A STREET BETWEEN SUNRISE AND SUNSET

The bands that sound like the Fish-era Marillion are getting fewer and fewer, but now and then they're popping up. The first time I heard a band that I really thought were inspired by Marillion was when I heard Pendragon's "The World" album from 1991. Another album that I consider being a really "Marillion-clone" is La Tulipe Noire's album "Shattered Image" from 2000. Next up is Satellite's "A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset" that was released on the Metal Mind label recently.

And the reminiscence doesn't stop with the music. Mark Wilkinson, the man that did all the famous artworks for Marillion, designed the sleeve. It's a really beautiful CD-booklet, and the music is really beautiful too. Besides the Marillion influences heard on the album, there are also reminiscences to Camel and of course Collage. The band includes three ex-members of Collage, the legendary Polish progressive rock band.

Except for a few bands (Pendragon, Marillion, Pallas etc.) I think that neo-progressive rock is the least interesting sub-genre in progressive rock. Although it's just a fine line between clone or not, and considering that I'm not the biggest fan of neo-progressive rock, I have to admit that this is a really good album with complex lengthy compositions, skilled musicians and a wonderful packaging. The drummer and composer Wojtek Szadkowski is a real genius. How often do you see the drummer stands as main composer? If you're into neo-progressive rock this might be the album of the year. Recommended!

Satellite is the new born child of former Collace founder Wojtek Szadkowski. With a cover designed by Mark Wilkinson (He of Marillion fame) there can be nothing wrong. And this premiere record is a masterpiece!! The sound is beautiful..the songs lovely..the.. arragenments beautiful.....if you own Collace´s:"Moonshine" youll know what i mean. Only this time Wojtek has outdone himself..as this record is far better than anything... he´s ever done....great keyboards..wonderfull songs....arrangements in genius... never have i heard such a complete progrecord and the lyrics is by far better than anything ive heard this year!! The theme is....the choice...being...which street you want to go down..... are you on one street or the other...the reasoning being...which road to choose!! In your mind that is!! This record is an absolute masterpiece!! Forget about the comparison to Marillion..this is the real thing!! Satellite are and is a fabulous record in its own right!!! Ohh..and did i mention Wojtek are a supreme singer? Well...he is!!! Great record...great music..great band......Five stars indeed!!!

SATELLITE are a fresh new "Neo-prog" band who for obvious reasons carry a very strong correlation to the music of Polish prog band COLLAGE (aka 1994's "Moonshine"). SATELLITE brings back and assembles the magic of "Moonshine" era-COLLAGE (IMHO the best album COLLAGE ever recorded) with the delicate vocals of Robert Amirian, Mirek Gil's hackettesque guitars, Krzystof Palczewski's touch of MARILLION/IQ and the percussive strokes of Wojtek Szadkowski. "A St. between Sunrise & Sunset" is a wonderful symphonic album full of great musical grandeur and excellent song writing and instrumental prowess. Fans of neo-prog like IQ will definitely love this album with their clean yet complex sound and moods created. The album also offers four long songs, over 10 min. each giving the band lots of room to work through some fine instrumentation. "A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset" is a symphonically full, richly textured, album, delivered with maturity and elegance and represents an excellent album all the way thru.

These to me sound like the natural progression from Collage...... At least three former members of that band are present, if not more in collaboration; However, Wojtek and Krzysick have taken charge in production.

The cover is Marillion-fish era, and all the composition by Mr Szadkowski. Pure Modern Symphonic bliss, soaring guitars and plenty of melodic Instrumentation.

It will not be fair IMHO to compare these guys with Pendragon/IQ, since they are making this type of music since the mid-80' too. They developed from a sound very close to Marillion-fish era then (Collage), but this time around is a bit different. Sometimes I do like comparisons and if I have to do it, I probably would have to say that musically are more close to IQ with Hackett playing with them, in other words a more melodic Genesis, a step down from Moonshine, but nevertheless a good stuff here for a solid debut. Recommended!!

This is the best prog-CD from poland after the legendary "Collage - Moonshine" album.

SATELLITE follows up COLLAGE, but in a more "modern" way. Singer Robert Amirian voice is better than ever. The CD contains the most lovely melody- lines, keyboards, guitar and drum parts since years. Wojtek Szadkowski is such a brilliant drummer, bringing complexity to the music. His style remembers me to Phil Collins sometimes.

This CD is the first neo-prog-masterpiece of the 21st Century.

5 stars for this timeless, outstanding peace of music from some outstanding polish musicians. These guys have my deepest respect !

