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Highlighting in album tracklistings denotes 'contains Mellotron'. On 'multi-part' tracks I've tried to indicate which parts contain 'Tron, although this isn't always possible.
Ratings:
The * rating (½-5) is my personal, entirely subjective and completely partisan rating of the music.
The 'T' ('Tron, of course...) rating (0-5) is an only slightly more objective indicator of an album's Mellotronness.
By the way, if you know of any Mellotron albums that aren't listed here, please look at my albums page first! Thanks.
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Angel (1975, 37.47) ****/TTT½TowerLong Time Rock & Rollers Broken Dreams Mariner Sunday Morning On & on Angel (Theme) |
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Helluva Band (1976, 44.18) ***½/TFeelin' RightThe Fortune Anyway You Want it Dr. Ice Mirrors Feelings Pressure Point Chicken Soup Angel Theme |
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On Earth as it is in Heaven (1977, 42.21) **/T½ |
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| Can You Feel it She's a Mover Big Boy (Let's do it Again) Telephone Exchange White Lightning On the Rocks You're Not Fooling Me That Magic Touch |
Cast the First Stone Just a Dream |
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White Hot (1977, 37.53) *½/T½ |
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| Don't Leave Me Lonely Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore Hold Me, Squeeze Me Over and Over Under Suspicion Got Love if You Want it Stick Like Glue Flying With Broken Wings (Without You) |
You Could Lose Me The Winter Song |
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Sinful (1979, 33.52) *½/T½ |
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| Don't take Your Love L.A. Lady Just Can't Take it You Can't Buy Love Bad Time Waited a Long Time I'll Bring the Whole World to Your Door I'll Never Fall in Love Again |
Wild and Hot Lovers Live on |
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Live Without a Net (1980, 81.26) **½/T |
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| Tower Can You Feel it Don't Leave Me Lonely Telephone Exchange I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore Over and Over Anyway You Want it On the Rocks |
Wild and Hot All the Young Dudes Rock & Rollers White Lightning Hold Me, Squeeze Me Got Love if You Want it Feelin' Right 20th Century Foxes |
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To look at the sleeve of the first Angel album, you'd have no idea that they'd go on to develop one of the silliest images ever, despite stiff competition. On the inner sleeve they look like just about any other mid-'70s American rock band, although, as you can see, by the time their second album came out they'd gone for the full satin jacket (and trousers, and, well, everything really). Their ludicrous preening 'angelic' image was obviously conjured up by a desperate marketing exec looking for a hook on which to hang the band; they were signed to the same label as Kiss, Casablanca, and presumably there was meant to be some sort of 'darkness/light' thing between the two outfits ('Knights In Satan's Service' anyone?!!). Their stage show included various sleight-of-hand appearing/vanishing tricks, similar to that used by funksters Earth, Wind & Fire a few years later. This attempt at a smokescreen for the music, was, at least in this stage of their career, entirely unnecessary; Angel were one of the prime exponents of the style dubbed Pomp that America ever produced. Best described as 'accessible hard rock with progressive stylings', the US specialised in bands partly or fully fitting this description: Styx, Kansas, Saga (OK, so they're Canadian) and, of course, Angel.
Angel is, in fact, one of the finest Mellotron albums to come out of the US in the '70s, or indeed, any decade. The album opens with the near-seven minutes of Tower; all swooping synths and roaring Hammond, this track lays out the band's (original) manifesto with a vengeance. Helium-fuelled vocals from Frank DiMino, Punky Meadows' ripping guitar (the infamous subject of Frank Zappa's Punky's Whips, named after, well, never mind) and, of course, the outrageously-bouffanted Gregg Giuffria (far right on the Sinful sleeve)'s epic keyboards. As the lengthy intro shifts into the first verse the 'Tron strings are right to the fore, and keep their presence up throughout the song. Track two, Long Time, is another Mellotron-fest, with Giuffria using it as his chief instrument; the massive swell of the strings at the song's climax are positively orgasmic. Well, almost. Even a fairly straightforward rocker like Rock & Rollers still opens with a burst of 'Tron choir. Giuffria keeps up the pressure on almost every track; Mariner is particularly heavy on the Mellotron front, as is album closer Angel (Theme). To sum up; buy this album. The music is possibly an acquired taste; the Mellotron use isn't.
By the following year's Helluva Band the cracks were already starting to show. An uneasy compromise between the full-on pomp of their debut and the bland commercialisation of their later efforts, the only 'Tron track on the album is the eight-minute rewrite of Tower, The Fortune. Essentially a four-minute song with a four-minute keyboard intro (!), it defines the genre by being completely ridiculous and, well, utterly wonderful, actually. Sadly, it wasn't to last; On Earth as it is in Heaven only managed one half-hearted effort at pomp, and White Hot and Sinful are average pop-rock fare, although Giuffria's Mellotron turns up every now and again throughout all three albums.
Their double live swansong, Live Without a Net, serves only to point up the dichotomy between Angel's earlier and later work. Opening with the fabulous pomp of Tower, most of the rest of the album consists of lightweight drivel from their last three records, particular horrors including Don't Leave Me Lonely, Wild And Hot and White Lightning, although most of it's pretty awful. Also, is that crowd real? Some of it must be, as they respond to DiMino's terrible stadium rock banter, but much of it sounds dubbed on. There are a few better moments here and there, including, of course, Tower and Giuffra's solo (no 'Tron, though) at the beginning of On The Rocks, but they're few and far between, to be honest. Giuffra's Mellotron work seems to be restricted to a handful of tracks, although there are some unidentified sounds in a couple of tracks that just might be, although there's a polysynth in there, too. What 'Tron there is sounds muffled and grungy, and I'm not even sure if the intro to Rock & Rollers is actually the choir from the studio version or not.
So; it's fairly obvious from the above that I consider Angel to be fairly essential, Helluva Band has its moments, though next to no 'Tron, and everything else is a waste of time. Incidentally, an amusing, if slightly distasteful note: Apart from the events surrounding Zappa's 'tribute', Punky was once heard to declaim something along the lines of "I'd like to have a c*** fitted to the back of my guitar so I can fuck it while I'm playing". Thank you for that, Mr Meadows...
