FEATURED ALBUM: Flame Dream - Calatea

[Poisoned Youth]

Review from ProgArchives (Tarcisio Moura):

3.5 stars, really. Very interesting Swiss band of the late 70´s. This debut album shows some great promise. I heard they were a kind of Yes copy band, but I found nothing here that supports such statement, except maybe for the vocal style of some parts, definitly a bit Jon Anderson oriented. But on the instrumental side of things they are quite different, with a much stronger jazzier side. So if you´re looking for something like Starcastle, go somewhere else. Flame Dream in many aspects are quite original and unique and if you´re not convinced, just listen to the opener Gate To Galetea, where the mix of synphonic prog, jazz and tango (yes, tango!!) is indeed amusing.

While all the musicians are highly skilled and professional, the CD is definitly keyboard-oriented, with enough room for a lot of sax and flutes too. Roland Ruckstuhl pretty much runs the show here with his very tasteful use of grand piano, organ and synths. Peter Wolf (no relation to his namesake american singer of the J. Geils Band) also does a fine job on the woodwinds. There are almost no guitar solos, but you´ll hardly notice it. the rhythm section is quite good and versatile, I specially liked the bass parts.

For a concept album, the vocals are surprisingly few. Which ends up being a good thing, since those guys are much better instrumentalists than singers. The sound of my CD version is very good and balanced all over. All the tracks are at least good, with some memorable, powerful moments (Volcano And Pyramids are definitly two highlights, but there are no fillers).

Conclusion: a nice surprise. Nothing to write home about it, but still quite good and promising. I´m looking forward to listen to Calatea´s follow up and the others.

[ombasan]

I still own the vinyl LP of this. I quite like it, but think their second (Elements) and third albums (Out in the dark) are even better. After that, it started to go downhill, although I still also have a soft spot for Supervision and Travaganza. 8on6 was rubbish.
They were excellent musicians!

PS: There's one Flame Dream track "Nowhere to go" that isn't on any album and I've never heard it (it was a B-side to a single and only available on an album sampler). If anybody has a copy of this in digital format, I would gladly listen to this. Please PM me!

[Trane]

I wiosh Dale was still here, just so i could irrate him.... about an album he didn't play in....

Seriously?? I got rid of my Tachika boots only a few months after acquiring them.

[Rand Kelly]

I wiosh Dale was still here, just so i could irrate him.... about an album he didn't play in....

Seriously?? I got rid of my Tachika boots only a few months after acquiring them.

He posted at the facebook site about 3 weeks ago.

[Trane]

He posted at the facebook site about 3 weeks ago.

Dale!!! I was just kidding.... Don't come back!!! puhleaeaease!!!

[Scrotum Scissor]

Although fairly well played and arranged, this stuff just gets too damn derivative for me to be able to take it seriously. And they lack the blueeyed charm of somewhat comparable acts like Metabolisme, Banzai and Tideline, IMO.

[Progbear]

I agree with Ombasan that this is the jazziest FD album. Along with Out in the Dark, the only one with a proper guitarist, not that they ever used one much anyway. I guess keyboardist Roland Ruckstuhl didn’t much care for other soloists getting in the way of his flashy playing.

Anyway, I think Elements is superb, a borderlne classic, but this one is quite fine, too, in a different mould. Elements made me think of a Continental Garden Shed, this one was Yes and Genesis influenced, but made me think of French bands like Carpe Diem, too. Out in the Dark was also pretty good, but substantially off-pace compared to the first two; they were definitely on their way to “neo-prog” here.

Supervision is one of the most embarrassingly derivative albums in my collection; entire chunks of songs by UK and Genesis are quoted note-for-note. It’s so awful it put me off their later albums (which are said to be more commercial, anyway, so I daresay I’m not missing anything substantial).

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"You can take the war out of the soldier, but you can't raise that soldier from the dead."
--Shona Laing

N.P.:“Homens do futuro”-Wejah/Renascença

[mellotron storm]

My least favourite of their first three, but then I wouldn't rate any of them more than 3 out of 5 stars.

[ombasan]

I grew up with this music in my teens, so it holds a special place in my heart!

[Poisoned Youth]

Anyway, I think Elements is superb, a borderlne classic, but this one is quite fine, too, in a different mould. Elements made me think of a Continental Garden Shed, this one was Yes and Genesis influenced, but made me think of French bands like Carpe Diem, too. Out in the Dark was also pretty good, but substantially off-pace compared to the first two; they were definitely on their way to “neo-prog” here.

This is all spot on for me.

[Poisoned Youth]

Although fairly well played and arranged, this stuff just gets too damn derivative for me to be able to take it seriously. And they lack the blueeyed charm of somewhat comparable acts like Metabolisme, Banzai and Tideline, IMO.

