Blue Nagoon - Here Be Dragons

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Blue Nagoon’s (Michael Maas) Here Be Dragons weaves together intense musical imagery, skillful vocal performances, intricate guitar solos and immersive songwriting to carry listeners on a deep musical voyage. The mixture of synth elements with genre-spanning songwriting creates fresh and pleasing music that sails across uncharted waters.

Sheer vocal magic fills the songs on Here Be Dragons. All nine of the guest vocalists bring flawless singing abilities to the music, along with their own unique vocal styles. The ability of each of the singers to interpret Michael Maas’ lyrics lends more emotion and depth to the words. I enjoyed hearing the sheer variety and quality of different singers on the album.

Compelling guitar performances are a defining feature of the music here as well. Michael Maas has a flair of playing his instrument and imbuing it with life and expression as he does so. His stylistic choices run through blues, jazz, metal and prog rock sounds as each song unfolds. I also want to give a shout out to Elevate The Sky for his superb solo on “Withernsea” as it adds a unique element to that song.

Rather than fixating on one particular musical style, Michael Maas has woven together layered synth sounds with a plethora of different influences that effectively combine to create a cohesive whole. I enjoy the fact that while no single influence stands out, all of the musical elements come together to create a characterful and enjoyable end result.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Hinterlands” comes to life as smoothly flowing sounds sweep into a brightly flashing string-like synth. The synth moves in a dynamic, uplifting melodic pattern over colossal bass. The throbbing retro drumbeat pulsates under swelling guitar. The driving beat joins Salissa Thole’s caressing, resonant vocals and the guitar is pleasingly full of positive energy.

The vocals are expressive as they radiate through the music and shimmering synth flickers. Michael Maas’ guitar cries out as Salissa Thole’s voice leaps over the pounding drums and guiding bass. After a quick digital flicker, the guitar flies out and matches Salissa Thole’s powerful, rich vocal performance.

The gleaming synth accents flash and the drums and bass press on as the guitar soars along with the vocals. The massive retro drums now fading into a misty, swirling moment before the full uplift of the musical elements dance out again.

Love and desire can be hypnotic and all-consuming, but there’s a danger to being swept away. This song expresses that idea as the narrator fails to see that “the bridge was crumbling up ahead” and misses the sunrise as she was “tangled in your tresses in your bed… drowning in the pools of your eyes.” Now our narrator feels the “call of the horizon” because at the moment “here there be dragons.”

Our storyteller says she belongs “in the hinterlands, on the ragged edge” as far away as possible from the other person. She admits they’d “still a beating heart” but concludes that “the bitter truth” is that there’s “one thing love can’t do.”

The narrator points out that she plays to win while the other person plays “for keeps.” She talks about how the other person’s touch is “the coldest fire on my skin.” She says that the other person is spinning in their dress as “the house is burning.” Our narrator’s need to escape means she is “deafened by the call of the wilderness.”

Resonant, slightly gruff guitar carries a melody tinged with complex, aching emotion as "This Isn’t Over Yet" starts. Glowing synth begins to rise and the drums and bass create a driving propulsion. Kristina Paulick’s voice has a passionate edge as it bursts richly into the music, carrying a yearning melody while guitar sparks add shining accents.

Kristina Paulick’s vocals have a warmth to them as the angular bass line and hard-hitting drums push on. Michael Maas’ guitar growls into the music, imbuing it with growing life and energy as chimes glitter delicately. Kristina Paulick’s singing has a smoky quality as the drums and bass propel the music with vitality as the rounded synths gleam distantly. The guitar adds enjoyable energy along with a sharper edge and more weight.

Arpeggiating chimes flicker and the vocals take centre stage above the rebounding drums. Now Michael Maas’s solo rings out, full of a pained emotion and intricately interlinked cascades of notes. Piano dances and shivers as quick, digital sounding notes sprinkle through and the chugging bass and pounding drums support the strong chorus before silence falls.

The narrator begins by says that “the moment they open the cage” she and the song’s subject will run and she adds “let them try to cut us down!” The light at the tunnel’s end is shining like the sun for them and she tells the other person “I'll meet you on the edge of town.” She points out that they didn’t want “this fight” and were happy to lead a quiet life of gardening and “cocktails in the golden hour.” When it comes down to it though, she toasts the end of the world.

In the chorus, our storyteller says there will be no fear and they will see it through. She adds that “you are no Juliet” and adds that she promises to be there and it isn’t over yet. Next she asks the song’s subject to tune out the “grind of the gears” to hear her voice and follow her. She speaks of each moment being a choice to keep walking as they “stand against the sea.”

