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Jon Hinchliffe

Jon's Album Reviews

Last Modified On 03/11/2004

Occasionally I write reviews of albums for mailing lists. I have therefore started to keep them here to.

Lane Lane - The Ballad Collection
Lana Lane - Secrets Of Astrology
Erik Norlander - Threshold
Erik Norlander - Into The Sunset
Lana Lane - Live Bonus Discs
Lana Lane - Ballad Collection 2
Other Albums

Lane Lane - The Ballad Collection

Hopefully my copy of the New album is on it's way from Japan but in the mean time I have been on the Ballad Collection for the last week or two. It's very good. When I first played it to a friend in the car going to a gig I feared it might be too slow but I don't know how I got that impression. I did notice I now know more of the tracks though.

Where does Avalon come from? This is excellent. I guessed it would be on Love Is An Illusion from the date but I see it isn't. Is it a Rocket Scientist track? I really like the use of Viola on it. I have to say I can't really see the point of Avalon Reprise though. There is no Lana or Viola so why bother? To be far I do like the Reprise it is just if you have the album on repeat it is annoying hearing it and then the first version again.

Athena's Shadow is very nice.

Again where does Stardust come from I can't spot it on an album but it is written by one of the circle. Again this is OK I am not terribly struck on it.

Through The Fire is Good to hear in the new format. Even though I drink only once in a Blue moon I must be an alcoholic. Instead of singing to myself "Take the ashes and turn them to Diamonds" by brain always wants to sing "Take the ashes and turn them to Cider" I can't explain how my brain got into this habit and it really bugs me. Oh it is very interesting to play the 1998 "original" version again. I don't really get on with that album but this song is OK.

I think When time Stood Still is far Better than the ELO original. It is one of my favourite on the album. Especially Erik's keyboard touches.

Clouds was one of my favourites on Curious Goods. I have to say playing the original I can't understand why. This Ballad version is so much better. In fact it makes me think of Karen Carpenter (ie The Carpenters) but thankfully not as Cheesy. So who did the original of this?

Heart of Dawn I didn't realise was a track on it's own. Both this and Take a breath I like a lot but I prefer the original mix to the Ballad one. It is a bit bassier and Lana is more up front.

I have never heard Across the Universe before so was surprised to see it is presumably a Beatles song. It stuck me more as being a cover of an Abba song or something. A friend nastily contaminated my collection with some Beatles albums but it doesn't seem to be on any so I am curious to hear the original. That's the funny thing with the Beatles they have influenced so many of the bands I like but I tend not to like them themselves. I accepted their albums since my friend had them in his 2nd Hand shop and he knows I like ELO and Roy Wood etc and have an Album by Rick Wakeman of Beatles tunes. Across the universe is good anyway. I think I am not 100% certain. It does seem a little Sickly.

Overall I really like the album.

How sad. Only Live In Japan to go and I am up to date

Secrets Of Astrology - Lana Lane

 This is an odd album to me as it combines artists of my favourite two bands of the 90's. Lana after several successful albums decided to try some new musicians on this album. The Main interest to me is the addition of Ayreon's master Arjen Lucassen on guitar.

Astrology Prelude - This is a good opener. Lane is on "Ah" type vocals and it is a good tune.

Secrets Of Astrology - This is a typical Lana song keyboardwise but it strikes me a being heavier overall since Arjen is on Heavy Rhythm guitars in most of it. The song is OK but I am not sure I am as keen on the heaviness. I like the use of keyboards, as is usually the case with me.

Alexandria - This is by far my favourite track on the album. While I normally like this softer sort of song on Previous albums it is normally heavier tracks such as Destination Roswell and Frankenstein Unbound that are my favourites. Again Arjen is providing Heavy Rhythm guitars and there is a definite Beatle feel to the backing. Now that I am looking at the track credits it is easy to recognise Arjen as being the 2nd Guitar solo. I.e. it is typical of the sort of think he would do on Ayreon. The first guitar solo is by the other guitarist of the album David Victor from Velocity.

Raining - This is another of my favourite. Again there is lots of heavy backing from Arjen. Ayreon's Robert Soeterboek is apparently on Backing Vocals but I can't say I noticed. The Guitar solo is David's.

