FEATURED CD - Esperanto Rock Orchestra : Danse Macabre

[Duncan Glenday]

Per our friend "Trane", on ProgArchives (though I think I liked it more than he did):

Very much an improvement on their debut album, Danse Macabre is probably the result of the group's taking their destiny in their own hands. While there were much changes amongst the singing casts, the core of the group remained stable, becoming tighter and musically more interactive. Produced by ex-Crimson Pete Sinfield, this album goes through several states of madness especially when it comes to the string section and it is a concept album. Indeed Raymond Vincent was now leading a four-man string section that was used as the main lead instrument . Starting on the small epic instrumental The Journey a demented trip flying on violin bows and wild paces, we then reach a Castle, a short sung soft and slow track by Keith Christmas. Ensues The Duel, a wild fight between the concerned instruments and some exciting scat choirs and a slight early Crimson influence. The flipside opens on the ecclesiastic and Gregorian The Cloister, but it is all a show, because the track is certainly not as peaceful as its title would have you believe. After an unremarkable Decision, I suppose that the more interesting moments of the Prisoner (those dark slow brooding gothic moments mean that there s some yummy torture, with a little Arabian touch later. The short title track closes the albums with a very weird screechy, almost dissonant violin section showing all signs of losing its marbles musically as they're all over the place. Impressive but perfectible.

What an improvement over the previous album, but then again, wait until their final album to know how much better they could get. In either case, Esperanto's DM is an excellent trip through one of the most visited clichés in the genre. Almost as essential as its follow-up album

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=6017

[Progbear]

The title needs to be fixed, it still says “Odyssice.”

I really love this album, it’s one of the lost gems of 70s prog. It shows a progression from sympho-prog via King Crimson pointing towards a more avant-garde style of music like Univers Zero. I rather wish they’d sequenced the disc differently; it peaks early with the 10 minute instrumental freakout “The Journey” and never quite reaches that level again, though I do enjoy the entire album.

Definitely check out the remastered CD. It features [acetate] demo versions of some of the vocal tunes which feature the original quartet of vocalists on board (Glenn Shorrock, Janice Slater, Joy Yates and Brigette du Doit). Not to denigrate Keith Christmas’ contributions to the end product (his versions are the ones I originally knew from the vinyl LP, after all), but I prefer these versions to the official ones.

The reviewer in the OP thinks that Last Tango is a better album? What’s he been smoking?

[Duncan Glenday]

The title needs to be fixed, it still says “Odyssice.”
...

Fixed - thanks for pointing it out

[soundsweird]

Bought this LP when it first came out, probably because of Sinfield's name on the cover. For years, I only liked one or two tracks and eventually sold the LP. Years later, I saw the CD and grabbed it just for those tracks. Now, I have come to like every track except the opening track, which for me is just too long and... "dissonant", for lack of a better term. Didn't like the first or third albums, which I gave several chances over the years.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I think it's the best of their roster, but that doesn't say much. Apart from the odd tune here and there, I was never much of a fan. I find that their music has dated rather badly.

[Trane]

Per our friend "Trane", on ProgArchives (though I think I liked it more than he did)

i prefer Last Tango, but both albums are outstanding... and much better than their debut album

[miamiscot]

I really wanted to like this band back in the day. Loved the name!!! But I could never get into any of their stuff. That was a long time ago and I was just a kid. Maybe I should give them another try.

[Rand Kelly]

Love this album. Didn't know there was a remaster with demo tracks,thanks Mike.

[strawberrybrick]

One of those albums that I've had on the shelf for decades....

[Trane]

Ithink by the tiome of this album, they were just called Esperanto...

the 'Rock Orchestra" thing had disappeared

[Scrotum Scissor]

^

I DO agree that their debut was an outright mediocre output; really incohesive both stylistically and in terms of production values and performance. I should probably revisit the title in question here.

[Duncan Glenday]

Yah ... I was wondering about that 'Rock Orchestra' thing.

Sent via PE's mobile app

[spacefreak]

I always preferred "Last Tango". It's been decades since I last listened to this one. Need to revisit; the sample sounded badly dated.

[Rarebird]

Sounds interesting. Alas it looks like it's not available.

[lovecraft]

Their cover from Last Tango of Eleanor Rigby is kick ass!

[Trane]

Sounds interesting. Alas it looks like it's not available.

there is a 2on1 release of DM and Last Tango, but I'm not sure it's legit.

Their cover from Last Tango of Eleanor Rigby is kick ass!

One of the best (though I've rarely heard a dsappointing cover of Rigby)

[TheH]

there is a 2on1 release of DM and Last Tango, but I'm not sure it's legit.

It's not, "Second Harvest" is a bootleg lable.

[moodyxadi]

From my vague memories I thought the vocals ruined the experience, but the music was good. Five years or so since my last listening.

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[Rand Kelly]

there is a 2on1 release of DM and Last Tango, but I'm not sure it's legit.



One of the best (though I've rarely heard a dsappointing cover of Rigby)

Have you heard Ethel The Frog's version? It is full on heavy metal and I love it.

[lovecraft]

[QUOTE=Trane;467589]there is a 2on1 release of DM and Last Tango, but I'm not sure it's legit.

Sounds fine though, in lieu of anything else.

[Rand Kelly]

This album just kicks major ass.

[Bake 1]

Would like to hear this album again... seemed pretty great in 76'. Kind of suspect that UZ, Present and some other stuff that came out later might make it feel pretty tame.

[time captain]

Amazing album. Actual "classical Rock". At first, "The Duel" & "The Cloister" were the ones that grabbed me [ as well as being very impressed with the opener "The Journey" & the haunting "The Castle".

However, the more onr listens, the more one appreciates gems like "The Prisoner" & "The Decision" A masterpiece.

[Progbear]

Love this album. Didn't know there was a remaster with demo tracks,thanks Mike.

The remaster is a Korean mini-LP released by Si-Wan. They reissued all three of their LPs with bonus tracks.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Kind of suspect that UZ, Present and some other stuff that came out later might make it feel pretty tame.

I dunno; did you ever hear pre-chamber rock sensibilities as delivered by bands like Shampoo or (even) Gryphon? I think Esperanto fits in pretty neatly there, seeing how they mostly aim at the "song-form" - something rarely touched by Univers Zero or Present or their likes, who were essentially rather into through-composed form.

Still, I must say that what I miss in Esperanto is that exact nerve of guts to jump into the unforseen - as later exemplified by more avant-garde oriented groups such as the ones you mentioned.