▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███ ░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓ ███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░ ███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████ ███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███ ███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███ ███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███ ▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███ ███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███ ██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███ ░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀ ██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██ ░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░ ▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓ ░ ██ ██ Artist: Galahad ██ ██ ▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Sleepers █■ ░░█ ■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2015 █ ▀▓█ ░ █ ▓ Rel. Date: 2019-01-05 ▓ █ ▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒ █▄ ░ Label: Oskar ░ ▄█ ░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█ ░ █▓ Type: Remastered ▓█ ░ ▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓ ▓ █ █ ░ ▓ ▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■ ░█ █░ ▀ █ For those GALAfans out there I need not say any █ █ more than "Sleepers" to summon a cheer, but for █ █ the uninitiated let me elaborate on this excellent █ █ recording. After several excellent recordings █ █ GALAHAD hit their most creative in "Sleepers" █ █ which combines the mysticism GENESIS captured back █ █ in the early 70's and the sheer power in early █ █ MARILLION. Don't worry my friend, "Sleepers" has █ █ its own character all the way through but is █ █ greatly rooted in the progressive genre. Songs █ █ range from the complex and powerful opening track █ █ "Sleepers" to the humorous ditty the "Dentist █ █ Song" which is also one of the standout tracks on █ █ this album for me. Stuart Nicholson's vocals are █ █ at the height of his career and combines with the █ █ musical strength of this band, we are treated to a █ █ stunning display of sheer talent, power and █ █ creativity. "Sleepers" would be one of the top █ █ prog releases of 1995 in my opinion. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ Three songs from this album were already written █ █ as soon as in 1992. The epic and title track, █ █ which turns out to be a good and interesting song █ █ after all. It takes a while to kick off, that's █ █ for sure, but one the whole band comes to the █ █ party, this number is definitely one of the best █ █ they have written. Fine vocals and conservative █ █ keyboarding. █ █ "Dentist Song" is the second of these older song █ █ to be featured and it has little to do with █ █ "Sleepers". Just a little pop neo-prog tune. Press █ █ nextT. The third one of the kind is "Before, After █ █ And Beyond". █ █ The poppiest of all, "Julie Anne" holds a very █ █ catchy melody; it is a sweet and gentle song which █ █ automatically recalls me of "Julia" ("Pavlov's █ █ Dog"). Not thanks to the vocals (one can't match █ █ Surkamp's ones) but to the chorus line. Pretty █ █ similar and very pleasant. █ █ But I would say that this is the main tendency. █ █ Music is fine, even if not highly creative. There █ █ is always a moment during which one can tell: this █ █ sounds like "G.." or related. But this is the █ █ essence of the genre. Some bands do re-create █ █ these atmospheres quite well. Others don't. █ █ In this work, "Galahad" is doing alright. A █ █ composition as "Live & Learn" brings sufficient █ █ complexity to be attractive. This track is again █ █ very much keyboard oriented and quite convincing █ █ actually. █ █ As if he was obliged to do so (and IMHHO he was █ █ not), Nicholson is incorporating some █ █ Gabriel-esque atmospheres in his tone of voice █ █ during "Exorcising Demons". Lots of off-beats, and █ █ again the leading role played by the keyboards █ █ duet. One of the best song featured. I █ █ particularly like the final guitar solo. Guess to █ █ whom it reminds me? █ █ The problem again with this album is its length. A █ █ band should understand that it is at times wiser █ █ to produce a shorter and more interesting effort █ █ than just record a lengthy one ("Middleground" █ █ could have easily be skipped IMO). █ █ The second epic (almost twelve minutes) "Amaranth" █ █ holds a bit what I like (vocals) and dislike █ █ (obvious and too close "Genesis" instrumental █ █ parts) here. A good cloning affair though. The █ █ finale is seriously Pictures & Exhibitions █ █ oriented. █ █ Still, I have always liked this album (maybe more █ █ during the first few listening). Three stars, █ █ synonym of a good album. But if you are an █ █ "orthodox", you should pass your way. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ Sleepers was the album that finally realized all █ █ the potential of Galahad's early albums and it is █ █ a very strong album in its own right. The music of █ █ Galahad had developed into a hard edged Neo-Prog █ █ with some appealing Neo-Classical influences and █ █ some slight poppy touches too. This album was █ █ released in the same year as Arena's fantastic █ █ debut album Songs From The Lion's Cage, and like █ █ Arena, Galahad too opted for a more hard edged █ █ sound compared to earlier Neo-Prog bands like IQ █ █ and Marillion. Sleepers is a varied and reasonably █ █ diverse album with several longer more complex █ █ songs as well as shorter songs that range from █ █ tasteful acoustic ballads (Pictures Of Bliss) to █ █ poppy love songs (Julie Anne, Middleground) to █ █ dramatic and melodic Prog. █ █ The brilliant opening title track is the highlight █ █ of the album and easily my favourite Galahad song █ █ of all time. This is also one of Stuart █ █ Nicholson's finest and most theatrical vocal █ █ performances. The vocals are very strong █ █ throughout the whole album and while Nicholson █ █ clearly belongs to the Fish and Peter Gabriel █ █ school of singers, he has unique tone of his own █ █ that I appreciate very much. Indeed, he is one of █ █ the best singers in said school if you ask me! He █ █ also sometimes remind me slightly of Geddy Lee of █ █ Rush! █ █ Like in most Neo-Prog, the sound here is based on █ █ electric guitars, bass, drums, electronic █ █ keyboards and dramatic, emotional vocals but the █ █ presence of acoustic guitars and grand piano on █ █ several songs makes the sound more diverse. All █ █ instruments are played with skill, enthusiasm and █ █ confidence here but the most important factor is █ █ that the songs are all very well-written and █ █ memorable this time around. █ █ Apart from the excellent title track, the ten █ █ minute Live And Learn and the nearly ten minute █ █ Exorcising Demons are other highlights. The █ █ opening line of the former song goes: "We had it █ █ good in the eighties, everything coming up roses - █ █ we were drowning in success!" This can hardly █ █ refer to the band themselves as they had only █ █ minor success in the 80's, as far as I know!? █ █ Indeed, it was with the present album that the █ █ band finally found some success. █ █ Sleepers was the peak of Galahad's career and this █ █ album should be regarded as a classic in the █ █ Neo-Prog genre. It is thus essential for any fan █ █ of Neo-progressive Rock and highly recommended! █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ The intense work for Galahad still continues █ █ towards mid-90's.The band records two cover tracks █ █ for the Geoff Mann's tribute album ''Mannerisms'' █ █ and Genesis' tribute ''The River of Constant █ █ Change'' respectively, while an acoustic version █ █ of the band under the name Galahad Acoustic █ █ Quintet releases the work ''Not All There'' in █ █ 1994.In the meantime they continue to perform live █ █ in a constant basis.In 1995 it was time for █ █ Galahad's third official studio release.The album █ █ ''Sleepers'' sees the light in 1995, again on █ █ Avalon. █ █ 1/3 of the album (''Sleepers'', "Dentist Song'' █ █ and "Before, After And Beyond") were tracks █ █ already written in early-90's with Mark Andrews on █ █ keyboards and Tim Ashton on bass,the rest being █ █ new material with new drummer Spencer Luckman and █ █ new bassist Neil Pepper.However musically they do █ █ not sound much different.The band's sound is █ █ deeply rooted in mid- to late-70's GENESIS with █ █ some MARILLION-esque overtones,especially on the █ █ lyrical and heavy vocal sections.Galahad try some █ █ more ambitious approach on ''Sleepers'' compared █ █ to their previous releases.Four out of the nine █ █ tracks extend the 9-min. mark,but the result is █ █ really questionable.They sound a lot like the █ █ mediocre tunes of the previous works,just █ █ overstretched with little instrumental explosion █ █ and strongly leaning on Nicholson's theatrical █ █ performance.Dreamy keyboard work,sensitive █ █ guitars,deep atmospheres and a light symphonic █ █ influence as always offer some moments of █ █ beauty,but the arrangements remain a bit unfocused █ █ and at places pointless and mainly rather █ █ incohesive and unconveincing of their talent.These █ █ long questionable explorations are fairly █ █ supported by some shorter tracks in a rather █ █ Pop-Prog vein with a ballad atmosphere, █ █ compositionally decent but far from what we expect █ █ from these talented English men. █ █ To my ears Galahad still search for a personal █ █ identity and a strong compositional style in █ █ ''Sleepers''.Some moments in it are very good and █ █ point to the right direction,but again you will be █ █ left with a bittersweet taste at the end.Not █ █ exactly recommended,''Sleepers'' will be propably █ █ a decent addition only for fans of early Neo █ █ Progressive Rock styles. