THERE ONCE WAS A NIGHT OF CHOKO-MURO THE PARADISE

The debut CD from this Japanese band is an exciting blend of dynamic jazzrock (great guitar and synthesizers) and mellow symphonic rock like early King Crimson (wonderful violin-Mellotron eruptions). I had to wait 7 years for their next album, had Providence succeeded in making another strong album?

The line-up includes a new guitarist and an additional saxophone player. The first track Hcho 40 delivers varied climates, from a tight and powerful up-tempo rhythm and compelling bombastic keyboards to mellow pieces with violin, piano and sampled Mellotron (Vintage Keys). Then the song An Epilogue For Cajolment, it starts with propulsive organ - and keyboard work, followed by flashy synthesizer flights (in the vein of Toshio Egawa from Gerard), powerful saxophone and biting Lifeson-inspired guitar play. Next is the long titlesong The Once Was A Night Of Choko-Muro The Paradise: it is loaded with pleasant shifting moods and good soli on guitar, organ, violin, synthesizer and a kind of talkbox (like Peter Frampton). Entertaining but at some moments it sounds a bit too fragmentic. The other five tracks sound varied, alternating from dreamy with acoustic guitar, piano and even accordeon to heavy with fiery wah-wah drenched guitar soli. Although the female singer lacks a bit power, she sings beuatiful so I would like to conclude that this is a fine progrock effort from Japan.