Tideline? Never heard. Care to elaborate?

[Rand Kelly]

I agree with Ombasan that this is the jazziest FD album. Along with Out in the Dark, the only one with a proper guitarist, not that they ever used one much anyway. I guess keyboardist Roland Ruckstuhl didn’t much care for other soloists getting in the way of his flashy playing.

Anyway, I think Elements is superb, a borderlne classic, but this one is quite fine, too, in a different mould. Elements made me think of a Continental Garden Shed, this one was Yes and Genesis influenced, but made me think of French bands like Carpe Diem, too. Out in the Dark was also pretty good, but substantially off-pace compared to the first two; they were definitely on their way to “neo-prog” here.

Supervision is one of the most embarrassingly derivative albums in my collection; entire chunks of songs by UK and Genesis are quoted note-for-note. It’s so awful it put me off their later albums (which are said to be more commercial, anyway, so I daresay I’m not missing anything substantial).

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"You can take the war out of the soldier, but you can't raise that soldier from the dead."
--Shona Laing

N.P.:“Homens do futuro”-Wejah/Renascença

Nice review progbear. You haven't lived till you've heard Travaganza though. If Supervision is derivative of UK and Genesis,and I know what you mean by that,Travaganza is like hearing an unreleased Asia album before the debut. This band went the route so many prog bands did in the 80's,less chops more flops. lol

[Rand Kelly]

I agree with Ombasan that this is the jazziest FD album. Along with Out in the Dark, the only one with a proper guitarist, not that they ever used one much anyway. I guess keyboardist Roland Ruckstuhl didn’t much care for other soloists getting in the way of his flashy playing.

Anyway, I think Elements is superb, a borderlne classic, but this one is quite fine, too, in a different mould. Elements made me think of a Continental Garden Shed, this one was Yes and Genesis influenced, but made me think of French bands like Carpe Diem, too. Out in the Dark was also pretty good, but substantially off-pace compared to the first two; they were definitely on their way to “neo-prog” here.

Supervision is one of the most embarrassingly derivative albums in my collection; entire chunks of songs by UK and Genesis are quoted note-for-note. It’s so awful it put me off their later albums (which are said to be more commercial, anyway, so I daresay I’m not missing anything substantial).

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"You can take the war out of the soldier, but you can't raise that soldier from the dead."
--Shona Laing

N.P.:“Homens do futuro”-Wejah/Renascença

Nice review progbear. You haven't lived till you've heard Travaganza though. If Supervision is derivative of UK and Genesis,and I know what you mean by that,Travaganza is like hearing an unreleased Asia album before the debut. This band went the route so many prog bands did in the 80's,less chops more flops. lol




This is the cd,my original import lp does not have the words flamedream on the cover at all. By 1983,they were calling themselves Travaganza....and apparently nobody noticed or gave a crap. I only knew it was them because I recognized Peter Wolf on the back cover. This ain't anywhere near prog music.

[Rand Kelly]

http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/GwcmH6DOzL4/mqdefault.jpghttp://i4.ytimg.com/vi/GwcmH6DOzL4/mqdefault.jpg

[Rand Kelly]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=GwcmH6DOzL4

[Acid Dragon]

I've always been a great fan. For me the influences are rather Genesis ones (vocals, keys). CD reissues? Where? I live in Lyon (France), i.e. not far from Switzerland but they were completely unknown here despite they signed for a major (but the local branch, I know) and thus I bought the LPs in Geneva. BTW, I could interview one of their musicians a few years ago for Acid Dragon.

[Progbear]

Nice review progbear. You haven't lived till you've heard Travaganza though. If Supervision is derivative of UK and Genesis,and I know what you mean by that,Travaganza is like hearing an unreleased Asia album before the debut.

Well, if that’s your review of it, then I think I could live quite happily without hearing it!

I think a lot of people here ought to give their first three another chance, though. I think a lot of folks are predisposed to dislike them unfairly because a guy who played guitar for them for a few months in 1980 is such an unpleasant, annoying person.

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

"Siento que debemos saber para el sueño de quién brillará esta luz
o consagrar una propia estrella" --Alberto Felici

N.P.:“Harlequin”-PFM/Chocolate Kings

[spacefreak]

their first two are must owns...

[Scrotum Scissor]

Tideline? Never heard. Care to elaborate?

Well, one of the "lost" names of late-70s song-based "symph" from the European continent (like Banzai, they were Belgian) - although with a jazzy harmonic twist that was really quite peculiar. Their only release back then was The Crowded Room, with rather short tunes and somewhat eerie vocals - but otherwise solid musicianship. I think Musea reissued this at one point during the early 90s. Certainly worth hearing.

[moecurlythanu]

Bah!...I never fall for such ploys!