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Tiles Reviews: Pretending 2 Run

Publication: ProgArchives
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: September 21, 2020
Reviewer: Steve Conrad
Rating: 5/5

"And Acceptance is the Answer..."
"...to All My Problems Today"
ALL my problems. As a person in recovery from a host of spiritual, emotional, and physical addictions and ailments I have learned to survive and thrive via the spiritual path I have undertaken. Basic tenets: Gratitude / Acceptance / Serenity are inversely proportional to the level of my expectations and forgiveness.

But this matters how? Rarely have I been as captivated, as entranced, by a musical work as I have been by TILES' epic masterful album "Pretending 2 Run" (P2R). The themes, the scope, the lyrics, the music, the conceptual basis, the corresponding musical community built upon it, the musical breadth and variety, the execution... In brief, a masterpiece – and one that for me highlights the reasons the basic tenets of this spiritual path of recovery are vital for me…, and perhaps others too.

TILES
In case you don't know, TILES is at heart a Detroit, Michigan, USA-based quartet making progressive music for 28 years now. It's true vocalist Paul Rarick retired in 2018 from his active role in TILES; yet I get the impression he may still be involved at some level(s) helping make music happen. With only a few minor changes, this quartet has survived and thrived against some formidable odds, staying true to their vision of creating worthy, high quality progressive music.

And in case you didn't know: (a) it's tough to keep a band intact and thriving for decades and, (b) I have a real soft spot for bands who do. I'm a retired musician too, and heck, it was tough keeping bands together months, much less years! Egos, day jobs, practice locations, family, efforts no matter how feeble to have a life... TILES hasn't been prolific, not that this matters in the least to me, and P2R was in the works for years.

True..., 2016
I usually focus on the latest releases I can get my hands on. It's my passion and focus of my Facebook page Progressive Rock Fanatics and WordPress site of the same name. But this one grabs me and frankly I had the same "problem" as TILES' members likely had as people who have more than music to contend with and must work for a living. Ninety-six minutes in a double CD release? I likely will check out a few tracks, which is what I did in 2016.

2020...
Upon wishing Facebook friend Chris Herin (TILES' multi-guitarist/string instrument/trumpet/keyboards/ composer/arranger) happy birthday, I decided to give P2R a hearing – all the way through this time.

And (listened) again...
I began reading about Girolamo Savonarola (because of some references made to his writing), "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (frequent and vital snippets spoken throughout by a French foreign exchange student), reviewed Psalm 51 (the great penitential psalm written by a tormented author seeking healing and redemption), listened again for instrumentation and contributions by guest musicians like Mike Portnoy and son Max, Ian Anderson, Colin Edwin, and Adam Holzman to name a few...

And again...
I made notes. Themes: Betrayal. Loss. Grief and its stages. Healing. Redemption. The Music: Ranging from classical to folksy to hard rock to complex progressive rock and metal, utilizing a host of instrumentation and musicians, plus an amazing amount of lovely vocal work rivaling what I've heard from the Beach Boys all the way to Moon Safari... The Lyrics: which to my ears provide JUST the right amount of clarity and ambiguity. I know that probably sounds absurd, but I like room for my own interpretations.

The premise(s)...
The protagonist (TILES say it's a male, but it could just as well be female or any other) is cut to the core by the beloved. Judging from the lyrics it's set within a domestic situation – some kind of betrayal. This betrayal of trust (infidelity? loss of feelings? abandonment?) triggers within the protagonist an agony of bewilderment, paranoia, woundedness, heartbreak – all of which many humans can probably identify with.

Mostly alone the protagonist struggles to find balance and healing and reason. Inch by painful inch (s)he battles rage, depression, emotional vertigo, hopelessness to tiny glimpses of light, tiny moments of considering his or her or their part in the betrayal.

The Art...
Hugh Syme, designer and creator of voluminous album art for many musicians and bands, shows a turtle set upon an escalator, at the top of which is a little girl who appears to be beside herself with anger.

Along with this cover art is an enclosed booklet and CDs with numerous other images, equally striking and suggestive of these themes. For me, the juxtaposition of the descendant of these most-ancient reptiles, alongside the contemporary lazy-machine device of the escalator, overseen by the 'innocent' child, speaks to the album's core themes and concepts: betrayal. Redemption. What matters and what doesn't.

This matters how?
Again, this IS a music album, so why Steve are you straying so deeply into all this other terrain?

Because to me, P2R is a masterpiece that comprises so much more than only notes on paper, or exquisite musical chops. It's the whole musical/lyrical/conceptual scope that flummoxes me, captivates me, entrances me. It has (everything): the musical virtuosity, the diversity, the complexity, moments of raw power, and intimates loveliness. And it has so much more. In "The Little Prince" Saint-Exupéry says "One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye."

What is essential?
Gratitude / Acceptance / Serenity are inversely proportional to the level of my expectations and forgiveness. In this meticulously plotted and executed song cycle the protagonist goes it alone and nearly dies of it. I am grateful for the reminder of how important music and art and TILES are for me – and perhaps for all of us to realize what IS essential.

In my estimation…
TILES has presented us with an essential masterpiece of progressive rock music titled "Pretending 2 Run."

Publication: U And U Music
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: April 2016
Reviewer: R.G.B. Robb

When a band is able to release an album that is without flaw, it's impressive. When a band is able to do the same over the span of two discs, 21 tracks with over an hour-and-a-half of music...that's something truly special. Tiles have done just that on their album "Pretending 2 Run." A progressive rock concept album about a man blindsided and disillusioned by betrayal, there isn't one complaint that this album can generate. It's extremely difficult to say that Tiles "sounds" like any one specific band, as each track is like a mini-symphony of melodic mish-mash that never sounds repetitive or boring. I believe this has a lot to do with the fact that Rush producer Terry Brown had a hand in the recording and production of the release. Yes, you do hear a little Rush in their music, along with the commercial appeal of a band like Advent Horizon, and the vocals have a similar tonal quality as Styx; very clean, very precise—but this is a band forging their own path, truly. On the first disc, the songs "Taken By Surprise," "Refugium," and "Stonewall" are all stand-out tracks (especially the last one—its acoustic passages have almost a renaissance feel to it, and the purity of the strings really brings it all together). Another element that was great was the seamless transitions between some of the tracks-"Voire Dire" into "Drops Of Rain"-which lends to the album having the concept feel in more than just lyrics. On the second disc, the first third of the release switches gears a bit by adding a horn section. With this addition and the horn/guitar melodies, it has a definite cinematic throw-back appeal with what sounds like something you'd heard during a progressive James Bond film from the 1960's. The highlight of the second disc is easily "Battle Weary," it's haunting, and sends chills up your spine. The recording of the acoustic guitar, in conjunction with the production and brilliant lyrics sets a time and place...it's rare that music is this transcendent these days. Another track worth mentioning is "Other Arrangements"...this song will give you nightmares. The album finishes out with a few "reprise" tracks at the end. Usually when a band does this, it's just filler. However, with the overall concept, these actually work, and work well. As a fan of prog-rock, I can attest that this is one of the best albums within that genre I have possibly ever heard in my life. I hate mentioning myself in album reviews, but I cannot overstate the need to get this release!

Publication: Snooze Control
Country Of Origin: Belgium
Review Date: April 2016
Reviewer: Tom Kielemoes

Pretending 2 Run is hun zesde album tot nu toe en het is reeds acht jaar geleden dat ze nog nieuw werk uitbrachten, als we de twee live albums Off The Floor niet meerekenen natuurlijk. Maar ze hebben de grote hiatus werkelijk perfect opgevuld. Pretending 2 Run is een dubbelaar met maar liefst 21 songs, genoeg materiaal om onze oortjes te verwennen. Het betreft dus ook een concept album, iets wat al vele bands in het progressieve wereldje hun hebben voorgedaan. Al bij al hebben ze het er puik vanaf gebracht, zeker doordat dit geproduced is door Terry Brown (oa. Dream Theater). Van het concept heb ik helaas niet zoveel kaas gegeten, ik laat liever de muziek spreken dan het verhaal erachter te ontdekken, voor de geinteresseerden zou het concept gaan over iemand die gedesillusioneerd is door verraad.

