Dimitri Toonen - Final Start

 

I was asked this week, by one of our earliest followers, what I listen to in my downtime. Well there isn't much of it with real life work and how consuming this place has become. Gone are the days of me contributing to Music groups, I rarely get on Social Media much. Having collected music for 50 years, I rarely listen to things gathered along the way. IDHAS has made me all about the new.

However, when I do spend time away from here, I do have a weakness for both Psych and Prog. In a lot of cases, it is too heavy for here, but I do introduce some of both here, but only when I think they may hit your spot, primarily if they are melodic.

Here we have such a choice. I'm enamoured even more by Dimitri Toonen because I discovered the album via a song submission for Listening To This Week. I understand that the word Prog can turn people off before listening.

I am fussy about what I really like for all Reviews here, but I do get put off by a lot of Prog. Plenty is wishy washy nonsense, particularly Modern Prog, which fits more in mediocre Pop Rock. I also avoid the wanky extended old style show off stuff. Music that is more about revealing cleverness than songs.

Final Start is a cracking listen. There is plenty of engaging Prog, in the style of latter-day Rush at times. But everything is beautifully arranged and performed, proper songs, changes in direction that enhance. Toonen is from the Netherlands, a country not naturally thought of when considering this type of music.

The album is aided by his gentlish vocal, not the sort of whiny style of some Modern Prog, but a voice with character and likability. Listening to this, I am reminded more of bands that are not really Prog, more Intelligent Rock.

Big Big Train were the only Prog band that I thought of. I compare him on many occasions of the likes of The Mommyheads and Tim Christenen. It is a little too complex for Pop Rock, but it isn't that far away. I've deliberately not discussed individual songs as this is an album to listen to throughout. I've picked my three favourite songs bit yours might be very different.

You can listen to and buy the album here. 

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