HEAD

This is the debut album by UK proggers Thieves' Kitchen which is the band featuring ex-GLD drummer Mark Robotham. It is quite ambitious for a debut in the respect that the opener is sixteen minutes long, while the closing song is almost twenty minutes in length. They have tried to mix early Genesis with Coliseum II, with the keyboard and guitar melody lines often being played as one. Mark has also switched to playing electric drums which gives the overall sound a slightly different feel.

It is an album that contains good ideas, but they don't always appear to gel quite as well as they should have done. This may be down to the fact that this debut has appeared relatively quickly after the band were formed, and they are still finding their musical feet as it were. I have to admit to not liking the drum sound at all, but am aware that others may like that style. It's just that I'm not one of them. It sounds too artificial, too machine-like.

I am sure that Thieves' Kitchen will find themselves a place within the progressive underground in the UK, which is not nearly as vibrant as it was even five years ago, but can't hear much here that would let them move beyond that. It is possible that this album is just too soon and maybe the next one will be better.