SMPT:E

Well, I thought I'd review Transatlantic's first effort, because all this talk of the Beatles influence on progressive rock was beginning to prick my Swintonian/Mancunian Parochial nerve. According to some this group of musicians had just produced a Beatles tribute CD !!! That's not how I remembered it, so it went on in the car for a few spins?Well it's a lot better than I thought (and that's a massive understatement), but since (I first listened to it) I have become more attuned to the Spocks Beard and Flokis music. This is definitely a FIVE star jobby, The opening track "All of the Above" is a brilliant effort with Stolte's genius supported by a stunning rhythm section driven by Trewavas and Portnoy and very nice organ and synth work and vocals by Mr Morse. A 30 minute opener, whoooo? and two fantastic guitar solo's to cap off a mighty epic. The next two tracks are a lot shorter but not bad little numbers before the next 16 minute Stolte written excellence. Lots of neat interlocking melodies and very tight musicianship (just like the opener) another high class effort and already this is a must get for prog fans everywhere ! Then the last track is a cover version of a Procul Harum song (I didn't actually know that till I watched a programme that featured PH !!) ? I like this track also, especially the God save the Queen based tune at the end. Now did this CD remind me of the Beatles? Well some of it definitely reminded me of the Moody Blues, with loads of Yes/Floyd/ELP and even a bit of Greenslade, it also sounds a lot like Spocks Beard and the Flokis?So you can all breath easily again ? this IS NOT A BEATLES TRIBUTE CD, JUST A VERY GOOD SYMPHONIC/JAZZ PROG CD ? BUY IT !