Review: Regressor – Crescent Spoon

Style: Progressive Rock, Jazz Fusion, Djent (instrumental)
Recommended for fans of: StarSystems, Plini, Owane, Arch Echo
Review by: Doug
Country: UK
Release date: 15 July, 2022

Another week, another guest-filled instrumental album to review. Regressor comes to us from the mind of Joseph Stevenson, guitarist and producer responsible for the excellent jazz-djent output of StarSystems. Joined by several guests including fellow jazz-fusion enthusiast Owane, this first outing under the new moniker shows off the musical talent and smooth production quality Stevenson has developed in his prior work, while also pivoting to a lighter sound and a heavier focus on the jazz aesthetic.

It’s a pity Crescent Spoon didn’t release two months sooner, because it would have been perfect for our summer music playlist. The summer vibes are incredibly strong; I feel like I should be drinking a summer ale from a local craft brewery every time I start up the album. The album artwork, with its absurdist flamingo-floaty of a tropical desert island, demonstrates exactly the feeling you’ll get from Crescent Spoon: it’s light, it’s bright, and it’s a fun ride.

For my part, I am not always the biggest fan of jazz fusion. The modern jazz approach to melodies and chord progressions doesn’t often vibe with me. Crescent Spoon, luckily for me, takes more influence from the “instrudjental” side of things than some other fusion projects (including Owane and Arch Echo), so I enjoy this outing more than most others like it. The chords and melodies are still plenty jazzy but filled out with more traditional substance in a way that helps keep me musically satisfied. A couple of the tracks – mostly “Saffron Sunset” and to a lesser extent “Garden Party” – do still feel a bit too melodically empty. But all the rest (barring interludes) keep the energy up nicely.

“Fruit Crush” kicks off the meat of the album with rocking solo work from Owane and sets the tone for what’s to come. The characteristic style that Regressor have assembled here is a careful balance of calm, straightforward melodies interspersed with more energetic solo sections by either Stevenson or the appropriate guest musician. Both elements are well-constructed, though naturally the solo sections are more exciting and noteworthy. The guest solos in particular help to add distinctness to each track, especially in “Moonlight Chef” where the featured solo is on saxophone rather than guitar. Sam Rapley’s sax complements Stevenson’s guitar well and lends the piece a feeling of classic jazz that is otherwise mostly left aside in favor of more modern and guitar-oriented fusion.

All of that said, I’m a little disappointed in how uniform the album ends up feeling, especially after a few listens. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all good listening, and the guest appearances each at least add something unique, but once you’ve heard one track, you know mostly what to expect from the rest. Even if the details are different, there’s an underlying structure shared among all of Crescent Spoon, and I’d hope for a little more variety from my prog rock – and especially jazz fusion. I know from his StarSystems work that Stevenson can compose some really stellar stuff, and he hasn’t quite lived up to that standard here; such is the specter of success, I guess. But as the veteran Scotsman gets comfortable with the novel, jazzier focus, I’m happy to enjoy this solid debut on its own merits.

Although he’s carried forward some existing influences, Joseph Stevenson has clearly demonstrated his stylistic flexibility with this latest production. Crescent Spoon is a pleasant, cheery bit of jazz-fusion prog that’s sure to put you in a summer mood. Whether you’re in it for the intricate and rousing solos or the chill vibes in between, Regressor can serve up what you need with a little paper umbrella on top. You might have to bring your own pool float, though.

Recommended tracks: Fruit Crush, Moonlight Chef, Crescent Spoon
You may also like: Sam Birchall, Sean Ashe, Fifth Quadrant
Final verdict: 7/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram
Label: Independent

Regressor is:
– Joseph Stevenson (guitars)
– Andrew Scott (drums)
With guests:
– Owane (guitar, “Fruit Crush”)
– Sam Birchall (guitar, “The Squid King”)
– Sam Rapley (saxophone, “Moonlight Chef”)
– Arenlong (guitar, “Crescent Spoon”)