Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Prog | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 157 / 2-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 6/10 | Label: Tigermoth | Autor: MaB
"Beneath The Waves", the debut album of Rob Reed's Allstar Project Compendium, was voted "Album of the Year 2012" by the Classic Rock Society. Now the successor is in the starting blocks with "Elements". But wait, that's not quite right, because "Elements" is just an alternative version of "Beneath The Waves", where the first CD consists of demos and unreleased tracks, while the second CD contains instrumental versions of the twelve original songs. While Reed had originally mixed progressive and Celtic elements together, "Elements" is a step away from progrock to orchestral pop, which makes the actually quite good song material sound less special. In addition, the story written by Reed's brother Steve is taken out of its hinges by focusing on the instrumental side, so that the plot is no longer comprehensible. All in all, this edition is to be seen as an attempt to recover the costs incurred by "Beneath The Waves". Artistically, however, Rob Reed has not necessarily done himself a favor.
Top track: Beneath The Waves