RUNNING IN CIRCLES

For absent friends is dutch neo prog band formed in late'80's. To tell the truth I ever saw here on PA, at least the bands I've reviewed so far so low rated, each album, strange, because I put my hand on their second release from 1994 amed Running in circles and it doesn't seams bad to me at all. Taken influences from neo bands from the glorius '80's neo prog movement, like Pallas and in places Marillion, but aswell they are similar to me with Salem Hill for ex or Big Big train, at least the first albums. Not a very complex neo prog, but to my ears well played and with pleasent moments. The guitar and keys are well constructed but they don't shine, only doing what they know best. Alex Toonen has a perfect voice for this kind of music, never crossing the line with some fantastic high and low vocal lines, but his range can cover easely what his mates try to play - nep prog. I like what I heared here, I was quite shocked to see al their album rated under 3 stars, some of thenm under 2 stars, at least this second offer was a good one. Nothing over the top or excellent, but pleasent to my ears for sure. I will give 3 stars easy, good one. All the pieces re ok, with a plus on the instrumental one The bald, the fat and the ugly or Passing Days. As the previous reviwer observed this is uninspared album of course but ot bad at all. 3 stars for Running in circles. Quite unnoticed band , eve for dutch auditorium, this album I guess needs a better view, not bad at all but nothing grounbreaking either.