STAINED GLASS STORIES

And that is sincerely what I mean - this release is something that I appreciate. That I love actually. Yes, it is derivative. Of Yes and more than a few other prog gods that came before Cathedral.

First, the angular and sometimes jarring shifts that I find in the Bridge are here. They just don't seem forced. For example - Introspect - imagine if Chris Squire was bassist for Gentle Giant. I hear bits of Genesis' Get them out by Fiday, some of Yes' Heart of the Sunrise, and some vocal melodies from Gentle Giant's A Cry for Everyone. Nice mix.

Gong covers much of the same sonic ground. Yes, I've heard all good people play this sort of music before. Yes, the mellotron Choir playing is here too. But unlike the Bridge, those mellotron bits seem to fit. Not just take up space in the song, or seems like needless attempts to fil out the sound. Imagine Genesis playing Gentle Giant.

The Crossing, sounds like Gentle Giant, with a Yes' Close to the Edge Steve Howe backing. Gentle Giant playing the main Close to the Edge melody ?

Days & Changes - By this point of the album, I've formed this general impression of the music herein - Gentle Giant & Genesis got together and re-wrote Close to the Edge. And it comes out very good. At times I swear I'd believe you if you were to tell me that it was Squire, Howe , and Wakeman playing together as sidemen for this project, with the music written by the the G & GG braintrust.

The Search brings about the same sentiments.

I wish I could describe the music enough to allow you, the listener, to determine whether a group & an album this derivative is worth your time. The best I can do is the aforementioned Yes / Gentle Giant / Genesis references, with the Genesis aspect being in their heavier moments. IF you can get past the where did I hear this before, you should find some enjoyable and quite typical for its' time (the 70s) symphonic prog. And for those who can, this earns a 4. Those who would cast it as a rehash, will see it as barely a three.

I'm in the first group !

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