DROP

This album has millions of downloads, but not a review in ProgArchives. Yes, that's a bit strange. After all, this is a free download.

Drop is also a difficult album to really understand. I have to declare that I am not that much into Psychedelic/Space Rock at all. 800+ reviews and this is probably only my tenth review in this genre. I am just doing this review to get this album some more attention and more reviews.

The music here is a mix of piano based slightly innocent naive pop/rock songs and spaced out collages. This album is like a spaced out version of Pink Floyd's first three albums. The songs are actually bordering to being really great. The space rock collages is something I am not that really into though. But there is no denying that there is something fascinating about Drop and I reserve my rights to upgrade this review on a later date when I have given it some more time. At this very moment, this is a good album in my books and a highly recommended free download.

3 stars

QUARKSPACE's third regular album released in 2001 shows a rather puzzling collection of electronical non-prog impressions and excellent cosmic excursions. Chet Santia's vocals are very present here and the lyrics have a lot of statements to offer - certainly valid, but controversial in the same way - in any case somewhat unusual if intended as a space prog production.

Newtons Dream and Starbridge Freaks 3 for example define the typical melancholic dreamy QUARKSPACE prog sound as no other. Decorated with anti-militaristic spoken word contributions, provided by Thom The World Poet Woodruff Blanket Hill evolves to the album's highlight - guitars, piano, organ and synths are swirling around with much inspiration. The final instrumental part is wonderfully percussion driven - unfortunately faded out ... oh, what a shame ...

'Drop' sets the focus on electronical space music somehow, partially lingering on popular fields - let's say similar to The Orb here and there. The fantastic closing epic song alone is worth it to check this album out though, and turns the balance to assign three stars in the end. However - a quite irritating one as for my conclusion - probably regarded as uneven by the band in the aftermath and the reason why they give it away for free. So if you are a QUARKSPACE starter, and want to listen to pure space prog, please take into account that this album is not the band's most typical one. However, if you concentrate on the aforementioned songs you'll have a wonderful experience.