|
|
|
|
||
|
 |
 |
Highlighting in album tracklistings denotes 'contains Mellotron'. On 'multi-part' tracks I've tried to indicate which parts contain 'Tron, although this isn't always possible.
Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
The 'T' ('Tron, of course...) rating (0-5) is an only slightly more objective indicator of an album's Mellotronness.
By the way, if you know of any Mellotron albums that aren't listed here, please look at my albums page first! Thanks.
|
Kalevala The Letters Lounge-a-Palooza |
Lynne Me Your Ears Nu Ska Vi Sjunga One Step Up/Two Steps Back |
Prayer of Jabez Progfest |
Randy Jackson's Music Club Red Hot + Blue |
 |
Kalevala: A Finnish Progressive Rock Epic (2003, 238.11) ***½/T½ |
||
| Haikara: The Creation/The Sowing Overhead: Wainamoinen and Youkahainen/ The Fate of Aino Simon Says: Som Floden Flyter Sinkadus: Trubadurens Kval Moongarden: Maiden of the Bow Il Castello di Atlante: Ilmarinen Forges the Sampo Magenta: Lemminkainen's Lament Submarine Silence: The Three Battles Metaphor: Raking the Bones Clearlight: The Boat Builder/Searching for the Lost Word |
Orchard: Ilmarinen's Wooing Greenwall: The Wedding Revelation: Uninvited Guest Scarlet Thread: Pimeästa Pohjolasta Mad Crayon: Il Suono dei Ricordi Museo Rosenbach: Fiore di Vendetta Leviathan: Filo di Lama Malibran: Strani Colori Sofia Baccini: Malvagio per le Stelle Elegant Simplicity: Ilmarinen's Bride of Gold Qadesh: Ilmarinen's Fruitless Wooing |
Cantina Sociale: Kantele Grand Stand: Stormen Germinale: La Battaglia per il Sampo Aardvark: Uusi Kantele Thønk: Kapittu 45/46 Groovector: Tuletta Whobodies: Pine Randone & Tempore: Runo 49 Cafeïne: The Way is Open |
|
Current availability:
Mellotrons used:
Kalevala: A Finnish Progressive Rock Epic is the first collaboration between Colossus, The Finnish Progressive Music Association and Musea Records, where several bands are asked to write a piece to fit a concept and to record it using only '70s equipment or soundalikes. Now, even speaking as someone who runs a website devoted to the Mellotron, this smacks to me of 'gear fetishism'; OK, make the pieces 'trad', but why mention Rickenbacker basses? More first-wave prog bands played Fenders than Rickys, although I'm with them on 'no digital synth sounds/drum machines etc.' It's a full-length three-CD set, too, so be prepared to put a few hours of your life to one side.
The Kalevala is Finland's great mythological epic, so I suppose it's a reasonable starting point for the series, given its constraints; back in the 'real world', it's a thoroughly ludicrous and pretentious idea, but this is the World Of Prog, where anything can happen. Sort of. As with most 'inspired by' albums, I'm not entirely sure why much of this music reminds the writers of a poem within the epic, but it's produced some pretty decent stuff, so I don't feel inclined to argue too much. Greenwall are a new name to me, but have produced one of the most original tracks here, while the wonderful Qadesh (seen once, never forgotten) are certainly the most off-the-wall band on the album; their inclusion proves that Colossus are light years ahead of, say, Mellow Records in their choice of project contributors. Another original approach is taken by Italy's Germinale, whose entire song is narrated, slightly (and deliberately) out of step by two band members, Marco Masoni and Salvo Lazzara, while the nicest surprise here is the inclusion of Sinkadus, missing presumed dead for several years (their website's front page still has a reference to their excellent 1999 appearance at Progfarm...). There are a few puzzling contributions; why exactly does a jazzy piece like the Whobodies' Pine remind anyone of a Finnish epic poem? And why do the Groovectors feel that copying Pink Floyd is a viable option? Not to mention Magenta's turgid pseudo-'70s neo-prog... At least they stop short of open plagiarism on this track. All in all, some excellent material, a lot of 'pretty good' and surprisingly (and refreshingly) very little 'shouldn't have bothered'.
On the Mellotron front, a clear half-dozen of these bands are known for using samples, so accurate identification of 'Tron use is a little random, to be honest. Simon Says only used the 'Tron on their mid-'90s release, and while the strings (from Stefan Renström) on their track, Som Floden Flyter, sound (fairly) genuine, the choirs are muffled and indistinct, and reek of sample. Sinkadus' strings and flutes on Trubadurens Kval are nice and upfront, and sound real enough, and known sample users Moongarden's credited strings and choir sound remarkably similar to the ones used by Simon Says. Related outfit Submarine Silence's samples are good enough to fool the ear, unlike Magenta's, although both are credited with 'Mellotron'. Hmmm. More credited 'Tron, though clearly samples, on Orchard's Ilmarinen's Wooing, as I suspect are Revelations'. The reformed Museo Rosenbach contribute a track that, while not sounding much like anything from Zarathustra, is apparently immeasurably better than anything from their reformation album, 2000's Exit, although the 'Tron is, again, sampled. Sofia Baccini is credited with using one (played by herself, as are most of the instruments on her track), although it's entirely inaudible, with the only obvious strings being from the credited PPG. Randone & Tempore's contributions are most certainly sampled, as are Elegant Simplicity's; you simply can't play 'Tron flutes that quickly, at least, not without considerable key-click issues... Then again, if the remit is to use 'traditional' keyboard sounds, what are most bands to do? Most of the above don't own a Mellotron, and most probably don't even have (affordable) access to one, so I suppose you can't blame them for using samples in an attempt to sound 'authentic'.
