A PLACE IN THE QUEUE

From all the rave reviews I had heard about this CD I felt I couldn't miss out. It seemed like it is on everyone's top ten for 2006 list from whatever prog-radio station or website you might investigate. Don't be mad at me but I just disagree. I have listened to this CD 8- 10 times since I bought it including just before I wrote this review.

First off let me state what I liked. I can appreciate great musicians and all of the guys who play on this CD are that. There are some really brilliant moments on this CD but moments of the epic (over 20 minutes in length) tracks I could find possibly 8 minutes each that would satisfy me. There are some incredible instrumental parts especially with the keys and the bass that just soar. There are even a couple of vocal lines that are worthy of emotional lift. OK done with the good.

Andy Tillson should just get over himself as being a singer. He is a great keyboard player and he should be content with that. His voice sounds like Ian Anderson with no balls or range and he cannot write decent and consistent vocal line. The beginning of In Earnest the discordant vocal line for the first 2+ minutes I cannot take at all! Of course he needs to revisit this again in the last 4 minutes of the song as well. Why? On top of that the lyrics are stupidest I have heard since Greg Lakes Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman. For all the heat Neal Morse gets for his lyrics at least they fit together. For the length of some songs just because a song can go on for 25 minutes does not mean it should. You don't have to repeat every musical line two or three times and there are times where creating and expanding on a specific theme to create its own identity is OK.

Seeing all the high marks this CD gets maybe its just me but man if this was about 15-20 minutes shorter and had no vocals I would give it a 4-5 star rating but I just can't. I can only go with 2.