FROST*

.. but this is not quite the masterpiece you (and several others here) think. It really recycles a lot of Frost* ideas from years past. What is fresh is just very noisy -- too much compression in the mix.

I think "Life in the Wires, Pt. 1" is perhaps the most impressive. It's a very self-contained, clever piece, and it seems to give me goosebumps every time the noise recedes and the very shimmery lead riffs pop up.

As many pointed, this is probably Craig Blundell's best work with Frost* (since he was not on any recording until 2009ish). If you like drumming, you'll dig this. Thank goodness he was available, as the variation in drumming really kept me from digging Day and Age.

It sounds _a lot_ like Experiments in Mass Appeal, otherwise. Particularly Moral and Consequence. Propergander has a lot of the noisy bits of Falling Satellites era stuff.

A lot to like here, and several wonderful moments, but would've been better as a single disc.

Skywaving/Life in the Wires, Part 1 (8/10) Continuing straight from Day and Age, and introducing the main theme. Feels pretty Falling Satellitesque, but I like Wires Pt 1 a lot more now that I hear its beginning. Speaking of, they definitely chose a familiar sound for the first single. Heavy intro, but the structure is basic Frost. However, a basic Frost song seems to be required to make you feel like you're flying through space and have hooks other prog bands could only dream of. This song is full of energy and the great solos that many people have been waiting for.

This House of Winter (10/10) Another song that compliment Wires Pt 1. The transformation from coda to brand new song is incredible. One of the many ballads on the album, but this one might be the best. The section where the drums kick in and weave into the piano is beautiful, followed by a great guitar solo and then the absolutely incredible ending. This is where the album gets really creative and proves that somehow this bunch of 50 year old men can make something that sounds brand new. The band is really used its full potential here, every instrument perfectly complements the buildup. The ending really is just incredible, it's where the concept comes to life and I was completely hooked.

The Solid State Orchestra (10/10) 2 great songs, but somehow this is where the album kicks into full gear. The "can you hear me" sample from Day and Age is followed by the most hype solo since Milliontown. This song has that pushing and pulling quality that makes the title song from Milliontown so good too. God, this song is just perfect, and it's also the kind of song that justifies the concept album status. So many of the songs here just paint the picture of this world so wonderfully. Each piano key falls like a raindrop, the cymbals flow through the song like currents of air, the steady guitar keeps everything steady and looking forward. This is where I also need to mention that Jem's voice is perfect for this album. The light airy quality of his voice floats in the sky. And all these beautiful qualities are only the first 2 minutes before the song starts building towards that solo! The rest of the song is just as cleanly shaped. Many of the keyboard effects are very clearly keyboard, but Jem's quality production that was missing from Experiments and Satellites is back in full force here and keeps them from feeling out of place.

Evaporator (10/10) Another perfect transition into another perfect song. This is unfortunately where these perfect transitions end, I feel they can actually be a bit rough in the second half of the album. Jem stated in interviews that this album is meant to fill 4 twenty minute sections of vinyl, but Skywaving to Evaporator feels like a 30 minute piece. Evaporator itself is just as good as the previous 2 songs, and its name really is appropriate. I imagine if one were to listen to this on a mind altering drug it would really feel like it was evaporating you. I honestly just wish this song was a bit longer, the chorus is the fun and energetic side of Frost that isn't as present on this album as on Milliontown. I ended up listening to this song over and over because I couldn't get enough of it. It's yet another song that feels completely unique and cohesive to both the music and the concept.

Strange World (4/10) This is a very sudden and honestly, hard to explain drop in quality compared to the rest of the album. I really wanted this song to fit with the rest of the album, but no matter how many times I listened to it I just couldn't pay attention. I hear that Falling Satellite sample at 3 minutes though! This song isn't hard to get through, it just feels like a big gap that divides the 2 halves of the album. I have to wonder if this is the best transition between Evaporator and Idiot Box that Jem could come up with.

