Reviews

Music and sincerity can buy everyone so having read the band's foreword in the booklet, one's eager to see what's inside. A short intro of "Eternal Loop" and "Amora Demonis" swoops on a listener with sharp riffage, punctuated bass and - a surprise! - relaxed vocal delivery. Jocelyn Beaulieu's voice reminds of Jon Anderson's while instrumental passages are rooted in RUSH. Together, they could make for another DREAM THEATER clone, if not for oriental guitar solo and easiness rather than just wit and precision in playing. It's hard to notice the piece's long because it's fluent and once you found classical music figures towards the end, there's a choral ditto of "Carved In Rust". Vocal polyphony of highest order sets the scene for hypnotic "Still They Laugh". The theme re-appearing after staccatos filling "The Second Round". Organ/guitar interplay resembles URIAH HEEP but harmonies are original, soft and tragic simultaneously. It should be like that with lyrics concerning this world's fate - well, Hamadryad is a nymph living on a tree and dying with it. The band slide above it all with flying colours. "Shades Of Blue" involve Frippian strumming combined with Anthony Phillips' pastoral tones to a great effect. Those into good old machinery will recognize Hammond C3, Mellotron and Mini-Moog manipulated by Francis Doucet.

"...Action!" comes full of energy but loses in melody at the start - a mistake of many a young band going for technique, not feeling. HAMADRYAD aren't one of those though and prove it with axes parts, funky rhythm guitar makes room for a top-notch bluesy solo, there's a hint of UK driven by Holdsworth and Wetton jive. They think big, these Canadian guys, dancing on the verge of progresive rock, fusion and metal! Thunderous is "Nameless" that unfurls into Bach's fugue before let the voice in. Serene section in the middle, underpinned by loaf or organ, may seem too YES-esque yet you're already in its swerve to complain. Poignant acoustic guitar bounces along delightful march drumming into "The Second Coming", a light country feel penetrates this little gem, enshrouded in sunny piano drops. No surprise then that it's ambient sounds and folk ringing that create "Watercourse Hymn", an anthem praising nature before urban life. Maybe too gloomy for finale but aftertaste's good.

A stunning debut. Mass conservated got released effectively - the next one must explode.

*****

This double disc set containing DP's rehearsals is strictly for collectors because there's working process on display, no polished stuff the band used to put out. So only those deep into PURPLE who knows the music through and through can value and relish the recordings made in Pirate Sound studio, California, in June 1975. Then the ensemble just recovered from losing Blackmore and were delighted by newly acquired guitarist Tommy Bolin. The preparations for the Mark IV first - and last - album "Come Taste The Band" were comitted to tape by sound engineer Robert Simon and fortunately survived partly to see now the light of day.

Some of "Come Taste" material was already written when the reels caught the sound. Tommy Bolin's "Owed To "G" has more of a raw edge than album's version and this ferocious approach, still to be softened by "This Time Around" portion from Lord and Hughes, is highly enjoyable bearing a melodic line that will disappear later and not to pop up even live where Tommy was commanded to play as much in his predecessor's manner. But at the time DP weren't about the dramatics oozing from Bolin's piece - Lord didn't take it so serious starting classic ragtime the minute guitar stops. Reggae jam "If You Love Me Woman" sounds rather flat since Tommy plays repeatedly the same lick and it's only Coverdale who seems to get his kicks out of the drift but then Jon tries something tricky and eventually Tommy goes soloing and the improvisation gets more focused. An amazing accord between the band members is highlighted with mighty bass breaks from Hughes when Paice's drums immediately pick up to supply some imaginative bits.

The "Soldier Of Fortune" harmony can be spotted in "The Orange Juice Song", the majestic hymn based on Rodrigo's "Concerto de Aranjuez". Arguably the best moment of this collection, it will surely please both David's admirers, as Coverdale comes up with brilliant performance, and fans of Lord's "Sarabande". A pity, that didn't make a proper song but then PURPLE were only establishing themselves into a captain-less situation, that's why there are many long jams, "I Got Nothing For You" being one of them. It's funky with Glenn and Tommy having a ball so infectious the other three can't help but groove too. Paice and Lord might be credited for co-writing one song each on the album, but their roles in its creation can't be downplayed since without them there wouldn't be neither swing nor heaviness.

