IN EXTREMIS

Prog fans will note many familiar names snatching up guest spots on Days Between Stations' second album, which is a testimony to the strength of the material here - their debut album didn't exactly provoke an explosion of publicity, but they've clearly produced something here to interest and intrigue the likes of Billy Sherwood, Tony Levin, XTC's Colin Moulding and Yes veterans Rick Wakeman and Peter Banks.

It's a particularly notable release since Banks' guest spots on the epic title track (and the scarcely less ambitious Eggshell Man) were amongst his very last studio sessions. Not only did Peter's death before the album's release add a streak of irony to the "thoughts of a dying" man concept, but it also gave Days Between Stations the unexpected challenge of presenting an album capable of standing as a respectful monument to Peter, an accomplishment which they just about pull off. This is pretty solid stuff, all told, though don't expect anything which will upstage the more famous material the guest artists have been involved with.