Now our narrator talks about leaping across light years and when their pursuers arrive “they'll die here all alone in the winter rain.” Their enemies will be left “to the understudy” to end up “broken, bruised or bloody.” The pair of them will be free “by sheer force of will” and she concludes “well that tank is empty now, may it never refill.”

“Your Command” opens as distant synths are broken by twinkling chimes carrying a gently melodic note pattern. A nasal, distorted synth arpeggio whirls in, below which hard-hitting bass and solid drums move. Alyssa Fisher’s vocals are strong and deep with emotion, carrying a melody that is a mixture of ethereal sound and hopeful expectancy.

The chorus becomes warmer as bending arpeggios spin and angular bass waves wash. Alyssa Fischer’s voice has a resonant richness as it carries the longing, dreaming melody and broadly glowing arpeggios whirl. After a drum fill, the vocals carry the slightly hurting, yearning melody and the percussion and bass shape the music.

Alyssa Fischer skilfully captures the feeling of the lyrics in her voice and hollow, reverent sounds float in the distance. Bright chimes flicker as round, smoothly twirling arpeggios delicately dance. Bell-like jazz organ mixes with the vocals as they soar into the chorus, bursting with joy as the ultimate realization is reached before glowing chimes guide the music into silence.

As the song begins, the narrator says that she had thought herself “a master of disguise” as she presented “a bright veneer atop the mess inside” but came to realize that the song’s subject could see through and wanted her not to hide.In the chorus, our storyteller says that “the fact that you want me whole and not in pieces” is hard to adjust to when someone has loved as she has, by “throwing all of me in front of faster cars” for inexplicable reasons. She adds that somehow the other person knows it.

She goes on to say that she would “destroy everything I built at your command” and give up and give in but she says “now I understand that's something you would never do.” She elaborates that if it were only one word, she wouldn’t listen and there was a time when she stood tall.

Our narrator points out that it feels as if she were designed to “let in all the little messengers of doubt that say I should crawl back” to people who wanted “the ideal.” She explains that she hadn’t understood that love shouldn’t feel like throwing herself in front of the “faster cars” again. Somehow the other person knows how she feels.

The storyteller says that she’d tear things down and let them burn but the other person would never ask her to do that. She says she has to “learn to have a voice outside, to match the voice inside of me” and to stop wondering “if…” and concludes by saying "baby I could sure get used to this.”

Razor-edged, distorted synth trembles as elevated, shattering notes tumble down to begin “Aurora.” Colossal bass and wide-sounding drums thunder below Rose Alaimo's intensely expressive voice. Michael Maas’s guitar snarls with staggering power as it effectively contrasts with the melancholy vocal melody.

The guitar has gigantic drive below the soaring intensity of Rose Alaimo’s voice. Vibrating, gritty synth unwinds above huge drums and Michael Maas’s jagged guitar churns while the percussion smacks into the music.

The chorus flies upwards in as the guitar's crushing pulse of crashes in along with battering drums. Swirling synths flow through as the drums fall away. Rose Alaimo’s trembling, needy vocals move above the towering strength of the raging guitar and the song ends.

The narrator begins by saying that she walked “straight out of hell” with her head held high. She talks about putting out the flames with a flick of her wrist. Our narrator tells us that hearing her named whispered by the song’s subject beats out “the wages of sin, the power of love.”

She says that she bears the scars of seeing it through adding “I need you to follow the north star.” In the chorus, she points out that “I’m through following rules, I’m through suffering fools.”

Our storyteller explains that the song’s subject never feared “the power inside me.” She adds that the other person was the earth and she was the fire, together they made a whole.

Now the storyteller says that she’s prepared to “forsake all the rest” so that they will stand together and have control. She talks about being “in bloom” when the other person touches her. She concludes that “it's not like this with anybody else, one touch, one kiss and I am the aurora."

Gleaming synth notes shine out in a gentle, uplifting melody as airy synth glides around them to start “Spheres.” Guitar and dense bass support the smoothly gliding synth notes. Heather Mitchell’s voice has an engaging, touching quality as she carries the tender melody.

Now the chorus dances out, shining with positive energy and light over the scudding drums and solid bass. A hopeful, touching melody is carried by medium-high, enfolding synth as flickering synth flows while the drumbeat shapes the song. Heather Mitchell capably captures the affection in the lyrics while the song flies on, drums popping and bass guiding the music.