I bought this album at the same time as I purchased 'Moonshine' by Collage, this band's predecessor. That is an excellent album...see my review for it elsewhere. This album, too, although slightly different, has the same sort of feel and tone, although, to me, the recording is brighter here. This is another wonderful, melodic release. The keyboards shine through here, especially on the first track, 'The Evening Wind'. This, and the next song, are the best two tracks on the album, in my opinion. The melody is wonderful, Robert Amirian's voice has grown on me a lot since I first heard it, and he suits this style of music well. The song sets the scene for the rest of the album. Mirek Gil already has a fine reputation in my eyes, and his playing is quite Hackett-like and melodic. The other guitarist here, Sarhan, is unknown to me, but acquits himself equally well. 'On The Run' is another superb, long track. The guitar work here is stunning in parts, with lots of solos throughout the song. In fact, the only tiny bit that stops this being a masterpiece, is right at the end, were the guitar strings are bent so far they are quite rough and out of tune. But that alone doesn't detract from the exhilarating effect this song has on me. The other tracks are shorter, and all have something to hold the listener. My favourites among them include 'Not Afraid', 'No Disgrace' and 'Now'. Ironically, for me, the weakest track is the last, 'Children'. Not that it is a bad song, but, compared to the others it lets the album down a little for an end song. One thing that has miffed me though, I notice on the track listening above that there are two tracks now added to it. Seems it has been remastered, but the original sounds great, and is only two years old, for God's sake! Unnecessary, methinks. Anyway, that niggle aside, this is worth every penny. Superb prog from Poland, infused with melody and skilled playing. Don't just sit there, go and get it!

This is one of the best prog albums ever recorded! It is as good as Collage (another Wojtek Szadkowski's band.) If you don't know Collage, check out their album "Moonshine." I highly recommend both of those albums! Great guitar and keyboard solos, and excellent vocals (same vocalist, Robert Amirian, sings in both Satellite and Collage.) If you like Gabriel-era Genesis and Fish-era Marillion, you will love Satellite.

i found this a very good album, the sound quality is excellent, the musicianship is superb, every song is superbly structured though unremarkable, but i felt disappointed. the overwhelming problem i found is i couldn't stop thinking of Genesis' "Selling England by the Pound", in almost all departments - this seeemed to be the overbearing influence, almost every track is riddled with instrumental effects from the aforementioned album, with a little Pallas influence thrown in, which could be expected as it is listed as Neo-Prog, i don't know if Satellite set out to be a neo-prog group, they certainly seem to fit this description. I shouldn't be too critical as Marillion did a fine job of aping Genesis but they took it much further, they had GREAT songs, their own ideas, their own themes, instead of carving lumps off Genesis, such as on this album, they only followed Genesis' style, carving a large niche in rock history in the process. Having got that not unreasonable criticism out of the way, on to the music on this particular cd. The album opens with traffic noise from, i guess, a New York street, and the first song "the evening wind", this is one of the best tracks on the album and has some nice drum rhythms and keyboard effects, the next song "on the run", starts off beautifully and builds up, and includes very good guitar solo. "Midnight Snow" is a nice song and flows along beautifully, and "No Disgrace" has an eastern influence to the song, "Not Afraid" , "Now" and "Fight" are pleasant enough but not outstanding songs. The next track "A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset" is an interesting enough piece and has some good guitar work, it is the longest track on the album at eleven minutes, with some good keyboard and guitar solos over some complex rhythm patterns. "Children" is a short, slow song which tails off to a barely audible vocal. Overall an excellent debut album, the songwriting is good but there are many other influences apparent on here. i haven't heard their later albums and possibly Satellite may have found their own identity on these. Satellite would appeal to many Neo Prog fans, especially if the group are touring, but to an old prog fan like me there is nothing really new here on this cd at all, even for a debut album. definitely not a prog masterpiece, so i would kindly rate it at 2.5 stars - a nice enough listen, though good, but not essential.

This is quite simply one of the best albums I have ever heard and though the followup to this one is even better, there is much to be mesmerized by when listening to it.

This band was born from the ashes of Polish band, COLLAGE. While I did like that band I often felt they underachieved. This is such a good project I'm not sure where to begin. You get a little of everything with it. There is a sensitivity to the lyrics that makes you feel the music. The style is reminiscent of GENESIS from both eras but only in small sections. When listening to NOW, you will hear them rise to great power with dexterity. This takes place in the middle section where Wojo's drums combine with the heavenly keyboards of Palczewski that makes you think of the ending of AFTERGLOW from WIND AND WUTHERING. From there, Mirek Gil lays down one of the most heartwrenching guitar solos I have ever heard. These guys get you to feel the music. It goes right through you.

My personal favorite song is ON THE RUN. As with the rest of the CD, this song is lyrically,musically and compositionally tight... but it's kind of a long one which means more to love.

