SURFACE SERENE

The second album from Little Atlas Surface Serene is a bit of a mixed affair. When you start your album with a riff that sounds like Nirvana´s Smells like Teen Spirit it´s bound to divide the waters in a prog world. Sometimes that is a good thing and a sign that the band moves some boundaries with their music. In the case of Little Atlas it´s just a mix of genres that will please some and annoy others. Personally I´m both pleased and a little annoyed.

The good things about Surface......is that the technical level of the musicians are high. There are some really great moments in each song and I especially enjoy the synth runs that appear in some of the songs. The little instrumental parts that Little Atlas play throughout the album are really great. It´s those parts that makes their music progressive and to some extent exciting.

The other side of their music is something I am not too fond of. It´s the American College rock side. Maybe it´s a bit unfair to compare Little Atlas with this hidious genre, but there are definitely elements, and they really get me down. Lead singer Steve Katsikas is not my cup of tea either. Again I associate him with American Collage rock. The sound on Surface Serene isn´t too good either, it´s like the balance in the mix is wrong.

Well the annoying things aside it´s an OK album and I will rate it a big 2 stars. Personally I want listen to this very much, but the quality in the compositions are allright and I´m sure that this album will have an audience somewhere.