melodic.net: Negus - Dare to dream

From: Subject: melodic.net: Negus - Dare to dream Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:02:08 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C84720.443293B0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C84720.443293B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.melodic.net/reviewsOne.asp?revnr=6366 melodic.net: Negus - Dare to dream

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	Negus = "Dare to dream" = (Cyclone,2007) Producer:=20 Steve=20 Negus Style: Progressive=20 Rock Format: Album=20 Website:=20 http://www.melodic.net/redirect.asp?type=3Dwebsite&ar= tistId=3D11760&link=3Dwww.stevenegus.com=20 Reviewed by: Juha=20 Harjula = =20
http://www.melodic.net/reviewsOne.asp?revnr=3D6366=20 =20

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This is a brand = new solo=20 album from Steve Negus and this is a name that should ring a = bell=20 for fans of Saga. Yes, Steve was the drummer for the = Canadian=20 progrockers Saga for over 20 years and Dare To Dream shows = that he's=20 not just a great drummer, no he can write songs aswell. This = is a=20 wet dream for fans of Saga and Rush for sure because Steve = has=20 manage to come up with really cool songs.

The 11 = tracks has=20 been written during and after the Saga-era and is a very = personal=20 reflection on his career to date and in looking towards the = future.=20 Featuring a guest appearance by Jim Gilmour of Saga fame and = also=20 veterans Al Langlade and Mark Severn (who died shortly after = the=20 project was completed). Al Langlade(Total Stranger) is a = fantastic=20 singer aswell and it suits this music just perfect. =
Negus has=20 come up with an album filled with variated songs from = progressive=20 rockers to more laid back acoustic mellow songs with lovely=20 melodies.

This is album that has grown on me and = after every=20 spin I have found new cool sections, melodic rhythms and = catchy=20 hooks. Listen to the Totoish Nightmare that is a great song = that=20 gets better and better. Catch My Fall is a fantastic = acoustic rocker=20 a'la Saga and the chorus is a clear winner with awesome = vocals. As I=20 Am is a stunning song that starts slow but turns out to a = brilliant=20 melodic journey and the chorus is pure magic with great = background=20 vocals, this is a song that will make fans of Saga happy. = One Man's=20 Army has some Canada AOR in it that makes me think of a band = called=20 Wall Of Silence, awesome song with great drumming and riffs. =

If the album would have had more up-tempo songs like = this it=20 would have got a 4 in the rating. This was a pleasant = surprise this=20 former Saga drummer has come up with and I'm sure that not = only Saga=20 fans will have a great time with Dare To Dream, no I think = that more=20 laid back AOR fans will get a good time aswell. Not many = weak=20 moments can be found on this album. Good production, great = vocals=20 and melodic songs is what Dare To Dream is all about and = there's=20 nothing to complain on. Get this as soon as it will be = released.=20