The Bell - This has a very Orchestrated Classical started. Oh sorry it is a real String Section. Eric Norlander only providing Percussion on this and there is no Arjen. I am rather fond of this one. I think this is probably more normal Lana in style. It also has touches of Louis Clark ELO string arrangements to it.

Speed Of Sound - This is apparently the controversial track among the fans. It has that horrid double speed drumming on it. But despite this I actually think it is OK. Oh Robert is on Harmony Vocals again. He is on quite a few tracks actually but I wouldn't buy the album for his contribution. Again it's a David Solo. I like the interplay between Erik's Keyboards and the Guitar solo and then the main theme. Arjen of course is on Rhythm but I can't actually spot what he is doing if I am honest. I guess I would need to watch it performed or listen in headphones.

Under The Sun - After that heavy onslaught we are on an Arjen less Mellow tune. Again this is more what I seem to enjoy on this album. I am going to have to listen the other albums to see if most tracks are like this or the heavy tracks on this album are just a tad too heavy for me. The song has nice input from the string section again.

Tarrot - This song is an Arjen Lana co-write. Back with the heavy Rhythm! I am really not sure I like this aspect on the album. This track is excellent though. Arjen apparently helps out on Moog too. I think this track would be more likely to fit on Flight Of The Migrator than Dream Sequencer but possibly it fits somewhere between the two. I like the patterns of Arjen's Single note guitar playing most I think. I suspect that is one of the main things I like about Arjen's writing.

Asherah - Arjen gets another guitar solo on this. It has Heavy Rhythm guitars but slower ones. I am a little indifferent to this track. Mmm it's interesting once I know it is Arjen's solo I can tell it. Never before. Mind you I have the same trouble playing scales on my Sax. When they are wrong I am not sure if they are right. When they are right I do know it! I clearly have a strange brain.

Guardian Angel - Oh this one grates on me. I don't like the "the white cliffs of Dover" line. It is very annoying as I like the instrumental breaks (which include Arjen and of course Erik). Ah this was the one Guitar solo I spotted as Arjen without the booklet. This track is actually very Ayreon. I guess that is why I find is so frustrating I hate the Chorus.

Long Winter Dreams - Oh here comes the Rhythm again. I think this track is pretty much just there for me.

Astrology Postlude - A kind of summary of the album. I prefer the Prelude this is pretty much just there for me again. There are some nice sections though

Romeo And Juliet - Is the Japanese only bonus track. Again it is OK.

I set very high standard for Lana's music and this album pretty much meets them. I certainly think it is better than the first two. I can't help thinking it isn't as good as Garden of the Moon and Queen Of The Ocean though. I really can't put my finger on what it is that is missing or not quite there for me on this album. I suspect I am indifferent to about the same number of tracks on the other albums so I guess I just don't get the peaks of excitement. I am also a little uncomfortable with the amount of heavy Rhythm so perhaps I find that slightly distracting. I certainly wouldn't claim it was wrong and I sure others will enjoy it. I would be interested to hear what others think about the album though.

Erik Norlander - Threshold

I have had this album some weeks put it away and then got it out again because I wanted to compare it to Into The Sunset. At the time I was a little disappointed with it as I guess I was hoping for Lana Lane Frankenstein Unbound solos in early 70's Rick Wakeman type tunes. This album isn't really like that at all. It probably compares well to early 90's Rick albums (when he is in rock mode).

Arrival is really just a two-minute intro soundscape to Neurosaur. This is a good tune. It uses keyboard that that has a mike attached to it. Or it did when I have seen Rick Wakeman producing the sounds. I like the main riff. It is quite a bubbly jolly little thing. The tune has good variety though.

No Cross To Carry is similar in its riffy way to the previous track. I had to double check we had moved on as I know the album so well and I don't remember tunes well as pieces. I guess this tune is following song format in that it has repeating sections and breaks etc. I don't think of this when I am reviewing Wakeman albums so perhaps it is more structured than him. Sorry I have no other keyboard albums to compare against so they are they only references I will think off.

