KLUBKIN'S VOYAGE

Russian band QUORUM was formed way back in 2003, but the usual (and at times unusual) complications that sometimes faces a band in its infancy saw to it that it would take a few years before they managed to really get going. Or rather, it was when the latter was about to settle that they had their odd encounters with chance and circumstance. Be that as it may be, in the spring of 2011 they had their debut album "Klubkin's Voyage" ready, released by the Russian label MALS Records, and are already working on their next CD too apparently, as most of the material for their follow up effort was written a few years back.

If your tastes in music adhere positively to artists with a 70's-tinged symphonic expression of the gentler variety, Quorum is a band you might want to get more familiar with; in particular if acts like Camel are regular visitors on your turntable, but I'd imagine that quite a few followers of acts like Genesis, Kansas and Ambrosia might find this disc intriguing too. The all-Russian vocals are perhaps the main Achilles heel of this fine constellation of musicians, at least as far as getting international attention is concerned.

I understand that many prog fans here dislike bands that try to imitate classic 1970's prog, but I'm not one of those. To me, that era ended all to abruptly with the music industry and their journalists conspiring to squash the genre in favor of more cheaply produced product. So I am always happy to hear a band that brings back that era.

The start of the album is not encouraging to me. The first thing we hear is a Tony Banks-like arpeggio in the Overture. Genesis clones are a dime a dozen. In fact, there seems to be Marillions of them. But moving on, the band spreads out, and in come passages that remind me of ELP and Yes (well, Starcastle more than Yes, but you get the idea), and even (gulp) Styx.

The retro feel comes mostly from the keyboards. There is plenty of seventies style organ riffs, and lots of old school synth patches. And that's one point of enjoyment to me. As the album continues, the band settles in, and their talents come out. Like other throwback bands, like Wobbler, Quorum manages to have their own style while at the same time they are tipping their hats to the old masters.

To me, this is like a trip home. Except this time, everyone at home is speaking Russian.

Excellent and elegant

Quorum is one of the top progressive rock band from Russia in last years, even they release their first album in 2011 named Klubkin's Voyage through russian label MALS. Well, this is one hell of a great ride in the story and music of the album, anyone intrested in the story of the album must read the booklet of the CD, beacuse otherwise is hard to tell in few words. Excellent symphonic prog with some fascinating instrumental passages, remind me in some parts of Camel or Kansas, that elegant passages that made them so unique, Quorum manage to take some of their best moments and melted with their own intristing ideas, the result is a very fine album from start to finish. Complex parts, combined with more dreamy ones, everything is great here, the best pieces, I think are the opening track Overture, the three parts from title track and few more are simply top notch. I like a lot how musicians play with an amazing ease, each musicians knows very well his partiture, but in the end they all come a single unit, Klubkin's Voyage is a fine and intelligent album from out times in prog music. Plentty of great musicianship, duels between guitar and keybords, some flute appear here and there, all is well presented and above all every single track is a tottal winner in my book. From the excellent cover art, booklet all is great, I was really pleasent surprised, one of the better album from last year that needs a far more exposure, because they worth it for sure. From long to short pieces, Quorum has all the ingredients to become a solid band in this field, really curious how will sound their next album, because this direction band took with this album is 100% good all the way. 4 stars for sure and recommended.

Seems to me that a good summary of this work is: elegant guitar execution, reminding Andy Latimer's more recent works on Camel, plus very inventive rythym guitar; stunning piano tunes along with precise synth participations, which can therefore bring some few, brief and moderate but fresh psychedelic interventions; and marvelous russian chant. But that's not all, because you'll hear a charming duet between acoustic guitar (present on many of the tracks) and flute, captivating bass playing, very sunny chorus arrangements.

All of this would be enough to make this album an excellent acquisition to any prog collection. Well, that's not all. At least for me, there's one more amazing feature. Even though I understand zero russian, the mood, the passion of the vocals and its interpretation, all contribute to drive me into the artistical proposal of the disc. It's about a real russian TV program for children about the adventures of Klubkin while travelling around the world.

4.3 on a five-star scale.