Tiles Reviews
Publication: Aardschok Magazine
Country Of Origin: The Netherlands
Review Date: January 1995
Reviewer: Michel van de Moosdijk
Translation: Al Grabenstein with Edwin van Hoof)
The Michigan-based group Tiles seems to have a cassette out entitled Crowded Emptiness. I am going to search for it because I am enormously impressed by their very first
CD which is simply entitled Tiles. If I say that the music of this group of four is a strong synthesis of (the old) Rush, Gamalon and a pinch of Dream Theater; then every
fan of progressive-tainted heavy rock will realize that Tiles knows how to rock.
Without wishing to label the band, Tiles reminds me most of a harder version of Rush (1975-1980). Of the nine songs,two are instrumentals. I like the rather short and acoustic
Retrospect somewhat less, but the complex Dress Rehearsal is a breath-taking and stunning journey through music. It's built around a guitar theme which could have
come from Alex Lifeson or included on any Gamalon album.
Their music is a smooth collision of elements from symphonic rock, fusion (guitars) and hard rock. Every song is without exception sublime and demands all the listener's
attention.
Although the musicians have the same abilities as Dream Theater, they just take it a bit easier. The big difference seems to be the production, most likely because of the
finances. The production by Kevin Chown and Tiles is very good. Everything stands out clearly and cleanly, but it doesn't have the same dimension as, for instance, Rush.
However, that should not be a reason to disregard the inventive, progressive rock of the group. Are you nuts? With songs like Bridges Of Grace, Token Pledge, Analysis Paralysis
and the already mentioned Dress Rehearsal, the more intellectual rockers among us will add with Tiles a new jewel in their collection.
91 out of 100
Publication: Burrn! Magazine
Country Of Origin: Japan
Review Date: October 1995
Reviewer: Hirose
Translation: Mike Tsuchiya
This is the debut album of a group of four from Detroit, introducing an outstanding sense of music that is hard to
believe something of rookies. It's a wonderful album. It's progressive type sound with lyrical melody is filled with a
mysterious mood somewhat close to a mixture of Police and Rush.
The great melodic sense is their own. Lyrics give you a blue feeling (kind of) transparent and delicate, but very
catchy. Comparable with the debut work of Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, (who are) far more heavy and totally different in (style)
of course. Compared to the very high level of technique of playing musical instruments (especially drums), the vocal
falls somewhat behind, but the elastic tone is fascinating. You will be tempted to read and enjoy the poems too.
Publication: That's It!
Country Of Origin: Germany
Review Date: December 1995
Reviewer: Andy
Tiles if a band of newcomers from the States who give cause for great expectations and who understand expertly how to
combine progressive rock with hard rock, which represents a most appealing synthesis. When listening to the CD, you
never get the feeling that you are dealing with a band of newcomers because the songs, without exception, sound
perfectly polished. At any rate, the debut of TILES does not take a backseat in any way to the more recent albums by
Fates Warning. Such divine compositions as Token Pledge simply must be heard by everyone.
88 out of 100
Publication: Metallian
Country Of Origin: France
Review Date: February/March 1996
Reviewer: Fabrice Cassaro
Here's a long-awaited album! This new revelation, Tiles, brings something new to the "prog rock" style. Musically between Rush, Saga, and even a little Dream Theater, this album
is a pure jewel of melodies, with surprising passages where musicianship is obvious. We can feel in the songwriting a lot of work, even if the mark of Rush is quite obvious, and
songs like Scattergram and Analysis Paralysis take you toward a parallel world...
The vocal lines of Paul Rarick are really melodic and the other musicians (are) very exceptionally technical. Listen to tracks such as Bridges Of Grace or Dancing Dogs...This is
worth checking out!
Publication: Detroit Free Press
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: May 5, 1996
Reviewer: Brian McCollum
Virtuoso rock musicianship is a dangerous trade to ply these days, with a half-decade emphasis on crusty technique
still rearing its head. But as one of the top acts in a burgeoning underground prog-rock scene, Tiles nimbly avoids the
garbage heap to dish up nine hi-fi and--dare we say?--grooving tracks. On this debut disc, the band's glistening
production is some of the best studio work you'll hear on an independent release, and the performances stay smart and
slick without wallowing in artsy. Guitarist Chris Herin's bright, assertive licks echo early '80's Alex Lifeson, and
ground a stellar ensemble effort.