I can't say that SATELLITE remind me completely of any other band. They are so far removed from the rest of the pack because of the fact that you can't pin them down to any specific influence. There is a bit of GENESIS in them but so very little you might even miss it. They are truly their own creation and do not rely on " aping" the elder statesbands of this exciting and complex genre. This album is living proof that progressive rock can still bring fresh bands and concepts to a table many feel is too full.

This is a great album to listen to after a hard days work. Just lie back, put on some headphones and drift into a very comfortable listening experience!

"The Evening Wind" is a classic, about someone driving through heavy traffic and eventually reaching the sanctuary of his home. Wojtek Szadkowski (the drummer, music and lyrics writer) is the driving force of this band creates such comfortable music, that soon one is drawn into his pleasant world.

"On the Run" has a slow soaring guitar solo that one just ´wants to go on forever! These are fairly long songs that seem to fade into each other. The soothing voice and keyboards make this very pleasureable listening.

This feeling carries on through both "Midnight Snow and "No Disgrace"

On the next two songs "Not Afraid and "Now" the songs take on a rather commercial sound and I started having doubts about it being a five star album. These two songs are a bit weaker than the rest but can´t really be called bad songs.

During the next song "Fight" things come back together again and this leads into the title track, another classic called "A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset" Listening to "The Enening Wind" and this song I found myself marvelling at all the effort that must have gone into these songs, the keyboards, bass and all the programming sounds like the work of a damn genius!

The album closes with "Children" a song dedicated to Wojtek´s children. A nice soft song which finishes in what seems to be some kind of a Finnish children´s song. Really a great album. Four stars definitely

Usually I don't like to review CDs that so many people have already said it all about it. But this was a special case in my life. I didn't know the band Collage before and I just happened to stumble on this CD in January 2004. After few seconds listening to it I bought it thinking it might be what it turned out: the album of that year and one of my all time favourites. Rarely I got a CD that captivated me this way: from beginning to end it was a pleasure to hear. 70 minutes of pure joy. No wonder Satellite became so big in such a short period of time.

Nowadays I see Satellite as natural progression of the band Collage. No wonder: 3 of the latter' s key members are featured in Satellite, including the genius drummer\songwriter Wojtek Szadkowski, the amazing keyboardist Krzyek Palczewski and excellent singer Robert Amirian. Also a fourth ex Collage member, guitarrist Mirek Gil, is featured on some tracks. Still the band's sound is one step ahead and it's simply fantastic how they use some dreaded (by purists progheads) sequencers and electronic drums in the progressive context

While the music is definitely neo prog, it is also quite unique and it's hard to tell where is influence come from (aside from the obvious Collage connection). Nevertheless is one of those rare CDs that it is at the same time accessible and innovative, original and pleasant. A classic CD that will please not only neo prog lovers, but anyone who likes good music in general. Highly recommended!

ONE OF A KIND.. This cd is outstanding.One of my five all times prefered neo prog cds,and probably the first in this top 5.The show opens with the masterpiece of this work,"the evening wind",an increbible 12 minutes suite where Wojtek Szadkowski find an excellent drumming work on the principal riff of this song(repeated two times,at 2.20'' and 6.50'').The remaining parts of this songs are well-builted around a very kindly but strong keyboard carpet,made by the great Darek Likowski.After this,"On the Run" bring you to another dimension of sound.It begins with a very sweet guitar arpeggio and piano duet,with the great vocals of Robert Amirian that surrounded all,and at 1,46'' minute the song explode,a great epic guitar/keyobard riff in the perfect TRANSATLANTIC style (like Duel with the devil) devastate all,with an incredible drumming that sustain and improve this passage.Another masterpiece.In the end the self-titled song that give the album's name is another great epic,shorter than the common(9:30 min.) but not in the substance,with the intro dominated by distorted guitar feedbacks in a perfect evergreen Hendrix tradition.The rest of the tracklist is composed by great songs,who you'll discover if you would buy this great album. NEO PROG ESSENTIAL by the drummer of COLLAGE,because polish do it better.KEEP IT!

Very lush melodies and soaring instrumentals, soft production and pretty close to the ves is a good way to descirbe Satellite's music. Don't get me wrong, I like both Satellite discs and the two Collage discs that I have; however, it may be bands like this that turn people away from neo progressive music as they don't take chances like neo pioneers Marillion or IQ.

The disc starts off with the 9 minute "Evening Wind" that sets the tone for the rest of the disc. Very nice production with some exquisite keyboard work towards the middle and end. Extremely nice to the ears, but somewhat tame. Drummer and main creative force, Wojtek Szadkowski, pulls off some good drum patterns as the song comes to a close. Maybe not as fluid as other drummers, but still very good.

As the disc progresses, it still maintains this same formula. It does work for me because I love melody and good music, which Satellite does very well. Case in point is the beginning of "On The Run", which blends nice orchestration in to give it a soft but pleasing sound. In keeping with the spirit of prog, however, I like to hear this band venture off into odd time signatures and change it up a bit. Good stuff, but nothing too challenging.

