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Thread: FEATURED CD - Klaatu : Hope

  1. #1
    Moderator Duncan Glenday's Avatar
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    FEATURED CD - Klaatu : Hope



    Per a long-time PE friend - posted on Progarchives :
    Review by Sean Trane
    4 stars

    For a long time, I (and many others) was terribly deceived at this album since by now it was obvious Klaatu were not The Beatles, and this album was not really rock as there were too many passages downright symphonic, or other kind of music, but not rock or pop as such. While I (and a few others) stayed blind to the merits of this album - it stayed un-played on my shelves, just keeping it because of the superb artwork sleeve - I finally caught on some six or seven years after its release. This is mainly due to the fact that the album is definitely not as immediately pleasing, and can be a little dense from the outside.

    Nowadays I can tell you that as teen-agers we make quick and unsubstantiated judgments, dismissing such outstanding works as this masterpiece, but the fact that progressive rock and concept album were quickly becoming unfashionable at the time of this release. The fact that I was 14, getting into my metal period (Rainbow, Priest etc..) and that punk (Stranglers and Clash) were peaking made me forget quickly this bizarre album. Even if there are still some slight Beatles-influences (mostly on the first two tracks), this album is an awesome chef d'oeuvre in songwriting, musical execution and very deeply personal, showing that these guys were just as worthy of the group they were confused with. Actually if you could blend The Beatles, Queen and 10 CC together, you might just amount to something like 60% of the worth of this album alone.

    Based upon the concept (already developed in their previous 3:47 EST album) of the Klaatu planet, its inhabitants had developed sophisticated communications much the same way on our Earth today. Politzania was a country that believed itself to be superior to others and open warfare nearly but all destroyed the planet as a result, blowing fragments into open space. Only surviving Klaatu people a lonely lighthouse keeper keep the laser beam working to warn of the danger. His message for other planets, after the disaster of his, is: HOPE!!! The superb artwork is in my top 10 artwork and certainly fits the music perfectly, both in majesty and in excellence - you can see the link to their debut album on the cover of this one with the "sun" in the foreground.

    To describe the songs individually will be too long or too complicated as there are so many things happening in this album, to even mention the first 10% ? Just know that most of the second side is symphonic orchestra dominated and absolutely superb. Those of you that have read my many reviews know that I am rather wary of such (often ridicule) concept album and furthermore incorporating classical music, but here, this is undisputably a masterpiece of the genre, a flabbergasting and awesome progressive gem, too often forgotten. The music ranges from Queen (Bohemian Rhapsody in a operatic passage of Loneliest Creature) to the implacable beauty of 10 CC harmonies, the synthesisers are mostly the ones from the first part of the 70's, their musical dynamic range is close to Yes or Genesis and the music is as theatrical as Ange or Gabriel could have ever imagined it to be. These three guys blended classical musical and rock instrumentation so well, that it sends Emerson, Wakeman or Lord back to school. Not everything is perfect on the album, but whatever flaws there are they are minor and few (the end movement of Long Live Politzania should have been kept symphonic rather than have the trio have a go at it), and Terry Brown's production (of Rush fame) is simply perfect.

    With such a complex album to promote, it was also impossible for this still faceless and nameless band to go on tour and reproduced such an uncanny oeuvre without costing millions, so Klaatu remained in anonymity, for yet another album. With Third Army Suit, they will show their faces and names (both hidden in the artwork and in the inner sleeve) and to everybody's amazement, they were only a trio. Unfortunately, the music was not quite as good as on this album. But Hope is an apex in terms of concept albums and is a must for every proghead.
    http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=748



    Regards,

    Duncan

  2. #2
    It's a wonderful album indeed...
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

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    Once again I'll say it - they do not sound at all like the Beatles to my ears. The similarity to Queen is definitely there though - Freddie Mercury would have sounded perfect on some of those songs.

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    There was a Japanese band a few years back called Beagle Hat who did a couple of albums with David Paton (of '70s scots popsters - Pilot). They were compared to Queen and 10cc (in the PR fluff) but I thought they were far more like Klaatu (with a bit of Pilot thrown in).

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    Love me some Klaatu!

  6. #6
    Two thumbs up here for sure.. I was in on the initial Klaatu release and remember well all the hype.. Sub Rosa Subway played back to back with Too Many People and the DJ asking.. "who is it.. who is it?" Then my friend who owned a small record store handed me the second release and said.. "it's even better than the first one".. Hell I even found a lot of love for the third release...
    This album had a wonderful mix of stuff.. It still gets a spin or two from me..
    Last edited by happytheman; 05-18-2015 at 08:10 AM.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by bob_32_116 View Post
    The similarity to Queen is definitely there though -
    Yes. And the guitar sound is very Brian May on this album.
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

  8. #8
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    What else can I say about this album?? I've said it all in the review (thanks for printing me Duncan)

    In my top 5 artworks too.
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

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    Oh No! Bass Solo! klothos's Avatar
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    One of my all-time favorite bands....and this is a great album........They are like Jules Verne and Steampunk set to music and voice

  10. #10
    I'm not a big fan, but this is the only one of theirs I've kept. Sold the other two I had.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

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    Member Vic2012's Avatar
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    I found it on a two-for-one CD with the first album. I like both albums but Hope edges it out. Been years since I've played Hope. Guess I'll dig it out and play it (if I can find the CD).

