While the title of this album led me to some speculation with regards genre; the resulting songs both surprised me and made sense of the abstract concept that this album seems to lay it’s artistic foundations on. Smothered in synth and a massive use of repetition (which is, incidentally, not entirely detrimental), ‘The Illusion of Grandeur’ gives the listener an experience that rivals even the most tripped out sessions with Pink Floyd. Songs such as ‘If you get it wrong’ pack a hell of a punch. With a classic hook and a really interesting brass idea in the background, the album really gets moving.
Moving on from this strong start, the album falls into an unfortunate pattern of blending seemingly into the background of whatever you’re doing. Thankfully, this doesn’t last very long and by the time we reach the sixth track, ‘On a Roll,’ we’re back on form. While the vocals for this song seem to be a tad uninspired, the lyrics make up for it a great deal. Towards the end of the song, we’re taken in a different musical direction that does nothing but make the song an eye opening melodic journey. ‘Revolving’ gives us a flavor of the versatility of Maskedman; straddling the line between Stereophonics and The Cure, it’s an agreeable all rounder that brings us satisfyingly towards the end of the album. The last two tracks really show what Maskedman have to offer. The first, ‘Sellotape the Seams’ is a real treat to the ears; you’ll find yourself singing along with it in no time (not to mention checking out the deeply cool/insane music video found on the bands website). The second,‘Rollin Over,’ is a wonderful and triumphant ending to an unfinished album.
Overall, ‘The Illusion of Grandeur’ is an adventure through the abstract. But, as with all abstract art, some of it is boring. The album is roughly 50/50 with a margin of error that spans between really fantastic and a little bit featureless. If you’re a fan of psychedelic rock, stoner rock or other such variants, then you might very well fall in love with this album. Think along the lines of Pink Floyd with more pink. It’s definitely worth a listen.
You can check it out on their bandcamp or website: maskedman.no