COR CORDIUM

Glass Hammer, with their latest release of Cor Cordium, has defiantly done the impossible.

They created a follow-up to their monster hit album IF from 2010 with perhaps their finest work yet, and will hopefully leave any doubt behind regarding their status as one of the best progressive rock bands, period.

There have been numerous comparisons over the years, likening Glass Hammer to Yes, and there has been some merit to that, in my thinking, but perhaps that now is something inappropriate to use as a measuring stick. I love Yes, and they were my favorite band in High School, some seventy million years ago or so. Yes, in the last ten years, has produced nearly nothing, their latest offering an excellent album, to my tastes, but quite honestly, is nothing in comparison to IF, or now the special Cor Cordium album. I would wink and say, going back through both collections for both bands, Yes never sounded as good as Glass Hammer....

Lets look at what Cor Cordium has in store for you. The opening track is one called Nothingbox, a nice chunky prog number weighing in at just over ten minutes. It lures you in from the opening note, and once you hear those first strums of the guitar, the lazy but insistent tapestry of synth and keyboards weaving in, the commanding crunch of the bass, and Jon singing, the song just takes off. I've only listened five times so far, but it still may be my favorite track from the album... it is oh so difficult to make that distinction, when you have more goodies, like One Heart following right on the heels of the Nothingbox, and changing the rhythm and pace of the evolving landscape of sound that unfolds before you. Again there is magnificent playing on every level by Steve, Fred and Alan, their chemistry developed in the last album has matured like a fine wine, and they effortlessly glide together and apart, one accentuating the other.

Salvation Station follows, and evokes memories of the fun found in some earlier Glass Hammer albums, Lex Rex and the Middle Earth albums came to mind. The albums shortest tune, it grabs you immediately with it's boogie woogie funky prog and lyrics that have you smiling at their cleverness and fun.

Dear Daddy follows, another chunky ten plus minute tune, but this one again surprises you, and is a touching but strong song about a son and his relationship with his father.

On the heels of Dear Daddy comes the longest song and my second favorite, so far, song from the album, To Someone. Coming in at just over eighteen minutes, it the anchor of the album in a sense, not only from it's length, but from a musical perspective as well. A beautiful but definite Glass Hammer classic, it has all of the elements in it that has made me delirious about the band's music. The level of their collective song writing and playing continues to make this band a singular gift. This epic moves and flows, is filled with some artful but driving chords from Alan, Steve continues to throw out one thunderous bass run after another, and Fred comes swooping in with amazing organ, synthesizer and keyboard textures and parts, making this song one amazing ride musically.

The final song is one that also keeps sticking in my head after repeated listens, another left turn in beat and composition, and yet still going in the same direction, it closes out the album coming in at nearly eleven minutes, and is yet another song that evokes earlier Glass Hammer music to my ears, possibly Culture of Ascent's Into Thin Air.

Fred Schendel can no longer be compared to Rick Wakeman or Keith Emerson. Fred is a wizard of the keys, and is in my personal top three keyboard players in the world: Fred, Gem Godfrey of Frost, and Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess. I put Fred first, because I truly believe, after listening to now fourteen albums worth of his playing, that he is peerless. He makes every set of keys he touches, sing and soar like no other.

Steve Babb is a perfect partner for Fred, because his bass playing IS Glass Hammer as well. His distinctive, powerful, driving bass lines accentuate the music perfectly, and have helped to reduce my dashboard to a beaten drum for my fists as I drive along. Yeah, I beat it senseless with my enthusiasm and joy at hearing Steve's bass playing.

The inclusion of Alan Shikoh has helped to reveal yet another facet of the band. His riffs are fresh and perfect counterpoint for so many of the scintillating keyboard runs of Fred's. Both the acoustic and electric guitar playing is outstanding, and allowed the band to truly hone it's unique sound. Don't be surprised to hear lots more of Alan in the future, he is a young talent that can only get better, and that should have any music lover drooling.

Finally, but definitely not least, Jon Davison, brings it. It being that voice of his. Amazing. Yes, it sounds similar to Jon Anderson, in possibly the same way the new Yes singer does. Jon has the familiar smooth high end voice for rock and prog, but it's the soul behind the vocal chords that makes this Jon just as unique and special as that other Jon... His vocals and musical/lyrical contributions are what makes these last two albums complete, his energy is present in all of the songs and it's signature is what will make Jon Davison remembered for many years to come.

