IQ

In the midst of the complex context faced by the bands that were the standard bearers in the revitalisation of the progressive movement, not only to resist the onslaught of the new musical currents of the decade, but also to deal with the scepticism that lurked in the specialised critics regarding the originality and value of their initiatives, IQ released their second album, "The Wake", in 1985. A conceptual work related to the sensitive and mysterious transition from earthly life to the unknown afterlife as a plot (a theme that with the corresponding hostile, bloody and thunderous nuances is also dealt with by Opeth in their "My Arms, Your Hearse" from 1998) to develop a proposal that goes through moments of darkness, despair and luminous hope.

Already from the energised and initial "Outer Limits" with Tim Esau's low and disturbing bass hits simulating the beating of a heart about to be extinguished accompanied by Martin Orford's eighties synth artillery and Paul Cook's raw drums, and the melodic verses of the eloquent Peter Nicholls reinforced by Mike Holmes' brief but determined guitar solo in the aggressive "The Wake", the influences of the Genesian universe sifted by IQ's particular style overfly the album; both in the changing "The Magic Roundabout" and Orford's anguished and anxious keyboards backed by Esau's marked bass in its prolonged and forceful introduction, and in the world music essay of "Corners" with the interesting sitar as protagonist, a piece in the style of the Peter Gabriel of those years.

And without leaving aside their progressive streak as a guide, IQ was not aseptic to the musical trend of that time, new wave elements (of bands like Cure or A Flock of Seagulls for example) are perceived in the guitar riffs of the extensive "Widow's Peak" and above all in those of the accelerated "The Thousand Days", before bringing the album to a close with the emotive optimism of "Headlong", one of the pieces that began to cement the style that would help define the Englishmen over the years.

Although "The Wake" is a good album, as well as a key piece for the consolidation of the band and the Neo Progressive movement, in my opinion it is a step below the freshness and daring that their debut album "Tales from the Lush Attic" brought with it.

3/3.5 stars

At a time when the predominance of trends such as new wave and more digestible pop were giving the progressive movement more than sour moments and even two of its most important representatives, Genesis (resolutely turning to new sounds) and Yes (looking for a formula for subsistence) were moving away from the recognisable canons, proud squires of the genre emerged to inject a breath of vitality and renewed vigour into it. One of them was IQ. With almost no budget and taking advantage of an offer from Major Record Company to record and produce 1,000 LPs in five days for 1,500 pounds at the time, the Englishmen released "Tales from the Lush Attic", their debut album, in the second half of 1983.

The huge suite "The Last Human Gateway" kicks off the album with a theme related to the recurring human quest for immortality and the tragic contradiction of not being able to bring closure to the cycle of life, with a prolonged and suspenseful introduction dominated by the keyboards of Martin Orford and the sublime singing of Peter Nicholls until the irruption of the clean and persistent sounds of the moog, to then go back and forth through moments of calm and agitation that towards the end intensify with the participation of the riffs and guitar solos of Mike Holmes and the active drums of Paul Cook, closing the piece epically. One of the album's best.

And both the agitated and disturbing "Through the Corridors" and the instrumental "My Baby Treats Me Right 'Cos I'm a Hard Lovin' Man All Night Long" with Orford's rushing classical piano solo, both brief interludes interspersed, precede the Genesian (Gabriel era) "Awake and Nervous" and the multiform "The Enemy Smacks", a suite that without reaching the mileage of "The Last Human Gateway", describes the deterioration of a heroin addict in three phases with an instrumentation that adds to the identifiable progressive elements, bluesy touches, hardened hard rock riffs and lysergic atmospheres reminiscent of the 70's, with a solid base built by Tim Esau's bass and Cook's intensity on drums until the conclusive ending with the full band.

"Tales from the Lush Attic" is a very good album and an unbeatable start for IQ, a precursor band of neo-prog that, with few exceptions, has been consistent throughout their career, respecting their original roots.

