BACKDROP

The Healing Road is listed as a Neo-Prog band. In that case, Hess & Co has made a career change on this album. Backdrop is divided into Backdrop # 1 and Backdrop # 2.

# 1 is a nice melody with a lot of references to Camel, Clearlight and Mike Oldfield. The twenty-four minutes ebbs and flows very nicely. There are some Keltic music influences here too. This part of the album is most definate pretty new-age sounding in addition to the heavy symph prog leanings. A very good piece of music, this is.

# 2 has a lot more Keltic influences and is more dynamic than # 1. There is also a lot of Jethro Tull influences at the end of these twenty-two minutes. # 2 is in general more leaning towards prog folk than new-age. Again, this is a very good piece of music.

My only regrets with Backdrop is the lack of any really great or even superb melody lines. But Backdrop is still a very good melting pot (stew) of prog folk, symphonic prog and new age. One of the best stews I have ever consumed. It is recommended to those who loves this type of music. I have to exlude myself from that group. But it is obvious that Hanspeter Hess & Co is onto something good with The Healing Road.

3.5 stars