THE WAKE

As with Fish-era Marillion, England's I.Q. is another "neo-progressive" band that couldn't have existed without Genesis first pointing the way and brilliantly illuminating the path ahead. As other reviewers have indicated, THE WAKE is the product of a band that clearly owes its inspiration to early Genesis (up to and including A TRICK OF THE TAIL and WIND AND WUTHERING), but -- at least for my taste -- if one group is going to mimic (whether consciously or not) the sound of another, it might as well be that of progressive luminaries Genesis! In any case, I.Q. singer Peter Nicholls (unlike Fish) has a strong voice that sounds nothing like Gabriel's, and the songs themselves are varied and intelligent enough (as the group's somewhat cocky name would seem to suggest) to lift THE WAKE well above the rank of a generic "rip off" or clone.

Questions of inspiration/originality aside for the nonce, THE WAKE is a fine piece of progressive music, performed by an obviously talented group of musicians. Particularly effective tracks include the atmospheric and even grandiose opener "Outer Limits;" the hard-hitting, memorable title track (both songs feature great "Hackett-esque" guitar from Mike Holmes); the musically-diverse "The Magic Roundabout;" the initially-melancholy, then driving and infectious "Headlong" (which has a simply majestic closing section); and "Dans Le Parc Du Chateau Noir" (more superb axe-work here!), one of three "bonus" cuts included on the disc. My overall favourite track, though, is the album's longest: "Widow's Peak" is by turns magnificent, haunting, and passionate, and as good a piece of progressive music as I've heard since the 70s!

Would fans of early progressive rock, who are eager for some new (if not entirely new-sounding) music enjoy this album? Well, your reviewer fits that description, and track for track, I prefer this CD to anything that Genesis have released since "WIND." Though recorded some ten years after the glory days of the genre, THE WAKE is closer to the sound and spirit of early "prog" than much of the watered-down, later efforts of once-dependable stalwarts such as Genesis. Thus, I give THE WAKE a four-star rating (I'd give it an additional half star, were that an option), and recommend that you first check out the "Widow's Peak" MP3 found here, then order a copy for your progressive rock listening pleasure. Is THE WAKE a future "five-star" classic-in-the-making? Quite possibly -- check back with me in a few years!