PERISCOPE LIFE

Not the most progressive of progrock outings, this has serious pop leanings, but the two styles blend nicely on several tracks. The standout opening three tracks (the first flowing into the next, with the third a standalone) are worth the price of admission, and the title cut is excellent as well. The rest range from bland to forgettable. Remarkably, the boring track "Anne," an ode to Ms. Boleyn of Henry VIII fame, was inexplicably included on the recent "Best of Kayak" release, although it is clearly not even the best track on this one.