Saturday 10 October 2020

Gong - Rejoice! I'm Dead (2016)

The 23rd album from these British legends.

The band was a sextet with a lineup of drums, percussion, bass, guitars, woodwinds, ebow, shakar, whistles, bells, keyboards and vocals.

Steve Hillage contributes with a guitar solo and three other members helps out on piano and violin.

This was the first album after Daevid Allen's passing. He is still credited as a member and contributes with vocals on one of the songs. 

Does the passing of Daevid Allen means this version of Gong is more of a tribute band than a proper Gong ? Not at all. Gong is much more an idea than a band around Daevid Allen. This and the next album is in the DNA of Gong and not a tribute. Gong anno 2016 and this album is the real thing. 

Rejoice I's Dead is very much following in the same path as most Gong albums. Take some spaced out rock, avant-garde prog and some jazzy rock. Add a lot of progressive rock and you get this album.

The musicians are all avid followers of Daevid Allen and is here delivering music in his spirit. 

And this album is a weirdo, funny and leftfield take on Canterbury prog. There is a lot of saxophones here and a lot of quirky melodies. Melodies which is good.

This one hour long album is indeed a good album and one Gong fans should be happy with. I am.

3 points

 

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