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Godley & Creme where 10CC members before they left the band and started a vast career in many disciplines, evolving video clips, productions and instruments development as well as making their own music.

The sub-genre, in which they tagged in this site, is prog related. Well, perhaps it is suitable considering their whole discography; I must admit I do not know it well. But this album is different. At least for me, this is a pure progressive rock album, and one of the finest.

Godley and Creme function here as a due, with just a little help from guest musicians. Lol (Lawrence) Cream is responsible for various instruments, from keyboards to guitars, through bowed acoustic contrabass. Kevin Godley concentrates on drums and percussions, including xylophone and tonal percussions, and build a unique sonic palette for each song. The drums are not very dominant here but you won't miss them much, since the diverse use of the percussions. The instrument playing is not of the virtuosi or Show off kind but actually there is no need for that in the kind of music they make. It's more of an emotional playing, and really beautiful. The arrangements, the vocals and the vocal harmonies between the two, the instrument playing, are all at top notch.

The music could be declared as artistic songs. These are not commercial or radio friendly songs, unless the radio stations will be friendlier to us (proggers) someday, but very delicate, elaborated and indeed, artistic songs.

Something in the overall atmosphere recalls for GENTLE GIANT, in the elaboration and maybe a little bit at vocal harmonies and the singing style. Some other elements remind me of old American musicals, and naturally they sound similar to their mother band 10CC, but less commercial, more intriguing and more progressive.

Out of the seven songs in this album, I'll pick quite randomly three. Every song in this album is worth writing about and of course worth listening too...

'Punchbag' deals with a boy insulted in school. The way he mourns his troubles and the music itself reminds me of American musicals, and the result is not so sad after all, inspite of the very hard words. Then comes the chasing part. It's more upbeat with a strong bass and guitar riffs. The song ends with the lyrics 'Can I please get up now, NO, when?'. This question is somehow keeps hanged up in the air.

'Art School Cantine' is about art students' way of life, trying to impress each other with their deep thoughts, and various existentialistic questions such as 'Does getting into Zappa mean getting out of Zen?' This song is backgrounded by slow, melodic fretless bass, bowed contrabass, piano, and acoustic guitar, in a jazzy feel. Very artistic, indeed.

'Hit Factory / Business Is Business' is the closer. The song deals with the music industry. The percussions on 'Hit Factory' create a factory or industrial environment while G&C are singing the line 'We're all working in a hit factory'. Then comes the business part. A simple, catchy rhythm and a bluzzy melody, carry this song in a perfect flow. Thoughts about business, expressed by lyrics, which seems to contain a lot of expressions and 'double meanings'. Sorry I couldn't grasp it all, is seems to be pivotal here. As in 'Punchbag', the song ended in a question. This question seems to be unconcerned: 'Maybe you can think of a way to turn me on?'. this seals the album wonderfully.

Again, this is not prog by the book, if such a book of instructions for making a progressive rock should be written at all. You won't find here great epics, nor stunning guitar solos, or long spacey jams. These are very artistic, elaborated songs with a strong progressive feel. For me it is definitely a five stars album, not a bit less.

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