Muzikaal dan, Tiles beschikt over geweldige muzikanten, dat is duidelijk hoorbaar, van rustige passages tot heel melodieuze en complexe stukken met een heel meegaande zang. Verwacht geen straffe metal zoals een Dream Theater wel eens durft doen. Tiles bewandelt meer de wegen van een Rush, Marillion en hier en daar hoor ik er ook een Haken tussen en tijdens de gitaarsolo's had ik soms de indruk dat ik naar een Satriani aan het luisteren was. Op dit album hebben ze er ook voor gekozen om talloze gasten laten mee te spelen op dit album. Op het rustige nummer Fait Accompli is het Mike en MaxPortnoy die de drumpartijen verzorgen, Mike Portnoy is ook nog te horen op Stonewall. Verder passeren ook nog Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson Band), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Kim Mitchell (Max Webster), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree) en Mathew Parmenter (Discipline.) de revue. Dit toont aan dat ze veel energie in dit album hebben gestoken.

Om elk nummer te gaan bespreken zou het de bespreking te ver drijven, het is en blijft een heel aangenaam album om naar te luisteren, zeker voor wie zijn hart verloren heeft aan een Yes of Rush, die vinden zeker hun gading er in terug. Het grote probleem met dit album is dat het vrij lang duurt en om deze dan ook in 1 luisterbeurt te verwerken is niet evident, dit album zal moeten groeien. Terwijl dit album bol staat van de uitmunde muzikale kwaliteiten blijf ik toch een beetje met een wrang gevoel achter, er zijn niet zoveel nummers die er echt uitspringen, waarschijnlijk zullen ze met dit album geen potten breken, maar hun respect in het progrock wereldje zal ongetwijfeld blijven toenemen. Als er dan nog een paar nummers zijn die er enigszins boven uit steken dan kunne we Shelter In Place, Drops Of Rain en The Disappearing Floor aanraden. Doorgewinterde progrockers zullen een hele kluif hebben aan dit album, ik zou hen dan ook aanraden om het een luisterbeurt te geven.

Publication: Shutterwall Magazine
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: April 2016
Reviewer: wimballon@gmail.com

Hailing from the fertile Detroit music scene, T I L E S features Chris Herin (guitar), Jeff Whittle (bass), Paul Rarick (vocals) and Mark Evans (drums). Formed in 1993 on the heels of a production deal with Gene Simmons of KISS, T I L E S has developed a structured-yet-spontaneous compositional style that blends the adventure of progressive rock with an aggressive hard rock edge. – From the bands bio.

With credentials like this, my expectations for the latest album – PRETENDING 2 RUN – are high. I like some of the Detroit export products very much – be it most are on wheels – so I'm wondering iff that goes for this album as well.

The seven plus minute tile track already has me in dubio. The song starts out with some very electronic sounds. Usually – today is no exception – this is not my favorite music style. But after about half of the song, I suddenly feel very attracted to the song. PRETENDING 2 RUN suddenly seems to suck me into the music with some greasy guitars and modern vocals.

SHELTER IN PLACE opens where the first track left me. Heavy guitar rifs, some up-tempo drums and some crisp, clear vocals. I like the production of this song very much, all be it I have some reserves to the slight over production of the vocals in the first part of the track. Well compensated by the high level of "rock your ass off" in the latter parts of the track, this doesn't botter me too much though.

STONEWALL sounds the way it should. You get slammed – face first – into a wall by the guitars that open the song. However, the chorus is very soft and gentile, it suits the song very well. Again, this song has some amazing, very greasy guitar lines in it, and I start wondering this has something to do with the birthplace of the band. This music would sound great through the speakers of a 1954 Cadillac Eldorado on a wide open road. Special mentioning for the cello, that adds to the greasy slightly 60's sound of this track at times.

VOIR DIRE proves that TILES is a band with many faces. The guitars sound like they were recorded in the 60's, but at the same time, there's plenty of modern electronic sounds in this track. Not my favorite song – but that's just a matter of taste – but there's plenty of high level technical parts in this song. And that makes it worth your time listening to it.

DROPS OF RAIN opens with an almost jazzy section. Jazzy or funky, that's hard to choose between. There's a bit of both in the first part of the song. But very quick, the song turns into a kind of high school rock sounding masterpiece. As with high school rock, the variation in chords may not be that extensive, but it doesn't make this song easy to play. It has a very strong production-sauce over it, and that makes this song to what it is. A challenging song to play and to listen to. Not in a bad way though. More in a way where you will discover new details every time you listen to it. A bit like when you look at a video of rain falling down. There will be new drops every time you see it.

TAKEN BY SURPRISE actually is the title of the next track. And by now, that is the main theme of this review, it seems. Every single track has something new in it. In this track, it's the percussion for me. I think they used bongo's or conga's for this track. They give the song something soft and gentile. Combined with the brush-strokes on the drums, there's something jazzy t this track, but again, that's not all there's to it. The Hammond organ definitely adds to that jazzy feeling, but I just can't call it jazz. There's some roc, some blues, even some funk in this track. And OH MY GOD...How hard must it have been to get the timing of all those breaks this perfect. With 11:22, this is the longest track of the album, and it's mostly instrumental, but I never felt there was something missing. It's just a musical storytelling as it should be.

REFUGIUM goes another way – again. At this point, I start wondering wether all these different sounds and styles are a display of the technical skills of TILES, or a display of their inability to choose. With angelic vocals and cerebral sounds, this song defiantly is a welcome break for your brains. It gives you a resting point in an otherwise pretty challenging album.

SMALL FIRE BURNING continues to give your brain some rest, by offering some gentle jazz inspired sounds. The vocals however have nothing to do with jazz or funk. They are just a soft caressing of your eardrums. Towards the end of the song, it kind of feels like a rock ballad. I think that may be the best way to describe this track. Be it not just your run off the mill rock ballad.

MIDWINTER breaks the silence with some well orchestrated soft guitar-howling. To continue with what I think are flute sounds...This may be a good time to tell you about all the special guests that appear on this album. The list is pretty impressive: Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Winery Dogs), Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson Band), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Kim Mitchell (Max Webster), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Kevin Chown (Tarja Turunen, Chad Smith), Max Portnoy (Next to None), Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), Mark Mikel (Pillbugs) and Joe Deninzon.

WEIGHTLESS returns to a more rock-based sound. The guitars are heavier again, without this being a heavy rock song. It remains slightly ballad styled. This brings me to that old-school Cadillac once more. I want to cruise it to this soundtrack. It seems custom made for it.

WEIGHTLESS brings us at the tenth song of this album, and it feels like a long but interesting journey already. There's 11 more tracks on this album for you to discover. And believe me, they are worth discovering. You will be able to do so very soon, because the album will be released next friday. You will have found out that all those songs (96 minutes in total) will only fit on a double album. PRETENDING 2 RUN will be released by THE LASERS EDGE.

Overall score: 8,8/10

Publication: The Midlands Rocks
Country Of Origin: U.K.
Review Date: August 2, 2016
Reviewer: Brian McGowan

In today's world, the very idea of a 2 CD, 21 track, 96-minute Prog rock concept album is likely to make even the diehard fan want to curl up in the fetal position in a corner for, say, 96-minutes. But a new release from North American rock band Tiles is not a normal circumstance. Like the band's 2012 release, Off the Floor 01, it hit the streets in a blaze of little or no publicity – an unconventional, discover-it-for-yourself challenge to Prog rock fans everywhere.

(NB. OtF 02 was released in 2014, review to follow soon)

In the years since OtF, it looked like the band had gone into one of the better witness protection program, but now, 4 years later, Chris Herin, Paul Rarick, Mark Evans and Jeff Whittle have reappeared with this powerful, cinematic, unselfconscious art rock album. It tracks though the life of their traumatized protagonist, a broken, betrayed soul, sifting through the fragments of his life, searching for emotional rescue, trying to cast off of more neuroses than you'd find in a Woody Allen movie.

The patient, the inquisitive and the eager will discover an abundance of Progressive Rock riches here. Every track is a pocket progrock symphony – it's produced by Terry(Rush/Klaatu) Brown and features guest appearances from a satisfyingly disparate selection of guest players whose contributions add texture and substance – Mike (Dream Theater) Portnoy's liquid rhythms float us up and over 'Stonewall's densely structured defenses; Guitarist Kim (Max Webster) Mitchell blazes through the mutant eastern modality of 'Shelter In Place' and Adam (Steven Wilson) Holzman's charismatic synthesizer provides otherworldly soundscaping on several tracks, vividly recalling King Crimson's layered approach to studio recording.

