NOSTALGIA

Nostalgia is undoubtedly a very well looked-after album. Production- and sound-wise, the mastermind behind this album has done a very good job. Neat arrangements, clear sounds, polished melodies, professional result. The album consists of 7 tracks of average duration of 8 minutes and range somewhere between the softer side of neo-prog and crossover prog. There is a strong commercial approach about this album, found especially in the easy-listening (but often quite strong) melodies and the mature-sounding vocals.

Satellite have brought together a number of influences from AOR (see the energetic opening track), soft crossover prog and the pioneers of neo-prog (Marillion, IQ). The musicianship levels are high but there is a feel that they have been compromised in search of a "commercialised" result. There is a pop and often a ballad-like feeling throughout the album. At the same time, a few great melodic and more complicated passages, usually mid-track, seem to compensate for this (see Afraid of what we Say, Am I Losing Touch).

On the positive side, the album flows pleasantly from start to finish. Special mention needs to be given to the vocals of Robert Amirian that really fit with the music and help produce a solid outcome. However, even when the vocal performance is outstanding (Over Horizon) the compositions appear weaker than expected. The album has only a few moments of challenging music and could not be recommended to demanding prog fans.

Having read various comments, it seems that previous Satellite albums might present more musical challenges and this is where I will be heading next. As for Nostalgia, it is a very pleasant album that lacks that extra touch to make it a memorable release. The musicianship and the compositional skills are certainly there, but evident in only a few minutes of each track within the album. Fans of softer aspects of neo- and crossover prog might enjoy this album.