Igayon is an Israeli band who consider themselves an alternative/progressive rock band. They describe their debut recording “To Go” as a journey through their life experiences in the present time and place they live. Although the lyrics are in Hebrew, they do include a booklet in the CD with translations for all lyrics and info. The style of the music is very middle eastern flavored alternative with what Americans might consider a range of pop to progressive. In fact, the 2nd track had parts in it that really came close to the Italian prog rock sound. The song builds from simple to big and almost epic. The nice keyboards help the symphonic sound along quite nicely.
“To Go” is full of emotional music and concepts. You have some guests throughout and some voice quotes from Mahatma Gandhi and Prime minister Yitzhak Rabin who died in an Assassination at 1995. So you can see the sentimental feel of things immediately. Obviously Igayon wish for peace and positive change for the world we all live in. They make a comment in their notes about “Living in the neurotic Middle East” and how some of the chaos flows over into their music on this disc.
I can hear influences from , Queen (especially Brain May’s guitar), Greg Lake (some vocal similarities), David Sylvian (more vocal similarities), Clearlight Symphony (some nice arp synthesizer and various other keyboard effects), Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Oasis, Pearl Jam, and even a little Black Sabbath grunge chord touch on track 4 “Swallows” although it is brief, as so many other styles are in that 10 minute song. When the vocal harmonies are used, they are absolutely great! Track 6 “Man” sounds so much like Malicorne’s huge harmonies (the primo progressive Celtic rock French band), with a very beautiful and tear jerker atmosphere. It is followed by “Grow” (track 7) which has some more beautiful keyboards and acoustic guitar along the lines of the most haunting David Gilmour/Pink Floyd ballads (also has more celestial synth effects midway) You will hear so many flavors but it all sounds together as a band, and this band has it’s own stamp.
I have to say I was surprised by this entire CD and how I thought it might sound before I listened to it, verses how it actually sounds. It even made me cry a little at spots where the family was together (they use lots of field and home recording from real time events) because it conveyed so deeply how much love was inside , amongst the family, and everyone knowing how dangerous and unhappy the world outside was. This band and this release was a very happy discovery for me. The band’s description does not do this justice at all. I was scared it was heavy metal, 4 chord rock and garage sounding. In reality, it is sophisticated, mostly progressive rock, with many highly creative and beautiful parts throughout the entire disc. They finish with a Camel/Pink Floyd sounding song called “Layers”. They also bring back in those oh so French sounding (Gabriel Yacoub /Malicrone) harmonies, which are icing on the big giant delicious multi-layered cake. RECOMMENDED!!!~
Reviewed by Lee Henderson on May 8th, 2011
