P'dice Reviewed On "Hooked-on-music" - German

Habt Ihr zuvor schon mal von den Bands GABRIEL oder RIPPED & RIVERSEA gehört? Ich auch nicht. Aber einen der Musiker dieser beiden Gruppen, den kenne ich nun. Paul Cusick heißt der Mann, kurz Q, und er war bei den Gruppen für die Gitarre zuständig. Seit 2009 ist er nun solo unterwegs und daher auch gleich für das Songwriting, die Mehrzahl der Instrumente, den Gesang sowie die Produktion seiner Musik zuständig.

Dass sich das auszahlt, bewies gleich seine erste Solo-Scheibe “Focal Point“. Der Brite zelebrierte darauf das Andenken an alte Heroen wie PINK FLOYD, PINEAPPLE THIEF oder die frühen Werke von PORCUPINE TREE. Dabei machte er neben auftürmenden Keyboardwänden durch sein feinfühliges Gitarrenspiel auf sich aufmerksam, bei dem Vorbilder wie David Gilmour (PINK FLOYD), Steve Rothery (MARILLION) oder Steven Wilson (unter anderem PORCUPINE TREE) unschwer erkennbar waren.

“P'Dice“ lautet der Titel des zweiten Werkes von Paul Cusick. Dafür nahm Q eine Auszeit vom Job, baute sich ein eigenes Studio und machte sich ans Werk. Musikalisch hat sich nicht so viel verändert – zum Glück, wie ich hinzufügen möchte. Cusick ist seinem Sound, seinem Stil treu geblieben. Das Album bietet wieder abwechslungsreiches Songwriting, wie zum Beispiel beim Uptempo-Rocker-Opener Everything oder aber sphärisch-mystische Songs wie das anschließende God, Paper, Scissors. Bei dem elegisch-ausschweifenden Borderlines zeigt sich Cusick von seiner ruhigeren, oder wenn man will, verletzlicheren Seite. Ein Song mit reichlich Ambiete ist auch Hindsight, das Cusicks Sinn und Talent für überzeugende und berührende Spannungsbögen offenbart. Bei When It Rains fühle ich mich hingegen eher an Peter Gabriel erinnert.

Paul Cusick ist es gelungen, ein würdiges, weil spannendes Nachfolgealbum zu “Focal Point“ nachzulegen. Wer die oben genannten Musiker oder Bands mag, der sollte bei Paul Cusick auch mal reinhören. Das Ganze ist nämlich so überzeugend, dass es ihm gelungen ist, solche Koryphäen wie Marco Minnemann und Gavin Harrison für die Schlagzeug-Aufnahmen zu gewinnen. Das will schon was heißen und ist sicher ein weiteres Gütesiegel für dieses ohnehin klasse Album.

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P'dice Review from Melodic.net

Paul Cusick is a multi-musician from the U.K, he released his debut "Focal point" in 2009 and managed to get 500 pre-orders for his next album from fans helping to finance his music, which is a really nice gesture and a great way to support an artist. Paul´s influences come from songbased progrock with artists like Porcupine Tree, Marillion and Pink Floyd but also epic pop like Coldplay and U2. Even though his new album "P´dice" (the title is Paul´s play with the word prejudice) is 1 hour long, it doesn´t feel lengthy mostly because of the variation in the songstructures and many songs are rich of nuances plus I like Paul´s gentle melodies. Perhaps the production is a bit light but it works, close your eyes and daydream to "Hindsight" or mindtravel majestic to the grande "Borderlines". There´s no doubt, Paul Cusick is a talented artist. The album features guest appearances from drum legends Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) and Marco Minnemann (U.K).

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P'dice Review from Alternativematter.net

With 2009′s Focal Point, guitarist Paul Cusick set out on a solo career, taking over all song-writing, production and instrumental duties (bar the drumming). That album created sufficient buzz (largely due to Cusick’s canny use of social media) that there was a large enough fan base to fund the follow-up, P’dice. He has also earned the clout to hire 2 of the greatest drummers of recent times, hell, of any time – Gavin Harrison and Marco Minnemann.

P’dice is a concept album. Prejudice gives the album its idiosyncratic name and lyrical inspiration. Cusick himself describes the narrative as “the story of one man as he explores moments of his life, his actions, his thoughts, his decisions, his feelings, his realisations and how they were shaped, often unconsciously, by prejudice”. Lyrically Cusick has come on leaps and bounds from Focal Point. This is confident, assured writing delivered with conviction and, where appropriate, a vitriol to match Roger Waters. The music self-consciously pays homage to influences like Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Steven Wilson, Marillion, and wears those influences like a badge on its tie-dye sleeve. If you’re looking for Crimsonesque forays of experimental progressive music this may not be for you but if you like well-crafted songs performed with consummate skill then read on…

“Everything” kicks off the album in upbeat fashion with a hard-rocking hammer-on/pull-off guitar riff backed with contemporary synth patterns. Lyrics dealing with social division brought about by class and wealth paraphrase Pink Floyd’s “Money” – “Fast car, caviar, bank accounts, trendy bars”. Cusick so self-consciously channels his influences that it’s difficult to use the accusatory, derogatory term “rip-off” – he’s paying homage to these artists and why not? They’re giants of progressive music. His vocal delivery in “God, Paper, Scissors” is pure close-miked Waters pastiche to an electronic backing that wouldn’t have been out of place on Peter Gabriel’s Up. The track morphs into the electro-industrial prog of Porcupine Tree’s Halo. Such familiar devices do not interfere with my enjoyment of Cusick’s music. He does it so well that yes, it’s fun to spot the references, but there is enough melodic diversity and attention to detail in the songwriting and arrangements that P’dice has its own character. Enough of the prog-spotting, on with P’dice on its own merits.

“Borderlines” is an 11+ minute suite dealing with the artificial geographic divisions we build up and how modern technology bridges those divides – lyrics surely inspired by the Arab Spring. Elsewhere prejudice brought on by race and mental illness are explored. “Waiting” deserves specific mention for the vocal by Sammi Lee which forms a duet with Cusick’s ghostly, whispered interjections. Heart-rending music with an interesting production twist which makes it that bit more special. The production techniques, the overarching lyrical concept, the fact that everything bar the drums is played by Paul Cusick himself – these factors complement one another. P’dice is entirely the vision of one man: from composition to mixing to mastering, it is unsullied by outside interference or band democracy and it sounds all the better for it.

Yes, it’s difficult to escape the reference points – for example, those waiting patiently for the next Porcupine Tree or Anathema album will find this a worthy stopgap – but P’dice stands on its own and deserves to be listened to without prejudice.

Read Review at Alternativematter.net