Nomzamo by IQ, from 1987, the first album without lead singer Peter Nicholls, replaced by P.L. Menel, who does not disappoint at all.
The sound here is recorded really excellently and for the first time IQ compose some more pop, more accessible tracks, while others are purely progressive.
Some notes on the tracks
- No Love Lost, a commercial pop-rock song with some progressive elements that opens the album, a notable departure from the band's traditional progressive rock sound, melodic rock with pop sensibility.
- Promises (As The Years Go By) one of the most beautiful and representative tracks of this album, a mix of pop and progressive rock, with a beautiful vocal part.
- Nomzamo, the title track, is a complex and hypnotic song, with great use of drum machine and excellent arrangements
- Still Life is a ballad with excellent fretless bass, an emotional song with a beautiful saxophone part
- Passing Strangers, a pop-oriented song, where we find beautiful harmonies and an engaging rhythm.
- Human Nature is a beautiful epic song with many changes of atmosphere.
- Screaming, a pop song with a rhythmic voice, with a joyful and energetic sound and dark lyrics, one of the most radio-friendly tracks on the album.
- Common ground is an epic song that starts with classical guitar and then evolves into a fuller sound with keyboards and electric guitars.
This is a controversial album, with its more accessible "prog-pop" sound that made the band more popular in Europe. Overall a good album and if you love so-called Neo-Prog and IQ like I do, it's a must-have for your collection.
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page
Tracklist
1. No Love Lost (6:02)
2. Promises (As the Years Go By) (4:34)
3. Nomzamo (7:00)
4. Still Life (5:57)
5. Passing Strangers (3:47)
6. Human Nature (9:41)
7. Screaming (4:07)
8. Common Ground (6:59)
Duration 48:07
LineUp
- Paul Menel - lead vocals and backing vocals
- Mike Holmes - electric guitar, acoustic guitar (2, 8) and synthesizer (1, 3, 4, 6-8), E-mu II synthesizer (7)
- Martin Orford - synthesizers (Logan String, E-mu II, EMAX, Prophet VS, Yamaha CS-80 and DX7, ARP Odyssey), Mellotron (3, 7, 8), Hammond (7), backing vocals
- Tim Esau - fretted and fretless bass (4, 6, 8), Taurus pedals (1, 3), rhythm guitar (5), backing vocals
- Paul Cook - drums, percussion
With:
- Jules O'Kine - vocal duo (9)
- Phillip Erb - E-mu II programming
- Ray Carless - saxophone (4)
- Micky Groome - backing vocals (1, 5-7)