"Midnight Snow" takes on a soft ballad feel, complete with drum loops and fragile vocals. It's simply one of those songs that may not be taken seriously by the progressive community as a whole. It sounds a bit like smooth jazz, complete with the acoustic guitar solo; although, the electric guitar solo simply screams and adds a bit of teeth to this otherwise soft song.

"No Disgrace" starts off in an almost Asia like fashion, which electric guitar and orchestrated synths introducing to a more prog oriented song (I know some will view an Asia comparison to prog as an oxymoron, but work with me). Actually one of my favorites from this disc. Synth heavy with a nice chorus and sensitive guitar solo meticulously plotted out. Satellite need to include more songs to the mix.

Where "No Disgrace" too us on a progressive journey, "Not Afraid" takes us back a step with a very pop sound that sounds like something you'd have on the stereo while snuggling with your significant other. A song that could've been left off.

If you like the sound of Tangerine Dream, then you may like "Now", which has that same feel. Again, nothing too challenging with this piece. They do mix it up with a stern chorus and lush instrumentals; again, however, the drums feel a bit clumsy and out of place in spots. Seems Szadkowski is willing to sacrifice genuine musicality to overplayed fills.

I don't want to be redundant and say the same thing for "Fight" that I've already said; so, I'll go straight to the title (and strongest) song from this disc. This is Satellite's attempt at a progressive like song, but still falls a bit short. No real direction and nothing different from what we've already heard. The disc ends with "Children", which is a pleasant surprise. Nothing too prog about it, but a nice percussive backdrop and good lyrics.

I recall when I first got this disc at how much much I really enjoyed it. Now that I've branched out and discovered new bands, Satellite lacks a backbone (for lack of a better word) that the world of progressive music needs. I listen and I can make a list of suggestions that I would like to see this band accomplish. One of which is look for a singer who doesn't have a breathy, sugary tone to it that Robert Amirian possesses. Good singer, but just not confident it's suitable for prog. Maybe experiment with different synth sounds, as it seems to be repeated throughout the disc. Needles to say, I'm less enamoured with this disc now than when I first got it. This band is capable of so much more.

Setting this album on my Ipod I didn't quite know what to expect. Being new to the whole neo-prog sub-genre I find the music good but the vocals often throaty and hard to cope with. But upon listening to this album I accidently left the pod on shuffle and listened to the song 'A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset' first. The song completely blew me away, giving a great reputation on this rare bands style. I quickly switched to the first song to listen to and fell in love with that as well... you won't believe what I thought of the rest of the album. Okay, well, I loved the rest of it too. This album is complicated and simple, and really just pleasant altogether. Soft, but with some good moderate riffs inbetween. I find the vocals fine and tone and well placed. Pretty much, the spellings of a great Progressive Rock band that everyone really should listen to somewhere in their musical career. Delightfully long songs and some good movements here and there. I've been solely impressed with everything this band has dished to me... being just two albums so far, and more to come. For Sunsrise and Sunset I give a whoping 5 star bang. It's awing and tearfully majestic and just plain great listen to if your ever in the mood for good steady goodness and softness. Listen and love, and enjoy. Satellite isn't likely to depress, nor unsatifsy. I'll keep this short and say in closing this is awsome!

Too long, tracks with the style of Collage Safe but dilhated up to 13-14 minutes. bad album? no, of course, but it is difficult to listen to it completely in a sole time without having the need to shift to something harder!

Formed out of the ashes of the greatest neo prog band of Poland,COLLAGE ,SATELLITE are the brainchild of the former's drummer Wojtek Szadkowski.He started the band around 2000 as a solo project,before recruiting Sarhan Kubeisi on guitars and Zbyszek Bieniak on vocals to record a demo.Bieniak left and two ex-COLLAGE members got on the board,Robert Amirian on vocals and bass and excellent keyboardist Krzysiek Palczewski.In 2003 their debut ''A street between sunrise and sunset'' sees the light,featuring also ex-COLLAGE guitarist Mirek Gil on most of the tracks.

Musically speaking,the album seems like the natural step after COLLAGE's disbanding,though it's less intense and more emotional and melodic,following the great results of its fantastic mix and production.Amirian's vocals are absolutely sensiotanal,presenting the public on of his best performances and Gil's guitars are immediately recognizable by his tremendous solos and floating melodies.Szadkowski delivers another technically perfect drumming,while Palczewski is propably the strongest ace of the band,playing in his familiar,ethereal style rooted both in symphonic passages and deep atmosphere.It's an album perfectly balanced between song-based parts and instrumental themes with nice harmonies,melodies and growing emotions.While neo/symphonic fans might find this one almost a masterpiece,''A street between sunrise and sunset'' could be an album of universal recognition,as it can easily be heard by anyone who just wants to come in touch with some strong,delicate and emotional music.A highly recommended release!