Idiot Box (7/10) Another classic Frost song with that touch of heavy. All 3 singles seem to have that in common. I also have to say, wow, the music video for this song is godawful and I couldn't stop from laughing at it a couple of times. The song itself is just a simple and powerful prog rock song, although around 2:30 I think it gains more traction. The distorted power chords behind the keyboard solo is VERY Milliontown, probably a closer replication than any other song on Wires. Other songs take the good qualities and use them for fresh new goals but that section is really just straight from No Me No You. I do like the last verse and chorus.

Absent Friends (7/10) Now this song is perfectly serviceable, but it actually drags the album down a little by making strange world even more pointless. Just a simple piano oriented piece musically, but the emotion is all there and it services the concept well. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I do wish the transition to the next song was a bit smoother. Not much to say other than that.

School/Propergander (10/10) Man this song really hits home the shift in the mood that Idiot Box started. School is really sinister, probably the most evil Frost song out there. It's also a great groove, another song that justifies the concept album and also stands on its own beautifully. It's fitting that this has my favorite solo alongside the one from Solid State Orchestra, considering one introduces livewire and one introduces the all seeing eye. School and Propergander are really one song when it comes down to it, but if I had to separate them I think Propergander would only be a 9. It's got a pretty standard structure, but man I just love the chorus here. It's a really powerful song, with yet another incredible Jem solo. He just does em' like nobody else. I think I could listen to a 5 hour album of an endless Jem solo. This is also the most british song on the album, never thought a silly little whistle could sound so evil.

Sign of Life (5/10) Ah, another fault of the concept album. The need to tell a story just doesn't always quite fit in music, especially in the sections where that story gets a heavier focus. The first half of this song is much like strange world, but fortunately the second half has some interesting detail and a little more energy. This song's real purpose is to set up the ending, which is truly a wonderful experience that makes slow moments like this worth it.

Moral and Consequence (10/10) The deepest cutting groove of the album. Between this and some interviews with Jem, you can really tell Craig Blundell is glad to be a part of Frost and has become a vital part of the band. Wires and Satellites easily have the best drumming out of the discography. Anyway, this song was another great choice for a single. It's also got the most self-fellating from Jem, lots of references to past songs here. He compared the structure to Black Light Machine, having a vocal intro and an instrumental backend, but it's a very fresh take on Frost. That also ties into it being the best of the 3 singles, being something anyone who's been a fan of past albums can get into while also presenting a lot of new ideas. The polyrhythmic guitarwork connecting the 2 halves of the song, man, I'll never get old of that. The heavy keyboard grooves, the floaty chorus, the lighthearted bridge towards the end, and the absolute wealth of solos, this song just has something for everyone.

Life in the Wires, Part 2 (9?/10) I honestly haven't quite processed this song yet. Oddly it feels like a Frost version of Detonation by Steven Wilson, it just has that combination of heavy and eccentric atmospheric prog. Also, Jem's voice at 7:30 sounds like Stephen Bishop and that's really funny to me. This song is also where I have to say I don't think this album quite lives up to Milliontown. There's much more top tier prog, lots of ideas that are executed incredibly, but it's just missing that moment of pure elation. The climaxes of Black Light Machine and Milliontown are the best pieces of music I've ever heard, absolutely face melting and out of this world. I was hoping this song would push Wires into number one but it just doesn't have that moment that tears my brain out of my body.

Starting Fires (7/10) A great sendoff to an album that went beyond my expectations. Ties up the concept and the music, and let you walk away feeling fresh and complete. It's hard to rate ending songs like this, the musical ideas are all fully explored so it doesn't have any ability to stand on its own. That's quite standard, but I personally prefer the high energy raucous type of ending like Milliontown or Raider II from Steven Wilson. Even so, it can be nice to finally let go and walk away after almost an hour and a half. Life in the Wires sent me spinning for a day or 2, it was really a shattering musical experience that I needed time to recover from. Albums like this are true masterpieces, and I'm glad Frost can still deliver 18 years later. I don't know how they'll follow this up, I just hope this isn't their last. Here's to a future unwritten masterpiece by these modern legends.