4 stars

Yes! Great album. It starts powerful but immediately takes you to a different atmosphere. The key sounds and soundscapes are really cool in this album. They shine more with this kind of sounds and lighter compositions.

After listening to "Resistance", I feel that they have gone into a heavier direction that I don't enjoy at all. They tend to repeat things and vocals (imo) are a bit monotonous, so a metal-oriented album for me becomes more tedious.

This is not the case, this album sounds great, varied, with changes of rhythm, textures, beautiful ballads. I hope their next album will be more like this one.

Time for the second album, nothing special again (I'm listening to all their albums). They were trying to find their own sound, but again it's very similar to their prog heroes. I think there's more cohesive material, better arrangements, but I can't stop thinking and remembering classic songs, and again a bit boring for me, especially the synths and mellotron used during the entire album, it's 1985... There were many synths and possibilities at that time and they chose the most strident ones. Anyway, a good album anyhow, but not for me. Hoping to find a better album, maybe a chronological listening is not always the better choice.

It might seem I'm a hater of IQ... 😂 not true, I've enjoyed their albums (at least some of their songs). But again, this album hasn't blown my mind. Resistance, 2019 album of the year on Progarchives... Well... I have to say that there's a huge difference between their first records, they sound a lot better, but so metal-ish this album... I didn't expect that.

2 CDs... Ok that's not always great. CD1 starts really boring with a bad choice for a starting song, there's nothing to say there, just a regular heavy song without anything special, any changes, monotonous. Then it becomes better but nothing that I would say is great.

The last 3 songs of CD1 are the best for me, really great arrangements and a change of style. The rest of the album it's the same vibe all the time (kind of a metal thing, trying to be spooky post-apocalyptic like the artwork, idk how to call it haha). But these three songs are really fresh in comparison.

CD2 seems to be better... Something is wrong, it should be CD1 haha. Bad choice of songs imo. However, I enjoyed the first 15 min epic more than the epics of CD2. I don't understand how people say it's soooo great. It's good, but they have better records.

At that time they were, as many neo prog bands, trying to imitate Genesis prog style with modern influences. Here, Nicholls tries to sound like Gabriel, but not very accurately. The band itself doesn't sound really good, due to the poor mix but also because of weird songs and arrangements like the last ones. The first track, which is the epic, begins really nice and promising, but with the passing of time, it becomes (for me) more boring and monotonous. I mean, in this album you can hear great music but nothing special and original, it's very influenced by classic prog. However I know IQ are a great band, so I'll listen to the rest of their discography.

On 16th September 2022 IQ stepped onstage in Barcelona and performed the concert we now have here, celebrating 40 years as a progressive rock act. That it was a year overdue was caused by the pandemic of course, but that it was a special night was never in doubt. Mike Holmes has been the only constant throughout the band's career, but Paul Cook, Peter Nicholls and Tim Esau were all there at the beginning as well, it is just that they all had some time off for good behaviour. The line-up is, of course, completed by Neil Durant, who has now been there for more than a decade, and it is strange to think that at one time he was an avid fan of the band he now plays in (as with Mike Varty in Credo, one of Neil's key roles is reducing the average age of the band).

I first saw IQ when they supported Magnum some time a million years ago, and unless one was heavily involved in the prog scene back in 1993 it is hard to understand just how huge 'Ever' was when it was released, heralding the return of IQ with Peter Nicholls back in the fold alongside Mike, Paul, Martin and new bassist, ex-Ark stalwart John Jowitt. That album kicked off with "The Darkest Hour", showing that IQ were back to lay claim to the prog throne as they belted into one of their heaviest numbers, and after an intro that is the first song on this set, sounding just as powerful and dramatic as it did nearly 30 years earlier. This is then followed by "It All Stops Here", taken from the 'Seven Stories Into Eight' demo before we move into the latest album.

