MIRAGE (FRA)

"For Andy" delves into fusion in a way that Mr Latimer only did sporadically, and hints at the direction taken on subsequent releases, but it's still pretty tentative. The female vocals do not suit the style and mar tracks like "Nothing on TV tonight" and "The UFO trip". The finale "Alien Attack-Supernova" shows more than experimentation and a willingness to spread out. It even has CRIMSON ish heavy guitars. But ultimately it lacks both the continuity of a compelling suite and the import of an epic. This may have something to do with being essentially silent for the latter half of its 20+ minutes.

In all, at this point the band sits in a place best left secret. That changes dramatically a few years later.

The first four tracks are all lengthy indulgences with plenty of tasty guitars in bluesy and jazzy tones, interspersed vocals, strong melodies, and skillful shifts from quiet to raucous and back. In general, track N is heavier than track N-1. Like the previous album, it takes numerous listens to sink in, which I am only too glad to indulge. Unlike the previous album, I am not entirely happy with the production, which seems oddly compressed and lacks the openness of "Tales.. "Also the vocals seem a bit colder, which may relate to the production. These factors may help influence my assessment that the songs are just a little less appealing than I had come to expect.

With the brief "When I Play Part 1" the album shifts into a relatively mellower mood, with songs generally running shorter. At 6:19, you would expect "I Saw You" to have sufficient time to develop, but it seems half baked by comparison to what came before, perhaps because the band enjoys slow buildups which necessitate proper allotment. In fact, "The Girl with the Sun in Her Hair" and "Blue Pill" both show greater progression, especially in the song structures themselves and the creative vocal melodies. even though they are much shorter. They make me think of "Breathless" era Camel a bit, and hence the Canterbury style. "When I Play Part 2" develops the original motif and includes some excellent organ work and another aggressive guitar solo before closing out with 2 minutes of bird sounds.

I had been so anticipating this release, and it does have many merits, not the least of which is the boldness of the band, but ultimately "Borderline" has me sitting on the fence a bit more than I would like.

There's a distinct 70's flavour to this album, although personally I have a hard time placing exact influences in this case. Some parts sound like Kansas or Rush, traces of Camel and Genesis appear as well; and even some Jethro Tull flavoured moments. But the final product here doesn't really sound like any of these acts; and I would guess their main influences may be artists so far unknown to me.

The nine compositions on this creation are all parts of a whole - one song divided into 9 parts. So basically we're talking about a tune lasting for more than one hour. The band specialize in the mix of electric and acoustic guitars, with electric piano, organ and the occasional flute adding some spice to the mix. Another key asset is changes in pace, sound and style - where the band creates effective, free flowing structures where one change has a natural flow into the next; utilizing breaks more as a dramatic effect.

A strong effort, which should appeal to many fans of 70's prog rock in general.

The great playing is still there, but it is more on Mirage's own terms. This is such a great album to listen to - I love to lose myself in the lengthy melodic tracks full of equal parts flute, organ, graceful lead guitar, and warm appealing male vocals. Speaking of vocals, that is one area of notable improvement, as the Camel-esque style of the first album collided miserably with the female vocals.

All tracks here are at least good, and for different reasons. Some are more mellow, some more rocking, some more fusion-y, some more bouncy, and these variations often occur within the same sprawling yet cohesive piece. My favourites are "Secret Place" (both parts), "You Don't Fool me", and "Friends of Mine", but the ones I have not listed are just as likely to be some else's favourites.

Mirage has emerged from Camel's shadow, and we discover it is a beautiful child with qualities of its parent but a purpose all its own. We look forward to watching the child grow.

Can be compared with best CAMEL efforts like Mirage,Moonmadness and The Snow Goose.Highly melodical,professionally played,a bit DIY recorded and produced,but great anyway!The only problem I have is a lack of emotions...but wait,that's the same problem I have with CAMEL sometimes!!!OK,4 stars and an excellent addition to any prog-collection - highly recommended!!!