Rick Wakeman
Country Airs


3.5
great

Review

by menawati USER (94 Reviews)
February 25th, 2014 | 13 replies


Release Date: 1986 | Tracklist

Review Summary: New Age style Rick in full flow. Velvet glades, summer walks in the country and picnics by the stream.

Rick Wakeman's sprawling solo career encompasses many twists and turns ranging from prog rock excess to stand-up comedy. During the 1980's he released a number of albums containing selections of self-penned piano pieces inspired by pastoral and seasonal themes. 'Country Airs' was the first of these endeavours and was indeed his first solo piano album.

Wakeman's busy virtuoso technique could potentially be an obstacle when applied to a set of material which is supposed to evoke idyllic moods relating to rural themes. There is certainly no shortage of Rick's characteristic flurries and busy arpeggios to embellish the pieces contained herein but there is enough restraint such that the often quite beautiful melodies shine through. Album opener 'Lakeland Walks' is a graceful and intricate ode to the countryside brimming over with mellifluous alternating arpeggios set against a bold main theme. Rick can't resist embellishing the central melody with a multitude of little trills and twinkles but these merely serve as icing on the cake. Other highlights include the aptly cascading 'Waterfalls', the shimmering 'The Glade' and the majestic 'Wild Moors'. Due to the constancy of style and pace throughout the album it is unlikely to hold the attention of an avid listener for long but there really are some wonderfully engaging pieces of music to be found on here.

Set against Wakeman's notable achievements within the realms of progressive rock, both as a member of Yes and as a solo artist, this album shows up merely as a side entry in his career. Most people's mental picture of the man is that of an extroverted showman wearing ridiculous capes stood in front of multiple banks of keyboards. However, this album, along with several other solo piano works from the same period, show that there is a gentler side to his musical repertoire which is light-years removed from that enduring image of an ostentatious prog-wizard.



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user ratings (5)
3.2
good

Comments:Add a Comment 
menawati
February 25th 2014


16730 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Relaxing and undemanding stuff.



Lakeland Walks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KGrunRoMy4

Quiet Valleys http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d3sCpxDUUs



Jethro42
February 25th 2014


18281 Comments


Oh! A Rick Wakeman review written by menawati!

menawati
February 25th 2014


16730 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

hehe, i fear this may be too lightweight for you jethro

Jethro42
February 25th 2014


18281 Comments


I still have to try it. We never know.

MrSirLordGentleman
February 25th 2014


15343 Comments


Cool, mena, I love to see old albums reviews, specially when they aren't the classics.

As one of the very few users who likes new-age, this seems pretty interesting for me, might check it

menawati
February 25th 2014


16730 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

well it's basically just some solo piano pieces, enjoyable tho if you like that sort of thing

MrSirLordGentleman
February 26th 2014


15343 Comments


Oh, I expected something more Vangelis-esque but your review still makes it seem interesting to check hehe

TwigTW
February 26th 2014


3939 Comments


I’ve never listened to Wakeman’s 80s stuff before, but this is almost wonderful . . . You’ve probably already heard it, but if you haven’t, check out Anderson & Wakeman’s The Living Tree. It sounds a lot like this, but Anderson’s vocals give it a little something extra.

menawati
February 26th 2014


16730 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

havent heard it Twig I'll check it out

manosg
Emeritus
February 26th 2014


12710 Comments


Nice and short review mena. Rick Wakeman has a vast discog.

Mad.
February 26th 2014


4916 Comments


Your review habits are brilliantly random

menawati
February 26th 2014


16730 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Arcade, if you like listening to folk or new age sometimes and aren't put off by melodic solo piano stuff then yes you might like it. It's nothing ambitious tho it's just basically some pretty piano ditties.



TheNotrap
Staff Reviewer
February 26th 2014


19009 Comments


Personally I think a short review can be more effective. Good work.




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