TIMEWISE

Sometimes, the packaging can be misleading. On occasion, the cover is amazing and the contents, beurk (Hello, Asia) . Here we have the exact opposite! Fiercely rejecting recommendations from my prog-store (err. drug store!), I remained unimpressed by the glowing hints (fabulous playing, Gabrielesque vocals, great sound etc.) because of the very AOR looking, lactose intensive artwork that makes Brie look like Polyfilla. Puffy clouds, blue Sky, so-so low-go, I mean please! More Fool Me! From the opening seconds, this American band provides some Grand, a little Funk (in a progressive sense) but no Railroad! The first highly obvious asset is the verbatim clone of Peter Gabriel in the person of Josh Gleason of the Waiting Room who is way more convincing than say Simone Rossetti of the Watch (that Italian accent!), Cyrus of Citizen Cain (close but no stogie) or even the sadly departed Shawn Guerin (RIP) . It's quasi on the verge of Rich Little! But the bulk of this hour long recording remains firmly in the instrumental workout realm, navigating steadily in the symphonic vein without bombast or fanfare, with each musician shining on their respective craft. I actually prefer a debut album where the first track socks straight into the kisser! No blah preludes, overtures and "mise en scene", go for the jugular, I say! "Fathom" is just that lunge, slashing deep into the progressive mettle and taking no prisoners. With a swirling dual keyboard attack with massive doses of splendid dueling pianos weaving the aural texture, guitarist Mike Caputo lays down some sultry leads that stick to the pleasure nodes and drummer Keith Welsh does a sizable Mike Shrieve imitation with lots of cymbal work and loads of percussive frills while propelling the music ever so forward. Oh, and some brief vocals that wink, hint, nod and nudge at you know who. A first rate track. The title piece is highway driving music for the prog speedster, whooshing down the turnpike at breakneck speed with zipping sounds zooming out of the speakers, waking up the 'hood. As they bend out of their windows, they applaud. Tremendous fun, fans of recent KC will approve. On "A Moment's Peace" Caputo puts down a brief acoustic ditty, just to demonstrate that he can pick with style and technique. Hey, this is amazing and highly interesting music from these New Yorkers! "Trial & Triumph" is introduced with bells, dings and bongs, until the guitar-synth tandem set the stage, ushering in a 10 minute masterpiece letting Josh to advance once again to the mike with a melody that will shiver your spine. The pianos radiate, the arrangement ebbs and flows in the finest Genesis tradition with some scintillating contrasts and deliberate restraint, finally topped off with a Caputo solo that nails this shut with some blistering sorties. "Speak of Me As I Am" is another 10 minute job that relies on a heavy symphonic opening, with a jazzier piano driven melody, again evoking the days where crimes were committed in the nursery and dancing the foxtrot was the norm. The middle section in particular has a slithering lead guitar adventure, a piano reprise and a gentle finale that will relish your pickle. "Wayfarer's Dance" is another Caputo acoustic ode, country cousin of the third track and a respite before the last gem, the exhilarating "Harvesting Stars". Another "take a little trip back" tune with that sprightly piano leading the way, pushed by some intense drumming and offering up some dandy organ work. A lengthy search and destroy electric lead resembling more Holdsworth than the other Hacker puts this entire musical adventure in the books as a winner. Of course, there's more dramatic vocal work to keep the charm aglow. I declare the vocal-led tunes on this disc to be the finest "Genesis" tracks of the 21st Century (take that to the Banks!), un-bloody-believable! 4.5 knives.