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Pentwater
Reviews Here's what the world press is saying about Pentwater: Combining
heavy helpings of Yes, Genesis and ELP with some of the weirdness of
Frank Zappa, Out of the Abyss,
and Pentwater in general had some of the quirkiest and most unusual
progressive rock ever created. This album...will probably grow to be
one of the most prized CD`s in your collection. - Music
Street Journal American
band, a 6-piece who played a complex progressive rock with very busy
arrangements and lots of vocals. If comparisons need to be made, there
is a definite early Yes feel (circa Time and a Word), with perhaps a
touch of Gentle Giant, but despite this, they cover far more ground,
especially via the use of violin and flute, and a few tracks like "Necropolis"
and "The Journeys" that defy categorization and comparison. It is a
true indicator of excellent music when it distracts you from what you
are doing. I did not expect much when I first listened to this CD. Much
to my surprise and pleasure I had to stop and take notice of Out
of the Abyss. Each time I listen to it, the better I like it!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. - Gibraltar
Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock Pentwater
is an interesting Chicago combo whose high-decibel rock effectively
utilizes contemporary classical elements. All five members are excellent
musicians, which is important as the tunes are often intricate. Lead
vocals and instrumentals are strong as scored with electric guitar,
violin and flute, and a variety of instruments that contribute to the
quintet's unusual character. Included are theremin, synthesizer, electric
piano, and electric clavichord. Actually, all five have vocal segments,
sometimes one word each, an avant garde classical device. "I
am an Italian Progressive music lover, and I write this after having
listened to the Pentwater Out of the Abyss
CD. I would like to let you know that I consider this CD great, surely
one of the best things I have listened to in the last years. I find
"Gwen's Madrigal", "Necropolis", "Oceans",
"EM54", "Cause & Effects" really great songs.
- Riccardo Maranghi of the Italian "Arlequins
Progressive Music" Magazine. Many
different elements are combined in their music. The songs are thoughtfully
planned, and the aware listener will discover basic traditional patterns
running through the complex time changes. In this way, the music achieves
a free form feeling, but remains structured and logical. For
those of you who have heard the Pentwater
LP released in 1977 (last time I checked it was going for $700 on some
lists), will no doubt find this CD interesting. So here we have a collection
of the band's best work, selected by Syn- Phonic from over 100 songs
(supposedly there is more good stuff, including more live material which
might see the light of day soon), I find the Pentwater sound to be more
influenced by the early 70's UK scene, with hints at some of the
legendary 'Vertigo' bands and Emerson Lake and Palmer. In fact there
is not a hint of anything related to the usual 1970's Midwest prog sound
of Styx, Kansas, or Starcastle. Pentwater developed their own sound
and stuck with it, and this makes them all the more intriguing. One
of America's finest progressive bands and recommended highly .-Editor,
Prognosis
- Progressive Music Web Site Another
archival surprise, knowing nothing about this band prior to listening,
it was a real ear-opener, at times I was hearing what seemed like 60's
psychedelic vocal harmonies (think of - It's A Beautiful Day, Jefferson
Airplane), but musically they have more of a Happy the Man, Mirthrandir,
Gentle giant, Echolyn style, very innovative stuff given the era, the
keyboards are quite good, I still am not sure why it took until now
for me to have heard of this band, great stuff! Art
can be creative and commercial. Witness the album of Pentwater.
The troll-creature and faucets painting by Kunio Hagio is superb on
many levels - appealing and imaginative and expertly done. That triple-quality
lies at the finish of Pentwater's marathon. Pentwater will be a band
of uniquely high stature and should be applauded and urged on every
step of the way. Pentwater's
years of extensive touring throughout the Midwest and East Coast and
their music conservatory background has led to the development of a
very unique sound. One could try to classify them as either hard rock
or spacey rock but, in actuality, they are neither. Pentwater has found
a sound that is extremely complex with layer upon layer of instrumentation
and vocals.
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