Permission To Fly is the latest solo album from Jordan Rudess, the Dream Theater keyboard wizard, and the sixth since we covered 2019’s Wired For Madness. That album included an extensive cast drawn from across the prog world to help him realise his vision, and very good it was too. This time around Rudess has opted for a very different approach, and I have to say it has paid off handsomely.
On Permission To Fly, he has carefully chosen a small team of key players, producing a tight core band. His choices might seem surprising at first, but one play of the resulting record will leave nobody in doubt of the wisdom of such a move. Firstly, the backbone of the band, apart from Rudess himself, is Darby Todd on drums. His pedigree is impeccable, having recently played in Devin Townsend’s band to devastating effect. Real drums are a must for Jordan’s musical universe and Todd’s rock solid framework is perfect. He keeps things pretty straightforward, but has the ability to cope with the frequent flights of fancy which inject odd time signatures to proceedings. When the mad bits crop up, Todd holds it all together brilliantly.
The other key ingredient on the album is the vocals. Interestingly, Jordan has chosen to work with That Joe Payne, having been recommended by a colleague, and it is a match made in heaven. It must have been a bit tricky for Joe, given he sings someone else’s words, but he is utterly convincing. Not only does he sing, but he has provided vocal arrangements which are absolutely stunning. It’s impossible to imagine how this album might have sounded without That Joe Payne. The lyrics were written by Jordan’s eldest daughter Ariana, which is another departure from the norm, as he has previously written his own words, but felt the need for a change. Again, it works well.
Finally, although Rudess has enough keyboard hard and software at his disposal to make pretty much any sound he wants, he felt that real guitar parts would elevate things, and again he was dead right. Steve Dadaian plays some superb guitar parts throughout, and a young Chilean guitarist, Bastian Martinez, plays a couple of hugely impressive solos. And as you would expect, Jordan does the rest! The result is a wonderfully cohesive prog album, split between sweeping symphonic ballads and full on prog epics. There are plenty of widdly wig-outs of course, some absolutely crazy musicianship, but the next melody is never far away, and it seems better balanced in that respect to some of his previous work.
The Final Threshold is first out of the blocks, and the intro is pure ELP inspired Hammond magic, with flamboyance, energy and excitement, before slipping into something much more ethereal and dreamy for the verses. That Joe Payne’s vocals are atmospheric and restrained as piano takes over from the organ. The voice is unmistakable and is the perfect fit for the music. The dreamy verses build in grandeur to a beautiful ending. Only four minutes in to the album, and its a winning start.
Into The Lair is a slowly unfolding prog epic, the first of several. Rudess has plenty of fun with different keyboard sounds and textures, keeping the soundscape exciting and surprising. His jazzy touches and virtuosic flourishes are a joy to hear; nobody does this kind of thing better. Payne’s vocal arrangement is multi layered and ambitious, but perfectly executed. Some heavier riffing leads us to a brief section where Rudess trades licks with Martinez before we move to the vocal conclusion. It’s a brilliant track with something for everyone, and is the template for the album in many ways.
Haunted Reverie begins with electronics, then a Zappa inspired moment of chamber rock weirdness before slipping quickly into the song proper. The melody is memorable, and many of the lyrical phrases resonate after a couple of listens. As Payne sings “the unravelling of it all..”, Dadaian follows with a guitar solo sounding for all the world like it is unravelling! It’s a magical piece of work. The Alchemist is another epic, and not just in length. It’s ambitious, complicated, and takes a few plays to get your head around. Much of the melody is easy on the ear, then there are passages which have a Haken like wilfulness and off the wall time changes. Another great vocal arrangement enhances a dizzying composition, full of multi layered keyboards and voices, Payne utilising his full range to magnificent effect. As overwhelming as this piece is at first listen, it rewards multiple plays, and soon makes sense.
By way of reward for successfully negotiating this epic track, Embers is a fairly simple song, and possibly the most memorable on the album. It is simply stunning, Payne interpreting the words with passion, Martinez pulling off a gorgeous guitar solo, and Rudess providing the symphonic backing. It is a truly beautiful song, and not embellished beyond what is needed; a case of less is more. Shadow of the Moon follows, and again the melody is king. The words tell a sci-fi tale of disaster.
The moment’s come to face my fears”
There is a fun and thought provoking video which accompanies the track, and it’s another highlight on a record full of them.
Eternal is the final prog epic, and it’s portentous intro heralds another eight or nine minutes of dizzying dexterity from Rudess, punctuated by Payne’s silky vocal skills. There are heavy guitar chug moments, but nothing as metallic as Dream Theater. Joe seems to play more than one character in this piece, so it’s not all angelic vocalising by any means! Towards the conclusion, there are some more lovely Hammond flourishes as Darby Todd hammers us towards the finish line. By contrast, Footstep in the Snow has a hymnal quality, Todd backing with sympathetic textural drum pattern. Joe Payne’s massed choir vocals are like nectar for the ears.
Finally, Dreamer is Jordan alone, and he plays at being an orchestra on his own! It’s a shimmering sunset of a closing track, and absolutely lovely, proving he is a composer as well as a virtuoso keyboardist. As it finishes, all is calm and relaxed.
Overall, I think Permission To Fly has to be Jordan Rudess’s most successful solo album artistically. He has taken a couple of risks in his approach, but they have paid off, and he is vindicated. That Joe Payne plays a crucial role in the shape and sound of the finished album, and he has proved himself more than up to the huge challenge he was given. We all know he has ‘that voice’, but his arrangements are superb. Darby Todd is thoroughly solid and dexterous behind the kit, and the guitarists add that extra layer of organic realism. Then there’s Rudess himself. His playing is dazzling, but it’s his writing which really impresses this time, and partnered by his daughter in the lyric department, has come up with some of his best work. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this album to anyone who has read this far! It’s going to be up there with the best releases of the year for sure.
TRACK LISTING
01. The Final Threshold (4:07)
02. Into The Lair (9:32)
03. Haunted Reverie (5:15)
04. The Alchemist (8:36)
05. Embers (4:03)
06. Shadow of the Moon (5:30)
07. Eternal (8:54)
08. Footstep In The Snow (4:03)
09. Dreamer (5:04)
Total Time – 64:04
MUSICIANS
Jordan Rudess – Keyboards, Composer
Darby Todd – Drums
That Joe Payne – Vocals, Vocal Arrangements
Steve Dadaian – Guitar
Bastian Martinez – Guitar
Ariana Rudess – Lyrics
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: InsideOut Music
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Date of Release: 6th September 2024
LINKS
Jordan Rudess – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X