Pendragon – The Window of Life

1,482

5 Stars

The wonderful artwork for Pendragon’s Window of Life by Simon Williams depicts some of the stories on the album. Pendragon never penny pinch on the niceties of the product, which is always well-presented with thought. Every album is a delight to get and gaze at whilst the music washes over you.

Audio CD (paid link)

Formed in 1978, Pendragon have been a central figure of the Neo-Progressive rock music for over forty years. Always on the fringe of fame, but never quite crossing over into the mainstream. Quite why is a mystery, they certainly do not lack any of the required skills. Although so saying there are pockets of ardent Pendragon fans dotted around the world. Poland and Germany being particular strongholds.

*Nick Barrett on stage with Pendragon giving his beloved Axe a*
*vicious shake, ringing every ounce of emotion from its strings.*

Pendragon, after early predictable lineup changes, have had a pretty consistent line up since 1986 with only twice the drummer being changed. Nick Barrett is often seen as the band’s figurehead, playing lead guitar and singing. Peter Gee on bass guitar is one of the best in the business and has released some nice solo albums allowing him to show off some different musical talents other than in the Pendragon progressive manner.

On keyboards is Clive Nolan, a man that deserves his own review. Becoming the youngest ever recipient of the ‘A.L.C.M.’ Musical Composition Diploma, he has been the keyboard player with Pendragon since 1986. He has also found time to form the fine bands Arena (since 1995 nine albums, five live albums), Shadowlands (since 1992 (four albums), plus two concept albums with Oliver Wakeman, then the nonsensically delightful Jabberwocky from 1999, and The Hound of the Baskervilles in 2002. On drums for Pendragon at this time was the fabulously named Fudge Smith.

After two albums of finding their way, Pendragon launched the wonderfully named Toff Records in 1991 and proceeded down the road of progressive rock.

Clive Nolan, is Pendragon’s talented and super productive keyboard player. As well as composing and playing some of Pendragon’s most intricate music, he also runs two other bands, along with his solo career. He also dabbles in theatre and production work. Whew.

The first release in 1991 was ‘The World,’ which proclaimed from the Castle Balustrades their progressive intentions. This was followed in 1993 by this magnificent album. The album opener, ‘Walls of Babylon’ has a symphonic opening from the keyboards of Clive Nolan before Nick Barrett’s guitar cuts in with some excellent lead guitar soloing. The rhythm section comes crashing in and the song is away, taking some four minutes thirty five seconds for the song to get underway and the vocals to come in. Fourteen minutes for your opening song is a bold statement, but the whole song has a very grand feel about it with hints of Pink Floyd’s ‘Shine on you Crazy Diamond,’ followed by some late Gabriel era Genesis driving music. Take your influences from the best.

*Clive Nolan preparing for his role of Wizard of Pendragon* *from the Arena of Shadowland.*
*Watch out for the Jabberwocky.*

This is followed by ‘Ghosts’ beginning with a piano before Barrett’s harrowing vocals take over. More excellent controlled guitar. The ‘Last Man on Earth’ is the centerpiece of the album and is an epic in every sense of the word. The last two songs on the album show that even progressive rock bands can write commercial material.

A running time of over fifty four minutes of quality music was always good value. But since the 2006 re-release of this album, the EP ‘Fallen Dreams and Angels’ from 1994 has been added on so you get an extra twenty minutes of class music.

Pendragon’s last studio album was ‘Love Over Fear’ in 2020, so we must be due a new album soon.

The sleeve artwork by Simon Williams is colorful, bright and witty.