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PILGRIMAGE
PILGRYM
2004 , UK - EURO 16.50
Label: TRANSUBSTANCE REC.
ALBUM REVIEW
It’s like there are two CDs in one here! Parts are proggy-AOR, and parts are excellent progressive rock; and it’s all very well executed. On first spin, it is easy to dismiss Pilgrimage as just another neo / AOR Wetton-Asia-type of album. But spinning it again you just might do a double take and wonder how you missed all that excellent progressive rock! Then you analyze it more closely, and here’s what you’ll find: The first three tracks, and the last which is an edited repeat of the first, are rather good song-oriented pieces – just slightly more progressive than Asia and less so than the lighter tracks from Emerson Lake and Palmer. There are huge melodic hooks, and even though they have that pop edge to them, the instrumentation is full and textured and very pleasing. “Believe Me Now” is the most Asia-like of the songs, and despite the mediocre quality of the vocals, it could easily worm its way onto radio playlists with the right promotion. But tracks 4 through 8 are a whole different Kettle of fish! These are very fine modern interpretations of the ‘70s era of prog. Some are purely instrumental, and the vocal tracks do not rely very heavily on voice at all. This section is ‘music’, not ‘songs’, it is led equally by guitar and keys, and particularly in “Black Sun”, it carries strong Pink Floyd elements. The excellent guitar work bears strong resemblance to the Gilmour / Latimer sounds, with long, slow, very emotional solos that will have you reaching for the replay button. The keyboards are in the classic vein, led by a grinding Hammond, synthesizers, and Mellotrons...As dyed-in-the-wool progressive fans, many of us will be excused for playing just the 30-and-a-bit minutes of tracks four through eight, and absorbing those progressive gems again and again. (Just for Kicks)
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