The Foundation - Relations

PV010

This is the new album from Ron Lammers prog rock project and is an 8 track album which embraces and explores relationships we experience in our lives.

The music is melodic progressively aware rock with lots of keyboards amongst the soundscapes. there is also a fine singer in the form of Mark Smit who has a very strong and clear voice.

I would actually place this album as a Prog/AOR crossover as it falls within the realms of each genre.

The album Commences with the fairly typical sounds of synths and bass before the vocals of Mark Smit begin, His vocal, is a fine clear voccal The syths in this opening song are glorious, Majestic even.

The bass is also very strong in this track bassist Gijs Koopman is all over this track and sounds great in doing so.

Next track is Beauty Of Nature which has very delicate flute and water sounds playing over Bass Pedals all very celtic initially before a strong guitar line comes courtes of Rinie Hulgen This track is an instrumental that has lots of atmosphere.

Next we have Backbone which begins with a gentle acoustic guitar and violin before keyboards kick in along with bass pedals, This has a really solid sound to it the vocals begin with strong emotion as the singer sings of how his partner is his backbone and how they help him trough the hard times,

This is a great track with lots of fine guitar work and great synth parts as well

The song flows well and it it a great song.This is followed by the sung in French song Ses luniettes Noires (his black glasses)

As its sung in French i have n o idea what he’s saying but the music that accompanies the song is very good with a fine guitar solo and good piano from Mark Smits.

Intense is next with another strong rhythm backing and some foety guitar lines in the opening section,

The albums thene is relationships and how we i teract with different people i our lives especially there is the spiritual relationship with our creator and his creation as well.

Rubberband follows and this has a very retro 1970s sound to it sounding not unlike Yes in places especially the bass guitar which has very Yes like trebly Chris Squire sound to it along with the very Wakemanish keyboards.

I have to say this track is excellent musically with lots of Yes type sounds and textures textures the songs this song is actually another instrumental one and my word it js my favourite track thus far this is followed by the much lighter track Lifewhich is about the miracle le of new life i.e. children its a gentle although The song takes a harder line halfway through with the introduction of drums and bass and a gentle piano in the latter minutes of the track.

Final track Omega is a telling of the creation narrative whilst this track expresses and spouses the Foundations Christian beliefs it is not preachy In the way of say Neal Morse can be it is more a decaration that these things matter to these folks.

The album is symphonic Prog and so such thoughts are not uncommon, Besides when the music is as goods ast his why shouldn’t they state such beliefs ?

I really like this album .

I think there is a lot to enjoy herein especially Rubberband whch is exceptional.

I do rexommend this album to symphonic prog lovers like me.

Info here: Relations | The Foundation