Track Listings (5) - Disc #1| All Artists: Cathedral Title: Stained Glass Stories Members Wishing: 1 Total Copies: 0 Label: Syncd 3 Release Date: 9/24/1978 Genres: Rock, Classic Rock Styles: Progressive, Progressive Rock, Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) Number of Discs: 1 SwapaCD Credits: 1 UPC: 634479696244 |
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Search - Cathedral :: Stained Glass Stories
 | Cathedral Stained Glass Stories Genres: Rock, Classic Rock
For quite a few of the cognoscenti this stands as the hallmark achievement in American symphonic rock (with courteous nods to many others notwithstanding). Doubtless, it is a brilliant example of a band who not only unders... more » |
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Product Description For quite a few of the cognoscenti this stands as the hallmark achievement in American symphonic rock (with courteous nods to many others notwithstanding). Doubtless, it is a brilliant example of a band who not only understood how to assimilate their influences of King Crimson, Genesis, or Yes but knew well how to build upon them and create and impressionistic whole, which was thoroughly unique, remarkably Cathedral. In short, there is not a naff note or dispensable moment to be found, even though their ability to develop themes might be heard by some critical ears as posturing or even pretentious. The music unfolds and issues forth like a raging river, while setting forth on a journey which is neither predictable or ponderous but one which constantly engages the listener. The five pieces, though individual expressions by themselves, manage to seamlessly flow together in an almost suite-like fashion always evolving, never stagnating yet somehow always appearing to be part of a larger conceptual context, which they are. Lyrically, this is dense and melancholy subject matter about a man s self-actualization, delivered in a tortured style not unlike John Wetton in his days with King Crimson. Musically is where this quartet really shines. Simply put, Stain Glass Stories is a veritable wet-dream for mellotron fanatics the world over, and Doncourt s incessant deployment of the veteran sampler is crucial to the orchestral impact of Stain Glass Stories, not only because he opted to use many different tape-patches but also because he knew how to play with the unwieldy machine and make it sound truly impressive. His work on Hammond is noteworthy, but his tonal lexicon is concentrated on the majesty of the mighty tron! Doncourt s cinematic orchestrations are further accented by the guitar mastery of Perrone, where we can hear him phrasing like Hackett at one moment, then plucking like Howe the next, only to delight us with a line from the Fripp book of tricks not long after, just when we thought he was running out of ideas. The rhythmic qualities of the band are enormous and not to be dismissed what with the metrical complexity of their music and varied changes in mood, the bass is accordingly resonant, the use of pedals spectacular, and the additional variety of percussion instruments adding much to the final product and fleshing out the orchestral sweep. None of this, I will add, strikes of contrivance or of a band unsure of what they set out to do. No, they are the near-perfect sum of their influences. Their follow-up offering, then to be called Epilogue, never came to be. Having heard samples of this, it is a shame they called it quits (for reasons of practicality and family issues, I ve heard). It was equally excellent! Guitarist Rudy Perrone did manage, with a little help from his friends, a wonderful solo effort called Oceans Of Art, which reminded many ears of a Steve Hackett release. This, or especially an original of Stained Glass Stories, are very rare, but back in 1991 Syn-Phonic reissued the Cathedral masterpiece, which included great packaging. I believe it has been deleted from their active catalog, but I know a few copies are still to be found. Similar CDs
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CD ReviewsA collector's item, a hidden gem...but a masterpiece? Squire Jaco | Buffalo, NY USA | 05/17/2007 (4 out of 5 stars) "(This is a review of the Syn-Phonic label release, not some 2004 re-issue that is listed on this page.) This sole release from the U.S. prog band Cathedral got swallowed up in the sea of disinterest that started brewing against prog in general in the late 1970's. Recorded in 1978, and re-released on the Syn-Phonic label around 1990, this hard-to-find cd has frequently been mentioned in the same breath as cd's from other similarly obscure American bands such as Yezda Urfa, Mirthrandir, Hands, and I might add Arabesque. This 45-minute gem is comprised of 5 songs in the 6-12 minute range, mostly driven along by aggressive Chris Squire-like bass lines, and complex polyrhythmic drums and percussion. The music is frequently in the Yes "Relayer" style, with great Howe-like guitar lines, and decent keyboards that focus more on mellotron and string synths than virtuoso soloing. You'll also hear some Gentle Giant and Genesis influences (but you'll also hear here what Anglagard must have been spending a lot of THEIR time listening to before they recorded their early 1990's albums!). I'm delighted that I was able to hook up with a copy of this cd a few years back, but it does not come without its share of shortcomings. The vocals are the weakest feature of the group, though I find the singer tolerable (and almost pleasant) when he sings within his range; in a few spots he sounds as if he's straining, and the dissonance of the vocal line can make the listening that much more uneasy in those places. Not a big problem, and certainly not atypical of some of the other groups mentioned above. Not surprisingly though, most reviewers (including myself) tend to enjoy the all-instrumental 7-minute "Gong" more than the other songs here. Also, I have to say that the production is not the greatest. This was probably not recorded in a top-notch studio; the overall sound contains some occasional "murkiness", and suffers from a lack of dynamics and crispness. This is ripe for a nice re-master re-issue. Still, I believe this is an important - if not essential - album for its influence on U.S. (and Swedish!) prog, and I think it's a worthy endeavor for us prog lovers to recall and honor some of these obscure bands that had great musicians with the guts to attempt complex prog in a world that was quickly sinking into disco and punk. Get this if you can find it. I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on: Music quality = 8.4/10; Performance = 8/10; Production = 7/10; CD length = 8/10. Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 8.1 ("3-1/2 stars")" Meaningless comparisons - this is a high quality, uniquely s Christopher | Florida, USA | 01/30/2008 (5 out of 5 stars) "Before listening, I looked around online and read in more than twenty reviews that Cathedral was basically just another American 'Yes clone.' I also read that the material on Stained Glass Stories is also heavily influenced by Genesis and ELP. These reviews gave me the impression that Cathedral was just another 70's American prog-rock casualty that couldn't break out of the British mold to forge their own identity. Regardless of whatever reasons killed the band's success, I disagree with those ideas for several reasons. First of all, I think genre designations are stupid. What is "progressive" music anyway? This is a heavy rock band that plays more complex compositions on bass, drums, guitar, and organ. The pieces are slightly longer in duration (definitely a plus) and have some jazz and classical influences, which separate their style of music from, say, the Yardbirds. The melodies do not wander and lose focus; they are tight throughout. Regarding the Yes influences, perhaps this comparison stems from Wakeman & Emerson's use of synths and the Hammond organ. Yes and ELP were enormously popular groups using a distinctive organ/snyth driven sound, and so when you hear someone else using those instruments to play longer, symphonic-jazzed up pieces or rock music, you might be compelled to make such a comparison. However, this comparison breaks down under closer analysis because the song structures have more in common with King Crimson's Lark's Tongues in Aspic/Islands/Starless and Bible Black than they do with anything done by Yes, Genesis, or ELP. I also mention this point because the bass (heavy, heavy bass lines) are far too aggressive for those bands and resemble more something done by Fripp and crew. The sound of the bass is a gritty growly tone that I like a lot on my on my own Bass. It sounds like he's playing a GK with its characteristic growl and rumble, perhaps another point of comparison with Yes. Still, the comparison is meaningless because it says nothing for the instrumental and songwriting talents of the band members. Production on the album could have used a little polish (money). At times, the vocals are too far out front and you distinguish their separation from the other instruments in the track. I would LOVE to hear a remix/remaster of this album by a good engineer. It would really shine if the drums could be brought to the front a little more, and the vocals/guitars be leveled out and blended in more with the rest of the music. Such changes would make it seem more cohesive because in some spots it does sound rough. This does not affect its listenability! I'm afraid that the master tapes could be lost forever... it may be worth noting that it is an achievement for a band to produce an album this good without the money that Yes, Genesis, ELP had to produce the slick jazzy sound that made them famous. Anyway, if you like this style of music, then buy this album, open the windows, and TURN IT UP. It is not disappointing. Albatross is a Yes clone, now that's disappointing. But Cathedral? No way. I'm impressed. " Excellent vintage prog from the US Joey Joe Joe Jr. Shabadoo | Boston, MA USA | 03/22/2008 (5 out of 5 stars) "I read a lot of reviews that panned these guys as yet another Yes-clone that came out of the US in the late 1970s, but after listening to this disc for a couple of months, I think any such comparisons would have to be considered pretty superficial. Sure, the Yes sound is clearly present, from the trebly Rickenbacker-esque bass work to the very Steve Howe-ish sounding guitar work. But the compositions really bear little resemblance to Yes. They clearly have their own take on symphonic prog, and I have to admit, it's pretty compelling. The musicians are all excellent, and there is some great musicianship and ensemble work displayed throughout. My favorite tune is the melancholy 7-minute instrumental, "Gong". But the rest of the album is very good too, especially the two epics, "Introspect" and "The Search". Unlike some other reviews I have seen, I don't feel the vocals are a big weakness. I would say the singer generally has a very Crimson-esque sound (specifically from the "Larks"/"Red"/"Starless" era), and only struggles when he gets into the higher registers, which happens rarely.
I guess if I had to liken this band to anyone, it would be a fusion of sounds, from the Yes-like sound of the album, to the Crimson-esque feel of the album, to the mellotron-drenched passagework reminiscent of Genesis. Unlike many of the American bands of this era, they were not derivative, and they were not AOR- or Arena Rock- oriented like most other so-called American "progressive" bands. They managed to maintain the ideals of the English Symphonic Progressive school while still establishing their own musical identity. Of all of the so called "rare masterpieces" of the American prog scene of that time, this is far and away the best of the bunch (the other examples being Happy the Man, Yezda Urfa, and Mirthrandir). This remastering is all right. But this band is too obscure to ever get a first-rate remastering, so listeners will need to make due. Overall, Stained Glass Stories is a great album, and the Yes comparisons are way overblown (if you want a real Yes-clone, check out Starcastle). Recommended." |
