NOT AS GOOD AS THE BOOK

There is something about Andy Tillison's style that allows the listener to by hypnotized with each listen. This album is no exception to that rule. Andy manages to sculpt his tunes on this album from a familiar material, but forms a new, unseen shape. It's almost like Andy and company are playing a giant game of Twister, with hands and feet firmly planted in many different genres, Canterbury to Avant-Garde.

From the opening tone on, the listener is given a rare treat in this age of mindless musical garbage. The Tangent preform highly-inspired music with stunning alacrity and bold gusto. They keep tight arrangements centralized around the theme of growing old in modern society. All the musicians bring their A game, and give an all star performance of stunning prog rock.

Lyrically, Tillison continues in the rich tradition of A Place in the Queue, using rich imagery and strong poetic conceits to confer is message. Though I am still a youngster by all accounts, I am a able to identify with his position because his lyrics bring me in and hold me captive. They tell the story and dance in perfect tandem with the music.

What's there to hate then? Nothing. Why only four stars? This has several reasons: (a) the second disc, while very good, lacks the coherency and energy of the first, and does not live up to the two epics on The Queue; (b) Lost in London... 25 Years Later, at first, I was excited for a sequel track, but it just lacked the majesty of the original. The Are me and Ian old? riff is extremely catchy, but that is oftentimes dangerous-- because while Andy and his pal Ian may not be old, the riff gets old; (c) Tillison does not need to swear to sound young-- the weakest lyric on the entire album is found on Bat which proclaims that ...sounds like a f*cking rock band. I would hope that Andy isn't succumbing to the temptation of punk rock bands to mindlessly use f*ck to simply complete meter.

Perfect? No. Awesome? Yes. A solid 4.4 stars, with accolades to the band for putting out 4 all-star albums without a single lapse. Not as Good as The Book measures up as one of the greatest follow-up albums in recent history, and does not fail to provide the listener with hours of pure sonic bliss.

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