Billy Sherwood has amassed a bunch of killer players for a second Prog Collective album. Epilogue features star turns on each of the nine songs, with Sherwood providing instrumentation and production throughout. It’s too bad the songs don’t measure up to the talent.
Opening with “Are We To Believe,” we get some distinctive Moog soloing from Rick Wakeman and Sherwood kicking it on drums. About midway, things get slightly sparser, jazzier in fact, with Mel Collins’ expertly played sax (not that one would expect anything but ‘expert’ playing from Collins). Even though “Are We To Believe” is a little long, “What Can Be Done” fares much better, feeling like a more cohesive band effort with a great vocal from John Wetton vocal alongside some stellar guitar work from Porcupine Tree’s John Wesley.
“Shining Diamonds,” released as the album’s single, features Alan Parsons on vocals, Steve Stevens playing compelling electric runs as well as tasty classical guitar parts, a Patrick Moraz solo and Chris Squire on bass. It’s the most commercial tune here, very 80s Yes-like. I’m not sure if Sherwood’s editing skills are up to snuff on some of the tracks because when he has a good tune, he doesn’t know how to end it.
“Memory Tracks” has Nektar’s Roye Albrighton on lead vocal and some sneaky and subtle Allan Holdsworth guitar. Pardon the pun, but this one will not stay in your memory very long after you hear it. “Tomorrow Becomes Today” is the another stand-out track here and like “What Can Be Done,” the strength of the song is in that it feels like another band tune, with original Yes guitarist Peter Banks bending the notes and Sonjia Kristina on vocals.
“Epilogue,” the title track that ends the record, features none other than William Shatner, who recites the titles of the other eight songs over a basic Sherwood multi-track production with Jim Cuomo on drums. The problem with Epilogue is that having so much talent on board (Fee Waybill of the Tubes, Steve Morse, Tony Kaye, Larry Fast and a bunch of others also make appearances) can’t save the meandering moments. Sure there are highlights on Epilogue, but the rest is simple virtuosity.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
