Gepr: Windchase was founded by guitarist/vocalist Mario Millo and keyboard player Toivo Pilt, both survivors of the recently dissolved Sebastian Hardie. Symphinity continues along the same symphonic and highly melodic trail that Sebastian Hardie, blazed through the Australian music scene: Millo's Latimer-influenced guitar leads splatter against Pilt's grandiose keyboard walls while the rhythm section keeps things cooking nicely, propelling rather than leading things. Interestingly, Millo and Pilt write separately, both writing four tracks, and both taking a short solo piece, on piano and acoustic guitar, respectively. Though Camel is the obvious role model for these blokes, they play across the spectrum, with "Horsemen to Symphinity" being a primarily instrumental symphonic stretch (and an excellent one at that), while at the other end "Flight Call" is a poppy, though still lavishly-arranged number like the mellower parts of Breathless. "Glad to Be Alive" has a string arrangement that coats the vocal sections with too much syrup, but the main melody is gripping and the instrumental sections are delightfully bouncy with chiming tuned percussion used for a good effect. On the stately "Gypsy" Millo's guitar reaches perhaps its most emotionally wrenching orbit, while Pilt gradually layers keyboards behind his soloing, adding harmonic and textural complexity to a relatively straightforward composition (I especially like the way he occasionally "shadows" Millo's guitar with subtle harmony lines on a synth). "No Scruples" is an up-tempo number with very Genesis-like organ work and a middle section where Pilt gets to coax a few wild solo licks out of his synth. In contrast to the more song-oriented material, the album's longest track "Lamb's Fry" is essentially a jam-piece where Millo goes for a fuzzier and more psychedelic solo style when not providing wah-tinged comping for Pilt's explorations on synthesizer and Fender Rhodes; it also sounds rather fragmented and dated, and is the album's weakest link. Throughout the album the power of this music is in thoughtful, colourful arrangements and inspired performances that transcend the deceptively-simple structures and accessible melodies, and when all these elements click, the music is nothing short of magnificent; however, this is not everywhere, and some pieces could have been developed further. Overall not as good an album as Sebastian Hardie's Four Moments, but still a minor jewel in the crown of melodic, accessible symphonic prog that especially Camel fans should find compelling. -- Kai Karmanheimo
1. Forward We Ride (1:39)
2. Horsemen to Symphinity (8:33)
3. Glad to be Alive (8:06)
4. Gypsy (4:47)
5. No Scruples (6:29)
6. Lamb's Fry (9:39)
7. Non Siamo Perfetti (1:57)
8. Flight Call (4:36)
9. Horsemen to Symphinity (live performance - Mario Millo & men from mars 1998) (11:55)
Mario Millo / vocals, Gibson S1, Gibson L5-S, mandolin, acoustic guitars, tubular bells
Toivo Pilt / Hammond C3 L-111 organ, grand piano, Mini Moog, Fender Rhodes, mellotron,
Arp 2600, Solina, Omni string synth, clavinet D6, handclaps and vocals
Doug Bligh / drums, percussion (various), backing vocals and handclaps
Duncan MgGuire / bass guitar
GUESTS:
Doug Nethercote / bass guitar
Now 55, this album is still obscure to ,to many,people but it takes me back to my surfing days in the late 70's.Thank you it brings great memories and and a sly smile,thinking of the girls i knew
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