All through disc one, lyrical and musical ideas follow each other in a succession of set piece, timeline jump cuts, unified by a common thread. One is not dependent on the other, they connect but they are also stand alone, from the opening and title track's feedback wail and whispering voices, through 'Drops of Rain's' strident rhythms, Flower Kings' like transitions and power pop bgv's to 'Small Fire Burning's soaring vocals, courtesy of Matthew (Discipline) Parmenter. Some are initially underwhelming, but they all soon become sublimely exhilarating. Episodes in a story, compellingly and adroitly told.

Ian (Tull) Anderson's surprisingly muscular and fluid flute playing trades off beautifully against a sturdy string section on 'Midwinter', side two's somber opener. Along with 'Friend Or Foe and 'Battle Weary', these opening tracks suggest our unnamed victim is getting to grips with his fraught emotional state, a notion accentuated by 'Meditatio's' hymn like chorale arrangement, bestowing a redemptive grace on his gradual recovery. Thereafter, Herin's incendiary axe work sears through 'The Disappearing Floor's jerking drum and bass rhythms, and 'P2R, Reprise 1' and 'Reprise 2' sound a resounding celebration of our hero's salvation. The album closes with the cautionary (and all too short) 'Backsliding', a wonderfully poetic, Beatle-esque piece, that starts out on an acoustic strum, then courses along on a bed of strings and woodwinds, peaking and then descending to a hymn like chorale arrangement, courtesy of the renowned Renaissance Choir. It is an almost religious experience.

That said, if any track truly stands out on P2R, it is 'Taken by Surprise'. The track is central to the story. Lyrically, it is a lucid moment in the protagonist's muddled mind. Musically, it is the album in microcosm. There's so much invention and imagination going here, so many ideas taking flight all at once that they are impossible to identify and enumerate. And at the same time we are walking between musical worlds – the lean, elegant menace of the Doors, the Hammond dominated seventies hard rock of Deep Purple, the postmodern world of contemporary progressive rock, where cold, hard, sharp bursts of wiry axe work percolate through pounding, percussive riffs. If there's a criticism it's that where you expect a climax it feels a bit, well, anticlimactic. But that's just being stupidly picky. And perhaps it's wrong to single out a specific track. Why? Because the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and that, arguably, is the purpose of a concept album.

9 out of 10

Publication: Local Spins
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: July 16, 2016
Reviewer: Ricky Olmos

Beginning with a lush, atmospheric soundscape, the two-disc, 21-song affair by veteran Detroit progressive-rock outfit, Tiles, grabs listeners and doesn't let go. Band members Mark Evans, Jeff Whittle, Chris Herin, and Paul Rarick – with guest appearances by stars such as Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and Mike Stern – display their multi-instrumental abilities and depth, conjuring a sound that could be mistaken for a much larger group. The diverse range of instruments is so prevalent even, that listeners may be caught off guard (in the best of ways) when they hear bongos sneak into the rock-leaning title track, or the tin-like pluck of a toy piano during "Stonewall," right before the track plunges into a hard-rock breakdown. The second disc includes "Midwinter," an instrumental track boasting a soft and wandering flute as its protagonist, which makes its way confidently through the song. "Weightless," which weighs in at just over nine minutes long, opens with a dazzling drum fill and ends with an indulgent saxophone solo. The album closes out by re-imagining a few portions of the album and bringing on additional musicians, including Stern, Adam Holzman, Max and Mike Portnoy and Joe Deninzon. Pulling the curtain back on the album is the warm and inviting, "Backsliding," a brief track that feels like a medieval sentiment, with haunting vocals, mandolin and lingering strings, then ending with a rigid snare cadence. Overall, the ambitious musical escapade transcends the genre, unfolding more like scenes from a theatrical play, or movements from a carefully composed piece of music spread across a grand staff.

Publication: Music Connection
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: May 16, 2016
Reviewer: Eric Harabadian

Detroit-based prog-rock quartet Tiles have never shied away from musically ambitious and epic projects and compositions. Over their 20-plus year career they've released a catalog of live and studio works that have garnered the praise of everyone from Gene Simmons of KISS to Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson. But, with their first album, Pretending 2 Run, for Laser's Edge, they've upped the ante by giving the listener a double disc with an engaging storyline, meticulously arranged string and choral pieces, sweet vocal harmonies and tuneful jam-based rock, fusion and world beat sounds. Also there is an impressive guest list to round out the festivities.

Score: 9 out of 10

Publication: AllMusic
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: April 15, 2016
Reviewer: Thom Jurek

Detroit's prog kings Tiles have always been an outlier on America's music scene; celebrated in Europe and Asia but overlooked at home. For over more than 20 years, they've created a unique sound that, while deeply indebted to Rush's hard rock (Alex Lifeson appeared on one of their albums, and Terry Brown is their producer) from the beginning, has developed exponentially to include elements of progressive metal, jazz fusion, and neo-classical elements.

Pretending 2 Run is Tiles' first studio album in eight years. It's a 96-minute, 21-song cycle with themes of betrayal, alienation, emotional darkness, spiritual catharsis, and redemption. The loosely constructed narrative revolves around a central character who has experienced sudden, severe trauma, and is sequestered in the solitude of his mind. The story isn't strictly linear -- boundaries between past and present events and people blur. There is much for the listener to interpret but it isn't absolutely necessary to enjoy what's on offer because most of the songs stand on their own.

This quartet -- guitarist and main composer Chris Herin, vocalist Paul Rarick, bassist Jeff Whittle, and drummer/percussionist Mark Evans -- seamlessly weave stylistic, dynamic, and textural elements framed by brilliant production from Brown and engineering from Peter Moore. To realize the project, they enlisted the help of friends including Ian Anderson, Mike and Max Portnoy, Adam Holzman, Mike Stern, Colin Edwin, Kim Mitchell and Matthew Parmenter, as well as choirs, strings, and reeds. (The gorgeous booklet was designed by no less than Hugh Syme.) These kaleidoscopic styles begin to reveal themselves in the title cut, a hook-laden, progressive pop/rock tune with crystalline multi-tracked vocals and chunky heavy metal with hard rock riffs. "Shelter Me" combines Middle Eastern modalism, prog guitars and bass, cinematic metal drumming, and polyphonic neo-classical vocals in counterpoint. On "Stonewall," tambura, oboe, acoustic and electric guitars, synth, strings, and Mike Portnoy's fluid drumming drop the listener directly inside its architecture. "Voir Dire" (one of several fine instrumentals) nods at King Crimson's "Lark's Tongues in Aspic II." In the 11-minute "Taken by Surprise," Holzman's organ fuels a knotty, forceful meld of charging jazz fusion as it meets metallic prog. "Refugium" is a brief (and stunning) wordless, classical choral piece. Massive melodic hooks, taut rhythmic grooves, angular counterpoint, and intuitive improvisational interplay mark the nine-minute "Weightless" (that briefly checks Yes' "And You & I" in an interlude). Whittle's rumbling, fluid bass provides a worthy foil for Mike Stern's burning solo on "The Disappearing Floor," while "Uneasy Truce," another instrumental, showcases Joe Deninzon on violin going head to head with Herin and the rhythm section. Holzman's ambient "The View from Here" (with Herin on glockenspiel) introduces the unsettling yet gentle closer "Blacksliding" rife with oboe, strings and mandolin, and concluding with brittle martial snares.

Pretending 2 Run is massive, obsessive even. But it is also free of self-indulgence. Disciplined performances and lyric economy balance the breadth of Tiles' ambition with depth and maturity that only longevity like theirs brings. Who says the concept album is dead? Brilliant.

