TRISKELION

This is the progressive symphonic rock band NORTH STAR's first full-length independent cassette release. The band includes the keyboard maestro Kevin Leonard. The first album "Triskelion" don't reach the same quality as any of Kevin Leonard's solo releases, even though it has some highlights. The material is however so good that it should've been released on a major label. Their complex music is tight performed and it has many tempo changes and odd time signatures. Kevin is using a lot of analog synthesizers, which gives the music a unique sound. Musea have re-released the album on CD in 1993 and the original cassette release is out of print.

Thirty years of career are too much to ignore a band.This Pensylvania-based group was formed in 1976 by drummer Glenn Leonard and guitarist Dave Johnson,with Glenn's brother Kevin (keyboards) jumping on board a year later and bassist/singer Joe Newman joining a bit later.After a succesful demo,NORTH STAR enjoyed some local fame,which led them to record a - nowadays extremely rare - three-track EP in 1982.Several lives and radio broadcasts would follow,which were followed by the recordings of their debut ''Triskelion'',during which Johnson decided to quit.The album is long out of print,but fortunately re-issued on CD by Musea Records in 1993,including the three tracks of their 82' EP.

Very much a product of its time,''Triskelion'' is an album which steps both into mid-70's GENESIS music and early 80's progressive music...that means we have to deal with mid- or short-length tracks with plenty of vocals,energetic musicianship and some fine melodies as well.Lead vocalist Joe Newman sounds a lot like IQ's Peter Nichols and this is a good thing,at least for me,as I like this theatrical style of delivering the lyrics.Newman plays also some trully excellent bass in the album and the careful mixing helps notifying it.The main figure is definitely keyboardist Kevin Leonard,who's work is a bit uneven.Lots of interesting floating synths,atmospheric soundscapes and nice electronic effects show a talented musician,but there are also moments,where the keyboards sound a bit cheesy.Johnson plays the guitar on most of the tracks and he is the most balanced person on this album.Fine electric solos and decent riffs are dominating the album,but his work contains no risks at all.

Regarding the three bonus tracks of the 82' EP,these follow more or less the stye of the full- length album.Plenty of expressive vocals,strong drumming,a few surprising guitar breaks and a heavy load of digital synths.No more than three pleasant tracks,which have a historical value.

''Triskelion'' is a good album with its advantages and disadvantages,especially if we take the time of its release under consideration.Personally I enjoyed it quite a bit:plenty of memorable easy-listening stuff,but quite progressive material along with some mediocre moments. ...and this would be propably the conclusion for most Neo/Symph progheads out there...3 stars.

Most of us (me too) like the band Genesis very much. And many of us (me too) don't like the 1980s Genesis albums too much. Some people even say that in 1980s Genesis betrayed themselves. I don't dare to oppose, I'd just like to mention that the musical direction Genesis followed in 1980s is itself of undoubted interest nevertheless... if only the music was less commercial... and more complex... if it had less poppy coating... et cetera. In other words, I think it would be great to find a band who play music of the same style as 1980s Genesis but really progressive, with no FM-oriented commercial pop touch. And I found such a band in the person of North Star. They are exactly what Genesis should be in 1980s if they followed the same direction as in fact but remained a genuine prog band. I'd say Triskelion is most representative in this aspect. The album is purely song oriented and quite Abacab/Mama/Invisible-Touch-like, but with no commercial pop hints. In other words, the band members made what was impossible. That's why I consider Triskelion a masterpiece, and that's why I dare to place North Star on the Olympus of US progressive rock, together with Kansas, Happy The Man and other classic US prog bands, in my personal coordinate system. Yes I realize that I will be outnumbered with my point of view. But I just wanted the PA community to be aware that such a point of view also exists.