THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN

My first impressions of "Book III" were that Andreas is sounding more like Jon Anderson than he did on the first two books and that the instrumental music of this record follows more in line with "Book I" but pales somewhat in comparison. I am very happy to own "Book I" and it's in my top 60 "best of" Symphonic list. Now this appreciation came after I reviewed it after deciding I needed to go back with fresh ears. I had this so overhyped in my own mind that I was quite hard on it initially. So glad I took it for a couple of more spins. "Book II" is another story(haha) this one is about water, but man It's by far my least favourite.

"Book III" connects to the air, the sky, with titles like "Skyslumber", "Cloudship" and "Empress Of The Sun". There's a reduced role for Lars Fredrik Froislie as he's not listed as a guest this time. My favourite track is "Empress Of The Sun" an under 5 minute beauty. Upbeat is the word with energetic vocals. It will settle back some but this is the most powerful track on here. Organ as well makes an appearance.

"Cloudship" I have mixed feelings about because it's quite YES sounding but it's also a beautiful symphonic piece. Some spoken words and some percussion like we're travelling although this is a cloudship. The closer "Lost In The Palace Gardens" is the longest at 8 minutes but my least favourite. It's still good I just have trouble getting into it. Not so with those first two tracks "Magical Chronicle" and "Skyslumber" both are excellent but a notch below the music on "Book I".

This is a 4 star album for me but just barely, Too good though to drop it to 3 stars in my opinion but a low 4 stars.

THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN is a modern day supergroup that has taken on the mission of resurrecting material of a band named Fangorn that existed in the early 1990s but never existed long enough to release any material. Bringing the material up to date and infusing it with new life, this band that consists of members from Wobbler, That Samuel Jackson Five, Tusmørke and Jordsjø has released three individual albums in the last couple years to recount a fantasy journey of an intrepid should named Father Robin in a three part journey with each album focusing on a different aspect of the storyline.

"Books 1 & 2" emerged in 2023 with great fanfare as the band nurtured all the classic retro sounds of the 70s with a strong focus on Yes, Gentle Giant and the folkier side of prog with lots of flute and lush acoustic guitar. THE SONGS & TALES OF AIROEA - BOOK 3 follows the first two chapters in early 2024 and concludes the mega project laid down by this army of seasoned prog musicians. While "Book 1" focused on the land, "Bood 2" covered the water worlds of AIOREA. BOOK 3 tackles the more ethereal and air sign qualities and is subtitled "Ascension." This third chapter like the other two differ slightly in stylistic approach while all being anchored in the same symphonic prog meets folk in the classic golden age prog approach.

BOOK 3 begins with the opening "Magical Chronicle" which is the most Gentle Giant inspired track of the band's three album run. It's an odd mix of classic Gentle Giant eclecticism married with the symphonic prog touches of Wobbler's current Yes-inspired take on symphonic prog. Perhaps the most energetic track since the band's debut, it is also the most prog oriented with the most time signature workouts. A veritable tribute to the past unfortunately comes off as too close to the source as do many of the tracks after the promising uniqueness of ""Book 1." The album continues only in a much lusher and psychedelic tone. The following "Skyslumber" generates a dreamy "floating" feel with pacifying acoustic guitars and Andreas Prestmo's most subdued vocal style. Once again his contributions make the project sound more like Wobbler than any of the other retrospective bands that the members are involved with.

With "Cloudship" the band channels its most placid reception of classic Yes with a clumsy ballad that sounds more like Jon Anderson solo material than Yes proper. At this point the band has clearly lost any sense of originality that allowed the debut album to stand on its own. While "Book 2" was a step down, BOOK 3 seems more like a tribute band playing homage to the lesser known Yes and Gentle Giant songs only set to a folkier atmosphere. This is only the third track and it already feels like an album's worth of recycled material. Ugh. "Empress of the Sun" luckily picks up the pace significantly with a rocking guitar groove and accompanying keyboard heft. This is the kind of sound that gets comparisons with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizzard however the vocals are still in the Yes camp although on this particular track they sound different from any other track on the three albums. The keyboards then start to emulate The Doors demonstrating that this band is mostly about copying rather than innovating. A decent track that could've been much better with a healthy infusion of creative fortitude.

