TALES FROM THE NETHERLANDS

Vocalist Benoit David brought plenty of attention during his time with French-Canadian progressive rock group Mystery, coming to the band all the way back in 1999, yet only making his album debut on 2007's `Beneath the Veil of Winter's Face', going on to front three of their studio albums to great approval from fans of the group. However, the singer is probably more well known for joining symphonic prog legends Yes, controversially replacing Jon Anderson between the years 2008-2012, performing lead vocals on their 2012 album `Fly From Here' as well as a singing on several tours with that band. By 2013 he was himself replaced by Glass Hammer singer Jon Davison, but it's really Yes' loss. On this double CD live set, `Tales from the Netherlands', recorded at the Boerdirij Cultuurpodium in Zoetermeer on May 10th 2013, Benoit proves what a charismatic and captivating performer with Mystery he was, and now that he has also left this group, it serves as a fitting memento of his time with the band.

For those unaware of Mystery's music, the band perform a mix of intelligent and tasteful AOR with careful progressive rock flavours, preferring to focus on well-written song structures with strong melodies. Most of the proggier instrumental flourishes are tightly incorporated around the songs, very rarely self-indulgent or trying to show off, and never at the expense of the overall tune. This double set focuses on the albums that cover Benoit's time in the group, offering a mix of more compact pieces and lengthier epics that provide a good overview of their music, and it even makes for a perfect introduction to newcomers wishing to look into the band for the first time.

While the arrangements presented here don't differ greatly from the studio versions, there's an added vibrancy and energy to their delivery, especially noticeable in the way Benoit sings with such extra clarity and confident professionalism. With a gentle and warm manner when talking to the crowd in between songs, it's this very human and likeable personality that endeared him to Mystery fans. There's plenty of highlights throughout the two discs. The introspective and compassionate `Dear Someone' and the urgent `Wolf' (love Benoit Dupuis' frantic up-tempo synth burst throughout the instrumental break in the middle!) both have catchy choruses that permanently lodge themselves in your brain - trust me, they've been swimming around in my head for years now! The reflective qualities are all still present, but many sections of the twenty minute epic `Another Day' are given a harder- hitting and more muscular strength due to Jean-Sébastian Goyette's powerhouse drumming, and there's a beautiful dreamy outro as well to close the first disc.

Highlights of the second disc are the lengthy `Pride' that flies to the heavens with Michel St- Pere's soaring guitar solos. The ethereal fragility of the chorus of `Through Different Eyes' is the closest the band come to a Jon Anderson-like moment, but the rest of the twenty-two minute epic contains some very brooding, moody thick atmospheres and a grand symphonic synth finale, in addition to Benoit really showcasing his versatile vocal range. `The Preacher's Fall' is gutsy driving AOR stomper, Francois Fournier's bass purrs throughout album closer `Between Love and Hate', but the absolute standout track here is `Travel to the Night' that mixes a stomping AOR hard rocker with smooth harmonies, IQ-like organ stabs and endless tricky instrumental runs woven throughout.

For now, Benoit appears to have taken leave from music altogether, which is a definite shame for those who enjoyed his performances, but hopefully his time away to focus on other priorities in life will prove to be a rewarding experience for him. Jean Pageau has since been announced as the new Mystery singer, set to debut on their upcoming album in 2015, so he'll definitely have a tough time proving himself as a worthy successor to Benoit! But for now, `Tales from the Netherlands' is a perfect showcase for a special era of the band, it makes for the perfect farewell to Benoit David, and is simply a fine live album from a great progressive related band.

Four stars.