THE SEA OF BROKEN VOWS

As soon as the thing starts, there you are thinking: "hey, wait a minute, this is too simple for my educated prog palate". And it's relatively simple, yes, but it's loaded with great melodies, and good taste for execution and arrangements too. The subtleties are there anyway, in the form of an agile execution of some intricate fast passages (listen to the opener).

What do you need to know about the influences? There are traits resembling the first Pendragon in the leading vocals, and in certain rhythmic patterns, mainly during the fast pieces.

Final word of advise: I hate recommend an album when each song sounds very similar to the next, but, since this is NOT the case, and you can find a reasonable sense of variety here, go ahead, you may find an amusing listen too.

It was way back in 1984 that Doncaster's CASTANARC released their debut album, Journey to the East, during that first wave of neo-prog rock. It was well-received by many and represented the softer, more gentle and atmospheric side of the fledgling genre, compared to the more dynamic and complex work of their peers. The melodic interplay between David Powell's keyboards and Paul Ineson's guitar, behind the smooth, almost Jon Anderson-like, vocals of Mark Holiday, created a more fluid and contemplative style of melodic prog. However, for a number of reasons, they were not able to capitalise on their early promise at the time and while a later '80s regrouping saw a number of further studio releases, the band were destined to remain a small footnote in the history of UK progressive rock.

However. several decades later Mark and David have resurrected Castanarc and just released a new studio album called The Sea of Broken Vows. Joined by producer John Spence and regular guest musicians, Neil Duty and Pat Mount (guitars), Pete Robinson (bass), Charlie Morgan (drums) and Steve Beighton (saxophone), together with Angela Gordon of Mostly Autumn (flute and low whistle), they have created an easy listening and melodic, song- orientated, soft prog album which flows along pleasantly enough.

As in their earlier incarnation, don't necessarily expect the instrumental complexity and intricacy of their more renown neo-prog contemporaries. Those early influences of Pendragon, Pallas, Jadis and Saga along with Camel are still hovering in the background, but Mark's vocals are more mellow and the music is framed into supporting a more modern and popular style of song structure. Whilst undoubtedly many of the 11 tracks have a similar soft rock smoothness and melodic feel to them - often with a steady, medium tempo, and wistful vocals - there are moments when the music does catch fire and display a more dynamic proggy edge.

A Song Rings Out, starts with the quiet sound of dripping water, but then has a powerful guitar-based Mystery-like introduction and trots along very melodically. The Ascent of Man starts with symphonic and stately keyboard chords, but then introduces has a jaunty, Celtic beat and a spirited guitar solo with some lovely saxophone to end. Helicopter noises and distorted, chiming guitar herald The Walking of the Earth - another album highlight, which is nicely upbeat, with a catchy melody and refrain with vibrant keyboard runs later on.

For The Want Of A Nail closes the album pleasantly enough with some soaring guitar work, cheerily taking us full circle to the sound of dripping water once again. There are nice touches elsewhere. Angela's flute and whistle not surprisingly add a touch of Mostly Autumn on a couple of tracks. Delicate piano and acoustic guitar sections provide a lifting up in the variety in several of the shorter songs.

If I am being hyper-critical, there are songs which display a similar tone and pace to them - which whilst still being well-crafted and sung expressively - don't quite engage the listener as well as others and sort of flow over you. With all but the closing track being under 5 minutes in length, it would have been nice to have seen the music given more free-rein to develop into something more epic, perhaps - but such nit-picking aside, the album is a well- produced and enjoyable listen, overall.

From a progressive rock viewpoint, The Sea of Broken Vows, breaks no new ground, but after all those intervening years between studio releases, it will most definitely please the band's long-standing fanbase and even attract some new listeners who like their prog rock on the more melodic, accessible and popular side. Mark, David and John deserve praise for keeping the Castanarc flame shining for a little longer. Check it out on their Bandcamp site and see if it strikes a chord with you.

(From The Progressive Aspect - A Different Aspect)

I must admit to doing a bit of a double take when I saw this new album, as I only discovered the underground progressive scene in 1991 and Castanarc had already pretty much finished by then. I reviewed their 1984 debut, 'Journey To The East', as it was reissued on CD by Kinesis but had not given much thought to them in a very long time indeed. Mark Holiday (vocals) and David Powell (keyboards) are back from the band who released four albums in the Eighties, with guitarist John Spence being the additional member plus there are some guests, including Neil Duty who was guitarist back in the day. I must confess to having not played their debut in many years but checking out my 1994 review of the debut I said they were produced melodic and progressive rock which fans of Camel or Pendragon should check it out, and that it was based very heavily around Holiday's vocals.

Much of that is still true today as Castanarc are still based around Holiday's vocals, but in some ways the most important instrument is the wonderful fretless bass of Pete Robinson and given his impact I must confess to being somewhat surprised he is not a full member of the band. It kicks off with "A Song Rings Out" and we are straight into the wonderful world of neo-prog, but somewhat surprisingly the rest of the album takes a far more middle of the road route. The result is an album which is just too cloying and safe, as if the guys did not want to take any risks, or possibly they have just mellowed out in their old age (none of us are getting any younger to be fair). It is firmly in the middle of the road, and for the most part is fairly bland crossover, with little of the passion or excitement we expected from our prog bands back in the Eighties. Holiday still has a great voice, but there is nothing here which makes me want to listen to it again.