PROVIDENCE

A lot of people feel that this isn't a Neo Prog album and I would agree. Andy from Planet Mellotron suggests that after the first track we do get something along the lines of sophisticated Neo Prog. I'm not sure about that. According to Andy the mellotron on here is not real but there's lots of it. Still it sounds pretty good, it's a plus for sure. The bass is very upfront and again a highlight for me throughout. The band is a five piece from Japan and this was their debut from 1989. I like the alternate cover art I saw on Discogs, more of a futuristic look on what I think was the first edition.

The singer is female Yoko Kuboto and she was previously in a band called FIRST DRAW a Metal band in the mid eighties. I really struggle with her passionate singing. When she sings softly and laid back it's all good but the tone of her voice is not good to these ears. So of course those who have no issue with her vocals rate this fairly high for the most part and rightfully so because of the amazing instrumental work throughout. Pity for me that the album is marred somewhat by the prominent vocals. So 3.5 stars seems just right dropping it back because I won't be keeping it in my play list options. We get four tracks over some 53 minutes and the closer features the guitar of frenchman Christian Beya of the band ATOLL. Not sure how that came about.

4,5 stars !!! In my opinion another fantastic album with a very few review number ( only 3 until now and 8 ratings) . Is lamentable, I think is one of better albuns of 80's ( for many , the lost decade). PROVIDENCE "And I'll Recite An Old Myth" is an album with the certain mix of old and new progressive rock. In fact you recognize influences in Track 1 "Galatea" a musical suite where, the introduction reminds EL&Palmer ( with a guitar in "underground" ) after this the music breaks in a more swinging theme with the beautiful female vocals ( without the very common exaggeration in Japanese bands) a great guitar, a almost "slap" bass guitar, fantastic acoustic piano /sythesizers and a "explosive" drums, the sequence sounds like a jam session and finally a modern "waltz".... simply taking away your breath. Track 2 "Eternal children" is a heavy, almost hard theme. Track 3 " Dream seeker's mirage" brings a lyrical melotrom/organ/acoustic guitar accompaniment and recalls THE MOODY BLUES and KING CRIMSON , the middle section is electric guitar solo and the last a "delicious" femalle choir with keyboards and bass. The last track "And I'll recite an old myth from..." is the best of the album with some GENESIS "hints" plus symphonic/jazzy... but I will leave for your imagination... The album is close of perfection. My rate is 4 stars !!!

In the most prolific period of Japanese Symphonic/Neo/Hard Prog another band to came to surface were Providence.They were found in 1985 in Sapporo by keyboardist Madoka Tsukada along with original female singer Yoko Kubota.Bassist Kazuno Tsuyoshi , drummer Chiba Hideki and guitarist Miyamoto Kenichi completed the first line-up, which recorded the demo tape ''Tradition'' in 1986 with tracks recorded between June and October of 1985.

A cassette only release, very rare of course nowadays, ''Tradition'' is split into the so-called light and dark sides.The first side of the cassette, the light one, opens with ''Sir Sangelman lament'', a quite Neo-Proggish track with a high level of energy, some great synth work by Tsukada and dynamic guitar playing, not far from the British bands of the time and style.Vocals are mediocre but the vocal lines are really decent on the chorus.The following 9-min. ''The holy spring of Luru Dex'' sounds a bit more on the vintage side with Tsukada delivering some great organ solos all the way, while Kenichi's guitar have a slight Fusion edge.Plenty of good breaks throughout but this time the vocals of Kubota are rather unbearable.The second side of the cassette, the dark one, is covered with the long 18-min. epic ''I talk to the tradition''.Opening with Kubota's vocals, the track gets soon really energetic with a pounding rhythm section and hard-sounding guitars before the calm break, featuring smooth guitars and some spacey keyboard soloing by Tsukada.After the middle a bombastic haunting synth section will lead into a fantastic Tsukada piano performance filled with grandieur and supported by Kenichi's complex guitar playing.Towards the end the opening hard-sounding notes are followed by a dramatic outro with distorted vocals, psychedelic guitars and grand background synthesizers.Notice that the production is very poor with an unacceptable mix, like the band recording in a rehearsal room, fortunately most of the music is very interesting

Typical product of 80's Japanese prog.Mediocre sound quality, below average vocals but also plenty of powerful and adventurous instrumental music.Recommended if you run over a copy.

By late-90's the majority of the early Providence line-up had changed.Gone were drummer Chiba Hideki, guitarist Miyamoto Kenichi and bassist Kazuno Tsuyoshi, replaced by Yuichi Sugiyama, Satoshi Ono and Yasuyuki Hirose respectively.Now with a more stable crew Tsukada had the opportunity to record the band's first officias album.''And I'll recite an old myth'' saw the light in 1989 on King Records,featuring the contribution of Christian Beya,guitarist of Atoll,on the 20 min. epic of the album.

