TRACY HITCHINGS

Tracy Hitchings, the queen of Neo-Prog, is probably best known from her work with Quasar and Landmarq. What we have here is her solo album with words and music written by the great Clive Nolan. The band consists of Nolan on keyboards, Karl Groom (Shadowland and Threshold) on guitars, Ian Salmon (Arena) on bass and Dave Wagstaffe (Quasar and Landmarq) on drums.

Nolan's writing style is clearly recognizable both musically and lyrically, but the Prog aspect is rather relaxed here and mostly present only on a few of the songs. The majority of the music is more towards melodic, slightly bombastic, 80's sounding Rock. But there are also quite some similarities with the music of Shadowland (another Nolan/Groom project). The longest track of the album is called Caamora, which years later would become the name of a different one of Nolan's many musical projects.

In the longer songs, there is some room for a bit of instrumental work out and some twists and turns. Hitchings has a fantastic and dramatic voice, but she did a better job on Quasar's excellent Loreli album which is a personal favourite of mine and much better than this album, in my opinion.

From Ignorance To Ecstacy is enjoyable, but both Nolan and Hitchings have done much better, and much more progressive, works elsewhere.

Tracy Hitchings is one of the most talented female vocalist from neo prog zone, that is a fact, she was part across the years in diffrent bands like guest or permant musician in Landmarq, Quasar, Strangers on a Train. She also worked with great musicians, here on her first solo album and aswell her swansong, released in 1991 and named From Ignorance to Ecstasy on SI label, has some fantastic team like Clive Nolan: Keyboards & Backing Vocals and Karl Groom: Guitars (the excellent guitarist who formed couple of years later the progressive metal band Threshold). So, the album is on melodic side of neo prog with some great arrangements, her voice fits very well in this kind of aproach, specialy on piece Horizons In Your Eyes, great voice.Caamora - the longest track has some fantstic moments aswell like Hide and seek. I like the album , the other musicians involved did a great job here, wel nothing realy groundbreaking overall , but pleasent most of the time. The album was re release in 1999 by Marillion's Mick Pointer label Vergas, the one I have. Another intristing fact is , whele the album is under her name, the music and vocal arrangements are entirely composed by Cive Nolan from Arena fame, but he knew what to take from her voce and the result is ok and enjoyble. 3.5 stars for this one, neo prog well produced, well performed with a doze of granious vocal parts from the queen of neo prog. For some years Tracy Hitchings is a professional vocal coach and voice therapist helping many musicians who begin the career