Standout tracks... "This House Of Winter" is my favorite. The strings towards the end of the song mixed with the gentle tinkling of the keyboard and xylophone gives me goosebumps. I like the heavy grooves of "Moral and Consequence" and how the tune blooms. Drastic changes propel the song from crazy to gentle, nice keyboard solo, and some serious off-kilter breaks. "Life in the Wires"... both parts rock but the epic second part takes you on a prog journey with unexpected twists and turns. This is what Frost* does best.

Jem said he wanted to give a nod to Milliontown with this album but I don't hear it. Unfortunately, what I hear is a brickwalled mix that is fatiguing. Otherwise, this is a solid album that is a worthy addition for all Frosties.

In many ways, it's a return to the glory of the Milliontown days, with Jem's voice to the fore, but I feel that this album surpasses the debut in many ways. The musicianship, the compositions and the production are all stunning, especially the solos. How do they play this stuff?

The production in particular has a modern sheen that distinguishes it from the 70s prog material that would have inspired it, more akin to a modern pop record (Jem, of course, has a lot of experience of producing pop hits with bands like Atomic Kitten) making it stand out from offerings by similar contemporary Neo-Prog bands.

Now it's late in 2024, will there be another release from a band that will top this one? I seriously doubt it, so this is likely my Album of the Year.

The result is a modern progressive rock album which is just as exciting as the very first time I came across these guys more than 15 years ago. Mitchell has no need whatsoever to prove his prog credentials as he appears in so many different places, while Godfrey is a multi-million selling songwriter and producer, and together they have created a band which truly excites people. It is not unusual for me to the first contributor to an album on PA, but that is certainly not the case with these guys as there are plenty ahead of me, such is the hold they have on the scene. Only four albums, but they are always a delight with the band incredibly tight, harmonies abounding, plenty of guitar but never to the detriment of the overall sound.

Some album introductions get a little cheesy over the years, but somehow I will never get past the small child telling us to sit back and relax, and "enjoy yourselves?. You scum". I did sit back and enjoy myself, and didn't take the scum comment personally, and found that this is an album full of light and dark, passion and power, quietness and very loud guitars, all with a commercial sensibility and complexity of arrangement which is just plain fun. Neo-prog just does not get any better than this.

This album is a proghead's delight from start to finish, and is possibly their best one yet.

For those who don't already know this band, this has basically been the solo project of vocalist, keyboardist and pop song composer Jem Godfrey. The FROST* project has been his way of crafting his pop hooks with more textural complexities and oft overwrought production techniques. DAY AND AGE is the fourth album to emerge and sees a new set of cast members joining ranks. Arena's John Mitchell has been with Godfrey from the start and returns as the guitarist. Bassist Nathan King of the 80s synthpop band Level 42 sticks around for his second album.

With the departure of drummer Craig Blundell, FROST* now features three guests drummers which includes Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, Mister Mister), Kaz Rodriguez (Chaka Khan, Josh Groban) and Darby Todd (The Darkness, Martin Barre). Jason Isaacs appears as a second vocalist along with Godfrey. The band's last album "Falling Satellites" appeared all the way back in 2016 but the EP "Others" appeared in 2020 and signaled that the band was still alive and kicking. Together these guys keep FROST* alive with another installation of its classic Genesis meets 80s Peter Gabriel sound forged with catchy pop hooks and atmospheric rivers of ambience.

This is somewhat of a bouncy sort of sound for neo-prog. You can certainly hear the 80s synthpop connections with those famous drumrolls that appeared in all those synth-based hits of prog's least productive decade. Basically the eight tracks that add up to over 53 minutes showcase keyboard overload with guitars, bass and drums somewhat as a backdrop. I'm not sure how many layers of synthesized parts are involved but they mostly dominate the album's entirety. To my ears this sounds more like a more complex Peter Gabriel solo album than anything in the world of neo-prog. Despite the Arena connections, nothing about FROST* resembles that band's cleverly crafted complexities.