Basically, there's far too much to take in here at one sitting; its three discs last a gnat's under four hours for Chrissake... There's nothing really painful here, which is a bonus, and amongst the 'yeah, not bad's, there are quite a few excellent pieces of music; about enough for a reasonable-length single CD, in fact... I'm not entirely convinced by the reasoning behind the whole concept, but it gives several new bands a chance to display their chops amongst slightly more seasoned campaigners, although I'm not so sure that straightjacketing bands into a fixed format is the way forward, however much I may be in favour of said format. So; how many 'almost definite' 'Tron sightings are there here? Er, one. OK, I've highlighted seven tracks, some of which don't have a 'Tron credit, but I'd be surprised if more than three of the other six are genuine, and I wouldn't be completely amazed to discover that there isn't a jot of real tape-replay anywhere on the album. I know it looks like I've highlighted at random, but between the definite and possible samples, it's rather difficult to work out what's going on. Suffice to say, a fair bit of 'Tron work, though little of it is likely to be 'for real'.
See: Simon Says | Sinkadus | Submarine Silence | Metaphor | Clearlight | Museo Rosenbach | Elegant Simplicity | Cantina Sociale | Germinale | Thønk
 |
The Letters: an Unconventional Italian Guide to King Crimson (2003, 186.49) ****/T |
||
| Stefano Bollani: Frame By Frame Germinale: Doctor Diamond Nema Niko: The Talking Drum Spirosfera: Cat Food Roversi Caimi Menotti: Discipline Soundvision: One More Red Nightmare Anatrofobia: The Sailor's Tale Tilion: One Time Taproban: Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part 2 Three of a Charming Pair: Inner Garden I & II |
Prophexy: The Great Deceiver Giardini d'Autunno: Formentera Lady Psychonoesis: Starless Goad: Epitaph Costa Mombrini Piazzi: Lady of the Dancing Water Jet Lag: Pictures of a City Ubi Maior: Prince Rupert L'Imbroglio: Providence Malibran: I Talk to the Wind Floating State: Exiles |
Notturno Concertante: Cadence and Cascade Greenwall: Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part 1 Caboto: Moonchild The Slowmovies: Matte Kudasai ZAQ: In the Court of the Crimson King Mariposa: Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream Mosaic Orchestra: Red Comfort: We'll Let You Know/Fracture Nodo Gordiano: Lament Aria Palea: The Great Deceiver |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
'An Unconventional Italian Guide to King Crimson'? They ain't kidding! The Letters is actually one of the better tribute albums that's landed in my lap over the last year or so, the bulk of its content being just what it says on the tin: unconventional. Makes a nice change from 'slavishly copied', I have to say... Some of the more inventive versions include Stefano Bollani's excellent piano version of Frame By Frame, Psychonoesis' frankly peculiar Starless, Caboto's metallic jazz Moonchild and Mosaic Orchestra's brass-driven Red, while the award for 'worst English pronunciation' is split evenly between ZAQ's Maurilio Gigante and Aria Palea's Ninfa Giannuzzi ("Great de-ZI-ver..."), who clearly don't actually speak the language, but mistakenly think they can sing it.
Four bands are credited with Mellotron, although how many of those are genuine can only be a matter for speculation. Tilion's Alfio Costa sticks fairly murky (but genuine) strings onto their THRAK, er, track, One Time, while Three of a Charming Pair, who sound a lot like a band formed just for the occasion, donate volume-pedalled strings to another THRAK effort, Inner Garden I & II, with Sergio Taglioni (ex-The Watch)'s credit saying both played and recorded by, making me think it's probably real. Giardini d'Autunno's Formentera Lady has what I presume are Mellotron cellos, while Notturno Concertante's Cadence And Cascade seems to be entirely 'Tron-free, but they're not exactly known for using one, anyway. A handful of other artists use samples, but the heavy rearrangements on most tracks make the sound redundant, which is actually a good thing in this case.
Overall, then, a much better than average tribute album, from a label formerly known for lacklustre copycat ones, so kudos to Mellow. Not much Mellotron, but that isn't why this is worth hearing.
