Let's check out some more work from one of those people who make their living and indeed have made their name from tinkling the ivories. Our first installment of “Keyboard wizards” was less than successful, at least for me, since the album fell far short of my expectations. It was, however, the first time I had listened to Derek Sherinian's “Oceana”, so perhaps that lack of familiarity with his work was partly to blame. This time, I may not know the album backwards but I am certainly a lot more versed in it than I was the previous.
Originally, when I heard tracks off this via playlists I was less than impressed, but then, when you consider the album follows pretty strictly an established and well-known storyline, hearing selections from it out of context can be a little unsettling, and you only get the real experience by listening to the album all the way through, then you realise what an amazing job the artiste has done with a story that many would possibly consider tired and hackneyed, at least at this point. Hard to breathe new life into one of the old Sherlock Holmes mysteries --- in fact, perhaps the most famous of them all --- but I think a very good job has been done here. Plus, you get two keyboard wizards for the price of one: can't say fairer than that!
The Hound of the Baskervilles --- Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman --- 2002 (Verglas)
The problem, of course, remains as with all concept albums Often obscure, weird, hard to follow plotlines; sometimes it's hard to even trace the actual concept, even if you get the general idea. One sure way to make sure that the listener can follow the storyline though is to base your album around an already-established idea: a novel, a play, an opera. This is exactly what Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman did with this album, basing it entirely on the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's greatest fictional hero, and the greatest of Sherlock Holmes's cases. Interspersing the music with spoken narrative, which can come at the opening to, in the middle of or at the end of the musical passages, the story of “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is condensed into just over an hour of music and narration, and it works brilliantly.
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Note: if you have not yet read, or seen any of the many films of, this story, and intend to sample it at some point, be aware that this album contains not only spoilers, but the whole resolution of the mystery. This is then reflected in my review, so if you don't want your enjoyment spoiled then avoid reading. You have been warned!)
Although it's the brainchild of Clive Nolan, who prog rock fans will know from his work with, among others, Arena and Pendragon, and the son of keyboard supremo Rick Wakeman, the album features a host of guest stars, including John Jowitt, Karl Groom, Arjen Lucassen and Bob Catley to name but a few. The narration is undertaken by the sonorous tones of one Robert Powell, who may be remembered for his stunning performance of Jesus in the miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth”, or if you're not that way inclined, you may recall him from his role as Dave alongside Jasper Carrott in “The Detectives”. The various characters are all voiced by separate people, giving the project a much wider and more inclusive feel, and you really do feel like you're stepping into the pages of Doyle's classic book.
All that's very well and good, I hear you say, but this is a music composition. What's the music like? Well, what would you expect from two such stars of the keys? Wakeman and Nolan have already successfully translated Lewis Carroll's “Jabberwocky” to a musical interpretation, so this should be just as good, although I admit I have not heard the previous outing: it seems hard to get, and again, Carroll is not the easiest to get into, especially his “nonsense poems”. Holmes is not a subject I have all that much experience with, though like most people I've seen a few of the movies (not, I should stress, the new blockbusters) and read one or two stories. This one, I'm glad to say, I did read, so I can follow the storyline easier, though even if you haven't it is set out in simple steps for you to follow.
Opening on eerie synth with the plaintive wailing of a great hound, it's Robert Powell's voice we first hear, intoning the prologue to the novel, recounting the warning about traversing the moors when it's dark, then big orchestral keyboard powers in with a dramatic overture, buzzing keys from both Wakeman and Nolan as, well, “Overture” gets going. Unlike many such introductory instrumentals though, this one is long, almost six minutes, and serves to lay the backdrop to the album. As you might expect on an album helmed by two keyboard players it's heavily keys-oriented, some of the playing giving the impression that there's an orchestra there, but I've found no evidence to support this theory, so must assume that the guys are just really versatile on their keyboards, which of course they are.
