Years Go By Mental Notes. Check out the massive archive. Rate This Post! Pass to unpack. All tracks in. Requests in comments, aswell as your appriciation! Eclectic downloads. April 18, You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email.
Error: Please make sure the Twitter account is public. The Mood Indicator 2. Posted on April 18, 1. Mental Notes pass in comment. Rate this:. Share this: Twitter Facebook. Like this: Like Loading Tagged: Split Enz , Takida. Eclectic downloads April 18, Leave a Reply Cancel reply Enter your comment here There is a reason for this, first comes the long stint of the band's leader Christian Robin in the UK during the 70's and then it was the addition of Brown on vocals, which made the English lyrics a pretty comfortable choice for Robin.
Step Ahead were more of a guitar-oriented band compared to the UK acts of the period, either if we talking about the strong electric moves or the elaborate acoustic textures, featuring a decent vocalist. However they managed to keep a balance between rougher ideas and more romantic overtones, playing with Brown's ability for an intense lyricism. The material goes from sharp solos and dynamic riffs to melodic themes as a result.
Keyboards are used with intelligence, even if a more pronounced flavor may had a better result. They are delivered mainly through symphonic backdrops and less flashy executions, but their display is a reason for a wider style and the evident links to 70's Symphonic Rock. By the time the album was recorded Ferrera, Dufournier and Truchi had left the band, replaced by the returning Alain Lejeune, years old Manu Requier on drums and Herve Ferrieux on bass.
The album was poorly promoted and a inch promo had to be distributed for commercial reasons. Ferrieux was replaced then by Philippe Recht and Step Ahead kept playing live and recording in the studio.
Three live pieces from a performance at Theater De Verdure in November 82' are included in the album's CD reissue by Musea, along with two new pieces, rehearsed by the line-up. Quite a shame this act was so underappreciated, cause the new material shows them a bit closer to standard British Neo Prog, the sound is reminiscent of bands like QUASAR, PALLAS and THE LENS with some great guitar parts, expressive lyricism, an emphatic rhythm section and a convinving sound, which now lacked obvious symphonic leanings, but had become very energetic with some pompous keyboards added for good measure.
More line-up changes occured after the spring of , Macia, Requier and Recht all quit due to the group taking a more commercial direction, with Norbert Lallemand, Alain Ruart and Phillipe Chayeb replacing them. When Robin met Alan Parsons around the time, hopes for a second work were born, abandoned a bit later, when RCA demanded from Step Ahead to firstly record a single.
Robin thought this was a relegation for his band and Step Ahead eventually dissolved in Guitar-led Neo Prog with an underground production, driven by the energetic rhythms, brilliant melodies, sharp vocals and decent keyboard lines. Recommended, especially if you're deep into the cult 80's prog sound. Review by tszirmay Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator. The tracks flow from one to another with delicate confidence, highlighting the soaring voice, the sizzling guitar interfering with lush keyboard accouterments and of course, a rock solid rhythm section, not unlike Atoll or Mona Lisa.
The initial splendor of acoustic guitar and piano opening up "Eyes" should be enough to captivate the listener from the get-go and then rapidly succumb to the rash guitar, the complex poly-rhythmic onslaught and the grandiose symphonic backdrop.
No other word than beautiful will apply! When Danny Brown grabs the microphone, the jubilant ride really takes hold. The second track and longest at over 8 minutes, "Right or Wrong" is definitely a highlight piece, an epic world where airy synths introduce an irate guitar, boldly upfront and seductive, paving the road for an intense vocal performance, strangely very familiar yet utterly compelling.
Axeman extraordinaire Christian Robin somewhere between Page, Hendrix and Hackett unleashes a series of dynamite leads amid pillows of mellotron Claudie Truchi and acoustic guitar a deadly combo , and then stamps the arrangement with one of those 'I will remember this melody until the day I die' solos, a simply ridiculous prog moment, one for the ages!
Not content with such brilliance, the flute introduces the next jewel; the bluesy "Thinking" is taken to another level immediately by a ridiculously convincing guitar rant, a sublime chorus and a preposterous vocal line that careens along with impunity! The meowing guitar strains the shuffling beat even further, wham-bam merci, madame! In keeping with their mission to constantly search out new horizons, "11 Days" has an Oriental tinge that evolves into a rockier convention, then reverts to pastoral shadings that overwhelm the soul, using the sheer simplicity of gorgeous notes played with feeling.
Now in typical cattiness, "Hell' is exactly the opposite of "Heaven" described earlier, a sweet, crystalline guitar piece that soothes the soul into rapturous benediction, using cello orchestrations to heighten the glory. To cap off the excitement, a superlative guitar solo deals the final blow. This is just a gimme "The End" it isn't really, as this re-release has 5 bonus tracks mostly live versions of "Heaven", "White Lady" and errr These last two are indicative of the quality dispensed by this group of rebellious prog musicians, who did not "bend over and spread 'em" as would say Frank Zappa.
A 'no contest' purchase and an obligatory hunt for the die-hard prog fan looking for a sensational musical fix. The production could have been better hey Parsons but it's precisely what makes it so charming! In the final analysis, the album contains only one great track, several good ones and a few middling pieces.
The main vocal part manages to do justice to the original musical concept, before the guitar inserts itself for the grand finale. Both "White Lady" and "The End" confirm that the group is at its best when they defer to Robin, although admittedly the latter's keyboards do provide a suspenseful kickoff.
The bonus material consists of fan-directed live versions of a few tracks and two studio songs not previously released, both of which espouse decent and compact AOR. When contemplating the sole effort by STEP AHEAD, I have to conclude the group was a bit optimistic with their name, but they weren't simply followers, and may have improved given the opportunity. Wednesday 6 October Thursday 7 October Friday 8 October Saturday 9 October Sunday 10 October Monday 11 October Tuesday 12 October Wednesday 13 October Thursday 14 October Friday 15 October Saturday 16 October Sunday 17 October Monday 18 October Tuesday 19 October Wednesday 20 October Thursday 21 October Friday 22 October Saturday 23 October Sunday 24 October Monday 25 October Tuesday 26 October Wednesday 27 October Thursday 28 October Friday 29 October Saturday 30 October Sunday 31 October Monday 1 November Tuesday 2 November Wednesday 3 November Thursday 4 November Friday 5 November Saturday 6 November Sunday 7 November Monday 8 November Tuesday 9 November Wednesday 10 November Thursday 11 November Friday 12 November Saturday 13 November Sunday 14 November Monday 15 November Tuesday 16 November Wednesday 17 November Thursday 18 November Friday 19 November Saturday 20 November Sunday 21 November Monday 22 November Tuesday 23 November Wednesday 24 November Thursday 25 November Friday 26 November Saturday 27 November Sunday 28 November Monday 29 November Tuesday 30 November Wednesday 1 December Thursday 2 December Friday 3 December Saturday 4 December Sunday 5 December Monday 6 December Tuesday 7 December Wednesday 8 December Thursday 9 December Friday 10 December Saturday 11 December Sunday 12 December Monday 13 December Tuesday 14 December Wednesday 15 December Thursday 16 December Friday 17 December
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