Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Pendragon
Label: Inside Out Records
Release: 1985
Rating: 3.5/5
Pendragon, along with Marillion, IQ and Pallas, is one of the four most important bands that “cooked up” the so-called new wave of progressive rock in the 80s, the movement that revived the audience’s interest in a dying genre that punk, disco and new wave had pushed to the very brink of survival at the end of the 70s. They’ve always been a somewhat controversial band, and opinions about them still clash wildly today.
While the band’s followers celebrate their ever-present revivalism, which draws on the legacy of 70s symphonic prog rock, rich and melodic symphonic arrangements and the high level of technical skill of the individual members, above all the always thrilling guitar chops of guitarist/vocalist and band boss Nick Barrett, their detractors love to accuse them of a low level of originality, if not outright copying whole arrangements from certain prog classics. To a degree, that last part is even true: originality was never Pendragon’s strong suit, but the same could be said for most neo prog bands, since it’s a genre that has always drawn its creative inspiration from the legacy of 70s progressive rock, just like, say, progressive metal draws its influences from 80s heavy metal.
The debut “The Jewel” didn’t cause any deeper shake-ups within the new wave of progressive rock, unlike the debuts of Marillion and Pallas. It didn’t help that it came out relatively late, especially considering that Pendragon (originally Zeus Pendragon) got going in the mid-70s and were supposedly the oldest neo prog outfit around. Still, in many ways it laid the foundations for most of their later albums. The biggest differences are that “The Jewel”, thanks to Barrett’s frequent use of heavy rock riffs, was noticeably heavier than its successors, and that the keyboard approach was different. It was the first and last album with the band for Rik Carter, who was replaced soon after its release by the keyboard wizard Clive Nolan (Arena, ex-Shadowland), who became, alongside Barrett, one of the two pillars of the band. Carter can’t compete with his “Wakeman-esque” successor and his versatility, but despite the frequent repetitiveness of some arrangements, he did a very solid job. His bombastic symphonic arrangements, interwoven with Nick’s melancholic slide guitar solos, are one of the album’s main strengths and an important cornerstone of their recognizable sound. That gives them a slightly more space rock flavor and successfully sets them apart from Marillion, the band they share the most similarities with. Also worth noting are the very good drumming of Nigel Harris, who was replaced soon after the album’s release by the even better Fudge Smith, and the multilayered bass lines of Peter Gee.
Pendragon’s central strength has always been their accessibility and a sharp sense for crafting exceptionally tasteful, melodic and often bombastic symphonic arrangements that can grab even a less demanding listener in an instant. The same doesn’t hold for most other neo prog bands, whose music takes quite a few listens before it really sinks in. That makes them, in this colorful company, almost real pop rockers, though there’s never any question about the high complexity of most of the arrangements. It’s also worth mentioning that while Marillion, IQ and Twelfth Night usually sought inspiration in the darker spheres of human existence, Pendragon, compared to those bands, tackled brighter themes and so were seen as almost downright cheerful.
The main thing that usually decides whether someone likes the band or not is Barrett’s thin voice, which can be rather off-putting at times. He makes up for his very limited range and pronounced regional accent, at least in a pinch, with palpable commitment, and lately with backing vocals too. Comparing him to hugely charismatic and theatrical singers like Fish or Peter Nichols is often unfair, since Nick is first and foremost a guitarist and only then a singer. How effective his vocals are also depends a lot on the nature of the songs. While he’s very solid in the punchier moments, he often comes across as very pale in the more balladic passages, where you need a bit more storytelling and emotion. Luckily, the vocals in their music are always in the background, so there aren’t many of them.
Where he falls short as a singer and lyricist, he makes up for it with excellent guitar playing. From a strictly technical standpoint, he may even be the best of all the neo prog rock guitarists, switching between scales and varied solos like it’s nothing. In his style he follows the legacy of David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and Andy Latimer (Camel) especially faithfully, along with their extensive use of slide guitar. On this album, though, he was very fond of using heavy riffing, which is atypical for him.
