HEAVY PROG

Track 1 - Tom Sawyer

Ahhh yes! That opening synth note, and signature drumbeat is instantly recognizable. This is probably one of the best-known prog songs ever recorded, even to those who have no clue even what prog is. Geddy enters with the opening vocal line then the guitar & bass kick in and we're off & running. The rhythm changes at 47 seconds in for the "chorus" (or as close to one as we get). At around 1:30 we get the synth riff in 7 followed by Alex's guitar solo. Geddy & Neil are absolutely cookin' underneath it all, what a rhythm section they were! Then at around 2:30 are some of the most mind blowing, and famous drum fills ever recorded! Thereafter the vocals return for a partial verse, and another "chorus". There is a simpler drum fill at 3:17 that I always have to tap out when listening to the song. The final vocal section leads to a coda in odd meters. The synth is featured here. What a fantastic track!

Track 2 - Red Barchetta

The song fades in with guitar harmonics from Alex. Neil comes in with hi-hat and Geddy joins on bass. The lyrics tell a dystopian tale of a future when cars are outlawed. However, the narrator's elderly uncle has preserved the "Red Barchetta" car and the narrator enjoys a drive. This song has a nice upbeat rhythm to it. At around 2:30, there is an exciting, accented part. At 3:00 we kick back into a steady groove. Alex takes a guitar over shifting meters at around 3:29. An epic Neil drum fill takes us back to the next verse. Then another verse kicks in around 4:30. At around 5:13, we mellow out and return to the harmonics from the intro.

Track 3 - YYZ

My favorite Rush instrumental. This rhythm is NEVER far from my mind. It is the morse code for the Toronto airport code "YYZ" (no clue why the Toronto airport has that code). At around 35 seconds in, the band plays in unison a very complex tune that transitions into the next main section. This is a tight rock riff that leads to the guitar solo. Once again Geddy & Neil are amazing under the solo. The next part had Geddy & Neil trading fills between a chordal section. Then Alex takes another solo with a middle eastern flair. At 2:51, the rhythm switches to half time and the synth takes over. We then return to the tight rock riff. Of course there are great Peart drum fills throughout. The piece ends on a tight unison lick. Absolutely brilliant.

Track 4 - Limelight

We begin with Alex playing a chord-based riff over which Geddy & Neil join in, leading to the opening verse. The song is about Neil's issues with being recognized by fans and reconciling that with his private side. The chorus begins about 1 minute into the song with a half time feel before returning to the original tempo. This pattern returns throughout the song. I like the lyrical reference to their first live album, "All the World's a Stage." in the second verse. Another chorus follows and then Alex begins his guitar solo. He has often said that this is his favorite solo that he played. It begins in half time and gradually goes to the original tempo. Another chorus follows and leads to the outro. Epic drum fills close out the brilliant song.

Track 5 - The Camera Eye.

At nearly 11 minutes, this is, unless I am mistaken, the last 10 minute + song the band would ever record. I believe that this is an underappreciated gem in the catalog. We slowly fade in with city sounds and cascading synth notes. I love the big, fat analog synth sounds on this album. I believe many are on an Oberheim synth, but I'll let those more knowledgeable about keyboards correct me on that. The rhythm section and Ales gradually build us to a moderate tempo. Then at around 2:21 the synth plays an eighth note rhythm, complemented by accents from the band. By around 2:40, they begin a new riff together. Alex jumps up an octave at 3:20, and the first vocals enter at 3:40 or so (the intro is longer than most pop songs in their entirety.) The big riff returns after the verse. At 4:40 they go to half time and the vocals become more gentle. We gradually build to a crescendo at just before 6 minutes in "The focus is sharp in the cit-yyyyy" Then they return to the riff from the intro build up. The eighth note synth returns at around 6:45, followed by the big riff. Another verse begins at around 7:25. Geddy plays some great bass fills throughout. The big riff returns following that, and then another gentle part. Alex takes a guitar solo around 9:15. The song ends with "The focus is sharp in the cit-yyy" again then synth sounds fade out.

Track 6 - Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear)

This one fades in with "creepy sounds." As every good Rush fan knows, "Fear" is a song cycle done in reverse order over this and the following 2 studio albums in reverse sequence?until they threw a part 4 at us 2 decades later on Vapor Trails. An eerie guitar and glockenspiel melody fades in along with the sound of an angry mob. At just after 1 minute in, Alex plays what will become the main riff of the song. Geddy follows with the first vocals, interspersed with rhythm section fills. Then we get (more) cowbell, from Neil as the verse begins to build. A big crescendo hits at about 2:20 with one of my all-time favorite drum fills. The band locks into a slow, menacing groove. I love the lone synth chord at 3:20. Another major drum fill happens at 3:50, with yet another just before the song concludes.

Track 7 - Vital Signs

A very cool synth part fades in with a reggae riff on the guitar. The rhythm section hits some accents to lead us to the first verse. They are so tight at around 1 minute. Then the chorus follows with a reggae groove. Geddy's bass line at 1:40 is brilliant. They change to a more rock feel around 2:20, before going back to reggae. A smooth synth enters at 3:07 with an amazing melody on the bass and the song begins its closing section, which first builds, the fades out with many epic drum fills on board.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Another perfect album from the trio. And it's only about my 3rd favorite Rush album as I explained in the opening paragraph. There is not one second of this album that I would change. This is an easy 5 out of 5 stars for me

Track 1 - 2112

A suite in 7 sections as follows:

I. "Overture" ? 4:31

II. "The Temples of Syrinx" ? 2:16

III. "Discovery" ? 3:25

IV. "Presentation" ? 3:41

V. "Oracle: The Dream" ? 2:00

VI. "Soliloquy" ? 2:19

VII. "Grand Finale" ? 2:16"

Overture: We begin with spacy synth sounds played by album cover artist and longtime band associate Hugh Syme. These last for about 45 seconds before the band comes in with accents that have some of the synth sounds in between initially. The second round of the accents utilize delays and echoes. Then at 1:17 they play some fanfare type tunes. This leads up to a galloping rhythm section that kind of sounds like the cavalry coming to the rescue. (I wonder if Iron Maiden's Steve Harris was inspired by this part?) At 1:45 we can hear Geddy singing ahhs in the background. Just before 2 minutes, Alex begins a chord section with accents from Geddy & Neil and overdubbed rhythm guitar by himself. By 2:45 he is playing a low string melody, again with accents. At around 3:00 we get a half time feel for Alex to solo over. At 3:35, there is a section tailor-made for audience participation. At around 4:05 Alex plays the theme from the 1812 Overture and then the movement comes to a close with 5 big power chords then Alex backs Geddy singing: "...and the meek shall inherit the earth."

The Temples of Syrinx: This fast rocker introduces us to the antagonists of the story: "The Priests of the Temples of Syrinx." They are the overlords of this dystopia, whose "great computers, fill these hallowed halls." Neil's drum fill at 4:40 is legendary. Geddy's bass is really groovin' behind his high shrieky vocals in the chorus. Yeah, Geddy was still in his shriek like a banshee phase, but no one does it better. After 2 verses and choruses the movement comes to a close with a brief classical guitar bit from Alex.