That they can do this so seamlessly displays the depth of material available to them, and it must have been a nightmare to devise a setlist which covers their career but ensures they do not miss out on the latest albums of 'Resistance' and 'The Road of Bones'. I was not the biggest fan of the album prior to those, 'Frequency', but given I have awarded every other album of theirs the highest marks possible it is fair to say they have had an amazing career so far, and even with a running time of 135 minutes there are still many classics missing from this set. Anyone who has been a fan for any length of time will always complain something should have been included, but given the delights on offer, combined with stunning performances throughout, any comments like that are quite churlish indeed.

Highlights? Oh yes, way too many to mention. The band sound as tight as one who have been playing together for many years yet are still fresh and vibrant ? this is not a group of hacks who are only in it for the money, they are exciting and powerful. Listen to "No Love Lost", where Peter makes the song very much his own, even though it was originally sung by Paul Menel, and Neil has somehow managed to totally capture the original synth sounds while Cookie is still rolling around the kit, Tim provides additional bass runs, and Mike is the perfect foil, rocking hard at some points and keeping it tight at others.

I would have to check the racks to see how many live IQ albums I have, but it is a few. The one I generally play most often is 2000's 'Subterranea: The Concert', as that always struck me as very special indeed, but there is something about this mix of old classics and new which really captures the essence of IQ and is indispensable to both fans of the band and those who may be wondering just what is the fuss all about? IQ ? 40 years young, and still leading the way.

4.5 stars. I just can't give that fifth star despite wanting to. I want to because I like how they have changed things up on this album. It reminds me of when "Dark Matter" came out with that heavier sound, well this one just sounds different because of the new keyboardist Neil Durant who joined the band on the previous effort "The Road Of Bones". We get the same lineup as the previous recording in fact.

There's more space on this album, more atmosphere. My first spin through that second disc had me consciously saying I've never heard so much organ on an IQ album. Peter Nicholls sounds better than ever if that is possible. If you don't like Peter's vocals you probably don't like this band because he dominates each album as he does here.

Great album cover, that gate fold opens up looking apocalyptic then opening the package we get cold and ice as everything is blue and white. Contrasts right? Both apocalyptic but different. We get plenty of contrasts on here. Album of the year on here for 2019? A Neo Prog album? Says something right there because that was a first for this site. I like how balanced this record is although more heaviness would have been appreciated as they do seem to meander a lot in those spacey moments. Again I'm okay with this I'm just excited at how good this one is and how slightly different it is as well.

We get three massive tracks with the 15 1/2 minute closer "For Another Lifetime" on disc one plus the 22 minute opener "The Great Spirit Way" on disc two along with the 20 minute closer "Fallout". "The Missile" and "Rise" the first two songs off disc one start the recording off perfectly in my opinion, that nice heavy crunch plus some emotion is what this band is all about.

Without question a top five album for me for 2019 and really the only other Neo band that comes close right now in the '20's is PENDRAGON.

Review Nº 684

Few things could be as exciting to a prog rock fan, including myself, than a new IQ album, especially considering they take some time to releasing them. They're one of the few remaining prog rock acts to have truly grown and improved with each release, or at least, their last releases hit a peak of quality very close but hard to outdo of their albums "Ever", "The Seventh House", "Subterranea" and "Dark Matter". They're all great examples of the best prog, expertly mingling heartfelt emotion with a complex but eminently melodic musical sensibility. IQ is my favourite British prog band today.

Since their beginnings in the 80's they've been dubbed neo-prog for their borrowing of the prevalent symphonic and emotional tendencies of some 70's bands like Genesis. They play prog rock in a comfortable and atmospheric way. Their synth rich style generates an atmosphere that gravitates around spacey sounds as much as the symphonic, incorporating the two into long and extended backdrops before which the well defined rhythms proceed in due course. But, the most obvious is the vocal performance of Peter Nicholls. In terms of mood his unique style is difficult to describe, it's not quite downcast and not uplifting, but seems to find a stable and comforting temperament in-between.

