b o b

As I mentioned in my review of their other album, Memoirs, this band rocked my world at the first ProgDay I attended in '97. They take the Canterbury style of prog and give it a fresh edge - flowing, jazzy compositions with rich layers of keyboards and occasionally biting guitar. The Fender Rhodes dominates, but keyboardist Patrick Strawser also uses a wide array of other instruments, from acoustic piano to mini-Moog and various synths. I was so blown away by the keyboards that it wasn't until several spins later that I started to notice the great guitar work of Steve Hatch, who knows just when to step forward with a searing lead, and when to slip back and strum chords. The rhythm section is also tight and tasteful, and the occasional saxophone leads are nice. To be honest, I couldn't tell you which song is which, because whenever I put this CD on, it always gets played from start to finish as one extended piece of music. This was one of my first finds of the "underground" prog scene, and it remains one of my favorites. The combination of seeing Smokin' Granny, Volaré and Finisterre one right after the other makes ProgDay '97 my all-time favorite concert. review by Bob Eichler — 7-31-03 —

j o n b

Volaré are a Tennessee quartet that produced an interesting disc of fusion and Canterburry influenced instrumental prog. Their sound has a certain retro quality to it due to Patrick Strawser's use of vintage keyboards, particularly a Rhodes electric piano. Having said that, the band does not sound at all dated, and that is confirmed when they occasionally slip into heavier moments than were ever contemplated by the likes of National Health. There are lots of highlights here and there on the album. "Caught in a Combine" has some tight unison playing (including drums) that is vaguely reminiscent of some Zappa stuff. The band segues seamlessly between driving bits and more laid back sections on tunes like "Blitz". The occasional sax parts that turn up, such as the lead in "Midnight Clear", are a nice change of pace. "Vespers", my favorite track on the album, contains some wonderful acoustic guitar and piano work that makes it stand out from the other Rhodes-led tracks. In the end, I can't say that what Volaré is doing here is particularly ground breaking. It treads on fairly familiar ground. But it is done very well, straddling a fine line between structured composition and looser jamming. Unfortunately, it appears that the band isn't around any more (produced only other more album, the originally-on-cassette only Memoirs...), so we'll never know what it might have become. Still, highly recommended for fans of interesting instrumental jazz-influenced prog. review by Jon Byrne — 1-19-03 —