English progressive rock with a splash of jazz influence from the founder of Protos ("One Day a New Horizon")

9 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Progressive Rock, ROCK: Instrumental Rock



Details:
Could Rory be the next Mike Oldfield?

Passing Decades has nine tracks of progressive instrumental rock. From the opening bars of the title track (Passing Decades) you immediately sense this album is out of the ordinary. Normally an album starts well and then gets worse, but I found the reverse to be more true - it starts well, then gets better and better.

"Variations" (track two) has resonances of Tubular Bells. Night Time, evokes the silent streets of Chinatown in London, instrumental music harking back to the best of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. "Hunting" (track four) is a modern version of an old Protos number from One Day a New Horizon.

The highlights - for me at least - come with tracks 6, 7 and 9. "Tempest" is a 14 minute prog rocker's dream: at times like Pink Floyd's Animals (1977), in other moments capturing instrumental/compositional brilliance not heard since tracks like 'Cinema Show' on Selling England by the Pound (Genesis, 1973).

This is followed by a Protos favorite called "The Maiden". Revised for this album, the tension keeps building for the whole six minutes and when the end comes, it does not disappoint.

The closing track, Space, is slower, evoking memories of Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Pink Floyd, 1975) and Awaken (Yes, 1977).

Rory's early compositions can be found on One Day a New Horizon (Airship, 1982) by Protos. Passing Decades was recorded 10 years later and shows a wider range of musical influences as well as greater experience in arrangment and composition. A worthy opening statement for a new solo artist.