DON'T LOOK DOWN

Second album for this promising band. A sort of alternative Yes in sound (and members), maybe poppier, but a great opportunity to hear these guys experimenting together. The new album is more progressive the the first, with a lot of new ideas poured into each song, so repeated listens are necessary to fully appreciate or understand the music.

What I like the most is the killer bass being the driving force in most tracks and giving them an extra dimension. Some previously unheard vocal harmonies sung by Sherwood and Davison are great and powerful (e.g. the chorus on the title track) as well as some awesome guitar moments played by Haun, I loved his work with Circa and always wanted to hear more of his playing.

1. Real Time World (7/10) - as I said, there is a lot of new ideas here, but the first half is a bit messy and it is hard to follow some changes. The second half and the bass make it worthy. 2. Don't Look Down (7.5/10) - powerful vocals and great guitar, maybe too poppy for my taste. 3. All Things Considered (7.25/10) - Kind of 80s-oriental flavour with amazing guitar and chorus. Really reminds of Conspiracy. 4. Colors Come Alive (4/10) - This one does not make it in my opinion. Soft, cheesy and highly repetitive. There is an interesting (sitar?) solo towards the end. 5. Let Live (8/10) - Amazing bass here, my favourite track on the album. 6. Arc of Life (7.25/10) - I had high expectations for this track, but once again it is filled with too many ideas and despite some very good moments it still feels messy.

Overall, a better album than the first one, but not enough to reach 4 stars. Hope they keep progressing like this!