A word about the post-rock fallacy too (which is possibly a hang-up from the one-time Mogwai connection?). Although CBP’s music does have tenuous generic links to what could be construed as post-rock (if, indeed, such a genre was easily categorisable in the first place), their musical canvas is way more diverse and aurally profound to be associated with established genre labels.

A glance at their Facebook page reveals their self-proclaimed style as “Vigilante” which is more apposite on various levels, as evidenced on this latest work, a double album which eschews, progresses and fabricates both established and new musical idioms. In that sense, if a label had to be applied to ‘(Mankind) The Crafty Ape’ then it’d be progressive but not in a generic sense, rather as a compositional attitude in that CBP re-establish what it is, and once meant when such a label carried any sincere weight, to be progressive.

Throughout the two discs’ playing time, songs sound epic, exhilarating and, most importantly, genuinely innovative with many moments of stylistic iconoclasm – ie. everything a genuinely progressive record at any point in time should be.

Split into three chapters – ‘A Thread’ and ‘The Trap’ on disc one, and ‘The Blues of Man’ on disc two – songs are thematically linked through, to quote the band themselves: “the corruption of mankind and injustice, but also ultimately in the hope that all is not lost”. Admirably, both lyrics and music are inextricably bound together through said ‘concept’.

Tracks are perhaps melancholic sounding at core, kind of a sonic pessimism if you like, but often punctuated, both subtly and emphatically, with melodically optimistic motifs. Third track on the first disc, ‘Get Down And Live With It’ epitomises such dual sentiments and marries optimism with pessimism to perfection through some intelligently layered instrumentations and use of both male and female vocals (courtesy of Daisy Chapman).

Without meaning to delve too deep into comparisons with other bands (as CBP are ultimately a distinct, genre-defying musical entity in their own right), certain passages are slightly reminiscent of early seventies Pink Floyd such as the final two thirds of ‘The Heart of Every Country’ and two and a half minutes into ‘A Letter Concerning Dogheads’ which sounds like a down-tempo nod towards one of the instrumental parts of ‘Echoes’, albeit CBP adorn their pastiche with vocals on the latter (not that it might be a pastiche at all of course, I’m probably way out in my assumption).

Elsewhere, ‘The Brain/Poznan’ has a touch of Elton John about it à la ‘Bennie and the Jets’ midway through but the piano-led melody develops into something quite exquisite and is pure musical sublimity, and again representing the hope/despair dichotomy that underpins both music and lyrics on both of the discs. Also a strength of the album is that the songs within each chapter sound musically interrelated as opposed to being randomly thrown together.

That is to say, tracks contain ever so subtle echoes of other songs, perhaps sometimes just rhythmically, but nonetheless are interlinked on occasion. This adds further weight to the album’s conceptual essence and helps the overall flow of the thing.

The production is quite wonderful throughout as well. It has a very organic sound where the instrumentations sound ‘alive’; living and breathing rather than stripped of all soul through an over-zealous use of Pro Tools. Likewise, the mix is equally magnificent with all layers in each of the instrumentations woven into a fully cohesive whole. Instruments and vocals carry the right amount of weight at all times – everything can be heard clearly in the mix whilst simultaneously combining to form a richly resonant, multi-layered sonic totality.

Moreover, all of the musicians sound at one in their interactions, using their instruments to embellish each other’s, whilst adding to the overall instrumentations. I could go on and on about the merits of ‘(Mankind) The Crafty Ape’ but I’ll simply conclude by saying that if you thrive on innovative, original music in the form of some melodically engaging, accessible songwriting loaded with ambient and heavy passages, plus everything in-between, then Crippled Black Phoenix’s latest is a must-buy purchase. We’re only in January but they’ve set the bar ever so high for all who follow in 2012. Album of the year? Time will tell, I guess.

Review by Mark Holmes – Metal Discovery

Order our album here..

Pre-order your copy here:

Play.com:
CD only

Amazon.co.uk:
CD and Vinyl

HMV:
CD and VINYL

Or pre-order directly from Cool Green Recordings, NO shipping costs PLUS a FREE poster:
CD and Vinyl

(Mankind) The Crafty Ape is set to be released on Cool Green Recordings January 30th 2012.

Crippled Black Phoenix – A Letter Concerning Dogheads by coolgreen

The shoot takes place on the Saturday 7th January at Upper Heyford Airbase, Nr Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX25.

So…Clothing. We need you all to be dressed in black, red or cammo colours, hats, hoods, scarves or other interesting partisan style accessories would be great. Bring some warm clothes, there’s no heating in these old buildings.

Also, if you can, bring some food, but we will try to cater as much as we can, but we’re not rich and it depends on how many people turn up, so just be prepared.

IMPORTANT…
We’ll be filming all day but we need the “extras” to arrive at 2:30pm, please try to be on time, someone will meet you and give you directions for assembling the mob.

ALSO IMPORTANT…
Anyone who is definitely coming, please email your names and numbers of people if you’re coming as a group, to – info@crippledblackphoenix.co.uk Just so we know and so we don’t miss any of you.

Directions from the M40 – Turn off at J10 and head towards Middleton Stoney on the B430 for about 2 miles, then turn right to Upper Heyford (if you get to Middleton Stoney you have gone too far!). Follow the road for about a mile and turn right at the t-junction on the corner, onto Camp Road. Drive through the base going straight ahead at the first small roundabout (at the main gate on the right), then at the second roundabout turn left onto Dacey Drive. You’ll see the old abandoned US style supermarket on your right, immediately after that there’s the entrance also on the right (with a fence gate), go through the gate and you have reached your destination.

From Oxford – Head towards Banbury on the A4260, about 7/8 miles after Kiddlington turn right at the traffic lights (with the petrol station and hotel on opposite corners) onto the B4030. Follow this road passing over the narrow bridge and through Lower Heyford (you’ll see the train station on the left), head up the hill and out of the village to Upper Heyford. As soon as you enter Upper Heyford turn right onto Camp Road. Go about half a mile into the airbase. Turn right at the first roundabout onto Dacey Drive, turn into the gate just by the old supermarket on the right… this is your destination.

There is a train station in Lower Heyford, trains run semi-regular on saturdays from Oxford, it’s about 2/3 mile walk to the base from there (no taxis at the station, as it’s very small). Alternatively get a train to Bicester, it’s about 5/6 miles from the base, there some bus service to Upper Heyford, but a taxi would be the best plan.

If you have a satnav, use the postcode OX25, the place we’re filming doesn’t have a road name but the closest would be Dacey Drive, if that doesn’t work, use Eady Road OX25 5TU, that will get you very near the gate, Dacey Drive and Eady Road run parallel.

The music and themes have been created as to represent the world inside and outside of the mind, with no compromise.On (Mankind) The Crafty Ape the band showcases a new level of focus, and that’s not to say there was a lack of focus on previous efforts, it simply says that the methods and attitude in making the new album are another move toward finding the total uncompromised potential within the music.

Pre-order now and receive a free poster!

Cool Green Recordings presents: (Mankind) The Crafty Ape.

Find more info and Pre-order here.

Checkout this link for live coverage.

http://www.justin.tv/fromstage