  12. #12
    Member Man In The Mountain's Avatar
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    One of the best albums ever. I never got the Beatles connection, as I simply bought the first two Klaatu albums at a used record store in the mid 80's, simply because I liked the cover artwork and it looked prog. I knew nothing of their history or popularity. They seemed totally obscure to me.

    It's definitely an album you need to sit with a while and absorb. It's very dense and there are all sorts of different styles within the various songs. It's symphonically sublime though, in the same way the Renaissance were in their big epic structures. This album is a masterwork in every sense.

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    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Haven't heard it in decades, but this and the debut were a couple of favorites during my teenage years. I agree that they didn't sound that much like The Beatles. Maybe it was the diversity of styles, which was somewhat rare in those days.

  14. #14
    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    You wanna know what prog is? It's "Long Live Politzania"
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

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    Like the first two. After that - not so much.
    The Prog Corner

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    I just sought out the first Klaatu albums on a streaming service and listened to them.

    OK... I can see where there are a couple of song portions where the singer sounds faintly like john Lennon - but in other places the vocals sound nothing like the Fabs' voices. And musically... saying that it's possible to imagine the Beatles putting out something like this is not the same as saying it sounds like the Beatles.

    Anyway, enough about that comparison... back to the music, some of it is brilliant, some of it made me wince. Most of it was somewhere in between - enjoyable, but not essential.

    It's the first time I've heard the original of "Calling Occupants...", and I now realise how much the Carpenters sanitised it.

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    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by No Pride View Post
    Haven't heard it in decades, but this and the debut were a couple of favorites during my teenage years.
    Well a little research shows that the above is an inaccurate statement. The debut came out in '76 and Hope came out in '77... and I turned 20 in the last quarter of '73. I guess I must've hung out with my high school buddies long after we graduated, because I used to listen to those albums with them. I thought it was the short term memory that starts to go with old age.

    I also learned that these guys were studio musicians from Canada, which I never knew.

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    Member Vic2012's Avatar
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    To me the group that sounded like the Beatles was Bad Finger.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vic2012 View Post
    To me the group that sounded like the Beatles was Bad Finger.
    That's not surprising, because Badfinger (one word) were proteges of Paul McCartney, and he wrote their first hit.

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    They sound like a lot of well known bands to me. Depends on which song you listen to. From the debut for instance,Doctor Marvello sounds like John Lennon joined The Turtles. We're Off You Know sounds like The Beatles with Paul McCartney on lead vocal. Tokeymore Field from Sir,Army Suit? sounds like Penny Lane. California Jam is an obvious Beach Boys tribute. Perpetual Motion Machine is very reminiscent of The Moody Blues faster tempo songs like Peak Hour.
    The influences are from all over the place. The first 2 albums were produced by Terry Brown. That,alone is what gives these albums such an outstanding sound.

  21. #21
    Love, love, love this album! Haven't listened in quite awhile, time for a fresh hearing!
    You say Mega Ultra Deluxe Special Limited Edition Extended Autographed 5-LP, 3-CD, 4-DVD, 2-BlueRay, 4-Cassette, five 8-Track, MP4 Download plus Demos, Outtakes, Booklet, T-Shirt and Guitar Pick Gold-Leafed Box Set Version like it's a bad thing...

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    Always loved this album- thanks for reminding me to listen to it again!

  23. #23
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Man In The Mountain View Post
    One of the best albums ever. I never got the Beatles connection, as I simply bought the first two Klaatu albums at a used record store in the mid 80's, simply because I liked the cover artwork and it looked prog. I knew nothing of their history or popularity. They seemed totally obscure to me.
    Quote Originally Posted by No Pride View Post
    Haven't heard it in decades, but this and the debut were a couple of favorites during my teenage years. I agree that they didn't sound that much like The Beatles. Maybe it was the diversity of styles, which was somewhat rare in those days.
    Nope, in terosêct, iy doesn't sound like The Beatles (well surely not Hope), but the debut back then certainly had some kind of beatlesque thing.

    And we were all really hoping for it in Toronto, where the debut album was recorded. Some of the Beatles had been spotted in town the previous year to its release, and since the band was faceless... our imagination did the rest, I suppose...
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Trane View Post
    but the debut back then certainly had some kind of beatlesque thing.
    I completely agree. The debut is the album where the Beatles' references were the more obvious and the cause of the rumor that followed...
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

  25. #25
    Member Guitarplyrjvb's Avatar
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    The hype surrounding the first record should be feted in the annals of music promotion. The way they got the "is it the Beatles recording under a different name" story to go viral is classic!

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