Playgrounds is a live album. And a damn good sounding one! Kudos to such brilliant and accentuated sound for recordings in front of people. Joe Jacksons „Big World“ sounded likewise outstanding back in the time, but there the audience had to be much more restrained – at Jacksons behest – as the listeners on SIEGES EVENs playground. Not only sound-wise this record cuts a fine figure, the musicians around the brothers Holzwarth are in high spirits, play a spotlessly clean set and singer Arno Menses is one of the best in this profession. A rougher sounding Geddy Lee comes to mind, what suits well musically too. SIEGES EVEN work more difficult than Rush, but regarding mood and spirit the Canadian band has found more than just a worthy comrade. It cannot be dismissed that the Metal aspect and excessively tricky passages are almost irrelevant in the SIEGES EVEN cosmos. On Playgrounds well-staged, dynamic Art Rock reigns. Don’t think now this record is without power, no way! But furiousness and finger-breaking fretboard acrobatics won’t be found either. Sometimes the band makes a side trip towards Jazz, the middle part of Unbreakable even reminds me of Sound Chaser from Yes, which already was a homage to the 70’s Jazz Rock. Altogether it strikes that SIEGES EVEN are way more melodic than on their older albums. Consequently there are just 2 songs from 1991 album Sense Of Change on the setlist. All other ones come from the last two records released in 2005 and 2007, whereas Paramount dominates. Would have been interesting to hear, how they would interpret these old songs nowadays.
All things considered Playgrounds is a fine extension to the band’s discography. That this band could easily fill a double CD or DVD is another story and can be corrected in the near future ;) One thing I’d like to nag about a little is the fact that two songs partially get out of hands: the classic These Empty Places and the otherwise marvelous encore The Weight could have been tighten. But what hurts a bit too long chute on an intelligent and thrilling built playground? Thus: go, get it and enjoy!