UNIVERSAL MIGRATOR, PART 1: THE DREAM SEQUENCER

I can tell this is an acquired taste: some of it is actually painful to listen to. Even when it is listenable, this is prog-rock at its most pretentious. The only reason I gave it two stars (it deserves maybe one-and-a-half) is because there are actually a couple of songs that are "pleasant" (an admittedly backhanded compliment). The opening title track is an object lesson in how NOT to imitate Pink Floyd: I've heard it done better by amateurs. "My House on Mars" is an interesting "idea," but is only fairly executed. "2084" is the first track that is listenable, with some good dynamic changes and a nice vocal by Lana Lane. "One Small Step" is another weak track. "Shooting Company" is another interesting "idea," with obvious Floyd and Beatles (MMT) influences. (N.B. If you like Beatles/Floyd-influenced sci-fi prog, I highly recommend Klaatu's album, "Hope," which is a masterpiece of that genre.) "Dragon on the Sea," a listenable track, has a chorus that sounds like ABBA gone prog, in a minor key. "Temple of the Cat" is a pleasant, heavily ELO-influenced song (which even sounds like it was produced by Jeff Lynne). "Carried By the Wind" is a quasi-Irish-flavored number that ultimately fails. "And the Druids..." is forgettable, despite a strong vocal by Damian Wilson (which outshines the song itself). "The First Man on Earth," is another pleasant piece, similar to "Shooting Company" in its approach, with a good vocal by Neal Morse of Spock's Beard. The reprise of the title track is as forgettable as the original. / Although a few songs are "pleasantly listenable," if I had paid for this album, I would have asked for my money back. Still, it's worth a listen just to see how BAD some derivative, bombastic, pretentious prog can be.