THE REFORMATION

The first album from The Reformation presents an unusual collage of styles, including heavy blues rock, funk, psychedelic and avant-garde passages, and rapid spoken word. There are flashes of inspired guitar and keyboard passages peppered throughout; most other times, it sounds like a band in search of direction and its own sound.

'Sweet Redemption' Following a lengthy, baleful introduction, the roadhouse guitars come out, growling ZZ Top style. The vocals are a throwback to 1980s female-fronted rock (think Pat Benatar or Heart).

'Mechanical Blues' As the title suggests, this is largely a straightforward blues rock song, but it transforms into a progressive rock guitar jam midway through.

'Between Two Times' Electric piano-led and with some mighty fine guitar soloing later, 'Between Two Times' is a pleasant soft rock song, somewhat in the vein of Steely Dan.

'Ghost House Funk' Speaking of Steely Dan, this song makes use of a disharmonious chord not unlike 'Kid Charlemagne.' The male vocals here have a 'curled upper lip' slight snarl, similar to Wild Cherry. The electric piano break is the best part of a rather generic funk rock tune.

'The Rhythm of Fate' Heavy riffing and aggressive vocals return here in the album's lengthiest track, its length attributed to psychedelic jamming and noise rock tangents.