ROBERT CONNOLLY

Even in Canada 1978 wasn't exactly a good time for prog, Rush being the major exception as Hemispheres simply continued their reputation and success. Plateau is Connolly's only album and it's clear this is Von Daniken inspired, songs about alien visitation, and how they helped create the pyramids and the Nazca lines in Peru. No mention of Von Daniken's name, but's it's pretty obvious about the subject matter covered on this album. To be silly, all this album needed, but obviously didn't get for reasons explained ahead, was to get Giorgio Tsoukalos to do some narrating, except that was far too early, Ancient Aliens appeared in 2010, and Giorgio Tsoukalos was born in 1978, same year as this album. Moving on. There are some narrations on this album but I'm sure it was from Robert. I hear bits of ELP in the organ department, and lots of nice use of Moog and some Mellotron. "A Close Encounter" is an acoustic proggy piece that makes me think a bit of Renaissance or perhaps Harlequin Mass, a totally obscure symphonic prog out of the unlikely place of Portland, Oregon. Throughout the album you'll hear recurring themes which makes sense because of the concept. What you get here is nice keyboard-dominated prog rock, and it's pretty obvious it's not the most original prog, the influences by various UK bands like ELP is a bit obvious (and Renaissance on one cut), but it's well worth having. Also, I dig the back cover with Robert Connolly standing next to his duo-neck bass and electric guitar. While major prog bands like ELP were choking on their fumes in 1978, and Genesis was having a bit of an identity crisis without Steve Hackett (although, "Follow You, Follow Me" aside, ...And Then There Were Three... wasn't a bad album) there was still room for obscurities on small labels, like Robert Connolly's Plateau. I don't think this is a life-changing album but still worth hearing, given if you can find a copy (it's never been reissued in any capacity).