The Reverie Suite By Euphoria Station

 

The Reverie Suite

By

Euphoria Station

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The Reveries Suite has to be the most unique rock albums I have ever reviewed, we often look for comparisons within music, but here Euphoria Station have gone further than even that, and created an album that touches the hem and tips the hat to others, whilst creating a totally singular sound of magic for us all to enjoy.

Our journey begins with Prelude / She's Calling, a track bathed in all that is good and great within the progressive rock dimension, but we don’t stop there as one can find an element of Native American styled flute and rhythms too, folk music, and a hint of acoustic craft as well, simply the best start possible indeed.

The Reverie Suite is our second track and of course title header, the band comprise of Saskia Binder – Vocals, Hoyt Binder - Guitars, banjo, mandolin and background harmonies, Ronald Van Deurzen - Piano, organ, Trevor Lloyd – Strings, Tollak Ollestad – Harmonica, Rebecca Kleinmann – Flute, Paulo Gustavo – Bass, Chris Quirarte – Drums, Mike Disarro - Background harmonies and Bobby Albright – Percussion, this amazing outfit build a composition here that is a story book of youth and the forgotten passages of the energy of those free and wonderful days, oh but had we realised it at that time for what it was.

As a guitarist myself I adored the acoustic nature of the opening of On My Way, the build and progression here was careful and respectful of the onwards ethic and manifestation yet to come. The vocals of Saskia Binder are exceptional; it would be pretty easy for her to be the first female singer for the super group Yes with ease, a band that I find a musical affinity with the arrangements of Euphoria Station as well.

Heartbeat gives us a steady and creative place within music to enjoy, the tempo is undeniable and is one of those songs you may find yourself singing many days after hearing it, as it sits within the mind and refuses to leave; the percussive beat and acoustic nature of the piece is simply sublime.

As we approach the half way juncture we come across one of my personal favourites on the album entitled Bridge of Dreams, Hoyt Binder on Banjo and Saskia Binder on vocals are amazing here, and then what I like to call my Elton John moment, with the segment on piano by Ronald Van Deurzen, simply breath taking, now I mentioned Yes earlier on and this is so redolent of their later style, add in the strings of Trevor Lloyd and you have yet another layer of class performance to lay upon this stunning arrangement.

There was something special about Queen of Hearts, no not the old Dave Edmunds track from the 70’s, but this extremely crafted mixture of folk-rock from Euphoria Station. A nod also has to go to Hoyt Binder for his guitar excellence yes, but also to the strings of Trevor Lloyd, who in all honesty manifest one of the most original rock instrumentals I have heard for literally ages.

Ronald Van Deurzen kicks off the beginning to the emphatic Paradise Road with a vast and powerful piano, a track that also contains some quite scene setting and emotive Harmonica work, hats off to Tollak Ollestad for that. The song is a driving force all of its own, and urges seizing the moment on the road to paradise, a true rock classic if I have ever heard one, and of course the longest piece off the release at just shy of ten minutes.

We now come across a portal of pleasure entitled Move On, the acoustic styled beginning mixed with a little Banjo was sublime and Ollestad on harmonica, giving us that Led Zeppelin moment with a little help from the engine room of Chris Quirarte on drums and Paulo Gustavo on bass. Essences of both Jefferson Starship (late 70’s version) and Canadian rock band Triumph could all be found in this exciting vibe, and much more.

Time to sit back and enjoy a gentle flavour on the offering Seasons, a lesson in time and reflection and rightly so, the value of one’s life as sung aptly by Binder. There was a touch of a 60’s ethic here in this arrangement that I found so addictive, and perhaps a new genre has been found in new age rock! The acoustic fluency here was a beauty to bathe within. At just around the 4 minute mark the build and progression took the piece to a whole new level, this was truly an opus to enjoy at full volume and beyond.

As we move into the deeper waters of the album we come across another moment of reflection with the song Reprise. And as innocence fades, the dusty roads of fate take control and alter our perceptions. I found this song particularly moving, I was only looking back only the other day and thinking on how my beliefs and thoughts on certain subjects had dramatically changed over the years, so if there was ever a song written about understanding the growth of aged wisdom this would be it. Once more Ronald Van Deurzen is utterly sublime on this piece, a king of the keyboards and a prince of the piano without doubt.

The rhythms are raised with our penultimate composition entitled Remind Me, there was something light and fresh about this pieces that was so delightful to swim with, again a fine moment of harmonica by Ollestad, and a symbiotic performance by all who have manifested this moment of sparkling magic on a track that that flows like a roaring late spring mountain stream; note the added flute here to by Rebecca Kleinmann, once more adding an extra layer to the performance.

The acoustic guitar of Hoyt Binder starts our last song within the realms of the piece entitled Content. The tempo on our last offering was perfect and allowed us not only a chance to appreciate this offering, but to reflect on the entire unique journey we have just taken with Euphoria Station.

The Reverie Suite by Euphoria Station is an outstanding and extremely unique set of works and arrangements that have been created by a band of individuals who are masters at their own game. The Reverie Suite is an album of pristine and exceptionally produced songs within the progressive rock-folk genre, which are simply outstanding, and unreservedly magnificent in their own right, and collectively as an album. I have yearned for something new and exciting to appear on the scene like this for years, well it seems like my wait is over!