Progressive
Land
http://www.dvdivas.net/ProgVoices/C/celestialoeuvre-second-Wayne.html
The Review Some of us want to relive the past others just like the texture of faded memory and use it to build on our current experience to make our life richer for it. Celestial O’Euvre belongs to the latter group. While their album ironically titled “Second Chance” does contain echoes of prog bands from before (particularly the 70’s and early 80’s) the band’s power chord guitar riffs, soaring choruses create a distinct feel good vibe (there’s the 70’s again in that infamous word). If you’re a fan of early 80’s arena prog rock as represented by Trevor Rabin’s edition of Yes than Celestial O’Euvre will appeal to you. ***
The album gets off to a subdued but fascinating start with “Zeitgeist” where the band creates a vortex of sound surrounding the lead singer. Certainly there are elements of the Rabin edition of Yes, Gentle Giant with a hint of Dream Theater power chords below the rumblings of the opening track but these influences blossom on the second track “Black Hower”. These guys aren’t spring chickens so they clearly lived through very era that influences their music which makes it less imitation and more homage. Lead singer Joe Acaba has a pleasing voice that recalls Jon Anderson’s which is interesting because Acaba grew up in the Caribbean showing that music does, indeed, have no geographical boundaries. Keyboard player Jose Damien who cofounded the band with Acaba dominates the second track with his Keith Emerson like playing. Interestingly Damien’s pantheon of rock gods veers from what you’d expect (Yes, the Beatles) to the unexpected (Earth, Wind and Fire which I suppose we could call the prog funk band of its time much like Paraliment). This musical polymath plays everything from every sort of guitar known to man to the characteristic keyboards that decorate every track. ***
The lovely “Off the Rails” with its layered vocals breaks open with the propelling by the thumping drums of Hector Lopez before falling into the rich middle section highlighted by Damien’s bright melodic keyboard work and Acaba’s soaring lead vocal. While drummer Lopez’s influence is clearly Neil Pert with his precise drumming style he uses percussion as much more than a decorative shading for the songs using his instrument to drive the band’s songs preventing them from becoming too bombastic. Other memorable tracks include “Courage” a lovely piano based ballad. “Stones of Beauty” is powered by guitarist Joe Nardulli’s playing. Nardulli’s playing is a highlight of the album with solos that are sharp, melodic but don’t overwhelm the material. ***
The album closes with the oldest song composed by Joe Acaba and Charlie De Jesus shortly after he met Joe Acaba in the mid-70’s. Damien plays guitar on this track recreating the original solo dreamed up by the late Charlie De Jesus when the two first wrote the track. If you’re a fan of late 70’s and early 80’s prog than Celestial O'Euvre’s “Second Chance” will be well worth your time. Lend Celestial O'Euvre your ears and they’ll play you a song with a rich melody.
Block Island
Music Festival
Review
The
Missing Piece
(Sweden)
http://www.missingpiece.net/
Second Chance
Celestial Oeuvre
CD
New 02/1
Mixing 90125-period Yes, Keith Emerson Hammond rawness, heavy Dream Theater coplexity, Pink Floyd space rock, Shadow Gallery pomp, Glass Hammer and almost everything else that we love in progressive rock into a fantastic blend makes this one of the most interresting progalbum we have come cross lately. A very strong album with awesome material, and of course great musicians, not to mention the superb singer! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Rating: 8
Progressor
http://www.progressor.net/review/celestial_oeuvre_2005.html
Prolusion. The roots of New York's CELESTIAL OEUVRE are in the distant seventies, tracing back to a short-lived band called Demian, a brainchild of Joe Acaba and Jose
Damien [sic: Charlie De Jesus]. Having not had any opportunity to release their music at the time, the men soon went their separate ways. But after many years Joe and Jose have reunited to form Celestial Oeuvre and realize their old cherished dream to create a CD with the music they "had come to know and love". Hence the title of their first release: "Second Chance".
Analysis. Celestial Oeuvre's "Second Chance" sounds like Jon Anderson, Chris Squire and Alan White have once again reunited with Trevor Rabin and Tony Kaye to create another album in the style that brought them into a megastar status back in 1983. I don't know how about you, dear readers, but personally I like the mid-period Yes better than the band's latest creation (although not as much as their earlier classic works of course), and since these American men aren't looking like poor imitators of their benefactors, but are in every respect on par with them, I am not able to change my attitude towards their "Second Chance", which is overall positive, despite the fact that I normally don't accept highly derivative music. The album combines the qualities typical of each studio recording from the Rabin-era Yes, namely "90125", "Big Generator" and "Talk", at times with the wider use of Yes's 'classic' features (for example such as those that the epic title track of "Talk" is striking for), the first two of the longer songs: Black Flower and Off the Rails being especially eloquent in this respect. Both reveal a fine balance between vocal and instrumental sections on the one hand and between heavier and more large-scaled symphonic arrangements on the other, though I must note the instrumental background is rather eventful on many tracks, based on the interplay between organ, guitar and bass solos. The first number, Zeitgeist, begins with distinctive, immediately recognizable 3-voice singing (backing vocals were overdubbed), which soon transforms into a driving, edgy Hard-&-Art with occasional symphonic tendencies, much in the same vein as any of the openers of said releases of Yes. Riding the Brakes, In the Water, Stones of Beauty and Second Chance, following one another right after the album's conditional equator, are in many ways similar to Zeitgeist, though the former song is always intense and heavy, while the others come, with some digressions, into the realm of symphonic Prog. The longest song To Be Alone, and also Touch, taking the last position, are mostly mellow piano-laden Art-Rock with a ballad-like approach, although the finale of the former finds the band probably at their most adventurous. Courage is a traditional ballad, featuring only multi-layered Yes-like choir singing and piano passages.
