Imogene - "Imogene" Review

Artist/ Band: Imogene
Title: Imogene
Label: Self release
Year of Release: 2007
Artist/ Band Link (click for more details)

The Review:

Imogene is a Los Angeles based progressive rock band, which released it’s self tilted debut in 2007. David Melbye (bass/guitar, ex-Fuzz Beloved) heads up the band along with CJ Cervaillos (bass), Andy Campanella (drums) and Gabe Cohen (electric piano/organ player). Imogene in many ways is an updated version of David’s previous band, Fuzz Beloved but with the emphasis on modern sounds, linking them more to bands like Radiohead, Oceansize and similar bands.

While the band has quite experimental side to them, they also have an accessible side to their music on tracks like “Paper Dolls”, “Wasteoids” and “Sunny Day Child” which all in a perfect world would get heavy rotations on radio & video stations. Then on the band’s more experimental side we get the melodic psychedelic “Wormwood Raindrops” and the haunting “Seraphim” They even revisit a Fuzz Beloved tune called “Happy Communing”, which to me sounds much tighter than the original.

Altogether not a traditional progressive rock sounding album it does fall into the genre especially due to their artistic nature about the songs. Even though there are several accessible songs, they are in no way a mainstream band. If I had to categorize them, I’d say they’re equal parts art, pop, prog, psych and alternative. I would recommend Imogene’s debut release to fans of more modern progressive rock especially the afore mentioned bands. Imogene has a page at MySpace so you can hear for yourself.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on February 8th, 2008

Tracks:

1. Happy Communing (2:46)

2. Paper Dolls (3:40)

3. Sunny Day Child (3:54)

4. Wormwood Raindrops (3:55)

5. Not To Be (4:10)

6. Wasteoids (4:12)

7. Daath (3:43)

8. Seraphim (4:27)

9. Tongue and Groove (3:52)

10. Dark Room (4:30)

11. Slow Dive (4:48)

12. Quoth I (4:44)

Reviewed Discography

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