See: King Crimson | Germinale | Tilion
 |
Lounge-a-Palooza (1997, 57.00) **½/½ |
||
| Combustible Edison & Esquivel: Miniskirt Fastball: This Guy's in Love With You Ben Folds Five: She Don't Use Jelly Poe: A Rose is a Rose Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé: Black Hole Sun |
Pizzicato Five: The Girl From Ipanema P.J. Harvey & Eric Drew Feldman: Zaz Turned Blue Fun Lovin' Criminals: I'm Not in Love Glen Campbell & Michelle Shocked: Wichita Lineman Edwyn Collins: Witchcraft |
Jimmy Scott & Flea: Love Will Keep Us Together The James Taylor Quartet: Music to Watch Girls By Cassandra Wilson: The Good Life Chris Ballew: Robert Goulet (on the River Nile) |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
As other online reviewers have noted, Lounge-a-Palooza manages to combine several irritating late '90s musical fashions into one neat, tidy package, not least the brief 'lounge' craze, leapt upon by bored fashionistas before they tired of it, too. The album's not even entirely sure what it's trying to do, with lounge versions of recent hits (Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé's ridiculous Black Hole Sun, The Ben Folds Five's She Don't Use Jelly) rubbing shoulders with the likes of Edwyn Collins' Witchcraft or The Pizzicato Five's tired The Girl From Ipanema. P.J. Harvey & Eric Drew Feldman's Mel Torme-by-way-of Was (Not Was)' Zaz Turned Blue is actually halfway decent, bringing real drama to the track, Glen Campbell & Michelle Shocked's Wichita Lineman isn't that different to Campbell's original and The James Taylor Quartet's Music To Watch Girls By is actually pretty cool. However, the always-terrible Fun Lovin' Criminals' dreadful take on 10cc's I'm Not in Love is seriously misguided and the aforementioned Black Hole Sun isn't even funny.
Kim Bullard is credited with Mellotron, but without track-by-track credits, it's far from the easiest task to locate it; the flutes at the beginning of Black Hole Sun are the most likely location, so we'll stick with that, I think. Overall, then, a rather dull effort, heavy on the 'humour' and light on anything you might actually want to listen to more than once (or even once, in several cases). Next to no Mellotron, either, so I really wouldn't bother if I were you.
See: Ben Folds | P.J. Harvey | Edwyn Collins | Wilson Phillips
 |
Lynne Me Your Ears: A Tribute To The Music of Jeff Lynne (2004, 133.23) ***/T½ |
||
| Mitch Easter: 10538 Overture Earl Slick: Ma Ma Ma Belle Jeffery Foskett: Telephone Line Jason Falkner: Do Ya Ben Lee: Sweet is the Night Pat Buchanan: Rockaria! Michael Carpenter: Every Little Thing Peter Holsapple: No Time Richard Barone: Showdown Jamie Hoover: Handle With Care Mark Helm: Strange Magic |
Ross Rice: Evil Woman Carl Wayne: Steppin' Out Swag: Don't Bring Me Down Prairie Sons & Daughters: One Summer Dream Doug Powell: Can't Get it Out of My Head The Shazam: Twilight Tony Visconti (with Kristeen Young & Richard Barone): Mr. Blue Sky The Heavy Blinkers: You Took My Breath Away The Balls of France: Message From the Country Ferenzik: The Minister |
Neilson Hubbard & Venus Hum: Xanadu Bill Lloyd: When Time Stood Still Sparkle Jets UK: Above The Clouds Walter Clevenger & the Dairy Kings: Rock and Roll is King Jeremy: Morning Sunshine Rick Altizer: Boy Blue PFR: Living Thing Sixpence None the Richer: On the Run Todd Rundgren: Bluebird is Dead Roger Klug: Turn to Stone Fleming & John: Eldorado |
|
Current availability:
Chamberlin/Mellotrons used:
I suppose ELO are an obvious case for tributing, due to their massive late '70s popularity and influence, although I'm not sure if that makes 2004's appallingly-punning Lynne Me Your Ears: A Tribute To The Music of Jeff Lynne any more listenable. In fairness, it's not purely an ELO tribute, anything Lynne was involved with being fair game, including The Move and the dadrock of The Traveling Wilburys, although the bulk of its content is light, electrical and orchestral. Several of the artists involved twist the malleable material to suit their own style (Ross Rice, Tony Visconti, Todd Rundgren), highlights including Peter Holsapple's weird-folk take on No Time and Prairie Prince's Prairie Sons & Daughters' bonkers One Summer Dream. Probably unsurprisingly, quite a few power-popsters turn up (Mitch Easter, Jason Falkner, Jeremy), generally offering up fairly straight takes on the material, albeit usually less cheesy than the originals (you can tell I'm not a fan, can't you?). Other Planet Mellotronsters here include Richard Barone and the insipid Sixpence None the Richer, plus a couple of others waiting in the wings.
Several musicians are credited with various tape-replay devices, with Tony Visconti, Doug Powell and Scott Baggett (misspelled Bagget here) on Mellotron and Mitch Easter on Chamberlin, although going by his other recent 'Mellotron' credits, I think we have to take anything involving Tony Visconti and Mellotrons with a largish bucket of salt. Anyway, Easter adds occasional Chamby strings to the real cellos on his set opener, 10538 Overture, someone plays flutes on Jason Falkner's propulsive Do Ya, there's a few string chords on Michael Carpenter's Every Little Thing and someone adds flutes and choirs to The Balls of France's version of The Move's Message From The Country. However, the 'Mellotron' choirs on Tony Visconti, Kristeen Young and Richard Barone's Mr. Blue Sky are quite clearly sampled, and not very well at that (good version, though), and since Doug Powell's already had an album stuck in Sampledelica!, I'd imagine the flutes on Can't Get It Out Of My Head are, too, especially as they don't even sound much like a 'Tron.
All in all, then, another tribute album that Lynne/ELO fans will probably want, while the rest of us yawn and start fidgeting. A few surprise efforts, a few really good tracks that transcend the gloopy material and a whole load of clones. Pretty much as you'd expect, then. Not much tape-replay, either, so not really worth it on that front.
