"The Murder Wall" : Kaprekar’s Constant release a third album

Few bands spin a yarn like Kaprekar’s Constant. Their 2017 debut, Fate Outsmarts Desire, and its follow-up, Depth Of Field, showed the core duo of Al Nicholson and Nick Jefferson to be skilled storytellers, songwriters and performers, with a taste for history and an evocative way with a lyric. With Van der Graaf sax player David Jackson onboard, and Ian Anderson supplying some spoken word on album two, their prog credentials were assured.

Presented as a continuous, 75-minute piece of music, the septet’s third outing draws on real-life stories of intrepid mountaineers who have taken on the north face of the Eiger, a deadly climb known as ‘The Murder Wall’. Some succeeded, many died trying. Prologue sets up the story, with a catchy, not-that-jolly refrain of Death stalks them all up on the murder wall’, and the band are on anthemic form from the off.

Nicholson’s warm, characterful voice makes him an assured narrator here and on Tall Tales By Firelight, a vivid recounting of two German climbers’ doomed ascent.

He and co-singer Dorie (daughter of David) Jackson make a great pairing — she excels on the sad, piano-led Failure Takes Care Of Its Own (A carpet of ice cushions stuck to the wall/Frosted victims stuck to the wall’) and the frigidly atmospheric The Stormkeeper’s Daughter. 

The Murder Wall's song frameworks are familiar and traditional, ripe with prog, folk and 80s pop inflections. They’re elevated by KC’s way with detail, arrangement and orchestration. Gorgeous guitars and woodwinds colour Another Man's Smile's reflections on the human cost of such dangerous endeavours against their place in history and the popular imagination. Mark Walker’s drums, Jefferson’s bass, and the rafts of vocal harmonies are given punch by Mike Westergaard’s clear, defined production and mix.

The band are in full flight on the stirring Victorious and Third Man Down, and whether he’s on sax, flute or whistle David Jackson’s tasteful playing adds instant class. Judie Tzuke’s lovely vocal cameo on the brief, mournful Years To Perfect is a bonus, A World Beyond Man has real sweep, while A Silent Drum is a beautifully written father-to-son moment. 

Nicholson and Jefferson’s lyrical smarts abound, as on highlight Hope In Hell, a poignant evocation of the moment when, high up on that mountain and 'reaching up with Venus De Milo arms', all is lost.

The triumphant, theme-recapping Hall Of Mirrors closes another inspired, crafted record from this pedigree outfit. The Murder Wall is filled with love, care, drama and great music, as Kaprekar’s Constant scale new heights of their own.

GRANT MOON