THE CRANE WIFE

This is a really good album for when a prog rock fan doesn't feel like he's listening to prog rock. All the elements of well-written, rich music are here, but on the surface it just sounds like pleasant music. The storytelling in the lyrics is superb, because you can follow the story, but it's not so overly-specific that you can't just forget about what they're singing and just enjoy it. The instrumentation definitely stays interesting--and some of the organ/synth stuff even reminds me of some early Genesis Tony Banks tones. The Island is the standout track--listen to that one if you're curious. My interest kind of trails off during the Crane Wife parts 1 & 2, but other than that, they're all standout tracks. This is also a good album to expose other's to the more progressive side of modern music--they won't even realize it. Tool is usually a gateway band for metal fans to get into prog. This album is a good gateway for fans of lighter music. I think even your grandparents could appreciate this.

3.5 stars from a strcitly prog standpoint. 4.5 stars from a general music standpoint. (In the end, it's only music anyway.)