Cinnabar - Wishing Down The Drain

Hear The Track Here

Considering that they cite some of the prog-rock nightmares of my past as influences, Cinnabar and I have had a surprisingly uneventful relationship. In fact, to go further, it's been very fruitful and - truthfully - whod'a thunk it? If you have been reading my scribbles for more than a few minutes you will come to understand that I am a man of many prejudices (prejudici?) and one of the sorest of sore spots is anything that reeks of prog-rock in any form. The same regular readers have no doubt been bored rigid by such acidic views so lets say no more about it. The reason Cinnabar have survived such venom is because they are good - whatever one may think of the genre.

Again, like all genres, there is music that fits and music that doesn't. Thankfully, Cinnabar exhibit none of the egotism and flash of the original proggies. They've had three Must Haves from me, including Lost and Found II (November 2009) and that was a decidely prog-rock track, although with heart and soul - and that I think is the main difference, I always found most prog kind of soulless, but Cinnabar's music is warm, rich and often welcoming. The track that finally convinced me of this was the excellent Morning Finds Its Way (August 2009), a beautiful, could have been Beach Boys tune that I still listen to every once in a while when I spot it lurking. I mention this track in particular because Wishing Down The Drain reminds me quite strongly of it, and not just because its basically an acoustic track.

What Wishing Down The Days reminds me of most is early Simon and Garfunkel - and I mean that in the nicest possible way. As I said, it was the vocal work of Matt Tyson that first attracted me to Cinnabar but its the combination of that and the solid musical nous - and backing - of Gary Judge that seals the deal. Together they make complex, intricate, highly structured songs that change before your eyes with more ideas on display in seconds than most tracks manage in hours. That has always been the saving grace for Cinnabar for me, the songwriting is of as high a standard as the performance. Don't take me at my word though, I urge you to go and listen to this track (putting aside your own prejudice of course) and not be amazed at just how good it can get.

Warm, breezy, and eight songs in one! MUST HAVE (whisper) prog rock