Hands: Twenty Five Winters
2002 Wheelhouse Publishing
CyberHome: www.WheelHouse-Music.com/hands.htm

Twenty Five Winters by Hands a collection of moderately progressive 
rock songs that feature some non-standard rock instrumentation 
including violins, mandolins, woodwinds, and French horn. The 
composition is definitely more progressive than pop music that is 
typically played on the radio these days, but the format resembles 
that of traditional progressive rock. The instrumentation is more 
involved than radio rock and the musical ideas venture outside of the 
standard progressions and scales. The sound is a little similar to the 
rock group Kansas, but with more exploration into nonstandard 
harmonization and instrumentation. The sound is interesting and 
comes off well with the instruments that are used.

The instrumentation is well-played, well-integrated, and well-
balanced, a professional job. Mark Menikos lays down some 
impressive violin work on the opening tracks "Knock / Enter" and 
"Walls" reminiscent of Kansas. And, Michael Clay proves that he can 
keep up on the keyboard. The vocals left something to be desired for 
me, but are probably good enough for commercial music and are 
probably just a matter of listener adjustment. The lead guitar work is 
sparse and is not up to speed with modern guitar technique, though 
well-felt where it does occur. But, this musical format is not a 
showcase for guitar technique! Overall, I like the use of nonstandard 
instrumentation. This gives the music unique character and a new 
dimension that stretches the boundaries of conventional music's 
instrumentation and sound.

In the context of commercial progressive rock, the composition is 
fairly good, but was a little more repetitive in places than I prefer. 
But, this comment should be taken into context of the format of the 
music presented on Twenty Five Winters which has its footings in a 
more traditional progressive rock format (similar to Yes and Kansas) 
which strives for an outside sound with more variation than is 
common in rock. But, not everybody has mastered continuous 
variation like Scott Henderson, Greg Howe, and their peers!

The Twenty Five Winters album will probably find an audience in 
followers of progressive rock who like a more traditional flavor of 
progressive rock with its footing in groups such as Kansas and the 
like, but are looking for a little more flavor outside of the standard 
diatonic harmonies. The standout on this effort for me was "Dance Of 
Light And Darkness" which is good enough that it should probably 
receive some radio air time. This song has some good vocal 
harmonies, rhythmic foundations and changes, kind of a fusion 
between some Beatles-like arrangements with more modern content. 
"Dance Of Light And Darkness" has good direction, good resolution, 
and kept me surprised where it was going, which is pretty rare. The 
instrumental "Green Room" also had some tasteful piano and a soulful 
violin melody that might strike a broader appeal. The final four part 
track, "Leaving", is an ambitous eleven minute opus that has some 
interesting melody lines that ventured outside the standard diatonic 
harmonies.

Twenty Five Winters does not posess any ground-breaking musical 
composition or virtuoso instrumental mastery. But, all in all, Twenty Five Winters
is a worthwhile effort to check out for its outside 
harmonies that are presented in a pretty coherent, digestible format 
with advanced yet modest instrumentation. If you are a fan of the 
traditional progressive rock genre, after a few listenings to this CD, 
you may find yourself with some more good listening material!

Tracks:
1) Knock / Enter
2) Walls
3) Green Room (pt. 1 & 2)
4) Dance Of Light And Darkness
5) I Laughed Aloud
6) Zombieroch (pt. 3)
7) Leaving
I) Song Of Summer
II) Vigil For One
II) The Traveler's Lament
II) Above And Below

~ Christopher Ruel ~ www.ChrisRuel.com






Prism: Live 75-77 (CD, 67:17); Shroom Productions -SP97002, 1997
P.O. Box 130475
Houston, TX 77219-0475, USA
Phone: 415 327-6234
E-mail: shroom@trinicom.com
Cyberhome: http://www.shroomangel.com