Standard chops of Wille McTell's "Statesboro' Blues" delivered by blues freaks Tommy and David gives a rare opportunity to hear the band relax and enjoy their business with Jon's solo very easy. Hughes' turn comes with another funky jam, "Dance To The Rock & Roll", where Glenn not only plucks his strings to drive the piece through but at last joins his voice to David's, organ, guitar and drums jiving around madly. Rock'n'roll it isn't yet who cares?

Nothing off those jams pushed its way to "Come Taste The Band" while "Drifter" was already there. Present are a rehearsal sequence with Coverdale and Hughes working out the harmonies for chorus - lyrics had changed later on and the line "Days may come and days may go" was left out - and two versions (one on the "Beachwood Drive"), more bluesy and loose than the final product. The energy's the same and David's articulation more clear here: something was lost on the way to Munich that's in "The Last Of The Long Jams", the tightest one.

Some chats and the funny bit of Coverdale (if it's him) singing "I Got You Babe" reflect the atmosphere perfectly. Before bursting into this Sonny &' Cher's tune David and Glenn harmonized on the former's "Say You Love Me", which would turn up only on Coverdale's "Northwinds" album yet it was rehearsed by PURPLE and the version could be found on "Beachwood Drive". The second disc includes tracks of less interest so the target is hardcore fans. Only they should savour a snippet called "Sail Away Riff" - yes, Bolin was shown one of the catchiest Blackmore's hooks but that's not the issue since David's singing a line off "Stairway To Heaven"!

The first take of "You Keep On Moving" is mesmerizing with Hughes and Coverdale honing their harmony on the solid base of swaying bass and Tommy's riffage - a treat! In the same mood band continues drifting into the "Pirate Blues" jam, a simple one keeping PURPLE at ease and David at bay as an improvisation leans towards guitarist's jazzy soloing, which complements singer's raw yet smooth "Say You Love Me", a magnificient end. So, if you hold this album, you had your say.

***** - for real fans

For many years we, fans, asked URIAH HEEP to perform an acoustic show - as many of the band's songs have grown from acoustic form. Now, it was done. And a mixed emotions flood on listening to this brilliant set. Yes, it's great in his own right yet it takes some spins to realize what's wrong. With all kudos to the mastership, it has to be said that HEEP somehow lost its identity in the decorations. While it's great to have female singers and they turn the finale of "Come Back To Me" into powerful gospel chant, any hardcore Heepster will definitely miss unique vocal harmony the group's known for. The second point is that HEEP apparently needed more time to work on arrangements, Bernie's approach being a primary example - when others had to adjust their parts to acoustic sound, Mr. Shaw faced much complicate challenge: he was to live old songs - and sometimes he hardly keeps up. Everything Bernie sang before - say, "The Wizard" or "Lady In Black", not to mention songs he recorded with HEEP - sounds natural, but on part of the material his voice feels very strained: all down to the guys' nervousness, which is so clear compared to Ian Anderson's flute playing. Ian really made the music his own.

Anyway, it must have taken a lot of prowess to dig out the songs from the band's past - with no less than three pieces off the obscure "Wonderworld" album. HEEP start with one from "Return To Fantasy" (a hint?) though, namely "Why Did You Go". You just shiver on the dramatics Bernie put into "When I remember how good it was" line, Melvin Duffy's slide and Steafan Hannigan's bodhran adding to the picture. Girls' "ooh's" aren't bad either but it's Phil Lanzon on Hammond who shines throughout - you can't take organ off HEEP context, can you? The only electric instrument changes for piano on "The Easy Road" where one of the singers sneaks in her flute - with strings arrangement restored and gentle drumming from Lee, it would be unjust saying the version's worse than original.

