Gerard: Sighs of the Water (CD, 46:31); Musea Records, FGBG 4439.AR, 2002 E-mail: promotion@musearecords.com Cyberhome: http://www.musearecords.com 10 words or less: Holy ELP on steroids batman, this kicks ass! Elaboration: Gerard are a Keyboard led trio from Japan, hence the obligatory comparison to ELP. I didn’t know what to expect from this band as I had heard mixed reviews of their work prior to receiving this disc but upon pressing play I was instantly blown away by track one, the title track Sighs of the Water. Imagine ELP’s Toccata but with more agility and muscle and you get an idea. Track two has a vocalist and... wait, I thought Ethel Merman had passed away??? Well, this must be her son then, as they sound almost identical (it’s actually the Drummer of the band). The problem with that is, if you use your imagination and think of what Ethel Merman would have sounded like with ELP... well, you get the picture. Fortunately, the singer isn’t all over the music and there are extended periods of instrumental bliss between the vocals. Of the seven pieces on this album, only three contain vocals and the four instrumental pieces are Symphonic Rock of the very highest caliber! Every track is a fantastic, monster roller coaster ride taking the listener from manic intensity to floating spaciness to brooding soundscapes and back again. The few vocals are the weak points of the album but the instrumental bits are more than enough to override the agony of those sections. Recommended for all fans of intense Symphonic Rock. ~ L Perez
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