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Stars Below (2000, 42.40) ****/TTT |
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| Ether Silver Garden Stars Below Angelhaze Angelwaves Light Chant Glassy Halls |
Je Suis Partie Pour ne Pas Revenir Siren Angel's End |
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Cloud Street (2003, 38.59) ***½/TT½ |
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| Miracle Alley In the Tall Grass Pipes of Pan Stalactites Rapunzel Her Window Somewhere Faraway Castle Walls |
Strumming Magnetic Shadow Chant Magnetic Curtain She Was Here |
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Angel Provocateur are part of the Ventricle Records interlinked group of darkwave outfits, along with the better-known (relatively speaking) Mauve Sideshow, concentrating on 'ethereal female vocals', not to mention a goodly helping of the mighty 'Tron. Their second release, Stars Below, is most certainly ethereal, with no discernable rhythms, and the only credited instruments being 'voice, Mellotron and electronics'. Dusty Lee's Mellotron takes a while to come in, but after the title track's faint cellos, Angelhaze consists almost entirely of voice and 'Tron strings, heavily reverbed, setting the pattern for the rest of the album's Mellotron use, although there's also a short burst of flutes on Je Suis Partie Pour Ne Pas Revenir. I have to say this is, while largely formless, quite beautiful in places; I expect it's meant to be listened to by candlelight, and that sounds like the best listening environment for this drifting, almost elegiac music.
Three years on, its follow-up, Cloud Street, is effectively more of the same, although I found it just marginally less engaging, although I've no idea why. Maybe because I'm beginning to feel I've heard it all before? There's little obvious difference between these two albums, and you feel Ventricle could go on churning these out until the sun goes cold, although I suppose that's a little uncharitable. Anyway, although there's a touche of background 'Tron strings (from Lee again, of course) on In The Tall Grass, the first major use occurs in Rapunzel, with full-on strings and flutes, right at the front of the mix, with more strings on Her Window. However, the album's real 'Tron track is also its longest, the eight minutes-plus Castle Walls, with stacks of strings and flutes; very nice.
So; if slightly experimental stuff's your bag, Angel Provocateur shouldn't disappoint, although they're considerably less 'out there' than Mauve Sideshow. Nice 'Tron, too, on both albums. Buy.
See: Kangaroo Kourt | Mauve Sideshow | Steeple of Fyre | Torn Curtain
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New Mother (1999, 70.23) ***/T |
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| Fragment Praise Your Name New Mother Angels of Light Inner Female This is Mine Shame Intermission The Man With the Silver Tongue |
Real Person Forever Yours How We End The Garden Hides the Jewel Not Alone Song for My Father His Entropic Highness Fear of Death |
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Angels of Light are Michael Gira's post-Swans project, sounding not dissimilar to that band's later work, i.e. after the 130-decibel period. I believe 1999's New Mother is their debut album, combining folk, electronica and even the odd progressive touch with a post-rock sensibility, although Gira would probably dismiss any attempts at categorisation. His raw emotional honesty leaks out of every track, for those who actually take any notice of the lyrics, while its instrumental diversity keeps the listener on their toes.
Bill Rieflin plays Mellotron, amongst other things, with string chords on The Man With The Silver Tongue and Forever Yours, and while there may be some other bits hidden away, these are the only obvious ones. Overall, then, a deceptively quiet album, menacing in its laid-back intensity, although with little Mellotron, probably not one for the 'Tron obsessive.
See: Swans
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Flukt (2008, 34.24) ***½/TU.F.O. (Intro)Silent Light, Alien Night A Song to the Sky Negativitetens Kveletak The Astroid Haemorhoids and the Drunken Sailor Slaves of Mental Distortion Beyond Andromeda Satan (outro) |
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Angst Skvadron are comprised of members of various other Norwegian bands playing under initials, chiefly T.B., a.k.a. Thondr Nefas (so not T.N.?) on vocals, guitar and bass, and L.F.F., a.k.a. Lars Fredrik Frøislie, known to us for his sterling analogue work with Wobbler, White Willow and a host of other Norwegian outfits. Frøislie actually plays drums here, unexpectedly, also playing the more typical MiniMoog, ARP Axxe, Clavinet, Korg Polysix and, of course, M400. I've seen Flukt described as 'melodic black metal', which strikes the non-believer as a bit silly; it's a relatively melodic metal album, never mind the sub-sub-sub-genre, with rather growly vocals that stop short of the full death-grunt.
Frøislie's keyboard work crops up here and there, though is far from ubiquitous, with sequenced ARP on U.F.O. (Intro), modulated Mini on A Song To The Sky, Polysix parts on a couple of tracks and what's with the 'Close Encounters' theme that opens the stupendously-titled The Astroid Haemorhoids And The Drunken Sailor? He only obviously uses his 'Tron once, with cellos and strings in the quiet end section in The Astroid Haemorhoids (etc.), although it's possible it's elsewhere, using an unusual sound, buried away in the mix.
So; modern metal that doesn't actually aurally crush the listener to an untimely death. Having just been subjected to a weekend of such things, I can say that this is a joy to listen to in comparison (I mean, have you ever HEARD Machine Head?), although it's unlikely to appeal to the average old-school hard rock fan. Only slightly over a minute of Mellotron on the whole record, too, but it's a good minute.
See: Wobbler | White Willow
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La Disparition (2002, 39.12) ***½/T |
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| Au Coin du Monde Le Sable Mouvant Les Rivières de Janvier La Corde et les Chaussons Surannée Ailleurs L'Illusionniste La Tentation |
Mes Pas dans la Neige Le Chien d'Avant Garde La Disparition |
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Nolita (2005, 46.08) ***/T |
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| Que N'ai-Je? Greatest You Can Find Chelsea Burns One Day Without La Forme et le Fond Nolita Roses & Hips Midi dans le Salon de la Duchesse |
L'Onde Amère For You and I Song of Alice |
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I know it's a bit of a cliché, but Keren Ann (Zeidel) sounds so, well, French, despite her Indonesian/Dutch/Jewish heritage. La Disparition, her second album, has a fair helping of that Serge Gainsbourg vibe about it, although the bulk of the material is subtly-accompanied acoustic material with beautiful French-language vocals, Le Chien D'Avant Garde (an avant-garde dog??) being typical. The Gainsbourg comparisons become less surprising when you see that the album's produced by chansonnier Benjamin Biolay, whose own Gainsbourgesque Rose Kennedy, from the previous year, channels the master with ease. One 'Tron track, with a credited flute part from producer Biolay on Mes Pas Dans La Neige that enhances the song nicely. As always, a little more might have been nice, but maybe that's being churlish.
Three years on, Keren's relocated to New York, released Nolita and started singing (partially) in English. Is it an improvement? Not really, no; I have to say I preferred her all in French. Anyway, not wildly different to La Disparition, but either not quite as good, or listening to two of her albums back-to-back doesn't work for me. One 'Tron track, with Jason Hart playing flutes on Midi Dans Le Salon De La Duchesse in a manner not dissimilar to Biolay's work above.
So; two albums for the Francophile in your life. Not all that much Mellotron, but what there is works well.
