Besides 70s rock bands themselves, Fabric of Time reminds me most of Steven Wilson in the most imitative phase of his musical career on The Raven that Refused to Sing. The mellotron and piano harmonies, guitar chord progressions and through-the-phone vocal effect are very Wilson. Likewise, there are passages throughout that particularly recall Camel, including the dancing guitar lines and tambourine on “The Biggest Lie.” 35 Tapes are students of Wilson or 70s progressive rock but either way, the result is similar. If you already like these bands and their sub-genre(s) then Fabric of Time is like slipping into a set of comfy pajamas. The lively, analog production sounds like a band playing together in a studio (imagine that!) and the master is thankfully spacious. The mix also balances each instrument and I love the soft drum tones. Each band member can audibly demonstrate their instrumental prowess and can boast a skill set that goes beyond most outside progressive rock. This all results in a release that sounds remarkably similar to its influences, meaning it’s remarkably unoriginal in total. But I still appreciate the core 35 Tapes sound as a 70s super-nerd.
More than simply unoriginal, Fabric of Time is also especially meandering and whimsical, even by prog standards. None of the tracks wholly justify their length, running between around 7 minutes and 14 minutes each. I don’t doubt that the lack of a discernible route through the lengthy songs is deliberate – it’s about the journey, not the destination right? – but there’s only so much meandering that even a prog aficionado can enjoy. “Crawling” attempts to layer a shredding guitar over its final minute but it fails to feel appropriately climactic; the song ends without a satisfying conclusion. Likewise, “Art of Falling” has a pleasant but aimless lilt for most of its duration. The big finale, “The Fabric of Time,” broadly follows a loud/quiet/loud structure which is a little more rewarding but “loud” by the standards of this album is still fairly relaxed, resulting in a somewhat limp close for the album. 35 Tapes seemingly refuse to be the center of attention.
On instrumentation, the vocals and guitars of course occupy a place of special importance given that 35 Tapes nominally fall on the rock spectrum. My misgivings are compounded by a singer here that can sing but who sounds a bit frail and exposed when the music gives him a clearing to carry the core melody. His English accented by Norwegian is also a little distracting; I generally prefer singers in their native languages for this reason. Moreover, the guitars only sometimes lead the pack. There are moments with a distorted guitar at the top of the mix – including on the opening of the first track – but more commonly they’re in the medley of background layers, behind the piano and keyboards. When the whimsical keyboards that open “The Fabric of Time” finally give way to a driving guitar rhythm, layers of renewed keyboard melodies and the mellotron both prohibit the song from properly accelerating. Through this, 35 Tapes defeat their own riffs and dynamism. Fabric of Time has a lot of “progressive” but not much “rock,” resulting in a solid but uneventful album. It lacks the standout riffs and melodies of your favorite prog acts and ultimately has little that’s really special.
If we run with a school analogy, 35 Tapes are the quiet music nerd who’s way more talented than everyone else but because they’re quiet no one else realizes it. Fabric of Time is surprisingly understated for a pretentious genre, too meek and mild to upstage its louder and less talented competition. I want to grab the band by the scruff of the neck and shake them until they yield something more demanding and emotive. Something that flaunts its progressive credentials through bombastic solos, neo-classical lyrical themes and obnoxious flower costumes. For now, it’s okay. For the future, I want more.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps
Label: Apollon Records
Websites: facebook.com/35tapes | 35tapes.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 13th, 2023
