WINDCHASE

I'd like to create a new sub-group for prog: Soft Prog. And this album, (and their first) would be listed as such. Sebastian Hardie play a Camel-like soft symphonic prog that goes down very easy. Nothing earth shattering, complex, or mind numbing, their prog is to be played so as to be relaxed. Mario Millo's guitar and singing are front and center on this album with keyboards relegated for coloring purposes. Mainly instrumental, the title track is the best thing on the album, "Windchase" is 20 minutes long with a very memorable melody throughout. It glides and ebbs with Mario's guitar sounding like Steve Howe's, especially when he reaches for the higher notes, but the song can get a bit tedious. The rest of the album is fine, but nothing substantial. Except for the song, "Hello Phimistar" which notches up the tempo a bit. Overall a fine album. Very, very good in fact, but it does not reach the four star rating. Just a tad under. 3.5 sounds right to me.