Continuing the album's lack of cohesion and flailing around, "Lost In The Palace Gardens" jumps back into a mandolin infused folk. It's a rather generic sounding track and unfortunately at this point the title of the track describes the band's inability to deliver a three album concept. This particular track is insipidly flat and pretty much drops the ball in any attempt to make this final album feel like anything more than a final album of leftovers. In fact the album is a completely botched attempt of wrapping up what's supposed to be a three part series that presumably should get better with every release. What happened was a very competent debut album that showcased influences but stood as its own as original found a precipitous drop in quality on "Book 2" and although that album was inferior, it least it was listenable. This one on the other hand is a complete waste of time with one uninspired B-side track after another and not a lick of originality. What a huge disappointment this 3-part journey has been. One album should've been enough and the band would've been better to wait until they had enough quality material to release the second.

Supergroup THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN is made up of members from Wobbler, That Samuel Jackson Five, Tusmørke and Jordsjø and features classic prog styles from the classic 70s as well as the Scandinavian revivalists of the 1990s. Salvaging material from a band called Fangorn that never took off during its time, this band has resurrected the long lost material and brought them to light in the modern world. The second chapter in THE SONGS & TALES OF AIOEA trilogy, BOOK 2 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor of a lengthy tale that is set over the course of three album releases.

While "Book 1" focused on the landscapes of the fantasy land AIROEA, BOOK 2 on the other hand focuses on the underwater city of Oriaseleah and the Sea of Ayouhr. Thematically continuing the storyline of a classic prog styled fairytale, musically BOOK 2 takes on a more pastoral dreamy disposition. While still implementing the diverse 70s throwback sounds of the flute, mellotron, glockenspiel and keyboard workouts in the style of classic Yes and modern Wobbler and fortified with the symphonic and folky aspects of classic Genesis, THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN slows thing down a bit with a much mellower second release that while not bereft of proggy workouts and more upbeat moments, certainly does seem like a dreamier ethereal underwater experience than the first album.

Comprising six tracks, BOOK 2 runs at about 39 minutes and feels like a traditional classic prog album of the 1970s in many ways, even more so than the predecessor which featured more heavier passages reminding of 90s Anglagard, Anekdoten and Landberk. Through the band's entirely what is most widely implemented is a dreamy folk style with lush acoustic guitars and references not only to classic Yes but Wobbler due to the fact lead singer Andreas Wettergreen Strømman Prestmo fronts that band. Overall the music just isn't as varied and the songwriting suffers a bit on this one as well. It seems that on BOOK 2 the ideas are stretched a bit more thin and therefore start to fall apart midway through the album's run. The musicians are still on the top of their game and perform with exquisite precision but overall this one seems like a step down from its predecessor.

Another thing that leaves me perplexed is that the music is supposed to represent the world of water yet doesn't really feel like water. The folky aspects offer a more seductive effect but the more rockin' passages feel out of place almost as if they were forced. Add to that the album just doesn't feel as original this time around as the whiff of Yes, Wobbler and Genesis has become a fully pungent stench. Not that it's a horrible thing but the creativity level has certainly diminished and it may have served the project more if the ideas were more even dispersed. It almost sounds like the ideas of Fangorn were designed for a single album and THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN is trying to dilute the original intent by stretching it into many similar tracks on this BOOK 2 at least often outwear their welcome.

The ease and grace of the debut portended that a second chapter would follow suit and BOOK 2 definitely has more than an engaging moment or two but instead of just sitting back and thinking how fun the album was like the debut, on this one i kept finding myself questioning various compositional moves and why they decided to sound too MUCH like Yes or Wobbler here and there. Certainly a decent album that will appeal to many who are more into the retro scene than i am but to my ears at least a noticeable decline in quality control principally in the songwriting and the ability to keep the stylistic shifts humming along in undetectable way. Decent but i prefer the first album much better and agree with everyone who says this one is too pastoral for its own good.

