THE UNCROWNED KING - ACT 1

1. "The Pilgrimage" (10:38) Yes! (imitators) Then Genesis (with Jean Pageau-like vocal)! Some of the nicest synth strings in the final section I've ever heard! (16.75/20): - i. "Desert of Facts" - ii. "The Temple of Truth" - iii. "The Quiet Room"

2. "The Voice of the Waves" (3:08) The Waiting Room? and then, what? (8/10)

3. (a) "Crownshine" / (b) "Allthetime" (10:50) too much cliché bombast. Sounds like Head East, Styx, Starcastle, Kansas, Uriah Heep, and Camel. (16/20)

4. "The Tower" (9:47) Just bad--vocals very pitchy and lyrically ridiculous. (15.5/20)

5. "The Voice of the Evening Wind" (4:23) bar far the best song on the album. Gorgeous! Especially the gift that is the gorgeous voice of Poem Atkinson. (9.5/10)

6. (a) "Yettocome" / (b) "Itmightbe" (16:42) I swear in Beau West I'm hearing a clone Jean Pageau! The music is competent but totally prog by-the-numbers. (24/30)

7. "Wait" (5:12) a very upbeat, bouncy, polished pop song in the vein of Sweden's Moon Safari. Nice. Maybe this is more of the direction Shane should take this band in. The Jean Pageau reminders continue but the musica accompanying Beau is nowhere as rich and mature as that of Jean's MYSTERY compatriot, guitarist extraordinaire Michel St-Père. (8.25/10)

Total Time 60:40

C/three stars; a nice addition of pretty Neo Prog-by-the-numbers for any prog lover.