Progressive Rock Reviews


A Vision of Angels

PETER GEE

 

The Musicians on this recording are:
Simon Clew - Lead vocals and Backing vocals
Steve Christey - Drums
Ian Salmon - Electric guitars
Tina Riley - Choir vocals and Backing vocals
Nick Barrett - Guitars on "Orphans" and the end solo on "Always"
Clive Nolan
- Keyboard solos on "Always" & "Heart's Desire", Orchestral percussion and Backing vocals
Peter Gee - Keyboards, Fretted and Fretless basses, Electric, Classical & Acoustic guitars

Tracklist:
1. Always (10:11)
2. Heart's Desire (6:43)
3. Lost and Found (6:12)
4. Faith (3:52)
5. Never Could Say Goodbye (5:07)
6. Orphans (All Alone in the World) (8:56)
7. Foreign Land (2:42)
8. Jordan (9:11)
9. I Believe In Love (3:53)

This is the second solo album by Pendragon bass player Peter Gee, the follow-up to "Heart of David".

The music is beautiful melodic symphonic progressive rock. It doesn't differ very much from the Pendragon albums, but there's also reminiscences to Camel, Fish, The Flower Kings, Peter Gabriel, early Genesis, Marillion and Steely Dan.

Two Pendragon musicians are participating on this album: Clive Nolan and Nick Barrett. The other musicians are A Million Blues vocalist Simon Clew, Jadis drummer Steve Christey, Shadowland guitarist Ian Salmon and Tina Riley on Choir vocals and Backing vocals.

The lyrics are basically about love and romance with a religious theme throughout the entire album.

There's a text on the cover that says it all:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

The highlights are "Always", the ballad "Lost and Found" with strong melodies, the acoustic "Faith", the jazzy "Never Could Say Goodbye" and the instrumental masterpiece "Orphans (All Alone in the World)".

Peter has written all the songs, he's playing Keyboards, Fretted and Fretless basses, Electric, Classical & Acoustic guitars, and he's also painted the beautiful cover.

This is a strong solo-album with good musicians and strong compositions, showing that Peter can do well, even without Pendragon.

Unfortunately Peter's debut solo album is deleted, but I hope that it will be re-released sometimes in the future. Recommended!

PENDRAGON TOFF RECORDS PEND8CD
Pendragon/Toff Records/The Mob/Impy Imports
Fairfields
Nuptown
Warfield
Berks RG42 6HS
Phone: 01344 893 693
E-mail: toff@pndragon.demon.co.uk

-Reviewed by Greger Rönnqvist-