Primarily the long lost remnants of a band called Fangorn that never really went anywhere in the early 1990s, THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN is a Norwegian supergroup that has salvaged the musical ideas and themes of Fangorn and resurrected for the modern retro prog scene of the 2020s. Basically a work in progress for three entire decades and initially inspired by not only 70s prog bands but the Swedish revivalists such as Anglagard, Anekdoten, White Willow and Lanberk, the ambitious three album set THE SONGS & TALES OF AIOREA chronicles the tales of the band's namesake, FATHER ROBIN and delivers a stunning mythological journey into an alternate universe that is enshrouded in the classic retro sounds of the 70s and 90s prog scenes.

THE SONGS & TALES OF AIROEA - BOOK 1 was the first to emerge in 2023 followed by the second and just recently in 2024 the third. With members from Wobbler, That Samuel Jackson Five, Tusmørke and Jordsjø adding their signature sounds to the mix, THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN is a vibrant and exuberant example of modern prog implanting the traditions of the past while cross-pollinating more modern developments. Mixing aspects of symphonic prog and folk with moments of heavy rock and other progressive attributes, AIROEA delivers a veritable blend of the various prog elements that each member delivers from his retrospective band origins all the while engendering a mystical lyrical procession through a classic fantasy world which emulates the golden age of prog.

AIROEA - BOOK 1 is like a veritable time capsule of classic prog with pastoral folky passages reminiscent of 70s Genesis, stellar keyboard-oriented prog rock workouts from the classic Yes as well as the modern Wobbler playbook, extended jams bringing some of the newer bands like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizzard to mind and of course aspects from all the bands from which the individual musicians came from. Starting off somewhat clumsy with a noise and instrumental introduction, the album springs into action on "Eleision Forest" and then doesn't let up for the entire album's 46 minute run. Alternating between folk and heavy symphonic prog with flutes accompanying both contrasting styles, the band showcases a mature songwriting style that challenges the listener with prog complexities without sacrificing the melodic folk inspired melodies that prevail throughout the album's run. BOOK 1 covers the landscapes of AIROEA whereas "Book 2" covers the watery realms of the world. "Book 3" the air and ascension.

True that Andreas Pretmo's vocals make the album feel more like a Wobbler spinoff than anything especially since much of the music also could easily fit into the Wobbler playbook but something about THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN that keeps it from straying to far into the "Hinterland" and the discipline focus keeps the album sounding rather distinct from any of the bands that the members are associated with. The album delivers an excellent set of cleverly crafted compositions that nurture ideas to their fruition and then make the necessary changes to keep things from becoming stale. Nice prog workouts are strewn about to keep things from becoming too much in the lullaby realms with extra kudos toward the near 16-minute "Twilight Fields" which features the band's most demanding workouts as well as running the gamut of the diversity of styles exercised on AIOREA - BOOK 1.

Overall this is a brilliant set of six tracks that once it hits you doesn't let up until the very end. This is the kind of prog that will appeal to everyone. It's ridiculously melodic but in a sophisticated way that allows classical, jazz and folk to play together in harmony, it has stellar prog technicalities to wow fans of demanding workouts and it has an excellent thematic delivery that is not only believable but not so alienating that the entire thing comes off as convoluted. Norway has been the hotbed for creative modern prog in the last decade or so and it seems unlike with bands like THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN popping up that its' in any danger of losing its wellspring of creativity. A very well crafted album in the traditional prog styles of an era gone by but done ridiculously well to keep it all relevant in the present.

The Chronicles of Father Robin return with the conclusion of their Airoea trilogy. Book I covered the land of Airoea, and Book II its waterways. You can read about my thoughts on those, as well as some notes on this band's background, in my original reviews. Book III, now, is exploring the skies of Airoea.

With the Airoea trilogy now concluded, I've included my thoughts on the project as a whole at the end of this review.