Try 'em if you like: Rush, Dream Theater, Fates Warning.
Magazine: Sea Of Tranquility.ORG
Reviewer: Michael Popke
From the first notes of the first song on Tiles' self-titled first album - that would be the criminally catchy Analysis Paralysis - it's clear this Detroit-based band that
accessibly blends progressive metal, hard rock and plenty of intelligence into a neat and completely underrated package, is not a typical prog-metal group. Sure, Tiles has its
Rush connections, thanks to studio wizard Terry Brown and album-cover artist Hugh Syme. (Syme landed on the scene after the release of the band's first two long out-of-print
albums, 1994's Tiles and 1997's Fence the Clear, but Brown mixed Fence the Clear.) And many riffs, passages and even entire songs sound like Rush outtakes. But for a band with so
many Rush references, not to mention an outfit that takes its name from a Led Zeppelin song ("Out on the Tiles") and cites Gene Simmons as an early mentor, Tiles (and Tiles)
sound amazingly fresh, if not completely original, a decade later on these Special Edition reissues.
Much of that freshness comes courtesy of singer Paul Rarick's crystalline voice, which carries the depth of James LaBrie, the sincerity of Steve Walsh and, yes, the quirkiness of
Geddy Lee. And guitarist and keyboard player Chris Herin, the band's main writer and lyricist, imbues Tiles with a savvy and contemporary sound that mixes mesmerizing
arrangements with smart lyrics about real life and inner turmoil. To wit: "Sometimes the cost of winning/Isn't worth the price/This eternal battle/Edges many from the race/Brick
walls form around me/Shaded from today/My good intentions/Keeping progress held at bay," from the debut's Trading Places. And then there are the opening lines to The Wading
Pool, a piano ballad from Fence the Clear, which hauntingly albeit unwittingly prophesies Sept. 11, 2001: "We were watching as the buildings fell/And the ground folded/Minutes
passed and the destruction was over/Dust and rubble fill the stagnant air/Blotting out the sun/The beauty lost in moments as the wars begun."
Tiles boasts bassist Kevin Chown (Artension, Magnitude Nine and now Uncle Kracker) as a "special guest," who was officially replaced by Jeff Whittle for Fence the Clear. The
three bonus tracks on Tiles date back to the Simmons era, when Tiles was still known as Standing Pavement. They have been reworked, though, and are more subtle and
mainstream in nature than the material on the debut. They also sound surprisingly unlike songs from other Simmons protégés. (House of Lords, anyone? How about Gypsy Rose?)
Fence the Clear comes off alternately heavier and gentler than the debut but no less melodic and enjoyable, as the more-mature songs were honed from two years of testing them on
live audiences. Listeners can hear the band segue toward a more progressive sound, as Tiles moves gracefully from noisy metal to a mellow yet groovy breakdown in Another's Hand.
Elsewhere, on Changing the Guard, the band smolders in a slow-burn epic that rivals any of prog-metal's best ballads. Four bonus tracks include unfinished demos from the
original Fence the Clear sessions (one, Ballad of the Sacred Cows, wound up on 1999's Presents of Mind) and another demo from the Standing Pavement days.