Perhaps this an acquired taste that i've yet not acclimated to but i find this style of symphonic prog to be rather saccharine and uninviting. I'm not sure who sings where but the exchange of vocal parts sounds like a tradeoff between classic Gabriel inspired vocals and Neil Morse. The slow parts are in sappy ballad formats while the heavier uptempo aspects of the album sound like a better produced pop rock hit of the 1980s. While not my cup of tea, i have to admit the complexities of the keyboards are the highlight of the album's production heavy sound. I find the longer tracks such as the opening title track and the near 10-minute "Kill The Orchestra" to be the most redeeming however some parts actually remind me of George Michael songs with more guitar heft. There are several spoken word parts as well.

While neo-prog has always been the poppier side of the prog universe, FROST* seems to take this to the ultimate extreme almost sounding like a progressive version of 80s synthpop music only with a bit of guitar heft thrown in for good measure. When all is said and done this isn't horrible but neither is it the type of album that makes me want to return. The album is just too sappy and happy for my tastes. There is no diversity in emotive tapestry weaving and it's all a bit too one-dimensional for my tastes. I honestly don't see the appeal of this band but no matter how hard i try i guess i can't like everything!

With high expectations, a lot of time on their hands, and crazy times to be living in, these people have certainly crafted one of the finest prog rock albums not only of this year, but certainly of this decade. The big change with the previous albums is that Frost* parted ways with drumming extraordinaire Craig Blundell, known also as part of the Steven Wilson live band; And his replacements are three different people coming from different bands playing different music, which are Pat Mastelotto, Kaz Rodriguez, and Darby Todd - this is an interesting move for sure, but there are moments where it feels like the involvement in the writing process that a regular band member has, is gone.

Properly naming the album 'Day and Age', this record seems to continue the thematic explorations of 'Falling Satellites', which some may recall, was described by Jem Godfrey as his 'mid-life crisis album'. On this new release, Frost* take a critical look upon our wicked times and comment on the grim reality, contrasting with the little girl (later a male narrator) telling the listeners to enjoy themselves, while living in this day and age; A message that seems to be not too far away from the lyrical content of the latest Steven Wilson release. John Mitchell, Jem Godfrey, and Nathan King are, as usual, very elegantly playing, masterfully in charge of the music, depicting every bit of their imagination with graceful musical prowess. All this makes up for a pretty impressive album and another really good installment in this band's catalogue.

A great return to form, 'Day and Age' is, in my humble opinion, a sort of continuation of their previous, third studio album. The album is quite different from 'Milliontown', for example, but it manages to deliver that same vital energy. The songs are quite atmospheric, pretty mature, well-composed and certainly not standard when compared to the music of Frost*'s peers. A very peculiar decision by the band is to leave off all soloing that they are usually so fond of doing; a decision that certainly pays off nicely, as the absence of solos is replaced by layers of guitar and synth sounds, building up an ominous but comforting ambience. Some very notable highlights would include the title track, 'Terrestrial', 'The Boy Who Stood Still', 'Kill the Orchestra', 'Repeat to Fade', but in reality, there are no weak compositions or songs. An excellent album that would be a fantastic addition to any prog lover's collection.

Day and Age is definitely a step away from the lean, compacted, futuristic song constructs that Jem and company presented to Prog World in 2008 with their sophomore collection of songs, the exciting-though-jarring Experiments in Mass Appeal. In 2016, principal collaborators, Jem Godfrey and John Mitchel, teamed up with Nathan King and drummer Craig Blundell to create another collection of high-powered, compressed, and highly computer-edited songs on Falling Satellites, a good though, sadly, forgettable Crossover product. Here it almost seems as if the wintery gents are trying to get back to the heavier, drawn out Neo Prog forms they initially explored with their wonderful 2006 debut, Milliontown. Jem, John, and Nathan have here added some interesting drumming collaborators to present a very atmospheric and often heavy, though also, at times, symphonic compendium of expression.