See: Benjamin Biolay
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Lost in the Woods (2007, 23.06) ***½/TTLost in the WoodsGhost Children Deadly Nightshade Roses Blue Sailing on the River Styx The Dark Lord |
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Annot Rhül are, essentially, Sigurd Lühr Tonna's solo project. His/their first release, 2006's Who Needs Planes or Time Machines, When There's Music & Daydreams? (reviewed here uses 'Tron samples, but the following year's Lost in the Woods, while far less eclectic than its predecessor (more dark psychedelia, I suppose), is, for this reviewer at least, a more satisfying listen. While several tracks are almost darkwave-influenced, closer The Dark Lord suddenly goes all sort of Scandinavian prog/metal on us, moving away from the ever-present Saucerful of Secrets/Ummagumma Floyd vibe of the rest of the EP.
Real and sampled Mellotron this time round (thanks to Sigurd for the info), played by him, with a brief flute part and choirs in the opening title track, cellos on the outro to Ghost Children and strings and choir on The Dark Lord. All other 'Tron parts (and it's pretty much all over every track, especially Deadly Nightshade) are from the M-Tron, for technical reasons. So, Mellotron, anyone? That's more like it.
Overall, I'd say this is worth a flutter; Who Needs Planes... is a little inconsistent, but Lost in the Woods is very good indeed. Worthwhile.
See: Sampledelica!
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Wonderful (1995, 46.53) **½/T |
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| Won't Take That Talk Beautiful Dream Wonderful 1969 Again Yin & Yang Image of Yourself Alien Gotta Be a Sin |
Vampires Angel Very Long Ride |
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By 1995, Stuart "Adam Ant" Goddard was over a decade out of teeny stardom, if not yet the tragic figure of a decade on, after his court appearance on firearms charges. I'm not sure if Wonderful was designed to kickstart his career again, or was merely made for the hell of it, but despite featuring his old sparring partner, Marco Pirroni, on guitar, it (thankfully) has nothing in common with his early-'80s hits, being more of a singer-songwriter's album. While a little over-produced, it quite clearly wasn't made in the Decade From Hell, so at least we're spared sampled everything and gated reverb all round, although the odd '90s production trick turns up here and there (spot the occasional percussion loop).
To be brutally honest, the material contained here is a little second-rate, although a few songs manage to be quite affecting (Won't Take That Talk, Image Of Yourself, Angel). The Caribbean-flavoured Beautiful Dream should've been drowned at birth, but otherwise, everything is just about acceptable, though nothing really stands out. Bruce Witkin's Mellotron is actually the only keyboard instrument (ostensibly) used on the entire album, and it crops up here and there, with some background strings on the title track, only really audible on the final chord, with more of the same on Vampires. There are other points on the album that could be 'Tron (the middle eight of Angel, for example), but are more likely to be sustained guitar or somesuch.
Wonderful is Ant's last album of new material to date, and after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, we can only speculate on whether he'll produce anything else in the future. I'd be lying if I said I actually thought it was good, though it does have its moments. Beats Robbie bloody Williams, anyway.
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Aphélandra (2001, recorded 1976, 34.36) ****/T½AirsBelladonne Pat Aphélandra Corinthe |
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Aphélandra's sole, eponymous album is one of those 'lost tapes' affairs, recorded in 1976, but not released until 2001. Unlike many similar, it's actually deserving of release, being a decent French symphonic progressive effort, with some excellent piano work from Philippe Grancher, who released a solo album the same year, 3000 Miles Away. Actually, the more I listen to this, the more of a shame it seems that it wasn't released at the time, although then it would've been an utter obscurity ripe for a Musea reissue, rather than an unreleased utter obscurity that appeared 25 years after the event. Opener Airs, which would've been a side long had this ever appeared on vinyl, is probably the album's best track, with notable interplay between Grancher's piano and guest Didier Lockwood's ripping violin. Cyrille Verdeaux from Clearlight also guests, although the band do a pretty good job on their own. The album's chief flaw is its stylistic inconsistency, with the title track being a bit of a waste of time, although there's enough good material here to make the whole worthwhile. There are (French-language) vocals, though most of the album's instrumental, so foreign-language phobics shouldn't have too much trouble.
The oddest thing about the record is Grancher's Mellotron use; he's credited with it, but it's difficult to work out exactly where it's used. Most of the album's massed vocal work appears to be real, although it could be 'Tron on 'side two', and the only obvious strings are a background part towards the end of Airs. This leaves the album's main Mellotron work being the church organ in Pat, with the tapes slipping authentically at one point, although there's nothing else obvious, accounting for the low T rating.
So; Aphélandra's release is, generally speaking, a good thing, and while it doesn't hang together quite as well as it might, it's worth hearing, though not for the 'Tron.
See: Clearlight
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End of the World (1968, 35.13) ***½/TT½End of the WorldDon't Try to Catch a River Mister Thomas Rain and Tears The Grass is No Green Valley of Sadness You Always Stand in My Way The Shepherd and the Moon Day of the Fool |
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It's Five o'Clock (1969, 34.00) **½/TIt's Five o'ClockWake Up Take Your Time Anabella Let Me Love, Let Me Live Funky Mary Good Time So Fine Marie Jolie Such a Funny Night |
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Aphrodite's Child were, of course, the launching pad for both Demis Roussos and the rather more sublime Vangelis (Evangelos Papathanassiou), who left Greece, heading for England, but found themselves waylaid in Paris, where they recorded their debut, End of the World. It's decent enough psych-pop, if rarely that adventurous, but they reached their apogee on their last album and meisterwerk, 1972's double 666, for which they're chiefly remembered.
End of the World is actually pretty good, if not quite the equal of the leading UK/US bands, and it spawned a huge hit across Europe with the rather wimpy Rain And Tears, but we'll forgive them for that. Best tracks are probably the last two, The Shepherd And The Moon and Day Of The Fool, with the latter stretching out into a creepy ethereal Hammond-fest, paving the way for the band's later progressive adventures. Now, a lot has been made of Vangelis' dislike of Mellotrons, consistently refusing to use one on his symphonic electronic late '70s albums (although I believe his additional live keyboard players were issued with them, interestingly). However, anyone who tells me there's no Mellotron on End of the World has no idea what they sound like, to be honest; either a MkII or an early M300 are all over the thing, although seemingly not on the track I was initially told had some, Rain And Tears. Anyway, the album's Mellotronic highlights are You Always Stand In My Way, loaded with what sound like MkII strings and brass, and the string-heavy (M300?) Day Of The Fool, very clearly a 'Tron, plus what sounds like various Mellotronic woodwinds on Don't Try To Catch A River.
Their second album, It's Five o'Clock, starts off in a similar vein to its predecessor, but by its conclusion it's shifted heavily into Zorba the Greek territory; it's hardly surprising old Demis ended up as he did. In comparison to the albums on either side of it, this is a bit of a dud, to be honest. The first couple of tracks are OK, but they seem unable to sustain the momentum, and Vangelis also cuts back drastically on his Mellotron use. Background strings on the opening title track and more upfront flutes on Anabella are all you're going to get, so it's a resounding 'no' on all fronts, then.
