Bookmarks: The Hound of the Baskervilles
From: "upnsm0ke" upnsm0ke@gte.net
Re: Jabberwocky: Official release date: Jan. 11, '99: Vocals by Bob Cately (Magnum) &
Tracy Hitchings (Landmarq). Narration by Daddy Wakeman and cover art/booklet by Rodney
Mathews (though I don't know what it looks like yet). Tracklist: Overture, Coming To Town,
Dangerous World, The Forest, A Glimmer Of Light, Shadows, Enlightenment, Dancing Water,
The Burgundy Rose, The Mission, Call To Arms, Finale. Some thoughts: This is a
fantastic album. The keyboard playing is as gorgeous as [a picture of] a young, nude Gerri
Halliwell before she got Spice'd. The compositions skirt the familiar Nolan/Pendragon
neo-prog conventions, but are richer, evoking a pastoral, neoclassical sound painting. As
for soloing, well, we've got Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman! I don't know who plays which
solos and leads, but they are positively tasty, like Tabasco-flavored Slim Jims. I've only
heard this dub once (so far) and I'm very happy.
From: "Carsten Busch"
> > By the way anyone checked out the Jabberwocky album yet with Oliver Wakeman?
Here's the review I will soon put on the UEPR website: Clive Nolan & Oliver
Wakeman - Jabberwocky
Here's a superproject, scheduled for release in February. Masterminds behind this are
keyboardwiz and writer of 1001 project Clive Nolan and one of the sons of Rick Wakeman.
This duo promises some spectacular keyboard pyrotechnics, but to spice it all up, they
have invited a fantastic cast of vocalists and instrumentalists. Just some names: Bob
Catley (ex-Magnum), Tracy Hitchings (ex-Quasar, Landmarq, Strangers On A Train), Pete Gee
(Pendragon) on bass, Jon Jeary (Threshold) on acoustic guitars, Peter Banks (ex-Yes,
ex-Flash) on electric guitars and Tony Fernandez, long time drummer of Rick Wakeman, who
narrates the story. Speaking of which: the album tells - of course - the story of Lewis
Carrol's ("Alice in wonderland") famous poem "Jabberwocky". The album
is housed in artwork, designed by none other that Rodney Matthews, whoc did a great (and
humoristic) job. As always... Musically, "Jabberwocky" takes into hi-class
neoprogressive realms, sometimes recalling the second Strangers On A Train album, much
thanks to Tracy's vocals and some parts that probably have been written by Nolan just for
her voice. I can't tell who wrote what track, but Nolan - of course - puts a strong mark
on the album. But there's also Wakeman jr. who proves that not only his brother Adam has
inherited some of Rick's genes. Oliver as well plays these typical Wakeman-solos, where
nothing is visable but a blur above the keyboards. All in all a great CD with excellent
music and good performances by everyone involved. Should please virtually any proghead
with a remote love of melodic neoprog and may be one of the big (...) prog-sellers this
year!
From: "upnsm0ke"
> From: "drj_saro"
> > all i've heard are the (too) short samples at the Verglas web-site, and they
sound like run-of-the-mill prog-metal (horrible to my ears). so what is this CD _really_
like?
Nolan & Wakeman's "Jabberwocky" is neither prog-metal nor
run-of-the-mill. It's top-notch Brit-flavored symphonic prog, and if you like [Rick]
Wakeman's solo instrumental output (discounting the "Airs" albums) such as
"2000 A.D.," "Official Bootleg" (w/ Adam), or the kick-ass
instrumentals on "1984," then "Jabberwocky" will be right up yer
alley.
From: "Richard Stockwell" <>
During 1996 Oliver Wakeman visited the island of Lundy which is a few miles off
the North Devon Coast of Great Britain. The island is owned by the National
Trust and is 3 miles long and on average about half a mile wide. Around 20,000
visitors a year visit this scenic sanctuary and one of the features the island
is famous for is the "Lundy Puffin" stamp which has been used on mail
from the island since 1929. After visiting the island a few times Oliver Wakeman
was inspired to write the music that features on this release. Originally it was
released in 1997 as a limited issue and available in Devon only. Now with two
new tracks, also written at the time of the "Lundy" visits but left
off the original version due to time constraints, Heaven's Isle is now available
on worldwide release. This is not complex progressive music but at times
tranquil symphonic keyboard music that sums up what Oliver experienced from
visiting this island haven. Track titles such as Puffin's Waltz, Flight Of The
Seabirds, The Seals Navy, Elizabethan Pirates, Montagu's Wreck, Atlantic Airs
etc sum up the past and present of life on Lundy. Oliver Wakeman is a fine piano
and keyboard player and this album is his first true solo project. Recommended.
From: RAM <> While Jabberwocky is a major effort and a pretty good CD, there are times when it is plain corny. I hadn't realized beforehand that it is a "Story" record, which is something I don't really care too much for. I prefer albums with discrete and unrelated pieces. A few times the keyboard players improvise and I cringe.
From: "Carlos Lima" <>
Subject: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Hi folks! The new album from keyboardists Clive Nolan
& Oliver Wakeman - "The Hound of the Baskervilles" -
will be released next Monday, 4th February. However, the
CD is already available online on the Verglas website.
I already got my copy and I must say it is very good :-) It is very
symphonic, with lots of nice and inspired keyboards, but also has good
and heavy guitar solos by Arjen A. Lucassen (Ayreon)
and Karl Groom (Threshold). Some tracks have similar
structures as Ayreon's songs, togheter with good
vocals from many guest singers. This makes the album look, a little bit,
like a rock-opera in the vein of Ayreon's projects. So, the album is not
"progressive music", but "progressive-rock" :-)
I?m sure "The Hound of the Baskervilles" will be a strong contestant for
album of the year and I recomend it to both Nolan & Wakeman fans, but
also to Ayreon's fans.
From: Subject: Re: The Hound of the Baskervilles
> I bought Jabbarwocky last year and had trouble warming up to it. I hope
this...
Yeah, I liked the music on Jabberwocky, and Bob Catley has one of the best
voices in the business...his duet w/ Tracey is very nice, but the insipid
Rick Wakeman narrative really became annoying! Is there as much narrative on
Hounds?
From: "cajolima" <>
Subject: Re: The Hound of the Baskervilles
The narrative on "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is much longer than the one on
"Jabberwocky". For me it is the only "but" of the album.
However, you'll have another great duet with Bob Catley and Tracy Hitchings :-)
It's called "The Argument".
From: Denis Torres <> TOO Expensive
Aloha, I don ' think that the Hounds Of
the Baskervilles gonna be VERY
popular, not because of it s content but because of the price
= 36 Dollars!!! At this price , either it is published
at a minimal release , just for the pleasure of the musicians , but
certainly not for Money , they won 't sell a LOT of it
at this price , and might wonder why they are not " successful ""
what a shame to sell a new CD at such a
price.