MusicRatty: VARIOUS ARTISTS (CONCEPT ALBUMS AND THEMED COMPILATIONS)

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VARIOUS ARTISTS (CONCEPT ALBUMS AND THEMED COMPILATIONS) - Jesus Christ Superstar (1970)

2008-07-08 17:13:11 by Editor in Progarchives.com (Progressive rock and related latest reviews)

This album tends to get very positive reviews from people who love classic progressive rock concept albums and 'rock operas', and for good reason. Superstar does have a lot in common with albums like Tommy and Foxtrot, but there is one important difference; this isn't really a rock album, it's a musical based on rock and there is a difference. Just as in any other musical, the emphasis in Superstar is on the vocals and the story they are telling. Although the vocal/band mix is occaissonally rock-like, usually the vocals are a bit louder which is what you would expect in a musical. Also, don't expect any jam sessions, guitar solos or drum solos ... OK, nobody misses the drum solo.

Rice and Weber are no slouches and their lyrics and music on here are top notch, but I don't know if very much of this really sounds like progressive rock. Instead the musical styles range from 70s sophisticated pop, Vegas style funky RnB and those type of dramatic melodies that are typical for musicals. There is this one cool acid rock riff that comes around now and again and when Ian Gillian goes of on it it sounds like an outtake from Deep Purple's In Rock album.

If you are interested in a progressive rock influenced musical with a very insightful and dramatic look at the last days of Jesus then you cannot get better than this, but keep in mind this album is very much a product of it's time. It's so hippie it drives a patchouli powered VW bus with hemp curtains and a strawberry flavored waterbed in back, which is a good thing of course.

by Easy Money

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