Discovery: Now we meet our nameless hero who discovers a long-lost guitar and figures out how to tune and play it in under 3 and a half minutes! Talk about a natural talent! (I know, "suspension of disbelief" and all that?) It begins with the sound of flowing water (perhaps a gentle waterfall) and our hero tuning the guitar using harmonics then strumming some chords. Geddy begins singing gently around 8:35 ("What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it gives forth a sound?"). The tempo begins increasing around 8:55, with our hero's skills rapidly increasing.

Presentation: I'll say that this section begins around 9:45. Our hero brings the guitar before the Priests to show them what an amazing thing he has found, only to be shot down at his suggestion that he share this magical device with the common people. Heavy guitar kicks in around 10:15 with another epic Peart drum fill. The clean guitar sections accompany the Hero, while the Priests have the heavy guitars and high vocals. ("Forget about your silly whim, it doesn't fit the plan!") On the second round of being rebuked by the Priests there is another amazing drum fill from the master at around 12:30. The Temples of Syrinx theme returns at the end of this section with a faster tempo for a wild Lifeson wah-wah so, lo.

Oracle: The Dream: This part begins at just under 14 minutes. Dreamy effects are added to clean guitar arpeggios. Our hero falls asleep after escaping the wrath of the Priests. He goes into a dream state, then after an ascending sound, The tempo increases with heavier guitars and Geddy sings "I stand atop a spiral stair, an Oracle confronts me there?) I enjoy the chords and rhythm here. The oracle explains how the "elder race" fled the planet long ago, taking all creativity with them.

Soliloquy: The realization spins him into a deep depression, and he takes his own life. As big of a downer as that is, Alex plays a wonderful solo in this part.

Grand Finale: If he could only have held onto hope. This great instrumental section represents the Elder Race defeating the Solar Federation (The Priests) and announcing, "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation?We have assumed control."

Track 2 - A Passage to Bangkok

Onto side 2 of the original LP. This song is famously a travelogue about visiting the great pot producing areas of the world. It begins with a guitar riff from Alex and includes the stereotypical, slightly cringy, "Oriental riff". The vocals begin following that with the rhythm section just behind. This is a good, tight, hard rockin' tune. The instrumental section begins around 1:50 and has interesting rhythms and a fine Lifeson solo, which concludes with a restating of the "Oriental riff." Then we have a couple of rounds of the chorus. A good Rush song but I wish they had left the "Oriental riff" out; it hasn't aged well.

Track 3 - The Twilight Zone

A good track, based on the classic TV show of the same name. The series was an anthology of various mind-f*ck, creepy stories, created and hosted by Rod Serling that initially ran from 1959-1964. This one begins with a high guitar riff supported by the rhythm section. Geddy plays some nice bass double-stops (2-note chords) in the intro, creating a very full sound. After a jaunty opening verse, there is a nice twisting riff, and we go into a more floaty chorus. There are nice panning effects on the vocals adding to the eerie vibe. The opening riff repeats and connects us to a second verse-chorus cycle. At around 2:30, Alex begins a brief outro solo with several "pinch harmonics",

Track - 4 Lessons

This one begins with an upbeat acoustic strumming riff with the rhythm section fading in. Geddy joins with vocals. At 1:08 the electric guitar kicks in and Geddy goes back into the vocal Stratosphere. Another verse chorus pattern follows. Alex plays a solo at just before the 3-minute mark and the song begins a slow fade. A good, but not great Rush song.

Tack 5 - Tears

A slow ballad that begins with a clean guitar part and Geddy's vocals. The bass joins at around 25 seconds the drops back out before returning. Hugh Syme returns with a nice mellotron part, the first one on a Rush track. Neil joins at 2:15. The mellotron plays alone in the last few seconds of the song.

Track 6 - Something For Nothing

Along with the 2112 suite, this track is inspired by the writings of Ayn Rand. While I am no expert on Rand's works, I know she is a conservative icon these days. I don't tend to focus too much on the implications of her influence here. To me, this song is simply saying that if you want to succeed in life, you have to work for it. Even as liberal as I am, I don't disagree with that concept. I believe that Neal was a voracious reader, and he had recently read some of her books and it inspired a few ideas. I don't think it was a life-long obsession with her ideas. That being said, this is probably my second favorite track on the album after the title epic. The band is really cooking on this one, and I believe, if I am not mistaken (a distinct possibility) this and Passage to Bangkok are the only "side 2" tracks that got regular play in live sets. Cue epic Peart fill at 3:28. Alex has great solos on this one as well.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

This is definitely a very strong album that set the stage for what was to come. It, along with the subsequent live album, All the World's a Stage, closed out what is known by Rush fand as Chapter 1. The Chapter 2 albums, however?A Farewell to Kings through Moving Pictures, and capped off by the live Exit?Stage Left? are a quantum leap beyond 2112 in my book. This is probably about in the middle third of my Rush album rankings. Again, it's significance in the Rush canon cannot be downplayed, and I do like it quite a bit, but AFTK absolutely blows me away. I'll give this on a 4.25 out of 5.

Clicking 4, but really 4.25!

Track 1 - Fear of a Blank Planet

The title is a parody of Public Enemy's 1990 rap album "Fear of a Black Planet." While that album dealt with racial issues, this album is discussing themes of mental health and other issues facing youth in the 21st century, many of which are still relevant 17 years later. The song begins with some sound effects before a tricky acoustic guitar part takes over. Gavin Harrison joins in on drums soon after. Bass and Keys join the fray at around 45 seconds and Wilson begins singing at around 1:05 with voice-effects. Heavy electric guitar joins in after the first verse. The rhythm gets more open at 2:15 with big power chords. The rhythmic riffs return soon after. The song sections cycle though, with the instrumental parts becoming louder than the vocals. Most of the sounds drop out abruptly at around the 4-minute mark leaving only a quiet guitar part. Keys follow that then drums and bass. The effect is an almost underwater feeling. More instruments join in, and the sound gets bigger until Harrison takes an unaccompanied brilliant drum fill leading the band back into a guitar feature at around 5 minutes. Wilson plays a somewhat dissonant solo until just after the 6-minute point when things become more subdued. One lyric that jumped out at me in this latter part of the song is "Steal a gun just to kill time." It is a hauntingly accurate picture of what many teens are doing to deal with their mental health states and is even more relevant today than it was when he wrote it. As usual, the production of the music is absolutely top-notch.

Track 2 - My Ashes

This begins with an electric piano that has effects on it. The sound reminds me of No Quarter by Led Zeppelin. A gentle acoustic guitar joins in preceding Wilson's vocals. Mellotron joins at around 1:25 as harmonies in the vocals sing the chorus. Drums and Bass enter just after 2:05 with a slow and steady beat. Guitar effects color the sound. The chorus returns and the keyboard sound gets stronger. The band hits a major chord at around the 4-minute mark. Wilson sings an absolutely glorious high sustained note at around 4:15. The sound is deep and rich. However, with about 30 seconds left, the music abruptly stops and there are sound effects then synth sounds to close the track out.

