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Infinity — Infinity
(Syn-Phonic SYNCD 16, 1982/1996, CD)

by Mike Grimes, Published 1997-05-01

Infinity Cover art

Infinity began as a mid-70s San Francisco Bay Area band that played some local live shows recorded several original songs that, until now, have not seen the light of day. The roots of the group date back to 1966 (!!) when guitarist Lance Swing and vocalist / pianist George Gregory first put a band together. The music is strongly influenced by other 70s heyday bands like Yes, Gentle Giant, and Kansas. Most of the tracks have two keyboardists — Gregory on piano and Warren Dale on synths. The dual keyboard parts are a key element of the band's sound, and a highlight of the album. The Arp 2600 stuff sounds great! The bass work is quite Squire-influenced and excellent. Unfortunately, the bass is often lost in the mix. But considering that some of the tunes were mixed by ping-ponging away on a 4-track, it's amazing the mixes sound as good as they do. The guitar work can be way cool, like the solo on "Fantasy," but sometimes can be a tad noodly. The lyrics primarily deal with otherworldly, meaning-of-our-existence type topics with a few everyday life issues thrown in for good measure. The vocals, however, can be a sore spot. The frequent use of three part harmony vocals with no clear cut lead makes the lyrics on some tracks like "Space Shuttle Suite" and "Lord of Light" practically unintelligible. It's probably a combination of the limited mixing technology combined with overly complex arranging. The sections where there are single vocal lines work much better. The music is the strong point of Infinity. "Chester," "Fantasy," and "Ed's Not Stupid" all contain really interesting instrumental parts. The CD art, booklet, and packaging are first rate too. A brief, but informative history of the band is given, including some historic photos as well as the complete lyrics. The quirky time changes and strange chord progressions should appeal to the fans of 70s melodic prog.

Filed under: Archives, Issue 12, 1996 releases, 1982 recordings

Related artist(s): Infinity

 

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