InsideOut Music's typically exceptional attention to detail further enhances both of these Special Edition titles, which have been remastered to sound better than ever. They also
come with lots of photos and Herin-penned liner notes. (Presents of Mind was given the Special Edition treatment via InsideOut's European arm and is available in the United
States only as an import.) All three albums offer a Tiles primer in anticipation of Window Dressing, the band's most progressive album yet (including the exhausting 17-minute
title track opener), which is slated to drop May 25. It's about time Tiles gets the attention it deserves. To do your part, pick up Tiles and Fence the Clear, and find out what
all the fuss should be about.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Various Review Excerpts:
"...Tiles is a damn good rock band in the vein of Fates Warning, Dream Theater or even...gasp! Rush!...(their CD) is a solid, impressive collection of intelligent rock." - Keith Bergman, The Glass Eye (4/95), Toledo, OH
"Tiles is a band with an incredible talent for songwriting, unbelievably catchy hooks, marvelous vocals, and a guitar and rhythm section that is out of this world." - Gerry Cummings, Jam Rag Press (4/95), Detroit, MI
"With deft playing, polish and an often arty approach, (Tiles) cranks out the kind of album Styx would love to have for a comeback effort." - Gary Graff, Detroit Free Press (4/95), Detroit, MI
"Tiles combine Olympic-class musicianship with deft songwriting in the Rush/Galahad mold...muscular riffing, innovative structures and pleasing rhythmic shifts." - John A. Wilcox, Progression (6/95)
"...gripping melodies and breathtaking acoustic passages. The choruses are memorably magnificent...a phenomenal effort..." - Lori Zimmer, Vox Metallum (7/95), Camp Hill, PA
"Tiles is a nice and enjoyable album...full of honest, straightforward melodic prog-rock..." - Stephan van de Ven, Background Magazine (6/95), The Netherlands
"...one of the city's premier hard rock acts...combining the best of two decades of rock..." -"Spike," The Raven (6/95), Detroit, MI
"Excellent melodies, intelligent variety...and exquisite musicality. Recommended without reservation." - Anders Blisten, Scream Magazine (6/95), Norway
"...technically polished...high quality lyrics...an excellent piece of work...rock for the gourmet." - Frank Trojan, Rock Hard Magazine (8/95), Germany
"...interesting ideas...that recall the best of Yes '90125,' of Saga and also Toto...vague echoes of Genesis' 'Duke' period. Convincing and well-inspired rock I truly liked." - Alberto Nucci, Arlequins (8/95), Italy
"...superb progressive hard rock..." -Alberik Ceglar, United Fanzine, Slovenia
"...if you like Rush, Dream Theater, Styx or Saga you will be impressed..." - 'Koid 9 Newsletter, France
"...(Tiles) already shows the poise and crispness of hard rock veterans...one of the best unsigned bands I've heard...extremely impressive..." - Geoff Wilbur, Renegade Newsletter, Lansing, MI
"...comparisons with Styx, Rush and Queensryche are fair, but Tiles is not just another 'art rock' knock off. While they draw from past references, their music is solely their own...a patchwork of thematic music for the mind and body..." - Eric Harabadian, Weekender Entertainment, Richmond, MI
"...Progtastic!...with hooks and memorable choruses...Rarick's vocals are a highlight...excellent stuff." - Mike Gaffney, Frontier's Magazine, England
"...the lyrics are thought provoking and challenging...(the music) is reminiscent of the clean, heady rock of Rush and Triumph...a product that's head and shoulders above most unsigned acts..." - Doug Van Pelt, Heaven's Metal, Austin, TX
"...progressive rock at its finest...great performances...strong songwriting..." - Darin Scott, Tune Up Magazine, Saginaw, MI
Publication: Aardschok Magazine
Country Of Origin: The Netherlands
Review Date: January 1995
Reviewer: Michel van de Moosdijk
Translation: Al Grabenstein with Edwin van Hoof)
The Michigan-based group Tiles seems to have a cassette out entitled Crowded Emptiness. I am going to search for it because I am enormously impressed by their very first CD which is simply entitled Tiles. If I say that the music of this group of four is a strong synthesis of (the old) Rush, Gamalon and a pinch of Dream Theater; then every fan of progressive-tainted heavy rock will realize that Tiles knows how to rock.
Without wishing to label the band, Tiles reminds me most of a harder version of Rush (1975-1980). Of the nine songs,two are instrumentals. I like the rather short and acoustic Retrospect somewhat less, but the complex Dress Rehearsal is a breath-taking and stunning journey through music. It's built around a guitar theme which could have come from Alex Lifeson or included on any Gamalon album.
Their music is a smooth collision of elements from symphonic rock, fusion (guitars) and hard rock. Every song is without exception sublime and demands all the listener's attention.
Although the musicians have the same abilities as Dream Theater, they just take it a bit easier. The big difference seems to be the production, most likely because of the finances. The production by Kevin Chown and Tiles is very good. Everything stands out clearly and cleanly, but it doesn't have the same dimension as, for instance, Rush.
