Clearlight - Clearlight Symphony (1973)

Artista: Clearlight

Álbum: Clearlight Symphony
Año: 1973
Género: Rock sinfónico
Duración: 41:17
Nacionalidad: Francia

Lista de Temas:
1. Clearlight Symphony – part one
2. Clearlight Symphony – part twp

Alineación:
- Gilbert Artman / drums, percussion, vibraphone (2)
- Tim Blake / synthesizer, percussion (1)
- Christian Boulé / electric guitar (2)
- Steve Hillage / electric guitar (1)
- Martin Isaacs / bass (2)
- Didier Malherbe / tenor saxophone (1)
- Cyril Verdeaux / keyboards, gong, synthesized bass, mellotron

Más disquitos para el finde, ahora el Mago Alberto trae a un franchute que ha creado grandes discos a lo largo de su carrera, aunque ciertamente poco conocido y realmente poco original, no deja de tener mucha calidad en sus creaciones sinfónicas. Ahora junto a destacados miembros de la escena Canterbury, miembros de Gong y en especial el señor Steve Hillage, en un álbum que va desde el romanticismo clásico francés a las experimentaciones vanguardistas del free jazz pasando por temas sinfónicos envolventes. Pero no me adelanto y les dejo el comentario de Alberto sobre este disco que nos pasa a presentar para que lo conozcan en este fin de semana que nos pisa los talones:

Hubo una época donde todo florecía dentro del panorama rockero mundial y los actuantes de turno deambulaban como homeless por estudios, clubes, teatros, sucuchos mugrientos, cuevas, buscando el santo grial, la guía espiritual, el sendero sagrado del incipiente rock progresivo, surgían las grandes obras, las sinfonías sagradas, las óperas, y cual duende malvado y saltarín los músicos se copiaban entre sí, o choreaban estructuras, para engrosar lo que luego sería una de las décadas mas hermosas e increíbles de la música, la década de los 70s.
"Tubullar Bells" de Oldfield dejó una cicatriz y músicos como el frances Cyrille Verdeaux se hicieron cargo de la llaga, y surgió este trabajo llamado "Clearlight Symphony", un proyecto con la estructura de Tubullar y hasta grabado en el mismo estudio (solo un lado) y con la colaboración de tres ex Gong; Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe y Steve Hillage.
Un disco instrumental con los típicos fragmentos del progresivo, donde el piano de Verdeaux lleva las riendas de todo lo que sucede, y lo que sucede es mucho, una atmósfera casi clásica muy elaborada va sucediendo a otros pasajes más brillantes y sincopados, y donde se hace presente también la mano Gong, locura, absurdo, todo parece tener cabida en especial en el segundo track.
Un disco para desentrañar, para degustar de a poco, e ir descubriendo pasajes, trozos de música muy bien elaborada, y tener una idea acabada de lo que ocurría en los albores de los 70s.
No es Tubullar, no es Quadrophenia, pero es una obra por demás interesante, especial para el oído sinfónico, archiprogresivo. Un punto aparte es la aparición de Hillage en la primera parte. Hermoso aporte de su guitarra.
Otro disco raro que engrosa la lista interminable de posteos en el blog cabezón.

"Clearlight Symphony" resultó un álbum que ganó popularidad tanto en Europa como en los Estados Unidos, ganando fans por su mixtura de orquestaciones sinfónicas. La guitarra de Hillage, el saxo avant-garde de Malherbe y el sonido vanguardista de los teclados contribuyeron a ello. El disco reunió elogios por sus composiciones y el trabajo en los teclados. Veamos qué es lo que nos comentan otros especialistas en el género sobre este disco tan disfrutable:

Sin duda revolucionario, el primer álbum de Cyrille VERDEAUX (compositor, pianista, multi-teclista, productor), "Clearlight Symphony", ha sido un “clásico del rock progresivo sinfónico internacionalmente aclamado por más de 32 años, figurando en la guía Billboard de música progresiva como uno de los 100 mejores álbumes de la historia en este género” (1).
"Clearlight Symphony" es la primer composición madura grabada por VERDEAUX, mejor conocido como CLEARLIGHT. En 1973 se convirtió en el primer artista francés de rock progresivo en firmar contrato con un Mega Sello, Virgin Records, siendo su álbum un vehículo para exhibir la técnica y creatividad de VERDEAUX como compositor e intérprete virtuoso. Él eligió trabajar con músicos adicionales para concretar su proyecto, tomando prestados de GONG al guitarrista Steve HILLAGE, al saxofonista Didier MALHERBE y al teclista Tim BLAKE para grabar lo que fuera el lado 1 del LP, mientras que para hacer lo propio con el lado B Cyrille invitó a los músicos franceses Christian BOULE (guitarras), Gilbert ARTMAN (batería) y Martin ISAACS (bajo), quienes lo acompañaron mientras él se hacía cargo de un piano de cola, melotrones, órgano y un sintetizador ARP 2600. Originalmente el segundo movimiento estaba contemplado para ocupar el lado B del LP pero se decidió cambiar los temas de lado para promocionar el álbum destacando el involucramiento de los músicos de GONG, corrigiendo esta situación en la reedición 2001 del álbum en CD. El primer movimiento pues está grabado por los músicos franceses y el segundo por VERDEAUX y los tres de GONG.
"Clearlight Symphony" resultó un álbum que ganó popularidad tanto en Europa como en los Estados Unidos, ganando fans por su mixtura de orquestaciones sinfónicas en los teclados de VERDEAUX, así como el guitarreo espacial de HILLAGE, el saxo avant-garde de MALHERBE y el sonido vanguardista de los teclados de BLAKE. Reuniendo elogios por sus composiciones únicas y su estilismo en los teclados, la música en el álbum panea del romanticismo clásico francés de DEBUSSY a las experimentaciones vanguardistas del free jazz pasando por temas sinfónicos envolventes.

Alfredo Tapia-Carreto

Esta es la primera de las electricas sinfonias del maestro Cyrille Verdeaux
Maestro absoluto del piano clásico que como tantos músicos de conservatorio de la epoca abrio su mente a las posibilades de los instrumentos eléctricos y los sintetizadores.
Cabe mencionar que por unos de esos designios del destino a traves del chat tuve la posibilidad de conversar con este mago absoluto de la musica progresiva y entre otros de los tantos temas que charlamos en una animada y para nada formal charla Cyrille me comentaba sobre su percepción revolucionaria a nivel político y espritual ,vision que a mi entender tambien se traslada a lo musical y que ya en esta su primigenia sinfonía electrica se aprecia.
La obra en cuestion esta dividida en 2 movimientos de 20 min. Aprox. Uno por cada una de las caras de vinilo en su edición original.
En el primero la obra da inicio con un arpegio de piano y unos exquisitos colchones de mellotrones, cabe desctacar que aquí Cyrille concierta su piano junto a los synthes y la cósmica guitarra de Christian Boule. Juntos van creando interesantes contrapuntos melódicos sobre las bases de mellotrones y vcs 3 que poco a poco van tomando una figura rítmica con mas tensión.
Tras disonantes solos de BOULE y voces que remiten al canto de los mantras la sinfonía va subiendo a un atonal crescendo.
Queda entonces ahora el piano con los mellotrones con mucha tensión en los climas y asi BOULE hace uso del WAH-WAH y el glisando glide (técnica inventada por Terry rilley que consiste en una combinación de LOOPS creando una combinación sideral de sustain y guitarra slide y que
Ya habian utilizado Daevid allen y Steve hillage.) Para crear un solo de alta tensión que da paso a una base mas rítmica que nos remite a una autentica danza cósmica que cae en una mosulacion armonica de piano
La cual da paso a la melodía principal de la obra y que Verdaux tambien utilizaria mas tarde en su INNER PEACE CONCERTO la cual a mi entender denota una clara influencia de Mozart y Chopin y posee unas cadencias exquisitas juntos a las impecables orquestaciones de synthes que desencadenan climas mas reposados con un melódico solo de BOULE de los mas hermosos y medidos que he escuchado lo cual demuestra que estamos ante una autentica sinfonia.
De nuevo un exquisito pasaje de piano que va planteando un nuevo crescendo con una base construida a traves de un arpegio y que va apareciendo lentamente junto a interesantes contratiempos y que ademas es doblada por los mellotrones.
Ya planteado este interesante canon de synthes , piano clásico, synthes y guitarras con ecos hendrixianos la cual va subiendo hasta llegar a un contratiempo ya incorporando la bateria de Gilbert Artman que tras una nota oscilando la frecuencia del VS 3 da por finalizado el primer movimiento.
En el segundo movimiento Cyrille se acompaña de buena parte de los músicos de GONG banda de SPACE-ROCK/CANTERBURY y en su etapa tardia tambien JAZZ-ROCK que fundara el ex SOFT MACHINE
Daevid Allen.
Es entonces que aquí tocan Steve Hillage uno de los mejores guitarristas de la historia del rock progresivo, el saxofonista Didier Malherbe con sus claras influencias del free jazz y el avant garde, ademas del tedladista Tim blake que hace uso de los synthes y las campanas tibetanas.
La segunda parte en cuestion comienza con un piano forte que nos va llevando a un crescendo que desncadena en una ambiental y no menos potente base. Junto al espacial solo de Hillage y que nos lleva a un pasaje mas reposado que desencadena en un hermoso solo de organo hammond construido a traves del arpegio del piano y el excelente uso de las campanas y las guitarras en un plan ritmico muy interesante generando una especie de stacatto ambiental. Luego entra ya en una parte mas contrapuntistica el saxo de Malherbe sumandose a la alternancia de timbres sonoros que la banda consigue.
Luego de un excelente trabajo ritmico y una base rítmica de neto corte jazzistico Cyrille arremete con un psicodélico solo de Hammond esta vez mas extenso e improvisado al cual se suma Hillage y que quiza a mi entender plantea junto al saxo de Malherbe la parte “improvisada” de la obra y que desencadena en una parte mas rítmica y tensionada de piano y saxo sobre la cual los synrhes aparecen cual coro espacial junto a los mellotrones orquestales que en la segunda vuelta aparecen y en donde la obra se va redondeando de alguna manera.
Este clima da finalizado con un juego de platillos de la bata con flanger voces estelares y el saxo de Malherbe hasta entre todos llegar a un atonal pasaje que deja solo al piano y el que desemboca en la base de piano del principio del segundo movimiento y en la cual Hillage repite su solo a modo de melodía principal, aquí es donde el piano queda solo junto a un timido colchon.
Las cadencias clásicas y la ambientacion que consiguen los synthes junto al saxo de Malherbe consiguen redondear este surrealista y no menos bello viaje sonoro junto a un piano octavado que aparece sobre el final junto a una bellísima melodía de saxo que junto al piano de cyrille nos llevan a un ultimo crescendo que repite ya a modo de finale la base rítmica principal
Y que cae en una modulación final con un acorde de piano forte y un synthe con delay realizando un arpegio junto a unas risas grabadas.
Finaliza entonces esta sinfonía de la luz limpia toda una gran obra que como pocas logra combinar elementos de musica clásica, ya sea tonal o
Atonal, uso de elementos electrónicos en un plan ambiental, congregar a 2 grandes del rock progresivo como Boule y Hillage y aplicar ciertos elementos de improvisación del jazz.
Ademas de conseguir con todo esto crear un paisaje sonoro unico .
Por ultimo quiero dedicar este post al compositor de esta gran obra
El Maestro CYRILLE VERDEAUX.