Threshold - I guess of the tracks so far they are all using similar sets of sounds. A Dirty Riffy sort. The breath one. A Soloing Moog type voice and maybe a couple of others. Erik uses a real drummer on the album and I think this helps a lot compares to some of Wakeman's more recent works in this field. It also has a bass but must confess I am not listening to him much. Around the 5-minute mark there is a lengthy nothing much happening phase. Lots of scratching sorts of going on in the background with some programmed rhythms and a solo line. Then it reverts back to the main tune. I like the piece but don't really understand the middle bit. There is nothing wrong with it. It is just there for me though.

Neuro Boogie starts of a bit like Deep Purple's Lazy although it still reminds me more of a more recent Wakeman piece. This is a good patterny tune (Bach like?) with the occasional Lazy type blues break. Around the 3-minute mark we have a break for a minute before returning to the main themes at the end. Again I quiet like this.

Trantor Station -Whoops I thought this was Walts Of The Biots and I thought it a good name. It does sound like Mechanical Robots mumblings at the start. Again very Wakeman like to me. Perhaps this album is like his 2000AD - Into the Future most (It's probably nothing like it if I play it again :-))  Again this is a good track. I am particularly drawn to the Trumpet sounding sections expecting them to appear in places they don't.

Waltz Of The Biots - Particle Storm to about 2mins is just keyboard soundscaping. I am never sure if I view this as music, annoying or OK. We then get some Chinese/Japanese sounding sort of Rhythms before a melody kicks in around 3 and 1/2 mins. Oh this is definitely reminding me of 2000AD. (Or this album ;-) )

It's no good, I had to suspended this review to spin through 2000AD. The keyboard sounds on 2000AD are more varied and slightly different it is also a faster album but I think there is a similarity in the feel between the two. I think I prefer 2000AD overall but I have had this album many years and it was the B side of a Cassette I made with Softsword on it and that is one of my Favourite Rick albums so it had had a lot more play).

Back to Threshold I definitely prefer the real drumming on this. Around the 6-minute mark in Biots we change again. Ah Keith Emerson on the sleeve notes mentions Phil Glass. I have only heard his Bowie stuff but I think I can here what Emerson means here. I quite like this phase of the track. It must be the Grand Ballroom section. When playing the CD I would probably have guessed the Cocktails In the Vestibule section was a different tune.

Critical Mass starts with church Organ type sounds, which continue in sections during the piece. I don't think I could guess the sections on this one. Around 3.30 we get some bottom end Moog then some horns? And the organ again. Around 5 mins there are some more very Wakeman runs. Then there is some piano. Again quite a good piece.

Overall I think it is a good album for anyone that likes solo keyboard players. I am not sure the album is for everyone and I have to be in keyboard only mood to want to play it. It is quite different from Into The Sunset, which is more of a song/band-based album.

Into The Sunset - Erik Norlander

This is Erik's 2nd solo album and it is quite different from his first one.

Sunset Prelude - This album starts with Ah's and this time they are real ones. It then proceeds to a full band hard rock track. It has Ayreon's Arjen Luccassen and guitars and it gives the album a much more rounded feel. Erik is more into Lana Lane sounding solos and with a full band obviously has less room for keyboard sounds. This track in fact seems a little guitar biased until around 1.30 and then we get some good exciting keyboards from Erik. This is more the sort of stuff I hoped for on Threshold. It is like the difference between a middling Wakeman album and one of my favourite ones. It is the excitement factor for me.

Into The Sunset follows on seamlessly. I wonder what makes a song sub part and what makes one a new track? These two are clearly linked. Edward Reekers (Who has sung on Arjen's Ayreon albums) is vocalist on this track and he is in good form. Being an Erik solo album we get longer keyboard breaks than we would on a Lana Lane album. Here there is actually interplay between Erik and Arjen.

Rome is Burning has Glenn Hughes on vocals. Not my favourite vocalist in the world but he is OK. Interestingly he was lined up to work with Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson during the summer. It didn't happen but I believe an album might. Lana Lane (who has also worked with Arjen on Ayreon. (I hate it when solo artist are referred to by bands they used to be in. EG Wakeman in Yes when he has probably outsold them solo)) also adds vocals to this. This probably isn't my favourite track but it is good.

