ETCETERA

Unknown band from Denmark, set up in Aaarhus by a bunch of school friends during the summer of 1986, led by multi-instrumentalist Frank Carvalho and drummer Johnnie McCoy.They originally started as a quintet to be reduced in the duo of Carvalho and McCoy only a year later.However during a very short period the two musicians recorded a pair of demo tapes, between late-87' and the dawn of 88'.Three tracks were collected by Carvalho along with a pair of other recordings and were released 10 years later as the band's self-titled debut.

The album opens with Etcetera's most ambitious composing effort ''Dance of the Demons'', a three-part 21-min. suite, performed in a Classic 70's Prog vein with strong hints of CAMEL, GENESIS or GREENSLADE, twisting from impressive and intricate interplays to more atmospheric and even folky textures with flutes and keyboards in evidence.While far from original, this piece is a great instrumental composition with light jazzy touches here and there, however its majority is executed in a Symphonic Rock way with plenty of soaring synths and quirky organ runs as well as some interesting guitar work.The following ''Experience'' is yet another fine Classic Prog cut, loaded with fine instrumental themes based on emphatic keyboards and a pair of excellent CAMEL-esque guitar solos with a nostalgic aura, but the tribal middle-part followed by a needless jazzy section with sax is rather questionable.''Camel'' comes from the first ever demo of Etcetera, having a mediocre bootleg sound with annoying drums and a sound closer to Heavy Prog, characterized by some interesting jamming organs and the furious guitars of Carvalho, but the bad recording quality leaves much to be desired.''Enigma of Erses Tree'' is fully CAMEL-oriented, featuring excellent guitar work, dreamy synths and interesting melodic vocal lines along with some nice instrumental grooves.Again the below average sound does not help the track reveal its full potential.The closing 11-min. ''Endelave'' lies somewhere between early GENESIS (the gentle acoustic opening part), RICK WAKEMAN (in the more Classical-inspired keyboard themes with the excellent harsichord part) and STARCASTLE or YES (lots of STEVE HOWE-like complex guitar moves).A great closer with a fantastic sound and style.

If it is hard for you to imagine that a band around 86'-88' played Classic Prog, Etcetera is the answer.Very good yet unoriginal album, with a couple of monster instrumental ideas next to the mass of interesting and decent ones.Recommended.