You must buy this album. You do not have any choice. Free will is an illusion. Go to their website and click on Buy, NOW! Prog music keeps getting better and better, and it's because of bands like Glass Hammer, leading the way with the most creative and incredible music being made today.

Get Cor Cordium, and prepare to lose yourself in the dream, as you get swept away on the wings of majestic and swirling masterpieces.

Excellent Second Release of the Jon Davison Era

To get this out of the way, if you don't like bands that have strong similarities to other legendary prog bands, in this case Yes, you can probably stop reading now and move on. I'm not going to dwell on this point much in this review.

I am a huge fan of If. I think the addition of Jon Davison (vocals), Alan Shikoh (guitar) and and Randall Williams (drums) rejuvenated the band after 2009's Three Cheers, which many consider their weakest effort, certainly the least in keeping with their ongoing prog stylings. Of course, the addition of Davison took them firmly into the realm of sounding a whole lot like that other aforementioned band, but as you'll see I don't view that as imitation or a negative. If they've taken on the Yes torch, they've certainly carried it further and to other interesting places.

From the opening notes of Nothing Box, it's very clear this is a symphonic prog album of epic proportions. If I had any questions of whether they would continue the trends of If, the first two tracks definitively removed any doubts there. But Cor Cordium isn't simply If, part two. Here we find this group coming together with a stronger band personality. Although Glass Hammer remains anchored by Fred Schendel and Steve Babb, both Davison and Shikoh seem stronger contributors than on If.

The compositions on Cor Cordium are very rooted in the classic symphonic prog style, with the layering of instruments, complex passages, nifty time signatures and epic themes aficionados will love. I find the balance to be more even on Cor Cordium, where If may have favored the keys and bass a bit. Here it seems every instrument and the vocals all contribute equally to the compositions. Songwriting credits are listed for all four of Babb, Schendel, Davison and Shikoh, and I'm guessing the mutual contributions are a key element of the evolution we hear between If and Cor Cordium.

But there are a few pleasant surprises as well. Salvation Station brings us a more serious social statement than the dominant ethereal peace, universal love and small infinities of If. And Dear Daddy is a very poignant expression of a difficult father-son relationship, sung so powerfully by Davison that I suspect it is his own personal story. Both of these tracks incorporate a more folky acoustic guitar-driven feel, in a proggy way of course. Dear Daddy adds some jazzier voicings to the guitar chords that give it a very intimate nightclub feel in places.

Overall, these are really good compositions, and after a dozen listenings they keep getting better as I discover more nuances and interplay in the songs. Every song goes somewhere and evolves, with all of the tracks over 5 minutes and four of the six tracks 10+ minute epics.

For the performances, we get the awesome keyboard work from Fred Schendel that we've come to expect. It's very worth it to take the time to listen to all the layers of keys in headphones, and to appreciate the intricacy of Fred's solos and rhythmic keyboard work as well. Fans of mellotrons will find some tasty tron work woven into the cuts (not sure if it's sampled or the real MkIV, but who cares?), as well as other vintage keys. Steve Babb remains an absolute monster on bass. He has a wonderful melodic style, not just anchoring the compositions, but driving them with strong themes. His bass sound will peel the paint off walls, with a huge bottom end and that trebly Rickenbacker element we all love (although I believe Steve primarily plays a Yamaha).

As I mentioned, I feel the addition of Jon Davison really transformed the band. I know he sounds uncannily like the other Jon. While he's obviously influenced by Anderson, and he admits being a huge Yes fan, I don't thinks he's being imitative. The tone and timber is his natural voice, and jeez, this guy can sing! His pitch is spot on, his range is excellent, and he brings inspiring emotion to the lyrics. Alan Shikoh also seems to have upped his contribution on Cor Cordium. His guitar work on If was outstanding, and that continues here. But where on If it sounded like he was asked to play like Steve Howe, on Cor Cordium we find a much wider variety of guitar voicings and patches including some more contemporary sounds. His technical skills are on full display, and impressive. From the credits, it looks like several of the musicians contribute to the excellent acoustic guitar work found throughout.

Randall Williams rejoins on drums, although from the credits it looks like he's considered more of a hired gun. Nevertheless, his contribution seems foundational to the sound of both Cor Cordium and If. Very solid and technically skilled, with lots of great flourishes. Jeffrey Sick and Ed Davis add violin and viola on Dear Daddy.

