THE COLOSSUS OF RHODES

Back when artists really put their all into the Musea/Colossus theme projects--and, more impressivley, the publishers could get their bands to compose, perform, and engineer 20- to 30-minute epics.

CD 1 (77:01) 1. "Un Pensiero e Sempre Libero" (LEVIATHAN) (26:34) Kudos to Musea/Colossus for getting these Italian NeoProg rockers to come out of retirement for this project. The music, quality of composition, musicianship, and sound engineering are all pretty good--except the pitchy performance of lead singer Paolo Antinori. Though Paolo was present on the band's third and last album, 1997's Volume, he was not the band's original singer (two albums created at the end of the 1980s.) As a matter of fact there are only two other musicians from the band representing on this piece--both founding members: keyboardist and flutist Andrea Amici and Andrea Moneta on bass, drums, ChapmanStick, and engineering. Despite some shortcomings, the musicians do a pretty good job of pulling together a very engaging and overall pleasing epic. As a matter of fact, the music is quite good; the overall rating might be higher if there were less singing (which, by the way, is all done in Italian). (40/50) B-

2. "The Secret Passage" (GREENWALL) (27:13) opens with some classical/New Age jazz piano soloing away as if performing an overture.lots of rather clichéd hooks and motifs (some very engaging and interesting) performed with passable engineering and then spliced together in an interesting fashion--like an Andrew Lloyd-Weber musical. Andrea Pavoni's classical/New Age piano solo over the final three minutes is, for me, the highlight. Unfortunately, the finished product is like listening to a B-level off-Broadway radio play. The vintage analog instruments are certainly present and shining but rarely creating anything exciting to the modern prog lover. The players' sometimes-pitchy accented English is sometimes horrible--especially the male. Luckily, they also spend quite a bit of time singing in Italian. Despite the fine effort from the performers, this is just not A-level prog. (46.5/55) B-

3. "God Of Silence" (SINKADUS) (23:14) Not used to hearing this Swedish band with vocals--and now I understand why they've been reluctant to use them much before. Still, this is a band of very skilled musicians who do a fair job putting this song together. Unfortunately, from this critical reviewer with my high standards, it could have been more inspired [and original], more fully-developed, and definitely more polished. (38/45) B-

CD 2 (79:25) 4. "Come Vento Tornero" (MAD CRAYON) (25:05) full marks: you can tell that this band--a seasoned quartet led by long-time prog stalwart and keyboard wizard, Alessandro Di Benedetti--literally put their hearts and soul into this very symphonic piece. The result is that it's a piece that's very hard to find fault! (47.5/50) A

5. "Lords And Knights" (VELVET DESPERADOS) (24:51) a group of talented Finnish youth who only worked together for a very short period, 2003 to 2007, releasing only one album of their own and then contributing to two of these Musea/Colossus projects: this one and 2007's Treasure Island. I really like their eclectic sound: the keyboards of Pink Floyd's Richard Wright, the rhythm section of an early Nektar or even earlier psych-rock band and a lead singer that sounds like a cross between Jim Morrison, Arthur Lee (LOVE), and Geoff Mann (TWELFTH NIGHT), but more, this band employs horns! In fact, an entire four-piece horn section! The music definitely has the feel of a band from the late 1960s, even earlier when they go into their blues-rock style (as in the most excellent section from 12:30 to 15:45--a sound and stylistic blend that I was not expecting!) Another most excellent passage can be hear from 15:45 to 18:50, this one sounding like an early, soulful BILLY JOEL. Wow! Again: I was not expecting this! The next section is led by some very Brian May-like guitar. The vocalist (and his second-track of harmony vocals) is most excellent--exceptionally effective at relating this story with theatricity, skill, and genuine feeling emotion. The song closes down with the same horn-led fanfare as the beginning. Again, the musicianship and compositional skill are top notch. I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to repeated listens in the future. And, whatever happened to these guys? I'd really like to know! (48/50) A

6. "A New Dawn" (REVELATION) (29:26) opens with some bombastic music that is definitely prog--probably more like NeoProg--and they have a good singer in Arcadelt's Pierfrancesco Drago. A lot of the opening motif (which is six minutes in length) feels and sounds like NeoProg in the vein of STEVE HACKETT GENESIS. The next, slowed-down section is far more GENESIS Trick of the Tail-like with Hammond organ, deep sustained bass notes, thick Mellotron chords, strumming 12-string guitars, and a early-Nick Barrett-like gentle male singer to tell the tale. At 14:15 we ramp back up to a more dynamic passage--not far from being a continuation of the previous motif, just different uses for each of the instruments and, of course, full involvement of the drum kit. The instrumental passage that follows around the 18-minute mark is totally from the GENESIS playbook--almost lifted from the end sections of "Supper's Ready," but this is cut short by a solo classical guitar interlude that starts right at the 20-minute mark, which does set up a heavy Wind and Wuthering passage 45-seconds later. A nice Steve Hackett-like guitar solo ensues for the next minute before an electrified acoustic guitar takes us into a different more-IQ-like passage. Pierfrancesco rejoins, now singing in a forced-sounding voice in a higher register over the thick low end-filling bass, pounding drums, crashing cymbals and bouncing Hammond chord play. The electrified acoustic guitar is used several times to bridge between verses and then to a new motif that contains picked 12-string guitar and flute along with Pierfrancesco's return to his more comfortable vocal range. This part has a sound palette and feel more similar to that of 1980s Pendragon. Overall, a very nicely constructed, performed, and rendered piece. (53.5/60) B+

Total Time: 156:26

B+/4.5 stars; a collection of one disc of excellent prog epics (CD 2), and one disc (CD 1) of somewhat under-developed or under-inspired pieces, thus, giving the Colossus/Musea project masters yet another early win in their intrepid effort to resuscitate the veritable symphonic "epic" of the "Classic Era." Highly recommended.