A Ray of Sunshine

• Artist: Exodus
• Release Date: April 25, 2006
• Type: Video
• Genre: Rock

Review

This 45-five song concert from the Polish group Exodus -- not to be confused with all the other entities that utilize the same moniker -- is something for the fan base as well as those people who can't get enough of the sounds generated by Genesis, Yes, Asia, and the other mainstream prog rock artists who write long songs, utilize impeccable soprano vocals, and play their instruments to perfection. The main set was taped live in 1980 from something called the Jazz Jamboree Festival, and the band is as tight and on target as you would expect. The lighting leaves much to be desired on this polished concert and the dark video is only at its best when there are close-ups and other essential zooms. That results in an excellent concert with lo-fi production values, a bit of a paradox in the progressive rock world where all facets of the product are supposed to reflect the music. Quality-wise, this is perhaps a cut above bootleg, it's like someone taped the program off of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert TV show and transferred the video to DVD. The bonus tracks include a 23-minute biography spoken in Polish with English subtitles along with six audio selections available elsewhere, a four-page band history, fourteen-page discography which concentrates on the five CDs in their boxed set, a seven picture "photo gallery" which runs on its own for 30 seconds, four desktop images, and the official logo. The most fun from the bonus section are the eight video clips -- some filmed in the studio, others recorded for television or live in concert. There's nothing groundbreaking in the concert or on the extras, but the unit performs so well that they deserve credit for executing quality music with the precision the genre demands. The wardrobe and the sound are a bit dated, and the language barrier does take some of the communication element out of the mix, but as a document of the time, A Ray of Sunshine from Exodus is a tribute to the group's work ethic and talent, and thus has merit. The DVD includes a four-page insert with photos and credits. ~ Joe Viglione, Rovi

Previous:	A Ray of Sunshine (1968 Album by Ray Griff)
Next:	A Re-Emergence (1983 Album by Jerry Coker)