Publication: Absolute Zero Media
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: March 10, 2016
Reviewer: Clint Listing

Lush and Epic Prog Metal in the way only Lasers Edge/Sensory Records can give it to you. This band was on InsideOut for many years as well too. So you know what you're getting before I even really begin with a review. Over the top prog metal that has a love of bands like Porcupine Tree, Devin Townsend Project, Spock's Beard, YES, Symphonic X and White Willow. I think we got this one down. These are musical paintings and sonic landscapes; as symphonic as they are delicate with elements of blues, bluegrass, country and arena rock too. The mixture of hard rock and art rock is there as is a love of melodic rock - where bands like Blue Oyster Cult and Boston come mixing into the music. This for Prog Rock fans that like hard rock and metal mixed in. If your like King's X you will love this. There isn't a power metal feeling here like Iced Earth or Savatage. Very, very impressive...

Publication: Head Bangers Lifestyle
Country Of Origin: The Netherlands
Review Date: April 6, 2016
Reviewer: Michel van de Moosdijk

Hailing from Detroit, Michigan the quartet of Tiles has not been a band that has produced a lot of albums in their existence for more than 22 years. 'Pretending 2 Run' is only the sixth studio release. The last CD 'Fly Paper' came out in 2008. The band did record 'Off the Floor 01' and 'Off the Floor 02' live, they were released in 2012 and 2014. But it has been eight years since the last studio release and maybe that is why we are confronted with a double CD this time. Again the band has used Terry Brown to produce this opus and also designer Hugh Syme has created a stunning piece of art work for the CD cover. The band has used a bunch of guests to help out, like Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull and no other than Mike Portnoy (The Winery Dogs), who is known to be a fan of the band. In fact it was Portnoy that made sure Tiles did a bunch of gigs with Dream Theater when he was still behind the drum kit. Tiles has through the years been able to shake off the very evident Rush influences, that were so prominent on their first releases. 'Pretending 2 Run' clocks about 96 minutes and if you can listen to this 2 CD and finish it in one attempt...you have earned my admiration and respect. What a trip this has been! Progressive rock is about being versatile and inventive. Listening to this is like taking a boat ride on a wild and storming sea. You are thrown all over the place with inventive songs, big choirs, instrumental tracks and long and epic musical battles, that are being led by guitarist extraordinaire Chris Herin (also plays keyboards) and singer Paul Rarick. Just listen to ,,Taken By Surprise", a song that says it all. Musical craftsmanship galore!! That song is followed by ,,Refugium", a track that features a choir of a vast amount of people. So good, but yet very weird as well. It is like standing in church listening to a sort of gospel choir. And that is all that it is, just a choir singing, no drums, no keys, just a choir. Talking about variation…If you are into Dream Theater, Redemption, Circus Maximus, Fates Warning, Headspace, Ayreon and associated acts, you must listen to this little monster. I have been listening to this record for over three weeks now and each time I hear this 2 CD I discover something new. As usual in this genre the CD has a theme. It is about a man who feels betrayed by others and tries to find ways to deal with that. I thought I just mention that. Enjoy this trip!!

Publication: Sea of Tranquility
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: April 17, 2016
Reviewer: Pete Pardo

Detroit's hard rock/prog veterans Tiles have really delivered a statement here on their sixth & latest studio release for the Lasers Edge Group, Pretending 2 Run. Not only has the band put together a hefty 2 disc set here filled with some smashing material, but they've also enlisted the help of some notable friends from prog/rock/jazz/metal world, such as Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Mike Portnoy (Flying Colors, Winery Dogs, ex-Dream Theater), Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson Band), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Kim Mitchell (Max Webster), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Kevin Chown (Tarja Turunen, Chad Smith), Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), Mark Mikel (Pillbugs), Joe Deninzon, Max Portnoy (Next To None) and others. They join the rock steady Tiles line-up of Mark Evans (drums), Chris Herin (guitar, keyboards), Paul Rarick (vocals), and Jeff Whittle (bass), with unofficial fifth band member, Terry Brown (Rush, Fates Warning), behind the production chair as always, and the always incredible artwork of Hugh Syme adorning the cover.

If you've somehow failed to discover Tiles over their 20+ year career, they've often been compared to Rush with their combination of muscular hard rock riffs and intricate prog arrangements, but there's a truly American side to their music that is all Tiles. Pretending 2 Run is over 90 minutes long, and yes, it's a concept album that tells the tale of a main character who is devastated & consumed by an act of betrayal, and how his life spirals because of it. With some instrumentals mixed in with the vocal pieces, the band incorporate many styled and shades here, making for a dramatic & engaging listen throughout. "Voir Dire" is one of the standout instrumentals, a heavy slice of Rush/Dream Theater styled hard prog, complete with crushing guitar riffs & acrobatic rhythms, and it's sandwiched between excellent vocal numbers such as "Drops of Rain", "Pretending to Run", and "Shelter in Place", the latter containing some sizzling guitar work from Max Webster veteran Kim Mitchell. The intriguing "Taken By Surprise" offers up nearly 12-minutes of atmosphere, raucous prog (including some fiery organ courtesy of Holzman), and tasty jazz, with legendary guitarist Mike Stern popping in for some of his trademark licks, easily one of Pretending 2 Run's biggest surprises. Jethro Tull's Anderson lends his gorgeous flute to the more laid back & textural "Midwinter", while Herin's scorching guitar battles Deninzon's majestic violin on the staggering "Uneasy Truce". These are just a few of the many highlights here, as the band have crafted a storyline that flows quite nicely thanks to plenty of musical variety; one minute there is a calming jazzy sax soaring over gentle rhythms, and the next some bruising, complex metallic prog rattles the foundation. It's a wild ride from start to finish for sure.

In a year when we've seen two longtime prog veterans, Dream Theater & Tiles, release lengthy concept albums, I have to give Tiles the nod as the more successful of the two. Pretending 2 Run contains many layers, a wealth of textures, and lots of color, featuring stellar vocals & musicianship from the band and their guests, so make sure you don't miss out on this gem.

4½ out of 5

Publication: The Right To Rock
Country Of Origin: USA
Review Date: March 16, 2016
Reviewer: Genghis

I remember when I really got into a prog metal frenzy in the early/mid 90s, looking for any other band than Dream Theater that was making progressive music and learning what labels catered to that sound. That quest brought me to Detroit's Tiles and their amazing CD Presents of Mind. Their classic progressive rock sound was potent and impressive if not as heavy as DT. But in the ensuing years I sort of lost track of them I'm sorry to say. So for me, their latest album, Pretending 2 Run, is the first I've heard from them in about 20 years. And man is it good to have them back.

Pretending 2 Run is a damn fine concept album that tells the tale of a man blindsided and disillusioned by betrayal and includes every progressive hard rock bell and whistle you could ask for from a quartet of master musicians. This is the stuff, man. Kicking off with the Peter Gabriel-esque title track the lads set the stage for a truly theatrical affair, full of imagery and rich texture without being so atmospheric it forgets to rock you. The usual dynamics are masterfully orchestrated, letting the story build organically. The most straight ahead grooving track early on is Stonewall, which includes guest drum work from Mike Portnoy (you'll likely recognize the Winery Dogs-style riffing in the verses), who is not the only guest artist on this release. In fact, you'll find deep breath Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Kevin Chown (Tarja Turunen, Chad Smith), and Max Portnoy (Next To None) just to name a few. Instrumental junkies will swoon over Voir Dire's manic energy, while others may be captivated by the choir in the baroque arrangements of Refugium and Meditatio. Ian's throaty flute compliments the exotic beauty of Midwinter which leads into the more introspective second CD. But while there's less out and out prog rocking for about half this second disc, this is where the true talent of the band as storytellers comes to the fore. The development of the story is allowed the necessary space to get you immersed in the protagonist's plight, his mindset. It's the kind of commercial risk most bands don't indulge, leaving it to the more seasoned, adventurous, and (ultimately) proficient musicians such as Tiles. This is just brilliant artistic expression, pure and simple. Bravo, lads!

The Bottom Line: Prog fans rejoice. Tiles is back with over 96 minutes of classic progressive hard rock that takes you on an emotional journey thanks to a little help from their friends. The wait has definitely been worth it for Pretending 2 Run, a statement made all the more clear when you consider this band has only put out six studio albums in their 23 year career. You can't rush genius. Now go get it!

CD of the Month (April 2016)

4 out of 4

Publication: MusikReviews.de
Country Of Origin: Germany
Review Date: April 20, 2016
Reviewer: Thoralf Koß

Haven't heard anything from Tiles in a long time...But you really haven't missed anything either because of that.