Tragic string quartet taking over Phil's piano in the beginning of "Echoes In The Dark" remind of "White Room" - a pity that Melvin, not Mick played the lap slide guitar part. Completely different appears "Come Back To Me", the first song from the Lawton era to be played by this line-up. Bernie's lost here yet it's now that Trevor Bolder's mighty bass comes to the fore and keeps driving "Cross That Line" through. A little baroque to this song after uplifting coda of the previous one feels very refreshing. Mick's passages are great but, sadly, overdubbed to complement the folky solos by violin and Uileann pipe. What's funny is that strings play something close to "Love Me Do" hook.

Flute returns for another "Sonic Origami" track, "The Golden Palace" - and here's Bernie does exactly what he was short of in "Come Back To Me" - heart-wrecking tone. "The Shadows And The Wind" seemes the most unlike choice of the song to make the show - bodhran spices up not so bright song although the band members' voices would be much greater than the girls' at the outro. Guitar riffage was left out for gloomy cello to fill the air in the start of "Wonderworld" while Byron's vulnerability gone forever - voices' likeness notwithstanding. As if to compensate, there's one more "world", "Different World", a little jazzy one. Box entwines his acoustic guitar with violin and piano to create a light feeling and set the mood for "Circus", the fans' favourite. Anderson, Mick and Phil's touches turned the gentle piece into something it never was - a magic moment! Ian delivers his trademark flute singing only near the end to expose the band yet it's his fantastic part leading into "Blind Eye". Players - especially Kerslake - make for Bernie's rather flat singing.

The vocalist shines in "Traveller In Time" - did anyone think it might be acoustic? The tune comes naturally in this form and seamlessly flows into swaggering "More Fool You". (Ain't it time to re-listen the first works of this line up?) Mick does a scorching job, spot the last notes: was he trying to play another classic? Bernie's nerves show on "Lady In Black" since he changes the lyrics and melody a bit. How he underlines the rhyme on "She, the mother of all MEN, had counselled me so wisely, THEN I feared to walk alone AGAIN"! A violin cuts in for riff and shivers come down the spine. Strings and pipes play a hoedown as if FAIRPORTS joined in. And to quench the thirst, all HEEP eventually sing harmony on "The Wizard", a bit thin but linked with "Paradise" and "Circle Of Hands" - all medley Celtic-tinged. An interesting turn and the audience went for it. Bravo

Thanks to all the fellow Heepsters that help this project happen. It's great - not only to keep this beautiful booklet graced by the Roger Dean's artwork but also have your name printed in. To be a part of it all really warms up.

*****

When you think about such a thing as power trio, three bands immediately spring to mind: JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, CREAM and TASTE. For the list to be complete you should add TRAPEZE, an ensemble many seem to forget as the band's members' consequent careers just overshadowed their brilliant past. This concert was recorded at the peak of the group's rise to fame, in 1972, after their third album, "You Are The Music... We Just The Band", got released. That's why the set comprises three new tracks with the rest off the previous LP "Medusa" - in fact, the show was longer but two songs had to be omitted.

TRAPEZE were hot live, Dallas audience went for it and that atmosphere oozes out of the recording. The trio kicks off with pulsating "Way Back To The Bone". What irks is mix - Glenn Hughes' voice covers almost everything, even his own mighty bass but the vibe compensates. Having spot the drift, it's easy to value what was Glenn's input in DEEP PURPLE - especially with the notion that Mel Galley's licks sound all close to those of pre-DP Tommy Bolin. Top-notch funk it is yet at the same time the band appear very raw and bluesy, rockin in the vein of Rory Gallagher. More jive applied to "You Are The Music" where Hughes puts on his Stevie Wonder shoes although his voice still lacked the clear edge he acquired one year later. But what a wall he creates with his bass underpinned by Dave Holland's blistering drumming, Galley's guitar entwines with them just like an ivy sprout. Bluesy and viscous is heart-rending "Seafull" sung low - was Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long" a blueprint for this gem? Sparse instrumentation and a wailing guitar solo work for a greater effect.

