KOWTOW

Pendragon's first studio album with the classic line up is the least successful CD among fans. No wonder, the group was facing a transition period and did not know if they'd soldier on as a prog band or turn the tables and try a new image as a pop rock group. Unlike most of his peers of first wave neo prog bands, Pendragon did have talent for writing simple, catchy, pop rock songs without sounding lame or corny. Red Shoes was a single they had released early on to show this side of the band since their very start. So, Kowtow was not really a betrayal of their roots as many have put it.

The album was not entirely pop either. Half of its songs could have easily be included on their first LP, The Jewel. The first half anyway werer simple songs, very much 80's flavoured commercial tunes and, in that field, very good ones, they are still listenable. On the other side, the prog songs are clearly transitional, showing glimpses of the great pieces they would produced in the 90's (The Haunting, Total Recall). With those remarks in mind I found this CD to be very much pleasant and enjoyable. A document of a difficult time for almost all pioneering neo prog bands, it shows that Pendragon could either be a fine prog band or maybe also an excellent pop group. Fortunatly they made what I consider a better choice (although at the time a hard one, since prog music scene by the late 80's did not offer a promising future).

If you're new to Pendragon, this is not the album to start (A História, is an outstanding overview of their career up to The Masquerade Overture). But if you have all other of their classic stuff, you should try this one too. Different, yes, and very good too.