"A new world's coming and the old one's gone" is the opening line of After Crying's new record, and I don't think there's a line that would suit this record better. After Crying is, in my humble opinion, the band which has best succeeded in modernizing progressive rock without ending up in some small, specialized sub-genre. They look back and forward with the same sharp eye, and based on what they see, they produce an all-absorbing music.
"Show" is the group's first offering with entirely new material since "6" in 1997, a record which did not fully meet my expectations. The line-up is the same, however somewhat extended, but the group still appears radically renewed, with more contrast in their music. They still borrow a lot of music. The opening track "New World Coming" opens with the notes of the Gregorian melody to "Dies Irae" from the 13th century, and they (naturally) incorporate several themes from Dvorak's "New World Symhony".
After Crying's biggest advantage is that they are without musical limitations. They are such capable musicians that all their ideas are easily materialised. They are a rock band this moment, half a symphony orchestra in the next, then pure prog, a big band, a jazz ensemble, and they feature soloists on most instruments (although with a fairly long guest list). Virtuosity can of course be used in many ways, you can spend your life playing predictable arpeggios all your life (no names mentioned), or you can use it for creating this kind of unique music. After Crying is a band which to a much larger extent than the others perfect their musical ideas (one of the band members are credited with "conception and dramaturgy"). A lot of what they do is in the same musical landscape as The Enid, but no matter how much I love Robert John Godfrey and his band, in this company, The Enid become fumbling amateurs.
In "Remote Control" After Crying show that they have not completely forgotten their ELP influences. The track is constructed as a TV evening completely with commercial breaks and news spots. The technologic society of today/tomorrow is also the theme for the lyrics on the album. "Technopolis" is almost big band jazz (with an energy surpassing anything I've heard in a big band). The short instrumental "Globeville At Night" is dedicated to Béla Bartók. "Wanna Be A Member?" is a wonderful mix of rap, Crimson guitars and Reneissance'ish symphonic rock. "Secret Service" with its 15 minues is almost an entire album of its own. With a John Wetton soundalike vocalist they become some kind of alternative 00-ies King Crimson. To understate this, they borrow the opening/ending theme from "Easy Money" - and Ravel's "Bolero" which they perform in a mixture of jazz and Crimson style. Brutality and beauty in perfect combination.
"Show" is 72 action packed minutes. The album of the year! No doubt!!

Sven Eriksen