	Here is pre-Hands aka Prism in an earliest 1975-76 incarnation and the 1976-77 near-
Hands form that finally coalesced into Hands. Get a sneek peak at the raw and true life of a band 
struggling to be heard through noisy nite club chatter, apathetic ping pong ball echoes, local 
Texas radio shows, live and in the studio.
	Prism plays mostly original tunes but does cover Gentle Giant’s “Plain Truth” and King 
Crimson’s “Great Deceiver”. Their Crimson cover is impressive, even in such a raw format and 
Prism sings as good as if not better than Wetton. The best offering of this early era is the live 
studio session cut, “Triangle Of New Flight”. Probably a crowd pleaser with all its funk but 
weakest cut to me was the you-can-dance-to-it, “Multi Dimensional Jive”.
	Things polish up noticeably with late era Prism’s “Hands in the Fire” which sounds much 
better than the later version found on Hands. Definitely the hippest, jazzy, offbeat cut is the 8:43 
“Nasebluten” which shows just how creative and what potential these guys really had. This is 
great Canterbury jazz fusion stuff here. Tracks 11-15 are all from Prism’s opening for Gentle 
Giant at the Electric Ballroom in 1977. We hear a great flute solo, then “Ditty” which is found on 
Hands’ Palm Mystery release. More quality Prism follows in a Dregsian mode, then a keyboard 
solo, and another Palm Mystery cut, “King’s Mischief”. Prism outros in a whacked, jazzy, and 
playful tune called “Skeletone Rag”. For fans of Hands this a completist must-have.
	~ John W. Patterson

Hands: self-titled (CD, 71:16); Shroom Productions -SP96001, 1996
P.O. Box 130475
Houston, TX 77219-0475, USA
Phone: 415 327-6234
E-mail: shroom@trinicom.com
Cyberhome: http://www.shroomangel.com

	Richard “Cool Beans” Patz should be considered the “T Rex”of dinosaur hunters at Shroom. 
He has dedicated his tireless energies to unearthing, rediscovering, and offering the waiting-for-
cool-stuff, world lost “dinosaurs” of treasures of ‘70s fusion, prog rock, and other such eclectica. 
Having first reviewed Hands’ Palm Mystery which followed this release, I was eager to hear more 
of this exceptional band’s music.
	I was not to be let down -- plenty of quality musicianship here! I again heard rockin’ fusion 
and mellow acoustic guitar, strong keys, tight bass, great drumming, lilting flute, tender vox, and 
of course jazzy, folk rock fiddling. Hands is Canterbury meets Dixie Dregs with flashes of vintage 
Jean-Luc Ponty. Listen closely for echoes of Jade Warrior, National Health, PFM, Arti + Mestieri, 
Hatfield and the North, Genesis, Kansas, Flying Island, and Tull. They wax their most ambitiously 
symphonic prog on the 10:29 “Antarctica”. I found “The Tiburon Treasure” a delightful vignette 
of acoustic guitar and violin. Best cuts for general rocking out and flat out furious fusion are 
“Castle Keep”, “Mindgrind”, and “Zombieroch”. The remainder of this release is predominantly 
toned down and contemplative with songs like “Dreamsearch” -- that even your non-prog, girlie 
friend/soulmate will enjoy. I highly recommend this release for a sweet taste of “what was but 
never came to truly be -- until now”. Thanks again, Mr. Shroom.	~ John W. Patterson	

Hands: Palm Mystery (CD, 62:43); Shroom Productions -SP98005, 1998
P.O. Box 130475
Houston, TX 77219-0475, USA
Phone: 415 327-6234
E-mail: shroom@trinicom.com
Cyberhome: http://www.shroomangel.com

	This review is a long time comin' and it fits the bill as Hands recorded this over the years of 
1977-1980, merely a couple of decades ago. Shroom Productions has unearthed more gems in 
these 17 tracks. This is solidly, some of the best, way-back-when progressive rock I've had the 
joy to hear as a reviewer.
	You are treated to great guitar, excellent keys, hot violin work, top-of-the-line lead vocals and 
harmony voices, lilting flute, fine reeds, tight percussion, melodic-driven bass, and a variety of 
stylings in superb compositions. Tracks 1-14 are studio cuts with 15-17 being bonus live tracks. 
The live tracks are unique, bonus tunes, not found among previous pieces. Song lengths range 
from the 32 second intro to the 7:15 outro.
	First time I heard this, I was wondering just how best to review this bevy of delights. I could 
have just said, "Buy this now, quick, trust me," or waxed long and loud on the incredible 
musicianship or whined about the tragedy these Texans didn't go places years ago but hey -- 
giants like Happy The Man suffered demise even after a major label showing. Such is the plight of 
proggers drowned in mainstream music's moolah-minded morass.
	In Hands you will hear National Health, PFM, Arti + Mestieri, Hatfield and the North, traces 
of early Yes, Happy the Man, Samurai, Dixie Dregsian down-home jig and tender ballads, 
snippets of Tull, Genesis sensitivities, flashes of Kansas, echoes of Flying Island, and I know many 
out there will hear other bands I've missed. Amazingly enough, with all this diversity present, 
things remain cohesive. Palm Mystery is a well-crafted mosaic of wonderful sounds. I have to 
give this release a double-thumbs up with a smile from ear to ear.
	~ John W. Patterson	



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