When I found out about this band (it was actually thanks to progarchives with the great streamtrack On the Run) I was highly delighted because I was almost in mourning about the disappearance of Collage, one of my all time favourite bands. So this was their successor, apparently a split up (the other being Mr. Gil who initially played a few songs on this album).

Who cares, as long as the great music was to be continued. When I listened to On the Run, I was blown away really by the unbelievable quality of the track. I mean this was even better than Collage, which hardly seemed possible to me. I bought the album and was not really disappointed by the rest I can say. On the Run is the very highlight but playing the album it's a real treat for about 70 minutes. Just the last track Children is off the mark to me. The rest is really awesome. This is a masterpiece in my book, but then again I'm a neo prog fan of extremely melodic music. And that's what we are talking about here. So 5 stars is the only option to me.

In getting ready for their new release "Into the Night," I thought I would review one of my most intriguing albums, "A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset by Satellite. This is an album that exemplifies how an artist is able to create atmosphere in their music. On every listen I hear something new. It is a well crafted album and Wojtek Szadkowski has created music that sounds very original. This is the first album in a 3 album series to be completed with "Evening Games" and soon "Into the Night." When I think of this release, I think of mellow, relaxing and well crafted music. This has great production as the sound quality is fantastic. You can hear everything very clearly, one of the best produced albums I have heard. There is definitely an electronic element that is present which actually enhances the overall experience. Song by song review:

1) The Evening Wind - Starts with sounds from a busy street in the middle of a city to create a mental picture of urban life, much like the album cover. The music kicks in and great textures are layers are present. Great acoustic guitar and piano along with the vocals of Robert Amirian make this song a pleasant listen and a wonderful opener. 8/10

2) On the Run - My favorite song from the album. It starts off slowly with soft vocals but incredible atmosphere is soon created with piano and keyboard. Some might find it too lengthy at times, but I love the build up of this song. Once the drums start it is a feast for the ears. There are so many elements to this song it's hard to catch everthing at one time. Great guitar work at the 3:10 mark which is something that might get lost in this album as it is very keyboard driven as a whole. Love the break at 5:10 and the tempo change as it begins to go in a different direction. One of my all time favorite moments in progressive music comes at the 10:20 mark and lasts for 2 minutes. It is hard to fully explain in words how beautiful this section is, pure musical bliss. The song ends as expected with a guitar driven outro. Incredible performance! 10/10

3) Midnight Snow - Nice clasical guitar opening followed with vocal sections and a very soft feel to this song. Very pleasant and soothing. 6/10

4) No Disgrace - Starts off with a strong burst of keyboards and then picks up a much faster pace. The album needed something like this, something with a quicker tempo to mix things up a bit. Great break at 3:10 and we find a nice guitar solo with orchestra elements in the background. Nicely done. Nice ending as it reverts to how it opened with the nice, strong keyboard. To sum of this song in one word: Nice 7/10

5) Not Afraid - Opens with distorted, background guitar sounds to give it a darker feel when the vocals begin. We then hear an almost jazzy type of tempo with bass guitar taking the lead. A good change from the rest of the album. 7/10

6) Now - Another opening along the same lines as the opening track. Very atmospheric and a lot of energy to begin with. Then the vocals bring back a more relaxing element. At this point of the album it begins to feel like more of the same unfortunately. This is the one thing that keeps this release from reaching masterpiece status. The songs are not varied enough from one to the next. Don't get me wrong, this is still a very good song. There are some excellent prog elements within. I just can't tell if I have heard this already in the previous songs. 7/10

7) Fight - A bass guitar and drum opening.then the predictable soft vocals begin again. More of the same? Yes. Not bad, but I think this ground was covered earlier. Nice acoustic guitar section is what saves this song and makes it a tad different. 6/10

8) A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset - The title track, this has to be good right? This begins with the vocal line from the third song "Midnight Snow." Pretty much a standard Satellite number here.. keyboards with guitars. This song is a bit lengthy and could have been shaved a few minutes. I think I am starting to hope this album ends soon, which is not a good sign. 6/10

9) Children - Nice piano intro and light percussion. Sounds different than what we have heard. Oh wait, here come the light vocals again. I think we have heard this one already too. Then something new.the sounds of outside crickets or something with.oh just skip it. 3/10

OK, in summing up, I think this is a very strong release with beautiful moments found throughout. My only gripe is that the songs all sound the same after listening straight through. Once you get to song 8, it almost becomes work to listen any longer This albums is great in small doses, which how I usually listen to this. "On the Run" is brilliant! The highlight of the album for sure and I can't say enough good things about that song. But once you get to the 6th song, you want to listen to something else with more variety. And it does not help that all of the song run into each other and you cannot make the distinction of where a song ends and begins without looking. My recommendation is to listen to the first 5 songs, then return to listen to the rest another day to avoid Satellite overdose. Despite the 2nd half repitition, I give this 3.5 stars and I will round it up to 4 on the strength of "On the Run." An excellent addition to any prog collection!

