Pendragon - Pure

Year of Release: 2008
Label: Toff Records
Catalog Number: SPV28170
Format: CD
Total Time: 53:11:00

I don't think this band needs any introduction. They have been around for some 30 years and have released many great albums. Despite the many storms, they have kept on course and kept focus on the music. With their previous studio release, Believe, they changed their course a bit. A more modern sound and lyrics that dealt more with the reality of today.

In 2008 they released their latest album, called Pure. On this album, they followed the course change, started on Believe, but with an even better result. Pure is a very coherent album, with a heavier sound, yet still with the familiar Pendragon melodies.

With his heavy guitars, especially in the intros of the songs, Nick Barrett goes sometimes borderline prog metal and you may have to get used to this. But as with many classic prog albums, this album does not reveal all its secrets in one listen! If you take your time with Pure, you will discover this may very well be the best album Pendragon has made!

I know it is a bold statement, but listen to the album and you will hear it is true. Just listen to how well the songs are composed. Each song is a musical adventure, filled with lush soundscapes, beautiful melodies and haunting guitars. Nick Barrett shines with his guitar play and reaches Floydian heights, yet he also shows he can play some really crunchy riffs. Just listen to the suberb guitar work in "Indigo," for instance.

"Indigo," the opener of the album, is probably the best song Pendragon ever recorded. Just listen to it and hear the many facets of the song. The heavy intro, the touching middle section, where the phrase "If I could get just one arm free, there's a chance the World might notice me" will definitely stick in your head. And then that closing section ? oh, man, this is pure heaven! To me the most beautiful guitar solo was Gilmour in "Comfortably Numb." Well, sorry Mr. Gilmour, but you are number two now. The guitar solo in the last part of "Indigo" is beyond words. You just gotta listen to it and let yourself be taken away to unimaginable heights of delight. And when you listen to it, please pay attention to the bass parts by Peter Gee here and hear how well it complements the guitar.

It will be a shock to hear the next song, "Eraserhead," as it has a quite a metal edge. Don't fear that Pendragon is turning into the next Dream Theater, though. Yes, Nick added some heavy guitar parts. But there is so much more to experience. The songs are all well balanced as far as the instrumental section goes. And Barrett may be the composer of the songs, that does not mean it's all him. The ever quiet Peter Gee provides a warm blanket with his bass play, which is the first half of the very solid rhythm section.

This balance is what makes Pure such a refreshing album to enjoy. Although in the first spin you might find the guitars dominate, you will find that Clive Nolan works his magic, and when he does that, he does it well. He garnishes the songs with his symphonic, sometimes operatic soundscapes. I have always been a huge fan of Nolan and also on Pure, he does deliver.

The Pure album also welcomes a new member of the band: Scott Higham on the drums. Fudge Smith left the band after Believe and Joe Crabtree had been filling in for him. But with Scott Higham the band has the ace in hand! You should see (and hear!!) the guy play! I have never seen a drummer play with so much enthusiasm, passion and most of all, fun. If you don't believe this, go see a Pendragon show or buy the Concerto Maximo DVD and see for yourself. (I've done both and I am more than impressed?)

It is no surprise that the drums have a very prominent position in the music of Pure. My favourite moment is "The Freak Show": the pounding drums, haunting guitars and juicy bass ? I know, words will never do justice, so just listen to the song. It is brilliant. And I can say Scott Higham is a keeper!

Although I find the album has nothing but highlights, I must comment on "Comatose," the epic of the album, clocking over 17 minutes. In the first part, "View From A Seashore," Nolan accompanies Barrett on piano on a very touching song. You can say what you want about Barrett's vocals, but he can really make you feel the sentiments of the song. This one gave me goosebumps.

And from there it only builds up. This is prog rock at its very best. It moves from emotional to excellent rock, with some great teamwork by Higham, Gee and Barrett. I can advise you to pay some attention to the lyrics, as then the song will really come to life, as you understand the message Barrett is trying to bring. Not always a happy one, despite the music makes me feel good. But you can touch the emotions in the song.