See: ELO | Doug Powell | Shazam | Richard Barone | Sixpence None the Richer | Todd Rundgren
 |
Nu Ska Vi Sjunga (2004, recorded 1972-73, 71.40) ***½/TT |
|||
| När Lillan Kom Till Jorden Små Små Fågelungar Trollfar i Snurreberget Nisse Tänker Sjöman Bli Vid en Väg På en Sten Bonden och Kråkan Goddag Min Fru Raska Fötter Springa Tripp, Tripp, Tripp När Jag Sist Gick ut att Vandra |
Veva Veva Positiv Kungens Lilla Piga Har du Sett Herr Kantarell? Trollmors Vaggsång Annikas Visa Plocka Svamp Tomtarnas Julnatt Om Våren, om Våren Här är Polisen Stinas Pepparkakssoldat Sov du Lilla Videung |
Leka Skola Vid Kattegatt Lasse Liten En Sockerbagare Fyra Små Grisar Säg När Kommer Våren Fjäriln Vingad Nu Så är det Jul Igen Tre Pepparkaksgubbar När Olle Fick Heta Pilleman |
Blåsippan ute i Backarna Står Nu Dansar Våren Om Jag Får en Flygmaskin Lilla Tussilago Tummeliten Litti Litti Li Mors Lilla Olle Blinka Lilla Stjärna Fröken Kissekatt Vi Går Över Daggstänkta Berg |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
Nu Ska Vi Sjunga, or 'Now shall we sing', is one of the oddest records reviewed on this site, and it's up against some stiff competition... Basically, it's a compilation of recordings of Swedish nursery rhymes, mostly recorded in the early '70s, provided for me by those nice people from Anekdoten. So why is it here? I'm sure you'll be completely unsurprised to hear that the instrumental accompaniment includes, alongside guitar and piano, a synth (ARP 2600?) and a Mellotron, so that answers that question. The music's very sweet, lots of short songs sung by enthusiastic-sounding people (male and female) in true school-hall style, sounding remarkably similar to many English-language equivalents. None of the melodies are familiar, with one obvious exception, proving that the Scandinavian tradition is very different to the British, although the style most certainly is. The exception is a startlingly mournful version of Blinka Lilla Stjärna, or Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Odd.
There's actually some interesting experimentation on offer here; Veva Veva Positiv features a backwards synth part, while Tomtarnas Julnatt and Om Våren, Om Våren's ARP patch is straight out of the prog songbook. The Mellotron parts (player unknown) are quite straightforward, unsurprisingly; När Lillan Kom Till Jorden opens with synth (definitely not Mellotron) flutes, with a 'Tron string line swelling up halfway through, although Små Små Fågelungar's flutes are Mellotronic. More flutes and strings on Kungens Lilla Piga, with all the other tracks sticking to strings. My theory, given the lack of recording information, other than dates (1972/3), is that some of the songs were recorded in a studio that already had a Mellotron, since it seems to be added pretty much at random; there's no obvious reason for it to be on one track any more than another, but then, I didn't arrange them, so what do I know?
Since this is meant to be used in nurseries and for small children at home, rather than listened to by sad Mellotron-obsessives who don't even understand the language, rating it is almost superfluous; it's a children's album, and works perfectly well in that context, and since it didn't make me grit my teeth even once, I think ***½ is quite fair. The Mellotron work is actually pretty good, but I'm not sure I can actually recommend a purchase to the average adult listener. Good at what it does.
 |
One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen (1997, 117.21) ***/0 |
||
| Aram: Something in the Night Smithereens: Downbound Train Kurt Neumann: Atlantic City John Wesley Harding: Jackson Cage Nils Lofgren: Wreck on the Highway John Hiatt: Johnny 99 Dave Alvin: Seeds Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers: Light of Day Martin Zellar: Darkness on the Edge of Town Mrs. Fun, Tina & the B-Side Movement: Janey, Don't You Lose Heart |
Marshall Crenshaw: All or Nothin' at All Syd Straw: Meeting Across the River Ben E. King: 4th of July, Asbury Park [Sandy] Paul Cebar: One Step Up The Knack: Don't Look Back Donna Summer: Protection Joe Cocker: Human Touch Elliott Murphy: Stolen Car David Bowie: It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City |
Rocking Chairs: Restless Nights Robbin Thompson: Guilty Sonny Burgess: Tiger Rose Gary "U.S." Bonds: Love's on the Line Clarence Clemons & the Red Bank: Savin' Up Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes: The Fever Little Bob Story: Seaside Bar Song Allan Clarke: If I Was the Priest Richie Havens: Streets of Philadelphia |
|
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
1997's One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen is one of the 'most versions sound just like the originals'-type tribute albums, although you would've thought at least some of Bruce's songs would respond positively to rearrangement. Sadly, it's all a bit ordinary, to be honest, few of the takes here stepping too far from the sheet music, leaving it up to individual performances to stand out, as so few of the arrangements take any real chances.
Plenty of Planet Mellotron artists present here, including The Smithereens, Joe Cocker, Elliott Murphy, David Bowie and Allan Clarke, plus several more who will hopefully find their way to these pages eventually and a whole load who almost certainly never will, not least Ben E. King, Nils Lofgren and the missing-presumed-dead Little Bob Story. The contributors' collective unwillingness to stand out from the crowd means there are no real stinkers, but also no stand-outs, although John Hiatt and sometime Bruce guitarist Nils Lofgren perform particularly impassioned takes on Johnny 99 and Wreck On The Highway respectively and, maybe surprisingly, Bowie's string-driven It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City impresses.
