These Curious Thoughts What Is It, and How Did It Get in There? Review by Gary Hill
I have liked everything I’ve heard from these guys so far. This EP certainly doesn’t let me down or break that trend. It continues their progressive rock meets psychedelic concept and is another strong release. If you’ve liked their previous discs, this one will be right up your alley. If you’ve yet to hear them and want to try some modern prog with its heart based in psychedelic and classic progressive rock, you should give these guys a try.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2013 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Lead Balloon
There’s a cool bit of keyboards that opens this before it works out to a killer prog rock groove. I love the bass line that drives this. It should be mentioned that the lyrics earn this one a bit of a parental advisory. The tune is so cool, though. It’s catchy and yet proggy. There’s a lot of psychedelia built into it, but it’s still overwhelmingly progressive rock.
Because She is Love
Coming in quite mellow, there is more of that psychedelic element here, but in a lot of ways it reminds me of both early Genesis and early Pink Floyd quite a bit. Then, a little after the one minute mark, it powers out into a fast paced jam that’s catchy and has bits of alternative rock in the mix.
John Wayne
Acoustic guitar based elements lead this off and it launches out into another cool tune combining an alternative rock meets psychedelic vibe with progressive rock. The early Pink Floyd elements are definitely here. I really like the guitar bit that rises up near the end.
Daughter of Morpheus
Playful and bouncy, this is a cool tune that definitely does a great job of combining that early Floyd psychedelic sound with progressive rock. There’s a section later that’s more directly in the progressive rock mode. It again makes me think of early Genesis. There’s some nice piano as that section works through. That really turns into quite a powerful segment as it continues.
Lost in Confusion
Pounding in with a slow and hard rocking motif, this again has a definite Genesis vibe. It’s theatrical, and a bit weird. It gets another parental warning. They resolve it to a more melodic progressive rock section, but return to this strange, but oh so cool mode as they continue. From there it goes into a more accessible movement. There are bits that call to mind The Beatles, but other bits that feel like a prog version of REM.