Powerful drumming from Tony Fernandez helps create the dark, oppressive air required for such a story, the keys getting into almost a “sabre dance” moment as the overture comes to the end, then harpisichord takes us directly into the introduction of the first chapter of the book, as Dr. Mortimer comes to talk to Sherlock Holmes regarding the death of Sir Henry Baskerville. Mortimer is played by Ashley Holt, who has worked with Clive Nolan before, and a very dramatic voice he has. The music swells behind him as the terrible tale is told, heavy keyboards and thumping drums, somewhat lightened by some flute from Ewa Alberling. Mortimer relates the tale of the appearance of the infamous and legendary Hound of the Baskervilles. I won't go deeply into the story, as it would take too long, but as the tale progresses the music gets suitably more frenzied and intense.
As Mortimer's story ends and Holmes agrees to travel to meet Sir Henry Baskerville, the keys fall back to harpsichord and Powell's narration returns as we move into “Three broken threads” with arpeggiated keyboards and violin, the latter from Jo Greenland, the tune quickly turning into a bouncy, keyboard-led chase theme with very proggy keys and galloping drums, some nice descending chord structures meshing with some choral vocals, then a faster, Genesisesque passage sliding into more Yes-style keys and some hard guitar from Threshold's Karl Groom bouncing off the edges. “Shadows of fate”, which follows next, is a breezy, laidback piece on piano whose narration recalls Jeff Wayne's “War of the worlds”, until Groom and Arjen Lucassen's guitars punch in, laying down an ominous, dangerous theme as Magnum's Bob Catley, as Sir Henry Baskerville, looks out the windows of the train and considers the plight of Seldon, the convict whom they have been told is loose on the moors. A marching, dramatic beat propels this song, Lucassen in particular putting in a great performance on the guitar, as you would of course expect. A nice relaxed synth and choral vocal passage provides some relief a little more than halfway through, then the guitars crank up again and Lucassen rips off a fine solo as Groom backs him.
A walking organ melody opens “At home in the mire” as Holmes and Watson meet Stapleton, the naturalist, voiced by Paul Allison, who tells them about his favourite place, the moors, and the mire where one misstep can result in disaster. The music moves into a fast, keyboard melody until what is generally the “Baskervilles theme”, the progression that opened the album and formed the backbone of the “Overture” returns, then the fast keyswork resumes, with guitar again from Karl Groom. The “Baskerville theme” is now incorporated and built into the main melody, and follows it as it runs along, carrying the song, with trumpeting keys from Nolan until Powell returns to advise that a long low moan has echoed across the moor --- the Hound!
Interestingly, Nolan and Wakeman seem to have chosen not to assign an actual voices to Holmes, this possibly being because the Sherlock Holmes stories are all written from the journal of Dr. Watson, and though Holmes speaks it is usually in the voice of Watson, so seeing Robert Powell as the narrator, and therefore essentially Watson, there is no real need to hear Holmes's actual voice. “Run for your life” is in fact the first ballad on the album, sung by Tracy Hitchings as Beryl, Stapleton's sister, who warns Sir Henry Baskerville to return to London at once. The song actually swings between soft ballad and more uptempo racer, and I must say Hitchings certainly sounds like Kate Bush to me! Groom's guitar reinforces the sense of desperation and urgency in Beryl's request, really more a demand, then a plea, as she tries to convince the heir to the Baskerville estate to leave this place.
Sir Henry, of course, is completely bewitched by the woman's beauty, leading to the first real ballad, as he sings “Picture of a lady”. Catley does his usual fine job, backed by Nolan on the piano, with more lovely flute from Ewa Alberling, some soft arpeggios on the keys from Wakeman and choral vocals, a little acoustic guitar, but it's Jo Greenland's mournful violin --- perhaps mirroring the use of the great detective's instrument of choice when he wanted to think a problem through --- that opens “The argument”, with three vocals, the first from Allison as Stapleton arguing with his sister Beryl, then Hitchings as the lady in question, and joined by Catley as Sir Henry. Great orchestral keyboards form the framework of the piece, with deep, rolling drums and heavy organ carrying it along, growing in intensity as the argument gets more heated. The vocal harmonies on this are quite excellent, each character crossing over the next, each vocalist complementing the other.
