ROBERT CONNOLLY

I've read that the Sam The Record Man music store here in Canada used to post this album in their front window display cases. Helping the locals. I may have even seen that on my first visit to Sam's store on Yonge street in Toronto back in the late seventies. Right out of high school Connolly decided he was going to be a professional musician. Clearly he had the financial backing I believe from his parents, as he owned all this keyboard equipment like mellotron, mini moog, organ, piano, synth bass, string ensemble, and on top of that he owned his own studio. The man played guitar and bass as well. And his hair! Gino Vannelli anyone?

Well, his first band called PLATEAU recorded some music but despite some tireless efforts from Robert to get a label to sign them, none were interested in this kind of music at that time. So Robert decides to break the band up and go solo. We get about a 35 minute album here with side two of the vinyl being the music already recorded by PLATEAU and used with his former members permission. Same with the title of this record. So a five piece band on side two, while side one is just Robert, a drummer, and two female singers, and that's it. So Connolly is playing bass and guitar on side one, while he sticks to his keyboards on side two.

Apparently Robert was a bit of an expert when it comes to the Nazca lines in Peru, and also of the opinion that aliens must have paid us a visit. Check out that album cover. So yes the opener "Plains Of Nasca" has that in mind. Opening with narration the organ and drums take over quickly thankfully. A catchy organ led sound is the result. Many mention ELP with the organ's power and dominance here. There's some soulful female vocals along with guitar and spacey sounds as well. "A Close Encounter" is different, almost folky, with female vocals singing in a reserved manner with strummed acoustic guitar, not a fan. This feels out of place and we do get some moog and organ later.

More narration on "Power Of Giza" but this is a catchy organ/drum sound. "Battle Of Gomorrah" is the closer from side one and Robert does use some Biblical references, maybe to make this sound legit. Not big on this one either, thinking maybe "Dance Of Gomorrah" would have been the better title. Side two in my opinion is better. More of a band sound here. And the drummer on this side actually played with a local Hamilton band called DOWNCHILD BLUES BAND, a name I've heard countless times on the radio back in the day announcing their live dates in Toronto. Never heard their music but Dan Aykroyd was a friend of that band's leader Don Walsh and got them to do some songs for The Blues Brothers. Even Daniel Lanois adds backing vocals to their final record.

Side two features the over 14 minute "Journey" and the short and uptempo "The Oracle". Nice to hear bass on this side and the flute on that long track. And the guitar is in play more. So while I feel that it's about time I can put this cd to bed now, I also feel that there was some of that "What could have been" if this was released five years earlier. Connolly should be proud. A talented guy who also was also an author, journalist and film producer.

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).