Book III begins with "Magic Chronicle". Gentle guitar and flute provide a warm backing for the opening verse, but it doesn't take long for momentum to start building. The rhythm guitar is charmingly ragged, and the lead has a refreshing, jazzy nature. TCOFR channel Yes clearly in this opening song, but it's not a rip-off. There's a synthesis of past influences into something original. Much as Book II fostered a vaguely aquatic feel throughout its runtime, this song has a fittingly light and buoyant aura. Even during more urgent passages, this song stays aloft.

"Skyslumber" slowly fades in, eventually emerging into a dreamy, floating verse. The guitars are again light and jazzy, and all the instrumental elements dance around each other delicately. It's a pleasant cut that builds up some good intensity by its end, but both its intro and its ending drag on too long.

This gentle mood continues with "Cloudship". The band's Yes-iness is a bit distracting here, however. In particular, this piece sounds a lot like certain passages on Tales from Topographic Oceans. The bit of narration in the middle also crosses the line from fanciful to corny. This is not the band's most compelling song.

"Empires of the Sun" does its best to make up for the underwhelming end to side one. It's immediately peppy and impactful, with a fun, muscular guitar riff. The blending of folk and harder-rocking elements is a rousing success on this song.

The last proper song in the Airoea trilogy is "Lost in the Palace Gardens". Mandolin and acoustic guitar give this song some slight Celtic or bluegrass flavors. (And bluegrass does descend, at least in part, from Celtic music, so that makes sense.) The chorus is strong and catchy, and the song eventually develops a smooth, rolling pulse. The drama is clear in the singer's tone, but the instrumentation is relatively restrained. The song winds down to a rather mellow conclusion, and this is followed by the minute long track "Epilogue", a collection of wind and water sounds.

Book III was the shortest album of the trilogy, and this was a pretty short review. This album felt like it lacked development, and a lot of the songs come off as samey. Nothing on this record is bad, mind you, but a lot of it just kinda floats along and doesn't really make much of an impact.

With all of Airoea in the rearview mirror now, I can take a look at the trilogy as a whole. Across the span of these three connected records, each successive installment grew shorter and gentler. Shorter is not necessarily a bad thing, but having each album be softer is simply not good structuring. Having a big, impactful, flashy opening, followed by a slow-burn part two, and a folky conclusion strikes me as a puzzling way to plot out the drama. A movie with a comparable structure would not make for the most entertaining watch.

This isn't to say it couldn't have ended on a calm note. There'd be absolutely nothing wrong with that. The problem is ending it on a 34-minute calm note, with only a couple flashes of anything else along the way.

In retrospect, Book I is my favorite of the bunch, and Book II has grown on me a bit. I'm writing this review about a month before Book III is officially released, so we'll see if my feelings change in the interim. (Edit 2/25/24: Nope, they didn't.) As it stands, this is probably the most disappointing of the bunch. Taken in isolation, Book III is decent; but in the context of a three-part, two-hour conceptual piece, it's a let-down. I respect this band for putting out such a big record of mostly-solid music, and I commend them for following through on a long-dormant dream. In the end, though, it is plagued by pacing issues throughout. The music, while enjoyable at points, is not particularly original. The Chronicles of Father Robin are an unnecessary project. The dozen or so people who are in every Norwegian prog band do much better work elsewhere.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/02/26/album-review-the-chronicles-of-father-robin-the-songs-tales-of-airoea-book-iii-airoea-overview/

"Book II" is decidedly more pastoral than "Book I" to a fault in my opinion. It really isn't until the final two seven minute tracks that I feel they offer something worthy of being on "Book I". So not a 4 star album by a long shot, those first four tracks just don't do much for me at all. By the way the same lineup as the debut other than that guest vocalist who isn't back. They try some new things here which in my opinion just don't work.

