THE SNOW GOOSE

After so many reviews it may be hard to tell something new, but in some way this doesn't matter me at all. The Snowgoose is a conceptalbum following the wel praisen Mirage. There is a real shift in sound into more symphonic harmonies and less (hard)rockin' parts.

Some of the nicest moments consists in the first 10 minutes with beautiful flute melodies and great accompanied keyparts and guitars. I don't know exactly were one song begins and the other ends, because they flow over in each other.

Each time I hear this first 10 minutes I think - Wow, I've made a misinterpretation, maybe this is a masterpiece. But then the music change in more slow parts, which I think are sometimes a bit boring. Another highlight on the first side is the triangle-classical part called Migration. My visualisation by this theme is a child who knows that he is guilty, but trying to keep it secret. Real nice.

The second half of the record is equally good for me, having no really interesting parts, besides some dissonant part. In first instance I was really bored after listening this record and I wanted to go for a two-star review. But befor each review I intend to listen a record at least 2 times in a short period and I changed my opinion. I slowly begin to appreciate this record, although I think I'll never gonna rate it as a masterpiece.

My main complain about this record is that it never ever becomes heavy or avant-garde or whatsoever. The record is continually subtle but had no real instrumental outbursts. Sometimes the music is almost like an outburst, but befor it becomes really interesting it's gone. Other symphonic bands like Yes and Genesis and even Camel's previous record had some heavy or avant-garde parts. Something can't be really beautifull if there is no ugly part and something can't be really subtle if it ain't followed by some distorted part. So, I mis the balance on this record.

Still, this deserves about 3,5 stars.