Daymoon – “Erosion” | Progressive Rock Central.com

Wow! I have just heard, what may be the best progressive album of the year! Daymoon, are definitely back and with an incredible album, everyone needs to hear. As they say, The new album “Erosion is music for progressive rock fans, who enjoy a little jazz mixed in. This is an album that will definitely make you think. It may challenge some of your notions. But that is the spice of life. The album will be released in February of 2022.

Daymoon is Fred Lessing, on vocals, guitars, saz, stringed instruments, keyboards, and percussion; Lavinia Roseiro, on lead vocals, classical guitar, percussion, and more cowbells; Thomas Olsson, on electric guitars, keyboards and programming; Paulo Chagas, on tenor recorder, reeds and woodwinds; Nuno G. Nogueira, on choir singing and he is the choir master; Tiago Soares, a member of the choir; Andre Marques, on drums, percussion, kalimba, melodica, keyboards and backing vocals; Luca Calabrese, on trumpet on “The Evil Salvini”, and “The Forest Within Us”; Tiger Soares, on vocals for “Trans Aegean Express”; Andy Tillison, as “The Captain”, on “The Fjord”; and Rita Simões, on piano.

The concept for this album is awesome in its intensity. Soundscapes that represent almost every imaginable nook and cranny of Earth. And almost every progressive rock band influence you could imagine as well. I hear King Crimson foremost, but there is also Pink Floyd’s early work, early Rush, Supertramp concepts, as well as Ennio Morricone, The Police, and dozens of world music influences. It is like a small catalog of the music and noises of Earth.

And it all begins with…

“The Forest Without Us”, which begins like a page ripped out of the middle of Rush’s 2112, or Yes’, Close to the Edge. Remember those quiet parts? Oh, I’m sure you do. It just has been a while since you heard the forest, so quiet and pristine, captured on an album. Please use this song as inspiration and go to the forest. You will see what you have been missing. The rain, amidst the acoustic guitar, just perfect. The soft quiet melody of contemplation. Just sit there and think for a while. Take in all of the sights and sounds around you, as Lavinia Roseiro sings a song for guitarist Fred Lessing’s former wife, Inês, She sings, “The thyme on your grave is long gone. Eight journeys around our sun. The world has grown darker, I’m glad you’re not here. For all that you fought for will soon disappear”. Later she sings, “Our private fog – clad mountains that were. Our refuge of pine groves and ivy and fir. Turned into a circus, drowning in crowds. The world has invaded our home in the clouds”. The final verses are full of deep hope though, Roseiro sings, “Thirty-two thousand fireflies. Synapses spark in the dark. The forest is breathing, the ground underneath. Live with us, without us – one world, one mind”. The heavy drumming at the end of the piece symbolizes the overcrowding experienced in the beach town of Fred Lessing, the lyrics author, in Portugal. It may also be projected to be global overcrowding experienced throughout the world’s “special” places. Don Henley, of the Eagles, once sang, on “The Last Resort”; “They call it Paradise. I don’t know why. You call someplace Paradise. Kiss it goodbye”. Mind blown on a fantastic opening track already.

Lavinia Roseiro, on lead vocals, classical guitar, percussion, and more cowbells.

“Pardon the Turkey”; is a celebration of American Presidents, for Thanksgiving; that can be traced back to Abraham Lincoln, who granted clemency to the first bird in an 1865 dispatch. Well, this song however, truly features some great political history and satire as well. A wonderful choir brings it all together: “Don’t make me think, please don’t make me think. Just don’t make me think, do not make me think. Just don’t think, trust in me!” The average person, might feel “I’ve read it in my Timeline, and it’s plain to read for all. I’ve read it there and it’s all true, cause it’s written on the wall”. They continue the assault on nihilism and fascism: “Let’s gather the firewood, and light up the books. The end of pluralities, let’s burn all the crooks. We’ll defeat all our enemies, and our homelands be free. A bonfire of vanities – a true Christmas tree”. Somewhere out there…Roger Waters is smiling.

“The Forest Within Us”, is the search for the nature within us, that cares for what is around us, and needs to be preserved. It also examines a holistic approach to the importance of nature everywhere, inside and out. The slow trumpet play, the percussion, and the sounds of the water, all invigorate the soul. The slow trumpet reminds me of another sad song, Traffic’s, “No Time to Live”. Profound notes and slow contemplative melodies, before piano joins the soundscape. Fred Lessing also explained that their is another story to this song. It involves Covid; with the letters of the genome sequence of the virus being called out at the beginning of the song. The virus is searching within us for its “home”.

