THE PROG COLLECTIVE

First of all, there was absolutely no reason to list both The Prog Collective albums here on Prog Archives as 'various artists'. Both are definitively not what we call V/A, but de facto Billy Sherwood's solo albums with a lot of guest contributors. Not a prog band sensu stricto, while also not 'various artists', but... the prog collective (sic!). It seems to be as an artist name so the most appropriate definition. A collective of musical associates and like-minded professionals led by one of them who produced a bunch of musical ideas. The Prog Collective is even not a sort of so-called supergroup but just Sherwood with a little help from a lot of his superstar friends. All the music was composed and mostly played by him, other participants only added some vocal and instrumental parts. Sherwood played keyboards on Open Your Eyes (which is probably not good enough as a Yes album but a very good example of progressive pop). But the music in The Prog Collective's self-titled debut is not similar to Open Your Eyes, it rather reminds the studio material from Keys To Ascension. Not too complex, not too sophisticated, quite accessible, listenable and enjoyable. This album can hardly be rated as masterpiece, but it makes an excellent asset for anyone who's into prog and not stuck in 1970s.