Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, is one of the best progressive rock bands from the UK. This year they have released an EP, Between Two Worlds, on January 29, 2025, to pre-empt the release of their new album, The Uncertainty Principle, which will be released on March 4, 2025.
The EP features one of the best tracks on The Uncertainty Principle, “Between Two Worlds”, “Helgoland”, and “imtiredandeverythinghurts”, (Live at the Prog For Peart Festival – 2024).
The Uncertainty Principle explores the idea of uncertainty. Malcolm Galloway; easily one of the most intelligent musicians in modern UK progressive rock, with academic degrees in the medical sciences and a vast knowledge of physics; says about the core importance of The Uncertainty Principle, “Certainty is, on the whole, comfortable, but often misleading and dangerous. Until the development of quantum physics, science seemed to provide an ever more precise description of our world. With better equipment, our understanding increased. The closer we looked, the more certain we could be of the reality underlying our observations”. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate’s music is always a welcome addition to a world music scene which often ignores true science or physics. They know the perfect way to balance cerebral lyrics and ideas with dynamic music.
Between Two Worlds, gives fans and new listeners the opportunity to see what this very articulate band has been working on since their last dynamic album, The Light of Ancient Mistakes.
Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate is: Malcolm Galloway, who wrote the lyrics, plays lead guitar, synths, and completed the album mastering; along with Mark Gatland, who plays bass guitar, was the vocal engineer, and played additional guitars and synths, are the musicians that make Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate. Mark is also the album’s co-producer.
“Between Two Worlds”, is one of the best tracks taken from The Uncertainty Principle. It features soft piano, and Malcolm Galloway singing the sad, reality facing lyrics. He sounds so much like Roger Waters, on “The Final Cut”, the title song, from the album. A man facing reality in a world that has definitely grown colder, to us all. Malcolm sings, “Cold in the machine. Between two worlds. Hydrogen flips. Painting by numbers. The grip of the crab. Displayed in the shadows. Double exposure on a future screen. Between two worlds. Another me in another place. In another life, with opposite news. I’m waiting to see which one I’ll be”.
“Helgoland”, is an over 3 minute instrumental song, full of warm keyboards and some amazing electric guitar soloing, reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, at the opening. Later, the keyboards help tell the story of Helgoland, a small island in the North Sea. Malcolm stated, “In 1925 Werner Heisenberg, (a key subject on the album, The Uncertainty Principle), went to this almost tree-less island in an attempt to treat his hay-fever. While working through a sleepless night there, he made a major discovery that would transform quantum physics. This instrumental track was inspired by this story, as told in Carlo Rovelli’s book of the same name. It was originally written for the album The Uncertainty Principle, but didn’t fit the flow of tracks eventually selected for the album”.
“imtiredandeverythinghurts”, is a live song recorded at the 2024, Prog For Peart Festival. It features some more tough, reality revealing lyrics from Malcolm Galloway’s personal experience. Malcom sings, “How are you”, well I’m meant to answer. It’s not like I’m trying to drag you down. But I don’t like dishonesty. And I can see that I’m veering off script now. I hate the question though it’s well intentioned. If it’s just a turn phrase, please can I pass? Let’s skip from hello to the content. And save us both an awkward moment. I keep on, but it’s just momentum. I keep going as I know if I slow I might stop. I don’t want to give up, I don’t want to give in. But I’m scared. So let’s not go there”. He closes with, “So you might not notice. That I’m falling apart. I’m close to an edge. I need help. If this time you’re really asking”.
Between Two Worlds, is a great precursor to Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate’s new album, The Uncertainty Principle. It summons the sympathy needed to explore all of the elements contained in the full album, coming in March. If you are a fan of the band, you will not want to miss the instrumental “Helgoland”, and know about its origin. You also cannot go wrong with the live version of “imtiredandeverythinghurts”. Please get this EP as a way of preparing for The Uncertainty Principle.
Album Track List:
- Between Two Worlds – 4:17
- Helgoland – 3:32
- imtiredandeverythinghurts (Live at the Prog For Peart Festival – 2024) – 2:50
“Between Two Worlds”, released January 29, 2025.
Malcolm Galloway – guitar, synthesizers/keyboards, producer, mixing/mastering.
Mark Gatland – bass guitar, additional synthesizers, co-producer.
(c) Malcolm Galloway / Mark Gatland / Glass Castle Recordings 2025.
“The Uncertainty Principle” was produced by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland and Kathryn Thomas. Kathryn Thomas also plays flute on track 6, and sings backing vocals on track 11. She co-producer track 10. Ethan Galloway sings vocals on track 11. Booklet notes by Malcolm Galloway. “The Uncertainty Principle’s” music was written by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland. Artwork by Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland, using Nightcafe and DALLE-3 (AI art), photography and Photoshop.
Band Website and Social Media Links:
https://hatsoffgentlemen.com/
https://hatsoffgentlemen.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/itsadequate/