SEVEN - A SUITE FOR ORCHESTRA

Hmmm.....maybe I'm just an uncultured listener who can't appreciate music without a beat, but this album disappointed me. I was actually quite excited when I first heard about it, because Tony has always so obviously been influenced by classical music, and I thought maybe now we'll all get to finally hear what he has always been striving for. It was very brave of Tony to step so far out of his element on this recording, and it's certainly not a total disaster. But it just doesn't sound like Tony Banks music. I don't fault any artist for trying something new, but I guess the fact that he outsourced the orchestration duties to someone else is what really takes all the Tony out of it for me. There are only a few moments (parts of Black Down, The Spirit of Gravity and Earthlight) where I can hear recognizably Banksian melodies and harmonies. Most of it comes across like generic soundtrack music with few memorable themes. Perhaps if he continues in this direction, Tony's future orchestral efforts may grow more refined. I'm sure Mr. Banks can ultimately accomplish whatever he sets his mind to.