Track 3 - Anesthetize

This is a nearly 18-minute-long epic centerpiece on the album, with a guest solo from Alex Lifeson. Synth and a tom-tom groove begin this one. Wilson joins with gentle vocals at around 35 seconds in. Atmospheric guitar and an effect on his voice begins at just after a minute. Another verse follows. Fantastic harmony vocals are happening around 2:30. The music explodes with heavy guitars around the 3-minute mark. Things get quieter again at 3:30. But a heavy riff soon follows, before the guitar solo. This is apparently Lifeson's solo. There is a cool new groove around the 5-minute mark. It has some great stereo panning effects and a great electric piano solo from Barbieri. Things get heavier at just before 6:20 with a fantastic, quintessentially Porcupine Tree heavy guitar sound and drumming. Gavin Harrison is phenomenal. The groove turns funkier about 30 seconds later. Vocals return at around 7:15 over the funky groove. Nice change around 7:50. There are plenty of meter shifts following that with a heavy riff. The chorus of this section reminds me a bit of Halo from the previous album. We hit more sustained chords at 10 minutes. Awesome odd-meter riffing at 10:35. Mega-drumming at 11 minutes. The big chorus returns at 11:35. Suddenly quiet around 12:15 with soft keyboard parts. Guitar parts start building in at around 13:00. Colin Edwin is keeping it low key on the bass line, but it works. Cascading vocal parts come in next. There is a subtle organ sound behind the vocals that adds warmth. Nice sounds at 16:25. I believe it was a mix of guitar & electric piano, Things get very quiet at around 17 minutes. Gentle droning sounds close out this amazing epic.

Track 4 - Sentimental

We begin with gentle piano chords. A drum beat slowly begins to fade in at around 30 seconds. Wilson begins singing at around 45 seconds in. The pieces come together more at around 1:25. So far this is a very mellow track. Things come up a notch at around 2:45. At around 3:50 the rhythm is very similar to the song Trains from In Absentia. Things ease off at 4:25 to piano and distant vocals. The song begins to fade out to some spacy kind of sounds.

Track 5 - Way Out of Here

This is one I'm somewhat familiar with. It contains Robert Fripp's soundscapes. It begins with soft sounds, joined eventually by quiet Wilson vocals. The music shifts suddenly at around 1:50 and becomes faster and more aggressive for the chorus, but the vocals are low in the mix. At 2:15 the next verse is more rhythmic and the vocals more prominent. Another chorus hits at around 3:07. A guitar solo begins at around 3:30 It stops abruptly before the 4:15 mark, and things get much quieter with lightly dancing, dreamy rhythms. The music becomes very aggressive at 4:50 with heavy guitar riffing, alternating with more sustained parts. Harrison's drumming is phenomenal starting around 5:25. Things get quieter again around 6:05. Colin Edwin has a nice bass line as we approach the conclusion of the song. Good Track

Track 6 - Sleep Together

We begin with interesting synth tones and Wilson's distant sounding vocals. By 1 minute, Harrison is playing a groove with the synth rhythms. At 1:40 a heavy backbeat comes in for the chorus. Just after 2 minutes mellotron strings become very prominent from Barbieri, I presume. On the next verse there are Eastern sounding orchestral tones between vocal lines. Another chorus follows. At around 3:45 there is an instrumental break featuring the string-like sounds. Afterward the funky keyboard tones take over. They are joined by an electric piano. The 2 parts create a bit of a polyrhythm. Next, guitar & drums join in. By around 5:45 Edwin's bass line comes in. This all gets topped off with mellotron sounds. The "Eastern sounding" strings join back in as the song reaches the conclusion. A random drum fill from Harrison rounds the song out.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

As one would expect, the production and sound quality on the album are impeccable as Wilson has become so respected as a producer. I like all 6 tracks to one degree or another. However, I don't like it quite as much as In Absentia or Deadwing. It seems to have just a little less energy to me. I'll give it a 4.5 out of 5. Very solid album.

Clicking 4, but REALLY a 4.5!!!

Track 1 - Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres

This is an 18 minute long, 6-part side-long epic with the following subsections:

I. "Prelude"

II. "Apollo (Bringer of Wisdom)"

III. "Dionysus (Bringer of Love)"

IV. "Armageddon (The Battle of Heart and Mind)"

V. "Cygnus (Bringer of Balance)"

VI. "The Sphere (A Kind of Dream)"

(Above copied from Wikipedia)

The song opens with sounds fading in and landing on as Dream Theater's John Petrucci describes it:

"It's the opening chord from Hemispheres by Rush," Petrucci replies. "It's the F sharp major with the added 4th and the flat 7. That should really be named 'the Alex Lifeson Chord,' because he invented that." (From an interview in Guitar Player Magazine)

Geddy & Neil start a steady rhythm at 20 seconds, before proceeding through several themes. The band establishes a dreamy vibe. Then Alex plays a melody using harmonics. Geddy and Neil join him, then Alex goes to heavy chords. Geddy begins singing at 3 minutes in, in his signature 70s vocal style. There is a false ending at 4:25 then they kick back in at 4:30 for the second verse in a more relaxed vocal range. The rhythm changes again around 5:45 and rocks a bit harder. Alex takes a guitar solo around 6:25. Geddy returns on vocals thereafter in another more relaxed section. There is a nice odd-metered riff about halfway through then Alex plays another solo on the lower strings of the guitar. Geddy goes up into the stratosphere around the 10-minute mark. Geddy's bass has been somewhat subdued on this, at least by his standards. A simple synth part is briefly featured around 11:35. Then there is an ascending riff leading to a quieter section. The volume swells are reminiscent of the middle section of By-Tor & the Snow Dog on Fly by Night. Geddy has a calm vocal part with an effect on his voice. The sound gets as clean as a bell at around 14:45 and Geddy sings a high melody while Alex plays an arpeggiated riff behind. Following that, the three of them lock into a tight groove while Geddy sings another verse. Next up is another Lifeson solo, which is brief and to the point. Geddy's voice seems doubled on the line "We shall call you Cygnus, the god of balance you shall be!" That leads us to a triumphant sounding major key section after a brief redux of the opening chords. At 6:42 we get another false ending, this time to be followed by a quiet acoustic and vocal duet that closes out the song. There are also subtle synth lines adding a bit of color to the song. For an 18-minute epic, Geddy and Neil are somewhat subdued in their playing - at least by Rush standards. I do believe there will be a "self-indulgent" remedy for that later.

Track 2 - Circumstances

Probably the most underrated song on the album. It's a great short burst of prog, but it's overshadowed by its more famous neighbors. Alex starts with a heavy riff supported by Geddy & Neil. I love the riff at 49 seconds. At 2:10, there is a middle instrumental section with synths and glockenspiels supported by arpeggiated guitar. Then there is a bit of heavy riffage, and some great Peart drum fills before returning to the main riff and a final chorus to close things out. I love that a song that is only 3:40 gets a full minute for a proggy instrumental break. It's like an epic in miniature. I think it could be considered a prototype for what they would do on the succeeding albums.

Track 3 - The Trees

Another relatively short one, but an all-time Rush classic. Alex begins with classical guitar then Geddy begins singing. The song is a metaphor for the haves vs. the have-nots. Geddy plays a nice countermelody to Alex's guitar as the opening segment comes to a close at 38 seconds. Then the guys get to business and have a build up into the second verse. I love the triplet feel at around a minute and a half. Then there is an awesome proggy middle section featuring synth and tuned woodblocks. Alex plays arpeggios as Geddy & Neil accent. Then they lock into a groove before Alex takes a solo. They come back together for an instrumental bridge. Geddy starts singing the final verse at just before the 4-minute mark. Then the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, ax & sword.