However, that should not be a reason to disregard the inventive, progressive rock of the group. Are you nuts? With songs like Bridges Of Grace, Token Pledge, Analysis Paralysis and the already mentioned Dress Rehearsal, the more intellectual rockers among us will add with Tiles a new jewel in their collection.
91 out of 100
Publication: Burrn! Magazine
Country Of Origin: Japan
Review Date: October 1995
Reviewer: Hirose
Translation: Mike Tsuchiya
This is the debut album of a group of four from Detroit, introducing an outstanding sense of music that is hard to believe something of rookies. It's a wonderful album. It's progressive type sound with lyrical melody is filled with a mysterious mood somewhat close to a mixture of Police and Rush.
The great melodic sense is their own. Lyrics give you a blue feeling (kind of) transparent and delicate, but very catchy. Comparable with the debut work of Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, (who are) far more heavy and totally different in (style) of course. Compared to the very high level of technique of playing musical instruments (especially drums), the vocal falls somewhat behind, but the elastic tone is fascinating. You will be tempted to read and enjoy the poems too.
Publication: That's It!
Country Of Origin: Germany
Review Date: December 1995
Reviewer: Andy
Tiles if a band of newcomers from the States who give cause for great expectations and who understand expertly how to combine progressive rock with hard rock, which represents a most appealing synthesis. When listening to the CD, you never get the feeling that you are dealing with a band of newcomers because the songs, without exception, sound perfectly polished. At any rate, the debut of TILES does not take a backseat in any way to the more recent albums by Fates Warning. Such divine compositions as Token Pledge simply must be heard by everyone.
88 out of 100
Publication: Metallian
Country Of Origin: France
Review Date: February/March 1996
Reviewer: Fabrice Cassaro
Here's a long-awaited album! This new revelation, Tiles, brings something new to the "prog rock" style. Musically between Rush, Saga, and even a little Dream Theater, this album is a pure jewel of melodies, with surprising passages where musicianship is obvious. We can feel in the songwriting a lot of work, even if the mark of Rush is quite obvious, and songs like Scattergram and Analysis Paralysis take you toward a parallel world...
The vocal lines of Paul Rarick are really melodic and the other musicians (are) very exceptionally technical. Listen to tracks such as Bridges Of Grace or Dancing Dogs...This is worth checking out!
Publication: Detroit Free Press
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: May 5, 1996
Reviewer: Brian McCollum
Virtuoso rock musicianship is a dangerous trade to ply these days, with a half-decade emphasis on crusty technique still rearing its head. But as one of the top acts in a burgeoning underground prog-rock scene, Tiles nimbly avoids the garbage heap to dish up nine hi-fi and--dare we say?--grooving tracks. On this debut disc, the band's glistening production is some of the best studio work you'll hear on an independent release, and the performances stay smart and slick without wallowing in artsy. Guitarist Chris Herin's bright, assertive licks echo early '80's Alex Lifeson, and ground a stellar ensemble effort.
Try 'em if you like: Rush, Dream Theater, Fates Warning.
Magazine: Sea Of Tranquility.ORG
Reviewer: Michael Popke
From the first notes of the first song on Tiles' self-titled first album - that would be the criminally catchy Analysis Paralysis - it's clear this Detroit-based band that accessibly blends progressive metal, hard rock and plenty of intelligence into a neat and completely underrated package, is not a typical prog-metal group. Sure, Tiles has its Rush connections, thanks to studio wizard Terry Brown and album-cover artist Hugh Syme. (Syme landed on the scene after the release of the band's first two long out-of-print albums, 1994's Tiles and 1997's Fence the Clear, but Brown mixed Fence the Clear.) And many riffs, passages and even entire songs sound like Rush outtakes. But for a band with so many Rush references, not to mention an outfit that takes its name from a Led Zeppelin song ("Out on the Tiles") and cites Gene Simmons as an early mentor, Tiles (and Tiles) sound amazingly fresh, if not completely original, a decade later on these Special Edition reissues.
Much of that freshness comes courtesy of singer Paul Rarick's crystalline voice, which carries the depth of James LaBrie, the sincerity of Steve Walsh and, yes, the quirkiness of Geddy Lee. And guitarist and keyboard player Chris Herin, the band's main writer and lyricist, imbues Tiles with a savvy and contemporary sound that mixes mesmerizing arrangements with smart lyrics about real life and inner turmoil. To wit: "Sometimes the cost of winning/Isn't worth the price/This eternal battle/Edges many from the race/Brick walls form around me/Shaded from today/My good intentions/Keeping progress held at bay," from the debut's Trading Places. And then there are the opening lines to The Wading Pool, a piano ballad from Fence the Clear, which hauntingly albeit unwittingly prophesies Sept. 11, 2001: "We were watching as the buildings fell/And the ground folded/Minutes passed and the destruction was over/Dust and rubble fill the stagnant air/Blotting out the sun/The beauty lost in moments as the wars begun."
Tiles boasts bassist Kevin Chown (Artension, Magnitude Nine and now Uncle Kracker) as a "special guest," who was officially replaced by Jeff Whittle for Fence the Clear. The three bonus tracks on Tiles date back to the Simmons era, when Tiles was still known as Standing Pavement. They have been reworked, though, and are more subtle and mainstream in nature than the material on the debut. They also sound surprisingly unlike songs from other Simmons protégés. (House of Lords, anyone? How about Gypsy Rose?)
Fence the Clear comes off alternately heavier and gentler than the debut but no less melodic and enjoyable, as the more-mature songs were honed from two years of testing them on live audiences. Listeners can hear the band segue toward a more progressive sound, as Tiles moves gracefully from noisy metal to a mellow yet groovy breakdown in Another's Hand. Elsewhere, on Changing the Guard, the band smolders in a slow-burn epic that rivals any of prog-metal's best ballads. Four bonus tracks include unfinished demos from the original Fence the Clear sessions (one, Ballad of the Sacred Cows, wound up on 1999's Presents of Mind) and another demo from the Standing Pavement days.
InsideOut Music's typically exceptional attention to detail further enhances both of these Special Edition titles, which have been remastered to sound better than ever. They also come with lots of photos and Herin-penned liner notes. (Presents of Mind was given the Special Edition treatment via InsideOut's European arm and is available in the United States only as an import.) All three albums offer a Tiles primer in anticipation of Window Dressing, the band's most progressive album yet (including the exhausting 17-minute title track opener), which is slated to drop May 25. It's about time Tiles gets the attention it deserves. To do your part, pick up Tiles and Fence the Clear, and find out what all the fuss should be about.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Various Review Excerpts:
"...Tiles is a damn good rock band in the vein of Fates Warning, Dream Theater or even...gasp! Rush!...(their CD) is a solid, impressive collection of intelligent rock." - Keith Bergman, The Glass Eye (4/95), Toledo, OH
"Tiles is a band with an incredible talent for songwriting, unbelievably catchy hooks, marvelous vocals, and a guitar and rhythm section that is out of this world." - Gerry Cummings, Jam Rag Press (4/95), Detroit, MI
"With deft playing, polish and an often arty approach, (Tiles) cranks out the kind of album Styx would love to have for a comeback effort." - Gary Graff, Detroit Free Press (4/95), Detroit, MI
"Tiles combine Olympic-class musicianship with deft songwriting in the Rush/Galahad mold...muscular riffing, innovative structures and pleasing rhythmic shifts." - John A. Wilcox, Progression (6/95)
"...gripping melodies and breathtaking acoustic passages. The choruses are memorably magnificent...a phenomenal effort..." - Lori Zimmer, Vox Metallum (7/95), Camp Hill, PA
"Tiles is a nice and enjoyable album...full of honest, straightforward melodic prog-rock..." - Stephan van de Ven, Background Magazine (6/95), The Netherlands
"...one of the city's premier hard rock acts...combining the best of two decades of rock..." -"Spike," The Raven (6/95), Detroit, MI
"Excellent melodies, intelligent variety...and exquisite musicality. Recommended without reservation." - Anders Blisten, Scream Magazine (6/95), Norway
"...technically polished...high quality lyrics...an excellent piece of work...rock for the gourmet." - Frank Trojan, Rock Hard Magazine (8/95), Germany
