Phantom's Opera - Following Dreams
Play My Guitar
I'm So Tired
Heartache
I've Had My Share
Life Is So Natural
Following Dreams
You're In REM Again
My Love, Is It You
Have You Ever Been Alone
In The Middle Of The Night
Land Of The Damned
Label: Escape Music
Year: 1998
Producer: Phantom's Opera & Steve Evetts
Duration: 65: 21 m:s
Review date: August 1998
For a while, I'd been curious as to what Phantom's Opera sounded like, but none the reviews of their previous albums were favourable enough to increase my curiosity to the 'must purchase' level. However, the reviews of their latest album, Following Dreams, have all be good and 'must purchase' level was achieved.
I had read that there was a Queen influence, but I didn't quite know what to expect from Phantom's Opera when I first plonked this in the CD player. Although I hear lots of Queen influences (early Queen?), Phantom's Opera have enough of their own sound to forge their own identity. As well as Queen, I also hear Styx and Asia.
Having just written the review of the new Dare album, where virtually every song sounded the same, Phantom's Opera are a welcome relief. The are enough variations in here to keep me happy. I do like an album to have a few mood swings. :)
Play My Guitar is Queen meets Styx. I'm So Tired is early Queen. Heartache moves into melodic rock territory and musically Asia are the reference point. Asia crop up again on the uptempo I've Had My Share. Life Is So Natural has a Middle Eastern feel. The title track starts as a ballad before turning in a grandiose pomp affair. You're In REM Again is a total change in mood - mostly uptempo barroom boogie blues. My Love, Is It You has a Queen vibe and I can imagine Freddie strutting around the stage singing this. Have You Ever Been Alone is a stark ballad with some very Brian May guitar. On In The Middle Of The Night a hitherto unhinted at Led Zep influence pops up. With a band that describe themselves as 'theatrical rock', there just had to be a long track - the 10 min Land Of The Damned. It is a sprawling epic that allows Phantom's Opera's progressive/pomp tendencies to run riot. There is also a hidden bonus track, which is a bluesy number.
At 65 mins long, there is a lot of music on here. My favourite tracks? - I'm So Tired, Following Dreams, My Love, Is It You. However, I could probably pick any of the first 9 tracks. At the end of track 9, we're talking a 8/9 rating. By the time the album finishes, it is down to a 8, mainly because Land of the Damned doesn't quite work for me.
Rating: 8
