DEADWING

Well there we go. All this 'is it prog?' needs some kinda conclusion to my mind. The simple answer is............ (drum roll) Of course it is! Prog has a few little givaways (unless you believe that the main criteria is that it should've been released between 1968 and 77). Firstly, song running times; with songs lasting up to 12 minutes we're safely in the territory of Floyd,Yes and Genesis and remember Echoes has a whole side of 4 minute shorties. Secondly, weird and wonderful time signatures. I dare you to try and tap along to 'Start of Something Beautiful' (which is surely the cd's high point). Thirdly, changes in time and structure. Several of the best tracks are taken from soft to heavy and back again or even have a complete style and rythm change (The Hatfields, Cressida, Yes anyone?). Of course the most prog thing about the PT is that they're a basically British rock band and in itself that's enough for me. Now stop being silly all you old proggers out there and give this remarkable, touching, meaty cd the five stars it so thoroughly deserves (and one more thing if you can't put your finger on why Lazarus give's you deja vu it's because it recalls the piano part from Lamb era Genesis, brilliant).