Pentwater - Out Of The Abyss 1978,Symphonic Prog, Progressive Rock
Not a proper album, more of a collection of rare live recordings and previously unreleased demos from the band's past. That said, it's surprisingly good. Like most American prog obscurities of the 70's, not a lot of originality, but these guys do blend their influences a lot better than most. Gentle Giant and Focus seem most in evidence here. At times, this seems almost like Spock's Beard in embryo, but without the sappy, clichéd or AOR-ish touches that make them so unpalatable to the "old school" proggers. Stylistically, this is all over the map, with lush symphonic numbers, jazzy-tinged tunes, Gentle Giant-like contrapuntal vocal pieces and jam-oriented music. The sound quality likewise varies from tune to tune, further divorcing this from any sort of continuity. But the musicianship is of a high caliber, the individual tracks are strong and there's enough variety to ensure that even those suffering from ADD will never be bored. A vast array of classic keys are used, as well as a mess of other instruments like violin, flute and theremin. Diverse and interesting.Review by Progbear
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Em 54 (0:00)
2. Take (8:00)
3. Cause and Effects (10:46)
4. Necropolis (17:25)
5. Billboard Smiles (23:38)
6. Gwen's Madrigal (The Violation Version) (30:29)
7. The Journeys (38:35)
8. Oceans (48:06)
Line-up / Musicians
- Tom Orsi / percussion, vocals - Mike Konopka / guitar, flute, violin, vocals percussion - Ron Fox / guitars, oboe, vocals - Ken Kappel / keyboards, theremin, vocals - Ron LeSaar / bass, vocals - Phil Goldman / guitars, vocals
