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Stevegane Project - When the Time Is a Present CD (album) cover

WHEN THE TIME IS A PRESENT

Stevegane Project

 

Crossover Prog

3.30 | 20 ratings

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kenethlevine
Special Collaborator
Prog-Folk Team
3 stars I discovered STEVEGANE PROJECT via the album's only short track, the lovely "Lady of the Lake", which burst onto myspace after I had previewed a song by a group being evaluated for inclusion in the progressive folk sub-genre. But here we have that rare and welcome beast, the guitar dominated symphonic album. Pascal Stevegane's style is dreamy and fluid, part Doug Gilmour, part Klaus Hess (JANE), part ANDY LATIMER, and, apparently, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, although for the life of me I can't hear the heavy rock style of DEEP PURPLE or the Renaissance Faire timber of BLACKMORE'S NIGHT. I would advance another influence as concerns the overall arrangements, that of the big neo prog groups, the difference here being that this is an all instrumental album, and most neo is anything but.

"When the Time is a Present" is a good album to get lost in, whether you are particularly a fan of the style or not. Overall, the title cut and especially "The Green Eyes" are best, the former repeating a well thought out theme with pleasing variations, the latter much more spacey, moody, and deliberate but still blessed with dynamic guitar incursions.

The opener and closer might just as easily be your preferred tracks here, as the playing is of an equally high standard. For me, they sometimes carry on a bit too long and at a similar pace and energy level, and there is nobody who appreciates an overly long and beautiful lead guitar solo more than me, I can assure you.

This is a promising debut that might benefit from a bit more editing in places, but elsewhere I wouldn't touch a thing. Your mileage in time and pace may vary.

kenethlevine | 3/5 |

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