Shawn Simms - Vapors In Time

Shawn Simms

Vapors In Time
self-released; 2019

3.8 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

It’s not very common to find bassists that play the six string bass but they are out there. One of those players is Shawn Simms. That’s the main weapon of choice on his release Vapors In Time which is a prog rock infused album that mixes in other genres such as jazz and other sub genres.

​Simms doesn't seem to be singing at all on this release. There are however a number of featured singers throughout the album.

The album opens with “Sprava (ft. Liann)” which immediately showcases some interesting free jazz. There is a guitar and bass that play off each other but soon enough the song starts to gel together. The vocals by Liann are well delivered but the instrumentation is really the backbone of the song.

Up next is “Cemetery Riot (ft. Sara)” which features some funky bass and reminded me of when I listened to jam bands more often. That being said there are some unexpected aspects such as the orchestral strings that show up in song. The album continues with “Sweet Epiphany (ft. Lena)” which was one of my favorite songs. This song is catchy but unconventional and goes in a number of very interesting directions. The vocals are also a little prominent on this track but this is hardly standard verse/chorus/verse type stuff. It felt like a rock opera.

“Twilight” is an orchestral piece and very cinematic. It reminded me of the soundtrack you might hear on an older movie. The song “Signal to Noise” goes into new territory as well. There are some atmospheric elements as well as an organ which gives this song a darker feel than anything that came before it.

Those first five songs give a good idea of what else you can expect on the album.There are some songs however that felt like highlights. “Coalescence (ft. Lena)” and “Silent Dawn (feat. Sara 432hz)” are two songs that I will be revisiting.

This album is impressive from both a technical and creative level. I think more than just fans of prog rock will appreciate this music. Take a listen.

Tweet