SEVEN SOURCES REVIEWS

Seven Sources- But For The Grace of
There are people in this world that are made to make music. Then there are the people that live to make it. Joel Pirard is such a person. True the name of the Band is Seven Sources but its all Joel Pirard you hear. He wrote the music played the instruments, and belted the vocals. You may also remember Joel Pirard as a member of the band JDA. I'm hoping Joel didn't have to make the paper that the liner notes were written on. I joke only because of the amount of work that has been put into this disc. Yea, I know music projects have the work in them but when you're the only one playing, recording, etc. well you get the picture.

As I always do when I pop a disc in the player I try not to guess what it will sound like. It didn't take long to realize where this music found its base. If the groups Yes, Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake and Palmer, ring a bell then you will have an insight to what your in for with "But For The Grace of".

The first song on the disc "Threshold" starts the disc with a strong vocal punch from Joel. The arrangement reminds of a little know group called "STYX" and orchestrated to a lighter raising fervor. "Threshold" does have a spot or two that causes the flame to get blown around though. Just as your getting into it the flow of the song something disturbs the ebb. "Threshold" is a 12-minute song and I guess that a break or two is to be expected .I was disappointed by those breaks because the rest of "Threshold" is right on, and a good choice to lead off this disc.

A song that I got into is "So Far Away" is slightly awry rhythm hit me in a good place. "So Far Away" is one of those songs that are rhythmically different enough to be interesting, but not so different as to alienate its listener.

Out of the plastic case the disc Seven Sources, "

But For The Grace of" , is a welcomed walk through the esoteric rock of the seventies. The quality of production on this disc is apparent, the talent of the musician obvious, but on the down side of this very nice product I would love to have heard a wider selection of sounds through out the songs.

"But For The Grace of" is a strong presentation by the group Seven Sources. Bringing back the days when the synthesizer was young, and so were we all.

Gloriously uplifting
by Aeon7 Rating: 10

Something Is Calling Me:
Gloriously uplifting progressive rock orgasmatron sensation, excellent mind-gone guitar - although could be improved lyrically,

"Something is calling me I have a vision now come and see..." This progressive rock extravaganza begins with a modal feel in D major, nice free-flowing guitar, then settles down to a steady pedal point groove. The vocals (and guitar interjections) somehow remind me of Yes, although I am aware how annoying comparisons can be. I particularly like the guitar break in the middle, which begins very controlled and neat; by the end of the solo, the guitarist was completely "mind gone", and clearly had to be brought back to some semblance of functional consciousness by a helpful groupie, or perhaps (in these times of new age spiritual fundamentalism) a circle dancer waving one of those native American dream-catcher thingies about... Much fun was certainly had!
Reviewed by AEON 7

Rock opera! You Bet!
by Suzy Rating: 10

What do you get when you mix classical, jazz, fusion, and rock...add a pinch each of Yes, Jethro Tull, and "Quadrophenia"...add a heaping dollop of talent mixed with self-expression...and stir well?
You get a rock opera called "The Shadow Play" by Joel Pirard aka Seven Sources!!!
Joel, honey, I'm impressed

The Seven Sources sound? To me, I hear the Beatles meet Emerson Lake & Palmer... which is interesting unto itself, because members from both superbands went on to compose film scores (Keith Emerson: Knight Hawks with Sly Stallone; and Paul McCartney: Live and Let Die). " .......Kalbaugh

Great Deceiver, some surprises! Something Completely Different and the title track are excellent, but most notable is Drifting, a marvelous romp with extended guitar and majesty!

"See It Surely" [ from "The Great Deceiver" ] is genius. Nothing else "grabbed" me like that one, The musicianship on all the songs is top-notch, most of them were well-crafted & thoughtfully arranged. (Martin Paul)

'Pariah' is a good first effort. Though the production is a bit loose, the music is intense and strong. Notably "Mind Games", " The Pledge",(a top 20 Mp3 progressive download) and "Seven Sources". We also reviewed Seven Sources sophmore effort, "Play On". This collection of esoteric instrumentals is interesting and covers a variety of styles, although mainly psychedelic progressive rock, the overall production is stronger. Progressive rock keyboards with dirty, almost grunge-like guitar drives " I Remember the Memories" while simple acoustic gem "You and Me" rounds it out (another top 40 download)Rhythm and Views September 2000

Playing in the Shadowa
by James Hancer Rating: 8

Seven Sources is the alter-ego of Joel Pirard, a driving force in JDA, and the keyboardist and key composer in AVALON USA. Seven Sources, has amassed seven releases that often fall in the background, the shadows if you will, of the other bands. Perhaps this is because JDA was first noticed on mp3.com and EVOR. Having met Joel and interviewed him last year, I know that he places as much emphasis on his solo material as anything else. If the Seven Sources cds have shone me anything, it's that you will hear honest music. THE SHADOW PLAY enhances this. By far the most cohesive of Seven Sources' offerings, this release is presented in a format that could easily be envisioned as a live performance. There is an opening, processional, almost like a church service entry, followed by the first of the anthems offered. "Something is Calling Me" is dynamic, well performed, and uses a very familiar musical hook in a new, interesting way. The title track is intense, focuses on a mythical woodland ritual, reminiscent of the classic Saint Saens composiion "Danse Macabre", at least as far as the lyrical concept goes. There is an orchestral piece, and then "Running in Place", an acoustic guitar/sax driven instrumental. Then, the epic "Shootout on the Fulham Road", combining children's cops and robbers fantasies with metaphors of gang war, and schoolyard antics, in a swirl of classic GENESIS inspired movements. Nicely rounding off the CD is "Time to Go, another instrumental, powered by an acoustic guitar-driven pattern, that recalls many classic rock stylings. On a scale of 1-10, I would rate this CD a solid 8. Buy it!