This is the second installment of 3.2 by Robert Berry. Both this disc and its predecessor, The Rules Have Changed, are long-delayed companions to 3, the band Berry was one-third of alongside Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer. Originally intended as a continuation of that outfit with Emerson’s enthusiastic participation, the group became 3.2 upon Emerson’s death, with Berry playing all the instruments.
The Rules Have Changed was a worthy successor to 1988’s To the Power of Three, avoiding most clichés while delivering an album of proggy songs similar in tone to both 3 and the efforts of Palmer’s succeeding band Asia.
Now comes Third Impression, the title presumably taken from the fact it’s the third endeavor in this vein, as well as referencing ELP’s iconic “Karn Evil 9,” which was broken into three sections or impressions. It is less a direct extension of its predecessors and more a solo Berry album following in their footsteps. Whether that’s a good thing or not is primarily up to the listener. Certainly many of the tracks, like “Killer of Hope” and “Missing Piece,” stand on their own, without need of prior familiarity with what came before.
[SOMETHING ELSE! REWIND: Robert Berry of the Emerson Lake and Palmer offshoot band 3 joined Ross Boissoneau to discuss albums by the Beatles, Stevie Wonder and Jeff Beck.]
The opening “Top of the World” is a full-on rock epic. Robert Berry’s soaring vocals are set off by the big beats, synth strains similar to those Emerson favored, and fiery guitar bursts (very un-ELP like). “What Side You’re On” is less successful, a synthy hard-rock song with rapid-fire delivery of the lyrics that ultimately doesn’t go much of anywhere.
Much more enjoyable is “Bond of Union,” which manages to be both melancholy and triumphant. It’s built on piano before it segues into Berry’s multi-tracked vocals and powerful drumming. “The Devil of Liverpool” features a grand organ solo, referencing though not cloning Keith Emerson’s sound and approach.
“Emotional Trigger” is another mournful ballad, again focusing on Robert Berry’s piano. The lines “All I want is a little solitude; life is hard enough without your arms around my emotional trigger,” could be a fond farewell to a lover – or to his old bandmate. Oh, speaking of, the following “A Fond Farewell” is possibly the most Emersonian track on Third Impression, as Berry’s keyboards echo the power of Emerson’s phalanx of synthesizers and organs.
In short, despite one or two missteps along the way, Third Impression is an impressive and enjoyable disc. Its approach is varied enough that whether or not it sounds like a prog band or a Robert Berry solo disc is really beside the point.
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