IMPROPER ADVANCES

Elegant Simplicity is basically all about Steven McCabe, a multi-instrumentalist from the United Kingdom, who started this project in 1992, as long as he launched his first ever release ''Improper advances''.Simultaneously he produced the ESA recording label, through which he promoted his works.The album was originally released in cassette, reissued seven years later as a CD-R by his own Proximity Records.

Many of the elements characterizing McBabe's near and future releases are present on this album, however the inspiration and recording quality appear to be at a low point.As with many Elegant Simplicity albums, this is an all instrumental effort, trying to draw some influences from the material of acts like CAMEL, FOCUS, PALLAS and PENDRAGON and come-up with melodic, symphonic-oriented compositions, where the solos, keyboard deliveries and instant melodies are the leading factors.The sharp guitar work of McBabe and the background keyboards are forcing the project into a familiar British Neo Prog style, but the sampled instrumentation, the buried mix and the below average sound are holding this from a decent result.The digital drumming is just unacceptable and plenty of the keyboards parts are just so weak and childish, like coming from an old Casio equipment.The ideas of McBabe are pretty cool, he prooves to be a good composer and many of his solos, orchestrations and textures are pretty nice with underlined symphonic touches and a large instrumental activity with dramatic overtones, there are even some Canterbury-wannabee keyboard moves in the process.But the amateur type of the recording process is the preventing factor here.

A decent document of Elegant Simplicity's premature rehearsals.But not a trully qualitive album as a whole with the sampled instruments surrounding the otherwise nice guitar parts.Recommended only to Neo Prog collectors and fanatics.