More CD-Rs of albums I used to own many years ago.

Ain Soph – Hat and Field. 9=9. First time I’ve heard since the 90s. And no change to my opinion. When you boldly go forward with a name like “Hat and Field”, it better be meaty, complex, charming and melodic. And you can tell that is what they’re trying to do! But it has a 1986 new agey production and period instrumentation that takes both the meaty and charming parts out. It’s mildly complex. The melodies aren’t too bad, but a tad too breezy. Bands like Machine and the Synergetic Nuts have proved the Japanese are more than capable at this type of sound. Ain Soph were a prog band at heart, but couldn’t seem to master the logos of it all.

Pageant - La Mosaique de la Reverie. 7=7. The late 80s saw a huge resurgence of new Japanese symphonic progressive rock groups . Me and a couple of like-minded buddies collected them vigorously upon discovery circa 1990 or so. Pageant were typical of the saccharine style that had emerged: Brassy, trebly productions; over the top majestic compositions; all 80s digital everything, all the time; high pitched female vocals, or worse, operatic male ones. Almost none of these albums have aged well. And I’d ditched most of them by the end of the decade. Pageant’s debut comes in a notch below Providence and Outer Limits (first 2 anyway), on par with Mugen and Teru’s Symphonia and ahead of the intolerable Fromage. About the only group, for the style, that seems to hold relevance is Mr. Sirius, who added a boatload more ideas to each recording.  There is a decent amount of flute and acoustic guitar here, to give it some authentic life anyway. For every moment they throw in a solid 10/11 move, they’ll counter with a 4 or 5 cringe worthy section. The 7 stays.

Pageant – Abysmal Masquerade. 6+7. Now there’s an apropos title! Lost in Translation maybe? I don’t know why I torture myself so with these. I guess I can’t believe that at one time I actually LIKED these. Oh well… a humbling experience indeed. Actually, now that I referenced the movie, it is just that motion picture that can actually give me some perspective in a positive way. Hey, I need boat anchors here fella’s! Apparently this is the Musea release of the Japanese “Kamen No Egao”. Not sure this justified one release, much less two! Everything that was wrong with the first album is exploited here. Much less flute and acoustic guitar, and in its place – more commercial anthem rock! Last piece is a lengthy Pink Floyd-ish number that saves the day. If you count being a 7 “saved”.