Daniel

Y vamos, como siempre, a nuestra sección de comentarios en inglés.

Incredible first (?) album for Clearlight or should I say Cyrille Verdeaux's project. In a way, if you thought that the Virgin label had scored with Michael Oldfield Tubular Bell, you might be also tempted into looking on that same label at this little marvel of electronic music! There are lots of similarities between those two oeuvres, being mostly electronic but also full of great real instruments much the same way TB had it also. But I would like to assure you that Clearlight's Symphony is a much better and a much fuller record (it was a double vinyl for a start) than TB. I always thought that TB was a rather empty and meatless/beefless record, but it was the novelty of it at the time that made its great success. With Verdeaux's superb record, we are two years later than the groundbreaking TB, but this oeuvre is so much more mature that TB pales in comparison.
Enough comparing the two and let's concentrate on this record. Actually the record's full name is Symphony II (which implies there was a previous oeuvre, but this proghead never heard that work) and it lasts some 66 minutes, and 6 movements ranging almost 9 minutes until the whopping 20.5 minutes of the fifth. As one might guess, the work is very melodic, romantic and delightful, and should please most everyone - especially recommended to get comfy with the partner and engage in special gymnastics (get the Cd release to avoid flipping the discs and leaving the partner cool down ;-). To describe you how the music sounds, you might want to think of a cross between Oldfield's TB and Tangerine Dream (from ricochet to Force Majeure era). Not completely without influences, Verdeaux pays a tribute to the Never-ending-chord and the Never-ending-note of the Beatles A Day in The Life in one its movement. But the major interest is the superb fifth movement where three musicians from Gong appear, with Hillage, Malherbe and Blake bringing to the total oeuvre to a spine-chilling climax.
Definitely one of the best progressive works to have come out of France, this little baby is still sadly a much too unknown, under-appreciated and overlooked gem. I cannot recommend this record anymore than here and by giving it a fifth star. When you know how rarely I hand out this rating, this should just about convince you and send you running to the record shop. Don't forget your wallet, though ;-)