After all, how should you have been able to guess that the American prog quartet that probably attracted greatest attention by being allowed to perform as a warm-up act for Dream Theater would, in 2016, whip out an album which is not only their best by far, but on top of it is also clearly better than the current output by Dream Theater.

Probably you have to put on the shell of a turtle and do your own thing instead of chasing after everything crying innocently like a toddler. A principle that is also valid in the music business, even if it does not necessarily promise great material, but instead high artistic recognition. At any rate, with "Pretending 2 Run" – as well as the change from InsideOut to Laser's Edge that can only be considered fortunate – Tiles are ready for a new beginning, and it remains to be hoped that this new beginning also finds the recognition it deserves after such a double album.

Very clear parallels to the best album by Arena, which just reached the age of maturity -- "The Visitor" from the year 1998, attract your attention already in the design of the cover, or rather booklet. It really cannot be a coincidence that suddenly this guy with a hat is again repeatedly riding through the booklet on his high-wheel bicycle. And after a few searches it is also clear that Hugh Syme was not only responsible for the magnificent booklet to "The Visitor", but also for this 28-page booklet in the three-fold digital pack. But we have yet another companion on board: Exupéry's Little Prince whose pieces of wisdom are cited repeatedly, spread across the entire booklet. Or, in order to be completely precise: each of the seven instrumentals of this double album received one quotation from Exupéry's masterpiece and forms a kind of "poetic bridge" to the specific texts of the album which trace a very clear concept that deals with a disillusioned individual who is doomed because of a betrayal, as a result of which he lost his freedom. That is why, similar to a turtle, he put on a shell that no one can penetrate any longer. And whoever takes a close look will even be able to discover, besides the obvious turtle and the high-wheel bicycle rider, the little prince on one page of the booklet. This is probably also the reason why, time and again, a child's voice appears as the narrator in the music of this concept album.

It is understood that harder and metallic moments, as well as a certain affinity to Rush, also again loom large in "Pretending 2 Run", but both are not overdone in terms of length, but rather integrated in the extraordinarily complex musical concept of the two CD's which reveal their particular strengths in the realm of progressive rock, but which also open up to electronic music, world music, jazz, classical music and even pop along the lines of Moody Blues. And as if this change in musical orientation were not already sufficient enough, Tiles also bring in quite a number of well-known musicians into their turtle shell for "Pretending 2 Run", which to complete they took, after all, eight years of their time since their last studio release. Musicians who, given their diverse musical orientations, should actually not go well together at all, but who nevertheless complement each other superbly. At the very top of the list is Discipline vocalist Matthew Parmenter who plays a significant part in the entire album. But there are also Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, Mike Stern of Miles Davis, Adam Holzman of the Steven Wilson Band, a classical choir, a string ensemble, and much, much more!

These musicians also leave their clear footprints in "Pretending 2 Run" and do not simply appear as a name bonus in order to grace the album of a less well-known band with great names, but who have, basically, no particular influence on the album.

Solely "Midwinter", a song with a very dark orientation with participation by Ian Anderson, is clearly in the style of Tull from the period of "Crest of a Knave".

"Weightless" establishes Tiles even in the realm of jazz due to saxophonist Keith Kaminski, whereas choirs and strings actually introduce elements of pure classical music into the album.

"Stonewall" plays with seemingly medieval mysticism in the style of Enid, including tambura, a medieval plucked string instrument from Macedonia, strings and oboe which are time and again counter-balanced by metallic bursts or vocal movements or melodies reminiscent of Moody Blues.

"Taken by Surprise" is an utterly thrilling eleven-minute track, true fireworks of sound and epic suite at the same time, in which electric guitars and Moog synthesizer outdo each other and complicated drum rhythms ensure that here great musical art is lived out in all its complexity.

The just under three-minute "Refugium" then tops off the first CD with a classical highlight. A large choir is actually allowed, completely on its own, to add the finishing touches to this prog rock album with a genuine choral cantata. And precisely because "Pretending 2 Run" is woven stylistically in such multifaceted ways, this Refugium does not appear, as it were, as a foreign presence in a prog-metal CD, but as the successful antithesis which proves that the two types of music can complement each other lovingly.

Then, in "Midwinter", the first song of the second CD, even Ian Anderson reaches for his flute, after earlier, in "Small Fire Burning", not only a music box, but also the voice of Matthew Parmenter were heard, and this combination immediately gives rise to memories of one of the most emotional songs of Parmenter's band Discipline -- "The Nursery Year"!

Not only does Parmenter sing again in "Weightless", the second long-track with more than nine minutes, rather, the entire piece seems as though it were written for a Discipline studio album which the band's fans have been waiting for in vain for now more than five years, until in this title the great minutes of the jazz saxophonist begin. Something quite similar is true for "Friend of Foe" that follows, also sung by Parmenter, but without saxophone, instead with acoustic guitars and mandolin, but also with a fat Mellotron as well as background vocals strangely reminiscent of Radiohead's "Kid A", played enthusiastically over six long minutes.

The ballad "Battle Weary" then offers one trumpet and winds; those were actually still missing in the colorful instrumental flower bouquet of the Tiles prog masterpiece.

"Other Arrangements" is a dark, electronic-psychedelic piece, spreading fear and foreboding, and that lives, as a matter of course, on Adam Holzman's Moog synthesizer, reminiscent of Niemen's "Katharsis", in order to illustrate, together with the preceding classical "Meditatio", another choral work, the beauty of two completely antithetical musical styles.

With an acoustic, again somewhat medieval, hymn-like ballad the magnificent double album unfortunately comes already to a close after a total of 95 minutes, which one perhaps, if at all, might have expected the very best prog acts of the present to be capable of, but certainly not the long forgotten Tiles!

Conclusion: "Pretending 2 Run" has become Tiles' Magnum Opus, which basically should thoroughly mix up the progressive rock scene. A small masterpiece with great participants. And in a slight variation of the "Little Prince" it would remain to be said, "One only hears well with the ears, when the sound directly reaches the heart."

That is precisely what Tiles have achieved!

Score: 14/15

Publication: Betreutes Proggen
Country Of Origin: Germany
Review Date: April 5, 2016
Reviewer: Kristian Selm

New label, new fortune? Tiles are among those bands that can look back on a rather lengthy history, but that for no obvious reasons never enjoyed the necessary attention. Active since the early nineties, they again and again could count on well-known support: With assistance from Gene Simmons (Kiss) the first production deal was concluded; as a warm-up act for Dream Theater they went on tour in Europe in the late nineties; the longtime producer of Rush, Terry Brown, was involved in several albums - yet the breakthrough would not happen. After an eight-year break in album releases, the signs point to a new beginning: Tiles present an ambitious double album with the well-established American prog label The Laser's Edge.

Trademarks remain: The progressive guitar rock of the band from Detroit is still reminiscent at times of the early Rush with Terry Brown also sat at the faders again; nevertheless, "Pretending 2 Run" seems in a certain way more fresh, more spirited and infused with an original coloration. The basic idea of this opus centers on a man who must witness a betrayal and is affected by it completely unprepared. Everything is again marked by the striking guitar riffs of band leader Chris Herin, vocalist Paul Rarick intones in a variety of ways and the rhythm group with Jeff Whittle (bass) and Mark Evans (drums) provide a variable foundation.

The primary emphasis here is on powerful rock, yet little electronic tricks, slightly Beatlesque vocal arrangements and even somewhat mystical world music influences and classical choral passages, but above all multilayered, dark arrangements provide the necessary variety. In doing so, the band is skillfully exploring the limits between hard and progressive rock.

For their opus magnum Tiles were able to secure the participation of numerous well-known guest musicians: Among others, Mike Portnoy, Ian Anderson, Kim Mitchell (Max Webster), Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson Band, among others), Mike Stern (Miles Davis, among others), Matthew Parmenter (Discipline) and Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), as well as a 25-member orchestra contribute to refine the offering. One can certify for Tiles that at times they sound unobtrusively good -- but this is meant as a compliment, not as a criticism. "Pretending 2 Run" covers a broad spectrum from instrumental tracks via short progressive rock titles to in part epic long tracks which gain in richness from the contributions by the guest musicians.