Now Michael Maas’s guitar adds a rough-edged depth in the slower segment as drums burst below it. Shimmering synth flashes out encouragingly and the chorus lifts the music as the percussion dances onwards. The song ends on slower, deeper notes.

Our narrator talks about experiencing a strange sensation in which “the whole world rings, endlessly resonating.” She points out that she didn’t hear it until the song’s subject found her. Now her “simple plan” has become complicated. When the other person sings, she can hear 
“the spheres, the turning of the gears” and the years that they’ll share as they pass by.

The storyteller says that when the other person laughs, she is “ablaze” as the sun's rays light “the days I’ll spend with you.” She speaks of the web they spun creating a “melody captivating hearts.” There are “no false starts” and the other person’s finding her has made “a work of art.”

The narrator talks about how “what should be one” has been separated in “the spin” as she encourages the song’s subject to take her hand and leap. She wonders if she leans in too much and adds “Maybe I'm drunk from your touch, but I could swear I hear something I know wasn't there before you.”

"Past Tense” commences as gargantuan drums explode with wide sound as sparkling synths yearn. Patricia Lattime’s full voice carries the chorus and the melody has a pained, ballad-like quality. Distinctive percussion is broken by flashing synth and bass depths rumble below that.

The chorus leaps up above the breaking drum waves and solid bass, the singing deepening the music’s emotion. After the unique sounding drums tick, Patricia Lattime’s voice soars out again in an ardent tide as the trickling, bright synth moves past.

Drums batter hard behind the arcing vocals. Neaon’s voice carries the bridge section with tremulous emotion before Patricia Lattime’s emotes intensely. The song ends on bursting drums, metallic chimes and deep bass.

The song begins as the narrator says she heard the other person speaking "in past tense” adding that they were beginning to make sense. She wonders what they’ve done and adds “I saw that spark in your eye again.” She questions if they ought to try again and asks “what have we become?”

As the story unfolds, the storyteller says that they had everything but “stumbled in a moment of weakness.” She adds that they mistook “deepening peace” for darkness. They tried to let in a little light, but “when the curtain opened, we were blinded.”

Our narrator says that they “wore the colors (and) acted like the others” as they put themselves in “the firing line” until they were burnt out. She adds that they went “one by two into a coal mine” on the strength of the lie that they’d find gold.

As the song ends, she says that she recalls her promise to have and hold. Once again, she wonders what they’ve done and concludes that she still loves the other person.

Flaring synth shifts behind Michael Maas’ guitar which drifts out in bluesy notes and drums flourish as “Forgive Forget” begins. Churning, gruff bass oscillates choppily before Vedrolina’s full voice carries a melody that mingles mournful emotion and expression. Chugging guitar and massive drums lock into a driving pattern.

Vedrolina’s vocals are charmingly heartfelt and don’t hold back the emotion as the chorus leaps with aching power. Michael Maas’guitar cuts in with a fervent howl before the lead vocal bleeds feeling. This song's melody is full of hurt and naked emotion. Underneath the growling guitar, battering drums and pulsating bass drive the music.

Chimes flutter and Michael Maas’ guitar leaps in with strong feeling all its own, flying out as intricate notes intertwine. The song ends with Vedrolina’s voice and the other musical elements enfolding one another before silence falls.

This song commences as the storyteller says that she keeps the other person “in the corner of my eye, behind the tear that never dries.” This is so she can pretend they had “a heart and a soul.” She wonders where they have gone now. She says that “this year was a spotlight” like fluorescent lights in which “you sure look like hell.” The narrator had to cut the other person out after they removed any doubt that “there's anything beneath that shell.”

Our storyteller now understands what the other person is after sunset. She adds that she can neither forgive nor forget what that person has become in the darkness. In a play on words she muses that she “always had suspicions subtracting you would be addition.” After all of the excuses cancel each other out, that person is exposed for who they really are.

The past year has been a “wake up call” for the narrator. In the daylight “we saw it all” and made it through “in spite of you.” The last year confirmed that this person was “more foe than friend.” She adds that “sometimes we give, sometimes we take” but the branch they are on won’t break, but bend instead. Our narrator concludes “we stand here, lighter than ever now for love.”

“Tangent” commences as a rapid drumbeat rushes forward and Michael Maas’ guitar carries a melody bursting with leaping energy as darkly shaded lyrics are captured in Patricia Lattime’s strong voice. Rippling arpeggios twirl as the drums flourish before the yearning, aspiring chorus comes in.

