IN FOCUS

Don't know about "backing to roots", but it was my first introduction into ALIAS EYE music (listened 3 or 4 times this week). This is more Prog-related, than Prog CD, but this is not what I'm disappointed with ... mainly. The band sounds extremely faceless, failing to hold attention within a single song. Sorry for saying that, but I won't recommend this album to anybody. Average AOR/Hard-Rock with some nice moments (ocassional accordion and funny hidden track in what I expected to be 11-min long epic). Yes, it's melodic, but this is the only thing positive - and obvious, this is AOR after all! - here. Not recommended. Don't know if I'll go back to other albums of them.

Alias Eye seem to be in a transitional phase on this release.

They have informed of their new guitar-players influence on their homepage, with an emphasis on keeping it simple and rocking. And they sure do; although not always rocking out as such. Keep It Simple Stupid and "Less is more" are philosophies seemingly flavouring the album, and they sure rock out at times.

But the influences from jazz and funk are the most dominating elements here though, with the added spice of som good od fashioned hard rock riffs now and then.

Still, I get the impression that some songs here were written with more grandiose soundscape in my mind, as several tunes seems to miss some central elements. Still, worthwhile checking out for the strong tracks here.

Guys, don't quit your day job.

There's not much to say about this band and this record, one word: bland. It's been heard so many times, it's not a worn power chord or accordion arrangements that will do a difference. The songs have sometimes good (but repeating) riffs, but it's just not going nowhere interesting. I mean, it looks like a band that failed on radio, with very few ideas and a lot of baggage from another decade. This is soooo 1999!

Some too short e-piano lines are interesting, but again, a boring song is still a boring song, even with all the frosting in the world. Drop the singer, less choruses, change the ordinary FM lyrics, more creativity, less copy-paste....wow, this could go on.

No way recommended, but could be used as a coaster. See? It ain't all bad.

Third album by date from 2007 named In focus, well Alias Eye needed 4 years to come with a new release, and to be fair is less consistent then previous two. A little to modern in sound to my taste but keeping the same attitude like before. The guitar player from previous record choose to leave, and his replacement brought with him a new musical philosophy, the album being a little more simple in arrangements but yet accesible and good. The album overall is more on rock side, the progressive parts are now limited to some lements here and there, not bad really, but the result is quite pale, but not bad in contrast with the first two records. Here are aswell funk moments, some jazz elements thrown in , and the variety of the pieces is all over. Again Philip Griffiths is an important element hre, his voice being good, but the excellent moments are kinda far. The album is from good, to inconsistent with some fillers , but taken as a whole is a good one, who desearve 3 stars. Best parts are History Lesson, very good guitar arrangements and the mellow piano orientated piece Books, the rest are so so. Definetly less great then before, and I think they run out of ideas here, is to much variety in pieces. 3 stars, still enjoyble from time to time.