1. "Day and Age" (11:49) Despite it's driven fast pace and heavy chorus, this song owes much to Peter Gabriel-- especially "Red Rain." The drumming seems pressed, the guitar work quite reminiscent of that of TOTO's great Steve Lukather, the bass like Tony Levin, and the layers of keys awesomely agreeable and not-over-produced-- though often Fender Rhodes driven á la M. Gabriel. I like, and feel engaged by, the non-lead vocal, instrumental sections of this song--even the foreboding section in the ninth minute with the children's choir singing, while the main vocal sections are just okay--are greatly saved by the Phil Manzanera-like guitar work and driving bass and drum lines. (22/25)

2. "Terrestrial" (5:12) despite great keyboard and guitar work, this is a rather generic, cookie cutter, power Frost* song. (8.5/10)

3. "Waiting for the Lie" (4:31) opens with a jazzy piano sequence of arpeggi over which a David Gilmour-like vocal is whisper-sung. A symphonic mid-section softens for a chorus vocal and a shift into a PORCUPINE TREE-like mood as drums and bass effectively join in as Jem's vocal soars and amps into an emotional crescendo. Nice. (8.75/10)

4. "The Boy Who Stood Still" (7:33) narrated by actor Jason Isaacs (Mr. Darling/Captain Hook on 2003's Peter Pan; Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series; Hap Percy on The OA), The Boy definitely presents an interesting, intriguing story--a kind of flip-perspective take of The Invisible Man. The music is great--with Tony Levin-like bass, driving Manu Katché-like drums, and layers upon layers of keyboard and effected guitar work. M. Isaacs has an awesome voice and approach to this performance--quite powerful and effective in an Orson Wells/Jeremy Irons-like way. And the music is dynamic, exciting, providing excellent background even though it remains surprisingly busy and nuanced when M. Isaacs is speaking and also quite interesting and dynamic in its own right when it is the primary feature. My first top three song and, in my opinion, the best song on the album--and one of the best songs I've heard from 2021. (15/15)

5. "Island Life" (4:14) media samples open before Jem's PETER GABRIEL treated-raspy voice enters to introduce the song. The band jumps in with nice enthusiasm and impressive pace and skill. Nathan King really shines, for me. John Mitchell's guitar work is nicely subdued in its support role and the drumming is right in the mix. The song is apparently about nuclear weapons and radiation poisoning--delivered by an adequate vocal performance. What is surprisingly low key here, are the keyboards! (8.5/10)

6. "Skywards" (4:15) Here Jem Godfrey's vocal sounds so much like Peter Gabriel--until the chorus and stronger parts when it becomes more like THE PINEAPPLE THIEF's Bruce Soord. Great dynamics, bass presence, nuanced drumming and, of course, keyboard mastery. A top three song, to be sure, though still bringing nothing new to Prog World. (9/10)

7. "Kill the Orchestra" (9:27) solo electric piano and palintive vocal for the first two minutes, it sounds almost like a passage from a BUGGLES song. When the song kicks into drive in the third minute, Jem's voice takes on a JOHN MARTYN-like sound. Heavy Frost*/John Mitchell bridge between the first two verses of this section, it returns in the fifth minute to briefly support the chorus. Then the song shifts into a busier instrumental support to the vocals leading into another blast of the chorus before bridging into a spacious, creepy keyboard-based "What have we done?" section starting in the seventh minute and playing into 7:45 before shifting moods with thick, multi-synth chords. At 8:30 things quiet down as cymbals support some bass notes and Gilmour-ish guitar, Keyboard chord play, and (17.75/20)