Sean Trane

"Clearlight Symphony" is one of the finest progressively electronic instrumental albums to emerge from the '70's. The genius of CLEARLIGHT's music rests in the hands of Cyrille Verdeaux who plays Grand Piano, Mellotron, organ and synths galore. "Clearlight Symphony" is one of the richest sounding space patrols you will ever encounter. Verdeaux's cleverly injects classical structures and instrumentation (piano) with fusion-like inspired parts (aka GONG) and occasional psychedelic guitar flare-ups. The sound is rich and full of color and texture with some superb melodies and atmospheres. Verdeaux is helped by well known guests such as Steve Hillage (guitars), Didier Malherbe (sax) and Tim Blake (synths) who add some great depth to the music. "Clearlight Symphony" is essentially 2 long (over mins) movements which both are killer and would make the perfect dinner music piece. An essential recording and thanks to Clearlight Music (See my link section) you too can own a re-mastered copy which puts a whole new spin on this French progressive gem.

James Unger

Incredible prog rock fronted by Cyrille Verdeux. On this particular album, he has members of GONG (Didier Malherbe, Steve Hillage, Tim Blake), as well as Gilbert Artman of LARD FREE, and Christian Boulé and Martin Isaacs. The album is basically two side length cuts with no titles. The members of GONG play on the first half of the album, and the music really isn't much like GONG, but more in the symphonic prog vein, with lots of piano, Mellotron, synthesizers (with Blake's trademark synth bubble included here and there). No drums used here (just some percussion near the end).
The second half is with LARD FREE members, and drums are used here. This side tends to have a more Canterbury feel to it at times (reminding me a little of HATFIELD & THE NORTH). And there is plenty of sax here, leading me to think the album liner notes were incorrect and that it was actually Didier Malherbe who played this side (as I sure don't notice him on the first side). I heard how perhaps the music got switched around as the LARD FREE members played the first half (which is doubtful, because I recognize Tim Blake) and the GONG members played the second half (which I only recognize Malherbe here, and there is a drummer here, which is Gilbert Artman). Regardless, a great album if you like prog rock, or you're a GONG or LARD FREE fan.

Ben Miler

This work, featuring some musicians from Canterbury, is the perfect mix between such symphonic progressive with a few psychedelic elements in the vein of Gong, and a fusion progressive genre!! Cause of the features above, this Canterburian album, enriched with the contribution by remarkable musicians like Hilage and Blake,has influenced the modern symphonic prog stuff in France,especially that one by J.P.Boffo or Minimum Vital.
A must have, even though it is not completely original!!

Lorenzo

Spacey is a good description for this classic. Sure the Gong element is there and Hillage's unmistakeable guitar sound but it is plain clever in composition, showing what talented musicians they all were. Basically 2 songs but the piano interludes are equisite following crashing chaos and the most humorous part being the dying seconds where as the stylus starts leaving the LP grooves the music continues to play out to an abrupt quirkey halt! Prog rock at it's best.

Chris S.

Brilliant, beautiful music with Hillage from Gong helping out on guitar. This cd has sort of a floating feeling to it and it certianlly puts your mind at ease and is a very relaxing cd to listen to. Its a shame this was really the bands only good cd but it is a good one. I give it four and a half stars.

