The Neil Campbell Collective's CD Particle Theory by guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Neil Campbell took me by surprise. Though I have been listening to prog rock for over 25 years, I don't keep up with every musician and/or band, but I'm glad that I have been introduced to this talented composer/musician and this talented ensemble, or should I say- collective, which is made up of: Nicole Collarbone (cello), Mark Brocklesby ((drums/percussion) who also was essential with the exceptional production and engineering), Dan Owens and Liam Carey (bass), Alex Welford (horns), Stan Ambrose (Celtic Harp), Jeff Jepson, Victoria Melia, and Anne Taft (vocals).
What struck me immediately is how visual the music is; full of landscapes, textures , and visions. The album contains eight tracks ranging from three to eight minutes in length. The music is truly progressive, having many influences from these classically trained performers, which include: the electronic, space & jazz rock, and folk music genres. The album has killer production, as well as interesting use of effects, creative use of instrumentation and compositional direction. Possible musical influences include- Mike Oldfield, with some hints of King Crimson, Alan Parsons Project, Camel and Pink Floyd. Think of a warmer, more melodic Univers Zero. And with that stated, Neil's music is original, diverse and eclectic.
The music is not generally upbeat, but doesn't get mottled in it's bleakness or self-indulgence.
After some smoking space rock and synth weirdness on the first two tracks, the album mellows down into ambient territory with Aria. this song really shows the amazing tonality of Nicole Collarbone's cello mastery. It entwines with acoustic guitar and piano to create a gorgeous ambiance.
The next track and one of the album's highlights, is- `517,' which combines Neil classical guitar with some sweet use of synths and cello, all supported by some strong rhythmic claps suggest a Spanish influence. Neil layers this track masterfully.
After hearing several tracks (and not reading the liner notes), I assumed that the album was an eclectic collection of instrumentals. I was wrong. `The Line' introduces Jeff Jepson halfway through the piece. The atmosphere, in particular the Celtic harp and cello give the composition a film soundtrack feel. Nice job!
Returning to the genre of ambient,- `The List' again highlights Nicole Collarbone's and Neil's use of the Theremin (a weird instrument that is played by not touching it),
`In Angels And Aeroplanes,' Neil handles the main vocal duties, helped by Victoria Melia.
`Particle Theory part 2,' revives the opening track with a twist. Again, the music is cinematic, with nice interplay between harp and guitar.
One thing I would like to mention is that yes, there is a lot of Neil's playing on the album, but he also knows when to take backseat and let his ensemble shine and shine they do.
Compositionally-wise, I would really like to see Neil take on a grander scale of work and try a few more lengthy tracks, with some greater use of dynamics. His skills at layering and style diversity would give him an advantage.
Album artwork is simple and to the point. The front cover looks like a cloud of a pig with it's snout on the ground, but it's probably just particles. It does have a good composition,. When you unfold the cover, the artwork works much better conceptually but weakens in design.
Initially, I had so-so thoughts on the album, but after the second listen, a lot of the subtleties and intricate layers easily won me over. This is smart, well-thought out progressive music, that is eclectic, atmospheric and played by a collection of top-notch musicians. This album might not appeal to prog metal followers, you might need some patience, but If you don't mind some diversity in your prog, check this recording out!
I
Rating 8.6 out of 10 rating