The engineering and production quality of Cor Cordium continue the excellence of If. Every track is crystal clear, with full frequency response and dynamic range. This is definitely an album for audiophile headphones. I have to give a huge appreciation for the mastering. Where most CDs these days are mastered way too loud, over-compressed and often clipped to the point of distortion, Cor Cordium seems only mildly peak limited by a couple of db, which lets the awesome production and engineering shine through. Play this loudly and enjoy!

As you can tell, I love this album. I think, along with If, it's one of the best Glass Hammer albums. If you like If, I think you will also love Cor Cordium. If you like Glass Hammer, this is one to get. If you like symphonic prog in general, you really should check this out, especially if you're cool with bands like Starcastle that have strong similarities to Yes.

Excellent stuff! Although I'm tempted to give Cor Cordium a 5 stars rating, it's really too early to tell if it will stand the ultimate test of time and become a true masterpiece. At this point, I think something like 4.5 stars is more appropriate, and I give it 4 stars here. I suspect the Yes-imitator detractors will pull the rating of Cor Cordium down like they did with If, but considering it on its own merit, it's hard to conceive that Cor Cordium deserves to end up less than 4.0 when all the reviews are added up.

Yes. YES!?!?!? Jon Anderson. Great cover art! Yes...

OK, now that we've gotten that comparison out of the way... Glass Hammer's 2011 release "Cor Cordium" (latin for 'Heart of Hearts') is an excellent and necessary addition to the collection of any lover of classic Symphonic Prog/Art Rock.

It seems worth reviewing in light of their previous release "If" as it has the same musician line-up, same musical direction, and frankly, could almost have been disc 2 of that 2009 release. (For context, IMO "If" is one of the best Symph Prog releases since the genre's halcyon days of the 70s).

I say "could almost have been disc 2" because, while musically there are obvious similarities, there are also new and welcome ventures in musicianship and song elements. Guitar work gets both a bit more muscle (especially on "Nothing Box" and "She, A Lonely Tower") and and bit more finesse in places (some nice, though short, acoustic/classical parts, and I love the minimalism during the Hammond stops in "Salvation Station" ~3:50 and 3:58). Keys also get stretched both ways, with some beautiful piano-forte work on the intro of "One Heart" and in "She, A Lonely Tower", but also pushing some Emerson-esque bombast throughout the album. I love Fred's bass work, and while I still feel it gets somewhat lost in all the production and symphonia, there are places here it shines in all its foundational glory. Hardly least, Jon's vocals, while wonderfully soaring as they're apt to be, have found a new intimacy as on his special piece, "Dear Daddy".

Musically, I love the mash-ups (polyphony?) and interplay, especially on "She, A Lonely Tower" and "One Heart" (my favorite cut on the album). One of the things I had to learn to not let frustrate me with "If" is even more prominent here on "Cor Cordium" -- Glass Hammer does not long dwell on musical themes. So while Alan may jump into an engaging riff (e.g., "Nothing Box" ~5:10), or Jon may offer a gorgeous vocal refrain (e.g., intro to "To Someone"), don't get too comfortable with them! And scarce on "Cor" are the singable refrains as per "If the Stars" and "If the Sun". So enjoy the many, varied, great, but fleeting motifs you discover on "Cor Cordium", they don't stick around too long. (But that's ok-- sort of like the precious things in life-- a beautiful sunset, or a child's innocent years.) New on "Cor" are some welcome funk-style passages. But I think the most prominent elemental addition on this album is pure, unadulterated prog-folk. That's right, acoustic strumming with layered harmony are front and center in several songs, once again "Dear Daddy" being foremost.

Speaking of "Dear Daddy", I think the one stark departure that Cor Cordium takes from "If" is with the songs' lyrical themes. While "If" turned our fantastical attentions outward to the sky, stars and sun, and teased us with mis-perception of the Ziddle's three-sided dance, "Cor" takes us inward, delving way deep on introspection into some of life's harsher realities. The opening track, "Nothing Box", explores the seeming comforts found in isolationism. "Salvation Station" offers a cynical perspective on religious broadcasting (the lines "Her baby's dead" and "It's the funniest thing" in near proximity will always jar me). Even the epic track "To Someone", while not leaving us stuck there, alludes to the cruelties of schoolyard bullying and trash-picking, gutter-bathing city beggars.