Thus, after five years of waiting, the UK progressive rock legend, IQ, a band who have worked hard at keeping the "second wave of prog" from the early 80's alive now for over thirty years, returned with their eleventh studio album "The Road Of Bones", which was released in 2014. It's the first album to feature Neil Durant on keyboards and it marks the return of original members Paul Cook on drums and Tim Esau on bass, the latter appearing on an IQ album for the first time since 1989. So, the line up on "The Road Of Bones" is Peter Nicholls (lead and backing vocals), Mike Holmes (guitars), Neil Durant (keyboards), Tim Esau (bass guitars and bass pedals) and Paul Cook (drums and percussion).

There are two versions of the album, the single and the limited version. The single version has five tracks. "From The Outside In" is a great opener full of power. Opening with suitably spooky atmospheric synths, things soon get going with some solid pumping bass lines backed by synth flourishes and Peter's voice cutting through it all. There's more atmospherics to come, before a return to the pumping rhythms. This is a great sign of things to come. "The Road Of Bones" is the title track. It starts quiet and really builds to a climax. It has a new slow burner opening again with synths and piano. This is a particularly haunting track, and Peter's lyrics and vocals are astounding. The slow understated bass driven take us to an amazing tension all over the song. This is a wonderful track that showcases IQ's talent for building tension in their music. It's one of IQ's finest tracks, indeed. "Without Walls" is the first long track clocking it at nineteen minutes. It starts simple with piano and a drum machine, and again it builds and builds. There are some nice sections and some good soloing all over it. The first couple of minutes are very simple but during its nineteen minutes it morphs several times and ends up going all over the place quite brilliantly. This is actually quite common right across the album, which is what makes it so appealing. There's always something unexpected around the corner. "Ocean" is a pleasant song with a nice chorus. It's the shortest track on the album and one of the less energetic. But, there's power, warmth and intricacy that carries it along quite nicely to a satisfying conclusion. All in all, this is a pleasant track and a good breather between the two most epic tracks on the album. "Until The End" starts with a haunting theme that takes us to an intense musical journey. This is another stunner with plenty of atmospherics and an amazing performance by all band's members. It's another highlight, an unexpected way to close the album with a very refreshing ending, indeed.

I must admit that I bought the limited version and I really enjoyed the second disc as well. Some of the material is very strong, but it's quite evident why the tracks were left out of the album, as they don't seem to keep the composure throughout the duration, most of the time. Still, the material is better than most bands' best tracks. And that's saying a lot, indeed. IQ must be one of the best choosers of tracks for albums and many prog rock bands could learn something with them about trimming down albums. We don't need 80 minute albums if half of the music seems unfinished or raw.

Conclusion: It's hard to believe a band keeping getting better and more ambitious with each release after thirty years of career, but IQ does it. In every aspect, from the choice of sounds to the lyrics not forgetting the performances, this is a work of true masters. IQ has lost nothing with the personnel changes. In fact I think they're probably a tighter unit, both musically and as a band. As I said before, the sound quality is excellent and the playing is some of the best IQ has produced. "The Road Of Bones" first disk alone is a garden of melodic delights, unquestionably one of the best musical rides that we can get, but that wasn't enough for IQ. They had to throw a second disc. The second disk would have suited quite well on its own as the new album. Still, the first album is definitely the more cohesive listening experience.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Review Nº 679

IQ has been at the forefront of prog rock music for more than forty years. Along with some other like minded British outfits, IQ picked up the torch and carried it proudly into the 80's and beyond, beginning with their cassette 'Seven Stories Into 98' of 1982 but only released in 1998. 'Frequency' is the ninth studio album of IQ and was released in 2009. A special edition with a bonus DVD, which is mine, was also released. This DVD contains the complete recordings of the live performed on 1 December 2007 at the Boerderij in Zoetermeer, in Holland, which is a nice addition to the album.

