REFUEL

Infectious, catchy prog-fueled music. The highlights are the songs Erik Norlander wrote--"She's Getting Hysterical," "Martial," "The Fading Lights," "Cheshire Cat Smile," "The Lost Years." All 5-star songs, combining the best elements of neo and symphonic prog, without any excesses. Some prog fans may feel this album is a little too mainstream, not proggy enough--but it has precisely the right amount of prog for my tastes. The focus is on quality songs and not on how technically proficient the musicians are (although they are, of course, talented). There's a generous amount of keyboards, which one expects when Erik Norlander is involved. The occasional well-placed trumpet and trombone, plus some guest vocalists--including Lana Lane--keep things interesting.

The songs Norlander doesn't write are still good. They fit the tone well, they're enjoyable and well-made. Some of them are 4-star worthy. But they're not why I have this album on repeat.

I'm not quite ready to give this album the coveted 5-star rating, but it's so, so close. 4.5 stars, and one I'll be returning to often.