End of the World is no classic, but it's an album that original psych-pop fans should enjoy, with the added bonus of a handful of good 'Tron tracks. Forget about the follow-up and buy 666 instead.
See: Demis Roussos
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Guitar Zeus (1995, 57.57/69.19) ***/T |
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| Dislocated (Paul Gilbert) This Time Around (Yngwie Malmsteen/Doug Pinnick) Safe (Neal Schon) 4 Miles High (Steve Morse/Jennifer Batten) So Long (Doug Aldrich) Nobody Knew (Black White House) (Brian May) Guitar Zeus Part 1 (Jennifer Batten) Killing Time (Ty Tabor) |
Where You Belong (Slash) Days Are Nights (Ted Nugent) Time to Set Alarms (Elliot Easton/Bob Daisley) Under the Moon & Sun (Mick Mars) Guitar Zeus Part 2 (Leslie West) [European ed. adds: Where You Belong (Paul Gilbert) Under the Moon & Sun (Edgar Winter)] |
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Guitar Zeus 2 (1997, 63.46/72.48) **½/½ |
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| Stash (Stevie Salas) Code 19 (Zakk Wylde) Perfect Day (Warren DeMartini) Gonna Rain (Richie Sambora) Gavotte in E Major (Stuart Smith) The Score (Ted Nugent) Out of Mind (Neal Schon) Guitar Zoo (C.C. Deville) |
Nothin' (John Norum) Trippin' Again (Ty Tabor) Dead Wrong (Dweezil Zappa) Doing Fine (Vivian Campbell) My Own Advice (Kenji Kitajima) [Japanese ed. adds: Where You Belong (Paul Gilbert) G.Z. Blues (Seymour Duncan/Steven Seagal)] |
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Carmine Appice's been around seemingly forever, co-founding Vanilla Fudge in the mid-'60s and going on to form Cactus and Beck, Bogert & Appice, also playing with Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne and a host of others. Presumably finding himself at a loose end in the '90s, post- the execrable King Kobra, he struck on the idea of the Guitar Zeus series, sticking a string of name players onto a consistent rhythm section, making the resulting albums a far more cohesive proposition than most various artists efforts. After the initial '95 release, '97 brought the follow-up, followed by Guitar Zeus Japan and (wait for it) Guitar Zeus Korea. Um, Korea? The same Korea that's produced a glut of world-class guitarists? That Korea? I'm sure ol' Carmine has his reasons, but I can't imagine this one doing too well internationally. Speaking of which, the latest entries in the series are Guitar Zeus International and (gulp), a partial compilation, Ultimate Guitar Zeus, at which point he's hopefully (please?) realised that he's milked the franchise dry.
The original Guitar Zeus is good enough at what it does, I suppose, although an hour of rather uninspired hard rock is about 45 minutes more than I can stand, generally speaking. Doug Pinnick and Ty Tabor from the criminally-underrated King's X both guest, Pinnick adding his distinctive vocals to a couple of tracks, although regular series vocalist Kelly Keeling doesn't half sound like him in places. The rest of the guest stars sound more or (mostly) less distinctive, the 'more' category being inhabited chiefly by Tabor and Ted Nugent, the one player whose style really stands out here, amazingly. Even Brian May's usually distinctive style fails to cut through on his contribution, while most of the rest sound pretty much like each other, not least the wildly overrated Slash. Keeling and bassist Tony Franklin add Mellotron to a couple of tracks, with flutes on the gentle chorus of Safe and a handful of volume-pedalled string chords on Killing Time, barely gleaning the album a whole T.
Guitar Zeus 2 is, essentially, more of the same. You expected anything else? Something I'll say in these albums' favour is that unrestrained shredding has largely been kept in check, even amongst the participating exponents, which has to be a bonus. Unfortunately, none of the album's material seems to be in any way memorable and the guitarists are almost all entirely interchangeable. As for some of the choices... Members of both Ratt and Poison? Are you sure? Ten years after their respective heydays? Even ol' Ted's contribution is less iconic this time round. Basically, the law of diminishing returns has kicked in; one such album is a novelty: more is actually less. Only one obvious 'Tron track (from Keeling) this time round, with 'Strawberry Fields' flutes on Perfect Day, so you're even less likely to want this one than its predecessor on the 'Tron front, I'd wager.
So; a sort-of vanity project, although Carmine's drumming doesn't especially stand out, and the series is designed to showcase guitarists, not percussionists. I'm not at all sure the idea holds that much water, but guitar heads will probably want to own at least these two volumes. Little Mellotron, though, particularly on the second disc.
See: Beck, Bogert & Appice | Ozzy Osbourne | Journey | Leslie West | Stevie Salas Colorcode | Black Label Society
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Tidal (1996, 51.38) ***/TTTT½ |
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| Sleep to Dream Sullen Girl Shadowboxer Criminal Slow Like Honey The First Taste Never is a Promise The Child is Gone |
Pale September Carrion |
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When the Pawn (1999, 42.43) ***/TTT |
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| On the Bound To Your Love Limp Love Ridden Paper Bag A Mistake Fast as You Can The Way Things Are |
Get Gone I Know |
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Extraordinary Machine (2005, 50.34) ***/TT |
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| Extraordinary Machine Get Him Back O' Sailor Better Version of Me Tymps (the Sick in the Head Song) Parting Gift Window Oh Well |
Please, Please, Please Red, Red, Red Not About Love Waltz (Better Than Fine) |
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Pleasantville (1998, 9.08) ***/T½[Fiona Apple contributes]Across the Universe Please Send Me Someone to Love |
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Fiona Apple is one of those Lilith Fair types, like a more acoustic version of Alanis Morissette, but with a worse voice (?!), aiming fairly and squarely at a female audience. You know, "Sometimes it's hard to be a woman"; er, didn't somebody else write that? She's far from prolific, with only two releases in over six years, but there are advantages to not flooding the market with substandard work, although it may just be that she writes very slowly.
I can't really say I'm into this stuff very much, to be honest, but there's shitloads of Patrick Warren and Jon Brion (the usual suspects again)'s Chamberlin to be heard, particularly on Tidal. Unsurprisingly, more strings than anything else, though I'm sure I caught some brass on Sleep To Dream and there are cellos all over the place. Actually, this is something of a classic Chamberlin album, whatever I might think of the music. Particular highlights are The Child Is Gone and Carrion, but with Chamby on all but one track, it's practically a demonstration record for the instrument.
