THE ART OF MIND

Apogee is a side project of Versus X singer, guitarist and composer, Arne Schafer, and here he provides everything except for drums, which are provided by Eberhard Graef. According to the press release this 2015 album revives the typical characteristics of the golden age of prog, and references Jethro Tull, Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Rush, Zappa and UK. Hmm, I guess that means that the album I'm listening to isn't this one at all, as this is the type of album that gives prog a bad name. Normally, when I come across an album where the opening song is twenty minutes long, and the others are all eight minutes plus then I am singing the praises right off the bat. Here, not so much.

There are bits here and there that are quite pleasant, but just when I think it's just me there is another dire passage, or melody switch that doesn't make sense. It is almost as if he has taken those classic bands and has tried to pull together bits and pieces into a coherent whole, but if he was given a jigsaw puzzle there are pieces missing and he's lost the picture he is supposed to be recreating. I find it incredible that this is his eighth album, as in many this is reminiscent of so many tapes I was being sent more than twenty-five years ago, although in fairness the production is a lot better (and easily the best part). My last review of an Apogee album had me feeling rather the same way, that this is likely never to darken my player again.