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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Tommy Peltier

Love Women and Song

Review by Gary Hill

Sure, this has short songs, but the musical leanings really land it in progressive rock territory. Still, this album isn’t perfect. There’s one song that falters because of the vocal performance and a few places where placing songs in different sequence would have made it stronger. It’s still pretty cool, though. The blend of musical styles is quite unique and most of the sonic tapestries are really works without any direct parallels.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2011  Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
One and Only

Imagine, if you will, progressive rockabilly. It would sound a lot like this. There are definitely healthy helpings of Roy Orbisson and other old school rock sounds, but also more proggy music like the more atmospheric sides of Yes and Pink Floyd merged together. It’s an intriguing and fairly unique combination of sounds that works pretty well. It’s taken in some interesting directions, becoming more decidedly progressive rock-like, in an extended section later.

Love is All
Built on a more atmospheric structure, this song is decidedly more progressive rock oriented than the previous number was.
Robie Sweet Dreams
Rhythmically complex, this is really an electronic progressive rock sound that’s also organic. It’s a rather playful sort of number. It becomes a bit jazzy later.
Lifeline
Built on a fairly sparse arrangement, at times this makes me think of Supertramp. It’s actually quite jazz oriented in a lot of ways.
Old Man River
There’s a bluesy texture to this one. It’s a cool tune that still has some prog built into it, but is more like a retro rock number.
One Way Trip
The album really starts to falter here because this feels like an extension of the previous number.
What Can I Say
Still trapped in the world of “sameness” here’s another tune that feels like it’s part of one long song. The vocals start to feel very off-key and awkward here. If there’s a number that fails, this is it.
PaPa
Here’s a big change. This has a lot of jazz and some scat singing. It’s an intriguing number and enough of a change to keep it interesting.
Drops in the City
This instrumental has a bouncing rhythm and a fun retro jazzy texture.
Let's Get Serious
Here we get another instrumental, this one keyboard dominated and quite classical. The only problem is, it’s another place where the positioning of tracks works against the disc because two instrumentals in a row on an album like this is too much.
Slo-mo Tango
Another keyboard dominated cut, this is aptly named because it’s a tango in a very slow and deliberate time signature. The only problem is, it’s another instrumental. And, this is not the place for another instrumental. The other trouble is, this drags on too long and feels a bit tedious after a while.
Blue Rose
This cut brings back the vocals. It’s also another with the retro styled music merged with prog rock. It’s another place where I can make out some hints of Supertramp, too.
Tail of the Comet
Reggae, jazz and prog are merged on this fun and bouncy little number. It’s not bad, but perhaps not strong enough to serve as a closer.
 
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