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Martin Orford - Classical Music And Popular Songs CD (album) cover

CLASSICAL MUSIC AND POPULAR SONGS

Martin Orford

 

Neo-Prog

3.62 | 58 ratings

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Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer
3 stars One of the worst album titles I have come across (haha). This is Martin Orford's first solo offering. Martin of course is most well known as the former keyboardist for IQ but people often forget he played the same role in JADIS. In fact it's JADIS who are the core band here, although we do get some IQ members helping out as well as John Wetton singing on one track. Interesting that Neal Morse actually offered his singing services for this record but Martin didn't feel like he had the right song for him to sing. Andy Latimer was asked to help out and he apparently was willing but CAMEL duties prevented him from helping out.

"The Field Of Fallen Angels" is pastoral to start then it becomes uptempo after a minute.Vocals from Martin before 2 minutes. Keyboards swirl after 3 minutes then it settles back with vocals. "A Part Of Me" with Wetton on vocals really sounds like an ASIA track. "Quilmes" is Orford on his piano by himself offering up beautiful melodies. "The Days Of Our Lives" is a vocal led track with some guest sax 2 minutes in.This sounds like a contemporary Christian song. I do like the guitar late from Chandler that goes on and on. "Fusion" kicks in quickly and I really like the lead guitar from Holmes (IQ) that comes and goes.

"The Final Solution" is a vocal led track.There is a synth solo after 3 minutes. "The Picnic" is another track with Martin playing piano by himself. "The Overload" features all the IQ members except Holmes. So yeah we have Nicholls singing on this one which is my favourite track. It's interesting that Nicholls and Orford wrote this during the "Subterranea" sessions. "Tatras" opens with piano as this orchestral flavour accompanies.Orford sounds amazing on piano here. "Evensong" is an instrumental with orchestration and piano leading the way. Drums and a fuller sound after 2 1/2 minutes.

A good album but not very proggy, but then Martin (as the album's title suggests) was just trying to create good songs.

Mellotron Storm | 3/5 |

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