Wednesday 9 July 2014

The Riddle Princess (Dragonfly, 1982)

Too sad this Swiss band, born in the late '70s, just released one album. This epic will explain how good and well conceived their music was. They knew how to line up different moods and they liked to employ both acoustic and electric instruments, in the wake of such masters as Gentle Giant, Genesis and, most of all, Yes. The sound still seems good to me today, and the finest moments probably are the Moog and acoustic guitar interplays, drawing dreaming sequences and fairy atmospheres.

This album includes all the best features of classic Symphonic
Rock and that wasn't a commercial winning choice in 1982...

René Bühler, the singer, has a sensitive voice, clearly inspired by Jon Anderson, but with a personal note. This suite has a special charm, suspended between the highest aerial regions, and the pulsing rythm section, cleverly enriching the instrumental passages with intricated needleworks. When the tempo rises up, Marcel Ege's electric guitar also comes in and adds its stingy notes to the big picture. Really, a good way to spend your next 17 minutes of spare time.

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