Fanfare For The Dragon Isle is a short instrumental which is far better than soundscaping. It leads to

Fly which starts with lots of Arjen. It has vocals by Lana and a little section at the start by Edward. The tracks on this album are a lot paceier than the previous album. Lana is pretty much used as Erik uses her on her solo albums. Including the trick of using her to answer herself, which I really like. In the middle it calms down and we get some piano work before it moves into some Hammond and then picks up for more keyboard soloing. This is a pretty good track.

Dreamcurrents reminds me of another band. Perhaps Renaissance. It is Piano and keys. It then has some Cellos by Cameron Stone (possibly not used on Ayreon. Yet!). This is a nice gentle piece. Very good.

Lines In The Sand - I must train my brain not to think it is sung "Lions in the Sand"! It clearly isn't that but the change of note confuses me. When I first played the album I thought Robert Soeterboek's vocals rather rough sounding. It has to be said I think this is my favourite track though. I don't think there is anything wrong with the grit in his vocal at all now. I love all the solos I don't think it can go wrong really with Arjen and Erik doing them. I think Erik is using a smaller subset of sounds on this one. At least for soloing. Oh I just noticed the Breath keyboard in use too.

On The Wings Of Ghosts has an atmospheric start with some cello before a piano stats tapping and the band finally join in. It must be a Moog that is doing most of the keyboard solos. The structure of this song prior to the vocals is a bit like on Threshold but more enjoyable with the extra guitar. This song is has the early Ayreon combination of Edward and Robert exchanging vocal lines. It is very effective as Edward is a lovely voice and Robert the gritty contrast. Arjen's heavy rhythm backing didn't really work for me on Lana's Secrets of Astrology but on this album it is perfect. The track ends with a quieter section with piano and good melodic guitar and then keyboard. It is very good. I wish Arjen would use Edward and Robert like this again.

Hymn is a very short Lana vocal track, which I assumed was part of ..

Into The Sunset Repise and ..

Sunset Postlude. Nothing greatly different here although I know the album so well I could be wrong.

And there the album ends and I am surprised it feels so short. I guess there are only 6 or 7 tunes really. Luckily I bought the Japanese version, which has a bonus track

Alchemy and Astronomy - Oh the notes about this aren't in the album (or they are but not English). Mmm I read them at Erik's site www.thetank.com. It is supposed to be reminiscent of Rocket Scientist's (Erik's other band) Mariner song. I am only just listening to that but didn't make the Connection and RS's Escape. I can't recall that one without playing it. I know where Pink Floyd's Shine On You Crazy Diamond references comes from though as the song contains a good sax solo. It is not often I have my favourite three instruments on one album. The vocal is by Edward again although it is a very small part of this 17 minute song. I like the Bass work in his vocal section. And I like this song in general although it doesn't really fit the album. I certainly think it makes the Japanese album worth the expense. Actually from Erik's site it was/is only 16 dollars.

I think this album is an excellent release. It doesn't quite reach Ayreon heights for me but I would certainly love a lot more of it. I highly recommend it if you are into hard rock with good guitars and Moog solos (and in Japan a Sax solo).

If I am honest this is the sort of music I would like to see Rick Wakeman have a crack at. It would be interesting to see if Arjen could ever get Rick to work with him. Rick has a strange taste in Guitar players and is a lot softer these days so I am not sure it would work out how I would like. I think Erik is as close to Rick Wakeman as I am likely to find in this area of music. He clearly has the same obsession with work and writing too. Even better he can right lyrics and has a more traditional sense of a good vocalist.

Lana Lane - Live Bonus Discs

I got a very pleasant surprised this week. In the post came two 3 track Lana Lane live discs that I didn't know about. Apparently they are give aways in Japan if you know how to fill in the forms. Luckily a very kind friend was able to get them for me as she had spare forms/tokens

The first disc is a live Covers disc

Long Live Rock'n'roll (Club Quattro - Tokyo - 20 Apr 99) - It has to be said I approached this with fear. The original Rainbow version is a classic and I have a definite bias against female vocals. (I wouldn't have got into Lana if it wasn't for the fact I was drawn by Erik's keyboards.) I therefore wondered how would this sound and I have to say I am impressed it comes off pretty well. Lana's vocals are strong and clear and the band does a good job. Erik throwing in lots of Hand down the keyboard (which is in Hammond mode if it isn't one) and a nice little break with the guitar in the middle.