The opening, cheerful “Higher Circles” isn’t exactly a stunningly impressive intro, but it’s a fairly solid cross between AOR in the vein of Saga and Asia and classic neo prog tricks, led by bouncy Wakeman-esque synth passages draped over energetic riffs and dynamic drum fills. Its low level of originality is evident in its obvious kinship with the Marillion classic “Market Square Heroes”. “The Pleasure Of Hope” is already a more characteristic Pendragon creation, leaning heavily on layered synthesizer textures that form melodic symphonic arrangements, in harmony with Barrett’s melancholic guitar solos, and containing numerous early Camel influences.
“Leviathan” has a very good guitar opening and interesting militaristic rhythmic passages, but the way it uses synths is far too reminiscent of the Marillion classic “Garden Party” for it to really impress. By far the best piece on the album is the dramatic epic “Alaska”, split into three sections, which already hints at their much better future creations. The first part, “At Home With The Earth”, contains numerous subtle sections with undulating keyboards and melancholic guitar chords up front. A dramatic climax heralds the next section, “Snowfall”, where a series of exciting duels between guitar and synths follow one another and work very well despite the numerous more-than-obvious nods to Camel. The solid “Circus”, with its symphonic arrangements and rhythmic embellishments, flirts far too much with the Genesis legacy to be called a particularly relevant piece, although it has plenty of other qualities going for it.
“Oh Divineo” impresses with a very good guitar solo intro. The interplay of synth lines and slide guitar flourishes later on creates an excellent melancholic atmosphere. Only some of Barrett’s vocal bits are rather out of place, successfully taking the wind out of the composition’s otherwise majestic sails. The closing “The Black Knight”, with a good instrumental intro and some atmospheric sections reminiscent of Genesis from the “Wind And Wuthering” era, provides a good final climax. Numerous dramatic transitions follow, along with a motif that sounds a lot like the one from their classic “Fly High Fall Far” (found on the EP of the same name). Through numerous twists and sprawling solos, the band pompously restores the opening theme in the finale.
This reissue of “The Jewel” also boasts four bonus tracks. The first of them is ”Fly High Fall Far” from the EP of the same name, the first release in the band’s history that never came out on CD. It shows an even more obscure and “rowdy” version of the band, especially in its dose of pompous hymn-like anthems and almost heavy metal riffs run through a protective layer of keyboard synth. This edition also boasts improved production and a new, likewise improved cover.
Some even count “The Jewel” as a neo progressive rock masterpiece, which is definitely a gross exaggeration, especially compared to Marillion’s debut, which remains the unattainable benchmark for all neo prog bands, and also compared to the debuts of Twelfth Night, Pallas and IQ, all of which were better efforts. Where it lacks originality, it wins you over with tasteful symphonic arrangements and the constantly radiating energy of a band eager to prove itself. It’s undoubtedly one of the most important albums in the history of the new wave of progressive rock and a special album in the band’s history, mostly because its heavy rock elements stand out. For prog fans in the 80s who were disappointed by the new directions of their darlings, it must have been a very nice dessert. Despite its flaws, “The Jewel” is a very solid album that successfully introduced yet another band reviving interest in progressive rock from the dead. Even though the later albums from the 90s with Nolan behind the keyboards completely overshadowed it, especially in terms of arrangement maturity, “The Jewel” remains an important musical document for all (neo) prog rock enthusiasts.
Lineup
Nick Barrett – vocals, guitar
Rik Carter – keyboards
Peter Gee – bass guitar, guitar, bass pedals
Nigel Harris – drums, percussion
Production
Pendragon
Track list
1. Higher Circles (3:29)
2. The Pleasure of Hope (3:43)
3. Leviathan (6:13)
4. Alaska (8:39)
a) At Home With the Earth
b) Snowfall
5. Circus (6:34)
6. Oh Divineo (6:51)
7. The Black Knight (9:57)
Bonus tracks from the reissue:
8. Fly High Fall Far (4:56)
9. Victims of Life (6:53)
10. Armageddon (6:15)
11. Insomnia (4:19)
Album length: 57:15