The playing feels modest throughout with no excesses while overall feeling is hard to underestimate. "Your Love Is Alright", a pure funk, slowly unfurls into a sonic feast and represents how Coverdale-esque Glenn may sound at times. Blame it on Otis and Paul Rodgers - FREE's "All Right Now" even lent its riff to "Black Cloud", maybe this live rendition blurs this likeness while makes clear Mel's passion for Kossoff. Intensive loose improvisation becomes solid with dramatic "Medusa", focused in all its time changes and almost psychodelic sound effects on the coda. With "Keepin' Time" TRAPEZE do exactly that but new material seems weaker on the melodic side - and at this point Galley's and Holland's soloing save the day. And how polite are Glenn's remarks towards the audience! Starstruck, in PURPLE he just sweared. "Touch My Life" in this context looks like real confession to the fans, where music speaks more than words.

It was a pity they stopped yet the three graced no less than three other bands. Not bad, really.

****1/2

Electric Gypsy is back and his album's title says it all - where Jimi and Rory stopped Bernie picked up the pieces and storms into raw yet driving rock'n'roll "Catching Rainbows". The band swagger throughout on the edge of punk but somehow manage to keep the line to slightly step it over in Iggy-ish "My Obsession". Even Torme's voice supported by backing vocals stretches over its restrictions. The pace slows down to the perky blues of "Credibility Joe", deeply rooted in the Irish sole that gave birth to the guitarist. (The track's remix on the bonus disc is almost undistinguishable though.) Easy to see the similarities between this combo and mid-Seventies THIN LIZZY - even acoustic "Pearls" owes a lot to "Cowboy Song". OK, let it turn out this way rather than feeding the GILLAN fans with the stuff left behind long ago - although "Shoot The DJ" is pure hard rock... with a folky coda. Now, Torme serves as keeper of the Eirie hard rock flame - after Lynott and Gallagher turned the page.

Bernie delivers magnificent "Lonely Wolf Blues" as intense as only a few can these days - at the same time representing the drift that CRANBERRIES et al pledge allegiance to - "Boy Who Run Away" takes its drone from the same source. Torme absorbes many styles and overtly shows he played with Ozzy - and here's tabla-adorned "Dark Horizon", with ATOMIC ROOSTER - taste "Healer", DESPERADO - and Dee Snider warbles in "Easy Action". Master's guitar - that's the common denominator. So while white trash guitar runs "Purple Haze", the nomadic tribe of rock lives on.

****1/2

Amazing! These days world music reign yet only a few are able to swallow it for their own material. PARANOISE are, and pursue this in revolutionary way. Even folks familiar with Arabian music will be swept away by PARANOISE intergrating it into rock context. MASTER MUSICIANS OF JAJOUKA were welcomed to the rock realm by Brian Jones and abandoned after the Stone untimely death. Now they got sampled for "Evil Vs. Evil", a magnificient dervish swirl combined with sheer riffage and cajun dance. Sampling is an important part of the band's method and applied almost to all of the tracks, be it Noam Chomsky's spoken word in the title track or Ali Akbar Khan's drone in "Tarana" - violins, bass, guitars etc notwithstanding. Which by no means says the result is far from live, there's almost an "I'm The Walrus" psychodelic effect built up in "Instability, Containment, Rollback" with the solo of CURVED AIR kind. "Tetrahedral Metaphor" uses MUSICIANS OF NILE idiom but turns it into English folk - a mighty bass work present. KULA SHAKER fans must go for stuff like this or "Structural Adjustment" so it's strange why PARANOISE still keep such a low profile, especially with violinist Rohan Gregory having played with Page and Plant.