Track 4 - LaVilla Strangiato

(An Exercise in Self-Indulgence)

Here we go?remember what I said earlier? This is a 9:37 instrumental in 12 sections as follows:

I. "Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!"

II. "To Sleep, Perchance to Dream..."

III. "Strangiato Theme"

IV. "A Lerxst in Wonderland"

V. "Monsters!"

VI. "The Ghost of the Aragon"

VII. "Danforth and Pape"

VIII. "The Waltz of the Shreves"

IX. "Never Turn Your Back on a Monster!"

X. "Monsters! (Reprise)"

XI. "Strangiato Theme (Reprise)"

XII. "A Farewell to Things"

Alex says the idea for it comes from nightmares he was having. So, it begins with a classical guitar part, very quietly. He plays a fast run on the nylon strings then clean, dreamy guitar arpeggios begin. Synths and glockenspiel begin embellishing things, before Neil begins playing a steady, quick rhythm underneath, Geddy joins and there is a crescendo as Alex starts playing power chords to lead to the main theme. Geddy & Neil are swinging on the rhythm section as Alex plays melodic lines between the rhythmic power chord sections. Things quiet down while Geddy keeps a subtle yet complex pattern with Taurus bass pedals going along. Then Alex plays one of his finest solos in a slow burn kind of way. At 5:15 he goes into an odd meter staccato pattern with Peart cookin' below the surface. Then the band opens up and they play a tight riff together. At around 6:08 is one of the greatest bass features of only a few seconds you'll ever hear. Geddy packs in several, well-placed notes in only 4 seconds. It's seriously mind blowing. After some descending chords Neil's incredible drumming gets featured with accents from Geddy & Alex. It concludes with a barnburner of a fill at around 6:45. Then Alex gets another solo over a quirky rhythm. Then the band plays some in sync staccato notes before going into a shuffle on the Monsters theme, before returning to the main theme. They close things out with some precision playing and a bass fill from Geddy before a final accented note. If by some freak of nature and you are reading this but never heard it, please know that my description does not do it justice. It must be heard to be appreciated. This is a candidate for the greatest prog instrumental of all time in my opinion.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A masterpiece. Tied with A farewell to Kings in its greatness. As I said before, I only give its predecessor the edge because Xanadu is my favorite Rush song. They were at the peak of their powers in this period. An easy 5 out of 5.

Track 1 - Deadwing

We begin with a pulsating synth note. A quick tempo guitar, bass & drum pattern joins it at around 40 seconds. (I'm familiar with this one as I recognized the riff) Wilson's vocals join in at around 1:30. I like the whisper vocals at around 2:15. There is a new riff at around 3 minutes. The main riff is taken over on acoustic with a guitar solo on top. A revolving speaker effect is added to the guitar at around 4 minutes in. Things drop back down to the pulsating synth at around 5:45 and it gets mellow. Clean guitar with a tremolo effect is featured. There is a cool bass part, which I believe is played by Wilson. A heavy staccato guitar and drum rhythm enters just after 7:05, and the "band" kicks back in at 7:30 with a guitar solo. Vocals come back with the main riff around 8:20. At around 8:45 the rhythm and guitar part changes. The main riff happens once more and then arpeggiated clean guitar chords take us to the ending with some sound effects during the closing seconds. (Note: Some of the solos were played by Adrien Belew, and Akerfeldt sings harmonies.) Excellent track.

Track 2 - Shallow

A heavy guitar riff starts us off to be joined by drums & bass, then vocals. Piano & clean guitar takes over at around 45 seconds. Heavy guitar returns at just after 1 minute. Another cycle of these changes follows. Everything but a guitar riff falls out at 2:34, then the band kicks back in for a guitar solo of sorts (more accurately unusual effects). Following that at 2:55. A processed voice says something I didn't catch. This is a very heavy track overall. I'm surprised it didn't make any impact on rock radio when it came out (at least in the US). Loved it!

Track 3 - Lazarus

I'm very familiar with this one. It begins with gentle piano and other sounds followed by gentle vocals from Wilson. The drums & bass join in on the second verse. This is such a beautiful song. The slide guitar gives it an almost country flavor at times. There is a bridge at 2:15 with a Beatles feel. (Akerfeldt sings harmonies on this one as well). I love the piano part. The chord change at 3:40 gives a bit of a tonality shift. The song fades out with some distant snare drumbeats. Beautiful track. Quintessential PT sound.

Track 4 - This is another one I am very familiar with. Adrian Belew contributes a guitar solo on this one as well. It begins with a funky groove on the bass & drums. The vocals join in with effects on them. The vocal sound opens up just before the 1-minute mark with the chorus. Another cycle follows. The rhythm changes to shifting odd meters at around 2:35. Apparently, it's in 17-16! Then Belew's guitar solo comes in at around 3:20 but it sounds more like a harmonica solo to me. Things chill out slightly at 3:40 with cleaner instrumentation, but effects on the vocals. The beat kicks back in at around 4:00, and it leads us to the ending where it drops back out again with the lyric "Cause I've got a halo 'round my head." Fantastic arrangement!

Track 5 - Arriving Somewhere but Not Here

At around 12 minutes long, it's the longest track on the album. Akerfeldt provides vocal Harmonies and the second guitar solo on this one. I am also quite familiar with this one. It fades in very slowly with "spacey" sound effects. Subtle hints of rhythm start making their way in after the 1-minute mark. An arpeggiated rhythm on clean guitar emerges just before the 2-minute point, joined by vocals with an effect on them. This song is very slow to build up. Acoustic guitar strums and the first hints of cymbals and bass begin to accompany the harmony vocals at around 3:30. The drumbeat kicks in at around 4 minutes with a faster tempo and a guitar solo. Another verse & chorus follows thereafter while the faster tempo continues. Fantastic harmonies are in this section. Things change just after 6 minutes. The beat stops and a distorted guitar establishes a new rhythm. The drums kick back in at 6:30 and we have a big rhythmic sound from the band. Things are really rockin' by 7 minutes. Cool guitar harmony parts around 7:30, followed by an ascending riff at 7:45. By just after 8 minutes it's more of a chord pattern. Things get suddenly quiet at around 8:45. And Akerfeldt's jazzy guitar tone tackles over in a mellow way, with some subtle rhythm behind it. The beat resumes at 9:45 and Wilson sings again. There is so much dimension to the sound; it's wonderful. The song fades out slowly to its conclusion. Great track!

Track 6 - Mellotron Scratch

A quiet guitar & synth pattern begins this one. Then the rhythm comes in with effects on the drums. Clean guitar strums start around the 1-minute mark. I love the vocal arrangement around 2:15. This is a very mellow track, thus far. Heavy guitar chords take over at 4:30 the Harrison kicks in on drums a few seconds later. There is a brief guitar solo and things quiet back down again afterward, but the beat remains steady. This song has beautiful soundscapes. Again, the vocal arrangement is fantastic.

Track 7 - Open Car

A staccato rhythmic guitar pattern opens the song, joined by vocals. Just before 20 seconds in, the rhythm section comes in and makes a killer groove of the riff. Odd meters abound. Just before 1 minute in, things smooth out with sustained clean chords. The chorus has heavier sustained chords. The staccato part returns afterward, and we go through another cycle. I Love it! Just after 3 minutes a strummed acoustic takes over as we approach the end. This track leads directly into the next without pause.

