Jason Bieler And The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra - The Escapologist (Baron Von Bielski Records/What The Hell Was That Sound Records) [Rich Piva]
Full disclosure. I am a huge Jason Bieler fan. Huge fan may not be enough. Maybe fanatic, mark, shill, apologist, borderline stalker…whatever you want to call my level of fandom. The first two Saigon Kick records are perfect to me still to this day.
I have seen incarnations of him live almost a dozen times, my one wish in the world above all is having Devil In The Details pressed on vinyl, and I still wear my Owl Stretching shirt, even if it barely fits. That being said, I am going to go into this review of Mr. Bieler’s new record from his most recent project, Jason Bieler And The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra, titled The Escapologist, as objective as I can possibly be.
Bieler’s work of late with the BVBO has leaned more towards prog, with a ton of cool and complex rhythms, tempo changes, and instrumentation, but still contains what you love from the man and his work: his killer, trademarked guitar action and those layered, harmonized vocals from which you can always tell he is involved.
Bieler’s work of late with the BVBO has leaned more towards prog, with a ton of cool and complex rhythms, tempo changes, and instrumentation, but still contains what you love from the man and his work: his killer, trademarked guitar action and those layered, harmonized vocals from which you can always tell he is involved.
The Escapologist has all of this and more. Lots more. What’s the more? This album is batshit crazy in the best kind of way. There is so much going on and so many twists and turns you simply never know what is coming next, but is never scattered, and always leaving the listener excited to hear what’s coming next, but never doesn’t make sense.
The production on the record is perfect for what is happening across the ten songs on The Escapologist. Bieler’s guitar is right up front and ever present, but what you also realize is how amazing the drums are on these songs because they are recorded so well, played mostly by Edu Cominato (Geoff Tate’s band). The overall sound is what you come to expect from a Bieler work and continues his string of amazing sounding records.
How about the songs you say? Opening with those harmonized vocals a cappella style into a killer heavy riff, Industrious is exactly what fans want and expect from a Bieler work. This one, while catchy and a serious earworm, is also complex in tempo and has a ton going on musically. I mentioned the drums earlier, and boy does Savior bring it. This one has amazing percussion work (think Close To You but way more complex) and brings some Caribbean vibes, courtesy of Buzz Bykovsky and his steel drums, from which all of Bieler’s years influence living in South Florida has finally brought forward in the form of this song.
The production on the record is perfect for what is happening across the ten songs on The Escapologist. Bieler’s guitar is right up front and ever present, but what you also realize is how amazing the drums are on these songs because they are recorded so well, played mostly by Edu Cominato (Geoff Tate’s band). The overall sound is what you come to expect from a Bieler work and continues his string of amazing sounding records.
How about the songs you say? Opening with those harmonized vocals a cappella style into a killer heavy riff, Industrious is exactly what fans want and expect from a Bieler work. This one, while catchy and a serious earworm, is also complex in tempo and has a ton going on musically. I mentioned the drums earlier, and boy does Savior bring it. This one has amazing percussion work (think Close To You but way more complex) and brings some Caribbean vibes, courtesy of Buzz Bykovsky and his steel drums, from which all of Bieler’s years influence living in South Florida has finally brought forward in the form of this song.
This is in no way Kokomo though; this is some heavy/proggy fun, sort of like a metal pina colada. You know from songs he has written like Feel The Same Way, Bieler can bring the power pop, and he does with the radio ready (in some era) Stars Collide. The man can write a pop song, there is no doubt.
Violent Creatures leans more on Bieler’s melodic side, with the vocals sounding the most like Saigon Kick out of any of the tracks on The Escapologist, and is a sprawling, huge sounding song that feels like it is flying. If there is one thing the casual Bieler fan knows it is that the man can also write a ballad. This theory is once again proven with Hollow, a piano lead harmony party that has layer upon layer of goodness to it and is the most Elton John song he has ever written.
Zombies & Black Swans is possibly my favourite track on the record as it has it all; Bieler’s pop sensibilities, his playing, the harmonies, and a song that could be loved by radio rock and metal prog aficionados alike. No Real Goodbyes brings keys to the proggy pop party and pairs nicely with those Bieler layered vocals. How about those Brian May guitars during the solo? Bieler can’t step too far away from his Beatles love, and Space Debris has some of this, reminding me of the more Fab Four tracks in his arsenal but has more of a Beatles meets big band meets Yes all at the same time vibe.
Sacred Cow has more of that huge feel to it, another sprawling track where Bieler’s guitar and the keys play perfectly off one another. I love the shredding he does at the end of this one too. The closer, March Of The Vikonauts, has a catchy as hell melody sung in Bieler layered harmony fashion to perfection with this “closing track” vibe going on, proving Bieler thinks of everything, including track sequencing, and created what is like the heavy prog version of The End, except with unworldly guitar work that goes along with it.
As a huge (understatement) Saigon Kick fan, it is hard to say this, but this may be the most fruitful creative period for Jason Bieler in his long and illustrious musical career. Between the genius of his last record, Postcards From The Asylum, and the near perfect of the crazy pop prog of The Escapologist, Bieler has hit a new stride of creativity that includes a musical complexity that you don’t often hear in songs that contains such strong pop sensibilities.
As a huge (understatement) Saigon Kick fan, it is hard to say this, but this may be the most fruitful creative period for Jason Bieler in his long and illustrious musical career. Between the genius of his last record, Postcards From The Asylum, and the near perfect of the crazy pop prog of The Escapologist, Bieler has hit a new stride of creativity that includes a musical complexity that you don’t often hear in songs that contains such strong pop sensibilities.
No one is better at layering complexity over accessibility. The Escapologist is some of Bieler’s best work, which saying a lot for a guy who already has cemented his legacy as one of the world’s most underrated and underappreciated songwriters, guitar players, and musical geniuses. Take it from a mark like me, Jason Bieler and the Baron Von Bielski Orchestra’s new record is a must hear for anyone who understands and loves good music. 10/10
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