One of Canada’s finest and most idiosyncratic bands, Half Past Four, are back! If you know them, that’s great news. If you aren’t familiar yet, it’s still great news, because you have vibrant exciting new music to discover on this new album, Finding Time. I use the word ‘vibrant’ advisedly, as their ace in the pack is lead singer Kyree Vibrant, and she lives up to her name on this collection of songs. That’s not to say that the rest of the band don’t shine, because they are polished and tight, but Vibrant leads from the front and the experience is highly entertaining.
Finding Time is the first new music from Half Past Four since 2016’s Land of the Blind, so this has been a long time coming, but I’m happy to say it’s been worth the wait. Tomorrowless kicks things off, with an upbeat piece which one could dance to, should one feel so inclined. Danceable prog? Whatever next? Vibrant laments the lack of future for certain organisms in the modern world, yet the song is bright and breezy, and not a little whacky.
Which may not live until tomorrow.”
Indeed, but there’s an effervescence about the song which is infectious and intoxicating. The band negotiate the demanding dance steps with ease, and we have a winning opener.
Far Away Here by contrast has a jazz fusion intro, and the mood lingers through the first verse. The piece then mutates into a heavy bluesy riff, Boris Kalantyr’s guitar positively smoking. Vibrant turns her vocals up a couple of notches, and we’re cooking nicely. The band then slip easily back into the jazz pocket to round out the song with a cool Moog solo. It’s melodic, memorable, and very tasty. Shake Your Head, not a metal song strangely, gives the band a chance to stretch out a bit with some super guitar and keyboard interplay, and inventive bass lines and percussion, while Vibrant sings about dancing on her grave. It’s one of the more straightforward tracks on the album, but the innate empathy between the musicians makes it rather special.
Igguana (unclear why it is spelled this way, but what the heck), is an idiosyncratic piece extolling the virtues of the creature, and has a Kate Bush flavour, particularly in the vocal department. The unusual and inventive arrangement coupled with exploratory keyboard and guitar interjections make for a compelling listen. This is typical of the band, a bright and brisk song combining irresistible melodies with a quirky delivery and sharp detail. Branches follows, and has an even more noticeable Kate Bush influenced intro. The verses seriously sound like they could have come from The Kick Inside, with Kyree Vibrant excelling in her role, but when the band warm up, it is unmistakably Half Past Four, with gorgeous fretless bass, dancing piano playing, and more of that smoking guitar. There’s a message in here somewhere, as Vibrant sings:
Deeply felt perspicacity
Fortunes in a buttercup
Grabbing branches, climbing up
No memories swayed the branch
The bough was broken way before me.”
Best track so far in my opinion, just wonderful.
The album closes with Underbelly, another typical Half Past Four workout, with slightly unhinged vocals over a slinky sinuous beat, choppy organ and elastic bass motifs. Vibrant is at turns assertive, then whispering, but always demanding of your full attention no matter what she’s singing about. The song unexpectedly and crazily speeds up into a lounge jazz ending section which is a hoot. What better way to end such a record? Finding Time finds Half Past Four back with a bang, their peculiar brand of prog dazzling but very approachable. Do try and find time to give it a listen. The world might just seem like a happier place if you do.
TRACK LISTING
01. Tomorrowless (4:55)
02. Far Away Here (3:55)
03. Shake Your Head (7:39)
04. Igguana (5:58)
05. Branches (6:50)
06. Underbelly (4:45)
Total Time – 34:02
MUSICIANS
Kyree Vibrant – Vocals
Boris Kalantyr – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Igor Kurtzman – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Dmitry Lesov – Bass, Chapman Stick, Backing Vocals
Roberto Bitti – Drums, Backing Vocals
~ With:
Mauro Giammarco – additional Backing Vocals
Ray Lesov – additional Backing Vocals
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: Canada
Date of Release: 30th May 2025
LINKS
Half Past Four – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | Instagram
