Review from Dutch Progressive Rock Page (www.DPRP.net)


Apple Pie - Crossroad
Country of Origin: Russia
Format: CD
Record Label: MALS
Catalogue : MALS 176
Year of Release: 2007
Time: 76:30
Info: Apple Pie
Samples: Click here http://www.mals.ru/ApplePie.htm

Tracklist: The Beginning [a] Once Upon A Time [b] Overture (8:22), Sunrise (9:17), Crossroad (7:58), Nothing (3:43), Temptation (4:40), Escape (10:31), Still Got My Faith In You (4:02), Solution (7:26), Nothing Comes Everything (8:07), The Final (12:24)

There is a saying, "as American as apple pie", although in the case of the group who go by that name, nothing could be further from the truth, they are in fact Russian. However, listening to the album you would never be able to guess it! The quartet, comprising Vartan Mkhitaryan on guitars and lead vocals (who is actually Armenian), Oleg Sergeev on keyboards and backing vocals, Aleksey Bildin on bass, saxophone and backing vocals and Andrey Golodukhinon on drums, are very accomplished musicians who have come up with an album that is astonishing in its maturity and polish. Although the band have been together for six years and have had a stable line-up for the last four years, Crossroad is their debut album. As is the norm with the majority of progressive bands these days, the members of the group all have full-time jobs (one a doctor, two as members of a military orchestra and one an engineer in a bank) which may explain the long gestation time of the album, but boy, was it worth the wait.

First off, Crossroad is a concept album about a chap who is full of doubts and faces a struggle between good and evil that rages in his head, finally making the choice on the side of goodness. Okay, hardly an original concept but one that is well handled within the lyrics. Secondly, although a non-native English speaker, Mkhitaryan's vocals are perfectly pronounced and you would have no idea you were not listening to someone who had not grown up in the UK or America. Add to that the fact that he has a very smooth voice which is pleasing on the ear and you are on to a winner. Musically, the most obvious comparison is with Spock's Beard, although in their heavier moments, such as on title track Crossword, a nod towards Dream Theater can be heard. However, and listen carefully, I rate this album higher than ANYTHING released by either of those bands! A bold statement perhaps, tempered by the fact that I have only ever really liked a couple of Dream Theater albums and find a lot of Spock's Beard material, particularly the stuff written by Neal Morse, to be somewhat pompous and overblown.

Apple Pie seem to have got the mixture just right, electric and acoustic guitars blended with some fine keyboard work blending gritty organ sounds with modern synths, vocal harmonies (particularly noteworthy are those of backing vocalist Anna Sidorenko) all combined with an originality that is both refreshing and yet comfortably familiar. The sax solo on Nothing is a nice variation in tone and the rather funky Temptation has a phenomenal brass section which adds further dimension.

Escape packs just about everything into its 10.5 minutes: great solos on guitar, synths and piano, more great backing singing from Sidorenko and a riff that is aggressive yet melodic while Still Got My Faith In You is a soulful/bluesy acoustic number with Mkhitaryan and Sidorenko combining beautifully. It is somewhat superfluous to try and describe the other tracks as they are all very thoughtfully arranged and right little gems.

If you think that the Beard have gone off the boil since Neal Morse left and can't stomach the sermonising of Morse's solo efforts, then a more than adequate substitute can be found in Apple Pie. One taste and you'll be hooked!

Conclusion: 9 out of 10

MARK HUGHES