PRE

Pre

Symphonic Prog

3.63 | 26 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

One could easily dismiss this as falling into the valleys of Yes a bit too often, but there is some damn strong material here.

Recorded in 1973 but never released until 1992, the album quickly works its way into soft, dark acoustic ballad territory with "Who's Laughing Now." This reminds a bit of Zeppelin's "Rain Song" but it is somewhat over the top and frankly might deter some listeners. There is something not quite fully evolved about the sound here and the vocal sounds a bit melodramatic and forced, but don't give up.

By the time we reach "Ascetic Eros" it is clear that this band could have been a real player on the 70s US prog scene. Tremendously effective vocal melodies are all over this one and while Collinsworth is certainly straight out of the Anderson school his delivery is confident and powerful.

Some of the arrangements on the album tend to be a bit on the "busy" side but I think it'll please most Yes fans who aren't uncomfortable with the obvious stylistic lifts which run fairly rampant throughout. From the Wakeman-like organ solos to Howe-inspired leads, this one is tied up pretty tightly with the sounds of Close To The Edge, but somehow it has a certain charm and I think it's down to the melodic content being strong enough to carry the weight of much of the material.

Sonically, what's disappointing is that the tapes were clearly run through what I'm sure would have been Sonic Solutions No-Noise at the time this was mastered for CD. You can hear the hiss gating in and out amidst the quieter sections and the life of the original tapes has been irreparably damaged as a result. Not sure what sort of EQ work was done but the recording often strikes as thin and a bit on the bright side. Shame that these recordings haven't seen a fresh transfer in recent years, as I suspect they could be made to sound better just by letting that hissy goodness of analog exist and eliminating the use of digital "no-noise" alone. But don't let any of this prevent you from tracking this one down. It's absolutely enjoyable and the sound is not a "deal- breaker" by any means. The music is fascinating and something about this band keeps them from being just another Yes clone.

Jeff Carney | 4/5 | 2015-2-20

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Share this PRE review

Social review comments () BETA

Review related links

Send comments to Jeff Carney
Report this review (#1370575)
Buy PRE music online with PA partners
Show all PRE MP3/Stream
Go to PRE page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
Go to Pre page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
Search the Forum for PRE related discussions