Ms Apple's second album sports the unfeasibly lengthy and pretentious title When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth is the Greatest of Heights and if You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and if You Fall it Won't Matter, 'Cuz You'll Know That You're Right (Guinness Book of Records, anyone?), commonly (and unsurprisingly) known as When the Pawn. Patrick Warren is credited with Chamberlin on four tracks, but producer Jon Brion presumably plays one on opener On The Bound, too. Warren's use is as good as on Tidal; it's just a shame it's not on more tracks; again, mostly strings, but there may be bits of cello and brass in there, too. Like Never Is A Promise from Tidal, several tracks have real strings on them, so maybe she's heading more in that general direction, which would be a bit of a pity, as what tape replay there is here is excellent.
Fiona's third album has a rather tumultuous history; originally produced by Brion again, work dragged on and tracks were leaked, although the (supposedly) finished article never appeared (for what it's worth, it has no obvious tape-replay input). Recording began again with a different production team, including The Moog Cookbook's Brian Kehew, the eventual result, Extraordinary Machine, finally appearing in 2005, removing the original album's best track, Used To Love Him. Genius. Musically, the released version is fairly typical Apple; offbeat, quirky singer-songwriter stuff with vaudeville influences. Co-producer Mike Elizondo plays Mellotron, with Jebin Bruni and Zac Rae (more usual suspects, then) on Chamberlins, with upfront flutes on O' Sailor, background ones on Better Version Of Me and very obvious strings on Tymps (The Sick In The Head Song) and Red Red Red. It's perfectly possible that it's on other tracks, but, as so often with the instrument, it's hard to tell it apart from actual orchestral instruments, proving that old Harry Chamberlin was right all along.
So; can't say I'm over-keen on the music, but Tidal is a killer Chamberlin record, and When the Pawn and Extraordinary Machine aren't too bad on that front, either. Probably worth it for the Chamberlin alone. Startling.
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Discovery of a World Inside the Moone (2000, 41.05) ***½/T |
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| Go The Rainbow Stream Running Over 20 Cases Suggestive of... Look Away What Happened Then I Can't Believe Submarine Dream |
Allright/Not Quite The Bird That You Can't See Stay Gold The Afternoon |
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New Magnetic Wonder (2007, 52.14) ****/TTT |
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| Can You Feel it? Skyway Mellotron 1 Energy Same Old Drag Joanie Don't U Worry Sunndal Song Droplet |
Play Tough Sun is Out Non-Pythagorean Composition 1 Hello Lola 7 Stars Mellotron 2 Sunday Sounds Open Eyes |
Crimson Pre-Crimson Vocoder Ba Ba Radiation Beautiful Machine Parts 1-2 Beautiful Machine Parts 3-4 My Pretend Non-Pythagorean Composition 3 |
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The Apples in Stereo are part of the Athens, GA-based Elephant 6 Collective, alongside the much-fêted Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel. Assuming this means anything to you at all, it won't come as much of a surprise to learn that The Apples are, in a general kind of way, a psychedelic band, although they stop well short of the flowered shirt pastiche brigade, thankfully. Although that kind of thing has its place, of course... They're led by vocalist/guitarist/writer Robert Schneider, who seems to keep a fairly tight rein on the band's direction and is the only fully consistent member.
Their fourth album, 2000's Discovery of a World Inside the Moone (named in honour of a 1638 book by English clergyman John Wilkins), is a departure for the band, being less Spector wall of sound and more live and raw, the end result sounding like a cross between '65 garage and '67 psych. Er, '66? Some of the material could possibly have done with a little more in the production department, but that's how Schneider wanted it, so that's how it is. Best tracks? Maybe 20 Cases Suggestive Of..., What Happened Then and The Afternoon, but there's nothing here that's going to irritate your average psych fan too badly. Despite two credited Mellotron players, Schneider and Chris McDuffie, it's only audible on one track, with flutes on What Happened Then, which probably means it's hidden away in the mix in another couple of places.
After 2002's 'Tron-free Velocity of Sound, it was five years before The Apples put anything else out, the eventual result being 2007's New Magnetic Wonder. The album's unusual in having 24 tracks in 50-odd minutes, although ten of them are brief musical vignettes, mostly occurring every three tracks or so. The album's stuffed full of excellent little psych numbers including opener Can You Feel It?, Energy, Sunday Song and 7 Stars, but, once again, no duffers.
Schneider and Craig Morris are credited with 'Tron this time round, and, in complete contrast to Discovery..., proceed to splatter it all over the album. I have to say, however, that I'm a bit iffy about its genuanity (well, it's a word now), as the brief Mellotron 1/2 pieces feature MkII rhythms to which the band almost certainly wouldn't have had access. M-Tron, M-Tron... Possibly not, though, and without proof... Strings on most highlighted tracks, the string part on Beautiful Machine Parts 3-4 being the album's 'Tron highlight, with those rhythm 'tapes' on Mellotron 1/Mellotron 2, along with oboe and vibes on the former and MkII electric guitar and vibes again on the latter. Maybe these are samples and the strings are real? Maybe it's all samples? Aarghh!
So; two good modern psych albums, Discovery... being more of a psych/garage effort, and New Magnetic Wonder being more polished. Practically no Mellotron on the former, loads on the latter, but as to whether any of it's real, well... Recommended anyway.
See: Beulah | Ladybug Transistor | Marbles | Of Montreal | Sunshine Fix
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Electric Jewels (1973, 38.01) ***½/½Weeping WidowJust Like That Electric Jewels You Opened Up My Eyes Come on Along Lady Run, Lady Hide I Can Hear You Callin' Cat's Claw The Band Has Just Begun |
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The Whole World's Goin' Crazy (1976) ***/T |
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| Gimme Love Child's Garden Rock'n'Roll Woman Wings of Love Marjorie So Bad Shotdown Like a Lover, Like a Song |
Kick Willy Rd. The Whole World's Goin' Crazy |
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Amazingly, for a band who only picked up any sort of recognition outside Canada with 1979's Harder, Faster, 1973's Electric Jewels was April Wine's third album, although they had originally formed as far back as 1969. It completely belies their early reputation as a not-very-hard rock band, notable for filling their albums with, er, filler; most of the album's material is typical early-'70s hard rock, opening with the excellent Weeping Widow, with its deceptively quiet first few bars and the boogie of Just Like That. There are some quieter numbers; You Opened My Eyes and the (real) strings-driven Lady Run, Lady Hide are pretty drippy, but most of the album sticks to their new, rockin' template. Vocalist/guitarist Myles Goodwyn adds Mellotron to one track, with some nice string surges in Electric Jewels itself, although while the strings at the beginning of Lady Run, Lady Hide sound real, or at least, un-Mellotronic, they sound more 'Tronlike towards the end of the track. Could this be another example of those surprisingly realistic M300 strings?
