Artists | Issues | CD Reviews | Interviews | Concert Reviews | DVD/Video Reviews | Book Reviews | Who We Are | Staff | Home
 

Mile Marker Zero

Coming of Age

Review by Gary Hill

This release is a strong one. It’s set in the modern style of progressive rock, but it’s decidedly prog. That said, it starts more AOR and turns more adventurous later. There are some pretty amazing moments along the road here. This is a particularly strong release with some real standout cuts. That said, there is nothing here that fails to work. Some things just hit it harder than others do for me.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2025  Volume 3. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2025.

Track by Track Review
A Time in Place

Vocals start this sans instrumentation. Then piano joins after a line. The arrangement remains in that mode with the piano staying fairly sparse.

Best is Yet to Come

I really like this song a lot. It has a modern edge and a lot of cool guitar sound in the mix. Yet, it’s decidedly proggy. It has some cool shifts and turns along the road, too. The modern progressive rock angles on this work well. There are some pretty trippy excursions along this road, too.

Towns To Grow Up In

Harder rocking, but still quite proggy in an AOR modern way, this is another solid tune. It’s high energy and driving. It’s also very cool. The rhythm section on the guitar solo part makes me think of Rush to some degree. The keyboards on the track remind me a little of Saga.

Bizarre

I’m not sure I’d call this a ballad, but parts of it fit under that heading. Overall, it’s mellower and more introspective. Beyond that it’s in keeping with the basic premise.

Coming of Age

The title track has some great melodies. It’s more of a mainstream modern prog styled song. I love the vocal arrangement with its multiple layers. The musical composition has plenty of cool passages, too. There is a mellower dropped back section with the sounds of kids at play on a loop while we get some intricate acoustic guitar work. It explodes out with power from there and we get one of the most dramatic sections of the whole album as it drives outward from there.

Heavy Days

Another powerful modern prog number, the instrumental break later in this track has a lot of classic prog leanings. I can make out hints of things ranging from Kansas to Yes, Dream Theater and more on this tune. This is one of my favorite cuts here. It’s just so potent. And, when it drops to a piano solo, it’s a beautiful respite, while retaining the themes. It builds out with style and charm from there.

Far From Here

This is a screaming hot modern prog powerhouse. It’s another standout tune here. This has some of the best bass work of the whole album, and there are some stellar instrumental passages in general.

End of August

The keyboards are really one of the shining stars on this track. The number has a good balance between more powered up and mellower stuff. It’s also one of the more purely proggy pieces here. It’s also another highlight. The harder rocking section later in the track really takes it to new heights, too.  

 
Return
 
Google

   Creative Commons License
   This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

    © 2025 Music Street Journal                                                                           Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com