The second part, "Space Cadet," is reminiscent of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever," with some great mellotron. And more stunning keyboards by Clive Nolan in the middle part. And yet this is the saddest part. Just listen to the final words from the part:

"But it's school on Monday and I don't want to go ? I've felt for some time that they've all been against me.
I felt they're all trying to stop my bit of fun ? But I've got a surprise for them.
Cos on Monday I'm taking in a gun"

This is followed by a short silence, can you feel the emotions? And then part three, "Home And Dry," starts, a soft, but a bit of a dark song. Not depressing, but it will make you aware of the emotions that the words evoke in you. Despite the somewhat sad story, "Comatose" is an extremely beautiful song, that definitely needs to be listened to without haste. I recommend headphones.

Obviously you can see I love this album. For the past few weeks I have been listening to this album almost non stop and still I discover new details in the music. And Pure manages to keep the attention of the listener. From the moment you hear the first notes of "Indigo" until the last notes of "It's Only Me" fade out, it will capture you. My advice: surrender to it. Give in to the beauty of Pure and enjoy every second of it.

I was not planning on writing about every song, but I just can't leave out "It's Only Me" ? Talk about emotion, this is the winner then. The (real) harmonica sets the mood and from there on you can almost touch the emotions.

Of course you can't argue when it comes to taste and preferences, but all I can say after having played Pure many, many times is that it is one of the best albums I have ever heard. This will go down in history as a classic. And so it shows, just as a good whiskey, Pendragon gets better with age :-) And they have become better in every aspect: composing, story telling, and performance, both on record and on stage. And I need to mention the role of Karl Groom (Threshold, Shadowland) in the production of the album: he and Nick did a helluva good job. Topped off with great artwork.

Pheeewww ? need I say more? Yes, I do. One thing. Maybe not the most popular thing to say, but nonetheless a very important thing: Please support excellent musicians like Pendragon. They too have to pay the rent, but food and clothes, pay for the studio and so on. If you download Pure, you will only make sure there will not be another Pendragon album. So if you wish to keep enjoying great music like this, buy the album!

Tracklisting:
Indigo (13:43) / Eraserhead (9:06) / Comatose [I. View From The Seashore II. Space Cadet III. Home And Dry] (17:38) / The Freak Show (4:27) / It?s Only Me (8:16)

Musicians:
Nick Barrett - guitars, vocals and keyboard programming
Clive Nolan - keyboards and backing vocals
Peter Gee - bass guitar
Scott Higham - drums and backing vocals

Discography:
Fly High Fall Far (ep) (1984) (OOP)
The Jewel (1985)
9:15 Live (1986)
Kowtow (1989)
The R(B)est Of Pendragon (1991) (incl. Fly High... ep)
The World (1991)
The Very, Very Bootleg - Live In Lille, France 1992 (1993)
The Window Of Life (1993)
Fallen Dreams and Angels (ep) (1994)
Utrecht... The Final Frontier (1995)
The Masquerade Overture (1996)
As Good As Gold ep (1996)
Live In Krakow 96 (1997)
The Masquerade Overture (digi-pack w/bonus trk) (1999)
Once Upon A Time In England Vol 1 (1999)
Once Upon A Time In England Vol 2 (1999)
The Round Table (1985-1998) (1999) (Sth Am. mkt)
The History: 1984-2000 (2000) (Polish mkt)
Not Of This World (2001)
Acoustically Challenged (2002)
The Jewel (remastered) (2005)
Believe (2005)
Pure (2008)
Concerto Maximo (2009)
Passion (2011)
Out Of Order Comes Chaos (2013)
Men Who Climb Mountains (2014)
Masquerade 20 (2017)
The First 40 Years (book/CD) (2019)

Live... At Last! (VID) (1997)
Live...At Last And More (DVD) (2002)
And Now Everybody To The Stage (DVD) (2005)
Past And Presence (DVD) (2007)
Concerto Maximo (DVD) (2009)
Out Of Order Comes Chaos (DVD) (2012)
Masquerade 20 (DVD) (2017)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: December 9th 2009
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Artist website: www.pendragon.mu
Hits: 4758
Language: english