Artist/ Band: Guitar Garden
Title: Secret Space
Label:
Year of Release: 2006
Artist/ Band Link (click for details/ ordering)

The Review:

Guitar Garden returns in 2006 with it’s second release, Secret Space. This time out the approach to the music is different than the debut. While there’s still elements of ambient and new age, guitarist and main man Pete Prown adds more to the mix including symphonic rock, Celtic, folk and some flamenco. This to my ears is wonderful because I honestly wasn’t sure if Secret Space was going to be more of the same of the debut. Even though I enjoyed the debut, a different path shows the growth in the artist who’s willing to take risks. Thankfully the risks paid off with a excellent follow-up.

The album starts out with a great mellotron piece called Passchendaele (Song Of The Mellotronia). This will please mellotron fans world wide! The song ‘War Echo‘ reminds me of the later day Pink Floyd circa ‘Momentary Lapse of Reason’, especially in the guitar playing. Speaking of which, Pete Prawn’s playing is, in my humble opinion, some of the best and can be compared to David Gilmour, Andy Latimer, Steve Hackett and many others in the genre. The one thing Pete does differently is not dwell in the past he holds dear to his heart.

I compared Guitar Garden’s first album to artists such as California Guitar trio and Systems Theory. Now I’ll add Steve Hackett, Karda Estra and Ivoryboat to the list. If you enjoy instrumental progressive based rock that borders in many genres, then Guitar Garden’s Secret Space need to be on your ‘must have’ list!

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on November 4th, 2006

Tracks:

1. Passchendaele (Song Of The Mellotronia)

2. Evolution X

3. War Echo

4. Proggy Mountain Breakdown

5. Secret Space (Blues For R.S.)

6. The News At 11

7. Waltz Of The Dead

8. Brahms

9. Mandolin Blue

10. Suddenly

11. The Groove Eternal

Reviewed Discography

• "China Rose" 2005
• "Secret Space" 2006

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