BORIS

Where do I begin with this one? As most of the reviewers before me have made quite clear, the sound is far too complex to be described in just a few sentences. The closest thing I could compare the instrumentation to is Gentle Giant, but this goes beyond even their style in terms of complexity. The songs are full of wonderful changes and incredible moments that reflect quite clearly the many facets of eclectic prog (at one point I could swear it sounded just like the theme to "The Three Stooges"). And as if it weren't enough to pack as many changes as they did into each song, they seemed to go that extra mile and added all manner of math to any passages that seemed "easier" than the others, giving the listener a nice surprise every few seconds. This may sound off-putting when I write it, but rest assured, the songs are as melodic and beautiful as they are complex and bizarre. The sound seems to be derived from various other progressive bands of that era, with piercing mellotron sounding uncannily like Keith Emerson's, instrumental passages reminiscent of Yes, Gentle Giant, or possibly Genesis (this album includes the short instrumental "Texas Armadillo", which reminds me quite a bit of Yes' The Clap), and bits of seemingly improvised flute, sounding quite a lot like Ian Anderson's. Though the sound seems inspired by many other, more well-known bands, it is anything but derivative, and carries its own peculiar charm. I give this one five stars, a paragon of eclectic prog.