This is the most ‘conventional ‘ prog album I’ve had yet from the jolly chaps at Generation Prog and it is one of the better albums I’ve heard recently.
Very much a concept album based around the dystopian future where one’s ‘selfie’ chip is all the identification you need and ‘a passive citizen is a happy citizen’, the album spans six long tracks and the music ebbs and flows around some deliciously complex structures and production tweaks.
Theo is Jim Alfredson - lead & backing vocals, keyboards and he is backed by Gary Davenport - bass, Chapman stick, fretless bass, Kevin DePree - drums, percussion, backing vocals and Jake Reichbart – guitars while Alfredson performs the production duties and wrote all the music and lyrics and while I know Alfredson from Organissimo I hadn’t heard the others before but suffice to say that none of them is a dummy - Gary Davenport’s bass especially is superb.
Musically I would say that they have touches of the Prog giants, especially Alan Parsons and Floyd or Stomu Yamashata or even ELP is some moments, but the music is original and the band manages the emotions of the listener track after track, taking you on a real ride through the bands musical ideas. The keyboards are very much to the fore but Theo have not ignored the lyrics and these are proper songs with excellent vocals courtesy of Alfredson.
‘These Are The Simple Days’ is a beautiful ballad, loaded with emotive power while the title track has a dark undercurrent of menace with sparky electronics flying all over the soundstage. ‘Idle Worship’ brings all of the bands elements together and would be monstrous live.
The theme has been done before – Rush, The Sword, Alan Parsons – but Alfredson has a personal and original view on the subject of the lone objector in a world of unquestioning central power and the album hangs together on his music and the playing of the band – both of which are superb.
Definitely one for the classic Prog lovers but it deserves wide exposure because it is a remarkable album.