'Frequency' is the first album from the group recorded with the two new band's members, Andy Edwards on drums and Mark Westworth on keyboards. They substituted their two former band's members the drummer Paul Cook and the keyboardist Martin Orford. Both left the group at the same time. So, the line up of 'Frequency' is Peter Nicholls (lead and backing vocals), Mike Holmes (guitars and keyboards), Mark Westworth (backing vocals and keyboards), John Jowitt (backing vocals and bass) and Andy Edwards (drums and percussion).

'Frequency' has seven tracks. All songs were written by IQ and all lyrics were written by Peter Nicholls. The first track is the title track 'Frequency'. It's an excellent and very interesting track where IQ also manages to join to their usual trademark sound an extra dose of energy and heaviness. This is really a track perfectly divided into the antagonistic feelings, melody and aggression, old and new, which is clearly destined to become a classic IQ song. The second track 'Life Support' features Westworth's piano and a beautiful vocal performance by Nicholls. Some subtle orchestrations and a tiny bit of guitar conclude well the first part of the song. The second part of the song is for Holmes' guitar and Westworth's keyboards, very well supported by a delightful drumming by Edwards and a great bass line by Jowitt. The last final part of the song is a very ambient sounding piece of music. This is another great track, indeed. The third track 'Stronger Than Fiction' represents the second great epic of the album. This is a mid tempo song at the beginning with a melancholic singing and leading by Westworth. The second part of the song is more powerful and Nicholls' voice can be heard on both channels changing from left to right. The last part of the song is perfectly in the same vein of the best music that IQ could offer, carried of great keyboard sounds. The fourth track 'One Fatal Mistake' is the ballad on the album. The first part of the song is compared with the second track of the album and in the second part the music contains some musical elements of ambient music as well as the first notes from the next track 'Ryker Skies'. This is in general considered the weakest song on the album, and there is may be some truth in that, indeed. However, this is a very beautiful and lovely song and it's truly a pleasure to hear it. The fifth track 'Ryker Skies' is another lengthy track that gives once more the opportunity to each member shine. This is probably one of the most interesting tracks on the album that shows a different and modern edged side of the group. This is may be mainly due to the presence of the two new band's members. In reality, it's a very dark track with a very heavy keyboard work. This is really a great track with some incredible musical contributions by Westworth. The sixth track 'The Province' is the lengthiest track on the album. It starts with Holmes' strings soon followed by Westworth's keyboards. Again, we have good vocal performance by Nicholls especially in the acoustic first parts. The track changes to a more powerful piece of music featuring the music sounding between Genesis and Dream Theater. The powerful and rhythmic organ driven some musical moments which brings to my memory Tony Banks on 'The Return Of The Giant Hogweed' and 'The Musical Box' of Genesis. The seventh and last track 'Closer' is a very beautiful ballad and a very sensitive piece of music with a touch of pop music blended in all IQ musical moments. This is a very nice way to close this excellent and surprising album from IQ.

Conclusion: Since their landmark fifth studio album 'Ever' released in 1993, IQ have been producing great studio works that range from their most complex and consistent studio album to date 'Subterranea', released in 1997, their weaker but even excellent album 'The Seventh House', released in 2000 and their probably most brilliant album 'Dark Matter', released in 2004. So, until today, they are a perfect guarantee of a great quality work. And 'Frequency' isn't an exception. This is an outstanding offering by IQ and proves that with Westword and Edwards in the line up, the band is yet reaching their peak. 'Frequency' is a must for every IQ fan and is highly recommended to all fans of the melodic progressive rock, especially for fans of Genesis in the 70's. And, as I wrote above, if you have the luck of have a copy of the special edition, you have an extra DVD as a bonus. It features the wonderful full live gig in Zoetermeer, that includes two old tracks 'Awake And Nervous' and 'It All Stops Here', recent tracks from 'Subterranea' and 'The Seventh House' and two new tracks from 'Frequency', 'Frequency' and 'Crashed And Burned' ('Stronger Than Friction').

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)