AD INFINITUM

I'm of an age where I spent my youth listening to the bands of the 70's and have recently rediscovered the joys of prog in no small part thanks to this site. As a direct result of some reviews here I purchased Ad Infinitum and felt I should lend my tuppence worth to the others.

I've got mixed fealings about this album. Yes, the musicianship is excellent and the references to the 70s are obvious - including the Roger Dean cover (which, as a fantasy artist myself I find to be one of his poorest images in a while, looking like he knocked it up one lazy Sunday afternoon. This make the bands joy at getting a Dean image for their cover all the more amusing). Yet this CD doesn't grab me in the way I would like. I've narrowed it down on subsequent listens to the vocals. I'm simply not confinced by them at all, and I get the impression that the lead singer is convinced either - if you get my meaning. I get the impression that some of the lyrics are being forced to fit in with the music. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are lots of you will find the vocals are great - he simply doesn't float my boat.

Still, it's worth having if you are into neo-prog bands like IQ and PENDRAGON as well as the great band of the 70's. If only the vocals were stronger/more distinctive......