COMPLAINT OF THE WIND

This is the first album from this discreet Belgian band. Mario Guccio (from Machiavel) doing the backing vocals, while the young Hervé Borbé is playing the keys. After the "Now" split, he will join "Machiavel" (he is still playing with them as I write).

Under these circumstances, there is no wonder that "Now" sounds a bit like the symphonic "Machiavel" (the one from the seventies of course). This is easily noticeable during "Ballade For A Soul". "Genesis" is also very close in the short "Preliminary".

Lead vocals are on the soft (mellow) side. Nick Barrett ("Pendragon") or Martin Wilson ("Grey Lady Down") oriented. Probably less passionate and warm, but still very pleasant.

This album was released in 1988, and the popish / AOR sound is very present on this first album. While it is bearable during "Welcome To The Dreamworld, the next one (To find Your Track) is as weak as some poor YesSongs out of the eighties/nineties.

This album also flirts with the neo-prog genre to be honest; and I can't say that I am thrilled while listening to "Runaway's Fight"; on the other hand, the romantic "The Troubadour" is very melodic and includes a very good and emotional guitar break (hi Nick).

This album ends on two of the best numbers featured. Both "Dreamaker" and even more "The Complaint Of The Wind" are fully symphonic, catchy and very well executed. Let's hope that "Now" will pursue into this direction for their upcoming albums.

A good album. Three stars.

An unknown band emerging from the 80's Belgian scene,who blended progressive rock with more commercial sounds.Formed in mid-80's and led by guitarist Vincent Fis,NOW featured also current MACHIAVEL keyboardist Herve Borve in his first steps in the music scene.For their first LP,released in 1988 on Auraphon Label and entitled ''Complaint of the wind'',they were helped by MACHIAVEL singer Mario Guccio.Reportedly the album was recorded in August 87' in a castle and mixed in a studio in Switzerland by Glenn Miller,who had collaborated with ''Talk Talk''.

Seemed the band wanted to hit big time,however the album was a typical product of the 80's , in ''progressive'' terms,with all its positives and negatives.At times the keyboards sound a little bit cheesy and the piano parts are somewhat ''plastic'',while the compositions follow a rather simplistic form,sometimes they are closer to 80's hard rock/A.O.R. than prog.On the other hand the band features a very strong vocalist under the presence of Fis,who's voice can be thrilling and dynamic at the same time,reminding of PALLAS' Euan Lowson.Speaking of PALLAS,this album holds a lot of similarities with 80's YES but mainly with PALLAS' ''The sentinel'' from 1984.Compositions are mainly short with some grandiose symphonic keys here and there,some hard rockin' guitar work with a lot of energy,a strong drumming performance by Andre Hercot and a few memorable melodies played by Fis...strange combination really...The result is a work of easy-listening progressive rock with some good but also some flat moments.Not exactly recommended,expect you're a devoted fan of neo progressive rock...2.5 stars...