MOON DRIVE

This is the debut mini album from this good Dutch band.

Srong musicianship, great key elements and a definite personal style can only cope to a good review. I am often astound how a title of a song could condition its content. But once in a while, the opposite takes place. While you listen to the superb opener "Frustrations", there is absolutely no feeling of frustration at all: just splendid music from the first second onwards.

The symphonic blend is sitting all around this debut work: very melodic and instrumental "And So Am I". But the music is so beautiful that one forgets that it is an all instrumental work. Really good so far. And to be honest, I much more prefer a great instrumental album than a pitiful traditional one (like the debut of "Mangrove").

It is quite difficult to tell which track is best. In terms of emotion, I guess that "Different Questions" holds the "Palme d'Or". The guitar is almost as splendid as Hackett's one during the fantastic and beloved "Firth Of Fifth". Yes: the music played here does almost reach these levels.

The closing track is somewhat shy of the other ones, but still: the second part features emotional guitar which should easily destroy any proghead.

Four stars.

Odyssice is a band that pretty much got stuck on time, as many others, by the time of Pink Floyd's The Division Bell (1994)/PULSE (1995). And this is simply inexplicable.

Moon Drive (1996) is their first EP and first attempt or recording. Years later a new version of this EP was released with extra tracks as Moondrive Plus (2003).

For me one phrase only can describe this album: A terrible copy of The Division Bell (1994) by Pink Floyd, run away and go directly to the source.

Not that I recommend the source anyway, so, a copy of something that's not even good... well, you know what will be the final result, don't you?

Dutch band formed in Utrecht in mid-80'd by guitarist Bastiaan Peeters.The demo ''Track one'' along with the band's energetic live performances helped them build a cult fame around the country,however musical diffrences along with line-up changes lead Odyssice falling into hiatus at the end of the decade.By mid-90's Peeters reformed the band with Jeroen van der Wiel on keyboards,Pascal van de Pol on bass along with his long-time bassist Bart Kuhne.This line-up recorded Odyssice's first work,the mini-CD ''Moondrive'' in 1997 on Legend Records.

The opening cut,the long ''Frustrations'' is a great blend of melodic Progressive Rock in the vein of JADIS with superb breaks,symphonic passages and great organ and synths throughout.The following ''And so am I'' is absolutely mindblowing.A sort of CAMEL meets MIKE OLDFIELD meets PINK FLOYD emotional symphonic beauty with excellent guitar work,among the best to be heard,creating fantastic soundscapes.''Different questions'' is another highlight with its CAMEL-esque opening notes and the fine synth solos of Van Der Wiel interplaying with Peeters guitars later.''The final decision'' continues in the same mood.Atmospheric melodic prog with crying guitars,mellow pianos and a very grandiose mood with superb solos throughout in the vein of FLAMBOROUGH HEAD.

The album was fortunately re-released some years later as ''Moondrive plus'' by Cyclops and deserves the highest of the recommendations.Extremely melodic, well-crafted and nicely- arranged Progressive Rock,especially recommended to fans of JADIS, FLAMBOROUGH HEAD, CHANCE, DOGMA and the likes.