Conclusion. This band shamelessly uses the compositional, arrangement and performance aspects of Yes's mid-period creation, down to the smallest details recreating both the structure and atmosphere of the implied stuff. But their "Second Chance" sounds more like a challenge to their benefactors than a tribute to them. Much of the music is so bright and mesmerizing that I don't experience negative emotions when I hear it. Meanwhile any strong advocates of originality have been warned.
VM: March 7, 2006
Prognaut
http://www.geocities.com/prognaut/reviews/celestial-oeuvre.html
Celestial Oeuvre
is a Progressive Rock band from NYC that combines classic & psychedelic rock sensibilities to their sound that gives a timeless feel to their music. The music compositions are a collaboration between Jose Damien and Joe Acaba. Joe does all the singing and has a very pleasant voice that doesn’t take away from the music. The band was founded in 2004 by Joe and Jose, and their debut is titled Second Chances
Each time I listen to the album, I find myself thinking, wow these guys not only rock but they have everything I love about progressive rock with each of their songs. I don’t have a favorite track as each one is fantastic in it’s own right. I would strongly suggest to listen to this on headphones to hear all the nuances.
This is one of the independent releases that deserves to be made known in larger circles within the classic and progressive rock genres. It’s a perfect blend of complex and accessible compositions that will appeal to fans of Kansas, Ambrosia, Styx, Pink Floyd and countless others. The band never becomes a clone of these band which is a refreshing thing these days. I would put this band on the radar and recommend their debut without any doubt.
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on March 14th, 2006
Barikada
(The following link contains a review in
Serbia. Below is an approximate translation)
http://www.barikada.com/bb_lokner/ostala_scena06/2006-04-26_celestial_oeuvre.php
CELESTILA O' EUVRE
" Second Chance "
( Self - released )
-... During the previous year a band had released a debut, titled "Second Chance". A New Yourk act is on the field of progressive rock, which basically covered 70's period. Their sound are consists of strong includings, and the method of keybord threathenings
knows to remind on Tony Bank's early Genesis creations, comes out from the albums "Selling England By The Pound", or
"Foxtrot". But, a band has also offered under the mentioned influences their strong view of progressive rock approach, and their
songs has also accepted a standards of our time.It's also evident, that all members from band has offered one sort of unusual
energy, and in the same way they were leading a complete materials.All of them are well-experienced musicians, and their songs are well-played.Practically, their album doesn' t posses any wicker places, and songs ( most of them are mid-up tempo ), has
sounded coherently with similiar qualities.Finally, a debut of New York's act is one of the better from progressive-rock area,
which I had oportunnity to review in last few months....
Rating : 9 / 10 (The same review
will also appear in: BLOKNERONLINE - www.blokneronline.net )
Rock Evolucion Radio Show
in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
Hi Jose and Celestial Oeuvre,
Here below are the last play lists from "Rock Evolucion" radio show. We broadcasted
this past Tuesday a track from your
excellent debut album, friends.
We really enjoyed your music, as it has all the elements of Prog. Rock with a very personal and modern sound. You are making adventurous
music, complex and accessible at the same time, and with a very fresh and warm feeling. It was not easy to choose a track for broadcasting, but
eventually most of the album will receive airplay.
I received very good comments about your material by friends and people from the audience. Sorry for the time that passed to play your music, we were working in the promotion for Baja Prog festival.
www.bajaprog.org
Thanks good friends and keep in touch. Roberto Lupercio
just
for kicks
(Germany Prog.
distributor)
Kinesis
Inc.
Lately every CD that’s
come in from an unknown U.S. band has so far exceeded expectations that one has
to wonder how many other first-rate progressive rock bands can be hidden out
there. From the New York City area, Celestial O’euvre’s name may not roll
off the tongue, but they are a progressive rock band and are not trying to hide
it. Taking cues from Yes, ELP, and other 1970’s bands, the sound on their
debut Second Chance (2005) is huge and full of pomp, sometimes with a
touch of AOR, but don’t worry, this isn’t Styx. The lead guitarist of the
band is Joe Nardulli, who has a CD under his own name. Singer Joe
Acaba reminds us a lot of the singer for Isopoda, though we’re pretty sure
Acaba has never fronted a Belgian progressive rock band. Keyboardist Jose Damien
and drummer Hector Lopez are also superb musicians. The core members of
Celestial O’euvre have been writing and playing progressive rock since the
mid-1970’s, so this is the real thing, not more metal with prog aspirations.
An American band that began already in the mid 70's under the name DEMIAN (not the psych band !!). Now returning in the new milleniun with a
10 tracker that is 70's sounding, but with a fresh and modern sound, slightly metallic at few times. Much harmony vocals here, classical inspired pianos and gentle guitars. A band to watch out for !
Syn-Phonic
Music
Blend or symph/prog and AOR.
You’ll hear hints of Yes, Genesis and ELP
Nuclesu
(Argentina)
Spanish
& English
interview with Joe Acaba by Sergio Vilar (The
Spanish interview translates better!)
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