"...interesting ideas...that recall the best of Yes '90125,' of Saga and also Toto...vague echoes of Genesis' 'Duke' period. Convincing and well-inspired rock I truly liked." - Alberto Nucci, Arlequins (8/95), Italy
"...superb progressive hard rock..." -Alberik Ceglar, United Fanzine, Slovenia
"...if you like Rush, Dream Theater, Styx or Saga you will be impressed..." - 'Koid 9 Newsletter, France
"...(Tiles) already shows the poise and crispness of hard rock veterans...one of the best unsigned bands I've heard...extremely impressive..." - Geoff Wilbur, Renegade Newsletter, Lansing, MI
"...comparisons with Styx, Rush and Queensryche are fair, but Tiles is not just another 'art rock' knock off. While they draw from past references, their music is solely their own...a patchwork of thematic music for the mind and body..." - Eric Harabadian, Weekender Entertainment, Richmond, MI
"...Progtastic!...with hooks and memorable choruses...Rarick's vocals are a highlight...excellent stuff." - Mike Gaffney, Frontier's Magazine, England
"...the lyrics are thought provoking and challenging...(the music) is reminiscent of the clean, heady rock of Rush and Triumph...a product that's head and shoulders above most unsigned acts..." - Doug Van Pelt, Heaven's Metal, Austin, TX
"...progressive rock at its finest...great performances...strong songwriting..." - Darin Scott, Tune Up Magazine, Saginaw, MI
Country Of Origin: The Netherlands
Review Date: January 1995
Reviewer: Michel van de Moosdijk
Translation: Al Grabenstein with Edwin van Hoof)
The Michigan-based group Tiles seems to have a cassette out entitled Crowded Emptiness. I am going to search for it because I am enormously impressed by their very first CD which is simply entitled Tiles. If I say that the music of this group of four is a strong synthesis of (the old) Rush, Gamalon and a pinch of Dream Theater; then every fan of progressive-tainted heavy rock will realize that Tiles knows how to rock.
Without wishing to label the band, Tiles reminds me most of a harder version of Rush (1975-1980). Of the nine songs,two are instrumentals. I like the rather short and acoustic Retrospect somewhat less, but the complex Dress Rehearsal is a breath-taking and stunning journey through music. It's built around a guitar theme which could have come from Alex Lifeson or included on any Gamalon album.
Their music is a smooth collision of elements from symphonic rock, fusion (guitars) and hard rock. Every song is without exception sublime and demands all the listener's attention.
Although the musicians have the same abilities as Dream Theater, they just take it a bit easier. The big difference seems to be the production, most likely because of the finances. The production by Kevin Chown and Tiles is very good. Everything stands out clearly and cleanly, but it doesn't have the same dimension as, for instance, Rush.
However, that should not be a reason to disregard the inventive, progressive rock of the group. Are you nuts? With songs like Bridges Of Grace, Token Pledge, Analysis Paralysis and the already mentioned Dress Rehearsal, the more intellectual rockers among us will add with Tiles a new jewel in their collection.
91 out of 100
Publication: Burrn! Magazine
Country Of Origin: Japan
Review Date: October 1995
Reviewer: Hirose
Translation: Mike Tsuchiya
This is the debut album of a group of four from Detroit, introducing an outstanding sense of music that is hard to believe something of rookies. It's a wonderful album. It's progressive type sound with lyrical melody is filled with a mysterious mood somewhat close to a mixture of Police and Rush.
The great melodic sense is their own. Lyrics give you a blue feeling (kind of) transparent and delicate, but very catchy. Comparable with the debut work of Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, (who are) far more heavy and totally different in (style) of course. Compared to the very high level of technique of playing musical instruments (especially drums), the vocal falls somewhat behind, but the elastic tone is fascinating. You will be tempted to read and enjoy the poems too.
Publication: That's It!
Country Of Origin: Germany
Review Date: December 1995
Reviewer: Andy
Tiles if a band of newcomers from the States who give cause for great expectations and who understand expertly how to combine progressive rock with hard rock, which represents a most appealing synthesis. When listening to the CD, you never get the feeling that you are dealing with a band of newcomers because the songs, without exception, sound perfectly polished. At any rate, the debut of TILES does not take a backseat in any way to the more recent albums by Fates Warning. Such divine compositions as Token Pledge simply must be heard by everyone.
