млллллм Алллллм мллллмАлм Алм млллллм лллмлл млл млм млллллл млм мллл АллллАллпллллВ плл мллАпллллл лллл лллВ ллллллВлл Вллллллл лллВАплплллл лллВ лллВ ВлллА лл ллм мллВлл ВлллВллА ВлллАлллАлллллллллллм лллАлллА лллА мллл ллл млпА ллллллллАлл лллллллллм ВллАллл лллВллллллллл ллллллл ллл лллА ллллллл лллВ Алл лл ллллллВ Алл плл лллАлллВлллллл лллВллл ллл ллл ллллллллАлллА ллл ллм ллВлллА ллм ллАллВ ллл пплллл лллАллл ллл ллл лллВАлллллллА ллл лллВлл ллл лллВллВллА ллл Влллл ллл ллл ВллВ ллл лллА Влллллл ллл Влллл Вллм Влллллллл ллл Вллл ллл ллл лллАллл ллл Алллллл ллл Алллл Аллл лллВлллВ ллл Аллл ллл ллл ллВллл ллл лллВлл ллл ллл Вллм лллАлллА ллл ллл ллл ллл Аллллл ллл ллВАллм ллл Влп Вллм ллл ллА ллл ллВ ллл ллл Алллп Алп ллА лл Алп Алллм п п Влп лллА Алп ллп ллА мллп Алм млллп Алл А лл ВА ВА ллА ВлА Алп плА АлВ А лл лл Artist: Galahad лл лл В лАА ўл Album: Following Ghosts лў ААл ў лВп л Year: 1998 л пВл А л В Rel. Date: 2019-01-05 В л Б Б Genre: Progressive Rock Б Б лм А Label: Avalon Records А мл А лм А Source: CD А мл А лВ Type: Album Вл А В л Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo л А В В л л А В м ў ў В ў Ал лА п л For years I have been a big GALAHAD fan fiinding л л these guys to be one of the most originals of the л л neo-prog movement. "Following Ghosts" is a real л л charmer and will please all prog heads I am sure. л л Every song here is well crafted and offers very л л solid musicanship. GALAHAD never get to "synthy" л л sounding and this time around build in 2 epic л л tracks (over 12 mins long). Lead singer Stuart л л Nicholson sounds his best yet and I still think he л л would have also have been a nice addition to л л MARILLION (not that Hogarth isnt!). This is the л л best neo-prog I have heard in a while and I would л л strongly recommend this CD to fans of Progressive л л Rock. л л л л --- л л л л GALAHAD are a progressive rock band from Dorset in л л the UK and 'Following Ghosts' is their 8th л л release. The first track 'Myopia', a good opener л л that rocks. There is a nice melody and good vocals л л from Stuart, who at times sounds a little similar л л to FISH and Peter GABRIEL. There's a good strong л л catchy chorus, nice keyboards and a good change in л л direction where the band are playing an Irish Jig л л type theme. л л The next track is 'Imago' and is quite an л л emotional track, starting with some nice mellow л л keyboards and acoustic guitar. There are some nice л л vocals from Stuart and Sarah. There's some very л л nice bass lines from Neil and again this track has л л a nice melody. л л The third track is 'A Short Reflection On Two Past л л lives - part one', this track starts with the л л sounds of birds singing and running water. Nice л л acoustic guitar work. Vocals sound more Peter л л GABRIEL influenced on this track and there's some л л nice flute. л л The next track 'Karma For One' is Indian л л influenced with nice mellow keyboards, nice vocals л л and uses a drum machine, with Spencer taking over л л after a short period. this is a track that л л gradually builds up. There are some spacey type л л keyboard effects and some nice flute. л л 'Perfection Personified', has a strong MARILLION л л influence with a good strong melody and a catchy л л tune. л л The sixth track is 'Bug Eye' and is the first of л л two tracks on the album at around 14 mins in л л length. Nice mellow keyboards and nice vocals from л л Stuart and Sarah. There are some computer sound л л effects similar to the one song "Radio Kaos" - л л Roger WATERS. There's a nice rhythm and some л л superb guitar over the top from Roy with a heavier л л guitar sound coming in over the top. There are л л many changes in direction, mood and tempo within л л this track. Later there are some techno type drum л л sounds with some heavy guitar and nice keyboards л л with the keyboards changing to give some spacey л л type sounds. л л The next track is 'A Short Reflection On Two Past л л Lives - part two' has a nice keyboard intro with л л the drums coming in quite sharply. An acoustic л л guitar come in and Sarah plays some quite fitting л л clarinet. Good vocals once again and some very л л nice guitar work from Roy. л л 'Ocean Blue' starts with some nice keyboards, л л followed by a fade in heavier keyboard sound. л л There's a disco type drumbeat with some nice soft л л vocals and this track is in a similar vein to the л л Pet Shop Boys. л л Track nine is 'Rejuvenation', short track starting л л with some nice spacey type keyboards and acoustic л л guitar. vocals follow the melody but are very л л subdued and there's a little percussion. The track л л then fades out. The next track is 'Easier Said л л Than Done' This track shows a heavily influenced л л classical piece. Nice combination of keyboards, л л flute and clarinet. Vocals are fairly soft л л throughout the track. л л The final track 'Shine' is also the longest one at л л just over 14 mins and starts off fairly quietly, л л but soon erupts with