Review George Bertok [Canada]

Whisky Train - A faster, high-energy version, with BJ's great cowbell rhythms faithfully reproduced.

So Far Behind - A nice, relaxed bluegrass rendition ... Is that Gary's Eminem doll sampled?

Lime Street Blues - Lounge reading of this done as Dionne Warwick would have covered it, with breathy vocals, particularly enjoyed the "naughty girls like me" line.

Don't Ya Like My Love - drums and bass, with Hendrix-like wah-wah guitar. A nice update of the Paramounts track.

Wreck of the Hesperus - Pretty faithful reproduction of the original difficult piano part included ... shows a great knowledge of the original orchestration, with a wacky surprise ending.

Juicy John Pink - As sung by "Barney" the Dinosaur [a popular children's TV show in Canada]! Dear One-Eye, please don't take offence, but this image comes to mind when I hear this: hilarious !

Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) - A sparkling 80s take on this, with original mood well preserved.

Too Much Between Us - A slower, bluesy version, while guitar-heavy, still retains the mood

TV Ceasar - Is this how it would have sounded if Syd Barrett had written it? A great psychedelic bridge, too.

The Worm and the Tree - Obviously the work of a madman ... enough said.

Memorial Drive - A raw, take-no-prisoners live version, full of energy.

A Robe of Silk - My absolute fave track from The Well's on Fire done in AOR fashion, reminiscent of the Alan Parsons Project.

Rambling On - A busker version, and a brave attempt with just acoustic guitars.

A Salty Dog - An interesting remake, with handclaps/drums reminding me of the Eastenders theme.

Cold Harbour Lane - A rather baroque take on this one, with interesting time changes.

The Idol - A Euro, synth-heavy rendition, with a rather odd vocal.

SS Blues - A friendly, down-home jaunt, nice and relaxed.

The Final Thrust - The intro choir recalls early Genesis, then goes I know not where.

The Emperor's New Clothes - A sensitive instrumental of this, with a sympathetic brass orchestration.

Your Own Choice - An interesting female vocal counterpoint, with a baroque bridge and uplifting ending.

Conquistador - My personal fave track on the CD ... as if written for that genre ... lovely to hear Procol sung by women ... well done!

The Pursuit of Happiness - The return of "Barney" ... bizarre and hilarious!

Toujours L'Amour - Odd chord / melody shifts, featuring a sincere, resigned female vocal - lovely!

Whiskey Train - Atmospheric, sparse acoustic reading of this, nice slide guitar building dynamics to the end.

Typewriter Torment - Theatrical, whimsical take on this nugget, with skilful quotes from Skating on Thin Ice - well done!

Long Gone Geek - Bit of a "Little Feat" vibe here, but for the hyper-cheese organ, the original being one of my all-time fave, under-rated Procol Harum songs.

The Angler - A beautiful, gentle breath of fresh air ... subtle acoustic and pedal-steel shadings.

She Makes Me Feel - A tasteful rendition, with string quotes from Journey's End as a bonus.

A Souvenir of London - A brilliant intro to this, a busker's delight ... brought back memories of times I've spent on the London Underground.

Wish Me Well - Psycho vocals, and a very accurate Trower guitar tone and vibrato - nice job!

Gone Too Far - Not familiar with the original of this one; an effective entry of guitar at the second verse, though.

Repent Walpurgis - A good understanding of the Trower guitar work, albeit with the oddest guitar sound I've heard in a long time.

Pilgrim's Progress - A swing version, at odds with the original mood ... one of my best-loved Fisher songs.

Something Following Me - A jazzier, rambling, synth-laden take on this ... nice backwards guitar, too ... vocal sounds like Richard Manuel [The Band] singing in another room.

Fellow Travellers - An 80s Disco rendition, saved by heart-felt vocals.

Glimpses of Nirvana - Nice piano work here.

'Twas Teatime at the Circus - Amusing to hear Gary's vocal fumble from the Edmonton Symphony concert included here.

Hulluuteni Syksy - Once again, refreshing to hear a female vocal on this ambitious effort.

Look to Your Soul - Another brave attempt at a daunting song: highlights what a great singer Gary Brooker is ... nice guitar solo to build to the next piece

Grand Finale - Again, homework well done, good juxtaposition of intro narrative over the ending, and lastly, a great idea to segue the last five tracks together ... very effective!

As a parting thought, Id like to say how proud I am to have taken part in From Shadow to Shadow ... a true, communal act of LOVE!

George Bertok, Canada: June 2004

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