II - FROM SEA AND BEYOND

This one came as a real surprise to me as Roberto and Paolo's previous Ellesmere effort--2015's Les Châteaux de la Loire--was so gentle and bucolic; "From the Sea and Beyond" is full out Neo Prog Rock in the GALAHAD or RIVERSEA vein as opposed to the pastoral Anthony Phillips-like acoustic guitar-based fare of the previous. It's very good--with thick, full sound and well-constructed Neo Prog songs.

1. "Tidal Breath" (2:13) a subtle keyboard synth extravaganza over ocean surf sounds. (4.5/5)

2. "Marine Extravaganza" (11:55) nice Neo Prog sound palette but the song never really goes anywhere exciting or unusual (though the walkabout that slurred Rickenbacker bass is on for the first few minutes is very entertaining). It seems a basic structure set up just to allow the individual instruments to each have solo times. The bare bones "strings" and "bass" section in the seventh minute is quite cloying and downright annoying. Luckily the Arp solos take us out of it, and lead us to the best section of the song: the bridge at 7:45. The ensuing drum and Arp lead rhythmic pattern grows very old quite quickly. Even the addition of organ and the return of the slurred Rickenbacker cannot save it (though the awesome 7:45 bridge is repeated twice starting at 9:33). The closing section is just too close to GENESIS Wind and Wuthering. (8/10)

3. "Runaway" (6:01) Vocalist Robert Berry's voice bears a striking resemblance to that of Thomas Thielen. (8.5/10)

4. "Marine Coda" (2:09) a pleasant interlude instrumental whose foundation and David Jackson's song-length saxophone solo are meant, methinks, to conjure up late-night sea journeys on a still, uneventful moonless night. (4.5/5)

5. "The Schooner" (11:02) church organ opens this one before chunky bass, flanged guitars and steady drums enter. When Keith More's lead guitar enters around the one minute mark, everybody pauses as if to give him their full attention. Then the full band rejoins to support and encourage his continued soloing until we break at the 2:30 mark for a solo from the omnipresent church organ. I have to say, the organ-band-and-electric guitar combination in this song really works well--the clean, crystalline organ tone and volume and that of Keith's slightly dirty lead guitar are perfect foils for one another! Even over eleven minutes! The tenth minute gets a little too-IQ-ish but then a return to the church organ as the lead over the final minute restores glory. Well met! (9.5/10)

6. "Ridge Fanfare (3:21) full, deep and thick Neo Prog soundscape opens this one with gradually ascending arpeggiated chords from moog synth leading the way as the rest of the band follows. Davy O'List's MIKE OLDFIELD-like guitar tone takes on the lead as the song moves out of intro/A section phase to the B section (chorus?) Ends rather abruptly. (9/10)

7. "Time, Life Again (8:59) a very nice retro-GENESIS Neo Prog sound and chord palette opens this one before the voice of Robert Berry enters at the 1:40 mark. Lots of Arp-y synth strings and chunky 'underwater' Rickenbacker bass permeate every second of this song--it's a nice sound--well done, sounding rather fresh and original and not over-the-top. A break at 5:35 allows the drums to switch to a kind of "Man on the Corner" tom-tom pattern while Brett Kull takes a turn at the lead guitar, soloing with an distorted and wah-ed style and flair reminiscent of some of the stars of the late 60s and 70s--Eric Clapton, to be specific. Excellent job, Brett! A solo that just keeps getting better as it goes--and definitely the best I've ever heard out of you! I have to admit, this is one of the better Neo Prog songs I've ever heard. (10/10)

4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of refreshing Neo Prog. Roberto Vitelli and Paolo Carnelli definitely have something refreshing to offer Prog World--and a gift for coaxing peak performances out of their guests--even as accomplished guests as these!

