CASTLES IN THE AIR

One of the more obscure artists in ProgArchives and the second album from the Dutch artist Dr. Con Vrouwenvelder.

Listed as symphonic prog, this is one of the artists which is leaning far more towards New Age music than the likes of Yes, Genesis and ELP. But Mike Oldfield is an obvious reference point here. This also because the music here contains of some gentle guitar picking, keyboards used as sound collages and some female vocals. The music here sometimes breaks into proper songs in the Mike Oldfield mould.

In short; if you are looking for dramatic symphonic prog with time changes and intricate details; don't bother about this album. If you on the other hand adore Mike Oldfield and Gandalf, Dr. Con Vrouwenvelder's two albums under this moniker is well worth looking into if you can find them.

As an added bonus, this album is actually a good album. The guitars are good and the female vocals are not overpowering. They reminds me about Anneke in The Gathering. It is not her, though. OK, the stuff here is a bit boring and cures insomnia. Some great melodies are also sorely lacking. But despite of this, the result is good. Check Ebay for the remaining copies of this album.

3 stars