8. "Repeat to Fade (6:15) bleeding straight from "Kill the Orchestra," it is obvious that this Pink Floyd/Peter Gabriel- like song is part of a two song suite. (Why were the two split apart?) The bass play sounds so TONY LEVIN-esque! And the chorus sounds so much like "We Do What We're Told (Milgrim's 37)." Another top three song for me despite it's Peter Gabriel and Frost* familiarity. (9/10)

Total Time 53:16

Had Peter Gabriel ever continued on a trend toward heavy prog, this might have been what he sounded like. I have to say that I prefer the enthusiastic drumming of an invested Craig Blundell (a highlight of Falling Satellites) to the paid contributors here. Jem is a master of multi-layering keyboards and I love the way John Mitchell's restraint and excellently nuanced rhythm work reveal more and more with each listen, but it's Nathan King's bass playing that really keeps me coming back.

B+/4.5 stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection.

I've been a Frost* fan since I discovered them in '06, Milliontown is typically on my top ten albums list and they're one of those bands that I always make a point to check out when a new album comes out. So, I decided to give this one a spin a month or so ago. Immediately, I'm pulled in, the album just said 'Hello' to me, it's addressing me specifically . . . ok, I'm intrigued. Then it insults me, 'You Scum!' and I'm like, 'hey, let's not get personal here'.

And then the music kicks in. It's driving, the guitar is poignant, and then the lyrics kick in and the echoing 'who am I, who am I' resonates with me. In 2021, we've gone through so much history in the past year and a half, that I think we're all asking who we are. . . and suddenly I have a voice to my inner thoughts. 'We're living in a dying age, when the writing's on the wall, and we're burning with a quiet rage'. . . . ok, I'm hooked. I love everything about the opener.

The next songs are good and keep me interested and I'm kind of bopping along, then comes 'The Boy Who Stood Still' and again, I'm hooked. I need to hear the story of this boy, I'm hinging on every word narrated by Jason Issacs, the voice is perfect for the song, and the production is spot on. I loved the story and frankly, this is probably the most hopeful part of the album. Listen to the call back at the very end of the album, I think the 'can you hear me' question has got to be the boy from this song.

I think you can make a case for the last four songs to be an epic of . . . well, epic proportions. Throughout the entire back half, a lot of themes are repeated, and the songs show a certain consistency, aside from just the repeated order to 'Enjoy Yourself'. Island Life is this happy, jaunty song about vacation and the joys of holiday and how you'd better f'ing enjoy yourself or else. Skywards sounds like a reprise to Island Life with tones of the epic cacophony yet to come. In addition, the lyrics are a deliciously dark statement on blaming God for your troubles, 'What's skywards is not to blame'. On the epic theme, the keys in the chorus are a precursor to 'Kill the Orchestra'.

'Kill the Orchestra' starts off softly, but again, the bleakness of the lyrics shine through, 'Kill the orchestra, we're dying anyway.' This song takes you on an emotional crescendo building up to about the six-and-a-half-minute mark when it drops down and we are again reminded to 'Relax, Everything is OK, Enjoy Yourselves' as we enjoy a musical call back to the opening track. We get a tasty John Mitchel solo towards the end of the song, which only serves up the final track, giving us a glimpse at the 'Repeat to Fade' motif.

Then holy smokes, 'Repeat to Fade' gives me goosebumps. This song has everything going on in it, crashing guitars, Middle Eastern vocals clashing with angry screaming, trippy keyboards and again, the order to 'Enjoy Yourself . . . You Scum'. I cannot fully describe how much this song speaks to me. It's not a happy song, it's as dark and bleak as we get and a perfect coda to the album.

If you're looking for a happy uplifting album, this isn't it. If you're looking for something that captures the ennui and sense of helplessness of Gen X in 2021, then this may be your prog anthem. Is it a fun album, no, but it's an album that makes me realize, that I'm not alone. With a relevant theme, a fantastic mix and spot on musicianship, this album is gripping. Oh, and I almost forgot.

ENJOY YOURSELF, EVERYTHING IS OK . . . YOU SCUM!