THE JEWEL

I've just realized recently from my friend who regularly visit my blog that I have not reviewed this debut album by one of the pioneers of what so called 'neo-prog' music. I remember vividly that in the midst of my love with Marillion first three albums, there was this album available in cassette format. I purchased it but I rarely listened to it, even though the music has a bit of similarity with Marillion, because almost everytime I always played Marillion albums. To my ears, Pendragon 'the Jewel' was nothing compared to any first three albums of Marillion. But occasionally I played the cassette and it did not really hook me with the music. It's nice to have it but nothing so special.

As time went by I realized many bands in the vein of neo-prog have actually followed the path of Pendragon, Pallas and IQ - and not quite really followed Marillion. For easy comparison, there have been rare or even 'none' that new neo prog bands have energy-driven music such as Marillion's 'Forgotten Sons', 'He Knows You Know', 'Emerald Lies', 'Assassing', 'Punch and Judy', 'Fugazi', 'Hotel Hobbies' and many more. It does not mean that Marillion never created mellow neo prog. We can see it from 'Chelsea Monday', 'She Chameleon', 'Jigsaw', 'Sugar Mice'. It might be that other bands in neo prog vein followed the mellow side of Marillion.

This full-length debut album of Pendragon came out quite late as Marillion started already with their EP 'Market Square Heroes' in 1982 followed with full length album 'Script for A Jester's Tear' in 1983 who really took the prog music industry by the STORM! If you like keyboard-driven music plus some Hackettian guitar fills, 'The Jewel' would fulfill your taste entirely. The music is quite mellow, mostly. The opening track 'Higher Circles' (3:29) is not truly a neo prog tune as it's a simple pop rock music. The second track 'The Pleasure of Hope' (3:43) reminds me to the kind of music IQ plays; it's a nice keyboard-driven music. 'Leviathan' (6:13) moves up the music with faster tempo style with Marillion's 'Garden Party'-like keyboard work. I find the fourth track 'Alaska' (8:39) entertaining especially on its interlude at the end of the track where keyboard plays great solo. The most memorable song for me is 'The Black Knight' (9:57) as it starts beautifully with a good ambient using a combined work of keyboard with guitar fills;and the vocal moves emotionally as the music flows. I like this song very much. I know that Nick Barrett has many limitations in its vocal quality - no power - but throughout this tune he can manage it successfully.

Overall, this is a very good neo prog album with good melody and harmony. Even though the music is not that complex, there are still change of styles in its segments. The album is cohesive from start to end. Keep on proggin' ..!!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW