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: : Live At ROSFest 2005 : :
At Progressive Rock festivals past, it used to be that the Sunday
morning act was essentially considered a “filler” show that if you
missed partially or entirely because you stayed up way past beddy-bye
time with old and new friends and a large amount of the nectar of the
gods (beer), it was no big deal. Florida’s Cryptic Vision Sunday morning
performance at the 2005 Rites Of Spring Festival has raised the bar and
challenged this notion, as I suspect will be carried on by Magic Pie in
2006. It has become essential to drag your ass out of bed and get to the
venue, or risk missing one of the better shows of the weekend.
“Cryptic Vision- Live at RoSFest 2005” is a great souvenir for those who
attended, and just the second official release for any “non- progsnob”
who appreciates a band that makes no apologies for carrying on the old
time tradition of earnest intensity. The sound quality is not the best
I’ve heard, but not bad at all (The CD notes on the back that this is an
informal recording). Considering that this was only the group’s third
show together, I thought they were very polished.
The CD includes
five tracks from the debut album “Moments Of Clarity”, the title track
of the upcoming “In A World” (Live and studio demo featuring Steve
Lamagna), a John Zahner keyboard solo, and a medley of “old” and “new”
(Spock’s Beard, Yes, Kansas, Dream Theater, Genesis, ELP). At ROSFest,
you just knew that when the Progledy was over, the audience would rise
as one.
In my view, the band’s most obvious influences are Kansas and Yes. When
vocalist Todd Plant is singing solo, the Steve Walsh just gushes out,
although there is a certain uniqueness to his voice. Collectively, the
harmonies invoke that Yes feel. Songwriters Plant and
multi-instrumentalist Duncan write songs that revisit the bread -and
-butter themes we old Progheads have always gravitated towards- man’s
search for meaning in a sometimes cruel world, pain, suffering, and
ultimate freedom and redemption.
RoSFesters who want to relive a fond memory should add this recording to
their collections. It can be purchased at CD Baby or the band’s web
site: www.crypticvision.net
Reviewed by: Rick Woodward 1/14/06
: : Visit the Artist’s Website : :
: : Discography : :
Moments of Clarity - 2004
Live At ROSFest 2005 |
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