Mellotronically speaking, Wesley "John Wesley Harding" Stace allegedly plays the thing on his take on Jackson Cage, but all I can hear is a couple of real violins. As far as the album's content's concerned, I'm personally surprised there's so little from the iconic Born to Run (only Syd Straw's lesser-known Meeting Across The River), with a good few newer selections. Maybe that should be taken as Springsteen's contemporaries' faith in his later material, or at least its suitability for reinterpretation, not that very much here is especially reinterpreted. Anyway, probably essential for the Bruce-fan-with-everything, though not for the rest of us, and certainly not for anyone hoping to hear some Hot Mellotron Action.
See: Bruce Springsteen | Smithereens | John Wesley Harding | John Hiatt | Marshall Crenshaw | The Knack | Joe Cocker | Elliott Murphy | David Bowie | Allan Clarke
 |
The Prayer of Jabez: Music... a Worship Experience (2001, 29.17) */½This is My PrayerThe Prayer of Jabez Be in Your Blessing Beyond the Borders Touch of Greatness Lead Me Away The Day is Dawning |
Current availability:
Mellotron used:
OK, here's one from Nick Hewitt.
His first paragraph is a general 'caveat' for his CCM reviews!
I have been asked by the good and wonderful Andy Thompson to review this album for two reasons. Firstly, he doesn't possess a copy of the album. Neither do I, but my wife (Sue) does. Secondly, he shares my dislike for Contemporary Christian Music (a.k.a. CCM), for reasons that Sue (who IS a Born-Again Christian) fully understands - that is, the most important element of CCM is the Christian message, and, as a result, the actual music comes second, and a poor second at that. Andy would consider CCM to be worse than Harris Chalkitis (see his review!) Therefore, as a committed non-Christian, how can I be 'qualified' to review CCM? The answer to that is simple - when I listen to music, I very rarely listen to the lyrics. I treat the human voice as a musical instrument, alongside guitars, drums, basses and, on those too-rare occasions, Mellotrons. Therefore the Christian message, in my case, goes in one ear and out the other. It has to be said that in a lot of cases, the exit orifice will vary. Anyway, as I am reviewing the music leaning towards the Mellotron, this should not present a problem - the Christian content, from my standpoint, becomes irrelevant. There was something that I read a few years ago, that is applicable to my attitude towards religion, which was credited to Sci-Fi writer Terry Pratchett. I don't know why he said it, nor the context it originated from, but he came up with the quote/axiom "Freedom of Religion includes Freedom from Religion". This short phrase neatly sums up my opinion of ALL religions, not just Christianity. Certain Ayatollahs in Middle East countries would do well to take that on board - like they read anything I write!
Anyway, to the matter in hand. The Prayer of Jabez is a CD put together by a collection of Christian friends, inspired by the book of the same name. It has to be said that it is a very large collection of friends as on the 7 tracks, there are a total of 11 lead singers, with 3 of the tracks having a support lead singer, as well as 15 instrumental musicians. The insert tells you who sings on what, but NOT who plays on what. Judging by the contents of my wife's collection, this is quite common within the CCM community. Unfortunately, while people are religiously (no pun intended) listed on the CD insert, their precise contribution is not, which makes 'Tron spotting a nightmare. The only information I can glean is that Mellotron is supplied by a Phil Madeira, whose name also crops up with alarming regularity on a whole host of other CDs within the wife's collection. Unfortunately, Jabez appears to be his only dalliance with the 'Tron. [Ed: only in Sue Hewitt's collection; he's otherwise a very prolific Mellotronist]. An interesting side-note is that one of the Executive Producers is one Greg Ham - the same Greg Ham from Men at Work (of Down Under fame).
The review copy used in this missive was a British issue, which came as part of a 3-CD set, entitled The Breakthrough Trilogy. For trainspotters out there, the other CDs, done by the same producers, but with a slightly different set of musicians are Secrets of the Vine and A Life God Rewards. All 3 CDs may be available as separate entities, depending on which part of the world you live in.
The entire CD can best be described as mid-paced soft rock, tending towards ballads. They do try to be a little different from 'normal', but it's too little to make THAT much of a difference. Let's just say that they're very trying! In Mellotronic terms (if such a word exists) there appears to be some choirs being used as a background in Beyond The Borders and some flutes fade in and out of the background of The Day Is Dawning, but in both cases, 'Tron use is minimal, and probably wasted. If you're a committed Christian, you've probably already got this. If you haven't (or you aren't), don't bother, on the music and/or 'Tron front. Also, at less than 30 minutes playing time, you are being ripped off. Avoid... please!