But the starkest of all these heavy themes is found on cut "Dear Daddy", a heart-on-your-sleeve, auto-biographical memoir of Jonny's troubled relationship with his dad. On my first spin of "Cor Cordium", I thought, 'one of these things is not like the others'. I did not want to like this song. Personally, I am especially endeared to prog-folk/folk rock music, and since this cut fits into that genre quite well, it wasn't the music or song structure that bothered me. But thematically, I fought with it. Should my prog music be so straightforwardly autobiographical, introspective, and deep? True confession-- I skipped the track second time through. Then I re-listened, and-- got me, dude. Now, Bowie, there are two damned songs that can make me break down and cry. While I love Cor through and through, "Dear Daddy" will define this album for me. Having some knowledge of these things, I'm going to venture that the father-son estrangement addressed in "Dear Daddy" touches on a subject with which many, many listeners can relate. Check out the interplay between violin, viola, and keys, flirting with dissonance, right after the line, "Did you ever notice me?" (gasp.) I don't think I've ever done this before in a review, but I'll end this digression with a prayer, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children.

In closing, to all lovers of sometimes sonic/sometimes serene, sometimes ethereal/sometimes intimate classic Symphonic Prog, don't miss this offering from Glass Hammer. It's quite a heartful!

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Posted Tuesday, November 1, 2011 | Review Permalink

Here is another pure example of the symphonic prog style of the 70's, mainly Yes influenced, because of the vocals and the bass work. As for the keyboards, it has some ELP and Genesis influences, and is the dominant instrument on any Glass Hammer's cd. But on this cd the keyboards are not as bombastic as some previous cd's. The vocals have never been so present, and Jon Davidson was the missing piece to give the band all the sparks they need to perfect their compositions.

We can find a lot of very nice arrangements in the music that are quiet refreshing to hear from the band. There is some beautiful vocals parts, beautiful and delicate passages with acoustic guitars and piano. The compositions are very emotional because the melody is always on a high level even on the quiet passages. This is true on tracks that are developed at the slow pace for 6 minutes, but the vocals and the great instrument work keep the intensity throughout the whole song. What could have been a boring ballad, is rather a excellent song of 10 minutes.

This new cd is a little bit less bombastic and more oriented through vocals than the previous cd, "If" with some nice arrangements where every instruments shines with songs that have some strong melodies that can only takes us back to the best music of Yes.

Cor Cordium 7/10

A continuation of If in cover art,music and story.

This is the most Yeshish album of Glass Hammer.

Not only because of the vocals ,yet because the instrumental music and arrangements.

Like the most folkish and acoustic Yes as in albums such as Tormato and Time and a Word.

Nice songs... I miss in this album the bombastic symphonic prog rock passages frequent in prior albums (as Shadowlands,Lex Rex,Inconsolable Secret....)...this is more a lighter melodic symphonic- folk.acoustic prog rock .

I like Davison vocals but i miss to female vocals : Susie Bodagnovic has a very beautiful pleasant voice ...but this are new Glass Hammer times... definitely Yeshish times..with the image of Jon Anderson.

Is a difficult review but with additions and subtractions ....mmmm 3,5 stars

OH YEAH!!

now this is an exciting release! I was already very impressed with their previous album "If", but "Cor Cordium" takes it up a notch.

Yes, Glass Hammer sounds alot like early (brilliant) Yes. I don't care, I like Yes...alot. Glass Hammer also does a fine job in eliminating the only annoying thing about Yes, the organ-like sounds. For 2 straight albums the have not produced a single bad song.

Cor Cordium consists of 6 songs. All are high quality symphonic prog songs in the vein of Yes. Each song is brilliantly constructed, but requires more than a few listens to get in to. In my opinion this is a more eclectic album than their last release. Just listen to the absolutely stunning opener "the Nothing Box" and you will see what i mean!

90/100 points, so actually 4,5 stars.

