THE LORELI

I first reviewed this album in 1992, three years after it was released, and then again in 2013. Now in 2025 I find myself writing about it again, but why? Although this album was released in 1989, what many people may not be aware of is that the previous year a version was released on cassette with a very different line-up, with the same track listing and order but it was called 'Forgotten Dreams'. Keith found the original tapes, had them digitally recovered, so now we have two versions of the same album on the same release, with Keith and drummer Dave Wagstaffe being the only common members between the two, which were recorded only a year apart.

On this set we have the well-known version of 'The Loreli' first, which features Tracy Hitchings (lead vocals), Toshi Tsuchiya (guitar), Keith Turner (bass, 12-string guitar, keyboards) and Dave Wagstaffe (drums, vibes, triangle). I still remember the first time I played this album, something over 20 years ago, as I fell in love with it immediately. It was the first time I had come across Tracy, and this felt like a perfect combination of soaring prog with vocals to match. Unlike the debut, where Keith had provided all the material, this is much more of a band album although only the title song was co-written by two current members of the band. The keyboards do sound a little uncomplicated, but given that they were being played on a midi as opposed to 'proper' keyboards that probably isn't surprising. The star of the show is Tracy, and the music is designed to show her off in the best light. Here she is full of confidence and the production is spot on, allowing her to be a little 'dry' in places to really show off her quality as opposed to coating everything in reverb. Although some of the keyboard sounds do appear little dated, since it is nearly 40 years since it was released, that really is a little picky as here is an album that neo-prog fans should investigate. Not long after the album was released and this line-up, like so many others, had disappeared. Dave joined forces with ex-Quasar members Uwe D'Rose and Steve Leigh to form Landmarq with Steve Gee (Artemis), and Tracy departed to work with Clive Nolan on his Strangers On A Train projects and others, before finally joining Landmarq herself. So Quasar were never really able to maximize the potential of a wonderful piece of work, which is nothing short of criminal.

But, as I said, this five-track album has now been extended to ten, with the original demo tracks now restored to full glory. Joining Keith and Dave on this was Nick Williams (vocals), Kevin Fitzgerald (guitar) and Steve Leigh (keyboards). Given the rhythm section is the same on both albums, and they are performing the same songs, it is not surprising that the arrangements are very similar indeed, with just some additional elements in the keyboards. Of course, what makes the largest difference between the two are the vocals of Nick Williams, who fits in very well with the material indeed. I remember Tracy telling me the songs had originally been written with a male singer in mind, but I never thought I would hear them, so 37 years on from when they were originally recorded I find myself enjoying an album I know very well indeed, but in a totally new way.

These certainly never sound like demo recordings, and I am sure the only reason this never got the full release at the time was due to the change in line-up with the band now reverting back to a female singer ? it is strange how they started with a male singer, recorded the debut with a male, then brought in a female, to be replaced by a male, who in turn was replaced by a female, certainly quite unusual for any style of band. Anyone who has ever enjoyed Quasar will find this an essential release, even if they already have copies of the 'original'.

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