| Nick Hewitt |
 |
Progfest '94 (1995, 146.47) ****/TTTT |
||
| Halloween: Outsider Suburb What's in Kalaban: Mutants Over Miami Eyes of a Seer Hotash Slay Änglagård: Höstsejd Episode: Echoes |
Echolyn: The Cheese Stands Alone A Little Nonsense Here I am Anekdoten: Muscle Beach Benediction (Biceps at Play) Wheel Mars Giraffe: Fly on a Windshield/Broadway Melody of 1994 The Colony of Slippermen/A Visit to the Doktor The Musical Box |
Minimum Vital: Les Mondes de Miranda La Source L'Invitation Sebastian Hardie: Glories Shall Be Released Journey Through Our Dreams Everything is Real |
|
 |
Progfest '95 (1996, 127.29) ****½/TTT |
|
| Arsnova: Morgan Jihad Danse Macabre Landberk: Kontiki Dream Dance Time |
Deus ex Machina: Exordium Res Publica II Ad Montem Si Tu Bene Valeas Ego Bene Valeo White Willow: Lord of Night Cryptomenysis |
Spock's Beard: The Light Solaris: Apocalypse Oz Hungarian Danse Solaris |
 |
Progfest '97 (1997, 141.59) ****/TTT½ |
|
| The John Wetton Band: In the Dead of Night Rendezvous 6:02 Starless Le Orme: Madre Mia/Primo Acqua Il Vecchio Il Fiume, pt.2 Felona & Serona (parts a,b,c,d) |
Arena: Medusa Sirens The Flower Kings: Retropolis Humanizzimo (parts a,b,c,d) Spock's Beard: Thoughts Go the Way You Go |
Bigelf: Mindbender Sell Out Neuropsychopathic Eye Sinkadus: Ättestupan |
 |
Progfest 2000 (2001, 129.24) ***½/T |
|
| Kenso: Sora Ni Hikaru Negal Kanaeru Kodomo Hyoto The Shadow Over Innsmouth Mediterranean & Aryan Supersister: Judy Goes on Holiday Mona Lisa: Captif de la Nuit |
Les Guerriers Tripot Les Sabots de Lena Spock's Beard: Gibberish Rocket Scientists: Dark Water/Earthbound Aqua Vitae In the Flesh?/Oblivion Days |
Codice: Bitácora de Sueños Dentro de la Máquina Espíritus en Movimiento I/Eva/Espíritus en Movimiento II/ Salmo 150 Epílogo Tempus Fugit: Never Prologue Goblin's Trail |
Current availability:
Mellotrons used:
To my knowledge, Progfest existed between 1993 and 2000, missing the odd year here and there. Taking place in Los Angeles, it was arguably the biggest and most important progressive festival in the world, having hosted names such as Änglagård (twice), Le Orme, Anekdoten and Landberk, not to mention persuading several bands to reform for the occasion, not least Australia's Sebastian Hardie. I don't know if the first year was recorded, but since 1994 all the sets have been recorded onto multitrack, creating a priceless archive of progressive rock talent. Double CDs from three consecutive festivals have been released, opening the door for many similar efforts from other festivals, although the quality of artists is rarely matched (until the more recent NEARfests, anyway). Many of the sets excerpted above have now been released in their (near) entirety; Änglagård's set, released as Buried Alive is missing one track, but Solaris' 1995 set is available as a double CD in its own right. Sebastian Hardie, Spock's Beard and Sinkadus have all followed suit, so it's entirely possible that other albums will leak out in the future.
After the triumph of 1993's festival, with Änglagård well down the bill, and a reformation of US lunatics Quill, the double CD/video of the '94 event, Progfest '94, let the rest of the world know what they were missing. Of course, you can only get a small taste of each band this way, but it's good to know that their sets were recorded in their entirety. The first few years were overseen by the (now sadly late) Kevin Gilbert, and he, I believe, provided various items of antique equipment for the bands' use, including a Hammond, a MiniMoog and two Mellotrons. By no means all bands availed themselves of the offer, but Änglagård, Anekdoten, Giraffe and Sebastian Hardie all took the opportunity to sound as good as possible on the night. As previously mentioned, both Änglagård and Sebastian Hardie's sets are available separately, but the brief snippet of Anekdoten's set makes it sound like they were on a real roll, particularly their version of Crimson's version of Holst's Mars (!) with Niklas Berg on 'Tron; any chance of a full release for this, chaps?
Giraffe were basically Kevin Gilbert and a bunch of mates (including future Spock's Beard drummer Nick d'Virgilio and David Kerzner on keys) playing a truncated version of Genesis' Lamb, with The Musical Box as an encore, using mostly authentic equipment, including (of course) the full-on 'Tron of the cheekily-retitled Fly On A Windshield/Broadway Melody Of 1994. Sebastian Hardie's three tracks are basically an edited version of their fantastic Four Moments opus, played in full on the night. Loads of 'Tron throughout, from Toivo Pilt; anyone who thinks Australians can't play full-on symphonic prog should give this lot a blast, despite the slightly under-rehearsed nature of the performance.
'95's festival CD set, Progfest '95, features the only decent artwork of these three releases; I'm not sure if it was specially commissioned, but the stunning 'peeling away reality' theme beats 'bad fantasy art' hands down. Japan's all-female trio Arsnova are dedicated synth merchants (including a nice Prophet 600), but Sweden's excellent Landberk, traditionalists to a man, used nowt but Hammond and 'Tron on the keyboard front (from Simon Nordberg) to great effect. Given that the band are now no more, a full release of their set seems sadly unlikely. What about it though, Musea? Deus ex Machina, singing in Latin, aren't known for their Mellotron use, but Luigi Ricciardiello obviously decided that if it was there, he might as well indulge. Not very much, mind you; a few seconds of strings (distinctly different from the violin and cello also on stage) in Exordium, and that would appear to be it, although they may have used it elsewhere in their set, of course.
