THE LONG DIVISION

"The Long Division" is an album about broken dreams, pressing the flesh, kissing babies, handouts, partisan talking heads, hypocrisy, economics, special interests and Wall Street vs. Main Street. You're thinking this is some lefty manifesto, right? Nope! George W. Bush nor Barack Obama would touch this puppy with a 10 foot pole. No photo-ops, please. Anarchists, right? Incorrect. Nihilists, Eh!? Wrong again. This is a direct lyrical observation on the state of politics in the Western world. It's a take no prisoners approach on extreme partisanship, South Park without the crass. While the big boys and girls play, you and I pay. Not quite as dire as Nero and Rome burning, These lyrics are witty, intelligent and never preachy. If you're thinking Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil, you're way off the mark. These guys have a funny bone (Youtube their video for "You're Fooling Yourselves'...YES! A prog rock video!). 3rdegree may be new champions of intelligent lyricism on par with Peter Hammill, Neil Peart and Max Webster oddball Pye Dubois. They don't go near the depths of Procol Harum's Keith Reid (does anyone, really?). These guys excel at melodicism and songcraft. Musically complex , quirky but very accessible.. Prog Rock without the solos. It's a modern take on Max Webster, Rush, Gentle Giant-isms, Kevin Gilbert/Toy Matinee. As far as modernism, they have a similar approach to New York's IZZ and UK's Big Big Train. Definitely in my top 5 prog rock releases for 2012. A great companion to their 2009 release "Narrow-Caster".