some great keyboards from л л Dean. there's a good solid drum sound from Spencer л л with again nice vocals. Many changes in direction, л л mood and tempo. Later there are some more nice л л keyboards, percussion and guitar. The midsection л л is quite atmospheric, starting very quietly and л л gradually building up and showing a slight PINK л л FLOYD and YES influence. The last section is more л л keyboard dominated with some nice guitar work and л л overall for me the best track on the album, л л showing GALAHAD to be a very creative and л л versatile progressive rock band. л л In my opinion, a superb release from GALAHAD and л л one I would recommend to all progressive rock л л fans. л л л л --- л л л л While it is fully possible (though not quite л л appropriate, in my opinion) to dismiss Galahad's л л earlier albums as typical, derivate Neo-Prog that л л doesn't take things any further beyond Marillion л л (and similar recurrent accusations), any such л л dismissal can hardly be extended to Following л л Ghosts. The band probably felt that they had taken л л their brand of Neo-Prog as far as they could with л л the superb previous album, Sleepers, and here they л л opt instead for something altogether different. л л Stuart Nicholson might still sound a bit like л л Fish, but overall this album is nothing like л л traditional Neo-Prog. л л Never content to stay in one place, the band л л incorporates lots of new and surprising influences л л into the present album. Whatever you might think л л of the end result, you must give them that they л л have a bona fide progressive attitude; the band's л л sound "progresses" with each new release. л л Following Ghosts might not be Prog as we know it, л л but it is surely both experimental and eclectic. л л The new influences include Metal, Folk, л л World-Music, Electronica, Pop and even Dance л л music! Now you are probably thinking that this л л will sound like an incoherent mess, and sadly that л л is occasionally true! But there are some very л л successful moments as well. л л The album opens with an extremely silly spoken л л word passage thanking the listener for buying the л л album and encourages us to turn the volume up to л л 11! After such a ridiculous start, the first song л л kicks in with a vengeance with a riff that is л л heavier than anything the band had done up to that л л point. The tempo slows down considerably before л л the first verse on which Stuart Nicholson delivers л л a strong vocal over acoustic guitars. The chorus л л is pretty strong too and the heavy riff returns to л л form the backing for a fast paced violin solo just л л before the end of the song! л л The following two songs tones things down л л significantly. Imago starts with tasteful Spanish л л guitars and Nicholson provides a strong vocal once л л again, this time supported by female backing л л vocals. The lyrics are some of his best too, this л л particular number being about how we all are л л shaped and moulded by our genes (I think?). Bird л л noises over the sound of a flowing stream л л introduces the next song which is another л л soothing, acoustically based number again with л л strong vocals. Here we are also treated to some л л lovely flutes and (what sounds like an) accordion! л л This one is part one of a two-part song, the л л second part comes later on. Karma For One л л introduces the newfound electronic influences, but л л we also get some Folk and World-Music influences л л here with some nice flutes and Indian percussions. л л The Indian influence continues discretely on the л л next song which features some elegant Sitars. The л л song itself is, however, a rather straightforward л л Pop song in structure. л л Next up is the album's centrepiece, the 14 minute л л Bug Eye. This brilliant composition belongs to л л Galahad's best ever and it is, in a word, unique. л л Here the many disparate influences of Following л л Ghosts peacefully coexist in one epic, л л well-structured piece. The electronic sounds and л л Dance beats might scare some Prog fans away (like л л they initially did me), but the sublime vocals and л л guitars are bound to bring them back (as again л л they did me). When hearing this I am often л л reminded of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells III л л which similarly combined Dance beats and л л electronic sounds with soaring electric guitars л л and delightful melodies. The sampled spoken voices л л are very Pink Floydian. It cannot be enough л л emphasised how different this track is compared л л anything the band has done before or since, but it л л is a Galahad classic and it has established itself л л in the band's live set till the present day. л л Part two of A Short Reflection Of Two Past Lives л л follows with Mellotron, saxophone and electric л л guitars. Obviously, this sounds very different л л from Bug Eye and you might even wonder if it is л л the same band! Following Ghosts is indeed a л л sprawling collection