"Over Westwinds" is such a mellow tune with a medieval vibe with those wordless vocals and strummed guitar. It's better when the flute arrives later on and some organ late to end it but not a good start. "Orias & The Underwater City" opens with atmosphere and water sounds, flute and synths too. Vocals at 1 1/2 minutes are almost mono-toned and at 4 minutes I'm thinking "it's still like this?" This is where someone says careful what you wish for because fake beats kick in with keyboard sounds I really don't like before 5 minutes. Catchy but... that's two tracks that went over my head but wait there's "Ocean Traveller" which I will not ever hear again. Too catchy with beats that imply we are on a trip much like CAMEL and GAZPACHO have done. Kind of cool but I don't like it.

"Lady Of Waves" is another song that just doesn't do much for me but we do get some energy here and for me this is the best track yet. The final two tunes are give us a strong ending at least with "Green Refreshments" and "The Grand Reef" but even the latter starts out like a jig before a quick calm and change thankfully. I don't know I just have trouble relating to this record. Love the flute and heavier sound on "Green Refreshments" some good contrasts too. The flute also stands out on the closer along with the vocals for maybe the first time on the album.

I am looking forward to "Book III" it is in the mail apparently but this one is more for fans of concept albums and pastoral music.

4.5 stars. So here it is the first full length studio album from THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN an idea that was conceived almost 30 years ago by a young trio called FANGORN out of Norway in the mid 90's featuring singer and multi-instrumentalist Andreas Wettergreen Stromman Prestmo the current WOBBLER vocalist along with Jon Andre Nilsen on bass and Henrik Harmer on drums and they are the core of this six piece band called THE CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN. It is overwhelming the number of instruments in play here. We also get two guest keyboardists from WOBBLER and JORDSJO respectively, yes Froislie and Oftung!

So yes a concept album, a book if you will and really it's those first two tracks a whole 2 minutes that gets this off to a disappointing start but they more than make up for it with the four monster tracks that follow. I'm glad they included "Twilight Fields" from their 2013 EP this one is a minute shorter but faithful to the original overall. Does anyone else think it's kind of amusing that Froislie who has been a part of this project since that 2013 EP released his own album also based on stories but with Norwegian lyrics. He beat them to the punch and released the better album in my opinion.

Part of my issue with this record was just how overhyped it was. Its been a while since I've heard a buzz like the one over this project. I really feel I'll be giving this the full 5 stars down the road despite that disappointing start. I'm sure it will be a minor annoyance even though I believe the start of an album is important. But man "Eleision Forest" more than makes up for it and at 12 minutes this is a ride. Surprisingly powerful early on and it will settle with flute and I should say the flute is a big part of the sound on this record. Organ is also right there as far as being prominent throughout. Love the wordless melodies before 5 minutes. Repeated themes and contrasts are here in spades.

"The Death Of The Fair Maiden" at 8 minutes is a mournful tale with old english like the KJV. I really like this one. Kind of folky at times but lots of energy at times too. "Twilight Fields" at 15 1/2 minutes has some haunting moments but also powerful ones. "Unicorn" is a great closer with that melancholic start then it brightens after 3 minutes, vocals too. It gets heavy later with a strong finish.

This will be part of my Symphonic "best of" list, there's so much to feast on with this recording, and a top ten for 2023.

1. Over Westwinds ethereal mass atmosphere, acoustic, flute, voice from above, minimalist intro, well why not 2. Orias & the Underwater City electro bottom with bubbles now; vocal liturgy on a basic 70's tune from KING CRIMSON; you have to wait halfway to get the electro sound of OMD like 'Enola Gay' phew it starts a little, but I was starting to fall asleep and then the electronic drums and this minimalist sound again, I'm getting impatient, the retro prog wants my hunger, simplistic 3. Ocean Traveler piano and guitar of the time, fanciful 70s sound pleasant to listen to at that time; old choirs then nanananana yes well it's a bit.. simplistic all the same; ah the last 2 minutes lead to a Frippian air, to a good bewitching, catchy WOBBLER, to eccentric BEARDFISH; yes but very repetitive

