THE QUIET EARTH ORCHESTRA

This eponymous THE QUIET EARTH ORCHESTRA album is a recommendable progressive music effort on the symphonic/neo prog border. Self-made by prog aficionado John Ludi from Chicago who grew up listening to bands like Pink Floyd, Yes and Genesis. And you don't fail to hear this. All instruments and the vocals are provided by him and generally this is a big advantage when trying to work out a completely rounded piece of work.

I will start with my personal album highlight first. Limitations is one of the most depressing things he ever has written lyrically as he told me. Okay - in case I am not native english the lyrics are less accessible normally. I like the church organ, this special melancholy and dramaturgy. And the song has an excellently memorable melody. Can't remember a better vocal appearance on the album and the same applies to the guitars (whereas like Windhawk I'm sometimes also willing to assume that this is emulated by synths).

The first songs The Story Ends Here and God are deep in the neo progressive and symphonic style with some Genesis leanings. Simple is way more than that (in a positive sense) - acoustic guitar driven - folkish with orchestral synth/keyboard background. The Prophet as the first part of this epic shows also a slight jazzy note with piano in the middle. And this continues with Singularity a bit more canterburiesque. Original vibes or created with synthesizer? It doesn't matter - it sounds good!

An album which has its greatest potency in the first half as for my taste because I have some problems with the complete epic 'The Prophet'. A very ambitious one without a doubt - but the last four parts are slipping into mainstream as for my impression. And because totally self-made the whole album sounds a little bit too single-tracked sometimes. It would be nice to hear John as a member of a real band (or maybe Orchestra) making music also provided with influences from other musicians.

However - all in all this is a good addition to your prog music collection and therefore deserves 3.5 stars considering Ludi's musical/technical skills and a songwriting which is basically on a high level.