IN THE REGION OF THE SUMMER STARS (1984)

1. "Fool" (2:43) definitely a treated variation on a familiar classical piano intro before distorted guitar notes, water noises, and reveille trumpet are interjected. Very Vangelis Blade Runner-like. (5/5)

2. "The Tower Of Babel" (5:05) weird Dick Dale-like tremolo-picked guitar opening before Spanish-sounding melodic theme over Genesis-like rhythm pattern. This could be Renaissance! (8.75/10)

3. "The Reaper" (4:03) very Camel-esque--especially with the background synth strings. Then it turns Vangelis with tubular bells until the disturbing third minute's guitar chords and tympanic hits. Theatric but lacking substance. (8.75/10)

4. "The Loved Ones" (5:20) romantic piano bombast that sounds like sounds like THE RASPBERRIES, RICK WAKEMAN, and SERGEI RACHMANINOFF. (8.75/10)

5. "The Demon King" (4:18) not my favorite passage. I'm not even sure why elements of evil need be present. (8.75/10)

6. "Pre-Dawn" (1:12) cool horn solo--like Aaron Copeland. (4.75/5)

7. "Sunrise" (3:27) great! Rivals Vangelis! (9.25/10)

8. "The Last Day" (7:59) the slow building militaristic start seems to indicate routine that would constitute a human being's approach to a day in which they were completely unaware of the world's demise. Full theatric orchestral force at the end of the third minute. I love this section! The crescendo and dénouement, not as much. (13.75/15)

9. "The Flood" (1:12) water ? lots of it, with racing trumpet over the top. (4.25/5)

10. "Under The Summer Stars" (5:42) harps and synth horns to recapitulate an earlier-used melody. I like this second part a lot! Almost New Age beauty. The quiet mid-section followed by the ball-busting guitar solo is wonderful. (9.75/10)

11. "Adieu" (3:03) spacey piano and distant electric guitar and synth "light" provide a perfect, beautiful outro. (5/5)

Total time 44:04

When I compare this beautiful music to that of other artists or album labeled "symphonic" I cringe at the injustice and inequity. The music of In the Region of the Summer Stars is like CAMEL's "Snow Goose" composed in true classical symphonic forms and performed by truly classically trained musicians with orchestration. And I use the Camel reference intentionally because "Snow Goose" is considered a "masterpiece" by so many prog lovers! So should this be. And this re-recording is so clean and warm! (Still pre-digital?) What's even more impressive is how orchestra-strings-like the synthesizer strings sound. Obviously, classical musician Robert John Godfrey had sound quality standards that he worked hard to maintain. Not only are the sounds of the individual instruments impeccably rendered and separated, the levels and integration of the final mixes are so well spaced and yet beautifully rendered into a stage-like tapestry presentation. If there is any fault to this album it is with the relatively narrow space of pacing: there are no real steroidal pieces running away with reckless abandon, though there are plenty of spacious quiet passages to fit the cosmic direction of this album's view. Also, all of the musicians are fairly tightly reigned in, never really allowed to free-range with improvisational forays with their respective instruments: it all feels very contrived, programmed, and governed (by a composer or a composer's sheet music).

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music symphonic

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