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Name:	Rating:=20
Comment:=20
=
Comment by Chris = Otter=20 at 20 Dec 2007 = 10:03=20
My rating: =
- Dare To Dream - Steve = Negus "Dare=20 To Dream" a well packaged cd with an 8 page booklet = containing a=20 brief story of the making of Dare To Dream in Steve's own = words=20 along with His lyrics and track listings. Many people would = think as=20 Steve Negus was the drummer for Saga for some 26 years he = would=20 release a drumming orientated cd....That couldn't be further = from=20 the truth..well....barring one song where Steve and friends = get to=20 show you just what can be done while having some fun on the = drumset.=20 Ooops.... Did I mention the rest of his cd just hums with = track=20 after track of well crafted and performed songs.Steve plays = a lot of=20 the instruments himself, and not only drums, and through his = experiences and knowledge has also brought together a band = of=20 excellent performers to help him, including his Bassist = friend Ian=20 Nielsen and another good friend (Daryl) Jim Gilmour from = Saga to=20 play keyboards on some of the tracks,and of course his = singer friend=20 Al Langlade,who performed his parts 1000 miles away from = Steve and=20 yes it all came together perfectly. This is what happens = when you=20 "Dare To Dream".. Track one:- "Lust' a single arpeggio d = keyboard=20 sets the mood only briefly as the mood swings to and fro = with the=20 opposing strums of guitar like a clock tic tocking in the=20 chimes,which in this case the twin guitar solo's of Mr = Severn=20 leading you into a calm passage to set the mood for Mr = Langlade's=20 vocal story.An what a story as he describes "Lust" almost as = a real=20 person...the master..the sinner...the saint.The warnings are = clear=20 as the music drives along keeping pace well to Mr Langlade's = story=20 and suddenly Steve's drumfill takes you into a new side of = the song=20 the keyboard and guitars accenting off the solid pulsing = bass=20 playing of Mr Nielsen bring you into... almost an argument.. = of=20 what's right and what's wrong ,using playoff of guitars and=20 keyboards in a dramatic passage to emphasize the story = further. The=20 playing is brilliant.. guitars and minimoog playing off each = other=20 while the rhythm section provides a good solid backdrop = which takes=20 you back to the opening passages of "Lust" and just to = emphasize=20 things further Mr Langlade brings back the great sing along = chorus=20 to end the song. All in all a strong rock song with plenty = of light=20 and shade and that guitar work of Mr Severn is just = unforgetable.=20 Track two:- "Catch My Fall" acoustic guitar setting the mood = strongly as Mr Langlade tells you this story.A true story = for many=20 of us, and to have a friend or loved one there to help when = we call=20 on them.A passionate song with true meaning......the chorus = says it=20 all.."Lift Me Up,Send Me On My Way". A smorgasboard of = instruments=20 playing to a solid backdrop takes you into a halftime = keyboard=20 passage and here..Steve has cleverly introduced another of = his=20 friends to play flute on this beautifully accented passage = which=20 takes you into another bold chorus,flute still clearly = playing along=20 but only till guitars reply with solo intent,And Mr = Langlade's=20 chorus and guitar play off lead you to a clean stop...But = the flute=20 and the keyboards have the last word on this song. Again a = well=20 thought out song with plenty of colour ....Loved the flutes = of Mr=20 Willett. Track three:- "Dare To Dream" this being the title = track of=20 Steve's cd starts strongly again with acoustic guitar and = NICE funky=20 bass line.Mr Langlade tells the story well on this track too = with=20 lots to sing about He sets the mood intensely almost = becoming the=20 lyric he's singing as the piano follows him into the chorus=20 "Together We'll Ask The Questions....Together We'll Dare To = Dream"=20 and again back to that "Nice" funky bass and cool sounds of = the=20 intro section and a repeat performance which now takes you = to a=20 playoff of Bass and Keyboards accented strongly by Steve's = powerfull=20 counter attacks suddenly the keyboard speaks up to = dramatically say=20 his part before the guitar chimes in and they counter play = each=20 other beautifully taking you back to the chorus lines and = finishing=20 on a those poignant words "We Dare To Dream" Another Gem of = a=20 song..That funky Bass line and Steve's use of China cymbals = through=20 out were just as remarkable as the Chorus's Track four:- = "Nightmare"=20 building briefly on a nice funky keyboard and bass pattern = to merge=20 into the the story behind this song as Mr Langlade sings to = you and=20 is answered back almost from a dream sequence in the = background as=20 this scene plays out suddenly breaking into a bridge... the = change=20 of key, like a door opening into another dream sequence and = another=20 change of pace and accented into the chorus "It's your = Nightmare" Mr=20 Langlade sings with harmony's driving home the story further = and=20 taking you back to the intro pattern of before, the strong = rolling=20 bass lines of Mr Nielsen punctuated beautifully by funky = guitar=20 rhythms and Steve's driving cymbal accents again weaving and = winding=20 back into the bridge pattern which again leads you into a = long=20 chorus to end the song with a nice run up and finishing just = short....leaving you to ask for more. A well thought out = track with=20 plenty of musicality,funky rhythms and solid beats. A good = story=20 too. Not to forget the excellent Keyboards of Mr Matt Whale = Track=20 five:- "I Rest My Case" A drummers song...well why not just = one.