Orphan Found by Orphan Project

The depth of feeling and the joy of this story carry you from beginning to end of this amazing piece. He aims to make you laugh, break your heart, and let you take a glimpse of the pure joy that he has found in his search for his true Father.

Some Reviews of Orphan Found in the Press:

* Orphan Found was listed as the #23 CD of the year by melodic.net, and the 6th best prog rock CD of 2003

Review by Maarten Goossensen of progwereld.org  full review (in Swedish)

Shane Lankford has...gathered some great musicians around him and together they made an great and powerful album... The music reminds me at bands like Kansas, Salem Hill and Threshold, no name's to be embarrassed for I would say! The opening song shows directly what these musicians are capable off, it opens with heavy drums and guitar, followed by a wah-wah guitar solo. Shane...has a really nice voice; what a quality voice he has! It's a powerful song that leaves you with a high doses of adrenaline, play this song as loud as you can! ...This album is just on-time to fly into my top 10 of the year 2003, coming in at #9 for me.

Review by Kevin Mathews of Phantom Tollbooth 

Look ma, prog! Or should that be neo-prog? As someone who grew up in the 70s (stop trying to guess my age!), the soundtrack of pomp rock (such as it was) filled my bedroom daze where the likes of Genesis, Yes, Jethro Tull, Styx, and Kansas were revered. Orphan Project fits the bill with its emotive melodies, classical arrangements, inventive time signatures and stellar musicianship. Orphan Found is a labor of love as the singer-songerwriter too was an orphan but he uses that trauma to provide a vital analogy to our own lives as prodigals until we return to the Father. Fans of Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Spock's Beard et al will absolutely be electrified by the Orphan Project not only for its authentic take on progressive rock but also by its heartfelt message.

Review by David Taylor of Virtuosity  

Orphan Project was a delightful discovery for me, a beacon of light... Musically, the album mixes heavy guitars, stark piano, bright violins and cellos, and Lankford's Peter Gabriel meets Eddie Vedder voice...This album aint fluff, folks -- it's meat for the soul...The emotional songs burst from Lankford like his deep longing for his true Father, with conviction and introspection. Rarely have I heard a songwriter so succinctly blend his life and his faith into a cohesive musical concept that manages to remain fresh and evoke emotion and interest in the listener throughout the entire album. Reminding me a bit of Scenes from a Memory (Dream Theater) in scope, production, power and creativity, this record is top notch...This album really touched me.

Review by Kaj Roth of melodic.net  

Do you like classy modern progressive rock like Enchant, Threshold, Cairo and Dream Theater with some classic and honorable winds from the 70´s such as Kansas and Yes?!

This breath taking debut from Orphan Project is well worth the money without checking ´em out first, I myself have Kansas as one of the best bands ever so I don´t talk BS here...just buy it from cdbaby and you won´t be disappointed my friends.

They have been asked to open up for Spock´s Beard this fall and also the labels Frontiers and Inside Out have shown interest in signing the band. I won´t be surprised if this record will be released in Europe very soon.

I took the tape with me with this album recorded on it in my freestyle and then went riding on the bike on an evening trip around city. I just couldn´t come home before I have heard the last track...it´s just that good!!!

Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem, Editor of Strutter'zine

The American band Orphan Project is the brainchild of vocalist Shane Lankford. Their debut CD Orphan Found is a very impressive typical American Progressive Rock album with influences from Dream Theatre, Kansas, Styx, Jouney, etc. I hear clear similarities to Enchant sometimes, so this is more polished Prog. Rock with beautiful melodies here and there. The songs are quite long in length, and so the 12 included tracks take us through a journey that's called Orphan Found. The lyrics are about the difficulties growing up as an orphan, and Shane can tell the story because he was an orphan himself...This is a very high quality record that could have been released on a label like Inside Out Music...Highlights are "Discovering new surroundings", "Chosen", "Encircling arms of the father", "Orphan found", and "Gazing down on golden streets".

Review by Susie Mudd, Publisher of Music Monthly

...the lyrics are so intense...moments of brilliance throughout this record, Orphan Found

Review by John Grant, Secret Sound Recording Studio 

...they are already building a buzz in the area, ... and some of the guitar tracks are pretty stunning.

Review by Lord Litter

Absolutely excellent. Highly recommended!

Review by Jurriaan Hage of Axiom of Choice

The album opens forcefully with epic progmetal guitarwork...the music is quite accessible, rather heavy in places on the guitars, a full sound and including some memorable vocal lines...compact, repetitive guitar lines dominate, while keyboards add a mood of their own...the violin plays a supporting role bringing immediately Kansas to mind.

Conclusion: AOR and progmetal and a number of ballads you may find on this album, but that is not all. Elements of Threshold, emotional vocals and lyrics and catchy melodies alternate with real strings (violin and cello) introducing also quite a few ressemblances to Kansas in places...a very nice debut album, with...some excellent songs.

Review by Wim Verweij of prog Visions

I must say that I quite like the lyrics; they give an interesting insight in the psychological aspects of being an orphan. Although this is no progressive rock Orphan Found is a pleasant album, that gives you almost 60 minutes of high class, enjoyable but conventional rock songs and quality musicianship.

Review by Scott Heller of Aural Innovations

...the songs and lyrics combine many elements of progressive rock from Kansas and Styx to the heavier Dream Theater...the production is sterling and the performances nearly flawless... this is a must hear record. The lyrics are...quite intense and very thoughtful.