Carl

Consisting only of two sidelong Movements, Clearlight's debut album is one of the finest prog releases ever in the history of French rock. "Symphony" is literally a symphony of not only sound, but also reflection and emotion: the richness and majesty of this sonic tapestry are so amazing that it happens to bear an almost surreal beauty even in those particularly disturbing places. Cyril Verdeaux, a refined keyboardist and an inspired composer, created such wonderful music and managed to join forces with a host of equally inspired partners in order to concretize it in such a magnificent way. The presence of major Gong names in the support ensemble makes it assured that the music will bear a distinctive cosmic flavor, at least. Verdeaux's individual performing style is clearly influenced by the standard polish vibe of academicism, yet you can tell that his musical vision is pretty close to the peculiar exuberance of the jazz tradition and the eerie nuances so typical of spacey-oriented rock. All this gets translated into a peculiar type of symphonic prog: actually, Clearlight's global sound preserves the usual sense of bombast and artistic stylishness of symphonic prog, indeed, but let's keep in mind that this offering is quite peculiar and distinctive. Both Movements last almost 20 ¾ minutes each. 1st Movement kicks off with effective piano chords that don't take long before they articulate a basic motif, with the whole band getting in for the expanding jams. While the guitar and sax provide excellent flourishes, it is the recurrently floating synthesizer that sets a sort of surreal core for the support band's whole sound. Piano and organ alternate their soling before the sixth minute arrives, a time when things get jazzier in a Canterbury-like manner. It is in this passage that Hillage begins to assume a proper leading role, albeit not going all free but keeping a solid touch with the rhythm section's pulsations and the mellotron layers. At minute 12 chaos arrives to set a dislocated sonic landscape: only when the chaos eventually disappears can the initial piano motif reemerge and restore order. After an excellent sax solo, things get majestic, with a choral mellotron that casts a splendorous light on the remaining instrumentation. The organ arpeggios' fade- out has a dreamy effect, very proper for the 1st Movement's closure. For the 2nd Movement, Verdeaux dispenses with a recurrent rhythm section and chooses to lead the ensemble across a realm of pure evocation. The initial motif, carried on by piano and mellotron, simply makes the word 'delightful' reach a transcendent meaning. The successive emergence of synth and trumpet adornments, keyboard floating effects and subtle guitar layers elaborate a delicate orchestral architecture that gradually turns from an introspective candor to an intense expansion (which is when it sounds to my ears like an ethereal version of classic Magma). A few seconds before the 5th minute comes a scary section that seems to set a challenge to reason and intellect. Even though it is fair to say that this Movement is patently more relaxed than the first one, this is far from "new age". Occasional elements such as the explosively neurotic guitar solo at minute 8 and the mysterious ethnic section between 15'30" and 16'30" manage to create an interesting mood of tension and colorful variation against the more candid sections in which plain serene beauty rules. The reprise of the 1st Movement's main motif sets the pace for the 2nd Movement's closure, leading to a dreamy climax in which the cosmic vibe prevails. This Clearlight Symphony is a supreme masterpiece of prog, and in many ways it would be accurate to say that Verdeaux wasn't destined to top or equal this exquisite opus. But, all in all, the career of Clearlight is not to be dismissed, since I has many excellent items. but that's a matter for other reviews. I'll end this one expressing my maximum rate for the album in question.

César Inca

This record consists of two movements of about the same length, each recorded in different studios with different musicians. The two movements though have a lot of similarities probably because the force behind all of this, Cyrille Verdeaux plays grand piano, synths, organ and mellotron on both movements and of course he composed them both as well. I have the remastered version that starts out with Mr.Verdeaux and some guest French musicians playing drums, guitar and bass.The music is trippy, psychedelic with lots of mellotron.
The piano melody that the movement opens with comes and goes throughout the song.The guitar at times pierces the soundscape.
The second movement features three GONG musicians who at the time were loaned to Mr.Verdeaux for this movement. So we have sax, percussion, more synths and Steve Hillage playing some tastey space rock style guitar. This movement is a little more spacey with the added synths and no bass guitar. I really like Steve's playing around the 12 minute mark and on.
If your into Psychedelic / Space music with a dash of Canterbury, this is well worth checking out.

John Davie

This one had been Cyrille Verdaux' first composition recorded between 1973 and 1974 and released under the title "Clearlight Symphony" in 1975 which would be continued by him in later releases (i.e. "Symphony II") and finally finding perfection in his "Infinite Symphony". Comparisons of the music here with Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" are certainly justified though one should emphasize as well that it's more complex and versatile than that one. Basically that's symphonic rock inspired by classical romanticism with a strong touch of space fusion and especially part one (which actually had been 2nd movement, a mistake being corrected on the CD reissue) featuring Gong members Hillage and Malherbe breathes some Canterburian atmosphere. Electronic sounds contributed by the two keyboarders Blake and Verdaux are dominating in this part which becomes even quite odd at times like around 5:00 when experimentation gets a bit pointless and almost disturbing I've to say. Part two is the more rocking one with Lard Free-drummer Gilbert Artman and bassist Martin Isaacs added. Christian Boulé presents here a brilliant guitar work not a bit inferior to Hillage's in part one and Artman's vibraphone play adds a nice jazzy touch. Verdaux used here more analogue keyboard sounds like piano, organ and Mellotron and though the composition becomes slightly repetitive at times it never sounds boring at any moment. Overall this one had been a very strong and impressing but not perfect debut by a highly talented composer and musician which should be certainly considered an essential release in Prog. To be continued.

