Starcastle
Starcastle

THE REVIEW

1976. Progressive rock in Europe is on its last legs, hit hard by radio, disco music, and the advent of punk rock; in March, what many consider the last prog album of the golden age will be released: "Moonmadness" by Camel. But like the concentric circles spreading slowly from a stone thrown into the water (involuntarily prophetic, for those who remember, "Just take a pebble and cast it to the sea, then watch the ripples that unfold into me..." by ELP) this type of music finally finds attention overseas, after the many years it took to cross it.

Among the standard-bearers of the genre in the USA—no need to mention the pillars Kansas and Styx—there is a group that, although semi-unknown to most today, especially in Italy, in February 1976 gave birth to its first, surprising, and eponymous work: Starcastle. The most common criticism made of this brilliant group, and still used as an excuse in moments of lazy listening, is that—likely—they resemble the golden-age Yes ("The Yes Album", "Close To The Edge") quite closely. Well, first of all, try to resemble the golden-age Yes yourselves! So, more than a criticism, it seems like a compliment to me. But apart from this, which is a personal opinion in which I've expressed a bit of acidity that I already regret and apologize to the reader for, it must be said that the similarity of the singer's voice (such as Terry Luttrell, unknown like all the other members) and some arrangements, especially choral to the Yes style, is just a detail in the vast fresco painted by Starcastle in this album: there are many more influences that bring it to life, some original, others that draw on the best of various European predecessors.

It's striking how the almost absence of the pompous dimension typical of U.S. prog groups in the second half of the '70s is a trademark. If I hadn't known, I would have hardly guessed that Starcastle was American. Another strength of the work, besides the impressive technical virtuosity of all the members, both vocally and instrumentally, is certainly the balance. Seven excellent tracks that together form an almost perfect, cohesive yet complete structure. An album that never loses tension, where all the pieces deserve listening. To stand out, if one were not to mention all the compositions of the work, are the first three tracks (the beautiful "Lady Of The Lake," "Elliptical Seasons," and "Forces") and "Sunfield." It is fun and evocative to get lost in the "Da da da..." choruses at driving and varied tempos, scattered and characteristic throughout the album.

Very deserving, unfortunately little known.