PRICKLY PEAR

Second album from the Los Angeles based band THE SOURCE. It took three years to present the follower and the sound has evolved unmistakably. 'Prickly Pear' holds five songs which are provided with a quite complex structure but also presented in a special relaxed mood, symphonic oriented, spiked with some references to wellknown prog dinosaurs too. Especially Harrison Leonard's guitar is partially showing a stylistical conformity with Steve Howe. The band is provided with a new bass player as for a major change. But former member Nico Photos was responsible for the album art work at least and he has contributed to the initial song writing before the decision occured to quit the collaboration.

The Promised Land is only reachable when using a road consisting of many curves and turns. Aaron Goldich's keyboards are leading the band with safety though. This is an interesting diversified track by all means reaching the ten minute mark - even coming near to the typical YES style sometimes. The vocals are nicely mellow - the whole music sounds very harmonic. Surprisingly this song is faded out just reaching for Star Dreamer which is somewhat dreamy indeed where Goldich concentrates on electric piano with a jazzy note and you can enjoy a nice guitar solo excursion by Leonard. Thin Air appears mysteriously to me a little bit because bordering some rare heavy rocking moments but also 60's similar vocals reminding of the Beatles. This is amazingly blended in a successful manner.

Until Morning Time comes up like a mini symphony with changes and surprises en masse where I first thought: this is overproduced unhappily. But now after listening to the album during a longer period it doesn't take effect anymore - on the contrary - I would say this song is the album's highlight ... if not ... Castles In The Sky in active competition is probably a bit more catchy presented like an extended ballad. Here we have an impressing start with excellent bass contribution - lots of acoustic and electric guitars afterwards, funfair organ, convincing polyphonic vocals.

If you are already familiar with bands like IZZ, Big Big Train, Salem Hill, Spock's Beard and like this stuff you will act in the right way when deciding to explore this album. The band delivers high quality. Not adapted for easy background listening - I could listen for another couple of times and surely would detect some new impressions. Take enough time to explore - as many others it needs space to unfold. Listeners of cultivated prog music with retro references to the 70s should pay attention.