REVIEW - Music Street Journal  (www.musicstreetjournal.com)

"When I got this disc I was told that it was progressive rock. I have to say that when I first put it in I didn’t think that was true. As I listened to more of the album, though, I’d have to agree for the most part. These guys play an intriguing amalgamation of punk rock, alternative and both modern and old school progressive rock styles. It’s a safe bet that prog purists won’t embrace this, but it’s a cool disc – despite the fact that a few of the tracks don’t do that much for me.

Track by Track Review

Werewolves

This comes in feeling like it might launch into something akin to modern King Crimson. When they fire out into the song proper, though, this is more like emo goes alternative rock. There’s a prog rock journey mid song that has a lot in common with Yes, while still reflecting some of that alternative rock sound. They take it back out to a more powered up version of the song proper from there. Then it drops back to a sedate and intricate interlude and as non-lyrical vocals come over the top I’m reminded a bit of Radiohead with some hints of old school King Crimson. Eventually this is worked into a neo-prog mellow journey for the lyrical vocals in this section. It gets pretty intense as carries on.

Cool Smack

This is very much in an alternative rock goes modern prog motif. They carry on like that through a good chunk of the song. There’s a bombastic burst of instruments later in the track and then a mellow acoustic rock section to take it out.

Big Al

An alternative rock sound leads this in. There’s a bit of Stone Temple Pilots goes Beatles here. There are some prog changes on this but overall it’s got those two sounds listed above with a bit of punk added to the mix. They drop it back around the two minute mark and then take us out in a swirling modern King Crimson sort of excursion. From there we are taken out into another excursion that’s perhaps more keeping with modern prog along with some Yes in the mix. This gets quite complex and involved. It’s one of the coolest segments of the disc. We get a bit of a mellower segment later in the track to take it out.

Castle Builder

A modern prog ballad approach meets a sound that reminds me of mid-period King Crimson. This is a cool piece of music and at times reminds me of Porcupine Tree and other modern prog acts.

Purple Chukz

The early parts of this have a Kings X meets old school prog texture. They shift it out to something later that’s a bit in line with Red era King Crimson. They take this through a number of changes and there’s actually a part later that makes me think of Yes paired up with Radiohead. This is one of the most dynamic and diverse cuts on the set. It’s also one of my favorites.

The Clincher

King Crimson merges with punk raunch and roll on the energized opening to this. The bulk of this is more alternative rock meets emo, but there are still some fairly purely prog segments. They drop it out to a stripped down, slow moving psychedelia meets King Crimson movement later in the cut. It’s got as much to do with jam bands as it does with prog rock. They work in some fusion later, too.

Will O' the Wisp

A mellower piece, this is pretty and very prog oriented. It’s more like a prog ballad and more along the lines of bands like Porcupine Tree, but I also hear some California Guitar Trio and some King Crimson in this. Mid track they power this up a bit, but don’t really change the musical road map beyond increasing the intensity. There’s a section later that’s more like modern King Crimson.

The Moon

Acoustic balladic stylings make up the first minute or so of this cut. It’s another that makes me think of early King Crimson, but there’s a more modern bent to it, too. They power this motif up as they continue and some Eastern stylings come across. They alternate this with a more intensified take on the ballad stylings of the first section of the track. The instrumental journey later is quite intense and very much in a King Crimson sort of style – older version of the band – with some Radiohead elements added to the mix.

Iceclock

This one is perhaps a bit more straightforward, but it’s also quite certainly prog rock. They do take us through a number of changes and alterations on this exciting journey.

Review by Gary Hill"