ZEPPELIN-esque style is on the surface in "Mechanical World" and, with all the musicians' background, they feel at home playing heavy material - fortunately, Thorne Palmer's voice doesn't resemle Plant's so here's no direct comparisons, although Jim Matus' guitar skills are on par with those of Page. "International Monetary Fun" is exactly what its title suggests, a humorous reading of world music. The most arresting, however, prove short pieces like "Centerless Grinding" where all the band's trademarks on display for less than three minutes - just like Chuck Berry's rockers.

Rock'n'roll was born as the cross between black and white culture - and later spoiled and corrupted. Now, if the music's future lies here, there's no reason to worry. The twain shall meet again.

*****

Nowadays only Japanese bands seem to still retain the spirit of the Seventies' art rock - sometimes taking it very seriously while other times the genre is approached with more imagination. What you may think of the band consisting of keyboard player, bassist and drummer. ELP, yes? Not at all. Well, "Labyrinth" pours over a sonic tsunami and synthesizers swing like Emerson's organ while melody appears hard to catch so it's rather technique on display than a piece to entertain. But it's listenable and ambitions are worthy their British teachers. Look at the second track, ten and a half minutes long "The Edge Of Darkness", hardly an epic in content but orchestration's great. Pulsating rhythm - and suddenly violin (seems to be a real one) breaks in with a short quote from Bach to place all the bits into their places. The audiochaos shows strong structure similar to that of UK. Eddie Jobson finally has his apprentices. Hurray! Yet once you're content having stuck the label on it, time changes and CRIMSON textures appear repleted with strong bass hooks. But relax - and feel how all the influences mix into something huge.

With appearance of a new singer, Roy Khan, the puzzle bits seem to create a whole picture. Now all music is credited to KAMELOT, not only to guitarist Thom Youngblood. Khan's solid vocal approach determines the overall picture with early power metal excesses withdrawn to a greater effect. Now the band's output comes clever as never before - where others would kick off with attack, KAMELOT prefer quiet pace of "Providence" using folk melodies. Chainsaw drumming held for "Millenium" sounds annoying unnatural while equally unnatural for metal is the beguiling piano line.

All the elements magnificiently unite in "King's Eyes" - a smash presented as it deserves. Additional plaudits to acoustic guitar fragment. Dickinson-like ballad "Where I Reign" and a little poppy "Parting Visions" convincingly prove KAMELOT's capability of a strong melody. Instrumental interplay is of highest standards. Keyboards drive extremely arresting "Once A Dream" firmly based on late Seventies' hard rock - a gift for aged fans to enjoy. And what a treat is solemn "Rhydin" with baroque bits and an exquisite acoustic guitar solo. Surely a stage favourite - as well as instrumental showcase of medieval-coloured "Siege". The band reached the point where fans feel besieged. A feeling perilous yet, in this case, pleasant.

****1/2

After such boring experiments with doom metal of "Strange Highways" and "Angry Machines" Ronnie Dio got back on his tracks, to classic hard'n'heavy he'd helped create. Now that the singer came up with fantasy storyline and invited two old friends - guitarist Craig Goldy and bassist Jimmy Bain - back to the fold, the band, rounded with Simon Wright on drums, experiences a kind of revival.

And the main magic of it is the return to melodic side of things. Except for some Aliens' "robot" voice snippets, the material is filled with good tunes beginning from "Magica Theme", an instrumental guitar/keyboards bluesy piece that leads to the SABBATH-viscouse "Lord Of The Last Days". No usual DIO "first track" attack, Ronnie rhythmically cuts his slice shrouding a listener with the murky atmosphere. Funnily, riffage doesn't make the song heavy, feeling's light. "Fever Dreams", a strong guitar hook and Ronnie bounces in "Rising" style, no struggling, easiness throughout. Lyrics don't tell the story - there's a "Magica Story" tucked to the end of the album where Ronnie reads his opus - so every song's a story in itself. The first uptempo one, "Turn To Stone", a little strange in terms of harmonies and irksome riff yet more imaginative comes "Feed My Head" with chorus schemed for singalong and a soft spot Ronnie seems to have abandoned long ago. Craig provides a solemn solo while Dio himself plays keyboards. Those keyboards and guitar plus female voice and a string arrangement make for a majestic effect in "Eriel", a piece which could fit "Last In Line" with its resemblance to "Naked In The Rain" although the intro's stronger than the track's development.

