Despite the latest Presto Ballet album being released independently, I went in search of it. I secured a copy from CD Baby, where the band had been recently selling it.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Presto Ballet
ALBUM: The Lost Art Of Time Travel
LABEL: Prog Rock Records, SPV/Steamhammer
SERIAL: PRR560, SPV 452612 CD
YEAR: 2008
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Scott Albright – lead vocals, acoustic guitar * Kurdt Vanderhoof – guitars, mellotron, chamberlin, hammond organ, synths, bass pedals, electric pianos * Izzy Rehaume – bass * Ryan McPherson – keyboards * Bill Raymond – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 The Mind Machine * 02 Thieves * 03 You’re Alive * 04 One Tragedy At A Time * 05 I’m Not Blind * 06 Easy Tomorrow * 07 Haze
RATING: 85/100
Presto Ballet Background
Presto Ballet, for those not familiar with the band, is the side project of guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof. He’s better known as the main man in Californian metallers Metal Church.
Vanderhoof did have his own band project back in 2002, simply called Vanderhoof. Releasing one album for SPV ‘A Blur In Time’, this outfit morphed into Presto Ballet. And by 2005, the band had taken on a pomp rock personality. ‘Peace Among The Ruins’ being one of the best albums of that year.
Despite a couple of Metal Church albums in between times, Vanderhoof has not lost his passion for pomp/prog rock. And this despite the latest Presto Ballet album being released independently.
Having been a vehement fan of the debut, I went in search of ‘The Lost Art Of Time Travel’. I secured a copy from CD Baby, where the band had been recently selling it.
The Songs
Presto Ballet has undergone a major backline change, with three new members hooking on. They joined Vanderhoof and lead singer Scott Albright. With only the seven songs onboard, you are not short changed with quantity.
Four tracks are over nine minutes, two are over six , the remaining track at a ‘brief’ four/half minutes. Again, we get the same influences rearing their head. Kansas, Styx, Yes and Rush. There delicious strains of keys, organs, fluid bass lines everywhere. Not forgetting tempo challenging drumwork which will require you to make a Presto Ballet appointment for an hour or so.
Opener ‘The Mind Machine’ melds Kansas and Rush together seamlessly. The rhythm section has that Lee/Peart combination we remember so well from those late 70’s/early 80’s Rush albums.
Atmosphere drenched synths lead the way on ‘Thieves’, it opens the way for a jangly Yes like arrangement. The next passage features heavier guitar lines with Rush vibes, before the organ/guitar interplay returns to Wooden Nickel era Styx. Interesting track, hmm, may need to listen to this one again, and again..
‘You’re Alive’ is the shortest Presto Ballet track. It’s primarily acoustic, flowing and moves into an orchestral passage through the middle. The longest track at 14 minutes is ‘One Tragedy At A Time’. As expected, it moves through several sections, which includes instrumental parts. Again, the usual suspects can be detected, with a nod to Dream Theaterin places too. This song is worth the price of admission alone.
Starting out subdued is ‘I’m Not Blind’. Though it gradually picks up steam without ever really heading out of mid-tempo mode. A nice enough track nonetheless. One of the better tracks from Presto Ballet is the pompous onslaught of ‘Easy Tomorrow’, which covers numerous styles within. I’m certain that a guy like Steve Walsh would enjoy what’s going on with this track.
The closer ‘Haze’ meanders across a Styx-ian like wind-drift, acoustic in nature for at least the first half of the track. There are some interesting piano and synth change-ups through the middle. Scott Albright does well to resemble Dennis De Young in places, whether by accident or design.
In Summary
At the time of writing this review, record label Prog Rock Records had stepped up to the plate and now has this CD on their roster. So that is good news for all Presto Ballet fans. Followers of this genre of rock music will wonder at the temerity of such enthusiasm by Vanderhoof and his colleagues.
As has been mentioned many times on this site, pomp/prog rock may well be a dated style. But it doesn’t mean that achieving perfection within it should be discouraged. I would rather Kurdt pursue Presto Ballet more so than Metal Church. The latter doesn’t need to prove anything further to my way of reckoning. However with this band, there are so much more creative avenues to explore. Let’s hope Kurdt does just that.
Presto Ballet on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
