Album Details

• Artist: Oleg Prodeus
• Album: The 13
• Label: Independent
• Year of Release: 2012
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2012-03-30

Oleg Prodeus is seemingly a man of many faces. And I don't mean that in the pompous, Bowie-like way of being a character actor/musician. No, this man, born in the former Soviet Union and now residing in Vienna, Austria, is a man of many artistic endeavors. Visual design, digital artist, film producer/directer, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist. The 13 is his 3rd collection of solo material to date, and it is brimming with the sort of focus and skill you might not anticipate from a man with so many faces.

First and foremost, Oleg is an absolutely stunning vocalist, who reminds me of Muse's Matt Bellamy, A'tris' Mason Taylor, Radiohead's Thom Yorke all rolled into one dynamic voice. It is this voice, and his knack for penning vivid melodies and highly refined pop choruses, that makes almost every track on The 13 worthy of considerable praise. Pinning it down to genre specifics, think Depeche Mode by way of Radiohead filtered through 80's new wave sensibilities, then run back through a more modern and polished production line. Crisp, bright and infectious vocal melodies bring to life the dark, industrial opener "Savior" (which is otherwise an excellent track by itself), flow like a breeze over the atmospheric "Can You Feel The Rain", and are all but the drive and force behind "Follow Me". Oleg's english is, for any worried, flawless, and his lyrics are straightforward, no-nonsense and tell plain tales of love, loss, longing, and the inevitable ups and downs in between. With it's over-the-top chorus and steady build, "Do You Know The Way" appeals in every way to my sense of what good pop music is supposed to be; edgy, easily digested and, more than anything, graceful. A real sense of confidence rides the length of the album, making it clear that Oleg could easily pen a series of standard pop jingles if it was his prerogative. But it isn't; one takes, early and often, the truest sense of artistic intent, songwriting credibility and respect for the craft. Oleg Prodeus has the "It" factor, and has it as far as the ear can hear. 

With only a couple of tracks that fall a bit flat, The 13 delivers a continually enjoyable industrial pop experience, with thematic qualities and imaginitive properties that seem to befit a man of such distinct and varied skills. Whether you note he did everything on the album himself, note his prowess as a powerhouse vocalist, his ear for infectious pop or his accomplishments at multiple forms of art, you can't help but be absolutely impressed with Oleg Prodeus. But, since this is meant to be a strict review of his album, let me sum up my feelings in one of the few ways a reviewer can that translates to his readers: The 13 will probably be the best pop album I hear this year, and whether or not that remains true, will strongly be considered as one of the 5 or 10 best records I'll hear in 2012. And I think it's worth checking out, worth seeing if you might feel the same.

User Reviews and Comments

on 2012-05-21 hstisgod Said:

Definitely catchy, think Mifune would enjoy this!
Not Rated

on 2012-03-30 SolitaryMan Said:

I do believe it will be worth your time, sir. Be sure to let me know if I'm right.
Rating: 9/10

on 2012-03-30 hstisgod Said:

wow, what a review, hitting this up later tonight!
Not Rated