For how long DIO didn't play pure rock'n'roll? Now it's here, in "Challis", from Berry-ish hook to the trademark line "I am a rock and you are glass". Guitar dances and howls, rhythms section grooves, Dio gets his kicks out of it. A treat - is this man really turned 60? Ronnie claimed he'd never sing a ballad again but what if not great ballad is "As Long As It's Not About Love"? Gentle and sweet, poignant and tear-jerking. Is the story an excuse? Let it be so - as long as gives us an opportunity to enjoy the song.

Acoustic guitar/flute intro of "Losing My Insanity" might once again suggest Ritchie and Ronnie aren't far from each other, even if this intro gets heavier and becomes a riff to go all the way back near the end. Beefy bass pumps into "Otherworld", remindful of "Lonely Is The Word" but not as resolved. And there are two reprises to end the story: "Magica" - the theme now has words and "Lord Of The Last Days" leaving more questions than answers as it's not the Grand Finale one would expect.

Happy end - and a chance for the story to be continued. Hopefully be...

****1/2

A majestic atmposphere music, wide landscapes drawn by Ricky Gardiner's guitar. Hardly for those who knows the guitarist by his work with Iggy and Bowie, but those into FLOYD or Ennio Morricone may find this album enjoyable. Thought-provoking it is. Other musicians are Virginia Scott - she played with Gardiner in one of the best early prog bands BEGGARS OPERA - on violin and cello and Trevor Stainsby operating electronics and percussion. One way or another, the primary instrument is the fluid guitar capable of filling the space with divine sound.

It's the fourth Paul's solo album and the most serious one, all the singer's talent's facets united. So "Deep Blue" kicks in not unlike "Louisiana Blues" yet is typical BAD CO cutting track, uptempo and driving with melody immediately set in your mind. The band of drummer Jim Copley, guitarist Geoff Whitehorn and bassist Jaz Lochrie have been accompanying Rodgers since 1995 and it's hardly a surprise they feel each other's drift to play tight and hot as hell - besides that, they're all seasoned musicians that know rock'n'roll to the core. "Walking Tall" harks back to the Fifties' doo-wop and Elvis - a rare occasion while Rodgers always leaned to the rocky side of blues rather than swing and jive pumping here. By the way, who's that Kazaam Kazungle, the King of the jungle? A reason is rhyme? "Find A Way" comes as easy acoustic song in the vein of "Seagull", Whitehorn doing Koss at his best. The tune may seem underdeveloped a bit yet pleasant as every ballad Paul ever done - and female singers on the chorus (no Sam Brown this time) make it majestic especially when Rodgers gets higher.

"China Blue" bears just a little of Chinese harmonies being seemingly a new version of "Come Together In The Morning" sung in traditional FREE style. Fortunately, there's no third slow tune in a row and "Love Rains" signals a return to the "Desolation Angels" Georgia times with Paul bashing on piano. "Over You", in its turn, tends to remind that there were THE FIRM and Page imposing on Rodgers - to the benefit of all - his love for folk vibe, which is released now and the result's great, flute adding some more touches to the overall serene picture. "Drifters", a song one expects from the singer, lacks a certain catchiness, as a contrast "Freedom", another one off THE FIRM canon combining acoustic and electric guitars, proves mighty with no shade of smile or tear. Sentimental and flat is "Jasmine Flower" setting the base for majestic "Conquistadora". Paul has managed to accumulate all his energy to let it out in this solemn ballad remindful of "Nights In White Satin". Stripped off all the decoration appears acoustic wonder of "Other Side Of Midnight", a bonus track worthy chasing the Japanese version of the album. Why? Because the "Electric" feel is - yes - electric, and would suit everyone, not only a fan.

*****