88 out of 100
Publication: Metallian
Country Of Origin: France
Review Date: February/March 1996
Reviewer: Fabrice Cassaro
Here's a long-awaited album! This new revelation, Tiles, brings something new to the "prog rock" style. Musically between Rush, Saga, and even a little Dream Theater, this album is a pure jewel of melodies, with surprising passages where musicianship is obvious. We can feel in the songwriting a lot of work, even if the mark of Rush is quite obvious, and songs like Scattergram and Analysis Paralysis take you toward a parallel world...
The vocal lines of Paul Rarick are really melodic and the other musicians (are) very exceptionally technical. Listen to tracks such as Bridges Of Grace or Dancing Dogs...This is worth checking out!
Publication: Detroit Free Press
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: May 5, 1996
Reviewer: Brian McCollum
Virtuoso rock musicianship is a dangerous trade to ply these days, with a half-decade emphasis on crusty technique still rearing its head. But as one of the top acts in a burgeoning underground prog-rock scene, Tiles nimbly avoids the garbage heap to dish up nine hi-fi and--dare we say?--grooving tracks. On this debut disc, the band's glistening production is some of the best studio work you'll hear on an independent release, and the performances stay smart and slick without wallowing in artsy. Guitarist Chris Herin's bright, assertive licks echo early '80's Alex Lifeson, and ground a stellar ensemble effort.
Try 'em if you like: Rush, Dream Theater, Fates Warning.
Magazine: Sea Of Tranquility.ORG
Reviewer: Michael Popke
From the first notes of the first song on Tiles' self-titled first album - that would be the criminally catchy Analysis Paralysis - it's clear this Detroit-based band that accessibly blends progressive metal, hard rock and plenty of intelligence into a neat and completely underrated package, is not a typical prog-metal group. Sure, Tiles has its Rush connections, thanks to studio wizard Terry Brown and album-cover artist Hugh Syme. (Syme landed on the scene after the release of the band's first two long out-of-print albums, 1994's Tiles and 1997's Fence the Clear, but Brown mixed Fence the Clear.) And many riffs, passages and even entire songs sound like Rush outtakes. But for a band with so many Rush references, not to mention an outfit that takes its name from a Led Zeppelin song ("Out on the Tiles") and cites Gene Simmons as an early mentor, Tiles (and Tiles) sound amazingly fresh, if not completely original, a decade later on these Special Edition reissues.
Much of that freshness comes courtesy of singer Paul Rarick's crystalline voice, which carries the depth of James LaBrie, the sincerity of Steve Walsh and, yes, the quirkiness of Geddy Lee. And guitarist and keyboard player Chris Herin, the band's main writer and lyricist, imbues Tiles with a savvy and contemporary sound that mixes mesmerizing arrangements with smart lyrics about real life and inner turmoil. To wit: "Sometimes the cost of winning/Isn't worth the price/This eternal battle/Edges many from the race/Brick walls form around me/Shaded from today/My good intentions/Keeping progress held at bay," from the debut's Trading Places. And then there are the opening lines to The Wading Pool, a piano ballad from Fence the Clear, which hauntingly albeit unwittingly prophesies Sept. 11, 2001: "We were watching as the buildings fell/And the ground folded/Minutes passed and the destruction was over/Dust and rubble fill the stagnant air/Blotting out the sun/The beauty lost in moments as the wars begun."
Tiles boasts bassist Kevin Chown (Artension, Magnitude Nine and now Uncle Kracker) as a "special guest," who was officially replaced by Jeff Whittle for Fence the Clear. The three bonus tracks on Tiles date back to the Simmons era, when Tiles was still known as Standing Pavement. They have been reworked, though, and are more subtle and mainstream in nature than the material on the debut. They also sound surprisingly unlike songs from other Simmons protégés. (House of Lords, anyone? How about Gypsy Rose?)