Track 8 - The Start of Something Beautiful

(I'm familiar with this one, too) We begin quietly with synth bass and guitar tomes in a kind of ambient way, with a subtle hi-hat underneath. The drumbeat kicks in just before 1 minute. The bass is playing a nice riff under the first verse, with barely noticeable clean guitar doubling it. Heavy guitar kicks in around 2:15. We quiet back down at around 2:45. There is an eerie guitar solo around 3:20. We come back to the heavy part around 3:50. Around 4:20 we have some unusual percussion sounds over the synth bed. By 4:50 we have a clean instrumental section, with beautiful piano, by Barbieri. This is another great example of how Wilson creates beautiful sounding arrangements. Everything sounds warm and full. Fantastic track.

Track 9 - Glass Arm Shattering

This one is familiar as well. Sound effects and a quiet processed guitar part starts us off here, Harrison and Edwin join in with a rhythm and Barbieri creates lovely synth textures. It is a very dreamy sound. The vocals begin after 1:40 in octaves. This one has a slow build, as Wilson does so well. Just before the 4-minute mark the band begins an ascending part with an incredible vocal arrangement. An instrumental section follows on the same progression. Things return to the original riff around 5:15 with piano featured. Then there are great harmonies as the song reaches its conclusion.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

What a great album! The production is impeccable as one would expect. There is a reason that Steven Wilson is so in demand to produce and/or remix so many other proggers back catalogs; he is simply one of the best in the business. This one is right up there with its predecessor In Absentia as my favorite PT album. The only reason it doesn't get a 5 is that there are other things I like more. 4.75 out of 5 stars for me.

Clicking 5, but really 4.75!

Incidentally (see what I did there?), here is the concept behind the album, copied from Wikipedia:

The concept for The Incident emerged as Wilson was caught in a motorway traffic jam whilst driving past a road accident:

"There was a sign saying 'POLICE ? INCIDENT' and everyone was slowing down to see what had happened... Afterwards, it struck me that 'incident' is a very detached word for something so destructive and traumatic for the people involved. And then I had the sensation that the spirit of someone that had died in the accident entered into my car and was sitting next to me. The irony of such a cold expression for such seismic events appealed to me, and I began to pick out other 'incidents' reported in the media and news, I wrote about the evacuation of teenage girls from a religious cult in Texas, a family terrorizing its neighbors, a body found floating in a river by some people on a fishing trip, and more. Each song is written in the first person and tries to humanize the detached media reportage".

? Steven Wilson[8]

Furthermore, Disc 1 (the first 14 Tracks) are considered to be a "song cycle" of just over 55 minutes. Disc 2 contains "bonus tracks" , but I am including them here, as they are included on all versions of the album, at least as far as I know.

Disc 1:

Track 1 - Occam's Razor

This is essentially the intro to the album. It's basically power chords, accented by the rhythm section, with some spacy sound effects in between. Simple, but I like it.

Track 2 - The Blind House

We kick-off in 5-4 with a heavy riff. Things chill a bit when Wilson begins singing the first verse. The verses alternate between 6-4 and 5-4. The opening riff returns between verses. Harmony vocals join on the second verse. We are in 4-4 for the choruses. At around 3:50, we have spacy synth and percussive sounds. Wilson adds vocals as we go along. We have heavy riffage again before the song ends.

Track 3 - Great Expectations

A very short track at just 1:26, we begin with acoustic guitar and vocals. The band kicks in heavily at around 25 seconds. We ease back off into a steady rhythm for the next verse. Then the heavy part returns to end the song.

Track 4 - Kneel and Disconnect

This one starts straight away after the previous one, and is also very short at around 2 minutes long. Piano starts us off here with a bit of acoustic strumming. Vocals follow next. Nice harmonies on the chorus. Simple, but beautiful piano is featured from Barbieri as we move into?

Track 5 - Drawing the Line

This is one of the tracks I remember liking most from this album. Keyboards start us off with some cool Gavin Harrison drum parts, joined by Wilson's vocals on the first verse.. The chorus kicks in at about 1:30, and we're rockin'! A guitar solo follows the chorus. The second verse follows, then another chorus. A second guitar solo brings us to?.

Track 6 - The Incident

Trippy synth sounds start us off here, along with a drum machine beat and whispered vocals, that morph into a whisper-sing. There are lots of various sounds in the mix including vibrato guitar sounds. Eventually the vocals build more with lyrics being sung in octaves. At just after 1:30 a heavy yet funky guitar and bass riff join the mix. This song is structured by the adding of parts. Next in are harmony vocals, then Harrison on drums. Later we have vocals obscured by effects. At around 3:40 the song opens into a more traditional sound releasing the tension built by the preceding sections. It is an effective musical strategy. The music is gradually crescendoing as we proceed until we begin?.

Track 7 - Your Unpleasant Family

This one begins with acoustic guitar backed with Keys. The vocals begin with "your unpleasant family smashed up my car?(answered with backing vocals) totally uncalled for." and we're off. The rhythm kicks in at about 50 seconds in with a guitar solo. This one is also a short track at around 2 minutes. It leads us into?

Track 8 - The Yellow Windows of the Evening Train

?Which is also around 2 minutes long. This one begins with a quiet organ. It reminds me very slightly of the organ intro to "Your Time is Gonna Come" from LZ1 at first, but then it changes with vocal-like sounds possibly produced by a mellotron. This brief musical interlude brings us to?.

Track 9 - Time Flies

This is ironically the longest track on the album at just a bit under 12 minutes long. I consider it to be the showcase of the album and the one I remember best. It begins with an acoustic guitar part reminiscent of PF's Dogs. The opening line references being born in 1967, the year of Sgt. Pepper & Are You Experienced. The underlying rhythm is maintained until around 3:55. Then we have an arpeggiated acoustic guitar pattern that gets augmented by different instruments as we go along. Some of the sounds remind me of PF's Time intro, but more 21st century. The instrumental segment is very dramatic, with a great guitar solo. The "Dogs" rhythm returns at around 8:10. This whole track is an excellent example of Wilson's guitar style. He is a fantastic player, but I don't think of him as a virtuoso, as such. He does use his skills and style to maximum effect for the songs. Outstanding song, top shelf PT.

Track 10 - Degree Zero of Liberty

The Occam's Razor power chords are recapitulated here from the beginning of the album. This time they are followed by some chords being stylishly strummed on electric guitar that is only slightly distorted. Then the power chords return in this brief interlude.

Track 11 - Octane Twisted

Wilson begins with acoustic guitar arpeggios with a solo on the top. The rest of the band joins for the first verse, which has a nice countermelody appearing as we progress. Then we have a heavier part with odd meters. Then we have a tight riff to create a bed for the guitar solo. Then the heavy chords return. There is a nice mellow part at around 4 minutes. This takes us to?.

Track 12- The Seance

This also begins with mellow acoustic guitar arpeggios, then after the first verse he changes to strumming. Excellent harmonizing on the second verse. This is another brief one at 2:39 There are some nice synth parts, then some strident guitar strums. This brings us to ?.

Track 13 - Circle of Manias

Another short part at 2:19. This begins with tight-odd metered riffing between Wilson, Edwin & Harrison. Barbierei then adds a keyboard part over the top. This one reminds me slightly of Wedding Nails from the earlier PT album In Absentia in the ending part of the song.

Track 14 - I Drive the Hearse

This is the closing song of the cycle, and rounds out Disc 1 of the original release. This one begins quietly with vocals accompanied by guitar. We reach the main "hook" ? "Silence is another way of saying what I wanna say?" before long. Then we get into a 5-4 chord progression. This song is an excellent example of Wilson's "Hauntingly Beautiful" style of songwriting/arranging. There is an excellent guitar solo at around 4 minutes, which is punctuated by great harmony vocals on the line "when I get down I drive the hearse." There is a long slow fade out to conclude the song and cycle.

