MAGIC SHOP

I have not written any reviews for a long time but I am writing this one as this album is my favourite prog release of 2009 and I want to share it with you all and promote this album a bit - it doesn't have any reviews yet. The abum is available for free download from the Little Tragedies website. Little Tragedies are a Russian band and usually sing in Russian, which might be a problem for some listeners but in the case of this album, there will be no such problem as it is totally instrumental. The album is also a Christmas album. However, as there are no lyrics and no traditional Christmas tunes, it is an album that you can listen to throughout the year. If the cover art were changed, you could be forgiven for thinking that it is not a Christmas album at all. In terms of music, it is difficult to pick out favourite tracks as they do sound quite similar to each other. The music is mainly quite melodic and cheerful although it does stray towards fusion territories sometimes (tracks 1, 8 and 14) but this is quite rare. For those of you who like harder-edged prog, you might prefer to start with these tracks. The main feeling I have when listening to album is that it really is magic - it makes you feel that you are going to a magic shop - or even a magic funfair. I am reminded of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker sometimes by the tunes. So give this album a try if you want to be transported to a magic place - you do don't you?

Free for downloading full album ? Great !

I came across their music by Prog Archives' random mp3 play with checking some articles, and I heard beautiful guitars. I thought it is a song of The Enid which I didn't know till then, so I checked the name and player of the music, and I found that the beautiful music is of this band. I knew the name of the band but I did not recognize that they are doing this kind of melodic ones. The next surprise I got was that they say we can download this album for free on their official web site !!! Hoiw come ?

I am appreciating their music not because it is offered for free but because it is really great music. Imagine, The Enid joined by Keith Emerson and Steve Hackett. Won't you listen ?

A free album from these Russian masters of orchestral symphonic prog.

The Christmas tree type of pine tree on the front cover gives the rather wrong impression that this is a Christmas album. It is not and Little Tragedies has slightly shot themselves in the foot with this artwork. The music does have a wintery theme though, but winter can also mean January.... or February. Anyway; nevermind the artwork.

As usual from Little Tragedies, the music is orchestral symphonic prog with masses of woodwinds, keyboards and some guitars. This in addition to the drums and bass. There is no vocals here. The music on this album is like ELP meets a troupe of woodwinds players. Some of the songs here also sounds like those two meets a lost Dream Theater. Yes, there are even some progressive metal tunes on this album. That in addition to the classical music here with a heavy slaint of Russian folk music.

The quality is good throughout. There are no remarkable tracks here though and the music passes by as excellent, non-offensive background sound to some ironing and house cleaning. Not to mention trying to crack the latest crosswords from The Times. This type of music is bordering to muzak in my ears. But it is very much a worthy free download from their homepage. Make up your own mind, please. My mind is a three stars award though.

3 stars

This Russian formation was founded in the late Eighties by composer/keyboard player Gennady Lliyn, he is the brainchild of Little Tragedies. My first musical encounter with Little Tragedies was shortly after the release of their fourth studio album entitled Return (2005). From the very first moment I was very impressed by their often bombastic sound with awesome interplay, the Russian vocals add an extra dimension to the music. Meanwhile Little Tragedies have released 13 studio-albums, At Nights is their latest, from 2014. This review is about their 11th album entitled Magic Shop, unfortunately it lacks those special sounding native vocals. Magic Shop is a concept with a Christmas fairy tale as the subject, in the information booklet you can read about that.

The CD Magic Shop contains 20 tracks that sound melodic and varied with again impressive interplay, especially between the powerful and harder-edged guitar and the flashy keyboard runs. In my opinion this is Little Tragedies their trademark, along with the classical overtones (you can hear that Gennady is classically trained). The cheerful lyrics of the songs are perfectly translated into the atmospheres, especially in Shepherd Boys (halfway the climate changes into heavy with dazzling work on guitar, keyboards and drums), Malvina & Piero (with saxophone and a xylophone sound), The Sheriff (in the vein of Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson with a surprising bluesy conclusion) and Matryoshka (pleasant interplay between guitar and saxophone).

We can enjoy Little Tragedies their usual ultimate bombastic sound in the tracks Overture (amazing interplay and virtuosic soli), Little Cooks (wonderful build-up and delicate organ work), Tango (flashy synthesizer flights and swinging piano) and Moraziana (mid-tempo with a fat rock guitar, virtuosic keyboard runs and a propulsive rhythm-section). I am also very pleased with the beautiful, mellower compositions Pathway To The Magic Shop (warm combination of classical guitar and dreamy keyboards), The Minstrel (harpsichord and sensitive electric guitar) and the final track Epilogue (dreamy with again sensitive electric guitar runs).

Along with Return (2005) and the 2-CD Faust (2006), this album is part of Little Tragedies their best work, this Russian formation sounds inspired and creative.