MELODY

Although not blessed with the greatest production, a dull cover, and some wildly varying mixing, the playing from the young band members and their arrangements of the material is first rate. Serving up classical influenced instrumental progressive rock in the E.L.P and Focus vein, with slight jazz elements sometimes creeping in, the album is filled with nearly all top-notch material. Considering the band members all appear to be barely out of their teens, they all show incredible playing ability and skills, and each get numerous moments to shine.

The title track features an endless number of good ideas, great variety of piano, organ, bubbling synth runs, some very busy drumming and chunky grumbling bass. Easy enough to win any fan of classically inspired progressive rock over.

`Katrin' has an uplifting quality to it, the piano being a particular highlight on this one. It also drifts in and out of more serious and dramatic moments that are very striking. At a little over four minutes, there's a great deal going on without being over-cluttered and too busy.

Haunting but brief Mellotron throughout the first minute of `7 to 8 Melody', though there's a (thankfully short) somewhat cheesy `honky tonk' piano section in the middle of the track that reminds me of my least favourite moments of any Rick Wakeman solo albums! The rest of the track is superb, especially the triumphant finale.

`Wild Pig' has a more urgent and frantic sound, and occasionally it's quite bombastic. It's slightly let down by one or two sections with loud and overmixed string outbursts that boom over the top and drown out the rest of the music. This however is only a slight complaint!

`Slow & Chromatic' has sombre church organ and Mellotron, quite restrained and almost subtle compared to the business of much of the rest of the album. Very classical and gothic, it's a welcome break right in the middle of the album. Spacey sound effects and epic piano add a real sense of drama and mystery to this one.

Very jazzy piano brings another surprising element to this album on the short but sweet `Melody Bass', a very warm and positive sounding track. A welcome surprise, and yet another highlight.

`Bolero' ends the album with a very joyful E.L.P sounding fanfare finale, however the three and a half minute track is very repetitive and under-developed, and hardly a fitting sendoff for the album. The only disappointing part of the album.

If you can find the album, do not hesitate to snap it up. It's a first-rate prog knockout that showed a band with immense potential and endless ideas. `Melody' is a more than worthy addition to any prog fan's collection.

Also, well done to David (Prog archives member Yam Yam) for getting this band on the Archives in the first place!!