mark Gatland and (track 12) Kathryn Thomas.

Lyrics by Malcolm Galloway. Cover art by Malcolm Galloway, using Nightcafe AI assisted art creation software. Booklet art by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland. Music copyright Glass Castle Recordings / Malcolm. 

Track List

1. Silence is a Statement – 4:25
2. Back Where I Started – 4:45
3. End of the Line – 6:54
4. Perky Pat – 6:03
5. World War Terminus – 3:12
6. Pretending to Breathe – 6:31
7. Another Plague – 7:30
8. Refuge – 10:23
9. Interlude – 4:04
10.  The Confidence Trick – 6:31
11.  Lava Lamprey – 3:17
12.  All Empires Fall – 3:24
13.  Cygnus – 1:14

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https://hatsoffgentlemen.bandcamp.com/album/the-confidence-trick