On disc two, White Willow's Lord Of Night, sounding heavier than its studio counterpart, features some full-on 'Tron choirs and flute from Jan Tariq Rahman, with a string part on Cryptomenysis, missing from the original. Spock's Beard's The Light is available on their The Official Live Bootleg/The Beard is Out There CD (their debut gig, unbelievably), but just for the record, it's stuffed full of new keys man Ryo Okumoto's 'Tron (he used two on the night), although Polish supremos Solaris are, again, synth-only men. Although the festival lacked the highlights of the previous year's bill, it's actually more consistent; probably the most consistent ever, to be honest, with not a whiff of the also-ran about any band present.
There was no '96 festival, but on the CD set for '97, Progfest '97 (is this getting slightly predictable?), it's extremely difficult to tell who might or might not be using real 'Tron. There was definitely at least one there, as Spock's Beard (still only their third gig!) and Sinkadus used it (you can see one in the 'Beard's booklet pic), but although every other act used them (or samples) in the studio at one time or another, it's hard to say who availed themselves of the real thing on the night. John Wetton had IQ's Martin Orford on keys, making two ex-'Tron users in one band, and the slightly truncated Starless does actually sound pretty authentic (Martin has subsequently confirmed to me that he used the house 'Tron); it's notable that the three Wetton tracks on the disc consist of two UK songs and one Crimson. So that'll be no Asia, then. Thankfully. I've no idea what made up the bulk of Le Orme's set, but three of the four tracks here are from their (then) new album, Il Fiume, with the remainder being excerpts from their masterpiece, the English-language version of Felona & Serona. Michele Bon (one of two keyboard players) is credited with 'Melotron', but I'll be buggered if I can hear it anywhere. Maybe he used it elsewhere in their set.
The not-very-good Arena manage to be their usual pompous, overblown selves (with terrible drumming), and seemingly without the festival 'Tron, although Clive Nolan uses one in the studio. My problem with The Flower Kings' set is that, as with their studio, albums, it's difficult to know whether or not the 'Tron is real or sampled. I'm not sure why you'd use samples if a real one's being provided, but you never know. Anyway, assuming it's real, Retropolis opens with a cool string part, with another 'wobbly enough to sound authentic' part towards the end of the song, with some more on the Humanizzimo excerpts, from Stolt's solo The Flower King opus. Spock's Beard slap it all over their two tracks in most pleasing fashion, of course, as do Sinkadus with their one, leaving Bigelf's Damon Fox to struggle with too many keyboards to play all his studio parts, as he concentrates on Hammond. As a result, I can't hear any 'Tron on Sell Out or Neuropsychopathic Eye, although it's clearly audible on the studio versions, on Money Machine, from three years hence.
The festival became more intermittent after this, its glory days seemingly behind it, but Musea released what would appear to be one last festival compilation, Progfest 2000. The lineup's the least impressive yet, sad to say, with a couple of the more major acts not making the album (Banco and Transatlantic, who would only have used samples anyway), although both Kenso and Mona Lisa manage to be quite excellent, although the less said about much of Tempus Fugit's contribution the better... Actually, that's not really fair; they veer between appalling neo-prog rubbish and almost-transcendental beauty from track to track. Consistency please, gentlemen. The only definite Mellotron use is from the ubiquitous Spock's Beard (again), with some nice flutes and strings on Gibberish, while the Rocket Scientists' Aqua Vitae and Oblivion Days have what sounds 'quite like' a Mellotron, though I have a nasty feeling it isn't, especially as there's two sounds going at once at one point.
The festival seems to have been supplanted by the East Coast NEARfest these days, although, as yet, there have been no compilations made available, although I know that Mellotrons have turned up at least once. In 2003, both Änglagård and Camel, surprisingly, used them, but don't hold your breath for their sets to make it onto CD.
So; do you buy these albums? Well, they all contain some great performances unavailable elsewhere, although complete sets from three of the four have been released. They're all pretty good tasters of the complete festivals; if only more of those complete sets were made available... Music aside (!), I'd say there's enough otherwise-unavailable Mellotron stuff on the first three sets to make them worth the effort on those grounds alone, particularly Anekdoten and Landberk's tracks, although there's less utterly essential stuff on the '97 and 2000 sets. Buy anyway.
See: Änglagård | Anekdoten | Sebastian Hardie | Landberk | White Willow | Spock's Beard | John Wetton | Martin Orford | Le Orme | Arena | Bigelf | Sinkadus | Kenso | Mona Lisa | Rocket Scientists | Erik Norlander
 |
Randy Jackson's Music Club, Volume 1 (2008, 47.59) *½/T |
|
| Paula Abdul: Dance Like There's No Tomorrow Joss Stone: Just Walk on By Keke Wyatt, Trisha Covington & Kiley Dean: What am I So Afraid of? Crunk Squad featuring Ghostface Killah: Like A Kelli Love: Who's Gonna Love You Now Sam Moore, Keb' Mo' & Angie Stone: Wang Dang Doodle |
Jason Mraz, Van Hunt & Jon McLaughlin: Something to Believe in John Rich & Anthony Hamilton: Home Barbi Esco: My R&B Katharine McPhee & Elliott Yamin: Real Love Richie Sambora, Travis Tritt & Lucy Woodward: Willing to Try Bebe Winans, Kim Burrell, Rance Allen, Mariah Carey & Hezekiah Walker: I Understand |
|
Current availability:
Chamberlin used:
Randy Jackson (nothing to do with the infamous 'first family of pop', or however they're known) is a session guy who's gained a considerably higher pubic profile than before as a judge on American Idol (a.k.a. Pop Idol everywhere else). Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol.1 isn't precisely a solo album, as it seems Jackson doesn't actually play on the thing, but he's collated and produced the project, pulling together loads of big names (including dragging at least one, Paula Abdul, out of retirement), shunting them together in odd combinations and releasing the end result with his name and picture writ large on its sleeve.