“Trans Aegean Express”, opens with wind and slow guitar, saz and other stringed instruments. A decidedly Eastern sound permeates the soundscape, and it sounds so cool and rich. A variation in what you would expect on a Daymoon album, but a wonderful surprise and gift. At over 14 minutes, this is an epic track full of some Police-like guitar, deep woodwinds, reeds, and outstanding trumpet. This trumpet work also takes me back to early Traffic. Thanks. The track is full of background city bustling noises and what sounds like the daily activities of people; after a pitched battle with guns. The flute work and keyboards are incredible. A slice of life you will not soon forget. Relax and take in the magnificence of it all. The march section, that comes next, with soft acoustic guitar and trumpet, reminds me of the quieter moments of the In The Court of the Crimson King, album. Some of the electric guitar riffs, and quiet natural elements remind me of early Ummagumma era Floyd. Put on “Grantchester Meadows”, and you’ll see what I mean. Not the same, just a sense of maybe what Pink Floyd was trying to reach out and tell us way back then. Important stories and feelings bear repeating. In its final stanza, a slow beautiful Ennio Morricone- like, electric guitar sound, highlighted with Italian lyrics. Fred Lessing, however, pointed out that there is a darker side to the story, involving a migrant Arab boy who flees destruction and constant pursuit, only to be captured fleeing to Italy, by the Italian police.

“The Pyre” opens with the final speech from Charlie Chaplin’s epic movie, “The Dictator. The song is full of great bass and a solid drum beat. A peaceful and tranquil song for relaxation. The acoustic guitar work is amazing. Roseiro returns to sing, to a great Roger Waters’-like inspirational lyric, “You think the Nazis have won. As the sky bleeds fire. As their dark deed is done. And you stare into the pyre? Will you pack up and run? When their dark wave rises? Or will you pick up a gun. When freedom demises?” During this epic track, many right-wing icons of Europe can be heard, including: Geert Wilder, Marine Le Pen, and Hitler; along with a local couples stating they are afraid of foreigners. But the song also includes the voices of Germany’s Thomas Mann, Malala Youzafsai, and Greta Thunberg.

“Joyous, Oh, Joyous”, is all about our feelings towards Earth, and each other. Beethoven’s “Hymn of Joy”, the European Union’s anthem, theme, plays in and out of the piece. Almost like Supertramp’s “Fool’s Overture”, with “Jerusalem”, in the background. It is a dark warning of a world that could chose to abandon democracy and multi-pluralism, for the sake of populist fear. The air raid sirens and surrounding sounds, create images that we must take seriously. This and most of the album needs repeated listening to appreciate all that is here.

“Back Home”, opens with soft piano, and unfortunately, Donald Trump speaking. A very deep, and dark look at the new rise of the right wing, around the world. A strong statement, we all need to hear, again and again, until the new generations understand what we have lost in the past, and what we can lose again; from ignoring the mistakes of history..

“Fjord”, is another of my favorite songs on the album. I love fjords, to begin with. But the beautiful piano and soft trumpet, capture the astounding feeling of looking at a beautiful fjord, from on high. But again, there is a dark side to this song. Private cruise ships around the world, are reaping environmental erosion and degradation to some of the planet’s most pristine locations. Andy Tillison of The Tangent, plays a cruise ship captain, as the sound trails off in the end of the track, announcing the death of another beautiful part of the sea.

“Melas Chasma”, (the massive gap or valley on Mars), opens with full piano and strings, like a symphonic song. Then, commanding drums, and electric metal guitars take over as things become a lot darker. Roseiro sings the story, “Earth’s a tiny speck. Rising over the horizon. As Phobos climbs the sky. From the rivers deep in valleys. To the peaks of Mt. Olympus. Mars is our new home. From Melas Chasma rises Earth Memorial spire. Repository of memories. Tricentennial choir”. Melas Chasma is also the location NASA is currently probing with rovers and a new Martian helicopter. Could this be our future home? For me it would be a sad and distant mistake. Is it ours? What a closer, huh?

André Marques – Drums, keyboard, backing vocals, and percussion.

One of the best progressive albums I have heard in a long time. Life captured as art. Music, amidst the sounds of life. Roger Waters would love this album, I think. Maybe you might think it is abstract at times. But they really did plan this down to the second. Again, not your usual symphonic prog record, but one that should make you feel and think. And that is why we are here, after all. We are not the animals we see in the news all the time. We are thinking creatures that desire knowledge, in its many forms. Whether that knowledge is transferred through writing, speaking, or music, it is meant to be appreciated and consumed, abundantly, for our development and progress. Please give this a listen. And gain from its presence of mind.

Track List