A SEQUENCE OF MISTAKES

Australia's answer to Mike Oldfield with its measured dynamics and sense of multicultural restraint. This album is a grower with the emotional hooks sinking themselves into you after repeated listens. 'Tear Gas' sees an experiment into Anathema-like territories with the clear female vocals being juxtaposed against Stawman's fragile tone. Beautiful vocal melodies and sonic exploration atypical of modern Neo Prog. In fact, I do not hear much of the neo prog sound on this at all, I think SJS would be best categorised as Crossover Prog on ProgArchives. The sound featured on his 3rd record (and his first two) would be much more at home along the peers in that subgenre.

The record feels somehow like a more cohesive band arrangment though it's clear SJS himself is the man behind the music. A special shoutout to the smooth and graceful bass parts delivered by Soulos that pepper the songs with a class often unheard.

I was moved by this record and SJS is criminally underrated.