This 1980 LP from Canadian trio Triumph is certainly guaranteed to polarise their longtime fans. Some don’t like it, while others rate it one of their best. I probably sit in the latter camp.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Triumph
ALBUM: Progressions Of Power
LABEL: Attic, RCA
SERIAL: LAT-1083, AFL1-3524
YEAR: 1980
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Canada
LINEUP: Rik Emmett – vocals, guitars * Gil Moore – vocals, drums * Mike Levine – bass, keyboards
TRACK LISTING: 01 I Live For The Weekend * 02 I Can Survive * 03 In The Night * 04 Nature’s Child * 05 Woman In Love * 06 Take My Heart * 07 Tear The Roof Off * 08 Fingertalkin’ * 09 Hard Road
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
This 1980 LP from Canadian trio Triumph is certainly guaranteed to polarise their longtime fans. Some don’t like it, while others rate it one of their best. I probably sit in the latter camp, a bit of bias comes into play, as it was my first real vinyl purchase of the band for me back in 1980.
Due to the familiarity, the songs on ‘Progressions Of Power’ resonate with me a lot more than the other albums, I also found it to be a lot heavier than the previous set ‘Just A Game’, and that may be due to the fact the drummer Gil Moore runs the cutter on this album; handling the lead vocals on most of the tracks, particularly the heavier ones.
1980 would be the year that would build momentum for the band heading into the new decade. Thank god they did as I found their brand of early 70’s prog (if you could call it that) very unpalatable.
The Songs
Their harder style is immediate on the opener ‘I Live For The Weekend’, an anthem for all those who like to play hard from Friday night to Sunday. Gil’s screeches and screams toward the end are a bit naff.. but hey?
When Triumph bring in the acoustics on some of their ballads, the results are very pleasant. Case in point ‘I Can Survive’, though the electrics take over mostly.
The ballad ‘In The Night’ is one of my fave Triumph tracks, and this one is owned by Rik Emmett, who shines on both acoustic and electric guitars, the slowly built drama climaxes with an excellent solo section toward the end.
The other highlight of the LP is undoubtedly the brash and kick-ass ‘Natures Child’, which is a big blast of hard rock which builds to lightning pace from the solo and beyond. Classic stuff! ‘I’m a Nature’s Child.. on the loose running and wild..’
‘Woman In Love’ is a bit of relief from the thunderhammer of the previous track, even more so ‘Take My Heart’, an Emmett acoustic ballad with flamenco fills. We head back into the hard rock pit with the other genuine highlight, the absolute riff-fest that is ‘Tear The Roof Off’, a crowd favourite ever since.
Emmett delivers a beautiful spanish flavoured instrumental ‘Fingertalkin’, which is followed by the closer ‘Hard Road’, a good song which has its moments, including a nice synth solo by Mike Levine.
In Summary
Of their earlier albums, ‘Progressions Of Power’ is probably their most balanced, and despite this album reaching #32 on the charts, it wouldn’t be until their next album that things took off for Triumph. Read more about their other albums by clicking on the ‘Triumph’ tag below.
Triumph on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
