ALBUM REVIEWS
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ALBUM REVIEWS |
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Sabina’s Rex
A ROCK OPERA Out now @www.vanguard-online.co.uk
Y’know there are times when pretension is a good thing – a modicum of it indicates an ambition to stretch beyond the accepted bounds of normality. And pretension has led to many flawed masterpieces where we accept the duff bits for the overarching dream of the music. Which is why I said “yes” when I was asked if I’d like to review this rock opera and my heart lifted when it opened with church organ from the good old days of seventies nonsense. Then again, there are times (like Roger Waters’ reworking of Les Miserables, “Ca Ira”) where the artist needed a bucket of water over their head to wake them up, having grown a tad big for their footwear. Sabina’s Rex don’t have the excuse of the brain damage inflicted by fame so can we tolerate the power balladry that follows? I say “no, kick over the barricades, comrades – we shall establish a punk beach-head before a Saving-Private-Ryan-type assault on the towers of progressive rock”. Except maybe we won’t bother. After all, this lot are from New York and if they can produce something like this there, they must be immune to understanding the passing of time that has rendered this sort of thing passé. In truth, plenty here would pass muster in an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical (except Andy has one tune per opus and this has none) and has some occasional guitar fiddling to please the “classic rock” fan. I’m unable to comment on the structure and story told since the band sent out a disc called “highlights” so we wouldn’t flood the internet with free rips of the content. From my in-depth research (Myspace, natch), I gather this is some sort of hokum about elder gods sidelined by the Christian church. So far, so not-so-nearly-scary-as-H.P.Lovecraft. And the music ain’t scary either. In fact it is pleasant and very, like I said, like a musical. It works to tell a story – if you can pick it out – but it doesn’t grab you or infect you with an earworm. In fact you’d probably drift off into other thoughts unless you were watching this on stage or following a libretto. Where rock clichés intrude – chugging guitar, widdling solo, gruff vocals, they are done in tasteful ways. Will go down well in irony-free zones where Ca Ira is worshipped as a work of genius. www.myspace.com/sabinasrexopera |
