BIRZER BANDANA

This has much more of the feeling of a self-released demo, and it is a shame as there are undoubtedly some good ideas that are striving to get out, and as I said at the time of the debut, I wish that Brad and Dave would consider turning this more into a proper band as opposed to a project with a few guests. This is laid-back, and feels just too one-dimensional in many ways, which I am sure would be different if there were others involved who could make their voices heard. Of course, with the two guys living in different countries, and Dave (who provides all the music) being in the progressive hotbed that is Lanzarote, that may not be as easy as it sounds. The frustrating thing for me is that there are some genuinely good songs on here, and the introduction to "There Again" alone is enough to get me questioning the above review, but it's just not really enough to make me change my mind. I'd love to hear a little more enthusiasm in this, and by bringing in a drummer, using Olga more, and perhaps some contrasting rock elements then this band could move to the next level, but as it is I doubt I'll be returning to this.

From here on in the listener is taken on a pleasant journey through crossover prog, mixing pop influences with prog rock. Different ideas have been tried here and there, such as the choral introduction to '3 To 1', and the result is a pleasant varied album that has quite a lot to offer. I like the way each track segues into the next, provides an excellent transition through the album. I do think the next step for these guys is to move away from a project and more into a full band, as having a huma drummer will make a real difference to the overall sound, and I would like Olga to become far more involved as she provides an edge that cuts through the Floydian styles to good effect.

This is a promising debut album, and is probable the first one I have ever heard from Lanzarote (Dave moved there a few years ago) ' not normally an area thought of as a hotbed for progressive rock. This is certainly worth hearing, and is currently available as a free download.