REVOLUTIONS

I am not a musician, nor am I an expert on the variations of prog. Instead, I am a devoted listener to many prog bands, which I appreciate in many ways. I don't know the technical nuances of the songs. But, I know what I like and this fits right in there with older Genesis, Nektar, Camel, and Yes, while more closely being like Marillion (Fish era), Arena, Pendragon, IQ, and other neo-prog bands. The real difference, however, are the vocals of Christina Booth. In addition to the obvious (female), there is the fact that she has an amazing voice. This is not as evident in this album, but becomes very obvious in later albums Seven and Home. It is clear, strong, and emotive. It carries and melds with the music, rather than being distracting as many male prog singers can be (ironically, including Rob Reed on the few unfortunate occasions he sings on this album).

The production quality is excellent, as is the musical quality. The only drawbacks are that the lyrics are very awkward in some instances, particularly in Man and Machine, and the transitions between parts within each song are, in some cases, jarring and abrupt. Instead of being designed that way, they sound as though Magenta was not quite sure how to do it. Maybe this is a sign of a young band, or maybe I just don't appreciate it. Otherwise, this album is up there with any neo-prog album I have and is respectable compared to the giants that came before them. Very impressive for a first album. I also highly recommend Home and Seven.