By 1976's The Whole World's Goin' Crazy their lineup only contained one original member, and their early reputation had clearly returned to haunt them. To be blunt, going by this album, you can see why it took them so long to break out of their home country, although it was available abroad (there's definitely a UK version). It's... boring. OK, that's probably a little harsh, but it's completely run-of-the-mill US-style hard rock of the period, with nothing to really differentiate it from a thousand other bands; in fact, they did pretty well, all things considered. It starts OK, although Gimme Love is never going to be on anyone's list of all-time favourites (is it?), and Wings Of Love isn't bad, but tracks like the clichéd Rock'n'Roll Woman, or the tedious rock'n'roll of the title track, complete with 'helium' backing vocals are just plain bad. The album's sole 'Tron track is the balladic Like A Lover, Like A Song, with much of the track's instrumentation (all the piano and Mellotron) provided by 'Serge Locas', almost certainly a.k.a. Serge Locat of Harmonium, another Montreal-based band (although April Wine actually originally hailed from the unlikely environs of Halifax, Nova Scotia). It's a pretty typical mid-'70s piano ballad, to be honest, although Locat's initially background 'Tron strings rise up to the front of the mix towards the end of the song.
So; one reasonably good and one entirely average album, only one so-so 'Tron track on each. Your choice.
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The Fury of the Aquabats! (1997, 51.19) ***/T½ |
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| Super Rad! Red Sweater! Magic Chicken! Fight Song! Cat With 2 Heads! Story of Nothing! Captain Hampton and the Midget Pirates! Martian Girl! |
Attacked By Snakes! Idiot Box! Powdered Milk Man! My Skateboard! Phantasma del Mar! Lobster Bucket! Theme Song! Playdough Revisited! |
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The Aquabats vs the Floating Eye of Death! (1999, 46.14) ***/T½ |
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| Sequence Erase! Giant Robot-Birdhead! Anti-Matter! Lotto Fever! Lovers of Loving Love! Chemical Bomb! The Man With Glooey Hands! Monsters Wedding! |
The Ballad Of Mr. Bonkers! Canis Lupus! Tiny Pants! The Thing on the Bass Amp! Amino Man! Hello, Good Night! |
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The Aquabats (or Aquabats!) are a California-based ska band with a natty line in matching superhero costumes, all tying in with their constantly evolving formation mythos. Actually, they look like they're a lot of fun live, with members taking on nom de plumes and choreographed battles with their legion of enemies, not least Powdered Milk Man and the Floating Eye of Death. Ridiculous? Yup, but why not? Compared to the legions of overly-earnest indie twats, The Aquabats! are a breath of fresh air, albeit not the most profound band you'll ever encounter. Like they'd care.
1997's The Fury of the Aquabats! is their second effort, and if I may lay a criticism at its door, it's that it's too long; this kind of stuff (like punk) works best in short bursts, so 50 minutes at once is a bit of an ordeal. It's also a bit single-dimensional musically, but then, it's ska - not exactly a style known for its innovation of variety, right? This is music written to be played live, in the proverbial sweaty club, so, all things considered, it comes across pretty well on one of those shiny little discs. I'm not sure if it's actually possible to nominate a 'best track', but Captain Hampton And The Midget Pirates! made me chuckle, which isn't a bad thing on a grey Wednesday morning. Mellotron from two players, Charles Wallace Gray (a.k.a. Ultra Kyu, a.k.a. The Mysterious Kyu) and James Randall Briggs (a.k.a. Jaime the Robot, a.k.a. The Robot, a.k.a. Jimmy the Robot), with choirs on Cat With 2 Heads! and Playdough Revisited!, backing up the band's own b/vs and a string part on Attacked By Snakes! It all sounds reasonably authentic, though who knows?
Two years on, and The Aquabats vs the Floating Eye of Death! (technically The Aquabats vs the Floating Eye of Death! and Other Amazing Adventures, Vol.1), while still ska-influenced, has moved the goalposts to include new wave-style textures, with more straightforward rhythms and an increased reliance on synths. Somehow, this is slightly less appealing than its predecessor, although the lyrics are every bit as silly; maybe they NEED the ska? Anyway, no idea who plays the 'Tron this time round, but apart from the probably-not flutes on Monsters Wedding!, the only obvious parts are the choirs on The Thing on the Bass Amp! and the full-on attack of cellos, strings and flutes on closer Hello, Good Night!
What's the best way to approach this band? Essentially, if their lyrics don't raise a smile, don't bother, I'd say. Anyway, two 'good at what they do' albums, one good 'Tron track (Hello, Good Night!) and several average ones.
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Allez Dire à la Ville (1978, 43.05) ***/TT |
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| Allez Dire à la Ville Suite Ecossaise L'Amour Kerne Les Oiseaux et les Electrons de Brenilis Dimanche Apres-Midi Toi Fils de Roi Fils de Rien (Tu Lis Ton Ascendance) Farewell Bob Brown |
Requiem pour le Jet Les Saisons L'Amour le Nucleaire et le Crepuscule Plainte de Yann Vari Perrot |
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Breton Dan Ar Bras (born Le Bras, later Ar Braz) started his career in Alan Stivell's band, going on to solo success, culminating in the 1990s, with his vast group of Celtic musicians (including Stivell), L'Héritage des Celtes. Allez Dire à la Ville was his fourth solo album, following a brief (and unrecorded) stint in a struggling Fairport Convention in 1976, and is probably best described as mainstream Celtic folk/rock, not a million miles away from what Scotland's Runrig would do a decade later. As a result, traditional tunes such as Farewell Bob Brown and Suite Ecossaise, enhanced by Ar Bras' electric guitar, rub shoulders with acoustic balladry (Les Saisons) and straightforward rock tunes (Requiem Pour Le Jet and the title track), which haven't aged well, but probably helped to sell the record at the time.
Unusually for a European album, Allez Dire à la Ville features a Chamberlin (maybe the same one that graces Magma's Attahk, recorded the same year), played variously by Benoit Widemann and Patrick Audoin. Three credited tracks, with a clear, orchestral-style string part in L'Amour Kerne and subtler parts in Toi Fils De Roi Fils De Rien (Tu Lis Ton Ascendance) and Plainte De Yann Vari Perrot, all of which sound like they could easily have been played by real strings; maybe they couldn't afford them?
As an entrée to Ar Bras' work, I wouldn't have thought Allez Dire à la Ville was your first port of call, although having not actually heard any of his other work, I couldn't say what would be. It's not a bad album as such, just a little bitty and dated in places, with the synth in, say, L'Amour Le Nucleaire Et Le Crepuscule sounding rather out of context next to its folkier tracks. As far as the Chamberlin goes, you've got three tracks of real strings-substitutes, but they sound pretty good anyway. Not bad, but don't pay too much.
