| Track by Track Review
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Evening Over Rooftops
Keyboards lead this off and it feels like we’re about head out into a prog rock masterpiece as it builds up. Then we get a gradually alteration into something that feels a bit like Pink Floyd meets the Animals. This is a cool sound and interesting song. It grows into something that I would definitely consider progressive rock – perhaps a bit like Procol Harum meets the Moody Blues. |
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Anthem
There is a cool echoey kind of introduction to this. It gives way to a keyboard dominated section and then they drop it way down for vocals accompanied just by percussion. Other elements join on the chorus and we are off into another cool track that’s quite prog in nature. This turns crunchy as it carries on. I somehow hear a bit of Kansas on this, but truly that’s a very vague reference. This doesn’t really sound much like anyone else I can think of. It’s hard rock meets prog in an intriguing arrangement. The instrumental section is killer. A metallic jam later is quite cool, too.
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Speak Down The Wires
Another proggy cut this has sort of a balladic approach. It’s also got some definite bluesy elements. This one isn’t one of the standouts, but it’s still quite a cool piece of music that works quite well. |
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Moth
This seems to come straight out of the last number is sort of an unusual track. I’m not sure if I like it, although it’s moody and perhaps a bit like Pink Floyd. It segues into the next one. |
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Why Can't Somebody Love Me
The pattern that leads off here reminds me of early Hawkwind. Mid song this fires out into a killer rock and roll segment complete with a smoking wah guitar.
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Refugee
This is an unusual track. Percussion and vocals are the layout and “old negro spiritual” would be the best way to describe this music. Since that style of song was the root of the blues, this is bluesy. |
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Momma's Reward
The riff that drives this reminds me of something from The Yardbirds or Cream. It’s a cool track and a nice change of pace. Although this isn’t proggy at all, it’s one of my favorites here. It turns pretty metallic as it carries on. They put a smoking instrumental section into the midst of this.
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American Boy Soldier
This song is introduced with a statement about how they hate the Iraqi war. They say that they wrote this song for the Vietnam War, but have updated it for current times. It begins with an echoey quote from George W. Bush. Then we get a dialogue between an army recruiter and a young man. After the young man says that he wants to go to war they move us out to a 1950’s style rock and roll motif for the main song. |
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Homes Fit For Heroes
Here we get another song that has an old school texture to it. It feels like a country song meets old school rock and roll. Yet the keyboards bring us into more progressive rock oriented territory. This is slow and a bit moody.
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Dr. Spock
The first half of this is a killer instrumental that brings us back into the land of milk and progressive rock. It’s all over the place and focuses on wah guitar and spacey elements akin to early Pink Floyd. There are some musical quotes of Mr. Jimi Hendrix in the midst, but delivered in this different soundscape. It shifts to a more song oriented motif midtrack. The keys on this are more progressive rock, but they use them over the top of a more standard rock and roll jam. This is slow moving and a bit moody, but pretty cool. |
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Love In The Rain
A bit bluesy this has a sort of psychedelia meets metal texture to it. This is a killer tune. It might well be my favorite piece on show, but the instrumental portion of “Dr. Spock” is definite competition. We get a cool proggy jam later in the piece. |
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Revelations
This is interesting. A bluesy rock and roll section is interspersed with progressive rock jamming to set it off. It gets pretty intense at times. A little odd, this is a cool one, nonetheless. |
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Hotel Room
A killer prog oriented balladic number this is sort of like a more modern version of Procol Harum. I like this song a lot and it is another contender for best song on show here. The keyboard soloing is particularly tasty. |
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Last Electioneer
This is a quirky keyboard oriented ballad. It’s not great, but it’s still kind of cool.
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Out Demons Out
Keyboards are joined by weird vocals sort of like “speaking in tongues.” Perhaps that’s exactly what it’s supposed to be. The demons referenced here are said to be government. The first half of this track is an odd sort of gospel meeting deal. It’s actually quite cool. They move it out to a cool bluesy rock jam as they carry on. They pull out into a killer smoking instrumental excursion down the road.
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