THUD

Brilliant. Complexity Made Simple. You're not going to get the technical prowess, or the overbearing theoretical gobbledygook, or the "show off solos," or the use of a symphony, or ambient noises, or the prog epic here. Nope. The complexity found here is in Kevin Gilbert's ability to make his songs talk for him. Replace his masterful lyrics with a lead keyboard part, and the music loses nothing. You'd still be able to know what he's saying. His beautiful lyrics are just the icing on the cake. Complexity is subtle here, perhaps that is what is so complex about it. This review comes with a fun story. Bored in the rain, I decided to take a drive up to the local Record store, hoping to score some Flower Kings albums. Alas, I could not find anything of the sort. I did, however but Rush's Moving Pictures, Hemishperes, Spock's Beard's Beware of Darkness, Supertramp's Breakfast in America, and Styx's Grand Illusion. While looking for some Glass Hammer, I notived Kevin Gilbert's album, Thud. It was very low cost, and I heard the name in discussion with people about latter-day Genesis. I though I'd just pick it up for one more. What the heck, it was a rainy day and there was nothing else to do. Later, I found Neal Morse's Sola Scriptura and Proto-Kaw's Wait of Glory. When I got home, the first CD on the pile was Thud. All the songs seemed short, I thought it'd be a quick listen. Boy was I wrong. From the opening notes of "When YOu GIve YOur Love To Me" all the way to the gut-wrenching "Song for a Dead Friend" I was mystefied. I have not had a listening experience since I first heard Karn Evil 9 on the radio (my first Prog Experience). Mr. Gilbert pulls off some really emotional stuff here. He loves music. It's quite clear that he does this becuase he loves music and for no other reason. He pours his heart into every song. My frends have even told me that they think this music is too emotional for my normal stuff. Since I bought Thud with the plethora of other albums, the only one that has been played in its entirety has been Thud. To me, it's even more emotional than Marbles by Marillion. Its refreshing to hear an obviously gifted artist put his all into each song. Oftentimes, emotion gets lost in the pomp of the screaming solos and attack of 64th notes. Kevin Gilbert makes complexity simple. It's a crying shame more people here have not rated this album. 5 Stars.