this album is from the category of those memorable masterworks that make our lif
author: VITALY MENSHIKOV - PROGRESSOR Uzbekistan Progressive Rock Pages
ELEGIES REVIEW - 7/1/03 - Above all, I must say that I am very much impressed with “Elegies” – as much as I was with Yes’s “90125” when I heard it for the first time. In fact however, there is nothing in common between the music of Robert Urban and that of Yes; I use this comparison to give you an idea of an effect that this album has on me.
Even though it’s stylistically almost as diverse as “Rock Widow”, this is by all means a very coherent album, and Robert’s great compositional, performance, and producer capabilities are here especially evident. He easily works with different styles, and the changes of a musical direction on the album occur gently and fluently.
The music on the first three tracks here: The Waiting Song, I’m Only Happy, and Joey Sails Away represents a fusion of both of guitar and symphonic kinds of Art-Rock with a classic approach to instrumental Arrangements.
A brilliant, truly progressive hard rock song with elements of Symphonic Art-Rock is presented on Tragedy (4), and a confluence of both of these
genres is what The River (5) is about. Beginning with Serenade (6), which is a piece of Classical Music, the music becomes more complex and more keyboard-oriented with the amazingly inventive passages of piano and a string ensemble at the forefront of arrangements. Robert is a true multi-instrumentalist, and his solos on keyboards – especially those on piano and organ – are as virtuosi as those on guitar and bass.
All three of the following songs: My Love For You, J’accuse, and Elegie (7, 8, & 9), the latter of which was performed in French, contain too few repetitions to be regarded as Classic Symphonic Art-Rock, though they are all highly original. Finally, the stylistics of another instrumental piece on the album: Louange (10) is in my view nothing else but Urbanistic Classical Music, though the coincidence with the name of creator of this album is just accidental.
Conclusion: Each of the songs presented on “Elegies” is the product of genuine inspiration. Like a pleasant greeting from the past millennium, this album is from the category of those memorable masterworks that make our life richer in positive emotions -
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ELEGIES is a moving and brilliantly produced album!
author: Jeffrey L. Newman - New York Blade News
ELEGIES is a moving and brilliantly produced album - weaving elements of pop rock, acid rock and dreamlike balladic art-rock. To his credit, Urban manages to stay true to the genre, while not taking away the soft elements that made "godless" so intoxicating.
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Urban's guitar work is something to behold!
author: Gregg Shapiro - Outlines Magazine, Chicago
Further proof of just how wide-ranging the scope of gay male music can be - Urban's guitar work is something to behold!
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I quite enjoy it. Thanks for the great CD!
author: Ed Hurst - Program Director - Yurstunes Radio
I have ELEGIES rotating in my playlist. My channel is one of 6 on The Progressive Rock Radio Network playing it - and in fact, I quite enjoy it!
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