Starcastle - Fountains of Light (1977)

Along with groups like Styx & Kansas, Starcastle was an American response to the British prog-rock of the sixties and seventies. Their sound and style is largely reminiscent (some would argue disparagingly that it was derivative) of Yes.

Listening to their first 3 albums (of which Fountains of Light is the 2nd) this comparison is not only understandable but fully warranted. In addition to the Roger Dean-esque cover artwork the synth heavy music is reminiscent of Tormato era Yes. Which makes Starcastle an even more interesting anomaly in that their first three albums pre-date Tormato. So somehow Starcastle managed to not only sound like a derivative of, but also a pre-cursor to Yes.

Terry Luttrell's (ex-REO Speedwagon) vocals are reminiscent of Jon Anderson, the tight vocal harmonies and even tighther rhythm section make for a thoroughly enjoyable sound. Unfortunately the synthesizer heavy stylings of computer programmer Herb Schildt have not aged well.

Dated synths aside, Fountains of Light is an delightful and very listenable album. Other than Fountains which opens the album, most of the songs range from just over three minutes to barely over six. Their brevity making them a bit more accessible than Yes's at times over-indulgent romps but at the same time this also contributes to the derogatory labeling of Starcastle as "Yes-lite."

Another interesting twist in Starcastle, their driving force and arguably their band leader, Gary Strater, was the bass player. There's a tightness, one might argue even a symbiosis between Strater's bass and the drumming of Stephen Tassler. It's these tight rhythms that were arguably better than that of Yes that set Starcastle apart and make them worthy of consideration in their own right, as opposed to being merely a poor man's Yes as the critics seemed to pan them as over the years.

Related Links
Starcastle (wikipedia)
Starcastle Fountains of Light (wikipedia)
Starcastle s/t debut (Review Revue)
Terry Luttrell (wikipedia)
Herb Schildt (wikipedia)

Starcastle (1975)

In the mid seventies there was a bit of an American backlash to the British progressive rock movement pioneered by the likes of King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson Lake & Palmer. American groups like Styx, Kansas, Fireballet, and Starcastle rose in the wake of their British progenitor's success.

While Styx and Kansas are rather well known even today, Starcastle never matched their success nor their longevity. Upon first listen, one will notice vocalist Terry Luttrell's unique mastery of Jon Anderson's vocal style. It's uncanny to think that Luttrell had been fired from his original gig-- lead vocalist of REO Speedwagon-- because he wasn't "good enough." His vocals with Starcastle are far more listenable than his REO successor, Kevin Cronin's, ever were or will be.

Unfortunately, due to their timing and their uncanny similarities to Yes, they're considered largely derivative of Yes and Yes's style. But, if imitation is the highest form of flattery, Yes should be honored that a group of musicians as skilled as those in Starcastle saw fit to extrapolate upon the style of The Yes album and their other early material.

While the musicians of this band are not of the same calibre of the likes of Howe, Squire, Wakeman, or Bruford-- a little Jon Anderson goes a LONG way, so it's Luttrell's vocals which help make Starcastle's material imminently enjoyable and utterly listenable. Another benefit of their music is that it leans more to the rock and less to the prog side of things-- making their music a bit more accessible to the casual listener than much of Yes's material.

Generally speaking, if you're a Yes fan-- chances are you'll find Starcastle derivative and disappointing. However if you respect Yes's music but find much of it to be a bit TOO progressive (or find Jon Anderson's voice to be a bit too much), Starcastle may be just what the doctor ordered.