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Progland was founded by John Gabbard in 2005. It's purpose has been to provide you, the music community with the latest music and dvd reviews. It will continue to be your link to the most popular music reviews in the progressive world.

 

Glass - "Illuminations"

Label - Musea
Reviewed by: Tom Karr
Genre: Prog Rock
Country: USA
Language: English
Length: 63:03
Release Date: 2005
Label:
Musea
Band Members: Jerry Cook - Drums, percussion, Gong, Bells, Tympani, Voice, E-Drums Greg Sherman - Hammond Organ, Mellotron, Korg 01W Keyboard, Roland A-90 Digital Piano, Tape Loop Samples, Piano Strings, Grand Piano, Arp Odyssey Synthesizer
  Jeff Sherman - Bass, Alembic Bass, Bass Pedals, Modified Sound Samples, Voice Message Samples, Fender Rhodes Piano, Roland A-90 Digital Piano, Ensoniq DSK 1
  Hugh Hopper - Bass (3) Richard Sinclair - Voice (15)
  Phil Miller - Electric Guitar (15) Paul Black - Drums (15)
     
Track Listing: 1.)-Overture (5:43) 8.)-Alchemy Of The World (I. Eclipse) (2:48)
  2.)- The Secret Life Of Aqua J. Long (I. Astral Transascension) (7:12) 9.)- Alchemy Of The World (II. Wanderlust) (2:38)
  3.)- The Secret Life Of Aqua J. Long (II. Isle Of Dyslexia) (3:14) 10.)-Alchemy Of The World (III. Eternity) (1:57)
  4.)- The Secret Life Of Aqua J. Long (III. Medicine Man) (5:30) 11.)-Alchemy Of The World (IV. Reprise) (1:35)
  5.)- Electronic Synaesthasia (I. The Hidden Room) (3:42) 12.)-Alchemy Of The World (V. Delirium) (5:00)
  6.)- Electronic Synaesthasia (II. Crossing) (5:10) 13.)-Alchemy Of The World (VI. Falling) (2:23)
  7.) Electronic Synaesthasia (III. My Tantric Gatito) (3:49) 14.)-Slightly Behind All The Time (5:57)
    15.)-Gaia (6:10)
The Review

This is a totally weird and wonderful album from a band that really knows how to take their time releasing their music. This US band recorded a studio album and some live in-studio material between 1973 and 1975 and got it released in 2000. It only took four years for Musea to pick up on it and reissue it in 2004 and luckily, it only took one more year to get their sophomore release Illuminations recorded and out to the prog community.

This disc is special in a number of ways and worthy of your time and your full attention. There are three types of music being presented for your consideration by Glass. They offer the smoky minimalist performance art rock that has everyone in lather. Then there is the Glass that writes and performs lean and very hip piano music, some as a jazzy trio with bass and drums, and some as unaccompanied solo pieces. This is the Glass that will remind you of Dave Brubek and George Winston. Finally, there is the Glass that sounds like what I imagine (oh, what an imagination I have) Niacin might have sounded like had they existed in 1971 or 1972. The Glass that sounds like a proggy, ever so slightly twisted Brian Auger And The Oblivion Express. The Glass that, in their youth, relocated to England hoping to jump start their career and clearly spent a lot of time listening to Dave Stewart, Mike Ratledge and probably laughing at the term "fuzz organ". This is the Glass that every keyboard aficionado should be aware of.

It's not that keyboardist Greg Sherman is going to dazzle every jaded proghole, uh, like me for instance. There are many more technically adept players. Glass, any version that you like, is not a band of virtuosos. It is a band of individualist players, each good enough to start deciding when to start bending or breaking the rules. Greg's playing is good and solidly grounded, he is occasionally brilliant, but it is his willingness to work outside the box that makes him a "great" musician. The same can be said of bassist (and brother) Jeff Sherman and drummer Jerry Cook. This willingness to take risks, to fail and succeed puts them, in my opinion, in the class with, and makes them peers of, Le Orme, early Soft Machine and Dave Stewart. Greg Sherman seems to emulate Stewart's distorted organ playing in Hatfield And The North and track five, "Crossing" has a clear reference to Stewart's part in "The Yes No Interlude" Further ties to Hatfield are evidenced by the performance of both Richard Sinclair and Phil Miller on the discs final cut "Gaia".

Glass's fondness for old Soft Machine can be demonstrated by the addition of bassist Hugh Hopper and his signature fuzz bass to "Isle Of Dyslexia". In addition to the guest appearance of Hopper, the song cycle "Alchemy Of The Word" makes several melodic references to Soft Machine's "Hazard Profile" from the 1975 release Bundles.

It's time to explain something about Illuminations, I think. It is made up of three individual tracks and three long song cycles, "The Secret Life Of Aqua J. Long" (get it? Aqua Long, a Jethro Tull reference), "Electronic Synaesthasia" and "Alchemy Of The Word". The first two are made up of three pieces from three to seven minutes each, while the last, "Alchemy Of The Word", has six parts, most under three minutes. In most cases, these tracks all segue from one to the next.

"The Secret Life…" is tre chic indeed, full of imaginative sounds, unique song ideas and fearless execution. One song features nothing more than drums, percussion and spoken words. And it is a song, and it works well.

"Electronic Synaesthasia" is a jazzier and more groove oriented group of tunes and it features some of Glass's best playing and most inspired song craftsmanship. "Alchemy Of The Word" with its six parts and its direct themes that are stated and reprised in this cycle is the high point of this disc in my ears and in my eyes. It features non stop Hammond organ, Mellotron and a real concert grand piano. This music sounds so analog to me that it seems it must have been recorded thirty years ago. This is just like old Le Orme and my imaginary Niacin. Just the sheer pleasure of hearing well played Hammond organ for an extended period of time makes this a must have for every keyboard fanatic. This group of six little songs just zips by and I listened to it a couple of times to try and fully appreciate just how well it's motifs and variations develop, to hear the restrained, relaxed and classic style that Greg displays when soloing over this work, to try and understand the organic ease which Jerry Cook brings to the deceptively difficult yet "laid back" sounding drumming that is so much a part of "Alchemy Of The Word".

This is a very special disc, an album out of its time, a timeless package perhaps. I can't predict, but I can certainly hope. In hindsight it seems clear that this was one of the best albums of 2005, but will it be considered a prog classic ten years from now? I hope it will be, and to spur that along I'll do my tiny bit and give this album my highest recommendation.

RATING - 5/5

©Thomas Karr April 21, 2006

 

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