See: Alan Stivell
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The Red Thread (2001, 57.07) **½/T½ |
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| Amor Veneris Last Orders Scenery Devil Tips Long Sea Love Detective Infrared Screaming in the Trees |
Haunt Me Turbulence |
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The Arab Strap named themselves after an obscure sex aid; so obscure, in fact, that I have absolutely no idea what it is. The mind boggles. [n.b. Just found it on Wikipedia. Lovely.] Anyway, the Scots duo had an early Belle & Sebastian connection, although the bands fell out over the latter's The Boy With the Arab Strap album. There is, in fact, some considerable similarity between the two outfits' styles, both playing quiet indie, although The Arab Strap's version is more electronic than the fey Belles' one. 2001's The Red Thread is their fourth album (of six; they split in 2006), and I think it's fair to say, you've really got to be into this stuff to get it; a couple of tracks were OK, but it quickly irritated the fuck out of me. Sorry, chaps.
With no actual credited Mellotron, conjecture is rife over what the band actually used. Somebody (probably multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Middleton) plays Mellotron-sounding strings on Screaming In The Trees and cellos and strings on Haunt Me, confusingly combined with real strings on both tracks. I think, until/if I should find out otherwise, I think I'm going to have to leave this here, good people. I wouldn't really go too far out of your way for this; UK indie fans probably already own a copy, and the rest of you are unlikely to go ape over it, so without enough Mellotron to make it worth the effort, I'll have to say: don't.
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Arachnoid (1979, 46.09/66.33) ***½/T½ |
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| Le Chamadère Piano Caveau In the Screen Side of Your Eyes Toutes ces Images La Guêpe L'adieu au Pierrot Final |
[CD adds: L'Hiver (live) Le Pierrot (live) L'Adieu (live) Piano Caveau (instrumental)] |
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Interesting one, this. Arachnoid are quite difficult to categorise, to be honest; a bit Genesis, a lot Crimson, definitely some Ange, maybe a bit jazzy... French-language vocals, but less 'harsh' than Ange, with two keyboard players. Although I think I can hear Mellotron on four of the album's tracks, the 'Tron player, François Faugieres also plays 'modified Farfisa organ', so like Ange, what sounds like 'Tron may not be, and vice versa... There's actually very little Mellotron, even on the highlighted tracks, so although it's a good album, I couldn't wholeheartedly recommend it for 'Tron fans.
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The Akallabeth (2009, 66.29) **½/T½ |
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| Gift of Love The Forbidding The Shade of Numenor See Myself in You Rings of Power Raise the Sword Power Within The Faithful and the Faithless One |
Red Clouds War The Downfallen: 39 Days of Madness Lidless Eye The Price |
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Archangel are the creation of Gabriele Manzini, ex-The Watch and Ubi Maior, whose debut album, The Akallabeth, is a prog-metal concept effort based on Tolkien's The Silmarillion. Are you running away screaming yet? If not, why not? It's a pompous, overblown, deeply unoriginal monstrosity of an album, guaranteed to sell to Ayreon and Lana Lane fans, or anyone who doesn't start crying when the phrase 'rock opera' enters the conversation. I suppose it's possible this could've been reasonable, but only if its considerable excesses were heavily trimmed and Manzini could compose a few decent melodies. Although the album features several guest vocalists, the vocals are, frankly, terrible, whoever's singing; not actually tuneless, but certainly toneless, in a portentous, declamatory kind of way that sets the teeth on edge.
Manzini plays Mellotron, amongst other keys and 'stun guitar', proving his Blue Öyster Cult fandom, which puts him into Planet Mellotron's good books on that front, at least. However, said 'Mellotron' is kept low in the mix, for the very good reason that, along with much of the other 'vintage' gear onboard, some of it's almost certainly sampled, so at least he's had the good sense not to push it too high in the mix. However, the strings on Power Within, The Faithful And The Faithless One and Red Clouds War have that certain something that's only possessed by a real Mellotron, although the choirs throughout are muffled and distant-sounding (Mellotron choirs sample notoriously badly). Maybe the available Mellotron has no choirs on its tape-frame?
So; overblown prog-metal rock opera. Help! Some of you will go for this, though, and good luck to you. I find it almost unlistenable, but maybe that's just my '70s-attuned ears having trouble with modern sounds/concepts/production techniques. Or maybe it's shit. I dunno. I can't see myself playing this again for, well, quite some time, which may well be a euphemism for 'never'.
See: The Watch
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Bloom (1996, 40.25) ***/T½ |
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| Sweet Little Truth After Hell One More Good Night With the Boys Rian Falling I Like it So Breaking My Back I Would Love to Be Right You Made a Fool of Me |
Memory Give in With Grace In Your Garden |
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Tasmin Archer hails from Bradford, rarely regarded as one of the finer places to live in our small island (sorry, Bradfordians) and even more rarely recognised as a hotbed of musical talent. Archer is actually a fine singer-songwriter, even if her second album, 1996's Bloom, has something of a pop tinge about it. It's one of those middling kind of albums, where every now and again it grabs your attention (a hook, a witty lyric) before letting it go again.
Producer Mitchell Froom plays Mellotron, with a strong string part on opener Sweet Little Truth and an uncredited one on Give In With Grace, although Froom is credited with 'keyboards' on the track. So; not a bad album of its type, if a little unexciting, with a couple of 'Tron tracks. Good God, call that a review??
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Lights (2006, 62.02) ***/TTT |
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| Sane Sit Back Down Veins System Fold Lights I Will Fade Headlights |
Programmed Black Taste of Blood |
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Archive formed in the mid-'90s, working their way through a succession of vocalists over the ensuing decade or so. They started off as a Massive Attack-style trip-hop outfit, elements of that style staying with them to the present day, adding in generic indie and electronica along the way. 2006's Lights is their fifth album, and could almost (but only almost) have 'progressive' added in as an influence, especially on the 18-minute title track. But is it any good? Matter of opinion I suppose, like everything, really. It seems to do what it does well enough, but I rather suspect you'll have to be a fan of the style to get very much out of this album.
Mellotron on several tracks from noted owner and Rick Wakeman/Take That bassist and all-round nice guy Lee Pomeroy, with strings on Sit Back Down, Veins and Headlights, plus shedloads of choir and strings on the title track, particularly towards the end. Dense, murky choirs on Black and more strings on Taste Of Blood make for a reasonably satisfying 'Tron album, rather unexpectedly, as until I saw Lee was involved, I'd assumed sample use.