Fence the Clear comes off alternately heavier and gentler than the debut but no less melodic and enjoyable, as the more-mature songs were honed from two years of testing them on live audiences. Listeners can hear the band segue toward a more progressive sound, as Tiles moves gracefully from noisy metal to a mellow yet groovy breakdown in Another's Hand. Elsewhere, on Changing the Guard, the band smolders in a slow-burn epic that rivals any of prog-metal's best ballads. Four bonus tracks include unfinished demos from the original Fence the Clear sessions (one, Ballad of the Sacred Cows, wound up on 1999's Presents of Mind) and another demo from the Standing Pavement days.
InsideOut Music's typically exceptional attention to detail further enhances both of these Special Edition titles, which have been remastered to sound better than ever. They also come with lots of photos and Herin-penned liner notes. (Presents of Mind was given the Special Edition treatment via InsideOut's European arm and is available in the United States only as an import.) All three albums offer a Tiles primer in anticipation of Window Dressing, the band's most progressive album yet (including the exhausting 17-minute title track opener), which is slated to drop May 25. It's about time Tiles gets the attention it deserves. To do your part, pick up Tiles and Fence the Clear, and find out what all the fuss should be about.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Various Review Excerpts:
"...Tiles is a damn good rock band in the vein of Fates Warning, Dream Theater or even...gasp! Rush!...(their CD) is a solid, impressive collection of intelligent rock." - Keith Bergman, The Glass Eye (4/95), Toledo, OH
"Tiles is a band with an incredible talent for songwriting, unbelievably catchy hooks, marvelous vocals, and a guitar and rhythm section that is out of this world." - Gerry Cummings, Jam Rag Press (4/95), Detroit, MI
"With deft playing, polish and an often arty approach, (Tiles) cranks out the kind of album Styx would love to have for a comeback effort." - Gary Graff, Detroit Free Press (4/95), Detroit, MI
"Tiles combine Olympic-class musicianship with deft songwriting in the Rush/Galahad mold...muscular riffing, innovative structures and pleasing rhythmic shifts." - John A. Wilcox, Progression (6/95)
"...gripping melodies and breathtaking acoustic passages. The choruses are memorably magnificent...a phenomenal effort..." - Lori Zimmer, Vox Metallum (7/95), Camp Hill, PA
"Tiles is a nice and enjoyable album...full of honest, straightforward melodic prog-rock..." - Stephan van de Ven, Background Magazine (6/95), The Netherlands
"...one of the city's premier hard rock acts...combining the best of two decades of rock..." -"Spike," The Raven (6/95), Detroit, MI
"Excellent melodies, intelligent variety...and exquisite musicality. Recommended without reservation." - Anders Blisten, Scream Magazine (6/95), Norway
"...technically polished...high quality lyrics...an excellent piece of work...rock for the gourmet." - Frank Trojan, Rock Hard Magazine (8/95), Germany
"...interesting ideas...that recall the best of Yes '90125,' of Saga and also Toto...vague echoes of Genesis' 'Duke' period. Convincing and well-inspired rock I truly liked." - Alberto Nucci, Arlequins (8/95), Italy
"...superb progressive hard rock..." -Alberik Ceglar, United Fanzine, Slovenia
"...if you like Rush, Dream Theater, Styx or Saga you will be impressed..." - 'Koid 9 Newsletter, France
"...(Tiles) already shows the poise and crispness of hard rock veterans...one of the best unsigned bands I've heard...extremely impressive..." - Geoff Wilbur, Renegade Newsletter, Lansing, MI
"...comparisons with Styx, Rush and Queensryche are fair, but Tiles is not just another 'art rock' knock off. While they draw from past references, their music is solely their own...a patchwork of thematic music for the mind and body..." - Eric Harabadian, Weekender Entertainment, Richmond, MI
"...Progtastic!...with hooks and memorable choruses...Rarick's vocals are a highlight...excellent stuff." - Mike Gaffney, Frontier's Magazine, England
"...the lyrics are thought provoking and challenging...(the music) is reminiscent of the clean, heady rock of Rush and Triumph...a product that's head and shoulders above most unsigned acts..." - Doug Van Pelt, Heaven's Metal, Austin, TX
"...progressive rock at its finest...great performances...strong songwriting..." - Darin Scott, Tune Up Magazine, Saginaw, MI