Four long progressive tracks with a variety of tempos and styles is what this album is all about.''Galatea'' is a 14 min. fusion adventure,very much influenced by U.K. with definite hints of Eddie Jobson's style on keyboards and Holdsworth-like guitar solos.Female singer Yõko Kubota has a sweet voice,singing mainly in high notes,while most of the track consists of complex interplays between keys,guitars and drums,except the last calm section,where some mellotron and piano gears things down.Good track,which however lacks in somewhat of conveincing solid structure.''Eternal children'' clocks at 8 minutes (the shortest of all tracks) and the U.K. influence becomes clearer,as this track is more song- based,maintaining its fusion-eque edge delivered by dominant keys and a heavy rhythm section.''Dream seeker's mirage'' comes like the slavation after the first 22 minutes fusion attack.Soft mellotron and acoustic guitars blended with Kubota's smooth vocals create a MOODY BLUES-like ballad atmosphere,though the track becomes a little boring through the way,due to its long duration and lack of changing moods.

Facts seem to disappoint me a bit by this point and I had to wait for the 20 min. opus to see if my taste for this album would change.The calm opening notes are followed by mellotron/organ-led nice 'n' groovy passages and a soft symphonic approach later.At the middle vprepare for a jazzy piano/drums obscurity,before Tsukada returns with grandiose symphonic keys to introduce the listener a heavy prog territory with fantastic guitar and piano work.Closing to the end and after a mass of complex fusion parts,Kubota accompanies the band with high-pitched vocals on a mellotron-filled ending with an acoustic closing part.Not a killer track,but a very interesting one.

I'm torn between 2 and 3 stars for this one.The first three tracks are not above average.The band is technically skillful,but all of them are missing of memorable moments.The closer is actually quite good,stepping nice and easy from acoustic music and Fusion to Symphonic Rock and Heavy Prog.At the end I will have to go with the 3 star rating,trying to compare this with U.K.'s (the band sounding closer to PROVIDENCE) masterpiece debut.Not even close to it in terms of composition level,but technically at the same level.Go for it at a reasonable price. (The album has been re-issued on CD)

PS:How the hell is this band listed as Neo Progressive?Not a moment of neo prog in here!

Occupying a middle ground between the dreadful MAGDALENA and the excellent OUTER LIMITS, but falling a good notch or two below the kitschy TERU'S SYMPHONIA, Providence here produced a work of considerable technical competency and virtually no emotion or memorability. The tracks are long but are really a showcase for the ADD of the group members, with nothing to hold onto even after multiple listens. A prime example of the problem is the 30 seconds of CRIMSON-esque mellotron that begin the title track, which suddenly, without even an attempt at transition, drop off the precipice into an almost inaudible acoustic guitar and vocal theme. The end result diminishes both parts, and this tendency is repeated throughout the disk. The integration of jazz with the neo progressive is fairly typical of Japanese prog of the time. For all its mythological pretensions, this effort is firmly transfixed on its own navel.

The debut CD from this Japanese band is an exciting blend of dynamic jazzrock (great guitar and synthesizers) and mellow symphonic rock like early King Crimson (wonderful violin-Mellotron eruptions). I had to wait 7 years for their next album, had Providence succeeded in making another strong album?

The line-up includes a new guitarist and an additional saxophone player. The first track Hcho 40 delivers varied climates, from a tight and powerful up-tempo rhythm and compelling bombastic keyboards to mellow pieces with violin, piano and sampled Mellotron (Vintage Keys). Then the song An Epilogue For Cajolment, it starts with propulsive organ - and keyboard work, followed by flashy synthesizer flights (in the vein of Toshio Egawa from Gerard), powerful saxophone and biting Lifeson-inspired guitar play. Next is the long titlesong The Once Was A Night Of Choko-Muro The Paradise: it is loaded with pleasant shifting moods and good soli on guitar, organ, violin, synthesizer and a kind of talkbox (like Peter Frampton). Entertaining but at some moments it sounds a bit too fragmentic. The other five tracks sound varied, alternating from dreamy with acoustic guitar, piano and even accordeon to heavy with fiery wah-wah drenched guitar soli. Although the female singer lacks a bit power, she sings beuatiful so I would like to conclude that this is a fine progrock effort from Japan.

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If you are a Tron Maniac, don't miss this convincing debut-CD. It contains four long tracks, the first two have many influences from the jazzrock scene (with hints from Colosseum II) featuring good interplay between guitar and keyboards. The third song is in the vein of the early King Crimson with beautiful waves of the ubiquitous Mellotron along some changing climates with captivating guitarwork (from French progrock Atoll's Christian Beya). The final track contains spectacular breaks delivering exciting guitars and again wonderful Mellotron. GREAT ALBUM!!

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