Elegant Simplicity - 2025 - Before the End, Pt. II

(52:39; Elegant Simplicity)






















As can be gathered from the title, this is the second in a series of releases, following on from last year’s compilation which was a collection of the EPs put into one album. There was some slight tweaking to the sound here and there on that one but not remastered as such. This compilation has been treated slightly differently as while this is again a selection of previously released material (A-sides and B-sides recorded and released between 2015 and 2021, digital bonus material etc), most of these songs have not previously been available on albums. Also, for this compilation every track has been remastered, the result being a release which actually sounds like a complete album as opposed to a collection of disparate recordings. Most of these songs were new to me as I don’t review singles and rarely EPs, and it was only on re-reading the email that I realised this was not actually a “new” album as such, but a compilation, as it certainly never seems that way.

I have known Steven for so long that our relationship started when I was reviewing his cassettes, and while he started as a multi-instrumentalist using a singer here and there (most notably Ken Senior of Evolution), over the years he has changed his approach and while he provides guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, keyboards and drums, he also brings in additional musicians on those instruments, as well as different singers (three of the eight songs have vocals), plus violin and sax. There are times when this album feels like Mike Oldfield, at others Jean Michel Jarre, but it never seems like a multi-instrumentalist and others but rather as complete progressive band creating wonderful symphonic sounds. Steven has long cast off his neo-prog roots, if he ever really had them,  and I remain convinced that is Elegant Simplicity were a gigging live outfit then they would be far more well known. As it is, we can just admire anyone who turns a prog number (“Ilmarinen's Bride of Gold”) into lounge jazz before moving into something more delicate and refined. Steven continues to release great material, and anyone into the more melodic side of progressive rock will find much on here to enjoy. 

Kev Rowland, September 2025

Links:
https://elegantsimplicity.com/

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