Search - Rick Wakeman :: Silent Nights

Pleasant, low-key "rock"

Henry R. Kujawa | "The Forbidden Zone" (Camden, NJ) | 05/01/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"By 1985, Rick Wakeman seems to have been mostly forgotten by all but longtime diehard fans. Compared to most artists at the time, who were cranking up the volume in a desperate bid to grab some attention, on SILENT NIGHTS Rick seems content to just relax, have fun and make good music. Accompanied by (I believe) Gordon Neville on vocals, this album ranges from mid-tempo "rock" to quiet ballads, with a couple of quirky bits tossed in. Standouts for me are "Tell 'Em All You Know", the rousing opener, "Ghost Of a Rock N Roll Star" (an eerie stab at autobiography?), "The Dancer" (call it a "novelty" song-- I'm SURE this 1920's-sounding competition complete with color commentary is not meant to be taken seriously), and probably the masterpiece here, "Elgin Mansions", a gorgeous piano piece. I believe this, along with "Gone But Not Forgotten" (from COST OF LIVING) may have pointed the direction for much of Rick's later music. Why try competing with louder and louder rockers when you can play a grand piano like that, anyway?"