SKY

For all his worth, this writer always had problems considering this "group" seriously, not just as a rock group but also as valid artistes: There are so many doubtful moments about these guys's integrity - I am speaking of the classical music's adaptations as well as giving credits to the masters who wrote the themes these guys are re-working. Those of you who have read my (poor) reviews of groups like Trace or Ekseption, will know I am not kind to that particular brand of Rocking The Classics. I was always a bit wary of Curved Air's Francis Monkman ripping off the dead classical, composers, too and in Sky, this is probably even more audible than in his previous group. However, compared to those Dutch masters of the genre, both Curved Air and Sky (funny air association is it not?) are much more personal in the way they render their versions.

While a lot of progheads laud Sky's first four albums (well they are prog, but certainly nothing approaching the cannons of the genre), these guys never really work up a sweat either in the writing dept or even playing out their tunes. Even their loudest passage on this album does not even reach the waist of dB levels of the slower Yes tracks. One big problem I have with these guys is their slick sound, not one single note louder or out of range than the rest of them; While I would not call Sky elevator music or easy-listening, it is not that far away from that either. The jazzy intonations these guys are giving are sometimes also veering towards ECM- type of jazz rock/fusion never far from passe-partout and downright bland.

Please do not get me wrong here, the musicianship is impeccable and the music can be even enjoyable, but as background music to an afternoon in the sack with the partner, but as far as listening music is concerned, I find this unnervingly shallow. I suppose that the period in which they recorded their better albums (this actually might be it) has also something to do with their sound: by now digital synths were definitely taking the upper hand on their analogue ancestors, and believe me, it shows, but they will not resort to loops or other effects: these guys were studio pros and knew how to play their instruments. In some weird sort of way, their music can be likened to a vocal-less Alan Parson Project (their fist three albums), with a slightly more prog twist. Also a cross of Happy The Man meets an instrumental Toto.

Bonus track Dies Irae is an invaluable addition to the album (even though it is inspired by Berlioz) and might even be my favourite. But even with this track, Iwill generously round my rating to the upper nit, meaning three stars only.