May prog be with you!

After reading all the glowing reviews here, I decided to buy this ASAP, so off to amazon I went and one-clicked it. Boy, what a huge disappointment! This has got to be the most BORING neo prog album I've heard yet. First off let me say that I'm a HUGE keyboard/synth fanatic, but the way they're used here is mainly AOR almost jazz fusion, which I despise by the way, so that was a immediate huge strike against it for me. The vocals, when I could hear them, are Phil Collinsisque though not as good as PC. And, the tracks themselves are just drawn out, overly long AOR mainstream rawk, and badly done AOR at that. A word of warning to the curious, this is NOT prog, at all. A few moog/mellotron samples aren't enough to catagorize this as prog. Onto the to dump pile it goes. Oh well, at least the artwork was good.

The debut album of this revamped and updated version of COLLAGE set the bar very high. Crystalline production, strong vocals, mood shifts, nostalgic melodies, thoughtful lyrics and great playing all combine to make "Street Between.." one of the greatest neo progressive albums of all time. That they could produce such a fresh standard 20 years after Marillion's first effort is testament to the skill of Mr Szadowski and crew. My review is based on a version of the CD that does not contain "Bye Bye Bye" and "One Empty Hand".

The opener, "Evening Wind". is definitely one of the highlights, encapsulating all of the above qualities in nearly 13 glorious minutes. If there is one diversion from the standard neo prog "formula", it is Satellite's ability to shift from "down" to "up" and back again, and to contrast the busy sections with more reflective passages. Here, Satellite virtually avoids any metallic edges - there are enough bands doing that already. They coax all us fans of subtlety and sentimentality out from the shadows. The entire track is stupendous, but the keyboards shine in particular, especially the synth solos that reappear several times and bring the song to its final conclusion.

"On the Run" is another multifaceted song that is more like a suite. Sometimes the parts seem a little bit disjointed but it ultimately works, even if Sarhan first reveals his tendency to excess bravado on the guitar solo, that begins just after the 5 minute mark of this quarter hour monster. It does, however, lead into an excellent vocal section. It is true that sometimes Robert Amirian tends to breathe his words a bit too unctuously, but this is easily forgiven due to his ability to convey so much feeling with so little. The entire ensemble seems to know what it wants to achieve, and, amazingly, hit the mark far more often than not.

After two long tracks, Satellite gears down to deliver several shorter pieces beginning with the lovely ballad "Midnight Snow". The tune seems to be reminiscent of something I have heard before but I cannot remember what. This wistful quality permeates so much of Satellite's work. A sparkling lead guitar solo that unravels at the end of the song leads to the final statement by Mr Amirian, and we are led into the much more up tempo "No Disgrace". While it barely touches the fringes of metal, it manages to be energizing, and, while excellent in its own right, it seems like a mere rehearsal compared to some of the more evolved material presented on the group's follow up "Evening Games". "I'm not afraid" is one of the minor missteps on the album, as it is just a bit to cloying and mellow beyond description, even if its production values and arrangements are through the roof.

The third epic is "Now", and it is up to the challenge. The introduction unfolds craftily with an anticipatory vocal section, ambient part, and buildup before the main melody takes over on synthesizer. It definitely has a 1970s feel to it, with strong echoes of mid period Genesis, but these are woven into the mix in such a natural way that there is really no disgrace. The sinewy structure is punctuated by the insistent chorus. "Fight" is a ballad that recalls "Midnight Snow", down to the intensely beautiful lead guitar solo at its climax.

The title track is the final epic, and carries the brunt of the album's theme with purpose and confidence. It unravels a little as it rolls towards the finish line, so is probably the weakest lengthy piece overall. The album is completed by the simple nondescript ballad "Children" and it's fair to say that this one could have safely been omitted.

A few blips notwithstanding, "A Street Between.." is the logical extension of the road traveled by Collage, and in real estate it's all about location. A visit to the neighbourhood is highly recommended.

By its very label, neo-progressive rock is unashamedly derivative. This branch of prog rock, then, has more than its fair share of bands struggling to find their own voice. SATELLITE is not one of them.

Instead, this band come out of the box with a fully-formed album of very high quality. This is because SATELLITE has risen from the grave of COLLAGE, a well-regarded Polish band from the 1990s, and contains three of its members. So this is not really a debut album, and as a result the band quickly finds a voice of its own within the constricting confines of neo-prog.