"Ellesmere II - From Sea And Beyond" is the second album by Roman project Ellesmere and was released in 2018 on the independent label AMS Records. This time along with the talent of composer and multi instrumentalist Roberto Vitelli (bass, guitar, synthesizers, Moog, Mellotron) we can appreciate the contribute of prestigious guests such as Paolo Carnelli (piano, electric piano, keyboards, Hammond), Robert Berry (vocals), Trey Gunn (Warr Guitar), David Jackson (sax, keyboards), Alan Benjamin (guitar), Brett William Kull (guitar), Danilo Mintrone (Korg Microkorg), Davy O'List (guitar), Keith More (guitar), Marco Bernard (bass) and Daniele Pomo (drums, percussion). The overall sound is richer and more variegated if compared with the debut album and the influence of bands such as ELP, Yes, Kansas or King Crimson is apparent. According to their label website, this is a conceptual work "where every song deals with a different aspect of the complex relationship between man and sea, from man's curiosity and fear towards what is hidden deep inside the sea to the call for adventure and for travelling to the end of the known world and beyond". The album artwork by English painter and designer Colin Elgie tries to depict the musical content...

The first four tracks are linked together and form a long suite. The short opener "Tidal Breath" sets the atmosphere and starts by the sound of the ocean and the gentle breaking of the waves with a calm sea, then an ethereal melody soars like a mermaid chant and leads to "Marine Extravaganza", an excellent, powerful instrumental track that could recall Emerson, Lake & Palmer and contains a quote from King Crimson's "Red". Then "Runaway" tells in music and words of a disquieting dream, a desperate effort to escape from the chase of mysterious men in black, dark shadows of your past haunting you and alrming your senses. The short, nightmarish "Marine Coda" closes the suite with David Jackson's sax in the forefront.

"The Schooner" opens the second side of the album and starts by a sumptuous passage of church-like organ, then the rhythm rises for an adventurous voyage through Poseidon's territory. The sea air is deceptive and you must not rely on your eyes to assess the distances... The title refers to a type of sailing vessel popular on both sides of the Atlantic in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The following "Ridge Fanfare" is another piece in debt with EL&P that seems to invite you to a joyful ride through the waves while the final track, "Time, Life Again", recalls Yes and evokes in music and words the imaginary course of a flying ship flowing forever in time upon the sea, towards the sun, through the fire, in search for an island of peace...

On the whole, a very good album for symphonic prog lovers!

Had the first Ellemere record been a pure form of seventies-inspired symphonic folk, producer and composer Roberto Vitelli turned to a rather nineties type of neo-progressive on this second album - perhaps a result of the mastering that is quite light on the low-end. Or perhaps of the Rickbacker bass-sound that has never worked in any mix in my humble opinion. The keyboards also sound from that era. Leaving that aside, this is actually a well-made record which I was happy to order on a vinyl (which is also of a great quality). After the atmospheric opening the twelve minute 'Marine Extravaganza' is a great tour the force of atmospheric instrumental neo-progressive with hints at Genesis, ELP, Yes and even King Crimson without sounding like a modern remix of those bands. It also reminded me a bit of the opening track of the Italian classic 'Opera Prima'. The 'open' nineties sounds allows for loud playing without getting a headache as well. 'Runaway' is a dreamy and sentimental neoprog / crossover piece that reminds me a bit of Marillion. The two minute 'Marine Coda' with wind instruments by David Jackson (of VdGG fame) is a really spot-on psychedelic interlude and I hope his role in this project would expend in the future. 'The Schooner' has this heavy melodic organ that sucks you in. Guitarist Keith More (who also played on Arena's 'Solomon') shines brightly here with his melodic rockguitar. This track is side two's answer to 'Marine Extravanganza', though this tracks feel a bit more like a summation of random themes at times - which are all fine by the way. 'Ridge Fanfare' is nice short exciting neo-prog piece. 'Time, Life Again' is another strong piece with some vocals and a fiery guitar solo as a finale. What I like about this record is that it is neo-prog that focuses on instrumental prowess instead of too much of that whimsical song- writing (which no group ever does as well as Marillion anyway). Because of some songwriting inconsistency here and there I'm feeling like a 3,5 stars. Very enjoyable though.