Disc 2:

Track 15 - Flicker

Now we begin the 4 stand-alone tracks that are NOT part of the main song cycle. Synth sounds slowly fade in to start us off here. The vocals begin in an odd meter, with acoustic guitar & rhythm section. Things begin to build gradually. Awesome vocal harmonies start around 3 minutes in, and we close out with sort of "bubbly" sounds that make me think of an aquarium.

Track 16 - Bonnie the Cat

Sound effects start things here. Harrison & Edwin give us a tight- almost funky- rhythm. Then Wilson joins in on vocals with a lot of effects, alternating with heavy guitar rhythms. Barbieri mostly stays in the background but to nice effect. There is a brief pause for some electronic-staticky types of sounds. The guitar solo is very "experimental," shall we say. Then we get a grungy type of riff for an excellent instrumental break. Harrison's drumming really shines on this one. This is probably the most "far-out" type of song on the album, but I really like it.

Track 17- Black Dahlia

Electric piano initiates this one with vocals with effects on it. A nice moderately slow tempo is established by the rhythm section. Here is another hauntingly beautiful one. As usual there are wonderful harmonies in the vocals. What Wilson does so well is create moods with his arrangements. This is another fine example of that.

Track 18 - Remember Me Lover

This is the second longest track at 7:32 to close out the album. Wilson begins quietly by establishing the main guitar progression. Barbieri plays subtle supporting key parts while Wilson begins singing. The rhythm section joins around 1:30 and we start building the sound level after a verse. The vocal rhythm is catchy. I love the vocal harmonies at 3 minutes, that lead to the heavier instrumental break. Sometimes PT are considered to be "progressive metal," but their heavier parts never seem to be heavy enough to justify that label. I think what it really does is add a nice broad dynamic range, which is sorely missing in most (not all) modern pop music. (Nobody ever accused PT of being pop, for sure!) Wonderful time changes happening from around 6:30 onward. This is classic PT for sure.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

This is a very strong PT album indeed. I don't like it quite as much as In Absentia, but it's close. All of the essential PT elements are there, for sure. There seems to be just a hair less energy in the performances on here to my ears. I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars, compared to 4.75 for In Absentia. On the countdown, In Absentia was ranked a surprisingly low #66, compared to # 48 here [On Prog Magazine's list of the Top 100 Prog Albums of all Time]. There is plenty more PT and Steven Wilson to come, we'll see how they stack up.

Clicking 4, but really 4.5!

Track 1 - A Farewell to Kings

From Alex's beautiful classical guitar intro, augmented by Geddy's synths and Neil's glockenspiel, it is apparent that Rush has already grown by leaps and bounds over the breakthrough that was 2112. When they kick in with the rock sound, it is still heavy but has a fresher sound. Alex's signature guitar chord voicings are more apparent than ever, And Geddy & Neil seem tighter than ever. The melody and tempo change for the first verse. Neil's drum fills are absolutely pristine. Then that guitar solo break is pure Rush-prog ecstasy. The crazy meter changes that are constantly shifting. It's the kind of complex playing the Rush (and the other great prog bands) make sound so natural and easy. And holy crap! Geddy's bass tone! Geddy is still singing in his upper ranges, but it doesn't sound like the "shriek" he was accused of on earlier albums. There is a nice marching tempo coda section closed out with a quick return of the classical guitar from the beginning to close us out. Brilliant song, but we ain't even warmed up yet!

Track 2 - Xanadu

My all-time favorite Rush song. 10 minutes of sublime brilliance. From the slow fade in intro with the nature sounds, synth, guitar swells, and tubular bells, to THAT GUITAR RIFF! Then they come together with absolute precision. Geddy's bass line is awesome. The transition to the main vocal part of the song is just perfect. Gotta love that electric 12 string. Then the rockin' part. Leading to the mellow keyboard fill and more tubular bells! This album has such a warm tone. Uriah Heep might have made fun of the "I have dined on honey-dew line" in the Beyond the Lighted Stage Documentary, but Rush have unleashed a masterpiece here. (I like UH ok, but they are no Rush!) Then we get the slow guitar solo section near the end. One of Alex's best. Then the return of the RIFF, and the beautiful glockenspiel part before the big finish. This song never fails to impress me.

Track 3 - Closer to the Heart

Alex's 12-String acoustic with, yep, even more glockenspiel start out a, wait, what??... 3-minute hit single?!? Everything that makes Rush great in just under 3 minutes. Brilliant! And a shout-out to Alex's harmonized guitar solo. And Geddy's vocals are magnificent here.

Track 4 - Cinderella Man

Lyrics by Geddy here?Kind of a rarity after Neil joined. But they are quite nice. Another relatively short one at under 4:30. But there are great riffs throughout, airtight Bass & Drum fills, nice acoustic strumming (it reminds me of Making Memories from earlier days), etc. And eve in a short song we still get a great Alex wah-wah solo, with precision rhythm section playing underneath. Maybe not as strong as some of the headliners on the album, but a great track, nonetheless.

Track 5 - Madrigal

So, the late 70s was a time of naked man-butts on album covers and songs called Madrigal on albums by Yes & Rush. Rush's song by that name may be one of the shortest tunes in the catalog at only 2:35, but it is a nice little piece. One of the more gentle tunes in Rush's repertoire, it has a great melody, excellent singing from Geddy who also provides wonderful synth and bass. Alex plays clean arpeggiated guitars, and Neil joins in by the end with a subtle drumbeat. It sets us up for another magnum opus on the album.

Track 6 - Cygnus X-1

We start with several spacy and distorted sound and narration with effects on the voice from producer Terry Brown. Bell sounds hive way to gloriously groovy Fuzz-Bass from Mr. Lee, to be joined by Neil and later Alex, in some tight power-trio playing. Then we open up to big chords and massive drum fills. Then an awesome instrumental sections with complex changes. We even get a not-quite-blues shuffle section. Then Geddy takes over only accompanied by his bass at first then the whole band crashes in. Then we have a short rockin' section. This is the one place on the album where Geddy's "shriek" returns. Alex enjoys using his wah-wah pedal again then things drop down to a quieter rhythmic section. Geddy & Neil join in with morse code rhythms. After a dramatic high pitched vocal workout, we end with some clean, quiet, guitar strums.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Again, I can't understand how this album is in the bottom half of the rankings [On Prog Magazine's 100 Greatest Prog Albums of All Time list]. In my mind it should definitely be in at least the top 20, if not the top 10. I like almost everything that this band has put out, and while I consider it my favorite, the other "chapter 2" Rush albums are very close behind. An easy 5 out of 5 stars for me.

Track 1 - The Path

We begin with a slow synth fade-in that gives way to piano chords. Slow tempo, very peaceful. Soft, easy, high- pitched male vocals join. Ross Jennings is sounding great on the vocals. Some subtle backing "oohs" join it.

Track 2 - Atlas Stone

This one also features piano in the intro, but it is faster and arpeggiated. The band joins in at a fast tempo with shifting meter. Gothic style backing vocals accompany the next riff. The lead vocals take over with the first verse on top of a quick riff. Then we get a different vibe for the chorus. The instrumental break that follows had a Gentle Giant feel to it. An excellent guitar solo follows. This is outstanding prog. They are often referred to as prog-metal. While there are distorted guitars, so far it isn't any heavier than a typical Spock's Beard song. Lots of time changes throughout. Excellent playing all around. Wow, a big "gothic" sound near the end of the track. Superb!

