From: "Mark Fonda" <>
Posted with permission from:
Prog-Reviews Contact:
Greger R?nqvist
Nordringen 1
833 35 Str?sund
Sweden
Email: greger.ronnqvist@infodata.sema.se
---------------------------------------------------------------------
PROG-REVIEWS NR 2 - 2001 (Galleon Special)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEWS:
GALLEON - The All European Hero
GALLEON - Mind Over Matter
GALLEON - Beyond Dreams
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Reviews
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GALLEON - The All European Hero SWEDEN
Rating: * * * 1995
PRIVATE
VF 004
Time: 55:16
Galleon:
G?an Fors: Bass, Bass pedal synthesisers and vocals
Dan Fors: Drums and Percussion
Ulf Pettersson: Keyboards, programming and the Grand Piano
Micke V?n: Acoustic and electric guitars
Tracklist:
1. The all European intro
2. Traffalgar Square
3. The Russian ice princess
4. Jacks slumber party
5. Paternity suite
6. Seeking knowledge
7. European anthem
8. Repent
Galleon's fifth CD offers the same melodic neo-progressive rock that you are used to hear from Galleon. They have been around for quiet a long time now and have become an institution in the Swedish prog rock scene. The band was started back in 1985 in the neo-progressive wave. Their music is competent and have reminiscences to bands such as Genesis, Manticore, Marillion, Pendragon and Rush. When you buy a Galleon CD you know what you get, and that is both of good and bad. All in all, this album is a good album in the genre melodic neo-progressive rock. So if you're into this kind of music, Galleon may be worth checking out.
-Reviewed by Greger R?nqvist-
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GALLEON - Mind Over Matter SWEDEN
Rating: * * * * September 1998
PRIVATE
VF 005
Time: 66:27
Galleon:
G?an Fors: Bass, vocals and Keyboards
Dan Fors: Drums and percussion
Ulf Pettersson: Keyboards
Mikael V?n: Guitars
Tracklist:
1. Art Gallery (14:14)
2. Operating Manual (10:44)
3. Starborn (8:02)
4. House of Plenty (12:30)
5. The Wanderer (21:19)
Galleon have made a giant step forward in the right direction with this album. One of Sweden's top melodic progressive rock bands have made their finest album to this date. Five great tracks that range from 8:02 to 21:19 minutes. Their music is and has always been very keyboard oriented. Their music is reminiscent to bands such as Genesis, Manticore, Marillion, Pendragon and Rush. I have always had some problems to get into Galleon's music, but once you have listened to it a couple of times it's quite enjoyable. The highlight is the opening track "Art Gallery". This is also Mats Frost's best cover painting for Galleon up to date. This is the album to start with if you never have heard Galleon before. And with such a good album I think that you should give them a chance. A Swedish classic?
-Reviewed by Greger R?nqvist-
---------------------------------------------------------------------
GALLEON - Beyond Dreams SWEDEN
Rating: * * * * March 2000
PROGRESS RECORDS
PRCD 006
Time: 52.08
Galleon:
G?an Fors: Vocals, Bass & Bass Pedals
Ulf Petterson: Keyboards
Sven Larsson: Guitars
Dan Fors: Drums
Tracklist:
1. Before The Sunrise (9.09)
2. Let Us Be Amazed (8.58)
3. The Ballad Of Fortune (7.55)
4. The Dream (3.09)
5. Dreamland (8.19)
6. Parasite (8.07)
7. Sailing On By (6.25)
Swedish band Galleon is on the same record label as Cross. Galleon was founded as Aragon back in 1985, and they have released six albums up to date. Their music could be described as melodic keyboard-based neo-progressive rock with reminiscences to Genesis, Marillion, Rush and IQ. Galleon compositions are top-quality, but I can't really get used to the vocals. I found them somewhat weak, but original at the same
time. Galleon has become better for every album. And although this album doesn't differ that much from their previous album "Mind Over Matter", it's recommended to lovers of neo-progressive rock and Rush. -Reviewed by Greger R?nqvist-
