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Review:
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In The Netherlands Italian formation The Watch is a
pretty popular band, I even noticed that Dutch symphomaniac
Ko ‘Tattoo’ Molenaar is mentioned in the booklet of this
album “for his arm”, a nice inside joke! I have seen The
Watch several times since their early years and was also
in the crowd during their acclaimed performance on Symforce
II, part of the 2008 tour that is now on CD.***
Their pleasant and melodic sound alternates between
1970-1973 Genesis-era (from mellow with acoustic guitars
and flute to bombastic with bass pedals, Hackett-inspired
guitarwork, organ and Mellotron) and early IQ (compelling
with powerful interplay between moving guitar and heavy
Trons). The emphasis in the tasteful 7 compositions is on
creating intense, often Mellotron drenched atmospheres rather
than complexity and inventive arrangements. The enthousiastic
and sympathic singer Simone Rossetti has the same melancholical
undertone as Peter Gabriel, at some moments only his accent
reveals he’s not the one! An original song is the dreamy
Riding The Elephant because of its electronic-oriented climate
with howling guitar and majestic violin-Mellotron. Halfway
the medley Twilight Alehouse/Another Life we can enjoy a
bombastic 24-carat symphonic rock sound with lush Mellotron,
a deep bass pedal sound and a sensitive guitar solo, goose
bumps. But my absolute highlight on this live album is the
final track Berlin 1936: first dreamy vocals, then a mid-tempo
with bombastic interplay between organ and guitar, wonderful
Mellotron drops and finally the ultimate symphonic rock
sound featuring moving guitarwork with volume pedal, bass
pedals, choir-Mellotron and Hammond organ, you can’t beg
for more!***
Although I am not really a The Watch fan, I am very
pleased with The Watch Live because in my opinion their
sound on stage is more powerful and captivating than on
the studio-albums. For sure many early Genesis and IQ fans
wil be delighted about this live album.***
www.progwalhalla.com
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