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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

These Curious Thoughts

Building Mountains from the Ground

Review by Gary Hill

I reviewed the previous release from this act, and liked it quite a bit. This follow up is also a strong one. It combines progressive rock and psychedelia (the most prominent elements) with occasional hints of things as far reaching as punk rock. However you slice it, though, this is stronger than the previous one and  a real winner.

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

Track by Track Review
I’ve Got God on the Phone

Playful and fun, there’s a lot of psychedelia built into this. I love the whole “voice of god” thing here. There are some intriguing changes on this tune and it’s quite proggy and yet accessible. Later it works out to a more rocking section that’s certainly more in keeping with pure progressive rock.

Uncivilized Society
We’re back in psychedelic territory here. This is a cool tune that’s still got plenty of progressive rock in the mix. It gets an energized spacey treatment later.
Dark Star
“Dark Star” is more classic prog, mind you with both modern sounds and some serious psychedelia in the mix. There’s a cool section later where they speed the whole thing up and intensify it.
Building Mountains from the Ground
The title track comes in more psychedelic, and works out on that general musical theme for the duration.
Nothing Is Supernatural
Bouncy and sort of mixing psychedelia with a real rock and roll turned prog sound, this is a tasty number.
The Illusionist
There are some definite folk sounds in this number. That said, it’s got a lot of pure progressive rock and psychedelia, too. This is a cool rocker that at times reminds me of Flash.
Arctic Heart Attack
Psychedelic in tone, this has sort of an early Pink Floyd meets David Bowie element to it. While this is accessible, it’s not the most effective piece on show.
A World of Dirty Water
This just feels a bit too awkward at times to work all that well. That said, it does have some hints of early Pink Floyd. It does get better as it continues, though. And, there’s a cool, nearly classical sounding section later in the piece. That gives way to a fast paced prog jam that’s great.
10 Days After
While the general mode isn’t greatly altered here, this thing is quite cool. It has some of the tastiest guitar soloing of the set and is quite a dynamic and potent piece.
I’m A Simple Man
A hard rocking, but quite psychedelic tune, this is fun. There are a number of changes and this is one of the cooler pieces on show.
I’m Not Insane
There is even more psychedelic sound to this cut. It’s another that works well and is quite fun. Early Pink Floyd is an extremely valid reference here.
Charles Darwin
This is one of the strongest cuts here. It opens with a jam that’s not that different from the rest of the music, but yet it just seems more compelling. It drops away after a time to a cool atmospheric section with speaking over the top. This is just so cool. It grows out without really changing, becoming tastefully chaotic and noisy. I guess I should say that the track evolves.
Animals
While there is definitely more of a hard rocking prog sound here, I also make out hints of punk rock. The vocals, for some reason, make me think of Paul Simon at times. This is an energetic and exceptionally cool tune.
Get Along
In a lot of ways, this is more of the same, but it’s still a strong cut that works really well. I love the guitar soloing on this and it’s quite a catchy tune, but still proggy.
When God Was a Boy
Keyboards open this and then the vocals join and it gets quite intriguing. It’s a different tune than the rest in a lot of ways. It soars with some killer progressive rock later and this is quite a dynamic and powerful piece of music.
 
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