WANDERLOST

The new ECHOLYN? or TOOL? or JACK O' THE CLOCK? or GHOST MEDICINE? With his varieties of sounds and styles, Kyle Halldorson has the skills to pave his own way into Prog World--wherever he wants to. The question is, where will he choose?

1. "Letter" (4:42) (8.5/10)

2. "Shindigjig" (4:43) sounds so much like Jared Leach's GHOST MEDICINE project! Add a little of CSN&Y's vocal stylings and, Wow! Are Kyle and Jared brothers from different mothers? (I'm wont to throw JACK O' THE CLOCK leader Damon Waitkus into the mix) The first of my Top Three picks. (9.25/10)

3. "Fallasophy" (5:02) is there a little MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN in this guy, too? Quite a display of instrumental skill here as well. It'd be interesting to hear Kyle play with TREE TOPS' twin guitar phenoms, Cory Smith and Adam Webb. (8.5/10)

4. "The Frequent See, Consistent Seas" (2:50) hard to categorize this one as it's such a wild and intricate weave of multiple styles. (8.5/10)

5. "The Anti-Dream" (5:09) awesome gut-punching song on the fringes of heavy metal and classic blues rock. Great guitar play on display. Great vocals. My second Top Three song. (9/10)

6. "The Scythe Pendulum Swing" (7:33) taking on a more atmospheric psychedelic approach I am here reminded of contemporary bands SANGUINE HUM, 3RDEGREE, and TREE TOPS--and even a little bit of old STEELY DAN. Great pacing and vocal stylings. A top three song for me. (14.5/15)

7. "Diamond Duller" (4:56) another song that reminds me of 3RDEGREE. Great stuff! (8.5/10)

8. "Jaunter" (5:26) early Jeff "Skunk" Baxter playing with The Dan (Steely) and some of The Allman Brothers in order to try their take on Stevie Wonder's "Superstition." (Am I crazy?) Once again: great vocals. (8.5/10)

9. "Rester (Analog Chameleon)" (5:01) a more folk-bluegrass early DOOBIE BROTHERS take on 3RDEGREE or JOHN MAYER music. Nice drumming here on this very percussive/staccato song. (8.75/10)

10. "Wanderlost" (11:09) using quite a little YES style and sound (though perhaps YEZDA URFA would be a more accurate comparison), this one flows and quirks much like a Damon Waitkus composition--though the sone is also full of many instances and elements reminiscent of 2017's Antimemory by Californian one-off VANETA and even SANGUINE HUM. Great song despite it's mystifying meanderings. (17.8/20)

Total Time 56:31

4.5 stars; a great, exciting collection of hard-rocking, hard-driving songs from a young new virtuoso multi- instrumentalist. You go, Kyle! ARTIST TO WATCH!