TBRS - The Last Word

A Big Red Spark Yesterday

In what I promise is the very last word on Tinyfish and their new album, The Big Red Spark, at least for a while, I found  this review on Amazon which I thought is probably, really, the last word.

TBRS ROCKS !

Although Tinyfish are tagged a "prog" band (whatever that means), their music is resolutely song-based, fresh and original without falling into the myriad traps that await other practitioners, or indeed listeners, of the genre.

In truth, "progressive" describes a mindset rather than a musical genre, with space for just about anything, and Tinyfish fit in brilliantly. On this album, the production values have taken a big step forward compared to their last full studio album, with drums, guitar and vocals all benefiting from a fuller and more upfront delivery, underpinned by monumental bass work. It sounds HUGE, and really brings to notice the talent of the three musical protagonists.

The band itself is made up of four friends who, in various guises and in various forms, have been together since their youth in and around South London. All are accomplished performers who have learnt their trade the traditional way, through relentless gigging. In The Big Red Spark, this shared apprenticeship pays dividends, and then some. Make no mistake; this is the album of their lives.

In turns full throttle hard rock ("Rainland"), contemplative balladry ("I'm Not Crashing") and steaming swamp-blues ("Weak Machine" - my personal favourite), Tinyfish wear their influences on their sleeves but filter it all through a sound definably their own - the mark of all great bands.

Overarching the entire musical journey is the narrative thread of the Inventor who creates a machine that links the entire human race together through their dreams and onwards to Armageddon (possibly). As with all good concept albums, the story is both literal and interpretive and whilst not entirely unique (a good comparison would be Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds), dishes up a believable context and a real "visual" dimension to the music and the songs.

This might be a recipe for disaster ("prog" is littered with badly executed and naff "concept albums") if it wasn't for the fact that the songs and story weave around each other in a supremely stylish way. There is a real flourish and sense of theatrical timing in the way that the band have utilised narration, music and sound effects to great dramatic effect, particularly in the almost terrifying climax of the story in "Activation" and "The Final Act".

If ever an album leant itself to a film or play dramatisation, it is this one; like The Wall, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that in future, presentations of the music and story will be performed in schools and theatres. It really is that good.

The album proper ends with a 10 minute song (so it IS prog after all !) that never outstays its welcome, and acts as a superb denouement and come down after the breathless musical journey that precedes it. Initial copies of the album are bundled with a free DVD containing another 4 new tracks and a filmed interview with the band.

Tinyfish aren't just one the of the best prog bands in UK, they are one of best bands in the UK, period. Already fully deserving of the 9 out of 10 review by Geoff Barton in the respected magazine, Classic Rock, The Big Red Sparks oozes class and crossover appeal and if ever an album deserved to break a band into the next level (or ten) of sales and recognition, it is this one. Buy it. You won't regret it.

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Irritated

Some things that are irritating me...

WILLIAM HAGUE

What a strange world we live in, where men cannot enjoy each others company without a load of schoolyard sniggering taking place.

And they're all supposed emancipated, unprejudiced liberals in the media these days.

What exactly is wrong with sharing a twin room whilst (effectively) on business ? There you are, trying to save money on the campaign trail and set an example, and all some grubby blogger can think of to satisfy his prurient onanist fantasies is that they must be rogering each other.

Man smiles at other Man. It's a scandal.

BLAIR

Could have been anything he wanted to but decided to waste his talents on becoming a Lawyer and then a Politician. Imagine the good he could have done to the World.

What a waste. Him and Brown spent 12 years arguing and trying to compete with each other, completely forgetting that they were supposed to be running the country.

It's not about YOU, you megalomaniacs !

That said he was right about Saddam and Iraq.

LABOUR LEADERSHIP

Still not sure they still really "get it";  70% of the electorate voted against you - a fairly damning assessment in my opinion.

All you need to know about this lot is contained within Liam Byrnes breathlessly arrogant parting letter to David Laws:-

"6 April 2010

Dear Chief Secretary

I’m afraid there is no money.

Kind regards – and good luck!

Liam"

Having brought the country to the edge of bankruptcy, the decent thing Labour politicians can do, especially those who served in the last Governmant, is to undertake a period of silence and quiet reflection, followed by a heartfelt apology to the British people for the compete arsewipe and utter waste of 13 years in power.

ANDY COULSON

Not one single shred of new evidence has emerged from a case reignited by a turf war over in the New York press.

At the point he becomes a Press Officer of a Government that bullied an innocent man into suicide, then you can stake a claim to the moral high ground.

CUTS

The National Debt is being added to at the rate of £3Bn per week

My last company made 20,000 people redundant, and I didn't hear Bob Crowe mutter a word (I worked for a bank you see)

Who exactly is the working man ? By definition, surely it's everyone who works for a living ? Unless you are very lucky, most people work for a living. Some of them get paid more than others, some less. But when the unreconstructed Trade Unionists go on about protecting the rights of the worker, they don't really mean me, do they ? I wonder who they do mean ?

It is not credible to claim that savings cannot be made, or that we can go on as we are. It's a big scare story that this will automatically mean an erosion in services. Who exactly are the ideologues here?

BOB DIAMOND

First mistake - being a banker. Second mistake, being an American Banker.

What remuneration should you pay to the person who heads up a global organisation the size of Barclays ? £25k ? £50k? £500k?

Now ask the same question about your fave footballer, or rock star.

And then ask it about yourself.

Note where your prejudices lie.

MOANING THAT THE COALITION WAS "NOT WHAT WE VOTED FOR"

On an individual basis no - there was no option. But in totality, yes.

Many a time I've heard people say that a colation woud be an ideal outcome. Well, now you've got one, so shut up and get on with it.

I think it's a crock, but there you are. .