Captivating and exciting: "Pretending 2 Run" is the most sophisticated and ambitious album in the history of Tiles; it is to be hoped that it will finally bring the long-sought-after success. Tiles definitely would deserve it.

Score: 12/15 points

Publication: Polyprisma
Country Of Origin: Germany
Review Date: April 15, 2016
Reviewer: Frank

Detroit, Rock City

Tiles – I seem to remember there was something. Years ago I held an album in my hands and was, to put it mildly, impressed by the music. Progressive Rock, with a clear emphasis on rock, roughly in the proximity of Rush and rather wicked. To be honest, I no longer know which album it was, and subsequently I also really no longer had the band on my radar. This could be due to the fact that the band from the Rock and Motor City Detroit has not released an album in eight years.

The former auto manufacturing town Detroit has a phenomenal music scene that has produced numerous greats, but also innumerable less well-known musicians. Tiles belong into both categories: they are frighteningly unknown, even though they are among the genuine greats. Why has the band, until now, not really succeeded in getting noticed on a large scale? Presumably because Progressive Rock is somewhat...well, rather far removed from the mainstream. At any rate, it is not attributable to the musical quality of the music.

When a little while ago, quite casually, I put Tiles – Pretending 2 Run on the turntable, it was party time! Walls shaking and such. You know what I mean. The opus magnum of the band, which consists of two CD's, cautiously approaches the other boundaries of Progressive Rock, that is to say, the one to hard rock and also the one to classical music, a spectrum that is rather demanding intellectually and thus forced me to go all out to get my head around it somehow. The album covers a magnificent range, encompassing not just different styles, but also different epochs.

For eight years it was quiet around the band that now presents a true opus magnum: Pretending 2 Run is a double CD on which the group, along with a number of well-known guests, shows what they have done in the meantime and where they stand musically. The guest list is almost a "Who's Who" of Progressive Rock. Participants are: Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Winery Dogs), Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Kim Mitchell (Max Webster), Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree), Kevin Chown (Tarja Turunen, Chad Smith), Max Portnoy (Next to None), Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), and Joe Deninzon (Stratospheerius).

Lights...Camera...Action

And yet, Tiles – Pretending 2 Run is not simply a showcase, but rather an acoustic film which gradually unfolds in your mind. To escape its almost magical effect is virtually impossible. The images are simply there and they affect you. Your imagination decides what kind of film is running through your mind, but for that Tiles create a grand canvas and fill it with ever changing shades of light and colors.

At times the music is dreamlike, wafting, virtually sneaking through foggy semi-darkness, at times the band gallops with reckless abandon and rocks to the max. The transitions are fashioned brilliantly, they do not, for example, disrupt the general theme; rather it is a constant up and down of the arc of suspense and mood which duly covers both the melancholic and the enthusiastic, that is, light and shadows, and takes you along.

Yes, Tiles -- Pretending 2 Run is no light fare. Yes, sometimes the music is downright difficult and exhausting. And yet it is also presented, again and again, in such wonderfully simple fashion that the underlying complexity does not become apparent until it gradually dissipates and, by doing so, rather amazes you that with this album Tiles are doing something that is happening far beyond the ordinary and, purely with respect to technique, is at least breathtaking.

Score: 5/5

Publication: Keys and Chords
Country Of Origin: Belgium
Review Date: April 16, 2016
Reviewer: Danny Focke

Soms is de tijd tussen twee studio-albums lang, maar Tiles deed er wel erg lang over. En toch lijkt het een uitstekend resultaat opgeleverd te hebbben. Na 8 jaar leveren ze een concept-dubbelalbum af dat er mag wezen. Het concept of liever de 'song cycle' zoals zij het liever noemen gaat over een man die gedisillusioneerd is door verraad. Het juiste verhaal blijft wat vaag zodat de luisteraar er zelf nog een interpretatie kan aan geven. Niet enkel de tekst maar ook de muziek vertelt het verhaal aan de hand van diverse muziekstijlelementen, viool arrangementen, koorzang en soundscapes.

Ondanks alle Rush vergelijkingen met hun vorige albums was de producer opnieuw Terry Brown. Toch vind ik de Rush sound heel wat minder of bijna verdwenen, al beweert Chris Herin dat die er nog altijd is, maar dat ze die beter wisten te verbergen. Het titelnummer is al meteen een schot in de roos. Chris laat onmiddellijk horen dat zijn gitaarspel van de bovenste plank is en dat hij het ook aankan zonder al die gastmuzikanten. Maar voor 'Shelter In Place' laat hij al meteen Kim Mitchell (Max Webster, solo) opdraven die ook al van wanten weet op zijn gitaar. 'Stonewall' laat er geen twijfel over bestaan dat Mike Portnoy de drumstokken heeft overgenomen. Maar er is ook nog een prachtige oboe solo van Tim Michling en zo zijn er nog tal van gastmuzikanten in bijna ieder nummer. Teveel om op te noemen. Naar goede gewoonte brengt Tiles een aantal instrumentale nummers met een hoog progmetal gehalte die interessant blijven en nooit vervelen. 'Voir Dire' is er zo eentje. Jeff opent 'Drops of Rain' met één van zijn prachtige en inventieve baslijnen die stilaan zijn handelsmerk geworden zijn. 'Taken By Surprise' is een echt, ouderwets classic heavy rocknummer met een bruisende orgelsolo van Adam Holtzman, die je miscchien kent van de Steven Wilson band. Er zijn ook twee korte nummers met Latijnse titels, 'Refugium' en 'Meditatio', allebei opgenomen in een kerk met een koor. Voor 'Midwinter' hadden ze de eer om Ian Anderson te laten meespelen met een typische Jethro Tull solo, hoewel het nummer eerder een Oosters geluid meegekregen heeft. De tweede CD bevat nog een massa nummers maar mijn superlatieven zijn op. ;-). Nog eentje wil ik jullie niet onthouden, namelijk 'The Disappearing Floor', met een jazzy bijdrage van niemand minder dan Mike Stern, die bekend is van Blood, Sweat and Tears, maar vooral naam maakte bij Miles Davis.

Dit is veruit het beste album van Tiles. Zowel de muziek als het verhaal zijn beklijvend en volgens mij niet alleen voor progressieve metal fans, want vooral het woord metal is hier niet echt op zijn plaats. Deze muziek kan zeker gesmaakt worden door een breder publiek.

Score: 4½ out of 5

Publication: Crossfire Metal Webzine
Country Of Origin: Germany
Review Date: May, 2016
Reviewer: Steve Burdelak

To call Tiles from Detroit simply just a prog band would be to make the matter rather simple for oneself. The group is so multilayered that you could be led to believe that several formations were sitting in the starting blocks. This requires, of course, utmost concentration while listening, especially when the album moves into the jazzy parts, even though passages for relaxation are offered as well. That is the musical part that reminds me mightily of "Pink Floyd meets Alan Parsons Project." In order to leave nothing to chance, the band has put Rush/Fates Warning producer Terry Brown at the controls as a collaborator. To top everything off, there is also cryptic artwork to go with the cryptic sound. I cannot explain the cover any differently, because it goes with the storyline only in a metaphorical sense. Of course, the storyline runs like a common thread through the album because, after all, it is a concept album. Which one has every right to expect after an eight year break. In this regard, Tiles have picked up the good intentions of Dream Theater with whom they already played way back when as a warm-up act. Only, a double album must remain exciting, and in this respect, Tiles are a little bit ahead of their idols. Prog fans will be bedazzled by this digital-double opus, including its thick booklet and its artwork. Hugh Syme really has come up with something here! Many songs were musically refined by well-known guest musicians who celebrated a get-together in this album. Moreover, many songs include illustrious instruments, however, I do not want to go into detail here, because doing so would go far beyond the limits of a regular review. Rather, every connoisseur of music and lover of compositions that go beyond the usual should set aside sufficient time and go on a magnificent musical journey. It is worth it!

Score: 9½ out of 10

Publication: Babyblaue Prog-Reviews #1
Country Of Origin: Germany
Reviewers: Siggy Zielinski
Translated from German by Al Grabenstein

After just 5 studio albums in 23 years, Tiles deliver the big hit. It comes in the form of a double album with numerous guest performers, a broader range of styles and, in places, expanded arrangements.

