I’ve heard New Keepers of the Water Towers being compared to Mastodon, and there is some truth in this. They do share some attributes with Mastodon circa, say, Crack The Skye, where their prog influences were much more to the fore than they are now, sadly. But really they derive far more influence from Pink Floyd.
Dealing with the negative aspects of New Keepers of the Water Towers’ music first, the tracks are sometimes too long for their own good, some judicious editing would actually enhance the songs greatly. The vocals need to be more upfront in the mix. This isn’t an instrumental album, yet at times the vocals sound indistinct and part of the instruments rather than stating the purpose of the track. There is a lack of warmth in the production which bands like Goblin, clearly an influence here, very much had in their music.
On the positive side, their music is well-played, heartfelt and adventurous; with more focus on the actual songs in future, this is a band we could hear much more from in the future.
(Listenable Records)
