On Journey's mega power ballad, “Faithfully,” vocalist Steve Perry sang about coming home from the road and reconnecting with the one he loves, “I get the joy of rediscovering you...” On a less teary note, that's what happens with every new review I undertake – I rediscover some album that I've long neglected. This time around it was Starcastle's 1977 release, Fountains Of Light. Starcastle was one of many prog-rock acts of the 1970s that couldn't quite shake comparisons to past masters. The band had a definite Yes influence in the melodies and vocals, but there's still plenty here to enjoy. Starcastle frontman, and original REO Speedwagon vocalist, Terry Luttrell has a clear – almost “friendly”- style that echoes Yes' Jon Anderson, while keyboardist Herb Schildt provides a shimmering array of tone colors that don't dazzle with their virtuosity, but rather engage with their luminance. While getting to know the music again, I felt like I was hearing much of it for the first time as the Ares pumped new blood into this recording. On the track “Portraits,” the imaging was particularly good. Guitars electric and acoustic swirl through the arrangement, couched by Schildt's shimmering keys. There's a lot going on and I sensed the Ares picking up all the pieces and bringing them together to present the complete musical picture.

Staying in the middle of the 1970s, one platter that kept me coming back for more was Deep Purple's Come Taste The Band. The record represents something of a one-off; the only studio effort with guitarist Tommy Bolin on board. It's an often overlooked entry in the Purple catalog but one that gets better with each listen. I particularly Side 2 and the last three songs that close the platter. Whether it's Glenn Hughes meteoric vocals on “This Time Around,” Bolin's soaring guitar lines on the instrumental “Owed To G” or David Coverdale's blues-y pleas on “You Keep Moving,” the Taste has never been sweeter than through the Ares. One of the differences between a mediocre vinyl rig and a very good one is how the music can bloom with the latter. Vinyl can retain all its ballyhooed “warmth” yet sound oddly flat when the information in the grooves rushes to the surface all at once, with no degree of depth or separation of instruments and vocals. Where the Ares succeeds beyond its inherently powerful presentation is in its ability to present an arrangement with the components in proportion; subtleties are not lost nor are passages loud and heavy. The music loses no power yet sounds more relaxed because the presentation is delivered without strain. It's sort of like an Olympic weightlifter who trains for years and can dead-lift several hundred pains without screaming or straining, while the weekend warrior may do the same but at the expense of subtlety and all art. And again I was taken by the realism of the bass guitar; particularly the final notes from Roger Glover's Rickenbacker as the notes tumbled forth and disappeared at the conclusion of “You Keep Moving.”

Comments

Add New | Search

david young  - Ares Phono Preamplifier     |2012-09-18 14:59:20 The weakest link at the present time in my stereo system is my preamplifier. I have a small inexpensive phono preamp which has served me well. So here I am doing my research, checking the dollar amounts and running the numbers by my wife. I came across a great preamp and what I thought was an affordable phono preamp from ROGUE AUDIO. The more time I spent on their web site ...the more research I did.....which led me to your esteemed web site and review of their Ares Phono Preamp. Thank you for providing me with your valuable information which has helped me to finalize my choice. Once again thanks 0   0

Write comment
Name:
Email:
Website:
Title:
	Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

---

Like this article? Bookmark and share with any of the sites below.