Seasons End (Club Quattro - Tokyo - 20 Apr 99) - This seems to be a duet by Lana and Erik. I really like the studio version which is a Japanese Bonus track on Queen Of Ocean. This pretty much only has a piano keyboard sound. It seems to have key pressure additional voices to give it that little bit extra but I miss the extra keyboard voices of the Studio version. Especially Erik's little phrase at the end of each line. This is still extremely good though. Lana can certainly sing. I still don't like the original Marillion version which is so drab by comparison. Lana's vocals are really move me, Steve Hogarth's just leave me cold. The keyboards on the original just don't have the same quality either. I wonder what made Lana choose the song. Playing the Demo version on the Marillion Season End remaster I get the impression Lana's version is perhaps closer to the demo than the final version.

Dream On (Zippal Hall, Tokyo 29 Oct 98) - This is apparently an Aerosmith cover. I had never heard it before so to me this is a new track. Again this is Erik and Lana and despite being an earlier tour Erik seems to be on the same Keyboard sounds. Lana really well does this well to me. I would love to have seen Lana live or on Video. I think this track is on a par with Seasons End so I am glad to have heard it.

The Second is High Energy Live

Evolution Revolution (Banana Hall Osaka - 19 Apr 99 - Hey I have been there!) - Being full band stuff and live versions of tunes I already know in this format I think the songs on this disc suffer from the mix. I wonder how they were recorded. At a guess I would say soundboard DATs. This comes across well but I have a feeling this is one of the songs that has two Lana voices answering each other and live of course she can't do that. Ah again I want to see it in video I bet Erik it fascinating to watch on the keyboard break and it would be interesting to see the guitar solo etc.

Night Falls (Club Quattro - Tokyo - 20 Apr 99) - I can't really find anything to say about this. It is very faithful to the studio version. The sound is perhaps better than the first track.

Through the Rain (Club Quattro - Tokyo - 20 Apr 99) - Ah the drum sound on this one seems a bit odd (hollow? muddy?). Everyone else is OK. Again this is pretty faithful to the original (as far as I can remember). The middle guitar break might well be different.

I really would like to know what the set lists were on these tours. The band if they can't justify a full video shoot ought to release a homemade video bootleg (with warnings) for dedicated fans by the internet. I am sure fans dedicated fans would prefer something to nothing but equally I am sure the band would be too perfectionist to do something like that. I can live in hope though. Lana Lana are definitely a band I would love to see live. I am frustrated to have discovered Lana played here in Britain only a few weeks before I found her Frankenstein Unbound on a Hard Roxx sampler disc. This being my intro to the band and the source of my compulsion to get everything I can by them. I think I am down to the first Rocket Scientist album and the live video now. Boo hoo.

If you can work out how to get these disc I highly recommend them. It's a shame there are no notes for them. I particularly like Erik's notes from the Producers desk.

Ballad Collection 2 - Lana Lane

Lana Lane's first Ballad Collection was so popular that after the last Studio album they were asked to do another one. It is mainly covers but not necessarily tracks you would expect to hear.

Nether Lands - This is a track by Dan Fogelberg from his self-titled solo album. I haven't got a clue who he is or what the original is like but I love this version. I don't like the fact it is the first track on the album though as sometimes I feel I can overdose on it. I am not sure why but I often feel the need to jump in the middle of the disc if I know I won't play the disc all the way through. Erik is on Piano and Harpsichord and I can well imagining Rick Wakeman playing the same way. Lana sings the track with her usual clarity and I therefore find myself really listening to the Lyrics. At about the four-minute mark there is a little interlude which reminds me of fair ground music for some reason. Erik is getting a lot of other instrument sounds on this one too

Hands To Heal - This is an original composition by Lana's long time Stick player Don Schiff and his writting partner Tully Winfield.  Lana's voice is sometimes used to repeat lines with a different effect on it and I like that. The track fits well on the album but it isn't a favourite. I wonder if it is because there is not much Erik on it? There are certainly a fair few guitar runs on it from Neil Citron.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - This is of course is an Elton John song and I was extremely disappointed when I heard it was to be on the album. It is one of my favourites though. Again Lana brings out the lyrics and I love Erik’s Hammond including the short hand along the keyboard moments. I also like Erik’s Moog solo sandwiched between Neil's guitar solos.

