PURE

"Pure" is the eighth studio album of Pendragon and was released in 2008. This album was first released as a regular edition, but it was also issued as a special edition, a CD+DVD in a rigid digipak, which is my version. The DVD in this new special packaging has 1h.24m. of footage material titled "Handy-Cam Progumentary", recorded by the band itself.

"Pure" represents, for me, the continuity of the musical changes started with their previous studio album "Believe". It continues a cut with their previous four studio albums "The World", "The Window Of Life", "The Masquerade Overture" and "Not Of This World". "Pure" is heavier, darker and less neo-prog than their other studio albums. It sounds heavy and is, by far, the heaviest and darkest thing that Nick Barrett and co. has produced till then. In reality, the wonderful melodies, the great instrumentation and the emotional guitar solos are still there but they're presented in a heavier way.

The line up on the album isn't the same of their six previous studio albums "Kowtow", released in 1988, "The World", released in 1991, "The Window Of Life", released in 1993, "The Masquerade Overture", released in 1996, "Not Of This World", released in 2001, and "Believe", released in 2005, their second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh studio albums, respectively. Scott Hingham substituted their drummer Fudge Smith who was with the band since their second studio album "Kowtow". So, the line up on the album is Nick Barrett (vocals, guitars and keyboard programming), Clive Nolan (keyboards and backing vocals), Peter Gee (bass guitar) and Scott Hingham (drums and backing vocals).

"Pure" has five tracks. All tracks were written by Nick Barrett. The first track "Indigo" represents a perfect introduction to the new tougher edge now evident into their music. It's a very dark epic song played into two distinctive parts of over thirteen absorbing minutes. It represents probably one of Pendragon's finest songs ever and it's also the favourite song on this album to Nick Barrett. The song starts with a great metallic guitar riff and the song evolves into its main theme through a barrage of guitar accompanied by a ferocious drum work. With this song Nick Barrett shows why he's one of the best guitarists. The song has clearly deep influences of Pink Floyd's music, mainly an astonishing guitar solo made by Nick Barrett with some clearly reminiscences of David Gilmour's guitar style. The second track "Eraserhead" is an up tempo song that opens with a crunching guitar riff. The song mixes some laid backing vocals with over synthesize strings and superb guitar lead melodies. Again, we can hear the energetic new drumming work of Scott Hingham, which definitely added a new dimension to Pendragon's sound, especially in the heavier musical sections. It's a song with a more prominent participation of Clive Nolan with a wonderful keyboard work and Peter Gee keeps perfectly the rhythm with a very nice bass line. The third track "Comatose" is divided into three parts "View From The Seashore", "Space Cadet" and "Home And Dry". This is a pure epic song that shows the band at their most expansive and creative vein. The song opens with a piano and a vocal refrain that creates a gentle and melancholic musical atmosphere. This mood is dramatically changed by the assault of a great metal guitar riff. In reality, the entire track is entirely divided by using the contrasts of light and dark and quiet and loud. The second part sees the band returning to a more familiar musical territory haunting strings taken over by a simple guitar loop very well supported by the keyboards of Clive Nolan. The third part continues the so Pendragon's musical Floydian's style that will appeal to the old die-hard fans of the band. The fourth track "The Freak Show" is the shortest song on the album that starts very heavy but that still remains as a Pendragon's song with a very beautiful melody. It's a very good song with a very catchy and emotive guitar melody that reminds us why progressive rock is so varied and irresistible. This must be an irresistible song when performed live. The fifth track "It's Only Me" starts with just piano, guitar and harmonica. It's a very emotional ballad with lyrics about how resilient we are as a child. Musically, the song is a slow and sad lament that ends with a superb and memorable extended Nick Barrett's guitar solo. This song is a beautiful and magnificent way to closes this truly surprising album.

Conclusion: "Pure" is a superb and pure Pendragon's album. Probably it wasn't a coincidence the album's name. With "Pure", Pendragon managed to redefine and progresses their sound without losing their creative flame and their heart and deliver a set of truly memorable collective songs without any kind of weaknesses. "Pure" is very well written and played, and wonderfully produced. This is an album full of great ideas and surprises that keeps the group on the highest point of their musical career. With "Pure", Pendragon shows that after thirty years of career, the band keeps the purity and the freshness in their music and what is even more impressive is that the band continues to progresses and changes their music, not ceasing to amaze me from album to album. With "Pure", Pendragon have managed to redefine their sound without losing their past and deliver an album that maybe outweighs anything the band has done before.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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