FROM LAND TO OCEAN

I have listened to alot of prog and neo-prog over the last 35+ years, so I can safely say I'm pretty jaded. I have pretty much "heard it all". Not literally, but in terms of originality, musicianship, emotional lyrical content, what have you. I have heard too many bands that I could easily say "Oh, I can tell where this band's (or individual musician's) leanings lie." Genesis, Marillion, Camel, even Le Orme. The molds are all there and have been borrowed, turned, twisted, and still the influences show. Galleon presents their music here and does an admirable job of "hiding" their influences. They don't sound too much like anything that has come down the pike before, yet they are not totally original. The quality of the musicianship is commendable, sometimes remarkable without being "excessive" (the bane of prog when too many "great" musicians collaborate and jostle for sonic room in a bid to stand out). There's just enough creative originality, sparseness, emotion, and all-around great songwriting to make this an effort that made me stand up and take notice. It grabbed me with the first listen, and I discover more to like each time. The 52- minute long "Ocean" on disc 2 may get caught up a little in its own weight, but it still is hard to point flaws out. It's just alot to ask of a listener to endure "anything" that long. So the magnum opus has 10 sub-songs. There are no breaks or noteworthy transitions in it that make, say, "Supper's Ready" such a spellbinder. Still, I find it very hard to find fault with this music. It is richly written and rendered. It is tastefully simple but not "simplistic". No excesses in phrasing musically, but the lyrics do run like a "War and Peace" of music. Overall a very pleasant and rewarding listening experience that I recommend to prog lovers at all levels.