Nowhere is this clearer than in the first two tracks, both neo-prog epics of the highest order. Of the two, I personally favour the bustle and keyboard lyricism of 'The Evening Wind' over the extended guitar soloing and calmer pace of 'On the Run.' Had the album kept this high standard it would be a competitor for 'best neo-prog album', but the shorter tracks, while good, do not engage the listener to the same degree. This is, it seems, a band born to the epic.

There's a very loose concept here, but the vocals are understated, rendering the concept rather innocuous. However, there are some common themes in the music, the start of the third epic 'Now' linking back to the beginning of the album. This track packs a stronger punch - not in any way hard-edged, but robust, with an excellent chorus. 'Fight' returns to the shorter song formula, a short song padded out with an extended solo, then the final epic, the overlong title track, meanders a little towards the album's close. 'Children' finishes the album on a melancholy note.

Like most neo-prog albums, this album will not satisfy the adventurous soul's quest for bleeding-edge originality. However, if you simply want an enjoyable, melodic listen, this album will fit well into your collection, and for a while may even get high rotation.

I really thought I would like this band more then I do. I would describe their music as lush, melodic, pleasant, reflective and mellow. SATELLITE was born out of the ashes of COLLAGE, but nothing I have heard so far from SATELLITE measures up to COLLAGE's "Moonshine" record. Having said all that this is very enjoyable music, the kind I could see me listening to outside at night as I thought about life.

"The Evening Wind" opens with the sound of someone driving along and listening to their radio. The music arrives a minute in. Vocals follow along with a full sound. I like the vocals with strummed guitar after 4 minutes and later at 8 minutes. Some aggressive guitar 9 minutes in. "On The Run" features vocals, acoustic guitar, piano and synths. A full sound before 2 minutes. Lots of synths in this one.The guitar before 6 minutes is excellent as it goes on and on. More guitar 13 1/2 minutes in.This is such a pleasant tune. "Midnight Snow" is another laid back song that at times reminds me of George Michael. Haha. The guitar 3 1/2 minutes in is so good though.

"No Disgrace" is one of my favourites, especially the chorus. We finally get some passion on this one. Tasteful guitar and lots of synths as usual. "Not Afraid" opens with almost spoken vocals with synths. The tempo picks up before 2 minutes. This has almost a dance beat to it as guitar plays overtop. "Now" opens with spacey synths and we get some choir sections that sound like mellotron. And the vocals get unusually aggressive 3 1/2 minutes in. "Fight" has a nice beat to it with synths.This is laid back and catchy. Mirek lets it rip on guitar 3 minutes in. Nice. "A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset" has a ballad-like intro with piano. I like the guitar 5 minutes in and the guitar / drum section 10 minutes in. "Children" is pretty much percussion, piano and reserved vocals.

A "safe" album to be sure that really takes little chances. I like it.

In terms of line-up, Satellite is almost a reincarnation of Collage, the historical neo-prog Polish band. Indeed, the music is quite similar even if more recent. Still, it is with great pleasure that some great guitar parts from Mirek Gil are re-discovered. The man is really gifted.

Most of the songs are balanced between the neo and symphonic genre (the latter aspect being mostly underlined thanks to the passionate guitar). I would say that it is a fine combination for "A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset".

Melodic breaks are plenty and the emotion that emanates from most of the songs can be compared to several "Pendragon" songs. And you might know that I quite like them. This long album (which might well be the minus point), is full of harmony and fine instrumental parts; even if a song as "Not Afraid" would have been best avoided.

The whole "Satellite" project started in the mind of Wojtek Szadkowski (Collage drummer). He was responsible for all tracks (except one which is co-written). It is rather scarce that a drummer is credited for all the creative parts of a album to be underlined. Bravo Wojtek.

Most songs are really on the symphonic side and really pleasant. I would point out three of the longest tracks from this album which contains some fabulous prog parts (again, mainly guitar): "The Evening Wind", "On the Run" and "Now".

But not only those ones are intersting. The same passion is felt during the shorter "Fight" and even if the title track doesn't hold the same grandeur, Mirek is again great.

I am really charmed with this very good symph/neo prog album. Most of the tracks are well written, perfectly performed and nicely produced. This is one of the best neo-prog albums IMHHO. Four stars.

One of the better Neo-Prog albums I've heard in that Collage/Satellite's brand of Neo-Prog is highly original, highly melodic, and contains the wonderful guitar work of maestro Mirek GIL. In my humble opinion, Mr. Gil surpasses the emotional impact of the guitar player he most emulates--Mr. Steve HACKETT. Gil just takes it to another level--almost every time his solo takes the stage, not just here and there--which is astounding. Keys, drums and bass play here are great, though the sound is often of that 90s period that COLLAGE came out of, but the compositions here are great, and the vocals of Robert AMIRIAN are wonderful--really top notch! And I love the addition of the violin, but I live to hear Mirek GIL's screaming guitar. Too bad Mirek left after this one. At least he's gone on to play in other bands.

