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Landmarq - The Vision Pit

Artist:	Landmarq
Title:	The Vision Pit
Label:	SI Music Simply 3073-2
Length(s):	64 minutes
Year(s) of release:	1995
Month of review:	11/1995

Line up

Dave Wagstaffe - drums
Uwe D'Rose - guitars
Steve Gee - bass
Steve Leigh - keyboards
Damian Wilson - vocals

Tracks

1)	Cutting Room	5.09
2)	Pinewood Avenue	6.24
3)	Infinity Parade	8.37 (5 parts)
4)	Game Over	7.44
5)	All Performers Stand Alone	4.38
6)	Narovlya	11.09 (6 parts)
7)	Ten Million And One	4.30
8)	Bed Of Nails	7.15
9)	Hanblechia (the Vision Quest)	4.39
10)	To Do Or Die	2.31 (mystery track)

Written by: several subsets of Landmarq. Note that the actual title contains the Alan Parsons Project Eye symbol between The and Vision. It should mean something, but I can't really tell you what.

Summary

Well, I'll not gon into this too deeply and refer the reader to the interview that I will be having with them on the 28th of November 1995. Anyway, Damian Wilson is back on the old nest (for good?) and after some years now they have finally managed to release the follow up to the very good Infinity Parade, that contained some very great tracks. This might typically be one of those reviews that I will have to review, because my girlfriend will surely make me listen a lot to this album. It is interesting that more than with any prog band I know, Landmarq also has female listeners. In Almelo during a live concert quite a few women were very attentive and we do them short by referring to the supposedly good looks of the singer. This can be contrasted with the macho guys from Asgard that only seem to attract men (or rather boys). Well, 'nough said, let's listen.

The music

Pfhew, it starts out all subdued and all but to my surprise Landmarq ROCKS. (Alright, I admit, I lie, because I already saw this track played live, but let's assume I haven't now.). The melodies are all rather awkward and quite hard to get into, especially the drumming in the chorus. Still, a good song, very powerful, but takes a little getting used to.

Track two, abnout Neighbourhood watches starts out like just about every neo-prog track, but when the vocals start this song changes like from night to day. The track is not very melodious, if we disregard the very melodic chorus. Interesting track, that keeps on putting you on the wrong track, with some jazzy piano and grungy guitars. Very varied, almost like Faith No More in that respect, but do not take THAT too seriously.

It all started off so innocently with Solitary Witness appearing on Infinity Parade, but at this moment it has turned into some kind of gimmick, or did the band not finish this track meant for Infinity Parade in time as well. Come on guys. Well, this track is more like Landmarq then the previous. It contains some cheesiness I'm afraid, especially some keyboard parts, making me think this is some kind of National Anthem (ta ra ta ta). Typically them, this track. After some four minutes we get a definite change of direction, moving into a more acoustic oriented part. The lyrics of this part do not conform very much to the booklet, but who cares. In part 4 of this track the second (ta ra ta ta) part comes back and moves into...the weakest song thus far: track four. The chorus is below par in this song and disfigures the song. In earlier times, Leigh promised a track a bit like Embrace and I think this is the one. Needless to say I prefer Embrace.

Track 5 starts out merrily, but the contents as always are not that merry. A good song with melodies that stick.

Narovlya is to this album what Ta Jiang was to the previous. The song has a story behind it (Chernobyl) and is built from a number of parts and for good reason. A lot of variation between the parts, but always recurrent themes. A moving song.

Track 7 is a romantically sounding acoustic track but the lyrics tell a different story, being about the deterioration of Social insurance and all. Not a very strong track, the melody a bit too obvious.

Bed of Nails is a good song, with Wilson in good shape. The song is both atmospheric and contains some gay up tempo keyboards/git bits. Terrific lyrics, maybe not too fitting with the keyboard/git bits, but who cares, as long as it works. It's about a person in the city at odds with the world and thus with himself.

A track on Indian culture is Hanblechia. It contains interesting tribal drumming and the vocals of Nolan and Hitchings (no, not a duet, there are no lyrics, just vocal noises). I like it. BTW this is probably THE 'instrumental' track on the album and also what comes closest to the title track of the album, so next album we might not see a track called The Vision Pit.

The bonus track is a short orchestral track (compare with Aria by Asia). Also something Nolan might have done, although more bombastic.

Conclusion

Landmarq has not been out to consolidate by writing a number of Embraces and Ta Jiangs. The material is sometimes a lot harder to digest then Infinity Parade. The album is more varied than Infinity Parade. What has changed much I think is that Landmarq isn't that soft anymore. On the last album, the strange track The more you seek and the instrumental were the only rocking songs, but Landmarq has definitely become less polished. Still, it is recognizably Landmarq here, with unexpected turns and sometimes overly melodic parts and Wilsons recognizable voice. A place as good to start with them as any I guess. I'm still in doubt which I like better. Infinity Parade has more high points I think, but The Vision Pit is more varied. As always lyrically this album will have a theme running through it, (in the worst case it will be Life, the Universe and Everything) but I haven't found it yet. Again, we have some environmental lyrics about things they have encountered and some more abstract visions on life. High point is Narovlya.