UK progressive alt-rock/pop band Vamoosery have just released their debut full-length album, Moving Forward. Their sound is just as wild and fun as their name. While they are a rock band at the core, the songs are also loaded with great pop sensibilities. There are fantastic guitar parts throughout (riffs and solos), outstanding vocals, positive and uplifting lyrics, and absolutely fun moments abound. Moving Forward has your typical prog moments: weird experimentations, interesting sounds, and some longer runtimes, but calling Vamoosery a typical band of any sort would be a misstep. They claim to be diverse enough to appeal to fans of Neal Morse all the way to Paramore -- and they are right.

"Prelude" is a brief opening number that carries the wild delays right into the first song, "Listen." Once the chorus of this one hits, you get a real feel for what type of album this will be. It's a huge sounding chorus with big overdriven guitars and soaring vocals that make you take notice. "Pieces" follows with a funky groove coupled with a positive message. Vocalist Sheridan White sings, "Don't listen to that voice in your head. When things need to change just cut it dead. Don't listen to that fear in your heart. Open your eyes; this isn't the end." "Trust in You" brings the tempo down just a touch and the Led Zeppelin-esque acoustic guitar interlude separating the first two verses is a nice touch, but it's the electric guitar in the chorus that brings it home. "Solid Ground" is a solid prog-rock jam, but "You Are Always Near" is one of the best tracks on the album. The song starts with a softly picked electric guitar with White's fantastic vocals, but again it's big overdriven guitar that stands out in the pre-chorus here. White sells the song further with the lyrics as she sings, "Even when I stand in my sorrow; You are always near. Even when I stand while my sorrow surrounds me, You are always near." "Do You Hear Me" gets the bass moving and grooving with another great prog-rock number and "Archeologist" is another solid song following that prog-rock formula. There are some great moments here, but, again, the big open chorus shines with Sheridan singing about the love of Christ. The title track is a two-part closer (perhaps taking a little inspiration from James Taylor). "Moving Forward - Part 1: Fire" definitely brings more heat to the table while "Moving Forward - Part 2: Rain" cools things off a bit with a softer approach overall. These final two tracks stand out from the rest of the album and give a different impression, but that seems to be the intent. These have a more epic type of sound to them and account for nearly 14.5 minutes of the 51-minute runtime. Both "Moving Forward" tracks really give you the scope and feel of this band's true capabilities.

Vamoosery's Moving Forward was an absolute surprise. Not often are indie bands this well-versed in their craft and progressive albums by their very nature have the ability to be too long and overstay their welcome. While there are a few tracks over the 5-minute mark, nothing extends beyond 7:47 -- with several staying in the standard 3-4 minute range. This may seem small, but it makes things much easier to digest. You get the excitement of what prog music should offer in variety and textures, but never does it become pointless meandering fodder. Everything here, both musical and lyrical, has purpose. Add some phenomenal vocals and stellar production to that formula and Moving Forward is one of my biggest surprises for 2023. Vamoosery is a band that is worthy of your time -- especially if you like any music ranging from Neal Morse to Paramore.

- Review date: 12/8/23, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com

Record Label: None
Album length: 10 tracks: 51 minutes, 1 second
Street Date: November 3, 2023
Buy It: Amazon Music
Buy It: iTunes

1. Prelude (1:03)
2. Listen (4:20)
3. Pieces (3:35)
4. Trust in You (5:29)
5. Solid Ground (6:35)
6. You Are Always Near (3:44)
7. Do You Hear Me (5:20)
8. Archaeologist (6:27)
9. Moving Forward – Part 1: Fire (6:37)
10. Moving Forward – Part 2: Rain (7:47)