Topical, jazzy and boldly outspoken. The Slow Rust of Forgotten Machinery is the 2017 album by The Tangent: an ambitious, socially engaged prog statement.

The short version

The 2017 ninth studio album by The Tangent, the ever-evolving project of British composer, keyboardist and singer Andy Tillison. One of the band’s most acclaimed and ambitious works, it pairs long, intricate, jazz-fusion-tinged prog with Tillison’s pointed, topical lyrics, reflecting on the contemporary world in the outspoken tradition of prog forebears like Roger Waters. Tillison plays drums here for the first time on a Tangent record, joined by a stellar cast including bassist Jonas Reingold and saxophonist Theo Travis, plus new member Marie-Eve de Gaultier. Complex, funky and thought-provoking, it is a standout in the band’s long catalogue.

The Tangent, engaged

As ever, The Tangent revolved around composer, keyboardist and singer Andy Tillison, who this time also took on drumming duties for the first time on a Tangent album. Around him gathered a superb lineup: founding Tangent bassist Jonas Reingold, guitarist and singer Luke Machin, saxophonist and flautist Theo Travis, and new member Marie-Eve de Gaultier on keyboards and vocals, with guest appearances from Chumbawamba founder Boff Whalley and DJ Matt Farrow. Beyond the music, the album is defined by Tillison’s decision to engage directly with current affairs, using the band’s expansive, adventurous prog as a vehicle for commentary on the world around him.

The sound

The Slow Rust of Forgotten Machinery is funky, jazz-fusion prog rock, complex and eclectic. It ranges widely across the band’s signature styles — symphonic prog, jazz-rock, Canterbury playfulness and electronic textures — in a set of long, intricately composed pieces. Tillison’s swirling keyboards and newly prominent drumming anchor the music, with Machin’s expressive guitar, Reingold’s fluid bass and Travis’s sax and flute weaving through. The music can be funky, heavy, playful and technical, often within the same piece, and de Gaultier’s vocals add fresh colour. Above it all sit Tillison’s topical, outspoken lyrics, which give the album a real sense of urgency and purpose. Ambitious, richly detailed and superbly played, it is one of the band’s most powerful statements.

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The songs

‘Two Rope Swings’ is the album’s opener, a condensed ‘pocket symphony’ that packs a full prog epic into just a few minutes. ‘Doctor Livingstone (I Presume)’ is a joyful, dramatic jazz-fusion instrumental, all intricate interplay and soaring solos. And ‘The Sad Story of Lead and Astatine’ is a sixteen-minute tour de force, moving from a tender ballad into a dazzling jazz-rock workout.

Reception and legacy

The Slow Rust of Forgotten Machinery was widely praised, hailed by many as one of The Tangent’s finest and most comprehensive albums. Critics admired its musical ambition, its jazz-fusion flair and the sheer quality of the playing, with the band’s musicianship drawing particular acclaim. Its outspoken political stance divided some listeners — a few found it too pointed, while others welcomed prog being used to say something about the world — but few disputed the strength of the music itself. Today it is regarded as a high point in the band’s catalogue — a bold, ambitious and richly rewarding album from one of modern prog’s most restless and characterful bands.

The verdict

The Slow Rust of Forgotten Machinery is The Tangent at their most ambitious and engaged: funky, jazz-fusion prog rock built on long-form composition, virtuoso playing and an outspoken point of view. Come for the joyful ‘Doctor Livingstone (I Presume)’ and the dazzling ‘The Sad Story of Lead and Astatine.’ Complex, funky and superbly performed, it is essential listening for anyone who likes their progressive rock adventurous, jazzy and unafraid to have something to say — and one of the standout albums from one of modern prog’s most characterful bands.

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