In April 2025, pop proggers Chimpan A (featuring Magenta’s Robert Reed and an assortment of musical friends) released a superb version of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Here Comes The Flood’. It managed to be reverential of the original recording whilst bringing a new slant via a modern production sound, and also shared a downtempo feel that felt half a world away from the ex-Genesis man’s musical interests. Coupled with the self-penned ‘Wolves’, the release marked a great return for the band after a few years away. This second two track release follows the same format – a Chimpan A original, joined by a well known tune sourced from the band’s many influences – and achieves a similarly impressive result.

‘Saviour’ opens with a guitar line that leans a little closer to late 80s neo-prog, but it isn’t long before the band’s grand pop interests take centre stage. Armed with a stomping rhythm that sounds like a cousin of XTC’s should’ve-been-a-hit ‘King For A Day’ and a vocal that sounds like something inspired by a Eurythmics deep cut, the pop-rock core is actually stronger than before. For the bulk of the track, a very melodic female voice and solid rhythm section dominate, but an atonal piano occasionally creeps in to keep things suitably arty, and a huge lead guitar break adds a rockier edge – albeit briefly. No matter how many different musical layers are presented, melody is the key here. As before, there’s a lot about the arrangement that feels familiar; it’s a great love letter to a musical past that holds firm in the present, and that would be enough for most bands, but Chimpan A have even augmented their 80s inspired, radio friendly sound with a huge vocal that borrows influence from soul and R&B, just to keep everything a little more unpredictable. In and out in under four minutes, the succinct approach taken with ‘Saviour’ is just as impressive as the music itself. So many prog-oriented musicians have a tendency to stretch things out just because they can. In contrast, Reed and company have a clear idea of where a song exists and how to focus on a strong melody, much to their – and this track’s – eternal credit.

For this release’s cover tune, the band have thought a little further outside of the box. Rather than picking yet another prog or progressive pop tune to remake in their own image, they turn their attentions to a country classic. Not that you’d know that were the source if this happened to be your first experience of hearing ‘Wichita Lineman’. The country influence is all but absent. In its place, a sultry piano throws out very sparse notes, and an aching vocal leans towards a world of adult pop. In places, the stripped back feel and almost ghost-like voice echoes the once briefly popular cover of ‘Mad World’ by Gary Jules; at times, there’s a faint echo of Neal Morse’s solo debut on which the now Jesus-obsessed progger shared inclusive adult singer songwriter sounds for a non-religious crowd. As things progress, though, those who are already familiar with the Chimps’ sophisticated adult pop-rock sound will spot a few familiar traits: there are programmed drum loops, a pair of hushed vocals, and the return of the huge, soul-drenched voice from ‘Saviour’. If anything sells this cover, though, its the late arrival of a muted trumpet, which flaunts a massive love for ‘Hats’ era Blue Nile with ease.

With these two numbers, once more, this musical collective show how they can turn their hand to almost anything and sound great. Pick up a download of this for the non-album ‘Wichita Lineman’, then use ‘Saviour’ as a springboard into a world of other great Chimpan A sounds. You won’t regret it. This might be short, but it’s a release that scores highly in terms of supplying a pleasingly full experience.

July 2025