"Ever": the kind of album that makes you want to shout out loud 'Thank God for Prog!!!' This music is genial, exhilirating, breathtaking. Granted, Peter Nicholl's voice may not be as dynamic or powerful as that of a ROB SOWDEN (ARENA) or a STU NICHOLSON (GALAHAD), but I can't imagine anyone else doing such a fine job as he has done here.
These guys can turn your senses about so easily it's almost painful. The melodies, the arrangements, the many twists and turns, everything here fits in neatly to produce an hallucinating effect and showcases an incredible array of musical colours that leave the listener speechless. It's as if the band members had taken the best of everything they had ever written and compressed it all into a 50-minute CD. Every single track on it has something magical about it and the album containsĪbsolutely no dead moments whatsoever: it is pure genius from beginning to end. Posted Sunday, Ap| Review this album | Report (Review #3700)Īlthough subsequent IQ albums would prove to be quite a match, none (IMHO) equal this IQ is a band that has always progressed, and it now seems they are at their best! I find the rhythm rather slow on most of the tracks: the musicians take the time to sound good and deliver emotions. Peter Nichols' lead vocals are very good, and the backing vocals are OUTSTANDING on "Came Down". An interesting point is the bass: I really LOVE the very refined and subtle fretless parts! They fit so well with the other instruments! The bassist, John Jowitt, also played in JADIS: he is excellent here, never monotonous. Paul Cook's drums are, as always, excellent and varied. The miscellaneous VERY melodic guitar solos and acoustic ones complete very well the sentimental and sophisticated omnipresent mood. Unlike JADIS, Martin Orford does not only accompany the rest of the music he absolutely produces unforgettable synth patterns, always melodic, magic, pleasant and emotional.
This record contains VERY varied & professionally played keyboards parts. While MARILLION's prog principles and structured songs have brutally switched for a shocking & disappointing style of music, IQ progressed, refined their sound & production, and actually they never gave up, stronger than ever after each album made, especially this one. After you've got the post-MARILLION neo prog culture, it becomes clear that the IQ albums of the 90's do not sound like MARILLION! They have their own sound and style. This record is one of the best concretization of a modern and original continuation of the GENESIS of the GABRIELl-era. Out of 6 tracks, 5 are outstanding the other one, "Out of Nowhere" is very good. The musicians are very intelligent and very emotional here they apply those 2 aspects in their songs: the result is a sentimental & complex album that makes you dream awaken!
0 kommentar(er)