Of course, this gives rise to the question about the motivation for such a tour de force. According to Jeff Whittle it was not a deliberate decision to try to catch up with the best-known prog bands at all costs. Rather, since 2010 they had been working on new materials and reviewing old ones that so far had not been used, until by 2013 they had put together app. 75 minutes. Since the artists felt that this would be too long for a single album, the idea of a double album of 50 minutes each was much more appealing to them. Then the two CD's were to be able to stand alone as two parts of one opus, so that the lover of music can also listen to each separately.

The concept of the present double album deals with a person who has been traumatized by bad experiences and tries to break out of their isolation.

In the following, let me just enumerate a few guest performers. Matthew Parmenter participates in several pieces as a vocalist; keyboardist Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson Band) enriches, among others, the enthusiastic instrumental parts of "Taken by Surprise"; a choir by the name of Renaissance Voices & Con Spirito spreads sacral moods in three pieces, and in "Stonewall" one can hear, in addition to a chamber music ensemble, Mike Portnoy with his characteristic drum solos. Guitarist Mike Stern, well known because of his collaboration with Miles Davis, provides for Fusion emphases in two pieces. In "Midwinter", Ian Anderson delivers a brilliant performance on flute. "Weightless" is refined as a result of a solo on soprano sax by Keith Kaminsky, and in "Fait Accompli" we hear how to creatively arrange a string ensemble in a piece of rock music.

Of course, the central theme of the double album remains the kind of Prog Metal, or Heavy Prog, that is presented with evident enthusiasm and much spirit, which brought Tiles several comparisons with Rush. The music gains enormously through numerous excursions into more mainstream prog, which is broadened repeatedly by folk-like, symphonic, ethnic, chamber-music-like, jazzy, classical and electronic interludes.

How rich in contrasts and thus entertaining the music of "Pretending 2 Run" can be is shown in the succession of hard rock and chamber music-folk-like passages in "Friend or Foe".

There is also a very sparingly employed narrative. However, since it is apparently presented by a child, rather than by a British actor with a nasal voice, it is not disruptive.

With "Pretending 2 Run" Tiles truly succeeded in creating a magnificent work with much love for detail. In the elaborate arrangements the listener will time and time again find something new, even after many times of listening. Thus, the musicians have used their time preparing and recording, spanning several years, to optimal effect.

Score: 12/15

Publication: Babyblaue Prog-Reviews #2
Country Of Origin: Germany
Reviewers: Thomas Kohlruß
Translated from German by Al Grabenstein

Tiles were...um, now you have to say again, have been a band whom I have always found somehow likeable. No overachievers, but consistently good albums, which, to top it off, got better and better piece by piece. It is nevertheless somehow symptomatic, though, that I had not noticed at all that, in fact, for eight years nothing really new had come from the band anymore. If in the interim there had not been two rather peculiar "Live at the Studio" releases, one would have had to presume that the band had disbanded a long time ago.

But – bang! – here they are again. Right away with a double album. Right away with a very ambitious opus, which, just by the way, is the best in the band's history. Respect!

As mentioned, "Pretending 2 Run" turned out to be a double album, with more than 90 minutes of music, without getting too long or containing any duds, well, almost none, because the 4-1/2 minutes of "Fait Accompli", some kind of campfire hit with lots of schmaltz and blissful strings, is hard to put up with. But that's already enough griping.

Tiles offer melodious, colorful, well-arranged Progmetal (or, if you prefer, powerful hard rock) with unavoidable echoes of Rush, which, however, fortunately remain far in the background. Tiles shine with polished instrumental passages (logically especially in interspersed instrumentals [sic!], which have always been a trademark of the band). Added to that are good vocals. So far, so familiar, even if the pieces come across somewhat warmer, with a richer atmosphere. But there are also excursions into world music regions, jazzy passages, sacral choirs, brief spoken insertions, apparently in French, and even a few electronic dabs. Many a melody, many a refrain definitely has pop appeal, without appearing cheap or trying to curry favor with the listener. Tiles also succeeded in securing the participation of numerous, in some cases rather prominent guests, of whom Ian Anderson had perhaps the greatest performance with his interludes on flute in "Midwinter", which in this context are not at all reminiscent of Jethro Tull. Matthew Parmenter, the band's longtime fan, this time also got involved in song writing, certainly also no disadvantage.

An all-around success, this album. Tiles combine everything to a consistent mix with a beautiful dramatic build-up, so that truly each minute of the album (except for the outlier mentioned) is interesting. There is a lot in this album, without causing it to appear excessive, sterile or overly constructed. The highlights, such as the electrifying "Taken by Surprise" or the jazz-inspired "Weightless", are well placed. Hey Tiles, what an awesome comeback!

Score: 12/15

Publication: Babyblaue Prog-Reviews #3
Country Of Origin: Germany
Reviewers: Thorsten Gürntke
Translated from German by Al Grabenstein

Tiles are a type of band that in the mid-nineties I actually found quite good. Nevertheless, after their second album, "Fence the Clear", I did not really follow their development to any great degree anymore. Not until about three years ago when the band penetrated my consciousness again with the somewhat strange live release, "Off the Floor" – and thereafter also disappeared again quite quickly, because the release did not take off.

And when you don't expect anything, you are often favorably surprised. With their current album, "Pretending 2 Run", Tiles manage an impressive comeback on the stage. Absolutely fabulous. A meaty, animated sound, powerful compositions, diversity and this distinctive hard rock charm suddenly bring out the best in the band. The double album captivates with truly magnificent moments and a good flow. Again and again, Tiles work skillfully with varying tempi, offer epic song structures full of atmosphere and relentless rock elements which do not take a back seat in anything to the best of Rush. In addition, all this is supported, again and again, by orchestral elements and strings. The band succeeds in maintaining this tension from beginning to end. Smaller slip-ups are included, but are neutralized, as it were, by many good moments in the overall picture and are accepted as a welcome break.

I would like to pay special attention to the lead vocal. I thought Paul Rarick was particularly impressive in "Fence the Clear", which was mentioned above and has to serve as my personal point of reference since I do not know the catalogue of previous releases. I like the color and melodiousness of his voice. Even though the vocal range appears to be limited, he does not deliberately exceed its limits anywhere. The man knows where his limits are and avoids anything beyond. This renders his vocals simply authentic and underscores the honesty of the music.

Tiles have arguably scored – as I also read the reviews of previous releases – a resounding unexpected success. The album captivates with its good compositions, diversity and basic authenticity of its sound. There is nothing that sounds artificial or arranged a thousand-fold, rather nothing but pure Rock 'n Roll. A bull's eye. And in between harmonious strings/strokes. A good mix of meaty Rock and well done orchestral parts.

Score: 12/15

Publication: Babyblaue Prog-Reviews #4
Country Of Origin: Germany
Reviewers: Marc Colling

With double CDs I'm always having my doubts. Many bands already go far beyond the limits of what is technically feasible with respect to playing time of a single CD. When it comes to almost 100 minutes of music, my first impulse is to swallow. Just recently, with Dream Theater's "The Astonishing," I had such a monster in my CD player. And Tiles are also reputed to sound in parts like Dream Theater...

Since this is my first encounter with Tiles, I cannot judge the catalogue of their previous releases. At any rate, after the first of many times of listening to the album I noticed immediately that the band incorporates often rather lengthy instrumental passages in their songs, even when lyrics are present. Added to that are five purely instrumentally played titles. This is something you should know, in case you are not a fan of instrumental music.

The layout by artist Hugh Syme also deserves brief attention. The booklet is an absolute feast for the eyes. That being said, what about the music?

Well, since the band elected to release a double album, evaluative criteria must be applied differently, especially since the two CD's do differ in parts significantly from one another. Thus, CD 1 contains truly magnificent gems such as the title song "Pretending 2 Run" with a very long instrumental part and a well-done solo on guitar. "Shelter in Place" is a fast-paced and driving song with a very fast played lead guitar; then "Stonewall," a folk-like song with a fabulous oboe. Hence, CD 1 is off to a good start.

"Voir Dire" is a hard instrumental, before a psychedelic piece, "Drops of Rain," removes the hardness and prepares the way for the long track that follows, "Taken by Surprise." This song, with phat organ music, represents a highlight of the album. That right afterwards a polyphonic chorus with loud "Aahhs" and "Oohhs" comes along in a sacral mode shows that Tiles won't shy away from anything.