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Songs From the Lions Cage (1995, 58.26) ***/TTOut of the WildernessCrying for Help I Valley of the Kings Crying for Help II Jericho Crying for Help III Midas Vision Crying for Help IV Solomon |
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Pride (1996, 55.27) ***/TTWelcome to the Cage...Crying for Help V Empire of a Thousand Days Crying for Help VI Medusa Crying for Help VII Fool's Gold Crying for Help VIII Sirens |
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The Visitor (1998, 61.45) ***/TT½ |
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| A Crack in the Ice Pins and Needles Double Vision Elea The Hanging Tree A State of Grace Blood Red Room In the Blink of an Eye |
(Don't Forget to) Breathe Serenity Tears in the Rain Enemy Without Running From Damascus The Visitor |
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Immortal? (2000, 55.20) ***/TTTChosenWaiting for the Flood The Butterfly Man Ghost in the Firewall Climbing the Net Moviedrome Friday's Dream |
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Contagion (2003, 58.50) ***/T½ |
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| Witch Hunt An Angel Falls Painted Man This Way Madness Lies Spectre at the Feast Never Ending Night Skin Game Salamander |
On the Box Tsunami Fallow Ground The City of Lanterns Riding the Tide Mea Culpa Cutting the Cards Ascension |
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Pepper's Ghost (2005, 52.36) **½/TBedlam FayreSmoke and Mirrors The Shattered Room The Eyes of Lara Moon Tantalus Purgatory Road Opera Fanatica |
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Arena are a neo-prog supergroup, if there can be such a thing in such a relatively small scene. Mick Pointer, Marillion's original drummer was persuaded to emerge from retirement by the lunatics at Silhobbit 'fanzine', a thoroughly scurrilous but excellent and extremely funny read, with several entirely non-sequentially numbered issues appearing sporadically throughout the early '90s. Once Mick realised that there were people out there who actually wanted to hear him play again (why?), he teamed up with erstwhile Pendragon keyboardist Clive Nolan and an ever-changing cast of sidemen to play full-on prog, with all the pomp and circumstance you'd expect from such a venture. Their success in mainland Europe, particularly Germany, has been considerable, apparently rivalling that of Pendragon themselves.
I quite liked Songs From the Lions Cage (sic) when it came out, but I'm afraid to say that with hindsight, it sounds extremely formulaic and clichéd, particularly in the lyric department. I mean, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do". Oh, come ON! Even with quotes round it in the lyric booklet that's never going to win prizes for originality... The whole 'Biblical' theme of the album grates a little, too, although thankfully there doesn't seem to be any religious agenda going on. The four parts of Crying For Help are also quite unnecessary, and have more than a whiff of 'filler' about them; without them the album would still have topped 40 minutes. The rest of the songs (mostly of an obligatory lengthy, er, length) have more than a little of an 'updated early Marillion' feel to them; heavier guitar and digital keyboards, but the same approach to songwriting, complete with irritating 'Fishisms' on the vocal front.
I actually approached reviewing this album with an open mind (what, you mean I don't always?), but on hearing it again for the first time in a while, I'm pretty disappointed, sad to say. Although Clive Nolan apparently has no hand in writing Pendragon's material, the same 'prog by numbers' feel infuses this record; suffice to say, you don't feel that they're doing it for the sheer joy of making music. Oh yeah - Mellotron: Nolan borrowed (then) Pallas keyboard man Mike Stobbie's machine for the recording, and actually uses it a passable amount on the album, particularly on closer Solomon; mostly choirs, but a touch of strings here and there. Not bad use, but again, no prizes for originality.
The following year, they followed up with Pride, which is basically more of the same, right down to another four Crying For Helps, surrounded by five 'regular' tracks. Opener Welcome To The Cage... is pretty rough, being typical neo-prog fare, but the rest of the album compares favourably to their debut. Make of that what you will... Although there's no specific mention of Mellotrons, given another 'special thanks' to Mike Stobbie, I suspect the same machine was used again. About the best use is the unaccompanied string chords on Empire Of A Thousand Days and Sirens, with the bulk of the rest being choirs, somewhat buried in the mix.
Now, in what looks from where I'm standing to be an incredibly cynical move, the eight Crying For Helps, some re-recorded, were subsequently compiled with two extra tracks as The Cry (**½), although I don't hear any Mellotron (as you can see, there's none on the originals). In fact, I have to say that there appears to be a good deal of cynicism surrounding the band's entire modus operandi, with members being hired and fired on a regular basis, and are all the songs really written by 'Pointer/Nolan'? I feel we should be told.
The Visitor was Arena's first concept piece 'proper', although I'm not quite sure what the concept actually is; the lyrics are the same old clichéd rubbish, so although I know there's meant to be a story here, I'll be fucked if I can tell you anything about it. No change on the music front, either, unless it's a slight (and unwelcome) shift towards AOR on the odd track. Round about this point, Nolan bought IQ's Martin Orford's old 'Tron, which was apparently in a rather parlous state by this time; there's a 'special thanks' to 'Martin Smith and John S. Bradley at Streetly Electronics for restoring the Mellotron', so at least we know it's real. The 'Tron on most of the marked tracks is (again) well-buried in the mix, although the choir and especially, strings on Enemy Without and the title track are really quite upfront. An improvement, if only on the Mellotron front.
Immortal? is the best Arena album so far, although that isn't saying an awful, lot, to be honest. The first few tracks all have their moments, with unexpected subtlety in places, and it really wasn't going too badly until Climbing The Net, which is total Marillion-by-numbers, and is completely horrible. It doesn't recover, but then, it wasn't actually that good in the first place. Mucho Taurus pedals on the album, which is good, and even more Mellotron, which is better. Strings on Chosen, a solo flute section at the end of Waiting For The Flood, more strings and choir spread across the first five tracks, although the album's 'epic', Moviedrome, seems to be all sampled choirs. Better, but not that much.
Contagion is something of a backwards step for Arena, being more like their earlier work; the usual bombastic, pretentious, by-numbers nonsense we've come to expect. Thinking about it, I suppose a great many prog fans think that's what prog IS, having been completely seduced by the 'Marillion model' of style over substance, ignoring the genre's rich history. What can you do? Like so many things in this life, you can only tell people your version of the truth... Much less Mellotron than on Immortal? and I'm not totally convinced about a couple of the highlighted tracks above. Strings and choir on some early tracks, but most of the album's choir parts are clearly modern samples, and I'm not so sure about the strings.
The best thing about Pepper's Ghost is the lavish hardbound CD booklet, with a cartoon-style running story of the album's 'plot', such as it is, with sympathetically-portrayed band members popping up here and there. The music is just the same old same old - I mean, why do they bother/ It probably isn't noticeably worse than its five predecessors, but after sitting through several Arena albums in a fairly short space of time, it's 'Purgatory Road' indeed. I'm in pain. Anyway, the Mellotron seems to be quite thin on the ground again here, with a brief string part on Bedlam Fayre and some opening choir chords on Opera Fanatica, with real opera singers warbling over the top, and I'm not even certain about that last one.
So; Arena's entire oeuvre: only for neo-proggers who like a bit of crunch to their guitars, and don't mind the fact that there isn't a shred of originality anywhere to be heard on these albums. Some OK 'Tron, but nothing to write home about bar Immortal?
See: Sampledelica! | Marillion
