***** You Go Now by Chroma Key – Pure Mellow Brilliance

I did not get the impression that the keyboardist/leader of Chroma Key, Kevin Moore, was trying to alienate his audience with this one.  The album title is, “You Go Now,” which by itself can have many meanings, and I wasn’t quite sure what Kevin Moore was trying to get at when he made the album.  I listened to it, and thought it was better than Radio Head’s OK Computer album, which is very similar to this one.  I think I finally figured out what Kevin Moore meant when he called this album, “You Go Now,” when he recorded the follow up album, “Graveyard Mountain Home,” which in my opinion has no redeeming qualities.

My review is a comparison of this with the much more popular album, OK Computer, to which I believe Kevin Moore’s effort is far better.  However, it is possible that the listener will have a difficult time appreciating this album.  I hope that is not the case because You Go Now is in my opinion a classic in its own right.

Review of You Go Now by Chroma Key *****

Moody and Relaxing

This album is slow and moody, but it doesn’t put me to sleep.  I have to wonder how many people remembered Kevin Moore when he played in Dream Theater when they bought this album?  Kevin Moore was Dream Theater’s keyboardist for their classic album that catapulted them into the world known progressive rock acts.  At the time though, Dream Theater was still probably unknown to most people.  However, without Images and Words, the success of When Dream and Day Unite would not have been great enough to make Dream Theater a force to be reckoned with.  So, what do I think about Kevin Moore’s contribution to that album?  Generally, I think most of his keyboard work is a little hokey on Images and Words.  At the time, I don’t think keyboard technology had come along enough for it to be any better.  However, Kevin Moore is a credited song writer on the best songs on Images and Words.  What’s more, he was Dream Theater’s lyricist.  I don’t believe Dream Theater ever produced songs with lyrics where as good as they where since Kevin Moore played in the band.  That said, you might wonder if his keyboard sounds hokey on the album You Go Now.  It doesn’t.  Kevin Moore’s keyboard word on You Go Now is genius.  With Kevin Moore in the lead of his band, the band comes together much better than he was able to do when he played in DT.  He has his own ideas about music, and most people don’t share them.  However, I think he is amazing.  He is definitely not out to wow you.  His musicianship is all about song craft, and sometimes Dream Theater can be criticized for lacking song craft, and just being a bunch of show offs.

If you like Office of Strategic Influence, then you will almost certainly like You Go Now.  Office of Strategic influence was started as a super group side project back when Mike Portnoy played in Dream Theater.  Office of Strategic Influence is heavier than Chroma Key.  Chroma Key is definitely not about being heavy.  While I would say that Chroma Key evokes the same moods in me as Office of Strategic influence, and that is partly because the vocals of O.S.I. are so relaxed.