A Place In Time - This was written by Lana herself. I am currently typing an interview with her up and she was saying how she has been writing on acoustic guitar recently so it is interesting to hear this is acoustic guitar based now that I am playing it with knowledge of who wrote it. Again there is less Erik on it so there is less to excite me. The track is good but not a favourite.

Nevermore - This starts without a break. In fact it starts on a guitar run which is most unusual. I would never have spotted it was a new song to be honest. It’s a complete mystery of what makes a new song, what makes a sub part of a song and what makes an instrumental track. This track has more hints of Erik in it but it is still a bit Erik light. His backing seems a bit ELO/Louis Clarke in flavour.

A Place In Time Reprise - This changes at a guitar run again. I am a bit baffled by why it is here but when I listen to the album as a whole all three tracks are one to me.

Ghost By My Bedside - The pace picks up a bit for this one and there is some really nice fretless Bass work on it. I like the rhythm of the lyrics on this. Strangely Erik’s fairly comprehensive CD notes don't say whom this was originally by. It was written by a Gregory Markel though. Erik uses a Mellotron on it so I guess that is why it feels slightly Beatles like in the background. I like this one.

To The Last Whale Critical Mass and Wind On The Water. This is by Crosby and Nash. Bum is a word I used to get told off for saying a kid so I guess the first part of Critical Mass is a bit rude to me with all that Bum, bum, bum be dumbing on it ;-) My daughters were at least amused when I suggested they shouldn't listen to the lyrics. It is a very good Multi-harmony vocal part. I can't altogether see the point but why not start a track like it. The tracks ends with some atmospherics from Erik, which I assumed was the intro to Wind On The Water but again, I am wrong. The lyrics for this track are very strong. Incidentally a British person would never have written them. The lines end in Raise, Vase and face. Brits pronounce Vase as Var-se. It catches me of guard every time. I was convinced this sounded like a Steely Dan track when I heard it. Something about the rhythm has that feel to it to me. I don't know if the original Crosby Nash song has this feel or if it is just this arrangement. I very much like the track anyway.

The River Maid - This is another Lana Lane original. Is this a record for one album? I seem to recall checking past albums and normally only finding one or two songs by Lana herself. Like her other tracks on the album it is a slower paced track and which makes it harder to excite me. On Erik is on Lead guitar on this one. A man of many talents.

Autumn Leaves - Is a Jazz standard and again Erik doesn't mention by whom. I would never have guessed it. It is very pleasant although not outstanding.

Innocent When You Dream - I rather like this one. Originally by Tom Waits it has an interesting vocal melody and some nice Keys from Erik. I think the key to my liking it is it's slightly more up-tempo again.

If Everyone Was Listening - Here is the only other Cover I knew prior to the album. By Supertramp I wasn't sure if Lana could make it her own. I think she has though. I have been meaning to compare it to the original for weeks perhaps I will now. Again Erik is the star for me. I love his backing on this. I am a bit surprised he replaced the Sax solo (whoops Clarinet I think) with a similar sound on the keyboard though. The guitar solo from Neil Citron works very well too. Oh this section isn't on the original at all. I thought it strange that Supertramp would have two tracks together with big endings. Mmm I can't decide which version I prefer. Both are very good. I think I might just edge towards the Lana version because of Erik sound at the start of the song.

My guess is that I have played Ballad 2 a least twice as many times as the original Ballad collection. I therefore suspected I preferred it overall. Since I have got the Ballad Collection Special Edition I decided to play the first collection again just as a one off. The first thing I noticed was the use of the Viola. I am a real sucker for well-used String section instruments so this kind of made the album a bit more varied and special. I also liked the variety of having the hand percussion on Through the Fire. I therefore wonder if I do prefer the original Ballad set especially now the disc has Marillion's Season's End on it. I think the key is both discs are great quality and I love them both. Ballad 2 of course has the advantage of being all new material to Lana fans whereas Ballad 1 threw in some Re-mixes of old Lana songs.