Pye Fyte - The Gathering Of The Krums

Year of Release: 1998
Label: M&M Music
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 42:11:00

Pye Fyte is a hard band to describe. They don't sound like any one of the usual bands that inspire today's prog groups (Genesis, Yes, EL&P, etc.), but combine elements of all. Perhaps the strongest influence I hear is Focus, thanks to the melodic guitar playing of multi-instrumentalist John McNamara, but the music in general is much more complex than Focus's, featuring constantly changing meters and dynamics.

For example, the longest track on the album, "Fields," changes time signatures more than you'd want to count over its 14-minute length. The music's tone, too, is always on the move, with classical themes merging with Argent-like organ solos and Focus-like guitar sections. Before you get back to the final vocal, there's even a funky, almost lounge-like excursion. Not all the tracks go through so many changes, however. Track 4, "Leaves," stays mostly on the straight and narrow, sounding like something from a Focus album. A couple of the other shorter, simpler tracks bring Procol Harum to mind.

Sometimes, the vocals sound vaguely like Greg Lake, although delivered with nowhere near the skill. In fact, most of the vocals on this CD are on the weak side, though still acceptable. Frequently, the vocalist slides into a note, rather than hitting it right on, making him sound a little off key at first. In addition, some of the vocal melodies seem clumsy to me. Still, Pye Fyte is an enjoyable listen. A good CD, although not a great one.

Tracklisting:
Invitation (1:01) / Pitch the Wort (1:17) / The Return (5:00) / Leaves (4:19) / The Party (3:04) / The Gathering (0:55) / Fields (14:24) / Depth of Time (11:53)

Musicians:
John McNamara - guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals
Mark Cella - drums, percussion
Tim Kelly - lead vocals

Discography:
The Gathering of the Krums (1998)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: April 10th 2001
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum

Artist website:
Hits: 3266
Language: english