LIFE IN THE WIRES

This album is nothing less than a modern prog classic. Especially over the course of a double album, you would expect some filler material, but every track on here is a banger whose special qualities are revealed with repeated listenings.

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.