ILLUSIONS ON A DOUBLE DIMPLE

For me, this is one of those albums that's very difficult to rate, because parts of it are fantastic and other parts are limp. If I had to say one thing about this band to sum them up, I'd say they are a band who should have stuck to instrumentals....but I know that rock bands have always felt intense pressure to have singing and lyrics. For some sad reason, there are hordes of bands that have great musicians but only a good or mediocre vocalist. (I guess part of the problem is that you can learn to play an instrument, but you can't learn to have a good voice.)

Triumvirat's musicians are definitely top-notch, and on certain songs, such as "Triangle", they prove themselves to be near-equals of the giants: ELP. Yes and Genesis. Of course, as many others have pointed out, they at times get very close to being "clones", but I really don't mind if the song kicks butt, and some of these songs do just that. The music is complex and muti-part, but it's also muscular and driving. It's just a lot of fun to listen to, even if you can easliy play "spot the influence".

Unfortunately, what separates Triumvirat from the giants (Yes, Genesis, ELP, King Crimson, VDGG), is the comparatively weak vocals and lyrics. Not to say the singer is bad, and at times he reminds me of one of my favorites (Robert Wyatt)....but he's no Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson or Peter Hammill. I also feel that the band really simplifies the music during the vocal parts, to the point where it's sort of bland and musically uninteresting. They go from these really cool, intricate musical sections to vocal sections that are almost mundane and sappy.

Tracks 7-9 are a perfect summation of the strengths and style of Triumvirat. "Maze" charges forward like a rhino, with aggressive drums and almost frantic keyboards in a style that is very reminiscent of Tarkus-era ELP, but every so often there's a quick little break where the vocals go "aahhh!" and it's an almost comical nod to CTTE-era Yes. The next song "Dawning" is a gorgeous piano solo that's clearly based on Rick Wakeman's style. "Bad Deal" is another propulsive track with great music and also some vocals that remind me of Wall-era Pink Floyd. Really good stuff....

So, my opinion is that the musical sections are often great (4 or 5 stars), but the vocal sections are usually weaker (2-4 stars).

I'd definitely recommend this to fans of ELP, Yes, Genesis and the Moody Blues, but I can't say it's essential.