Classical Connection Vol.2, The - Rick Wakeman

Advantages: the beautiful voice of Bonnie Tyler
Disadvantages: nothing

...end of the return" with all the classical musician and the keyboard of Rick ! Choirs, Orchestra with Wakeman make one big fire of happiness ! And the album is end !!! Like Mike Oldfield with Tubular Bells, perharps RIck will made one third episode (but the TB3 is not very good, i think !) ! Now, Wakeman composes and composes (100 albums i believe !) he plays live alone with his keyboard and piano ! He lives with all the family in MAN (English's island !) and plays with Adam, his son, in concert ! RIck is rich very know in your country (not in France) and compose for his pleasure ! If you didn't know this great album, you miss one big of the 90's !!! See you soon in ciao.uk Sorry for my poor english !!!!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: classic band line-up on top form
Disadvantages: very long, multi-part tracks-impenetrable lyrics

...synth drops out, over which Anderson, Squire and Howe croon "I Get Up, I Get Down" punctuated by blasts of church organ. Wakeman delivers a blast of a keyboard solo which leads back into the main theme before an uplifting climax. So much happens during this track that it's impossible to describe each facet and mood change. It's a classic! The other 2 tracks are shorter. Only ten minutes! "And You And I" begins with almost absently strummed acoustic guitar chords and builds to an absolutely brain-shuddering display with Bruford anchoring Wakeman's flourishes, before fading back to that gentle guitar and Anderson's optimistic valediction. The final track "Siberian Khatru" almost kicks out the jams as Howe hauls out his electric sitar and Anderson contributes percussive chants over Bruford's impeccable drumming. It's a good move and a good mover... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: progressive rock classic
Disadvantages: no

...Released back in 1972, "Fragile" is considered one of the greatest examples of the movement conventionally named as British prog/art rock. Unusually high trained rock musicians combine powers in order to produce an album that, for sure, has everything a good prog album needs. Sheer but controlled virtuosity, beautiful innovational melodies, complex but coherent structured music forms. A flavour of classical music is always being implied from times to times throughout the record, mostly due to Rick Wakeman's keyboard work. It was no surprise that Rick Wakeman followed a more "classical influenced" way in his solo works(check "journey to the center of the earth" to get a better idea of Rick's solo works). I think the title "Cans and Brahms" warns one clearly. What we actually have in this album, is a collection of progressive rock classics... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful