Artist/ Band: Combination Head
Title: Combination Head
Label: S.A.M. Records
Year of Release: 2006
Artist/ Band Link (click for details/ ordering)

The Review:

Once in a great while I get a surprise in the mail and this time it came in the form of a British band called Combination Head and their self titled debut cd. It came without any kind of warning or over-blown hype from the usual suspects online. The band consists basically of Paul Birchall on keyboards (who’s instrument of choice is the Hammond organ on this debut), Paul Burgess on drums, Keith Ashcroft & Gareth Moulton on guitars and Dominic Finley on bass. Of these musicians the only one I know of is Paul Burgess from his work with Camel and Jethro Tull to name a few.

The band’s sound on this debut is a mixture of classic and modern sounding symphonic progressive music. Sometimes I hear Camel, others IQ and even Radiohead at the beginning of the first track, Clover Road. The lead instrument is the keyboards but it doesn’t thankfully over shadow the other instruments. They have other influences but they never come off as a clone or even retro sounding. They just embody the essence of what progressive rock is all about. All of the songs are high energy music that is infectious enough to hit the repeat button when the cd is over.

I would recommend this band to fans of keyboard driven symphonic progressive music both classic and modern. I have a feeling this will be the band everyone in the progressive rock circles will be talking about very soon. The band is planning on a second album later this year. So this may be the Year of Combination Head!

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on May 13th, 2006

Tracks:

1. Clover Road A,B,C

2. Devonshire Crescent

3. Combination Head

4. Blue Waters

5. The Bonk

6. Clover Road D,E,F

7. Fourteen

8. For What?

Reviewed Discography

• "Combination Head" 2006
• "Progress?" 2007