4. Lady of Waves continues on a soft, latent, sleepy musical curve, lacking in pep, it's a shame; 2'50'' wakes up with a heavy hard plot and a riff that finally shakes; soporific verse and the sound finally starts, yes it's good vintage retro, the thing that makes you move; the best yet 5. Green Refreshments with the Mellotron and battery waking up; she herself takes us back to the hard sounds of KING CRIMSON, on JETHRO TULL, ah AGUSA's flute comes here, that of ANEKDOTEN who did it so well in his time, Jon's bass keeps him alert; in the penultimate title it's about time; the shrill guitar is alternative; the flute takes us back to the folk of JORDSJO, we are suddenly in the orient yes it is good and the final Berber voices amplify the joy lavished; Fripp's scratch evident there 6. The Grand Reef with flute, bass, Hackettian break, organ for the folk rock finale by Ian Anderson where you want to dance, to jump naked into the frozen lake; energetic yes, vintage yes, the adventurous, avant-garde mid-term variation, on a HAWKWIND, a very crazy ORESOUND SPACE COLLECTIVE, are peyote also grown in Norway? The catchy sound ends with a dithyrambic crescendo with progressive tinkering, a sign of an approaching cyclone; return fresh, rhythmic chorus ah but why not that before?

An album too disparate, too short to be considered good, for fans only.

I went over the three-decade background of this band in my review of Book 1, and I mentioned that I hoped the three planned installments would have distinct characters. Where Book 1 covered the lands of Airoea'hills, valleys, forests, and so on'Book 2 focuses on the waterways of this realm. There is a noticeable tonal and timbral difference between these two records, and I appreciate that effort. The songs here have a distinctly aquatic vibe.

'Over Westwinds' opens with an ethereal kyrie eleison sung over gentle acoustic guitar. This ritualistic intro feeds naturally into a calm, reserved verse. I like the way flute lilts in the background, and though not a ton happens in this song, it's a promising starting point.

The soothing mood continues with the introduction of electronic bloops in the opening of 'Orias: the Underwater City'. The lush keyboard tones that accompany the verse set this submarine scene very well. However, this song takes a while to really get going. Between the four-minute opening track and this song's slow-moving build, Book 2 (which clocks in at under 40 minutes) feels like it spends nearly ten minutes introducing itself. Percussion doesn't even enter until past this song's halfway point. But when it does, it's a quirky beat that sounds like the old, cheesy electronic percussion you'd hear on certain organs. It works well with the various retro keyboard sounds, and it reminds me a lot of Regal Worm's last album.

The piano line which opens 'Ocean Traveller' is fun and bouncy, and there's a sense of both drama and whimsy as the song moves through some big-sounding instrumental passages. At points, there's a pronounced waltz beat that lends this song's moderate tempo a certain lightness. In the final two minutes, there are some weird and fun guitar lines that call to mind some of Beardfish's best work.

'Lady of Waves' continues with the floating, placid nature of the album so far. Around halfway through, the band finally puts some muscle into their music. The unendingly calm nature of this album has been its biggest downside so far, so even the relatively brief interlude of bombast on this track is welcome. The hard-rocking section is revisited in the conclusion, and it's the most exciting this album has been up to this point.

These relatively heavier tones continue on 'Green Refreshments'. The pace is more deliberate and plodding, and the liberal application of Mellotron and flute in contrast to the guitar parts reminds me of Anekdoten. Some folk and jazz flavors show up here, and I really like the way flute is integrated with this song's more aggressive stature. Jordsj''s influence is pleasantly evident in the Nordic folk themes woven into this composition. Most of this band's two albums (so far) have sounded primarily like Wobbler.

Book 2 ends on 'The Grand Reef', an upbeat and energetic cut with lots of organ, flute, and folk-inflected guitar. As such, I get pretty strong Jethro Tull vibes off of this cut. In particular, the opening reminds me of certain passages on Thick as a Brick. There's a fun, Wakemanesque synth solo in the song's middle, and the second half features a brooding, stormy buildup that I love. It's a strong way to end the album.

