NIGHT AND DAYDREAM

Short-lived band, based in London, UK, but formed in 1977 by Venezuelan imigrants Ilan Chester (vocals,keyboards), Jorge Spitery (bass, vocals) and Charly Spitery (percussion, vocals).The first line-up included also multi-instrumentalist Mark Francis, guitarist Patrick Bernard (who produced a good prog LP in 1981) and drummer Dave Early along with choirs by a few female singers.Ananta had their debut out twice, originally as ''Night and Daydream'' (1978 on Touchstone Sound) and later in the same year as ''Wheels of time'' (on Govinda Records).

While claiming to be a Progressive Rock band, Ananta were closer to Art Rock bands like late-70's BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST and even better QUEEN with a slight tendency towards a more Fusion sound.On ''Wheels of time'' Chester, who was the main composer of the band, decided to taste all possible aspects of (rock) music, the result however being the total pinnacle of inconsitency.And while the most proggy numbers sound quite decent, the majority of the album is a weird amalgam of commercial sounds with great chessiness and mediocre songwriting.The eponymous track is a great Symphonic Rock opus with both great keyboard and guitar parts, nice melodies and expressive vocals, maybe the only trully adventurous track of the album.''Behind the mask'' and ''Casual ocean'' are decent Fusion tracks with Chester's work on electric piano and synths on forefront, somewhat close to the sound of TRUE MYTH.''Fill Your Heart and Mind'' starts as a BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST ballad to become a good Progressive/Fusion piece along the way with nice flutes and piano parts.''Home Sweet Home'' and ''The game'' have strong QUEEN hints, characterized by their musical-like atmospheres with choirs and fast piano parts dominating, but failing to impress.The opening ''Vrindavan'' is just cheap Melodic Rock with no inspiration at all, while ''Be with you'' is even worse, a light piece of Soul music with dull vocals, totally unmemorable.''Night and Daydream'' is an extreme BARCLAY JAMES HARCEST copy, sweet vocals, smooth piano, calm electric guitars and a catchy chorus complete an average composition with little to offer.

Do not get fooled by the descriptions regarding this album, as ''Wheels of Time'' contains little prog but a strong amount of commercial-flavored Art Rock, so it would be a nice listening only for hardcore fans of the sound but just a mediocre item on a prog collector's shelf.