A 3RD EAR CONVERSATION (THE JUSTIFICATION OF REALITY: PART II)

Here we have the fifth album from Andy Lind (The Ancestry Program), the second in a trilogy. He provides drums, guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals, programming and has brought in a series of guests to assist him in fulfilling his ambition including Gary Husband, Steve Hunt, Kalle Wallner, Marek Arnold and many more. There are six additional singers, all taking lead vocals on just one track, and it is actually only keyboard player Steve Hunt (Allan Holdsworth) who gets to play on more than one track as he gets three. Musically this is jagged and eclectic as Andy guides them through JRF, RIO, Symphonic and even some Neo, but one quickly realises this is all about the performances as opposed to the musicality.

Yes, there are some incredible players involved who produce wonderfully complex and complicated parts, but while one can at times think of Zappa it does not contain either the purpose or direction, and there is a real risk of the listener being beaten into submission by the intricacy of the arrangements which appear to have little purpose apart from showing just how clever everyone is. The album is dramatically diverse, but the only reason is to show just how many styles are at his command as opposed to there being a reason for moving in the different directions. The first time I played it I was sure I would warm to it with repeated playing, but the more I have listened to it the more I have come to the opinion that it is very clever indeed but I have no idea who the audience is, apart from me obviously not being one of them. Cleverly played and nicely produced I know there will be many clamouring this to be a masterpiece, but I am not one of them.