INVISIBLE PLACES

Kurdt Vanderhoof returns with a complete line-up change for Invisible Places, the third album from Presto Ballet. You'd hardly notice though as he's assembled an equally fine collection of players to deliver this compelling collection of American seventies style prog.

On a musical level it's pretty much business as usual with no real leaps in style over 2008's The Lost Art Of Time Travel. That's no bad thing though considering what a fine album it was and Invisible Places while not necessarily bettering it is certainly its equal. Once more a seventies prog retro feel is present though more in an American vein than the kind of stuff that was coming out of the UK at the time. Fans of the likes of Kansas and Styx will find much to enjoy on the seven compositions with some great instrumental interplay present amongst the melodic hooks. Sundancer could be Rush around their A Farewell To Kings era, the synths reminiscent of Geddy Lee's work and Vanderhoof's guitar sound strongly in the Alex Lifeson vein at the time. Throughout the album there plenty of great Hammond organ to keep vintage keyboard lovers happy, Kerry Shacklett being a particularly excellent player.

Two longer tracks around the twelve minute mark, Of Grand Design and No end To Begin capture the band at their best, shifting between busy dextrous musical workouts and memorable vocal sections. I may have a slight preference for previous vocalist Scott Albright but Ronny Munroe is a worthy successor with an equally histrionic rock style. The band still manage to fit a lot in on the relatively shorter pieces, in fact the aforementioned Sundancer may just be the finest moment on the entire album but opener Between The Lines is not far behind with some busy and impressive drumming from Bill Raymond with bassist Bobby Ferkovich locked into every twist and turn.

Overall then another impressive effort from this most consistent of bands. Hopefully this line- up might manage to stick together long enough for album number four.