Four Moments

Originally the Sebastian Hardie Blues Band, these Australians paid their dues as Johnny O'Keef's backing band during the 60s. In 1973, the Plavsic brothers Peter (bass) and Alex (drums) joined up with guitarist and vocalist Mario Millo, while keyboardist Toivo Pilt jumped aboard a year later. It should be evident by now that a lot of bands were "switching" to progressive styles around this time. Though this wasn't disingenuous per se, the more organic evolutions of the original British groups still remained the barometer, and comparisons could not be avoided. Nonetheless, Sebastian Hardie signed to Polygram and released their debut album, Four Moments. The four movements of the title track span the first side of the record. "Glories Shall Be Released" opens with a big symphonic refrain; it's one helluva hook that's reprised throughout the remainder of the piece. The band's palette is simple enough: Pilt reaches across mainly organ and Mellotron, while Millo's guitar hits all the right notes. Meanwhile, the Plavsic brothers keep a low but steady presence. The second section, "Dawn of Our Sun," mellows the pace, while the following "Journey Through Our Dreams" approaches Yes territory. All of the melodies are memorable; but ultimately, the suite's relative effortlessness is its greatest strength. The second side is completely instrumental. "Rosanna," also issued as a single, is reminiscent of Focus. Millo and Pilt trade leads over the six sections of "Openings" in an undemanding yet formidable display of their talent. Four Moments was well received in Australia, and even earned a US release on Mercury Records. In 1976, Sebastian Hardie released their second album, Windchase, and added further complexity to their music. But afterward, the band split. Millo and Pilt adopted the last album's title as their new band name, and released one final record, Symphinity, in 1977.