The new album from Yes...sorry, I mean Glass Hammer, finds this inconsistent American outfit indulging their taste for classic symphonic prog to the absolute max. Everything here, from the attractive faux-Roger Dean artwork to the bright, keyboard-drenched music, smacks of both Yes-and-Genesis(and many more) circa their classic, early-seventies incarnations - plus the likes of England, Druid and Starcastle - leaving little room for originality. However, despite the derivative nature of much of the material on offer, most of 'Cor Cordium' is actually pretty decent, serving up over an hour of lushly-produced and carefully-orchestrated progressive rock with a capital 'P'. For those not in the know, Glass Hammer started life in prog-rock's darkest hour, 1987 no less, emerging from Tennessee with their Lord Of The Rings-inspired debut(and ridiculously titled) 'Journey Of The Dunaden'. Despite no label support and little enthusiasm for their sound from the music press, the group's debut surprised virtually everyone by selling a few thousand copies in it's first year. Since then, the group, which was founded by long-term members Fred Schendel(keyboards, guitar) and Steve Babb(bass, vocals), have released a series of classically-inspired albums and built up a loyal fanbase both in the United States and across Europe. Some of the music is informed by the duo's Christian faith, which leads some to bracket them in the Christian prog sub-genre, though by their own account attempts are made to separate their musical and theological beliefs. This mixture of disparate influences has lead to an unusually uneven output over the years - just check out the range of ratings on this very website that run the gamut from awful to awesome - yet 'Cor Cordium', which itself is a follow-up to the album 'If' of two years ago, DOES rank among their stronger efforts. Highlights include the lengthier pieces, with 'Nothing Box' and the eighteen-minute 'To Someone' perfectly illustrating their creative instincts, with intricate guitar-and-keyboard interplay, mystical lyrics and an ever-so-slight soft-rock veneer colouring the group's emotive sound. An enjoyable effort then, this should more than please die-hard symphonic-prog lovers, though don't be surprised if you get the nagging feeling you've heard it all before... STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

When I heard 'So here I am once more ...' at the first time from Marillion's debut album I did not refer the newly established band was a Genesis clone. The point was that Fish voice was not the same as Peter Gabriel and the music was not as Genesis. But when I heard this Glass Hammer's 'Cor Cordium' I thought it as Yes because the music and vocal timbre of Jon Davison is quite similar than Jon Anderson. But it did not stop me to play the album and it really grew on me as the more Iplay the more I enjoy the music.

Musically, Cor Cordium is quite simpler than classic Yes albums but the overall composition is really nice. One peculiar thing that I can observe at first spin is the guitar playing style that is different from Steve Howe. As I play the music quite often, I realize that I like this album and in some points I do not really care whether or not this album is like Yes replica. Even so, the band's is not boring. On composition, I can see the band has laid out very strong foundation in tag melody in every song they create. This proves that the album comprises tracks that are song-orientated. The harmonies produced bay all instruments as well as vocal line. In some segments they take the composition at the peak. There are changes in mood as well as tempo even though there are no abrupt changes. Well, I think this is the music direction and style that the band is willing to take and I respect it. The complexities are there as well. In some segments, there are complex arrangements even though overall they are not as complex as Yes.

The opener 'Nothing Box' (10:53) is a killer for me personally as it successfully blends excellent melody, musical and vocal harmonies, as well as captivating changes in moods and tempo. I can sense this track is really Yes-like but I do not mind with it. In fact, it gives me enrichment as the latest album by Yes 'Fly From Here' is even much more simples as well as quite loose in composition. I like the way Jon sings as the song progresses. He seems really enjoying himself taking the vocal department here. Keyboards and guitar are keys in this song - they form great combination throughout the song.

'One Heart' (6:20) starts off nicely with piano / keyboard work followed with stunning guitar solo just before vocal line enters the music. The music moves nicely in relatively slow mood with Jon Anderson like singing. The next track 'Salvation Station' (5:08) is basically a combined work of acoustic guitar and vocal in energetic style. 'Dear Daddy' (10:30) indicates Jon Davison's contribution to the band with his his personal message about his father. It's good lyrically. The music is quite simple and very close to ballad style.

'To Someone' (18:15) is the longest duration in the album starting with a vocal line followed with long sustain keyboard / synthesizer work. The music flows nicely in prog symphonic style with keyboard as main rhythm section while guitar solo takes the lead. There are very good guitar licks performed during the transition piece combined wonderfully with piano work. The mellotron-like sounds make the song look like the 70's prog music. There great breaks before the vocal enter the music. Well, I really enjoy the piano work as well as guitar. Oh by the way, the bass lines are also great, not only through this track - it happens with the previous ones. The concluding track 'She, A Lonely Tower' (10:57) is also an excellent one. In fact, I really enjoy the last track - it's beautifully composed by the band.

Overall, this is an exceent addition to any prog music collection. Keep on proggin' ...!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Can't wait to see Jon Davison sings at YES concert in Jakarta, Indonesia, 24 April 2012!