The second CD also starts very well. Ian Anderson, in "Midwinter," contributes a very creative solo on flute in a slightly oriental style, before "Weightless" sweeps over the listener with full force. This second long track also is well done, even though more straightforward and rock-like than the first one.

Then, psychedelic rock is presented in "Friend or Foe." Sounds strongly reminiscent of the sixties. The following, often brief songs offer pretty much everything from trivial ("Fait Accompli") to long-winded ("Battle Weary") that the fan simply does not need. The repetition of the title theme two times over also was not really necessary, as were the electronic gimmicks in "Other Arrangements." "Uneasy Truce," beautifully accompanied by strings, as well as the folk-like final song, "Backsliding" with A-guitar, follow, leaving favorable impressions. However, overall, CD 1 is stronger.

Thus, in the end there remains a slightly ambivalent impression. On the one hand, an outstanding first CD, on the other a second CD with a good beginning, but then diminishing.

Nevertheless, the purchase is to be recommended; it is possible that other listeners may well love the second CD. After all, Tiles will surely have given some thought to arranging the songs in this fashion and not in another way.

Score: 10/15 overall (Disc 1: 12/15)

Publication: ProgArchives #1
Reviewer: PlanetRodentia2

Tantalizing Tessellations and the Riddle in the Rhyme

Until recently, I was never a great fan of Tiles. I gave their well-regarded Presents of Mind a try and found it underwhelming. Nevertheless, when I first saw the Hugh Syme cover of this album, I was intrigued enough to give them another chance. My more favorable reaction led me to listen to Pretending 2 Run online, and my first coherent thought after preordering the album was, "What a BEAST!" Since its arrival, I have been listening to it ever since, almost daily, sometimes one disc or the other, but lately from start to finish without interruption. A huge leap forward compared to Presents of Mind, Pretending 2 Run has elevated my opinion of the band substantially.

Initial impressions: This album abounds in color, and that blaze of glory is what first appealed to me. Oboe, saxophone, strings, a variety of percussion instruments, choirs, church bells, banjo...the wealth of timbres is staggering, and it is all applied with great care. Paul Rarick sounds so good on this album, and he employs his own color palette with the same great care. The other musicians acquit themselves marvelously and play with great passion. I particularly enjoyed the burbling basslines. The lyrics are poetic, sometimes cryptic, with an occasional line of great beauty and many wonderful metaphors. Hugh Syme's artwork complements the album very well, and the cover itself encapsulates the album brilliantly, especially if you think about how an escalator works. Given the explosive subject matter (betrayal!), the overall aesthetic is surprisingly cool and cerebral, and this, more than anything, has had me taking notes, scratching my head, reading lyrics, and looking up quotes to figure out exactly what is going on. Pretending 2 Run is not quite what it appears to be.

On the surface, Pretending 2 Run is a story of a betrayal and its aftermath, and the band serves as the emotional storyteller while the vocalist adds context and reflection, perhaps unconscious and conscious mind, respectively. The structure of the album is anything but simple, and this complexity suggests to me that the album is about much more than a simple betrayal. Having more the feel of a bildungsroman than a simple story and the approach of a classical song cycle than a rock album, Pretending 2 Run leads us through the main character's experiences, a series of revelations about his past, present, and future that lead him to a sense of acceptance. Each revelation seems hard-won and is fraught with philosophical reflections. With quotes from Latin, Savonarolo and "Le Petit Prince," the "story" is very high-concept and serves as an exploration of the psychological and emotional toll of being flawed amidst other flawed beings. As tedious as all that may sound, the album is actually very engaging and enjoyable.

Structure plays an important role in this album, which takes the shape of a reflected sine wave, with each CD mirroring the other but going in different directions. Throughout, expect to hear cross-references and wisps of previously heard motifs, little memories that flit two and fro as our main character sorts through the mess he's found himself in. Compositionally, interesting things happen, such as the bass player taking over the melody as an ostinato pattern over which other instruments play something new, or a melodic line on CD1 being played backwards on CD2. Lyrically, words and images recur to heighten the cyclical nature of the main character's struggle and our musical experience.

CD1 starts at zero with "Pretending 2 Run," which begins with odds noises and a marching drum and sets the stage for the album by presenting the main character's problem. Slowly we move down into darkness and work our way to "Stonewall," one of my favorite tracks, which is a series of emotional scenes in response to a lack of answers from the betrayer. When Rarick sings "stonewall," the song has a very dreamy quality to it, as if the main character cannot comprehend why his pleadings are not properly answered. The band says what the main character cannot, and the music becomes very angry. Eventually, the character is ready to hear the truth, and the instrumental Voir Dire (yes, you have to look that up) sets us up for the character's first major revelation and the bottom of the wave, "Drops of Rain," which contains some unsettling static sections that, upon repetition, become increasingly ornamented with background vocals. Now we hurtle back toward home with "Taken by Surprise," which contains a number of unexpected references to pop music and literature and suggests that there is a "riddle in the rhyme". "Refugium" is a fetal position in music, an unexpected choral number that ends with church bells. "Small Fire Burning" begins in manner like the first track but ends with a whimper, slowing to zero. You can stop here and feel satisfied with this album. However, Tiles is not done. What follows is a surreal mirroring and upending of what came before.

With CD2, we start at zero ago with "Midwinter," which begins virtually identically to the first track of CD1 but quickly veers into very different, more uplifting territory. Here is where Ian Anderson regales us with some engaging flute music. "Weightless" is a very strong song with some interesting lyrics, hints of some lessons learned, and a bright jazzy saxophone solo. "Battle Weary" is the companion to "Stonewall," in which the melody for the word "stonewall" is played backwards as the melody for "battle weary". (What does this MEAN?) Afterwards follows "Meditatio," the choral companion of "Refugium". After some very surreal sounds in "Other Arrangements," we reach the next round of major revelations via "The Disappearing Floor" and "Fait Acommpli," the "happy" ending we expect at the peak of the wave, complete with light and airy string accompaniment. This is not sustainable, however, and the next 10+ minutes serve as an exploded companion of "Taken by Surprise," now a series of independent tidbits, complete with a recapitulation of major motifs in the instrumental "Uneasy Truce" and two modified reprises of "Pretending 2 Run". These thrust us quickly back toward home again, and, by the album's end, "Backsliding," we find our main character in a strange state. There was redemption of sorts, but it wasn't clean and tidy. The album's closing moments submerge us into something surreal and dark with accompanying drum. If we put CD1 back on, we find ourselves returning to where we began, or someplace similar, and the wave is complete.

Pretending 2 Run is a puzzle in music, and I find myself returning to it again and again because I've lived through something like this. I like and appreciate the concept. However, if you don't care about that, you will nevertheless find some engaging music, enjoyable jams, and thought-provoking lyrics. It hangs together best as an album, but a few songs hold up quite well on their own, e.g. Stonewall, Drops of Rain, Taken by Surprise, Weightless, and Fait Accompli.

It warrants one star more than what you'd rate Presents of Mind. For me, Pretending 2 Run ranks somewhere between a 4 and 5. The high-concept nature of the album is a bit off-putting at times, and it sometimes feels unnecessarily long. Nevertheless, I can't stop listening to it, and I wake up with its melodies in my head. I keep fretting over what it all means. The structure fascinates me. I give it a 4.5 and round down, at present, to 4 stars.

Publication: ProgArchives #2
Reviewer: OldSchoolProg

This two disc concept album has been many years in the making, but well worth the wait. Part time proggers Tiles and producer Terry Brown show us that they can craft some great stories backed by a solid progressive, and at times, heavy sound. It's gets better and better with every listen, there's a lot of music here, something for everyone. Most notable differences from other Tiles releases, vocal layering and harmonies, including a choir, are in the forefront of this Tiles sound: musically with minor comparisons to Rush, but still distinct and original. A bevy of guest artists make an appearance, most notably Ian Anderson and Mike Portnoy (and son Max recording together for the first time). This release rivals their critically acclaimed Presents of Mind, if not bettering it in maturity and experience. It's a lot of music to get through in one sitting, I gave Presents a 4-4.5, I'm going all the way to a 5 on this as the pinnacle of their catalog at this moment.

Pretending 2 Run