LANA LANE - PROJECT SHANGRI-LA
REVIEWS
" The eagerly awaited new studio album. Talk about monumental - this has to be the best yet. It's powerful, as you'd expect, but the seriously heavy rocking, so evident on the "Astrology" albums, has been enhanced, altered - but not by anything physical. You see there's an assured confidence to the performances on this album, one that seems to have at the back of it, some kind of determination to make solid and intricately structured songs work like never before. It's only when you read the sleeve-notes, to see that this album was actually being recorded during the events of Sept 11th 2001, that you suddenly see it all - there's almost a tension to the material, as though the band were trying to deliver something that had as much feeling as you could possibly put into an album like this without it coming out too schmaltzy at one end or simply not producing the results at the other, and in that respect, as in all others, this wins out to perfection. Not as immediate as its predecessor, you really do have to play it first just to get the atmosphere and wallow in the lyrics, while the musicianship is much more textural, still with plenty of thunder, but with more of a flow, a river as opposed to a hurricane, while Lana's vocal is the best I've heard to date with so much feeling and passion in the voice, pure emotion dripping from every note. There are two songs featuring Ring Of Fire's Mark Boals as co-vocalist, while the bonus track exclusive to this CD [Japanese import version] is a song specially written for Lana Lane by John Wetton, called 'I Believe In You'. Without going into intricate detail, each and every song on the album is a solid, impeccably produced, played and sung gem, including the phenomenal track 'Tears Of Babylon', an emotive tribute to the Sept 11th events, totally capturing a mood of reflection determination and optimism, setting a sight for the future - and the future is very bright indeed. As I said, one monumental album that deserves to be massive. "
Andy Garibaldi, CD Services / Dead Ernest website, Scotland, March
2002
www.deadearnest.btinternet.co.uk/albumfeb.htm
Overall Review
In the liner notes to this album Lane says that she and Erik Norlander (her husband and main musical cohort) were just starting work for this album when the tragedy of September 11th, 2001 occurred. She goes on to speak about how hard it was to start the project in the midst of all that. She even went on to dedicate the CD to "The Memory Of All We Lost On September 11, 2001". Interestingly, the quality of the music presented here seems not to be one of those things lost. Instead, what we have here is a strong continuation of Lane's musical career, accessible progressive rock that occasionally flirts with prog metal. Her voice is at its usual stellar, and this could well be her finest album to date.
Track by Track Review
Redemption (Part I): Neo-symphonic sounds start this off. It begins building on that basis before becoming more straight-ahead. It is a nice introductory instrumental to start the CD in fine fashion.
Project Shangri-La: The title track, this is a dramatic hard-edged and soaring rocker that really gets things fully kicked off. It gets more contemplative during the instrumental break. A break which comes complete with a retro sounding Hammond B3 solo.
Encore: A hard rocking number with retro leanings, this one feels a bit like Heart.
Before You Go: An awesome and evocative piece, a pretty piano melody starts it off. It covers several musical modes, first working on becoming more powerful, then more rock oriented, and even getting quite symphonic later.
The Nightingale: A droning acoustic guitar starts this one. As Lane's voice jumps in, the song gets very poignant and powerful. This prog number has an overall balladic texture, but surpasses the limitations that that categorization might imply. It is one of the strongest pieces on the disc.
The Beast Within You: Harpsichord serves as the intro to this one with a neo-classical texture, but lest the listener be fooled into thinking this is another ballad, frantic metallic guitar sounds push the gentler tones away. The song is transformed into a killer hard rocking piece that has a lot going on. A Wakemanesque break takes it for a time, expanding on the themes from the intro. Then another eruption of metallic fury gains control, this time in a potent neo-classical form with definite Deep Purple textures.
Tears of Babylon: This one starts in a balladic form that feels a bit like The Beatles meets the acoustic side of Led Zeppelin. It quickly turns into a powerful prog rock excursion.
Ebbtide: An evocative balladic tune, this one still manages to have a lot of power.
(Life Is Only) A Dream: I can't help it. When I see that title I keep hearing Spock telling Kirk in Star Trek V, "Jim, life is not a dream". Those prejudices aside, this is a hard rocker that feels a bit retro at times. The highlights of the song are some great mellow textures on the bridge and an awesome keyboard solo afterward.
Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro): The vast majority of the lyrics to this one are not in English. It is a duet between Lane and Mark Boals, and is classically oriented balladic type of composition that gets a bit hard edged at times.
Redemption (Part II): Another instrumental, this hard rocker plays in similar territory as the album opener, but with a harder take on it.
I Believe In You: A pretty and somewhat classically tinged light melody begins the piece. A somewhat symphonic ballad, this feels just a little "fluffy".
Gary Hill, Music Street Journal website, USA, May 2002
Website Music Street Journal
Email MusicStJournal@hotmail.com
" The "Goddess of Rock" has returned with the follow-up to the powerful Secrets of Astrology from 2000 with an equally impressive yet evolving sound on Project Shangri-La. Lana and husband Erik Norlander put together a heavier platter of songs the last time around that drew mainly from progressive metal and neo-classical rock to fantastic results, and here they lessen up on the crunch a bit in favor of a heightened symphonic sound that is long on melody, soaring vocal harmonies, and sweeping virtuoso keyboard work.
A good portion of the songs on Project Shangri-La were written by Lane herself, and judging by the results she has developed into a formidable songwriter. Tracks like "Before You Go" and "The Nightingale" have lovely melodies and catchy hooks, yet musically the songs still retain some adventurous arrangements, mainly due to Norlander's wide assortment of Moog and Mellotron keyboards. The majestic title track is another one of the CD's highlights, featuring emotional vocals from Lane, a driving rhythm section compliments of former Black Sabbath and Dio drummer Vinnie Appice and bassist Don Schiff, as well as ripping guitar solos from longtime guitarist Neil Citron. Helge Engelke from Fair Warning also appears as a guest on this track and contributes additional guitar solos. The band lets it rip a bit on the supercharged "The Beast Within You", a number reminiscent of the heavier tunes from Secrets of Astrology, which is highlighted by raging Hammond organ fills and chunky guitar riffs. Former Yngwie Malmsteen and current Ring of Fire vocalist Mark Boals puts in a guest appearance on "(Life Is) Only a Dream" (which he wrote) and a cover of "Time to Say Goodbye", sharing lead and harmony vocals with Lana. Legendary prog singer/bassist John Wetton even contributed a song specifically for this CD entitled "I Believe in You", a mellow number about commitment that Lana really sings her heart out on. It's also noteworthy to mention Norlander's fantastic two -part "Redemption", which begins and ends the CD, that lets him really throw out all the tonal colors he is capable of. The man is a superior player, and his wide range of symphonic textures and blazing lead work is as always a marvel to listen to.
In summary, the "First Couple of Progressive Rock" have once again put together an enjoyable and mature collection of songs that has a little something for everyone. There is plenty of melody, commercial hooks, complex arrangements, and hard rocking rhythms to go around on Project Shangri-La, all of which provide Lana and Erik all they need for another successful stab at classic progressive rock with an edge. "
Pete Pardo, Sea of Tranquility website, USA, March 11, 2002
" Let me say this right from the start, this is one of the best progressive rock albums that you will hear this year. PROJECT SHANGRI-LA is the sixth release from symphonic rock diva Lana Lane and progressive rock master keyboardist Erik Norlander. The duo are accompanied by drummer extraordinaire Vinnie Appice (ex-DIO, BLACK SABBATH), Neil Citron on lead guitar, Mark McCrite on rhythm guitar and harmony vocals, while Don Schiff played the famous Chapman Stick instrument covering the bass tracks on the album. Additionally there are some guest appearances by vocalist Mark Boals (RING OF FIRE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) and guitarist Helge Engelke (FAIR WARNING, DREAMTIDE). Besides Lana Lane's spectacular voice it is also noteworthy to mention Erik Norlander's superior playing. His wide range of symphonic textures and blazing lead work is as always a marvel to listen to. Every song on this release has something new to offer. There are layers of heavy guitars, stand up vocals and whirling and chirping keyboards to fill the air. Diversity and excellence are the operative words here, and there are ample amounts of both. The recording and production are stellar, making this one that you'll want to hear a few times under headphones. "
Roger Gößmann, Rock Area website, Germany, September 20, 2002
You can find it online at http://www.rock-area.de/reviews/lanalane.htm
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