This 2011 release saw Glass Hammer as a four-piece, with additional guests. So, band leaders Fred Schendel (keys, guitars, vocals) and Steve Babb (bass, keys, vocals) were again joined by singer Jon Davidson and guitarist Alan Shikoh. Special mention should be made here of the artwork by Tom Kuhn which is just stunning, even before the CD makes it into the player there is the feeling that the listener is in for something special and it has to be said that the music doesn't disappoint. Glass Hammer have always been heavily influenced by Yes (as well as Genesis, ELP and Camel), and having current Yes singer in their ranks will obvious strengthen those links, but this is much more than a band trying to recreate 70's glory days of someone else. True, there are times when the band do sound very similar, but there are plenty of others such as "Salvation Station" which is quite different indeed. Here there is liberal use of acoustic guitar, piano, swirling keyboards, punchy basslines (which have a very different sound to Chris Squire) and just the right amount of lead guitar to provide additional class. Then of course over the top of all of this are Jon's vocals. He has an incredible voice, lots of melody and control and a very pure clear sound. It is strange to think that he is a relative newcomer to GH, as it sounds as if he has always been there.

Like all great prog albums, repeated playing rewards the listener, and whereas some albums can feel very heavy and somewhat tiring this has a freshness and light that carries the listener along ? so much so that during "Dear Daddy" I found myself smiling just because the music contains a real joy. Yet again Glass Hammer have released an album that belongs in every prog lover's collection and I look forward to the next one with real anticipation.

Glass Hammer's Cor Cordium is an album that simply made me smile from ear to ear. In the vein of classic Yes on crack?err?on steroids, Glass Hammer carves out a musical path which is familiar yet exciting in new ways. There's something that very much goes beyond their seventies influences in their brand of ultra-symphonic rock that unapologetically exploits the sonic spectrum with tons of texture, great synths, and nice melodies and grooves. If you don't mind hearing a band that takes a classic sound and improves on it in modern ways, this is a great listen. If you're stuck on Close to the Edge being the only album you enjoy, then you'll hate this.

Glass Hammer has been putting out consistently for the entirety of the 2000's and even more frequently this decade. Of this constant flow of new albums Glass Hammer has had very few missteps during the 00's, and, so far, even less during the 2010's. The decade started out with the stellar If, a slight slip-up with One, and a hearty rejuvenation with Cor Cordium. Now I myself have not gotten my hands on a physical Glass Hammer until I spotted Cor Cordium, and my was it a good first.

This album is nothing short of expected of Glass Hammer, a punchy, melodic prog-athon of the highest caliber. A part of the greatness of GH to me is their sense of self-awareness, particularly when it comes to how they define themselves genre-wise. All of the old prog bands weren't necessarily fond of calling themselves 'prog', either because it was an extremely new tag, or the bands simply didn't like themselves to be referred to as such. Glass Hammer however embraces the progressive rock label, letting it define every single musical blip that they make. Of course it must be addressed that Glass Hammer takes extreme influence from Yes, however for me I feel that the former is the superior. This may sound short sighted by Glass Hammer's clean cut modern utilizations of musical technology that Yes didn't have allows them to sound...just...better. Now I suppose you could just chalk this up to me being easily influenced by pretty sounds as opposed to the hard-work of Yes, but my respect for Yes has never waned. However their time has passed, and I believe Glass Hammer is a perfect band to take the mantle. Don't get me wrong, Yes can be more respected for what they were able to accomplish with much less to work with- I certainly do. But Glass Hammer is just, I guess, the "new Yes".

Enough case study, how is Cor Cordium itself? Like I said before, it is very punchy in it's delivery, and harnesses a sort of neo-prog type sound with it's heavy double-kick drums and booming electric. I know this might be heresy, but I actually consider Jon Davidson's vocals to be superior to Jon Anderson's (even in his prime). Davidson's harmonizations are simply better, and is more along the lines of Geddy Lee in quality standards. The opener 'Nothing Box' is simply fantastic, with a great atmosphere and also very lyrically sound. 'To Someone' is for those who like the long stuff, with changing tempos and moods- expected of a prog epic. The album closes out very nicely with 'She, a Lonely Tower', which is the final of the four epics of the album, and carries with it a somber note to the otherwise quite jovial album.

Another quality album from the oxymoron bunch. If you're looking for an example of great modern prog rock, then this album is for you. 4.5 rounded to 4.