THE THOMAS TRACKS

So we are 2009. Apparently that has not yet dawned on the part of Holland where this retro-symphonic rock band comes from. Now, I have nothing against retro if it's done with style and inspiration. I marvelled at Astra's Wierding album this year. But even in the heyday of prog rock, this Thomas Tracks album would have passed by completely unnoticed.

This is just an average revisit of Genesis, complete with a Hackett-clone and a Gabriel-clone on guitar and vocals. I think they even re-used some Nursery Cryme melodies and they certainly must have got a good bargain on some of Mr. Banks' antiques. Stuffy moogs and organs aplenty.

Normally, I would try to smooth my verdict by defending they do their kind of thing quite well. Really, I can handle derivative albums if they at least feature some adequate playing or good songs. Unfortunately, the occasions where this gang of retro-proggers could claim this are few: the opener Didymus and The Spell of Eternity come close, but no, not really. The result is unimaginative music, amateurish, devoid of personality, passion and creativity.

When prog re-established itself at the end of the 90's, I had really hoped that this time we would be spared of the kind of stale stuff that appeared after 1974. Wrong guess. For me, this is every bit as disappointing as Yes's Tormato, Camel's Breathless or ELP's Works. But, as you noticed from the other ratings it's just me again, poking my nose into other's people's pleasure. I should be ashamed!