Track 3 - Cockroach King

Yeah, after a short intro, there are vocals that are VERY inspired by Gentle Giant. This could almost be a GG track. There is a jazzy instrumental break at around 3:00, featuring piano. Lots of interesting changes in time and feel. This is so cool! I can't begin to describe everything that is happening here. We close with the GG style vocals again. WOW! What a ride. With everything that is happening here, it still manages to stay cohesive as a song. Well-done Haken.

Track 4 - In Memoriam

Another track that has a piano intro. There are 2 members listed as playing Keyboards, but I am guessing that the primary one is Diego Tejeida, as the other (Richard Henshall) is listed as a guitarist first, keyboardist 2nd. Whichever one it is an accomplished pianist. OK, this one is slightly more metallic after the piano intro, but far from extreme. It doesn't stay in the metal vibe for long, either, at any given time in the song. It's prog first, with a touch of metal here & there. There are some cool sounds in the instrumental break around 2:30. Good track. Not as good as the previous 2, but still very strong.

Track 5 - Because It's There

This one begins with a distant sounding vocal solo. It builds slightly into a tight-harmonied a cappella choral sound. Then clean electric guitar & bass joins in before the rhythm section joins in. There are some drum sounds that don't seem to quite fit in the verse. It's almost hip-hop-like. The chorus is quite nice though with outstanding harmonies in the vocals. The second chorus is even better as there are 2 overlapping vocal tunes, both in harmony. Good track, I just would have left out those out of place drumbeats in the first verse.

Track 6 - Falling Back to Earth

This one starts out a bit heavier with an odd-meter riff. This is the longest track on the album at just under 12 minutes. Things quickly quiet down in the first verse. There is a louder section then the second verse is very jazzy. Great vocals from Jennings. Once again, a lot is happening here. Some very quick tempos, and lots of changes. Excellent transition around 2:25. At just before 3:00 there is a tapped guitar sound that is almost like Tony Levin playing Chapman Stick. Some fusion-y instrumental breaks follow. Fantastic guitar solo at around 4 minutes. This band is amazing. Things really mellow out after the 6-minute mark. Nice dynamic shift at around 8:45. Things are slowly building in a wonderful way. Then everything drops except a mellotron sounding keyboard and some gentle guitar at around 10:30. But then the band kicks back in at around 10:45. Great vocals again from Jennings and the band for the closing section. Then at the tail end there is a brief bit of metal-riffing. Superb track!

Track 7 - As Death Embraces

Back to piano and gentle vocals to kick this one off. This one is only 3:13. It seems to be a mellow interlude before two longer tracks.

Track 8 - Pareidolia

A mellow riff is quickly overtaken by a heavier sound. But only briefly. There is a cool middle eastern style riff in the verse, with what sounds almost like tabla drums. We are in 7-8 here. The chorus is a bit heavier. Cool riffage at around 2 minutes. The drumming is fantastic on this one in particular (Raymond Hearne). The middle eastern flavor continues at around 3:45 with excellent, precise, staccato playing. Holy crap, this is incredibly complex, in the best possible way. The gothic-style backing vocals return following that. Then things chill back down with a quieter section with creative vocal parts. We pick back up at around the 7-minute mark. There is a bit more "metal" in this track, but still not extreme. If you like PT's Blackest Eyes, you'll have no issue with this. The middle eastern style riff comes back again at around 8:30. Things get quiet again with about a minute remaining as mellow keyboards (almost) close things out. There are some gentle sound effects leading to the closing song. Amazing track!

Track 9 - Somebody

Nice clean electric guitar arpeggiations start us off with Jennings in a mellow voice. The other instruments begin to slowly build before starting a steadier rhythm at around 1:50. This one seems to be a slow-burn kind of song. It has stayed pretty mellow so far, but I am anticipating that it will open up eventually. Things get even quieter at around the halfway point of the song. We start going into 7-8 following that with GG style singing again. We start building intensity again around 6:25. Even more so by 7:20. There is a horn section joining in, but in more of a classical way, rather than being jazzy or soul-style. But then we quiet back down at the ending. It never exploded as I was expecting. It was a bit of a restrained ending to this excellent album.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

What a great album! Definitely deserving of a spot on this list. There is a bit of metal playing here and there, but again, it never got too heavy?no cookie-monster growling, and it was never for an entire song. My only issues are with the weird drums on track 5, and that the final track didn't open up as much as I would have liked. But the level of musical talent is up there in the ballpark of any great prog band you care to name. The vocals are incredible, despite wearing the Gentle Giant influences on their sleeves. Top-notch prog album. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Clicking 4, but really 4.5!

Track 1 - Son Et Lumiere

Sound effects fade in, and a keyboard rhythm emerges. Vocals join in with effects on them. The band joins in with some accents. Leading to the first full length track:

Track 2 - Inertiatic ESP

Fast tempo, and high-pitched vocals. High energy song, I like it. I like the tremolo-picked guitar part. Things change just after the 2-minute mark. A little jazz-fusiony for a moment. There are some dissonant guitar feedback parts, but it works. We end in a quick 3-4 time (that gets slower) and some unusual guitar sounds and effects. This leads to?

Track 3 - Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)

After some connecting sound effects, we have a very fast riff, joined by vocals. Then the tempo changes to a slower 6-8, and the music mellows out a bit. Then the dynamics increase. Loathe of Loud/Soft sections, then the fast riff returns. There are more time changes than I can type fast enough to keep up with! We have a bit of a chaotic instrumental break. The time and tempo changes keep it interesting. There is a very mellow instrumental break/guitar solo at around 5 and a half minutes into the song. Sound effects fade the song out and lead to?.

Track 4 - Tira Me A Las Aranas

The sound effects give way to an acoustic 12-String guitar that sounds slightly out of tune (but I think it's intentional, for effect) Some electric sounds join over the top, and sustained sounds lead to?

Track 5 - Drunkship of Lanterns

Very fast tempo with a complex meter, and guitar with delay effects. Vocals join in and there are some nice harmonies. Occasional accents from the band. The playing is very tight! I would call portions of this track "controlled chaos", but they hold it together nicely. The vocals may be an acquired taste for some, but I like it in the context of the song. Interesting sound-effects and guitar sounds take over at around the 4-minute mark. We have a guitar solo break at around 5 minutes. Sound effects take over again at around 6 minutes with a subtle bass rhythm keeping things together. Then different sound effects lead to?

Track 6 - Eriatarka

A short guitar/drum riff starts us off here, then the tempo slows to an arpeggiated guitar pattern, joined by vocals. We are in 6-8 and feeling kind of floaty. Big power chords lead to a fast complex rhythm and vocals. Sound effects briefly take over, then we are back to 6-8 with a short guitar break and another verse. Fast tempo kicks back in around 3:20. Again there are a number of tempo and time changes as well as "feel" changes that keep the track very interesting. Loving it! Once again, the track ends with sound effects that carry us to the next track?