Review by Anthony Brock of MetalCrypt

Even if you don't put much faith in independent releases, this is one you should definitely check out as soon as possible. The Orphan Project is a very polished, commercial release. Shane Lankford...is simply a mind-blowing singer; he has one of the most passionate, distinctive voices I've heard in ages. Overall, this album is absolutely fantastic, and is easily the best new "true prog" album I've heard this year. If you have any sort of appreciation for prog, you must have this album, no matter what the cost. Simply stellar.

Review by Nick Shilton of Classic Rock Magazine

...personally I think it's the most exciting album I have heard from a new US band since Spock's Beard emerged. To me the album has considerable potential and...I would certainly push the album hard in Classic Rock.

Review by rockezine.net

The production of the album is very professional and the use of studio players on violin and cello really paid off. I've been listening to the album for some time now, but still can't find any points of negative criticism. The music, the sound, the concept and even the album cover are brilliant... these guys are the next big thing.

Rating: 9.5/10

Review by Joshua Turner of Progressive World

The music is emotionally charged with personal lyrics. Shane Lankford, the lead vocalist and frontman of the band, puts his heart and soul into the music. He sings with incredible passion. He is U2's Bono. He is Soundgarden's Chris Cornell. He is the nucleus of a talented band.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review by EDF of Phase 9

There is a feeling that metal is coming back. There is enough pap out there right now that upcoming bands such as Orphan Project from Baltimore cannot be ignored. The project is the brainchild of Shane Lankford, who himself was an orphan and this is essentially a concept album documenting his experience.

The album is subtitled "Coming Into View", which is divided into three sections. The opening track DISCOVERING NEW SURROUNDINGS tracks the narrator as he is born into a world where "I see a thousand colors, my eyes can't take it". As he shares a room with others who are in the same situation, he asks, "when will my time come" as others get chosen. Thankfully CHOSEN finishes on a happy note as he is approached by his foster parents who declare, "You'll be the one we'll raise". LEAVING MY SEAT AT THE TABLE, shows the young Lankford eventually feels an empty gap in his life where his "heart is restless within".

Second part of "Coming Into View" finds Lankford finding himself through faith and within the context of the subject matter, comes as a welcome relief to the grim reality that came from the end of the first segment. The love that he receives from "this brotherhood" on ORPHAN FOUND is the equivalent of saying "you're no orphan anymore".

The first thing you will notice is Shane Lankford's vocals who manages to captivate the listener to listen to the lyrics. Next is the music itself. While, at times, it attempts to border on prog rock mixed with power ballad sensibilities, it is hard to ignore the emotional context that has been successfully captured here. The concept is riveting and Lankford's belief thankfully does not come over as being preachy, making this an enjoyable album.

5 out of 6 stars.

Review by Allen Gunnison of Progression

Style: Progressive Pop

Sound: HHH Composition: HHH Musicianship: HHHH

Performance: HHH Total rating 13 out of 16!!!

Orphan Project is a relatively new band from Baltimore, MD that is the brainchild of Shane Lankford (lead vocals) and John Wenger (keyboards, guitars). "Orphan Found" is their first album and an impressive debut.

The category of progressive pop maybe a little misleading because the band does drift to the heavy side, like the track "Leaving My Seat at the Table" which opens with a monster riff. One thing that is constant is emphasis of melody. The second track "Chosen" is surrounded by a big commercial hook that if they deprogged it, the song could be a radio hit.

The studio band features along with Lankford, Wenger, Nathan Grant (drums), Colin McGough (bass), Chris Maggitti (guitars), Cindy King and Helen Hausmann (violin) Ben Hardesty (cello), Wendy Lankford (backing vocals).

The songs are top notch all around with standouts like "Trickle Down" and "Coming into View II" that are especially notable. None of the tracks are overly long with an average around six minutes. A very promising first effort from this American prog band.

Review by Jean-Pierre Lhoir from Music in Belgium (some in French):

Project carried out by two American Shane Lankford and John Wenger, this concept album reports the questions that a adopted child is posed compared to his family, with its search d identity. In fact, it is presented in the form of an autobiography of Shane. Musicalement between rock'n'roll and progressive metal, Orphan Project offers a consistent album to us d'un end with l'autre. D'un side, one finds hardness d'un "Coming Into View I: discovering new surroundings" with powerful metal, of l'autre "Chosen" with the refrain hooker and the superb voices on acoustic bottom of guitar accompanied by violin and violoncello. Sometimes, the guitar wants to be aggressive as in "Full goal lonely". On "Trickle down", c'est its solo which retains l'attention. With "Leaving my seat At the table", the guitar shows its side very heavy metal within d'un title combining softness and violence. C'est with Ayreon qu'on will think for "Orphan Found". And then, there is the ballade "Paupers unfulfilled" with a violoncello with the dark tone, the softness of "Parts have one" with the very melody song and the very vocal "Coming Into View II: encircling arms of the Father". Lastly, how not to raise l acoustic "See what He sees" with the superb envoûtant song wrapped by the violins and violoncellos with the mysterious tonalities. The small jewel of this opus! "Orphan Found" should allure the fans of Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Pain Of Salvation or Evergrey for the side metal. The melodies of the song are shown often accrocheuses and the voice points out One Thorns I Lay.

Pays: US

Orphan Project Music

Sortie: 2003

Ajouté: 17-Jun-2004

Critique: Jean-Pierre Lhoir

Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Lien en relation: Orphan Project

Hits: 15

Langue: french

Really all we want to do is make music that touches the soul of any listener...done to the best of our abilities...we don't believe this quality of sounds has been heard in a long time!

take care & God bless,

Shane Lankford

"we are all orphans until..."

Average Customer Review: 4