These guys are considered a progressive rock band, but if you just sampled the first couple songs, you’d probably not believe that. In fact, I’d say those songs shouldn’t be the first tunes on disc because they really give the wrong impression. Once you get past that point, though, this is some cool prog rock. I’m not even sure I would have included those first two at all.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2012  Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound.

This has a pretty straightforward classic rock sound. The song proper is based on that, but there is a bit of keyboard soloing at points in the tune.

There’s a rather atmospheric, melodic introduction to this. Then keyboards take over to weave the main melody line for this balladic cut. It’s pretty, intricate and evocative. They take it out to an energized progressive rock instrumental section mid-track, too. It returns to the song proper for another movement. There’s another cool instrumental section after that. It features some tasty guitar soloing.

This is another mellow cut that’s definitely progressive rock oriented. It’s certainly pretty ballad-oriented. The prog nature is best established with a cool keyboard solo.

Starting rather tentatively, this one comes out as a serious prog rock tune with some definite energy. I really like the keyboards on this a lot and it’s got some effective changes as it continues. There’s an especially cool instrumental section with a real retro prog texture, kind of like a more progressive rock oriented version of Deep Purple. There’s also a mellow instrumental movement around the four minute mark that builds gradually. This is the most dynamic number to this point on the disc. It’s also the strongest. It keeps shifting and changing and working through a number of cool variants.

This brings it more into the alternative rock sound. It comes in pretty tentatively and builds on that kind of motif. There are a few proggy elements in this cut, but it’s really much closer to the kind of mainstream rock music heard on the first two tunes.

There is some keyboard soloing on the introduction to this track. From there it moves out to more of that alternative rock sound. The multiple layers of vocals are a nice touch. There are a couple instrumental sections that bring more progressive rock to the party. I particularly enjoy the keyboard soloing on the second of those.

Pretty and intricate piano opens this number. It stays reasonably mellow and slow for a while. Then after some vocal sections, they power out into a killer instrumental movement that calls to mind both Genesis and Yes. As that winds down a David Gilmour-like guitar solo dances across the top of the arrangement. It gets closer to something like a proggier Led Zeppelin as that solo continues to soar. It gives way to a more energized version of the song proper after that. Beyond that point a mellower prog instrumental section takes it, but then they shift out to harder rocking, but still melodic progressive rock before dropping way back down to bring things back to the beginning. We get a reprise of the chorus section with more layers of vocals added. Then it shifts back down after that to close the track in similar fashion to the way it began.

A fairly straightforward song (in terms of shifts and changes) this combines psychedelic rock with prog to create an accessible and tasty number. The vocal arrangement calls to mind Crosby Stills and Nash a bit. There is some tasty guitar soloing and a quick progressive rock based instrumental section ends it.