QUODLIBET

ZELLO is a Swedish band from the nineties, who sound very much like KANSAS in their best (seventies) period, though their compositions also sometimes remind me of CAIRO (with a dominant violin instead of the Keith Emerson-like keyboards of that particular band), and the clear and bombastic style of production reminds me of EUROPE (who were also Swedish!). But don't be misguided by this last comparison: nevertheless this certainly is progressive music - though I certainly would have believed you if you'd have toldl me that this was the best KANSAS album ever... The music is dominated by keyboards and bombastic singing, but most of all by Lennart Glenberg-Eriksson, who really is one of the best violin players in prog I ever heard. Especially in the great second part of 'Anthem Of The Long Forgotten Loss', he knows how to work up to a climax without being repetative by putting subtile little differences in every seeming resembling line. 'Quodlibet' contains four epic songs, who despite the same characteristics sound very different, so the danger of repetition is very well avoided. Between these main songs of the album, three short pieces in a classical vain of about one minute are included to prove once more that Glenberg-Eriksson is not just a guy from the street. Those who love violin in prog as much as I do, will certainly love this cd, and will be stunned by Glenberg-Eriksson's playing. For them, this cd is certainly recommended as an excellent addition to their collection. However, I think the rating system of ProgArchives forces me to give it no more than three stars, because this KANSAS clone lacks to much originality in their style.