Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Sebastian Hardie
Label: Polydor Records
Released: 1975
Length: 39:48
Rating: 4.5/5
Sebastian Hardie were the first and (still) the best Australian symphonic prog rock band, even though they only put out two studio albums under that name in the seventies and didn’t get back together until many, many years later, by which time most people had long forgotten their majestic, romantic, orchestra-leaning exploits. After humble beginnings in 1967 as the Sebastian Hardie Blues Band, all the original members had left by 1973, and after a change in musical style the band soon ditched the ‘Blues Band’ tag and dove into far more experimental sonic adventures. By the mid-seventies they’d found their footing under the guidance of the brilliant guitarist/vocalist/composer Mario Millo (who later became a respected, multi-award-winning composer for Australian film), keyboardist Toivo Pilt, and a rhythm section made up of two brothers, Peter (bass) and Alex (drums) Plavsic. By then they’d grown into a damn fine symphonic prog rock outfit, the likes of which Australian soil hadn’t seen in ages (and probably still hasn’t). Sebastian Hardie swore by dramatic orchestral arrangements and subtle rhythmic variations, all tied together by the melodic vocals of the aforementioned guitar grandmaster.
The guys in Sebastian Hardie were listening to a ton of European prog rock back then, led by Genesis, King Crimson, Focus, Yes and Camel, and you can hear it loud and clear on their 1975 debut »Four Moments«, which is still a cult album on the otherwise super obscure Australian prog rock scene. When it came out it even climbed to number 13 on the Australian charts, which briefly brought them some well-deserved attention. Millo’s voice sounds a lot like John Wetton (Asia, ex-King Crimson, Uriah Heep), which means Sebastian Hardie had the potential to go ‘big’ all along, while his electric guitar playing is on a seriously high technical level, so he can easily be declared one of the forgotten guitar heroes of the seventies. On top of his convincing mandolin playing, he also wrote most of the music on the album and its complex symphonic arrangements. Pilt was a versatile keyboardist whose favorites were the mellotron, mini moog, piano and Hammond organ, but despite a strong virtuoso streak he never wandered into overblown pretentiousness. The Plavsic brothers delivered a solid rhythm section with plenty of jazz fusion undertones. Production was handled by former member Jon English, while the instantly recognizable Sebastian Hardie logo was designed by Larraine Hall.
»Four Moments« was an extremely ambitious project, as the opening 20-minute, four-part suite proves, which stands level with some of the best achievements of European classic prog. The first part, »Glories Shall Be Released«, was lyrically inspired by a childhood friend of Millo’s who got into drugs early, lost touch with reality completely and then took his own life. Despite that grim opening message, the music is the complete opposite of rage in terms of mood, as an utterly positive, symphonic motif takes shape right from the very start. Sebastian Hardie had a tremendous knack for creating playful, exuberant arrangements, as the gorgeous harmonies between mandolin and mini moog show. The uplifting, relaxed atmosphere gets even deeper when Millo’s heartfelt, fresh-sounding vocals kick in, nicely reflecting the musical philosophy of these Australian symphoprog greats. The pompous chorus, which returns several more times throughout the epic »Four Moments« suite, is its emotional peak.
Orchestral arrangements built on waves of mellotron provide an elegant transition into the section called »Dawn Of Our Sun«, where a mix of melancholic mandolin and assorted percussion takes center stage, together conjuring up a truly ethereal mood. Through the odd rhythmic variation, the subtle symphonic arrangements and the spiritual, ‘new age’ lyrics, you can hear that Sebastian Hardie listened to a lot of the Yes classic »Tales From Topographic Oceans« (1973). This is where Millo’s fascinating guitar improvisation gets its first moment, bringing a generous dose of nostalgic melancholy into the suite. On the third section, »Journey Through Our Dreams«, the central motif, or melodic chorus, returns over acoustic guitar, and paired with mighty mellotron arrangements and dramatic drum fills it sounds like a downright epic revelation. The longer instrumental section is a feast for the ears of all symphoprog gourmets, especially the gastronomic guitar improvisations, accompanied by wonderful keyboard interplay.
Millo took the best elements from the European guitar masters and worked them into his own technique, developing an almost completely distinctive improvisational style. The unexpected time change with crazy improvisations on the mini moog will remind many of the golden years of Camel, which means Pilt had a soloing style somewhat similar to the late Peter Bardens. At the end of the third section the triumphant »for a moment« chorus comes back once more, followed by the exuberant closing section, »Everything Is Real«. With its slick mini moog variations and temperamental drum stampedes in particular, it delivers a victorious finish to this super-epic that’s still fascinating today.
The other two compositions on the album are no slouches either. The excellent instrumental »Rosanna«, whose title is a dedication to Millo’s sister for all her emotional support, also came out as a single and had a solid run on the Australian charts. Neoclassical guitar variations, subtle and aided by jazzy rhythmic nuances, create an utterly romantic and nostalgic atmosphere that will hit home with all fans of classic European symphonic prog. The closing masterpiece »Openings« is a 13-minute epic that grew out of a band jam, which means it’s stuffed with heaps of complex improvisations and dynamic time changes. At the same time it boasts a nicely shaped structure of individual motifs and mighty symphonic arrangements that make the melancholic mood bloom. Millo’s electric guitar plays a big part here too, harmonized in extremely tasteful fashion with massive layers of Hammond organ, which at times even recalls the golden era of Uriah Heep. Of all the compositions on the album, this is where Sebastian Hardie’s songwriting and improvisational individuality come through best, and where the soul of this wonderful band is laid completely bare.
»Four Moments« is a landmark album in the history of Australian symphonic progressive rock, and it deserves the respect of every worshipper of far better-known bands than Sebastian Hardie. As their career went on, they found the strength for one more album, the almost-as-good »Windcase« (1976), but then trouble started with the departure of both Plavsic brothers. In court, the right to use the Sebastian Hardie name was awarded to Peter Plavsic, to the considerable surprise of everyone present, so Millo and Pilt had to rename the band Windchase. Under that name, with a new rhythm section, they released a much more jazz fusion-oriented album called »Symphinity« (1977), and after that you couldn’t hear a thing from Sebastian Hardie until the mid-nineties, when they released the live album »Sebastian Hardie – Live in L.A.« (1997). After several failed reunions, in 2011 they finally put out a third studio album, »Blueprint«, self-released with the classic lineup.
Line-up
Mario Millo – vocals, guitar, mandolin
Tovio Pilt – keyboards (moog, mellotron, piano, Hammond organ)
Peter Plavsic – bass
Alex Plavsic – drums, percussion
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Greg Bushell – congas, bells, tambourine
Bob Payne – tambourine on “Journey Through Our Dreams”
Production
Jon English
Track list
Four Moments (20:41)
1. Glories Shall Be Released (6:42)
2. Dawn of Our Sun (5:05)
3. Journey Through Our Dreams (6:43)
4. Everything is Real (2:11)
5. Rosanna (6:02)
6. Openings (13:03)
