FOOL TAPES

These early tapes from the band aren't a thrilled experience in my old prog ears. Early neo-prog (or close) mixed with some weird texture as the reggae-ish opening number ''The Curious Line''. An horror during the vocal parts while pretty decent during the fine instrumental ones.

But this is going to be a major concern throughout their career, unfortunately.

Some mix with old disco times (''Dirty Needles'') aren't really what you would expect from a prog band. But at times, the mix of music is not too bad, but there is nothing to write home about these early ''fool tapes'' really.

Some catchy pop melodies are the best you can expect from this album. But don't expect anything a la ELO or from the great Marillion Mark I. The band doesn't come even close to such concepts. At best, some average elevator music. No more here.

The overall mood expresses a lot of boredom. One really needs a lot of patience to go through the whole of this album. But the band will do better later on even if their best times are combined with a total ''Genesis'' cloning. But I'll discuss this in a later review.

As far as this album is concerned, I can't go over two stars in terms of rating. It is really a very, very average album. Very much to the later days of ''Genesis'' while they were three. I guess that you get the picture (''What Do You See'').

Zowie Ziggy is right. When I went to search for Fruitcake here on PA, I thought that first album won't be rated well. And so, it's not. For a reason. I feel strong influence of early desperate 90's (minimalistic sound, nothing pompous, or energic) with big element of synth 80's (I just feel it). As I said, tracks lacks much needed energy, some driving force. Mostly short ones doesn't help to form better feeling. Vocal part is indeed disaster. He's more like reciting text he has been given in a way Depeche Mode vocalist sings. Some cowardly guitar solos (not strong enough, not exploring enough, just boiling the same water over and over again). I heard worse music in my life, but this music is another of these void music that has not much to offer. Certainly not for someone who considers himself hardcore Prog fan. The problem is that I don't consider myself hardcore and I'm quite tolerant.

2(-), vacuum of interesting music.

This album, the debut album from Fruitcake was a child of it's time. Still mired in the 1980s, in other words.

The music here is a mix of 1980s pop/rock, the English new romantism scene and neo prog. The songs are driven by guitars, tonnes of keyboards, bass and drums. That and male vocals with one song done by a female vocalist. The keyboards is sometimes in the Saga vein.

The quality of the songs are half decent. Paal Sovik's vocals horrible. The female vocals are OK. The keyboards lacks any imagination, but is still the only good thing about this album.

Frankly, this is a terrible album with no good songs. I somewhat like the keyboards so I elevate the album to a weak two stars. Don't pay over the odds for a copy of this album. Go for the other albums instead...... or a house.

2 stars (barely)