SKY

It's a fun whistle-stop tour of some of the highlights of Mozart's discography, and I guess doing the whole "rocking the classics" thing which was popular in the early days of prog with updated 1980s instrumentation is original, but it feels unambitious - not in terms of the musical presentation, because that at least is doing something new by setting the band against a full orchestra (though isn't the point of their rock-classical blend that they can achieve orchestral sounds without resorting to that?), but in compositional terms, since it feels like you don't take this path unless you're well and truly out of original songwriting ideas and want to resort to something perennially popular.

For some, this will no doubt seem unacceptably saccharine - but the power of music in part resides in its ability to touch a broad range of emotions and moods, and if you're in the mood for music which is often gentle, never aggressive, always thougthful, and generally quite light in approach, Sky aren't half bad. And it would be a flat-out mistake to regard this as some sort of commercial sell-out affair - unlike, say, Asia, it would be wrong to accuse this of being pop-prog, not least because if you were going to go pop in 1979 you'd never put out an all-instrumental album to begin with. Where Opposites Meet, the side-long epic that rounds it off, likewise demonstrates that these chaps can take a more overtly proggy approach when they decide it's merited - the trick is that these are all knowledgeable musicians who make excellent calls as to when it's good to go textured and complex, and where a touch of simplicity is needed. Hardly a world-changingly innovative work, but a slickly executed and seriously enjoyable one for that.

Carillion is a gentle, classically-inspired piece that builds up to a rousing prog climax a la Floyd before winding down.

La Danza is a bouncy folk piece that builds and ebbs. It reminded me of an instrumental Steeleye Span.

Their version of Gymnopedie is especially sweet. I found it's great for calming down highly-strung dogs and children.

Cannonball reminds me a little of a rockier version of Passport on their Ataraxia album. Passport meets ELP? Very European. Classical, folk and Krautrock influences.

The five-part side-long suite, When Opposites Meet is worth the money alone. Wow! What an extraordinary composition by Francis Monkman of 801 Live fame! The piece is full of excellent riffs, melodies and motifs. There's rock, classical and Krautrock influences, and odd time signatures aplenty, and more than one earworm. If Sky was more flamboyant and not wrongly thought to be "commercial" this 19-minute epic would be considered a prog classic along with Supper's Ready, Starless, Close to the Edge, Hamburger Concerto and 2112.

These are outstanding players. Tristan Fry on drums plays with tremendous authority and accuracy. Herbie Flowers has some outstanding passages, especially on When Opposites Meet. The same can be said for keyboardist Francis Monkman. Kevin Peek on electric guitar shows great versatility and acts as an excellent foil for the renowned John Williams.

Maybe not an essential album for proggers because a fair cohort of us demand instrumental flamboyance, so 4 stars (more 4.5, really).

Probably there were feelings of boredom also on the listeners' behalf. SKY had been repeating the formula based mostly on the classical pieces, although their previous, not very rewarding album "Cadmium..." (1983) only had an adaptation of Prokofiev's Sleigh Ride' amidst original compositions from the band. When the famed classical guitarist John Williams announced his departure just before an Australian tour, "disbanding at this stage was never really an option" according to Flowers. The tour was done with a couple of guest musicians, Ron Aspery (sax, keys) and Lee Fothergill (guitars), both of whom are guesting on this album among a few others.

In a nutshell, The Great Balloon Race will most likely (at first, anyway) disappoint a listener seeking for the typical SKY music, but listened to without prejudices it might surprise you in a positive way. Actually it feels more progressive than their usual rocking-the-classics approach, and in a modern way. Indeed this is a brave album coming from the mid-80's. I sense some kindred spirit to e.g. Mike Oldfield, Pekka Pohjola or The Enid.

'Desperate for Your Love' was composed by Tony Hymas -- a keyboardist from Jeff Beck's band etc. -- who also speaks the sparse lyrics and plays the airy synths. Clare Torry, remembered from Pink Floyd's 'The Great Gig in the Sky', adds nice backing vocals. This mostly very slow and spatial piece is a major departure in style, but a pleasant one. Steve Gray's 'Allegro' is a fast and sharply rocking piece with a more typical SKY sound. 'The Land' written by Kevin Peek and Trevor Spencer was inspired by the vast landscapes of Australia, their home country. Synths dominate this beautiful piece with an orchestral illusion.

Herbie Flowers wrote 'Peter's Wedding' as a wedding gift for the band's manager. This playful, ambitious and progressive composition makes me occasionally think of Pekka Pohjola's music from the 80's onwards. Flowers composed also the following title track that progresses from serenity to slightly annoying rhythmic sharpness. 'Lady and the Imp' (by Flowers/Gray) is a many-sided and playful piece that sounds orchestral like The Enid. Steve Gray's 'Caldando' easily satisfies the fans of SKY with its classically influenced calmness focusing on acoustic guitar and softly played keyboards, and pan pipes fit in very well.

Kevin Peek's lively 'Roleystone' has a hilarious drive; the bright synth riff reminds me of Mike Oldfield's 'Guilty'. The album closes beautifully with Steve Gray's serene 'Night Sky'. All in all this is a surprisingly interesting album. Despite some slightly irritating sonic details, the band's sound is rewardingly updated, and also the compositions show respectable bravery. 3½ stars rounded up!