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Alaska is :
Al Lewis on Vocals, Drums, Percussion and Guitar
John O'Hara on Keyboards
Additional Musicians : Kent Wells on Guitar (Track 4)
Dave Fowler on Bass (track 4)
String Quartet on Track 7 'Mesa Extrana'
Lise Boorse on Violin
Dave Friedman On Violin
Cheryl Blumenthal on Viola
Lori Savage on Cello
William Weber on Bassoon
Mary Ann Kasko on Oboe
Leo Schott on Flute
John O'Hara on Piano
Alan Lewis on Percussion
The tracks are :
1. Ice Spirits (5:56)
2. Museum Dreams (6:55)
3. Two Shades Of Grey (4:26)
4. Anyman's Tomorrow (8:20)
5. Bardanes (1:53)
6. Reason to Wonder (3:57)
7. Mesa Extrana (1:59)
8. Tiananmen Square (11:52)
9. Wellsbridge (11:12)
10. Caring (3:29)
11 Forests Of Heaven (9:38)
A few years ago, I like many others thought that progressive rock
was dying due to the lack of good progressive rock bands. Many of
the bands in the 70's & 80's had gone like E.L.P & Twelfth Night,
some were only producing albums every couple of years and in my mind
some had even sold out.
You could say that Genesis were producing albums that might as well
have been Phil Collin's solo albums. Yes has gone into producing more
commercial albums, although I did think that the Anderson, Wakeman,
Bruford & Howe album was superb.
Now I know there were a few good bands around like IQ, Marillion,
etc, and you will notice that all of the bands I have mentioned are
British and I think this is were the problem lied. So where do British
fans get to hear about all the other good progrock bands that are
dotted around the world as you are very unlikely to read about them
in the British music magazines as they only cover the Major labels
or Indie stuff like Placebo.
Well, There is one place were there's a wealth of information, The
INTERNET!!!
Since coming onto the Internet, I have been introduced to some great
progressive rock bands like Spock's Beard, Discipline, Leger de Main,
Helreidh and many more and just recently a new band called Alaska.
Alaska are a new band that is made up of only two musicians
and that is Al & John. You only need one listen of their
debut album and you will know that this is an excellent CD. The quality
of the musicianship is superb as well as their songwriting ability.
All of the eleven tracks on this CD have been well structured and
create a lot of emotion. There might only be two of them, but they
do create a big sound. Al's voice at times is very similar
to Jon Anderson of Yes and I would say the music at times sounds a
bit similar to Yes and other influences I would say are Vangelis and
Thomas Dolby. But then again Alaska do have a sound of their
own.
Alaska are much more Keyboards dominated and John at
times will take you on a magical mystery tour.
This is another album that I found difficult to choose a few favourites
as they are all excellent, but 'Tiananmen Square', 'Museum Dreams',
'Forests Of Heaven' are all superb tracks with some stunning keyboards
,many changes in direction, mood and tempo and lots of emotion and
atmosphere. I could quite easliy go on naming track after track on
this excellent CD and one of the tracks 'Mesa Extrana' is a
composition written for a string quartet.
Alaska, I am sure are destined for a bigger and brighter future.
Highly Recommended. Go out and BUY!!
For more information contact Alaska. P.O. Box 551. Dunmore. PA
18512.
Website : http://home.earthlink.net/~alaska98
Email : alaska98@earthlink.net
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