Favorite songs: the gorgeous, powerful and concise, "Not Afraid" (3:56) (10/10) and the great epic, "On the Run" (14:51) (9/10).

The prospect of a spiritual successor band to Collage, one of the absolute greats of the Polish neo-prog scene, is surely enough to make any neo fan excited. As it stands, though, Satellite's debut album shows potential but does not quite live up to it to my ears.The interesting experiment of having dance music rhythms underpin a lot of the songs (there's even a song with preprogrammed drums) with neo-progish keyboard and guitar solos over the top was probably worth a try, but here at least they don't quite mesh into a coherent whole. Still, the Mark Wilkinson cover art (which seems to be his take on the cover to Neil Young's Trans) is a nice touch.

While Satellite may be a new name in the prog field, and 'A Street Between Sunrise And Sunset' their debut album, this is a band that have been formed out of one of Poland's most well-known and best-loved prog acts, Collage. Originally this was set to be a solo project by drummer and main Collage songwriter Wojtek Szadkowski but he gradually brought in more and more musicians, many of whom he had performed with in Collage. They are signed to Metal Mind, the most important label of it's' type in Poland, and the artwork has been provided by Mark Wilkinson of Marillion/Fish fame. In fact, if you look at the Satellite site at www.satelliteprog.com you can see the whole series of covers that he designed for this, a real work in progress.

But what about the music? The band themselves have compared it most to 'Moonshine' era Collage but how about Western proggers who may have never heard that band? In fact there is a lot going on, and while certain influences such as Genesis and Pendragon or Pink Floyd can be picked out, it is easier to say that this is easy listening prog that is thoroughly enjoyable throughout. The album is sung in English, and in fact the feel is that this is an American project and not a Polish one at all. The album starts with street noise and a snippet of a radio commentator, and the impression is a bustling American city. That is an intriguing way into the first song, "The Evening Wind", which at nearly thirteen minutes long is a great start. Of course, the guitar can't be hidden totally by the keyboards and there are some very powerful plays indeed. A particular favourite has to be "No Disgrace" which is a belting prog rock number driven along by dynamic percussion and sizzling keyboard runs.

This could easily be the most important album out of Poland this year, and the finest I have heard from that country since Quidam. Which one is the better? The jury is still out.

Originally appeared in Feedback #73, Jun 03

From the ashes of the great polish band Collage, Satellite was born back in 2003!!!

And I really don't understand why they decided to change their name, because the line-up is very similar to Collage and so is the style of their music. They still make a very sentimental and keyboard oriented neo-prog with dreamy passages and a precious fairy tale atmosphere, very unique and enchanting. Maybe they thought their success would increase changing the name of the band? I don't know...

Nevertheless, the result is better than the previous Collage's album called Safe. The production is also more competent and everything sounds more modern and actual, including some programmed rhythms and a better vocal work. Robert Amirian was not a very good singer in Collage, and in Satellite he is still weak, but at least he sounds not out of tune anymore. Thanks' God! The guitars of Gil are also more bearable than in the 90's, not so high pitched, and the rest of the instruments sounds also great, including the drums of the band's leader Wojtek Szadkowski.

The result is a very good, even excellent neo-prog album from a band which deserved more recognition!

Best Tracks: On the Run (comparable in quality to the best Collage's compositions), No Disgrace (a powerful and beautiful neo-prog track with excellent keyboards and a true marvelous guitar solo), Fight (a well written song, with a beautiful chorus and great guitars) and A Street between Sunrise and Sunset (modern and not so old fashioned, but equally interesting and with a splendid bass line)

Conclusion: Collage changed their name, but not their spirit! After the disappointing Safe, Satellite retrieved the magic of Moonshine with A Street between Sunrise and Sunset. Full with wonderful melodies, incredible keyboards and a very good work of all the members of the band this is a delicious record for all the neo-prog fans out there.

Even Robert Amirian sings better than before!

My rating: ****

What strikes me about this album is how easy it is to listen to right from the first spin. Not to say it's "easy listening" haha. It IS progressive music through and through, but it's also a very "soft" type of progressive; no wailing guitar or screaming morons. Some reviewers compare this to Marillion but I don't get the comparison. Another thing striking is the balance between great instrumentals and great vocals - it scores high in both categories and both are very even weighted. I'm giving it four stars because every track is consistently good and it lacks any weak or obnoxious tracks - a requirement before I give anything four stars. I'm trying to find a copy of the sister material from Collage but that seems a little bit harder to obtain cheaply.