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ The English quintet Galahad was founded in the mid █ █ 80's, and as such celebrates it's 30th anniversary █ █ in 2015, while at the same time commemorating 20th █ █ birthday of their album Sleepers. A remaster of █ █ this album, which is considered an underrated gem █ █ amongst neo prog fans, was released in 2015 for █ █ this purpose.sleepers █ █ On the album, Galahad certainly shares sound █ █ elements with the likes of Marillion and IQ. The █ █ fact that singer Stuart Nicholson manages to sound █ █ like Fish and Peter Nicholls at times, may have █ █ something to do with that - something that has █ █ been brought up many times. It certainly isn't a █ █ bad thing, let that be clear. █ █ The remastered release of Sleepers has great █ █ sound, on all the original tracks as well as the █ █ two additional bonus tracks. A sound that █ █ sometimes oddly reminds me, but I found out I'm █ █ not the only one, of the Pet Shop Boys, not █ █ exactly a progressive rock influence. It's not █ █ bad, but it might not be what one might expect █ █ from a band in this musical domain. Just listen to █ █ The Dentist (with funny lyrics about what happens █ █ at a dentist visit) to get the idea of how synth █ █ pop mixes with rock. █ █ On other tracks, like Sleepers and Exorcising █ █ Demons, the music is more comparible to the likes █ █ of Genesis and Marillion - influences that are █ █ nowadays also still very much present in the works █ █ of Tiger Moth Tales. Exorcising Demons reminds me █ █ of Marillion's The Web in terms of atmosphere. The █ █ song Amaranth deserves mention as well - it brings █ █ rock with a beat, and has a very bombastic █ █ keyboard section in the instrumental mid section. █ █ Looking at the complete picture, I like this album █ █ for what it is. It is a milestone in the career of █ █ Galahad and might have deserved more attention █ █ when first released, and certainly over time. At █ █ the same time, it's not one that I would play █ █ every day - it may not be a blind buy to everyone. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ So, an envelope arrived one day from the UK, and █ █ my wife asked me who it was from. When I replied █ █ that it was from Stu Nicholson she asked me what █ █ he had sent me, so I showed her the CDs it █ █ contained, and she immediately said "Oh, isn't █ █ that the dead lady?". Of all the thousands of CDs █ █ I've been sent over the years, this is the one █ █ where the cover made an impact on her, from twenty █ █ years previously. True, the story about the cover █ █ did make quite a fuss, and this was in the days █ █ before internet or Prog Magazine, but for me the █ █ story was always that of the album itself and how █ █ it was recorded. After the success of 'Nothing Is █ █ Written', winning the Radio 1 Rock Wars, appearing █ █ on the Friday Night Rock Show it appeared as if █ █ the stage was set for Galahad to burst through █ █ into the mainstream in a big way. All they needed █ █ now was the follow-up album. "NIW' was █ █ self-financed and had come out in 1991, but the █ █ band were starting to make a real name for █ █ themselves and new keyboard player Karl Groom had █ █ settled in. They started experimenting with new █ █ songs, showing a move into a slightly rockier █ █ area, and although the loss of bassist Tim Ashton █ █ was a blow, it allowed them to bring in Neil █ █ Pepper, who was a force to be reckoned with. █ █ I still remember Stu ringing me in a state of real █ █ excitement, as they had managed to secure the █ █ services of Tony Arnold to engineer and produce █ █ the album: he couldn't believe that a producer of █ █ such history and renown would be interested in a █ █ small prog band from Dorset. It is fair to say █ █ that the experience on all sides was not perfect, █ █ and the album took far longer to come to fruition █ █ than was expected. The band were playing the songs █ █ live, and I can even remember Stu needing the █ █ lyrics to the title cut at one gig as it was the █ █ first time they had played it! Some of the guys █ █ even went out and recorded an album as the Galahad █ █ Acoustic Quintet just to be able to work on █ █ something. But, the album finally was released in █ █ 1995, and even then, I found it strange to review █ █ it given that I knew all the material so very well █ █ indeed. So, what would I think of it now? █ █ The 2015 reissue has been remastered by █ █ guitarmeister Karl Groom, has two additional songs █ █ not on the original, and has been released as a █ █ digipak by Polish label Oskar. What I noticed █ █ immediately from the sound is that this is █ █ contains far greater balance than the original, █ █ and the drums have been given a much greater █ █ focus. Karl is known for creating great sound both █ █ in a studio and in the live environment, and even █ █ though he is a guitarist he has always been adept █ █ in getting the best out of a drumkit, and as with █ █ the '30' EP he has brought to life all the work █ █ that Spencer carries out at the rear of the band. █ █ As for songs, well, we're spoilt for choice as we █ █ go from the dramatic and sublime to, frankly, the █ █ ridiculous. "Dentist Song" really is a song about █ █ a trip to the dentist, and although this seems █ █ like a strange subject choice for any lyricist, █ █ let alone a proghead, I have always enjoyed this, █ █ as the layers of keyboards tie in so well with the █ █ guitar that this poppy little number that I have █ █ always found it to be a load of fun, although I am █ █ fully aware that most proggers don't share my █ █ point of view. "Julie Anne" is still one of the █ █ finest ballads they have ever produced, and with █ █ its appearance on a 'Frontiers' CD it also gained █ █ them a lot of interest from outside the prog █ █ scene. Stu has always been a great singer, and █ █ with the right production and minimal backing he █ █ has always been able to deliver the goods, and is █ █ a format that the band still use today. █ █ I could go through every song in turn, explaining █ █ why I feel that this album is still essential █ █ after all these years, but instead I'll focus on a █ █ song that is still possibly the best they have █ █ ever recorded, even after all these years. I first █ █ saw them perform "Exorcising Demons" at The █ █ Astoria, when Tim was still in the band, and even █ █ then, I could hear that the band was moving into a █ █ more mature style of music. At nine plus minutes █ █ long, it is the fourth longest on the album, but █ █ it is both timeless and way too short! With █ █ keyboards and percussion setting the scene, it █ █ always makes me imagine Stu alone in a cavernous █ █ warehouse, switching his singing between gentle █ █ and menacing. After more than three minutes the █ █ bass comes in playing a riff that is picked up by █ █ the guitar, and gradually the band starts to pick █ █ up speed and the vocals contain more venom. Until █ █ everything stops so that Stu can sing out █ █ "Exorcising Demons" unaccompanied. This is a song █ █ that really does build, with lots of layers and █ █ complexity, and although it is more █ █ keyboard-driven than the live version it is still █ █ a powering number. █ █ I have no idea how often I have played this album █ █ over the years, but "lots" seems like a good █ █ number, and back in the day Stu and I have had █ █ discussions at gigs when I discovered that they █ █ had dropped "Exorcising Demons" for one reason or █ █ another. Looking back this is a bridging album in █ █ some ways, from the naivety of "Nothing Is █ █ Written' to the more powerful works that they were █ █ to bring later. It took too long to be released, █ █ of that there is no doubt, and the band lost some █ █ of the momentum they had been building just a few █ █ years earlier. But, they got through it, and all █ █ these years on is still an album I enjoy playing, █ █ and isn't that what listening to music is all █ █ about? If you have only come to Galahad through █ █ 'Battle Scars' or 'Euphoria' then you will find █ █ this quite different, but for someone who first █ █ heard them when I played the 'Madness' cassette █ █ (which I still have!), then this is something that █ █ I dearly love, and would take with me if I was █ █ ever stranded on that desert island. █ ▓ ▓ ▒ ▒ ░ 1. Sleepers 12:21 ░ ░ 2. Julie Anne 4:41 ░ ░ 3. Live and Learn 10:09 ░ ░ 4. Dentist Song 4:03 ░ ░ 5. Pictures of Bliss 2:06 ░ ░ 6. Before, After and Beyond 6:07 ░ ░ 7. Exorcising Demons 9:15 ░ ░ 8. Middleground 6:02 ░ ░ 9. Amaranth 11:45 ░ ░ 10. Suffering in Silence (Bonus Track) 5:48 ░ ░ 11. Pictures of Bliss (Alternative Version) 2:11 ░ ░ (Bonus Track) ░ ░ 74:28 ░ ░ ▒ ▒ ▓ █ ░ ▓ ░ ■ █▄ ░ ██ ▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░ ▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■ ░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░ ▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░ █▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓ █▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█ ▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒ ░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░ ▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓ █▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓ ░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒ █░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█ ███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░ ▓██ ░ ██▓ ██░ ░██ █▒ ░ ░█ ▀█ █▀ ▓ ░ ░