Label: Lazarus Records

Tracks:

1. Reflect. 2:24 (Groves-Dearing)
2. Symposium. 5:38 (Groves)
3. Nowhere is home. 5:12 (Dearing-Groves)
4. The great steropticon. 5:18 (Henry-Groves)
5. Children of the dust.5:25 (Groves)
6. So Human. 2:21 (Groves)
7. The red pool. 3:25 (Dearing-Groves)
8. Underneath. 3:31 (Groves)
9. Seattle (In Memory of.). 2:19 (Groves)
10. Apollyon. 5:35 (Dearing-Groves)
11. A Perfect Light. 2:48 (Groves)
12. Love won't save the world. 6:07 (Henry-Groves)
13. I didn't come for you. 7:14 (Henry-Groves)
14. Beings. 7:29 (Groves)
15. Regard me. 6:12 (Groves)

Musicians:

• Michael Dearing / guitar, vocals
• Carl Groves / keyboards, guitar, vocals
• Patrick Henry / bass
• Kevin Thomas / drums, vocals

After some troubles that, in fact, ended in the break-up of the band after the edition of "Not Everybody's Gold", Salem Hill returned again with a new studio album, "Be", already without the presence of Michael Ayers, who, apparently, was the mean guilty of the brief aforementioned break.

I recognize that in the first few listenings, "Be" seemed to me a bit reiterative compared to their previous works, specially to "The Robbery of Murder", but after a few hearings more, I can now conclude that "Be" is another great album, of a similar quality standard to those of the two previous works.

Salem Hill have something special that catches you without a choice to scape and this "Be" is a good proof of it. On the basis of a conceptual work that continues a structural line similar to that of "The Robbery of Murder", Salem Hill do not offer anything too innovative compared to their previous works (with the exception of some harder tracks). Nevertheless it doesn't matter the stylistic evolution in case of this band, because they are able to create very good compositions and excellent melodies, without the need to add notable innovations to their discs. They are a band whose success is based only on the good work of Carl Groves and company as writers of music with an undoubted hook, and on an accurate instrumental execution.

As innovations with regard to the previous albums, this "Be" makes a less optimistic light feeling, besides some tracks enough rockish and notably harder, as well as a certain "Beatles"-taste in the typical melodic tracks of the album. But in general, we are in front of the same Salem Hill. The influences continue being the same of their previous works: King's X, Kansas, Marillion, Ambrosia, apart from, of course, the classic English bands of the 70, specially Genesis and Yes.

As it happens on the previous recordings of the band, in this new work also we find some tracks really great, that must pass since this moment to be classics of the band. In this case, I think that "Nowhere is Home" (what a melodies!!) and "I Didn't Come for you" deserve this degree. But we must not to forget "Beings", "A Perfect Light", "Symposium", "Seattle (In Memory of .)" and "Apollyon".

Summarizing, Salem Hill have done it again. Those who remained delighted with "The Robbery of Murder" and "Not Everybody's Gold", have here another album with which they will fully enjoy. I would say that from the composition point of view "Be" is even more successful than the mentioned discs. It turns out to be incomprehensible why this band, able to create so attractive music simultaneously that is attainable enough for the big masses, does not obtain the recognition that they deserve in the rock publications, for the simple fact of carrying the word "progressive" tattooed on the back.

Rating: 8.5/10

Ferran Lizana