Surely you're not going to ask me if this is any good? After seeing the above rating? Frankly, even if I liked the musical forms involved, it's a mess; as one online reviewer mentioned, how many record buyers actually want to hear a bunch of such disparate styles on one album, anyway? The best thing here is Sam Moore, Keb' Mo' and Angie Stone's actually pretty good take on Howlin' Wolf's Wang Dang Doodle, thankfully free of any crummy modern production nonsense, but that's it for anything listenable, sadly. Particular low-points? The wildly overrated Joss Stone's almost unrecognisable take on Bacharach's Walk On By, Crunk Squad featuring Ghostface Killah's Like A (Jesus shit - all the production tricks you hate most in one neat package) and Barbi Esco's quite hideous My R&B, which seems to namecheck various non-talents, for the untold millions who actually think they have something to offer. Richie bloody Sambora's track's pretty shite, too.
Patrick Warren really does seem to've cleaned up in the 'top Chamberlin session guy' stakes, trouncing all-comers to the crown by playing the thing on over a hundred albums (to date). What we get here (as far as I can ascertain) is a string part on Kelli Love's Who's Gonna Love You Now, Jason Mraz, Van Hunt and Jon McLaughlin (not that one, fool)'s horrible Something To Believe In and Barbi Esco's My R&B, although I think the strings on Katharine McPhee & Elliott Yamin's Real Love are real. Any or all of the above could actually be something else, though; as so often, it's exceedingly difficult to tell a Chamberlin from a string section or a string sample, making you wonder why so many producers apparently insist on it. Not that I'm complaining, mind, I'm just not sure I can see the point.
So; a messy waste of time with plenty of potential Chamby stuff, though pretty much none on which you can actually rely. Pointless. How long before Volume 2, then?
See: Van Hunt | Jason Mraz
 |
Red Hot + Blue: a Tribute to Cole Porter (1990, 77.46) ***/½ |
||
| Neneh Cherry: I've Got You Under My Skin Neville Brothers: In the Still of the Night Sinéad O'Connor: You Do Something to Me Salif Keita: Begin the Beguine Fine Young Cannibals: Love for Sale Deborah Harry & Iggy Pop: Well, Did You Evah! The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl: Miss Otis Regrets/Just One of Those Things |
David Byrne: Don't Fence Me in Tom Waits: It's All Right With Me Annie Lennox: Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye U2: Night and Day Les Negresses Vertes: I Love Paris k.d. lang: So in Love Thompson Twins: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? |
Erasure: Too Darn Hot Jungle Brothers: I Get a Kick Lisa Stansfield: Down in the Depths Jimmy Somerville: From This Moment on Jody Watley: After You, Who? Aztec Camera: Do I Love You? |
|
Current availability:
Chamberlin used:
It's 2009. You're producing a tribute album. Which names do you pursue? The Thompson Twins? The Fine Young Cannibals? Erasure? It just goes to prove how ephemeral some artists are, and how difficult it is at any given point to work out just who'll last and who won't. Cole Porter's lasted... Whether or not you feel any affinity at all with his songwriting, it defines its era, while much of it is jaw-droppingly audacious, not to mention piss-funny. It really was another time, where tunes and arrangements were almost entirely subservient to lyrics, starting the tradition of rating lyricists as highly as the poor sods who write the tunes, despite its frequent irrelevance in the pop and rock world. I mean, who cares what most bands write about? The level of wit and invention in most modern songwriting is rock-bottom, making it a pleasure to hear a whole album of songs written when it was a real craft and lyricists would spend months agonising over a single line. Maybe.
Red Hot + Blue: a Tribute to Cole Porter works about as well as most similar efforts, i.e. it's a complete ragbag of artists and styles, only vaguely held together by Porter's inimitable writing style. Some artists (, k.d. lang, Jody Watley) opt for the 'trad' route, playing the songs pretty much as they were written, while others (Neneh Cherry, U2, The Thompson Twins) tackle them as they would their own compositions, which, while it can be heavily hit'n'miss, at least makes for something new. Highlights include Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry's Well, Did You Evah!, The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl's Miss Otis Regrets/Just One Of Those Things medley and, of course, Tom Waits' It's All Right With Me.
Said track, frankly, sounds like just about everything else he's done over the last two or three decades. There's credited Chamberlin, but if you can tell exactly what it's doing, then mister, you're a better man than I (sorry, wrong songwriting era). I think someone's playing bowed saw, so the Chamby's probably making one of the background sounds on the track. Who knows? Tom Waits, presumably. So; you're not going to get this for its tape-replay content, but for a quick skip through 1990's great and good tackling songs way beyond their comprehension, it's possibly worth hearing. Oh, and for Waits completists, of course.
See: David Byrne | Tom Waits
