MOONSHINE

Collage is one of the most respected neo prog bands not only from Poland but from Europe too. They made this style to be more exposured to the public in the ,90,s and for that they got a well known fame. They released before disbanded some albums more or less great, this is Moonshine from 1994, one of their better works if not the most complet from their career and one of the better ex of smooth and greatness of this style. The album, musicaly speaking is ok, with some great and very elegand symphonic parts, even this attitude is often used here, the neo prog elements are not left aside, both style are melting each other very well, the prime ex is the openingtrack Heroes cry, I think the best piece from here. Now, as a neo prog album is very often in this scene, never breaks any rules or to be a groundbreaking release, at least for me, Moonshine suffers from same over production in this sub genre. When I first listen to the album, after finishing it I said that this is one of the another few hundred neo prog albums from this scene, repetative arrangements, specially on guitar, but aswell the vocal parts are a bit too the same on each piece, but combined with that symphonic parts make from this Moonshine to be more then an usual album after all, but nothing special either. I don,t like the mellowness of the album as a whole, the voice is too much the same, the keybords are not rounding the sound, is more like an instrument who enters when needed but rarely is very exciting in what it does, at least for me, the druming is linear and without many pretentions. With all this low points, the album as a whole can get from me 3 stars, but is the best I can give here, I know hundreds of better albums then Moonshine, and are far more less known productions. Another thing is that the album is too long, the second track of the album In your eys is almost 15 min of totaly boring and uninspired neo prog, this tune is totaly useless IMO. The Marillion influences are all over, specially the Rothery noodlings. After Collage was gone 3 memebers from here will form another known neo prog band from Poland and not only Satllite (IMO better then Collage). So, as I said, nothing really exciting here, nothing impressive or never heared before in this scene, only a fairly good release, who gets I think too much praise. 3 stars.