Galleon Discography:
Lynx (1993)
Heritage And Visions (1994)
At This Moment In Time (1995, Single)
King Of Aragon (1995)
The All European Hero (1996)
Mind Over Matter (1998)
Beyond Dreams (2000)
Contact:
Progress Records
Stora Nygatan 38
111 27 Stockholm
Sweden
Mon-Fri: 11.00-18.00
Saturday: 11.00-16.00
Tel: 08-723 13 20
Fax: 08-723 13 25
Email: progress.records@swipnet.se
Progress Records: http://home.swipnet.se/progressrecords/
Galleon
R?husgatan 27
S- 827 33 Ljusdal, Sweden
Phone or Fax: +46 (0) 651 - 101 35
Galleon Web Stop: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/5466/
Mail to Galleon: galleon_sweden@hotmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
CROSS - Secrets SWEDEN
Rating: * * * ? August 18, 2000
PROGRESS RECORDS
PRCD 007
Time: 55:59
Cross:
Hansi Cross - guitars, keyboards, vocals
Lollo Andersson - basses
Tomas Hjort - drums, percussion
with:
Olov Andersson - keyboards
Tai - vocals
Lizette von Panajott - vocals
Lars Borgstr? - cello
Tracklist:
1. Bleeding In Silence (8:05)
2. Little One (1:43)
3. The Core (8:21)
4. Awakening (5:26)
5. Changed Reality (8:33)
6. Pall Of Illusion (3:29)
7. Welcome To Utopia (14:16)
8. Bonus Track (2:34)
Swedish keyboard player Hansi Cross is back with a new album with his band Cross. Hansi has been around quite a long time now and he has six releases in his back-catalogue. His music is within the neo-progressive genre together with bands like Arena, but with some influences from the 70's progressive rock including Genesis and King Crimson. Some may see Hansi Cross as a keyboard player, but he's actually better on the guitar. He's really brilliant at times.
Generally it's very good, but the weakness lies in the vocals that sounds tense. The songs are quite monotonous too and the keyboards often have a very 80's sound that doesn't really appeal to me. I have heard some of Cross previous albums, and they have the same problem. This is however the best album I've heard from Cross. At times it's really good, especially in the closing track "Welcome To Utopia". Overall this album doesn't contain any secrets, just the usual Cross stuff: quality compositions, but nothing that differs them from the masses. -Reviewed by Greger R?nqvist-
Contact:
Progress Records
Stora Nygatan 38
111 27 Stockholm
Sweden
Mon-Fri: 11.00-18.00
Saturday: 11.00-16.00
Tel: 08-723 13 20
Fax: 08-723 13 25
Email: progress.records@swipnet.se
Progress Records: http://home.swipnet.se/progressrecords/
Cross Homepage: http://hem.passagen.se/cross_1/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Forthcoming reviews in "Prog-Reviews"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Cafe?e, Cruz De Hierro, Sore Plexus, Supper's Ready, Theta, Devin Townsend, Un Voyage En Progressif - Volume 4, Versus X, Hardscore, Yoke Shire, Beholder, Dead Can Dance, Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke, Rockenfield / Speer, Keeper, Hellborg / Lane / Selvaganesh, Lars Hollmer, Sonus Umbra, Return, Ensemble Nimbus, In The Labyrinth, Lotus, Nitzinger, Twin Age, Valinor's Tree, Dificil Equilibrio, Elohim, In Nomine, KBB, Taal, Daryl Stuermer, Mob Rules, Vanishing Point, La Mansion, J. L. Fern?dez Ledesma Q. / Margarita Botello, Lunar Chateau, Omni, Perfume De Mujer, Aka Moon, Slang, Klimperei, Belladonne, Horizont, Kaseke, Barakade, Drew Barrett, Inquire, Drearylands, Jarra, Vision, SKW, Timescape, Warning: Minds Of Raging Empires...a tribute to Queensryche, Room 101, Djam Karet, Spiral Maddness, Spearfish, Isaac Hayes, Half Man...and many more!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
KEEP ON PROGGIN'
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to Prog-Reviews e-zine:
http://www.egroups.com/subscribe/prog-reviews
(Total circulation of this e-zine: more than 300 persons)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Prog-Reviews archive:
http://www.egroups.com/messages/prog-reviews
---------------------------------------------------------------------