Starcastle

In the aftermath of British progressive rock's influence, a tardy American counterpart arose featuring Starcastle alongside Styx, Fireballet, and Kansas. Gary Strater contributed melodic basslines while Herb Schildt supplied Moog runs and Terry Luttrell delivered occasionally precious vocals, marking the ensemble as an evident homage to Yes on its opening pair of records. Such likenesses frequently placed Starcastle at a disadvantage, though passages of skillful, elaborate playing surfaced at times. Citadel from 1977 signaled modest artistic development beyond the "Yes-lite" period, yet the group endured 1978 with comparable difficulty to its British sources and dissolved after issuing Reel to Real that year.

Strater preserved the Starcastle name for a reconstituted lineup throughout the 1980s, generating material that partially dispelled the credibility concerns lingering in progressive music circles. No albums appeared during those years, however. Mid-1990s reunions prompted bandmember discussions about a prospective new record, an outlook strengthened by the 1998 CD reissues of prior releases. Strater's death in 2004 came before Starcastle attained the acknowledgment its abilities merited. Song of Times, the concluding album to include Strater, reached listeners in 2007 and spurred the remaining members to reunite for performances that year.