I am not a hundred percent sure about putting this into the progressive rock category. Most of the disc teeters somewhere between Rush and modern alternative rock. There are some other elements present here and there, but that’s that main musical menu here. Frankly, I like the disc, but I would have liked it more if they’d varied it up a bit more.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2009 Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Computer Pills This thing fires out into a smoking hot jam that's part prog and part psychedelic. As it carries forward they modulate into something that makes me think of Red era King Crimson. As the vocals enter it's closer to heavy metal, but perhaps old school Rush is a valid reference point at the same time. The piece keeps shifting and changing. Overall, though, it's very much prog rock with a metallic edge. It's a great way to open the disc with a bang.
Between Two Starting with chirpy Pink Floyd like space rock type sounds, this works out to a more modern alternative rock sound, but there’s still enough progressive rock in the mix to keep it interesting. The instrumental break has a definite Rush meets Dream Theater texture to it. This is far from static, moving through a number of alterations before they end.
Hole Take a more melodic and modern Rush sound and merge it with alternative rock and you’ve got a pretty good idea about what the bulk of this piece is like. It still has changes, but is more staid than the first two pieces.
Lucid The general musical instincts from the last cut remain, and in some ways this almost feels like another part of the same piece.
Fragile This rocks out a bit harder and is perhaps closer to Rush than the previous tune.
Cold Feet Alternative rock meets progressive rock in this acoustic guitar based balladic piece.
Out There Another that’s mellow and melodic, this is more pure prog rock. I like it a lot. It’s quite pretty and tasty. At least that’s the first half of the cut. It turns into a more hard rocking motif as it carries forward, but is no less prog oriented.
Promise Mellow and melodic motifs alternate with more hard rocking sounds along the lines of Rush meets modern alternative rock.
20 Years Coming in mellow and mysterious, this pounds out into more metallic hard rock motifs (again, I can hear some Rush in there) as it continues. We’re taken through a number of changes and alterations in what is one of the most dynamic arrangements on show here. This is arguably the most progressive rock oriented piece in the set and the best one.
Hollpiwan This is just a three second burst of sound.
