Universe 2023

As regards the quick and complex evolution of Lieder within the timeframe of a few decades, the relationship between poetic text (lyrics) and musical composition undergoes some variations which are worth underscoring. The term Lied indicates primarily a literary genre, a strophic composition (leit means precisely “stanza” in German), whose translation as “song” should not be intended literally; it is similar to our speaking of “canto” in Homer or Dante, i.e. to indicate poetic texts which “only putatively could be accompanied by music” (G. Bevilacqua).

In the 16th century, the ‘discovery’ of the Indies finally completed the human universe; it marked the beginning of a meeting between two worlds which, though violent, produced an unprecedented cultural wealth in their merging. However, the numerous historical, musicological and archaeological investigations of the sound cultures from this time have yielded few certainties. We do know, however, that this sound universe was interwoven in the baroque music of various composers, like that of Santiago de Murcia (1673–1739), an iconic figure of the late Spanish Baroque period whose work was the crucible where the sounds of both worlds, the New and the Old, were forged.

The debut from this Birmingham, England band featured a flute-laced progressive rock sound similar to that of Jethro Tull. (The band's sound would later become more mainstream.) The songwriting ranges from imaginative, mythical tales on "The Beginning" and the title song, to deeply philosophical tracks like "Universe" and "All That Is Right," to downright senseless on the track "Baby Rock Me," which is perhaps the worst song the band has ever recorded. Despite this one track, it is a very good album, especially for a band's first effort.