NETHERWORLD

That can be a very tedious search at times; but more often than not, we miners of gold get rewarded with a nice hidden nugget, like this 1981 cd from Netherworld - "In The Following Half-Light". With the extra tracks that were included on the 2002 re-issue, the cd has a nice 55-minute length to it (plus the new tracks are very good). The band used to do some Hendrix and Doors material during their live shows, which is probably why I sense some Crack The Sky influence in the earlier part of the album. There are also some early Yes and Genesis similitudes to much of this music as well, though the theatrical vocals and some of the edgier/aggressive tracks (i.e. "Son of Sam", "Maybe If They Burn Me") make this a unique and interesting listen. You'll hear some great chops on guitar throughout this cd, and plenty of mellotron to tame some of the wilder sections.

Get this one, adventurers. 3-1/2 stars.

"Too Hard To Forget" hits the ground running with synths and drums outfront. Catchy stuff. "Son Of Sam" is an urgent sounding track which is understandable considering who it's about. The guitar is much more prominant in this one compared to the opener. "Straight Into Infinity" is uptempo to start with guitar leading. It settles some when the vocals arrive. Mellotron in this one too. A calm before 1 1/2 minutes as the tempo will continue to shift. At least we get some upfront mellotron on this one.The best track so far.

"Maybe If They Burn Me" has a really good instrumental section but i'm not a fan of the more aggressive vocals on this one. "Isle Of Man" is ballad-like to start.The tempo picks up and the sound gets fuller after 2 1/2 minutes.This is much better. Some nice keyboard work follows. Mellotron before 4 1/2 minutes as it settles back. "A Matter Of Time" opens with acoustic guitar as mellotron rolls in then reserved vocals. Cello before 4 1/2 minutes and I really like the guitar that follows. "Sargasso" opens with piano as laid back but theatrical vocals come in. It picks up then settles back down. A lot of theatrics in this closing track.

A good album that has some killer sections. It could have been so much better. Lots of mellotron too but the vocals don't do a lot for me.

The first song is an up tempo number that sounds a bit dated due to production values but does have healthy doses of keys and guitar that vie for your attention. I have to believe this was their attempt to get radio play as things get more complex and proggy going forward. The second song starts off fast and shows off strong rhythm and lead guitar. It then has a slower section that tries to create a scary mood while trying to tell the story of Son of Sam from that infamous killer's point of view. It goes into a nice long guitar solo from there that also adds to the mood before picking up the pace again. The two guitarists credited certainly have chops and are able to use the instrument to create many different effects. Randy Wilson plays some very nice keys and is given the spotlight from time to time as well as giving many of the songs a nice vibe. The balance of the album is diverse and demands your attention to appreciate it. A Matter of Time has some wonderful piano and moves into another nice guitar solo followed by a blistering keyboard solo. I think a good way to sum up most of the songs is that they desperately wanted to be a full blown prog outfit but knew the writing was on the wall and perhaps compromised somewhat in order to try and stay with the times. The bonus track lends credence to this theory as it is full out prog. The first part has keys and piano come in at the same time then all the instruments just take you on a nice ride. The 2nd part again has plenty of piano with keys that are going for a flute vibe over the top. It finishes with some more nice keys over acoustic guitar and then another nice guitar solo.

The album certainly has an 80's feel to it which is certainly understandable. The remastering people only had so much to work with and made the best of the situation. If the band would have made the album in today's musical climate, the sound would have been substantially different. The drums would have had a much fuller sound and the tone of the guitar would have sounded much better than the new wave vibe you get here. The keys would not have that sometime "plinky" quality. However, there is talent here (both songwriting and playing) and given the band's situation and the resources they had to make an album of this quality gives credence to the high marks of dprp. It just is not an album that I personally grab for frequently and when I compare it to many of the albums I have given four stars to, it does not stack up as high. I certainly believe it can be a grower for many fans of early neo. Netherworld were probably a victim of the time, their locale and other circumstances that often mount against startup bands and may have achieved even better things if given a chance to mature. Three and a half stars.

The band can clearly play, the vocals are pretty decent in drawn out sort of way, and they even succeed in integrating real and imagined orchestrations, such as oboe on the brilliantly constructed "Straight into Infinity" and what sounds like cello on "Isle of Man", which also features a stellar Frippian type lead solo. Plenty of mellotrons and jangling acoustic guitars help soothe the savage breast and take some of the edge off.

Three bonus instrumentals added to the CD release actually augment the disk to a firm three star rating. Netherworld's "In the Following Half Light" deserves the full light of exposure to the prog community. A worthwhile album by any standards, let alone coming from the progressively challenged west coast of the US in the late 1970s.