YOU HAVE IT ALL

Ten years after Adam Sears and friends entered Prog World with their debut album, 2012's Time and Space, Adam engages a bunch of veteran prog rockers from the symphonic NeoProg persuasion of musical production (of which several contributors were members of that original Lobate Scarp lineup) to jam (in some form or other) over and with some of his songs--taking turns offering solos over some of Adam Sears' very basic groovin' chord progressions.

1. "Conduit" (7:00) (12.75/15)

2. "Nothing Wrong" (6:17) spacious ambient Indian opening turns into full-blown bombastic NeoProg beneath Paul's impassioned if repetitive singing. Again, the solos are everywhere--even while Adam is singing. (8/10)

3. "In the Night I" (0:55) Are you serious?!! I've recorded better ditties than this little keyboard children's play on the toilet! (3/5)

4. "Life-Line" (5:55) sounds like a song by MISTER MISTER, GENE LOVES JEZEBEL, or MIKE + THE MECHANICS ("All I Need Is a Miracle"). Saccharine melodies, simple pop chord progression, with Adam's gentle 1980s vocal. Jimmy Keegan's drums are solid. The finish has its merits. (8.5/10)

5. "You Have It All" (14:25) a crossover prog song that blends classical instrumentation with prog rock electronic instruments quite nicely. The protracted delicate pastoral section that begins at 3:30 is particularly nice--with particularly well-matched drumming from Suicidal Tendencies' Eric Moore and some nice singing from vocalists Billy Sherwood and Jon Davisdon. This pretty section builds after Billy Sherwood's vocal into a prog lover's wet dream with great lush keyboard supported electric guitar solo and then finishing with an impassioned vocal from Jon Davidson and more great lead guitar shredding (from Peter Matuchniak or Rich Mouser?) At the end of the tenth minute things smooth out for some nice violin, keyboard, and different guitar solo tradeoffs. Easily the best, most truly and refreshingly proggy song on the album. The keyboard work in the twelfth minute gets a little dull despite some great drumming. And, unfortunately the plagiarized BEATLES final two minutes is a let down for the poor vocal "hook" being repeated. (27.5/30)

6. "In the Night II" (1:14) considerably better than its prior twin. (4.33/5)

7. "Beautiful Light" (5:46) nice MOSTLY AUTUMN or MANTRA VEGA beginning and Prog Folk foundational music before Adam's pleasant vocal. (His voice here reminds me of a West End version of Kevin Ayers.) (8.667/10)

8. "Our Test Tube Universe" (7:33) nice classically constructed song featuring Ryo Okumoto and Jimmy Keagan of Spock's Beard and, of course, the guitar talents of crossover/eclectic sessions and solo artist Peter Matuchniak. (12.75/15)

9. "Flowing Through the Change" (17:24) I know that drummer Eric Moore's presence is one of the things the band touts in the promotion of this song, but there's something about the mix that makes his drums stand out in a rather awkward way. The mix (and performance) are so much better on "You Have It All." Also, the lines/transfer points between each of the suite's five subsections are not as clearly delineated as one might hope for. Still, it is definitely a well constructed NeoProg epic. (30.75/35): - i. Futureflow - some similarities to ASIA's "Heat of the Moment" in the opening. - ii. In the Night III - then things settle into a slow pleasant synth-based foundation with the most annoying bass-line front and center. Thank got it goes away when Adam starts singing (though it is soon picked up and regurgitated ad nauseum by the electric guitar). The instrumental section following the vocal contains a nice electric guitar solo followed by some nice "strings" chord progressions. - iii. Dreamflow - instrumental section. - iv. A New Beginning - poppy uplifting music beginning at the end of the tenth minute has some nice hooks and strings work. The repeating four chord progression over which the section is constructed grows old fairly quickly. - v. Dreams Are Coming True - More prog-like music with some interesting time syncopations, drumming, and interesting NeoProg solos. Nice MYSTERY-like ending.

Total Time 66:29

A pleasant, unoffensive listen--especially if you're into solos and not creative structures or stories. It is nice, however, that almost all of the album's songs have a corresponding video presence on YouTube--created by Adam and the band members.

B-/3.5 stars; a nice addition to any NeoProg lover's music collection and not a bad listen for someone looking for more adventurous "progressive" rock music.