Album: Time Travel Made Easy /  Band: Spiraling /  15 tracks / New Wave / Alternative Rock / www.myspace.com/spiraling

While checking out gigs for various artists a few weeks ago, I came across a band named Spiraling, and being the curious sort that I am I gave a listen to their music. Last week the band’s new CD Time Travel Made Easy, landed on my desk. This disc is a must have for your music collection, whether you purchase it digitally or you plunk your dollars down at a brick and mortar store.

Fronted by founding member, vocalist, keyboardist and percussionist Tom Brislin, who toured with both Yes and Meatloaf, the band opens up Time Travel Made Easy, with “The Future,” a melodic, heavy on the guitars, rock tune, that asks the question, ‘What went wrong?’  The gist of the song is we did not plan on living in a world that looks like this, so what does the future hold? Well maybe the future will not be much different unless we start doing something about it now, seems to be the message. This is neither a protest song, nor does it carry an apocalyptic warning, it is instead a soft jolt of reality.

The next track---wait for it—is “The Concept of the Quantum-Mechanical Bodymind Has Sparked a Great Idea.”  Yep, that’s it, there are no brackets suggesting some of these words are an alternate title. If the song title has not intimidated you, then you have to give the tune a listen. The song boasts a melody and underlying groove that sounds like a mix of eighties British rock melodies and early seventies American synthesizer vibes. Paced by Paul Wells’ drumming, and more specifically his kick drum and toms, and built upon a strong foundation created by Bob Hart’s bass, Spiraling delivers a strong, melodic rock tune. You will want to listen for Brislin’s ethereal pop keyboarding and his gauzy, dreamy vocals.

The song selection and ordering for Time Travel Made Easy, is excellent. There are no lags, or tracks that cause you to think, ‘not this again.’ The CD is divided into two movements, simply titled, Part One and Part Two, the former consisting of six tracks and the later is comprised of seven tunes.

The song “The Concept of the Quantam-Mechanical Bodmind Has Sparked a Great Idea,” is reminiscent of the British rockers, The Smiths, “Asleep,” while Spiraling’s tune,  “Are You Here,” serves up strong reminders of Robbie Williams’ “Eternity.” It should be pointed out that nothing about Spiraling’s album gives the listener the impression that they have borrowed, depended heavily upon, or attempted to clone past or current artists, but perhaps artists whose ilk is similar to The Smiths or Robbie Williams have somehow served as a source of inspiration. There is too much that is original, fresh and exciting about Time Travel Made Easy, to even hint at a ‘me too,’ approach to their music.

“Are You Hear,” is a pretty love ballad which brings with it the realization that perhaps we let things go to far, and now we have lost what perhaps we could have saved. “Victory Kiss,” represents emotional confusion as the lover sends mixed signals to the singer. “All Kinds Of Hope,” is lighter both musically and lyrically, and as the title suggests hope springs forth that, the relationship might be resurrected.

In addition to Brislin, Hart and Wells, Marty O’Kane plays guitar, Dave Edwards is featured on violin, and Raj Sharma guests as a percussionist on, “Are You Here.”

If you are paying attention, you will have noticed that we never even got to Part Two of Time Travel Made Easy. Our time is up however, so go visit Amazon or whoever else you use for your digital purchases, because this is a band whose music you want to have in your library.

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Reviewed June 2008