From: sommar@enea.se (Erland Sommarskog)
Subject: Reviewed: The Toll, Bliss and Inga & Anete Humpe
Organization: Enea Data AB
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 20:58:29 GMT
Followup-To: rec.music.misc,alt.music.progressive,alt.music.alternative


The Toll           - The Price of Progression - +2 - USA     - 1988
Bliss              - Loveprayer               - -2 - UK      - 1989
Inga & Anete Humpe - Swimming with the Sharks - -2 - Germany - 1987


The Toll - The Price of Progression - +2 - USA - 1988
Those who are into old-fashioned "progressive" music tend to like
long tracks, and those freaks would drool on the mere sight of the
timings on this album. Three tracks over ten minutes! However, risks
are great that they would be disappointed, since The Toll are only
"progressive" in the more recent "alternative" sense.
  The Toll is two guitars, bass, drums, an occasional piano, and
vocals. There is a guesting sax on one track. The music is aggressive,
frantic and desperate. Still they know enough about melody and
harmony to not descend in raw punk. (Some people may like that, I
don't.) What is fascinating, is that although the album is quite
homogenous I don't lose interest in it, as often happens to me. And 
actually, my favourite track is the last one, "Stand in Winter", who 
sees a guest appearance by Mick Ronson of Mott the Hoople and Bowie 
fame on lead guitar.
   Why not higher ranking? Well, after all this frantic and desperate
style is not really my cup of tea, and I do like more variation.


Bliss - Loveprayer - -2 - UK - 1989
Rachel Morrison who is lead singer of Bliss has a strong and soulfull
voice which really touches you. But it doesn't help. There is some-
thing wrong with this album which me at best leaves me completely
cold. At worst I'm just waiting for it to be over. I'm not really sure
why, but my guess is that it's the melodies. They are simply not
there. Rachel sings and sings, but you never feel inclined to join.
And despite that the songs are almost annoying present when you play 
them, you have forgotten them as soon as they are over.


Inga & Anete Humpe - Swimming with Sharks - -2 - Germany - 1987
Annette (sic!) Humpe was the female vocalist of the German group
Ideal who made three albums in the beginning of the eighties, with
cool, intelligent music with very witty lyrics, mainly from Annette
Humpe's pen. You are indeed to encouraged to try any of them, my
favourite is the third, "Das Ernst des Lebens".
  When this album came out, I skipped it since they were singing
in English, but recalling a positive comment on the net and seeing
it in the bargain bin, prompted an acquisition. A big disappoint-
ment. You can hear some of the ideas from Ideal, but it is com-
pletely watered down. And the lyrics are not only pale, they are
outright stupid. Slightly positive comments could possibly be
given for "Conspiracy", "Idiot" and the jazz-hazy title track,
but you find corresponding songs on Ideal albums, where they
are often better.
  Annette Humpe also made a solo album in 1990, entitled "Solo",
which also is far from the standards of Ideal, but is significantly
better than "Swimming with Sharks" for which you hereby are warned.

"Mit mir beginnt der Eisziet. Bis neuntzig Grad".
-- 
Erland Sommarskog - ENEA Data, Stockholm - sommar@enea.se
"Recreation of source code from design documentation can be costly"
IEEE Std 1042/1987
x-gateway: rodan.UU.NET from love-hounds to rec.music.gaffa; Tue, 8 Sep 1992 23:33:23 EDT
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 23:32:08 -0400
From: fiona_mcquarrie@mts.ucs.ualberta.ca
Errors-To: Love-Hounds-request@uunet.uu.net
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