Procession - You are Now Leaving the Future

by Dave Goodwin

published: 29 / 9 / 2012

Procession - You are Now Leaving the Future

Label: Circular Records
Format: CD

Remarkable debut album from futuristic-based and Midland-based Band for the Day unsigned band competition winners, the Procession

Review

As you drive along the A14 from Bury St Edmunds towards the A1, there is a wonderful break in the gloom of an achingly terrible journey. Just past a service station is an old cottage/barn that has been the subject of a graffiti attack. No, I'm not condoning spray-painting the local town, but I have always had a disturbing liking for this kind of art, and this shows in some of the photos I shoot. Anyway, sprayed on the building are the words, "You are now leaving the future." I have made the trip countless times, and have always thought to myself on passing that it would be a great name for an album. After fighting their way through two thousand other hopeful bands in Band for the Day's unsigned band competition, the Procession (James Best, Martyn Byrne, Paul Richardson and Rob Gill) then released a four track EP 'Sometimes' which achieved critical acclaim in 2011. The release of their debut album, 'You are Now Leaving the Future', in early August this year is likely to do even better in the critical forums still, as it is really a remarkable debut. The Procession have a certain quality that is hard to decipher. Too many times do we listen to a record and decide that it sounds like this band or it has a sound reminiscent of that band. The Procession meanwhile are strangely languishing in a music pool all of their own. They have simple guitar melodies that take you across a not too distant future's skyline, whilst mesmerizingly spinning you around the synth curtain that now and again wafts in and out. I got the wrong idea initially about them as the first track, 'Hot Off the Press', is way different to the rest of the record, but it only seems to contribute to the overall sound and quality of a great album. There are some exciting tracks in here. The varied percussion and melting harmonies prove that this lot have more arrows to their bow than Robin Hood, and with the addition of backing vocals from Emma Redhead their techniques are well crafted. The album itself is of varied content, but has that 'future' theme nestled in most tracks especially in, for what is to me, the standout track 'Running Home To You'. With its futuristic samples, it eventually drifts into the start of the first single release, 'Cease & Desist'. I got the impression from listening to this latter track that we are getting a right old lecture here about the state of the world and avoiding destroying it. "It's funny when I think and I look back now, You know I never thought that we’d always be around, Here before the start and long after the end, No matter how many lawyers’ letters you send. No…. we won't cease & desist Yeah, we’ve got the right to exist." The samples continue at the start of 'The Simple Things', another beautifully crafted point maker ("You think you'll do better/When it comes to you"). The lyrical content of the whole offering shines like a New Year beacon for miles around as the album finishes with the brilliant 'Stopping Time'. So now as I'm driving along the road of misery to join up with the Great North road, I'm not only admiring the handiwork on the grafittied barn but drifting back from the future on the stereo too. A hell of a debut this... .

Track Listing:-

1 Hot Off the Press
2 A+E
3 Sun Comes Around
4 Improv 1
5 Call You
6 Lookout
7 Running Home to You
8 Cease & Desist
9 Indifference
10 The Simple Things
11 Stopping Time (Cheated)