=20 Here Steve has enlisted a few more of his friends ..both = drummers=20 Tony Furtado and Jack Pedler to do the tribal rhythms and in = the=20 back ground you can hear the fun these guy's had performing = this=20 very live sounding instrumental. Laden with what seems like = an=20 arsenal of every type of drum ever made they play and = counter play=20 each other into a frenzy and yet, build it to the perfect = ending,=20 and one must wonder.. what this performance was visually = like. great=20 beats,great rhythms,great drummers Track six:- "No Heaven,No = Hell"=20 the opening of this track must have been fun, working in the = long=20 triplet drum beats of Steve's introduction and Mr Langlade's = vocal=20 in,all working fantastically straight into the driving = Chorus=20 changing again, and punctuated by another different sounding = keyboard pattern and a big key change making it sound very = dramatic=20 indeed as we flow into the first verse and Mr Langlade = weaves the=20 story with ease punctuated by stabbing guitar "We're Like A = Virus"=20 as the band pounds away and the keyboards and guitar accent = in=20 counter rhythms again we hear another story...more warnings = "Just=20 Beyond The Horizon",could we all be too late?? I think = not..Mr=20 Langlade tells the story well on this song and if you listen = you=20 might just take note.The crunchy guitars are another = reminder as=20 they lead us into a bridge pattern with almost an S.O.S. = keyboard=20 playing in the background before again back to another verse = however=20 this time the vocal lines are punctuated by crunchy guitars = as Mr=20 Langlade again weaves another story and taking us into = another=20 driving chorus and that somewhat...eerily haunting keyboard = passage=20 which could be a telephone ringing....but no-ones picking = up. Steve=20 takes over from here with a very punctuated drum fill into = another=20 punctuated guitar riff and they pound away abrubtly Steve=20 flamboyantly brings things to a halt..the snare drum hits = still=20 echoing as Mr Langlade strongly returns with the chorus = section to=20 finish the song. A very powerful statement is being made = here...But=20 I'll let you work it out. Strong playing overall..loved the = Keys!=20 Track seven:- "As I Am" on first listen ..almost countryish = intro=20 with another funky bass line as Mr Langlade tells us the = story=20 behind this song.Interesting mix of instruments blending = well a=20 lovely half time feel with no drums till verse 2, arriving = just in=20 time to help the song flow into the beautiful ballad it has = now=20 become,I must mention the bass playing in this track = especially=20 Hums..Mr Nielsen has really helped to create a soothing feel = and not=20 just played the notes holding on to them and conjuring = little=20 musical spirits that dance around the song..augmented by = some=20 beautiful guitar and harmonized singing taking you further = into=20 another stirring passage,the haunting keyboards/guitar and = nearly=20 orchestra, lull you into a quiet place and stopping briefly = your=20 brought back again to the haunting sounds and vocal of this=20 beautiful track the bridge change well placed changing the = mood and=20 feel again with more great singing from Mr Langlade and = we're back=20 to that feel....It's sooo haunting and soothing, and yet = again we're=20 lifted by Mr Langlade's vocal,taking you to another place = "As I=20 Am"...and he replies "We Don't Need Words For Conversation", = leading=20 you into a brief change of mood and another bridge with = voice=20 playing off voice and building to the final peak,when = suddenly the=20 guitar solo arrives and... "What A Solo"..the most defined = and=20 longest on Steve's cd yet.A reminder of just how gifted a = player Mr=20 Severn was....He will be Missed I'm sure. Wow!!!=20 "DRAMATIC"...beautiful...a true masterpiece....My Personal = Favorite.=20 Track eight:- "One Man's Army" starting again in half time = with just=20 keyboards,guitar and vocal with the very occasional drum = beat to=20 provide the flowing build.Lots of words in this story as Mr = Langlade=20 tells easily describing it's purpose..."Who's Gonna Crush = The=20 Demons,The Haunting...Who Will Create A Castle From Ashes". = Words=20 you will hold on to and remember "This One Man's = Army"...into a feel=20 change now and it's building to a complete change.It's = almost like=20 the band is angry and gonna fight back with big crash chords = and=20 brazen accents all the while Mr Langlade enforces further = the story=20 while leading you into another guitar solo, the rest of the = band=20 crunching away through further chord changes while Mr Severn = again=20 provides us with another brilliant solo and providing a = perfect end=20 to "One Man's Army". Another well thought out piece of = music..great=20 drumming from "The Lord Of Drums" and that guitar = maestro....Wow!=20 Track nine:- "Body And Soul" Swirly keyboards and flute set = the mood=20 fantastically for Steve's dramatic drum fill and rhythmic = patterns=20 leading you into this song.Chugging away like a train,solid = and=20 punctuated by stabbing guitars and China cymbals we hear = now...a=20 different story Mr Langlade tells.."Unified Towards A Common = Goal"...guitar chimming in almost like a medievil swing = feel,only=20 briefly as we're back to the opening feel with guitars = crashing in=20 time with China's,but only bars away as change is imminent = and sure=20 enough a guitar solo leads us into another feel as Mr Severn = this=20 time, conjures little musical genie's that bounce off his=20 fingerboard as he plays another unforgettable solo and = leading you=20 into a changing bridge pattern to chorus's and another brief = guitar=20 solo following the tune of the chorus and more... Well=20 executed...Some great crash chords and those guitar solo's = all so=20 different.Great vocals too and don't forget Mr Elliot's = flute intro.=20 Track ten:- "Satellites" Keyboards and guitar weave and = interweave=20 to provide a nice backdrop to this track leading into a soft = stop=20 for Mr Nielsen to fill with a nice bass line and start the = song=20 again.half time and lots of washy keys/guitar while Mr = Langlade=20 tells us the story of our little satellites.."We Find = Excuses..We=20 Have Alibis" he sings all the while the band providing the = perfect=20 feel and again guitar and keys play off each other through = the=20 verses and lead to another subtle key change for the bridge = to enter=20 and here we have it this time,guitar and keyboards playing = in a=20 perfect harmony to each other while the rest of the band = follow them=20 through this passage and a brief pause,Steve bringing them = all back=20 with his quick drum fills again and again the band following = and=20 back again into another chorus or two with the band = finishing the=20 chorus's of the last remaining bars,but Steve hasn't = finished yet=20 adding few more accents with the band just to emphasize this = beautiful song before we hear the trail off keyboard passage = to end=20 and a little tinge of guitar.. A little Gem of a = song..unusual use=20 of timings on timings again,but still retaining a nice = strong feel=20 and a nice message too. Track eleven:- " Epitaph For Mark" = Mark=20 Severn a true master of his instrument...I loved every = minute of his=20 unforgettable contribution to this Cd. this instrumental = guitar=20 piece has been well crafted and played eloquently by Mr Kott = and=20 dedicated to Mr Severn. This Review Friday December 14th = 2007 by=20 Chris Otter New Zealand Drummer=20

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