The second of three planned albums from The Chronicles of Father Robin is something of a split decision. It's more focused than Book 1, and I do appreciate (at least on a conceptual level) the album-spanning increase in intensity from track to track. However, Book 2 also takes its sweet time to get going, and getting through the first three songs on this album is a bit of a slog that often leaves me looking at my watch. Overall, I enjoy this record, and I'm very glad it's distinct from Book 1. Book 1 is more consistent, but the high points are higher here. I'm eager to see what Book 3 winds up being like, when that comes out in February. Fingers crossed, it can thread the needle of focus and consistency.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/01/15/album-review-the-chronicles-of-father-robin-the-songs-tales-of-airoea-book-ii/

The Norwegian celebration of the past continues.

1. "Over Westwinds" (3:59) a very complex vocal weave in which the singers quite often (and quite surprisingly) feel/sound quite pitchy--as if they really aren't skilled enough pull it off. Perhaps they shouldn't have. Kerry Minnear and the GG vocalists might have been able to do it. (8.66667/10)

2. "Orias & the Underwater City" (8:37) there is so much of the early WOBBLER sound here--especially in the vocal melodies and arrangements--yet the music is surprisingly sparse and simple. Kind of hard to accept/tolerate the old 1970s drum machine and ancient synth/Wurlitzer organ sounds that take over at 4:45. The Underwater City must be from The Buggles' lost soundtrack from the 1964 marionette television show, Stingray or, later, The Thunderbirds. Weird. (17.33333/20)

3. "Ocean Traveller" (6:22) another surprisingly simple song construct that reminds me, for the first minute, of some HARRY NILSSON music and then, after the one-minute mark, some early (and still simple--demo-like) YES harmony vocals. It's cute, quaint, and likable but hardly cutting edge. Unfortunately, the YES-imitation hardly works (the music is just too simplistic; Yes were never this rudimentary). Plus, the lyrics are a bit silly. (8.4/10)

4. "Lady of Waves" (5:38) more exceedingly simple instrumental work provides the opening and then foundation for the singing part of this one. The lyrics again are simple and almost silly: dancing and laughing "tenderly." (?!?!?) The meaty fifth minute offers some more serious instrumental action but never on the level of the great Wobbler stuff. (8.5/10)

5. "Green Refreshments" (7:09) gentle flute, bass, and two picked guitar chords precede a burst into Mellotron-supported "Knife"dom before returning to the bucolic opening theme. This cycle repeats twice before the music skirts down a more open, straightforward path of anachronistic prog rock (sound palettes from 1967-69)--and then some more equally ancient side-paths from there (think old MOODY BLUES, old JETHRO TULL, old YARDBIRDS, old BLACK SABBATH). (13/15)

6. "The Grand Reef" (7:25) opens with a very muddy/murky dynamic JETHRO TULL imitation, alternating for a couple rounds with a brief little more gentle prog folk dittie until the song finally bursts into full form with a very WOBBLER Rites at Dawn sound and feel. The fifth minute goes psychedelic with flutes, synths, guitars all swirling like a continuous roundabout--this particular motif playing out for a good two minutes before coming back to the original JTULL motif and then finishing with the WOBBLER Rites at Dawn vocal motif. Not bad! I wish there were more like this one. (13.25/15)

Total Time 39:10

Replication of the old sounds and styles of the hallowed "Classic Era" is all well and good--it feels good to hear it (and to recognize it)--and it is quite admirable to see a band accomplish such replication/imitation with such skill and fullness--but, for me, what keeps me interested in continuing the deepening and broadening my prog awareness is the artistic exploration of the new: it is the progression of musical forms that artists can (and, I think should) be focused on. This is not that kind of album. The subject matter of the album's "ocean traveller" concept are quite simplistic, even if you consider that this could be a product of some kind of psychedelic trip or communal "collective consciousness" event.

B-/3.5 stars; a fair contribution of retro prog to any "prog origins"-loving music lover but nothing much to write home about if you're looking for something to push the envelopes of new and innovative music.