Powell's narration, missing for the last two tracks, comes back to fill in the story as the short track “Second light” tells of the butler at Baskerville Hall looking out into the night as if trying to see something on the moor, and in fact answered by a light which echoes back from the dark wilderness. It's a short keyboard piece, but carried on the sumptuous tones of Powell as he advances the plot, and introduces Seldon, the criminal who has been said to have been loose on the moors. Some whining guitar from Karl Groom adds to the tension of the piece, then church organ and measured booming drums bring in “Seldon”, introducing Ian Moon Gould as the eponymous convict, the song racking up in tempo, carried on trundling drums and heavy keyboards with some sharp slices of guitar from Arjen Lucassen, a pretty cool solo from him that carries the first minute into the second, joined then by Groom as they mesh together to take the guitar passage into the third minute, Seldon growling out his defiance, his refusal to be captured and returned to prison.
Nice bit of acoustic guitar from Groom then, backed by low keys from Nolan until Wakeman comes in on the organ and rips off some serious arpeggios and solos, and as we move into “Death on the moor”, Holmes is discovered to be in fact on the moor himself, watching without having told Watson that he was even there. A pomp-rock, uptempo keyboard melody carries this tune, as the two friends are reunited in curious circumstances, but there is little time for explanations, as a deadly cry cuts through the night air, and the pair rush to find someone lying dead on the ground. Checking his clothing, they deduce that it is their charge, Sir Henry Baskerville, obviously murdered by the dread Hound.
As the song reaches its climax though, they find that they are mistaken. This is not the heir to the Baskerville manor, but Seldon, the criminal, who had been given some of Sir Henry's old clothes by the butler. Relieved, they go to see Laura Lyons, in whose direction they have been pointed by the butler, grateful that he is not to be fired. This leads to the second ballad, another piano extravaganza with the part of Laura Lyons sung by Michelle Young. The mystery of Sir Charles Baskerville's death is beginning to become clearer, as this previously unknown mistress of the old lord is brought into view, and Powell as Watson narrates the plan to confront the Hound, now known to be controlled by Stapleton, the naturalist with a jealous and violent temper.
And so we move into “Waiting”, a breathy, moody synth piece which gives a final spotlight to Bob Catley as Sir Henry, then Groom's heavy guitar blasts in, kicking the sense of ominous dread and anticipation up several notches, Allison as Stapleton also coming in and Hitchings adding her voice as his sister, who has, if I remember correctly, turned out to be his wife. Guitar really drives the mood of this piece, as Groom and Lucassen set the scene with overlapping vocals creating a backdrop of tension and wariness as the hour draws closer when all will be revealed.
Resolution comes with “Chasing the Hound”, tribal drums and celtic rhythms with flute and whistle as the album, and the story, draws to a close, the sense of excitement and the adrenaline almost palpable as the Hound is slain, Stapleton escapes but is presumed dead as he has disappeared into the unforgiving mire, and Sir Henry takes his place as master of Baskerville Hall. Rumbling bass from John Jowitt helps draw the scene as Holmes and Watson confront the Hound, shooting it dead and return to Stapleton's house to find the naturalist gone.
With a final flurry on the keys from both Nolan and Wakeman, trundling drums and guitars going off all over the place, the album powers to its emphatic conclusion, bringing to an end one of the finest and best-constructed concept albums I have heard in quite a long while. Each vocalist does his or her job to perfection, both acting and singing, and when they join together in ensemble pieces they are just amazing. The musicians are unbeatable, painting the canvas upon which this masterpiece is painted, and Powell as the narrator binds everything together, keeping the listener up to date on what is happening in the story, for those who have not read the novel.
A fine job, a fine album, a fine cast and I look forward to future collaborations between Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman.
TRACKLISTING
1. Overture
2. The curse of the Baskervilles
3. Three broken threads
4. Shadows of fate
5. At home in the mire
6. Run for your life
7. Picture of a lady
8. The argument
9. Second light
10. Seldon
11. Death on the moor
12. By your side
13. Waiting
14. Chasing the Hound