Wakeman; Rick, And The English Rock Ensemble: Out There (remaster)

These days the lines between old Prog and new are pleasantly blurred, the new guard ever willing to name check their influences from days gone by, the veteran trailblazers all too keen to include the young guns in their continuing journey through the Progness. However back in 2003, things weren't quite so cosy. Prog was a dirty word and many of the newer bands were keen to dismiss what had come before, while the heroes of old pooh-poohed the whippersnappers. So it is to the credit of one-time Yes keyboard (and curry) maestro Rick Wakeman that for his Out There album he chose to surround himself with some of the hottest talent around, no matter their "vintage".

Manning the mic in some style is Threshold frontman Damian Wilson, hammering the bass, Lee Pomeroy (Steve Hackett, It Bites, ehhh.... Take That), caressing and scathing the drums, longstanding Wakeman sideman Tony Fernandez (Strawbs) and providing scintillating guitars Ant Glynne (Mike Oldfield, Midnight Flyer, Asia). It is an impressive collective and one which allowed Rick to infuse his songs with an energetic, and in places Heavy Prog style often missing from his solo work. Not a moment here is wasted, meandering or introspective and even when things are reined in from the almost Prog Metal to be found, there's a "to the point" feeling that makes it just as vital as some of the more pushy pulses. All four musicians who make up the "English Rock Ensemble" as they're christened, are on top form and Wakeman seems enthused by his bandmates (it does, pleasingly, sound like a band - something often missing in Wakeman's solo work), infusing his keyboard playing with fire and vim and also benefitting from a superb, self provided, production (the remastering ain't half bad either - although the album cover is still reassuringly awful!).

As is often the case from Wakeman, space travel is an inspiration across this album (an excellent essay in the booklet from Rick goes into some detail regarding this) and it is a theme played out across the lyrics of the lengthy, and split into movements, title track. The seven piece song makes for a varied, yet supremely focused album intro and across its thirteen plus minutes a muscular state of intent forms that the likes of "The Mission" and the positively jaunty "Universe Of Sound" live up to; Wilson and Glynne especially impressive throughout (I'd go as far to suggest they outshine their leader). While the wonderful surge of almost Jean Michel Jarre meets John Payne era Asia of "To Be With You" shows a more restrained yet equally vital side as The English Chamber Choir bring the song a real sense of gravitas. The album closing "The Cathedral Of The Sky" fittingly finds Wakeman in all his church organ glory, but again, in a decidedly forceful fashion.

For many, the solo efforts of Rick Wakeman begin and end with Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, The Six Wives Of Henry VIII and The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table. The likes of Out There however proves that while there may be an awful lot of "by numbers" stuff in the Wakeman catalogue, when he gets it right, the results are more than a little special.

Track Listing
1. Out There
2. The Mission
3. To Be With You
4. Universe of Sound
5. Music of Love
6. Cathedral of the Sky

Added: April 26th 2014
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Out There on Cherry Red
Hits: 2003
Language: english

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