Dieter Fischer

CLEARLIGHT was a project created in early 70's by French composer Cyrille Verdeaux.They were the first French band to be signed by Virgin Records or any other English label.''Clearlight symphony'' was released in 1975 and it was a highly-ambitious record,which contained two 20 min. movements.For this work,Verdeaux was supported by a number of experienced musicians,among them were Steve Hillage,Didier Malherbe and Tim Blake from GONG.
The first movement is actually a contant battle of piano interludes and chaotic interplays.At one moment,the music is very mellow and atmospheric based on Verdeaux's classical piano and distinctive mellotron work...but suddenly what follows is a storm of a tight rhythm section accompanied by heavy electronics,psychedelic guitars and great saxes.If yoy can imagine a blending of GONG's space/fusion rock with TANGERINE DREAM-like electronics and CARPE DIEM's deep musicianship,then you're somewhat in the game...For the second movement,again Verdeaux opens with delicate piano and mellotron,before things get even more chaotic with obsure sound effects and crazy saxes dominating the atmosphere for a while.An alternation between classical piano themes,beautiful mellotron and spacey/psych guitar solos will follow (thinking of PULSAR while listening to it),sometimes supported by electronics,other ones violins,saxes and flutes pop up here and there until the grandiose ending...Definitely a highlght in prog rock history,as this was one of the most experimental and -if you like- mental works by the time of its release.Highly recommended to all prog fans with a wide open mind!

apps79

Hey you space prog freaks out there....this is for you!! The Gong family has done it again...made another special record..in the progspace niche....this is a wonderfull record...spacey sounds..weird tonations..strange- interludes....and ...oh..of course the ever fantastic guitarist Steve Hillage is onboard!! Say no more!!! You need this!! If you´re a space prog freak!!

Tonny Larz

An album released in the shadows of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells.
And even on the same record label too (Virgin). But where Tubular Bells became a huge hit, this album kind of disappeared from the radar. The reason is perhaps that Clearlight Symphony is a much more complex album than the rather commercial and one-themed Tubular Bells.
Clearlight Symphony was recorded with some help of Gong members. Steve Hillage is prominent here with some spaced out, distorted guitar solos. But the album is dominated by Cyril Verdeaux tangents. Clearlight is his band and I refer to the interview I did with him earlier this year (2010).
This album comes across as a mix of space rock, new age and symphonic prog. This album has two twenty minutes long pieces, 1st Movement and 2nd Movement. Both of them are excellent where they weaves through an ethereal landscape.
The additions of the Gong elements never makes this album boring or irrelevant in any way. This album is therefore a truly great album and should be regarded as a definite purchase for anyone into symphonic rock or prog. This is one of the true classic albums in this scene. I have a couple of minor gripes with it. But it is still a great album.
4 / 5 stars.

toroddfuglesteg

Like its own name says, a symphonie! Symphonie on keys and more keys, mellotroms, moogs and an e-piano. A 40 minutes piece that goes from rock'n'roll to expermental and concrete music! Its coloured and space climate is a permanent mark together with the synthesized timbres on keys and chords. Even the sax seems like an electronic instrument by the way it is imposed.
We have an special guest that is one of my favorite guitarrists, Steve Hillage. Whose is playing the guitar on 1st movement (pure psychdelia!).
The music found on this album is made of some calm moments and various climax - i'll tell witch are my favorites: The beginning and the end of 1st movement and some of the jazzy-rock themes on 2nd movement. I admire these themes because they are not complex, a simple way of doing progressive rock, but they build a 40 minutes piece that also goes to concrete music and is completely psychdelic, something difficult to find!
That's a must, for sure! Masterpiece!

Thiago Hallak

Espero que les guste el disco, yo creo que es de mucha calidad y les tiene que gustar si gustan de la mezcla entre la música de lo más sinfónico de Vangelis y principalmente de Oldfield por un lado, y la de Gong por el otro. Un disquito para descubrir cerrando otra semana de grandes aportes en el blog cabezón.
Que lo disfruten...