RING OF ROSES

So what to say about this prog jewel! First of all I must react to the previous review from progaeopteryx - why do you always mind if a rock song sounds too fluffy! It doesn't necessarily mean it's pop and this album is a great example of it. For me pop is something that has typical pop music aspects - usually shorter pieces with the typical pop song structure and not many instruments and sounds in it and this album has very little in common with those aspects!! So surely some passages may sound like pop but it certainly is NOT pop! It's only not as heavy as other similar neo-prog albums, eg. from Arena or IQ - absence of heavy guitar riffs doesn't necessarily make music pop!

Anyway, it surely is not essential neither astonishing album but I'd say it's a good addition to any prog music collection. There are two remarkable pieces on this album - Jigsaw and Hall of mirrors, these are the longest and also the best! Frequent mood changes resulting from many melody and harmony changes and quite a sophisticated song structure NOT heard in any pop! You must love the ascending harmony in Jigsaw which begins in 5:07, it nearly sends shivers down my spine, so atmospheric! If something can be called pop here, it's the last Ring of roses song which truly sounds like a standard new wave song from 1985 still with a great solo though (only shows the 80's pop was perhaps the only quality pop). Kruhulick syndrome is a quality instrumental piece with a piano opening and a great guitar solo in the end. The only bad piece IMHO is the opening track The Whistleblower which misses more varied structure and harmony - pretty much stereotype. The remaining two pieces are solid - Scared of the dark definitely being the darkest song on the album with keyboards and drums creating the atmosphere.

If I had to compare this album to some other music, I'd compare it to some 80's new wave ala Ultravox or Flock of seagulls (especially the last ST song Ring of roses) with significant progressive elements! The harmony there is simply like that typical for the 80's!!! Highly recommended for those starting with progressive rock!