I love it when I can connect with an album. When I was cycling through "Stalagmite Steeple" by UK band Returned to the Earth for review purposes I felt a bond being established. It was probably the third time through when I had to leave the house... and I didn't want to turn the music off!
Right up front I will mentioned that "Stalagmite Steeple" is very much akin with Steven Wilson's softer side, (like Hand. Cannot. Erase.). I would consider it art rock for sure, definitely progressive-adjacent. There is a high-standard of tastefulness in production, atmosphere and composition. It's an intriguing listen. Singer composer Robin Peachey's voice also reminds me of Wilson's (Peachey also performs on guitar, piano and synths).
If this album were a book, it would be a page-turner. Each track feels intimately connected and companioned- it is a spiritually cohesive whole. One concept tying it together lyrically is Robin Peachey's musings on empathy, escape, compassion and perhaps tragedy.
The album is largely slow without being plodding or diluted. Nor is it slow in the romantic or love-ballad sense. Melancholic? Maybe, but for me it's not depressing. Its only shortfall is that it deserved an exorbitant studio budget like in the days of yore when labels would spend a million dollars to record an album. On this project it would have not been wasted. So in that sense the canvas is slightly modest or sparse in parts, but since the material is so powerful it stands on its own quite confidently- a testament to all of the strong-boned melodies and composition.
The album is airy and spacious, carefully laid out and allowed to breathe, pulse, unfold deliberately and unhurriedly. That's such a different vibe than is so popular in the world right now; a world of maniacal TikToks, YouTube Shorts, busily shuffling Spotify playlists et al. Perhaps Stalagmite Steeple is a musical remedy or salve of sorts for this modern age- a balm for souls being run ragged- being pushed and pulled from all directions at once.
It's also beautiful. In fact the friend who recommended I check this album out used the word 'gorgeous', and he's right. The paradox here is that the album is also emotionally deep-cutting, drawing its listener into musical depths of profound contemplation.
There are no 'skip-pers' on this obviously carefully and lovingly crafted album. It's a consistently enjoyable listen throughout and there's even a nurturing quality or vibe I get from it. It has a timelessness to it as well.
I'm a new Returned to the Earth fan now, so I can't compare this to any of their previous 4 albums- I've not heard any of them! However I am so curious to explore them.
Fave track: Dark Morality.
The Prog dog score is 4 1/2 out of five dog bones. It's a gem.