Drums rapidly charge along with the guitar’s rising strength and the chorus spirals to the sky while chimes shimmer. Patricia Lattime’s voice pours out emotion and deep bass pulses as bright chimes ring out. Angular guitar explodes with slicing notes slice and the resonating, powerful vocals brim over with life. Michael Maas’ guitar adds glimmering, dancing notes that cry out as the song ends.

The narrator addresses the song’s subject and says that they were “left in a glass cage…in a long wake” to drown. She adds that if the other person could see what was happening, it could’ve been broken but “she painted this town."Watching “from shore” the storyteller knows she can’t get too close without being “pulled down.”

She adds that she wishes to be the other person’s “tangent” so she could free them from the circle and the chains holding them. Our storyteller wants to be a constant for the song’s subject and make it “all add up” but that person is haunted as “the ghost of her remains."

A sad realization comes to the narrator as she says “you won't go down fighting, you think it's flying” as the other person’s world was turned upside down. She adds that she “kept the faith for years” as she kept tugging on the same thread. While “all the alibis unwound” our narrator knew that if she showed that to the song’s subject she’d be dragged down.

In the end, she says that if she could wish the other person free, she would but realizes that it isn’t up to her. She concludes that “I can only watch as you go 'round and ‘round.”

Washing waves and entangling, string-like sounds flow to open “Withernsea.” An open-voiced woodwind carries a haunted and mournful melody while accordion adds a sharper quality. Sawing, resonant sound moves and piano chords shine behind Kristina Paulick’s lyrical voice carrying a timeless melody before towering drums burst and the guitar begins to roar.

Drums and bass lock into an active throb with the accordion adding a folksy feeling. Kristina Paulick has the necessary soaring life in her voice to suit this music’s scope. The piano flickers in gleaming notes while the drums add weight and strength. The piano melody feels triumphant and shadowy as choral voices add a reverent feeling. Ringing chimes coruscate and the percussion thunders.

Ticking, tapping drums move behind the quickly intertwining guitar pattern that shivers out. Kristina Paulick’s smooth voice is rich with feeling, carrying the triumphant melody that is still full of longing. A tin whistle calls out along with glittering chimes Michael Maas’ guitar solo is full of hopeful, arcing energy.

The drumbeat changes as the vocal melody takes on a pained quality. Elevate The Sky's guitar solo is richly woven and full of free-wheeling life as it spirals out. Drums burst and break along with a choral synth. Kristina Paulick’s voice is lush and intense with only the piano accompanying it as the choir cries out. Drums surge once more underneath the flying chorus before the song ends on a tender piano melody and washing waves.

Dark and mingled emotions flow from this song. Our storyteller begins as she sees the song’s subject walking on the beaches as he looks out “over my wat’ry grave.” She says that when “the longest night comes” and he is at his darkest, she’ll call him home. She adds that “you don’t have to be alone.”

“As daughters of the sea” she says that she and others learned to “read the current” and “feared the undertow” but she always lost control. She remembers that the song’s subject “loved my wild heart” because she stood out from other girls and that he “brought me shells and pearls.” Our narrator adds that after she felt “the pull of the veil” her fear went away and she wants that for the other person.

The narrator speaks of sailing into the night “in the pale moonlight” with him as the tide starts to turn once more. She says that she saw a spark in his eyes that dimmed when she left. She tells him that when they’re in the depths together “you won’t ever need to burn again.”

Our storyteller says there were rumours about them and “wicked glances cast across the village square” where they knelt in prayer. She says that she could no longer keep secrets or hide her lust any longer. She wandered to the shore and as “the shock of the cold stole my breath, in a moment there was nothing” which she wants for the song’s subject.

She looks back and says she was the “underfoot girl” who had no fear in a ship’s rigging and he was “the boy on the bow” who watched the horizon “with a song on your lips.” As they grew up, their desire grew strong and she would "crash into you like the waves on the beach” in their seaside cave. They made promises to each other there that “were forever.”

However, in the end, the “promise broke in two” and the summer became winter “like I walked through a door.” Now finally she will make it up to him and pull him into the depths where “none of it will matter any more.”

Conclusion

Here Be Dragons weaves a musical spell as it mingles emotive vocal performances with skilled guitar playing, multiple synth layers and well-crafted lyrics. It wanders across a wide soundscape but remains anchored by emotional and vocal richness to create a luscious whole.