Track 7 - Cicatriz ESP

At 12:29, this is easily the longest track by nearly 4 minutes over the next longest. An underlying driving rhythm propels the song forward with vocals on top. There are guitar flourishes over the top of everything. The music stops briefly then it sounds like a helicopter and then a fast tempo section. The music returns to the previous riff and another verse. The chorus explodes! An instrumental break follows. After that, the music chills out. Surprisingly, I am feeling a lot of Led Zeppelin influence on this track. The drumming is giving Bonzo vibes, and the guitar playing is kind of experimental-Page influenced style. And it feels like JPJ on the electric piano behind it all. After the instrumental break, we have a section that reminds me of a cross between the bowed-guitar of Dazed & Confused and the quieter part of By-Tor and the Snow Dog by Rush. This section is quite lengthy. Drums start bringing the rhythm section back at around 9:15. Now we have Santana vibes! We come back to the initial rhythm and another verse & explosive chorus. This is a great 21st century prog song!

Track 8 - This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed

We begin with sound effects here. Then a guitar with many effects starts a rhythm and the band kicks in with a very fast tempo again. The bass & drums keep things moving with guitar flourishes over the top of the vocals, then the full band comes back in. The pattern repeats itself following that. Lots of excitement on this track! The ending is a bit noisy with a looped drum sound, and abrupt finish.

Track 9 - Televators

This one starts out quite quietly with soft distant bird chirping and nature sounds. The song fades in with finger- style acoustic guitar and clean electric guitar accents, then a melodic vocal part. The opening verse is very peaceful, but then begins to build in intensity. A sustained guitar part leads us to the next verse. This one reminds me a bit of pre-Dark-Side Floyd. 6-8 time with bongo drums underneath, ending in, you guessed it, sound-effects.

Track 10 - Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt

A quick tempo starts us off here. It gets even quicker on the chorus. BTW, Cerpin Taxt is the subject of the concept album. At around the 3-minute mark everything stops except sustained keyboard sounds, (mellotron, perhaps?) Then a dissonant guitar pattern begins to take over. We get a very proggy instrumental break following that. Then the bass takes over with a solo. The band comes back in with a nice smooth groove. A cool guitar solo follows. Feeling a bit "jam band" here. Then the fast tempo kicks back in for another verse. A big exciting final coda hits next.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

I have to say that this album exceeded my expectations! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is definitely "experimental", but not to the point that there are no song structures. The music was constantly changing in interesting ways. I didn't feel like it was all blending together. On the downside, the sound effects might be a bit excessive between songs, but it doesn't take away from the overall experience too much. Not one of my all-time favorites, but very good, nonetheless. I give this a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Track 1 - Blackest Eyes

My gateway PT song and still one of my favorites. That intro gets me every time! The slow build, then, BLAM!! Awesome riffage! Then we have the acoustic flavored verses. The harmonies on this song (and album) are exquisite. I love the heavy riff in the instrumental section, then how the organ brings things back down. The song ends so tightly! GREAT SONG!!

Track 2 - Trains

From the heaviness of Blackest Eyes, we go right into the acoustic flavored Trains. Almost folk-rock, even when the band kicks in. Gavin Harrison debuts in PT nicely on this album. This, to me, Is the classic PT lineup! Wilson, Barbieri, Harrison, Edward. And then we get Banjo! Who would have guessed it on a prog album. Brilliant. After the mellow bridge, things get a bit heavier. Wonderful tune!

Track 3 - Lips of Ashes

Now for the haunting side of PT. The drums lay out of this one. An acoustic guitar riff drives the song with electric guitar atmospherics in the background. The vocals are absolutely spot-on in the harmonies. Such a nice blend.

Track 4 - Sound of Muzak

This one falls somewhere between Trains and Lips of Ashes, style-wise. An acoustic riff and Harrison's brilliant drumming in an odd meter set up the first verse. The chorus goes to 4-4 and more fantastic harmonies. I love the guitar tone at around 2:30 that brings is into the guitar solo. While Wilson isn't a virtuoso player like Steve Howe, he is still quite good. The lines he plays are so tasteful and well placed. What Wilson does so well is create an atmosphere and mood with his music, and this is a great example of that.

Track 5 - Gravity Eyelids

A drum machine rhythm and Barbieri's keyboards lay the foundations for Wilson's vocals, here. Bass and real drums join in for the second verse/chorus. Then we have a spooky kind of instrumental break before heavy guitar joins playing tight staccato riffs, before it opens up and gets more of a sustained note riff that is closer to what we had in Blackest Eyes. Colin Edward plays some nice bass lines, but he's never mixed prominently. He's there in the mix, but rarely, if ever, out front. We end with the more techno feel of the intro.

Track 6 - Wedding Nails

The riff here on this instrumental is like "One Way Out" from the Allman Bros. but more twisted on its side. Then we shift into a tremolo picked riff with an alternating one. Following a repeat of the first riff, there is a middle section with accenting chords and atmospheric guitar and keyboard sounds. Then we kick back into the tremolo riff. There is a long, slow fade of atmospheric sounds at the end. Great instrumental track

Track 7 - Prodigal

We start with a 4-4 slide-guitar riff backed by the bass & drums. Wilson's vocals are a bit blase at the beginning, but then the harmony vocals join in, and things pick up. At 2:25, the guitar riff is almost like a cleaner EVH type of riff. The next verse/chorus are similar. There is a slide solo over the EVH riff at the end. Good track

Track 8 - .3

OK, so Colin Edward gets a moment in the sun on this one with his bass riff setting the foundation for the song. The rest of the band builds off of the bass and we get an excellent atmosphere to play off of. At around 2:30 it sounds like a reverse guitar part, the Lush clean electric guitar with a strumming acoustic. The vocals join in for the first time in this song following this. Then we go back to the bass-riff, but heavier. Cool song, mostly instrumental

Track 9 - The Creator Has a Mastertape

So once again, my earlier statement is proven wrong, as the bass and drums are the foundation of this one. Wilson likes to use lots of vocal effects. We get heavy around 1:45. I like the quick pace of this one. Fantastic drum fill at around 3:30.

Track 10 - Heartattack in a Layby

Piano and clean electric guitar start this one off at a much slower tempo from the previous track.

There is a beautiful vocal melody here. I love the vocal countermelodies at around 2:45. Beautiful song.

Track 11 - Strip the Soul

A bass riff kicks us off, again contradicting my earlier statement. Complex rhythms on the drums & guitar parts when they kick in. Nice. Then it comes back down for the second voice. The arrangement of the guitar parts is great. Then suddenly it's being played on an acoustic guitar, and we get almost funky. This song is heavy without melting your face, and no growling. This one is a track I didn't know as well as some of the others, and it's a bit of a hidden gem on an already strong album. Love it.

Track 12 - Collapse the Light into Earth.

We have a 6-8 piano ballad for our closer. As I am sitting, the piano is on the right and the echo-laden vocals are on the left. Then the vocals move center, as the song slowly builds. At around 3:30, string-like sounds join, and the vocals become "ahhs." What a beautiful sound. Then the song title joins the "aahs." There is just a bit of electric guitar feedback near the end as the piano then fades out. The song creates a peaceful close to the album.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Absolutely beautiful album. I feel like it established a style blueprint for many 21st century prog bands. As I said earlier, it made me aware of Porcupine Tree, then discovered that they'd been around for over a decade at that point. But they came a long way from "Let's all go to Jupiter Island," That's for sure! 4.75 out of 5 stars. Brilliant album, but there are others I am saving my 5's for. (Again, clicking a 5, because that's as close as I can get.)