FAERY REVOLUTION

Brainchild of Portlandian Amos Hart, this band is new to me even though they've been around for a decade in several forms. This particular Prog Folk album explores a more theatric almost Broadway musical-oriented form of prog with a more troubadour/RenFaire type of feel to the music. The vocals, especially, are more seriously "professional" in their presentation. I like the recording and sound engineering as they sound as if they came from a 1969 open air concert. The rock instrumentation is also quite open and untreated, not unlike the engineering of pre-gated and compressed formats.

1. "Fey Breeze" (5:04) Amos' near-operatic tenor surprises but then one gets used to it. The choice of troubadour- like instrumentation is quite wonderful and welcome. I'm in 1970 heaven with the Mike Oldfield/Anthony Phillips/Godspell feel here. (8.75/10)

2. "Hold On" (8:41) potential energy in the bass, electric guitars, piano, and multiple floating vocals open this one. The energy readying itself to burst out is so palpable. A surprisingly early instrumental section occupies most of the third and fourth minutes before Natty' Isabell's warbbly vibrato voice takes over. Then in the sixth minute Rossi's powerful bluesy voice takes the lead. Wow! Goosebumps. Is this a song about abortion? Nice electric guitar solo follows and then a slowed down psych-space finish. If only it didn't kind of drag along--never changed pace over its nearly nine minutes. (17.5/20)

3. "Raotan" (7:37) a 1960s approach to folk rock with banjo, Hammond, and group vocal with that "plein aire" sound give this one a very friendly, accessible feel. The male vocal in the final minute sounds as if KERRY MINNEAR has joined in, but then moves into Amos' more theatric tenor. This song has a bit of the old SPIROGYRA and COMUS feel and sound to it. A top three song for me. (13.5/15)

4. "Sail of the Serpent" (6:09) picked'plucked acoustic steel string instruments and recorder over which Natty Isabel sings in a strong-yet-fragile folk voice--with a vibrato not unlike that of --part of it read as if from a poetry reading. Great Anthony Phillips-like chord progressions from the guitars and lute. I love the unexpected vocalise and slow re- amp up in the final section. This is a beautiful prog folk song that could have come from Ant's The Geese and the Ghost album. Another top three song. (9/10)

5. "Through It All" (7:22) a rather chaotic, Babel-like opening comes together at the one-minute mark with a whole- group chanted chorus. Meanwhile, drums, bass, and choppy guitar chords kind of jazz-plod ahead. The shouted vocal epithets come hurling in from multiple directions again until congealing again in the chant-chorus at the end of the third minute. For a bit here the rhythm and lead guitars almost take on metal sounds and stylings. At the end of the fifth minute things quiet down considerably while Amos takes over the solo lead vocal position (while the rest of the vocalists interject their supportive and accentuating contributions). Unfortunately, the song kind of loosens and inexplicably falls apart in the final minute. (13/15)

6. "One Day" (6:55) strummed electric guitar with banjo accompany Amos' Southern gospel "slave" vocal. Natty joins in for the second verse before the rest of the band jumps in with a Southern revivalist feel as Natty takes over the lead vocal. Nice Dixieland piano in the mix. Then the addition of gritty Southern gospel voice of Rossi adds another deep Southern emphasis. Nice song that conjures up images and feelings of a different time and place. (13.25/15)

7. "Far Away from Here" (6:25) nice opening of slowly strummed America "I Need You"-like 12-string chords. At the one-minute mark Amos' Andy TILLISON-like vocal style enters to deliver a beautifully light take on a fairly heavy lyric. Natty Isabell and, later, Rossi, add their vocals (Rossi's like a fiery Janis Joplin) in the choruses and as incidental accents. Pretty simple guitar solo precedes a spirited wake-me-up section starting around the 4:15 mark. Snarky electric guitar solos with quite a little emotion over the final 90 seconds. Nice. (8.75/10)

8. "Faery Revolution" (8:52) stage-accompanist bouncy piano and frail high pitched vocalise opens this one giving it a CHRISTIAN VANDER/MAGMA like feel. Then Amos enters and recites a in a very theatric fashion. When he finishes his recitation at the two-minute mark, bass, drums, and choral vocals join in to augment the MAGMA feel. Amos then continues his bard-like preaching as recorder threads its way into the weave. Amos even does a little bit of Vander-like scatting within his words. In the fourth minute everyone comes together to chorally express the title/theme. Then the band launches into an instrumental passage that sounds so much like a Magma jam--with male and female call-and-response vocals taking over over the fast-paced Broadway camp. While never quite reaching the heights of passion and virtuosity that the Zeuhl masters do, this one definitely digs deep and reaches for their best. Perfect Steve Howe-like electric guitar solo finish over Hammond and piano My final top three song. (18.25/20)

9. "Falling Leaves" (6:36) sounds very much like the final song in an off-Broadway musical--tying it all up, with each player contributing fairly equally to the summation. It takes a little while for the song to move out of this multi-voice Hair-like monologue. Since I don't hear words, I can't really get a clear picture of whether or not Amos & Co. are reviving a Hippie or religious? Nice emotion-busting screaming guitar outburst at 4:20 before the singers return with an almost euphoric gospel finish before the piano and softly-picked acoustic guitar take us into the fade out. (8.75/10)

Total Time 63:41

Though I find myself mesmerized and carried away by this music, part of the time I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be laughing at what sounds like it could be a parody of 1960s & 70s flower child/hippie culture or if I'm listening to a Christian rock opera like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Raincoat, Godspell, or Jesus Christ Superstar.

B+/four stars; an excellent display of theatric, pseudo-religious, retro Prog Folk. Definitely an artist whose back discography I now want to explore.