lunes, 23 de marzo de 2009

Unifaun - Unifaun (2008)

Nad Sylvan and Bonamici (aka Christian Thordin) accidently stumbled upon each other on the Genesis website´s forum in 2003. Bon had written an instrumental song, "Tribute to Genesis" and wanted some critics from Genesis board members. Nad certainly liked it, contacted Bon and suggested a collaboration. Since they both live in Sweden, they teamed up quite effortlessly. What they both seemed to have in common, besides a passionate love for progressive rock, was also their backgrounds; At the age of five, both Nad and Bon started to play the piano - only relying upon their ears as they are self-taught.

Bon musical journey wandered towards jazz, fusion, folk/world music and latterly progressive rock. He studied and improvised music at Hubbard High School, Ohio, USA 1977-78 and played keyboards in various musical constellations in the US, Sweden and Norway during the 70´s and 80´s.

With a young family and racing two small kids during the 90´s as his primary, it wasn´t until the 00´s that time had come for a full-blown musical endeavour, composing in many different styles - but in general more in the tradition of world/folk music as well as piano driven jazz excursions.

Nad picked up on his singing ability in his early teens, just as he did with a few more instruments besides the piano. Writing/recording and performing his own songs as a solo artist and in various bands throughout the 70´s, 80´s and the 90´s has become a lifestyle.

He looks at his singing voice being more of that of an instrument that can be "tuned" and changed to fit the music, rather than the other way around, hence the associations with Collins/Gabriel. You listen to Nad´s solo work, and you will hear quite a different approach - yes, Nad is a chameleon!

After three solo albums from 1995-2003, where Nad played and sang everything himself - he longed for a long term musical relationship, and found the perfect partner in Bonamici.

Together with Nad, progressive rock have become the foundation of this duo - and in the old farm house, Bon´s studio has grown into a high tech facility, incorporating everything from advanced gear for creating motion pictures, to all kinds of vintage- as well as software instruments.

With this first offering with "UNIFAUN", the duo set out to do "the songs Genesis never did", initially as a very innocent flirt with their old heroes and basically just for fun and games - very much with a glint in the eye! After the second song ("Mr. Marmaduke and the Minister") had been uploaded to their website, a demand for a full album began to emerge from fans of both Gabriel and Collins era Genesis. Seemed like fun!

After four years of writing/recording - the duo where approached by Hansi Cross of Progress Records, Sweden. And here we are…

"Ok, we survived goal number one! Now we must live up to the next one, "to become rock stars before we hit 50!", says Nad, 49 and Bon, 48... :)

Biography provided by Nad Sylvan of UNIFAUN

Tracklisting:

1. Birth of a Biggie (7:37)
2. To the Green Faerie (6:16)
3. Mr. Marmaduke and the Minister (7:59)
4. Swingers Party (5:48)
5. Rehacksis (7:41)
6. Quest for the Last Virtue (13:57)
7. A Way Out (6:18)
8. Finistere (2:36)
9. Welcome to the Farm (4:30)
10. Maudlin Matter (4:09)
11. Bon Apart (1:28)
12. End-or-Fin (7:36)

Total Time 76:35

Line-up/Musicians
- Nad Sylvan / vocals, guitare, bass, keyboards, drums
- Bonamici / keyboards and vintage sound

Releases information
2008 CD Prog Rock 200980

All information, (C) ProgArchives.com

Después de toda esta información complementaria, para alguien que se ha acostumbrado a oir de todo, encontrarme de golpe y porrazo con un disco que suene a Genesis ha sido toda una sorpresa para mí. Si tenéis el disco y ponéis el tema "Mr. Marmaduke and the Minister" sabréis de lo que hablo, pues hay momentos de esta canción que me recuerdan al Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, y otros al Firth Of Fifth, o al Aisle Of Plenty. La voz de Sylvan, sin tener el empaque y la fuerza de Peter Gabriel, es similar en cuanto a su timbre y modulación y esa similitud cuesta separarla cuando uno escucha este álbum sin tener en cuenta más que la percepción de oir algo distinto y hecho en estas fechas.

Cuesta imaginar que una serie de ideas elaboradas a partir de 1979, cuando Nad Sylvan decide aventurarse en la creación de canciones inspiradas en el sonido "Genesis" junto a su amigo de reparto Bonamici, tengan este acabado inigualable. Un 50% del disco parecerá original, pero si miramos el otro 50% que nos evoque los momentos más dulces de la etapa Gabriel-Collins entre 1972 y 1976, será porque nos cueste bastante encontrar un punto de equilibrio entre el sonido auténtico de la banda inglesa y el que formula con el retintín necesario este dúo sueco.

No puedo, sin embargo, valorar este disco en su justa medida, concediéndole el beneficio de la duda y pensar que solo hacen canciones a-lo-Genesis porque les guste, y si pueden rentabilizar esa enorme influencia, que los seguidores del supergrupo inglés dictaminen sentencia. Les doy mi palabra.

LINKS:

Unifaun official web-site
Amazon
WiV Entertainment
CD Universe

2 comentarios:

  1. ¿No podría poner alguna canción o link para descargar, así que pueda saber cómo suenan?

    ResponderEliminar
  2. En su web de MySpace han colgado algunos temas suyos.http://www.myspace.com/sylvanandbonamici

    ResponderEliminar

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