of songs and the band seems л л to be unsure of which direction they should go in, л л so they opt for every direction! (Which is another л л feature that reminds me of Mike Oldfield!). л л Ocean Blue is an upbeat, poppy song, again with a л л Dance beat, but very much lighter and "friendlier" л л than on Bug Eye. This one almost sound a bit like л л a Pet Shop Boys number! At this point you start to л л wonder why on earth the album is 73 minutes long! л л The album as a whole would unquestionably benefit л л from dropping a few songs out, and Ocean Blue, л л Rejuvenation and Easier Said Than Done would be л л good candidates for being cut as they add nothing л л of interest. The second epic song of the album л л still holds some promise though, but sadly it does л л not quite hold up for 14 minutes despite a strong л л opening. There are simply too many "grey" areas in л л this otherwise good song. л л To sum up. This album is a bit of a roller-coaster л л ride that takes the listener in a multitude of л л directions. Indeed, too many for its own good! As л л such it is an interesting album but also a bit л л disjointed. While undoubtedly a big step forward л л for the band in terms of experimental and eclectic л л spirit, some of the compositions are not quite л л good enough. There are some excellent bits here, л л but with a running time of well over an hour you л л might rightly wonder what was going on in the л л quality department! I guess this is one of those л л love-it-or-hate-it releases, and as usual when it л л comes to such releases I fall down somewhere in л л the middle! л л Interesting for sure, but with the exception of л л Bug Eye, certainly not an essential release. In my л л view, the band peaked with Sleepers. But their л л subsequent releases, including the present one, л л are not bad. л л л л --- л л л л In 1996 Galahad cover Camel's ''Lady fantasy'' for л л the tribute album ''Harbour of joy'', followed by л л the first official live CD of the group ''Classic л л Rock Live''.However keyboardist Karl Garrett л л decided to leave the band at the end of the л л year.In 1997 the reduced Galahad release the л л compilation ''Decade'' with songs from the first л л three albums on German label Bluestone and finally л л find a replacement for Garrett on Dean Baker.With л л the new keyboardist the group released its fourth л л studio album ''Following ghosts'' in June 1998. л л Seems that the group eventually made clear that л л reproducing an already saturated style would lead л л to nowhere.With ''Following Ghosts'' Galahad tried л л something different, adding a bit of personality л л in their sound, which is still not fully л л conveincing but definitely heads into a different л л yet attractive direction.The familiar atmospheric л л Neo Prog style of the group is now enriched by a л л variety of flexible instrumental tools, like л л sampled string sections, loops (much in the vein л л of MILLENIUM) or electronics to come up with a л л partly original approach, blending modern Prog л л with Neo Prog and Pop/Rock.The melodies and л л choruses sound more memorable despite the л л stylistically wide array of the group, most of the л л arrangements are well-crafted and the deep л л atmosphere is the basic element of the release.The л л contrast between the Mellotron waves and loops is л л certainly a different view in music, credited to л л these Englishmen.On the other hand there is still л л room for improvement.Some tracks remain very л л accesible compared to others, while the album's л л balance needed also a bit of work, especially on л л the heavy use of sampled instrumentation. л л Overall ''Following Ghosts'' was a great л л achievement by Galahad and a step forward compared л л to the previous studio releases.This could best л л described as contemporary Art Rock with strong л л Prog inspirations as a whole and marks a nice л л starting point for anyone willing to meet the л л band's more recent styles.Recommended. л В В Б Б А 1. Myopia 5:00 А А 2. Imago 5:53 А А 3. A Short Reflection on Two Past Lives 3:53 А А (Part One) А А 4. Karma For One 6:23 А А 5. Perfection Personified 4:51 А А 6. Bug Eye 13:58 А А 7. A Short Reflection on Two Past Lives 5:52 А А (Part Two) А А 8. Ocean Blue 7:13 А А 9. Rejuvenation 1:59 А А 10. Easier Said Than Done 4:31 А А 11. Shine 14:02 А А 73:35 А А Б Б В л А В А ў лм А лл плмА ммммм В А ммммм АмллА А пллллВлммлллллллллВА ллл лллВА лллллллллммллллллп В ВпВ Блллллллпп пллллллллБ Аллллллллп пплллллллАВпВ ў А млАлппмллллмВ плп лВА БВл плп мллллм плллмА млпА Алллппплллм плБ ллВ лл Влп млллппплллА плА лп ВллВ мллл плВ лллл Блп Влллм ВллВ плВ лп ВллА БллллллВ пл лВ лп ВллллллБ АллВ пл Б млл Аллл ВлллВ пАллАп ВлллА ллл ллм Б Алп ллл мп лллм ВллллБ млллпм ллл плА Влп мллмлп А лллллллллллллл плм ллм плВ лп ллллплмВАмл пллллллп лмВАмлплмлл плВ А м ллп пллллп плВплл пллллп пллл м Б лАлВ ллА лА л Алл пллБл лллА БлА м В Б АлБ Вллл А Влл А ллВ ллА Алл лБ А Ал пл лп В А А