RIVER OF DREAMS

BJH must been one of the most prolific bands in terms of live albums, compilation, or DVD releases (thirty-five or so only on this web- site !).

I was positively surprised with their last studio album : "Caught In The Light " (three stars). Some sort of a return to a more progressive sound, closer to Wooly's legacy. But can we expect the same from this one ?

The opening track has its good (a great guitar solo) and its bad. Most of the songs featured on this album will be rather long (six minutes + for most of them). This could have led to a similar album as "Caught In The Light" but it won't be the case.

There will be some good guitar moments on this album ("Back In The Game", "Yesterday's Heroes", "Children Of The Disappeared"). But each of them won't avoid these songs to be very average. The general mood of the album will be mellowish and syrupous.

Some boring songs (the majority) unfortunately : "River Of Dreams", (only saved by a great, but short, guitar break again). But the worse is still to come : "Pools Of Tears" is an anonymous rock ballad like I would like to see them disappear from the musical earth. Same comment and verdict about "Do You Believe In Dreams" (somewhat ELO-ish. But from their worse days). I wish I did, if only I could dream again of the BJH of the middle seventies...But this was in another life.

On the good side, BJH has dropped their poor rock / AOR mood developped in several of their albums from the eighties. But in "compensation" we have to bear severe sleepy moments. My problem is that I can not stand neither of those. A Bee Gees type of song like "Took Me So Long" (I hope it is not autobiographic) is absolutely awful (and long).

I can't find any positive comment about the last three songs of this album. So, I will leave this review as such.

Since this album is the last combined (?) effort from BJH, I would like to take the opportunity to pay a tribute to Mel (RIP), Woolly, Les and John. Even if I have been harsh with lots of your albums (but I did not release them), you have filled my heart with your melodies when I was a young kid, ages ago (from "Once Again through "Octoberon "). Thanks for that guys.

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