WALLY

Well, this is an interesting one. Some have described this group as "Progressive Country," which is an interesting categorization for a British band whose first album was produced by Rick Wakeman. However, I think it's apt enough, as this band takes some decidedly country influences (especially in the vocal delivery and the instrumentation) and creates from them an at-times folky, at-times proggy album.

"The Martyr" kicks things off, and really sets the tone for where this album is going to go. A very laid back track (as are most of the tracks on the album), it features a very nice violin part that reminds one of some of Kansas' softer moments. The lyrics, while certainly not great, are probably at their high point here, as the band will deliver some truly horrendous ones later on.

Speaking of which, the second track is "I Just Wanna Be A Cowboy." Despite the title and the almost painfully twee lyrics, the song really isn't that bad. It's a nice song that combines some country sounds with English folk sensibilities to create an interesting blend. It's value as a prog track is extremely debatable, however.

"What to Do" is next, and is actually one of my favorites on the album. It's a slow, somewhat depressed sounding track, but the combination of country sounds and prog mentality is used to its best effect here, and the result is very good. This song I think really shows that less can be more when it comes to prog: there are no instrumental gymnastics here, but it's well arranged and the resulting ambience is very nice.

"Sunday Walking Lady" is the shortest song on the album, and I think it could have fit in perfectly on the first Crosby, Stills, and Nash album, as the vocal harmonies sound very similar (to my untrained ears at least). It's not remotely prog, but it's pretty much the only uptempo song on the album so it's a good change of pace.

"To The Urban Man" is the obligatory epic, and on my first listen of the album I was curious to see how Wally would take their sound and make a longer track out of it. Well, it appears that their approach was to write another 4 minute song and then meander for 10 minutes. It's pleasant enough, but it doesn't really go anywhere and I can think of much better ways to spend 14 minutes musically.

"Your Own Way" closes the album off in an aurally pleasing but ultimately forgettable way. This is one of those songs that sounds nice enough while you're listening but as soon as it's over you can't remember a single melody or theme from it. It has a passable, suitably laid back guitar solo toward the end, though, so if you're only half listening to the album it's a nice enough closer.

Overall, this is an interesting album, but not much more. There aren't any truly awful songs, but there aren't really any that are much better than "decent" either. The fusion of influences, though, I think makes this album charming enough to warrant a listen or two.

2.5/5, rounded up