THE WORLD THAT WE DRIVE THROUGH

The opening cut on an album is crucial; it establishes the tone, pace and style of an unheard record and leaves the listener with the bemocked but all-important first impression. This is the problem - perhaps the only one - with the Tangent's second offering. But from track #2 forward, this is a fine piece of work for the 'side band' of some pretty big names in contemporary prog-- Andy Tillson's masterful keys, Bach themes and gorgeous piano/synth lines lead the way along with Theo Travis' (Procupine Tree) flute and sax, Roine Stolt's blues house guitar, Jonas Reingold on bass, Zoltan Csorsz on drums, Guy Manning (mandolin, acoustic guitar) and Sam Baine (piano, vocals).

'Skipping the Distance' features great symphonics and classical passages. 'Photosynthesis' is a bit weaker with warmed-over jazz themes and isn't helped by the vocals, but four of the seven members sing here, so there's no one in particular to blame. The 13-minute title track starts gently and modulates into a developed sequence a la early Yes with pastoral touches that remind of Gabriel-era Genesis but with a modern slickness. The band also draws from other prog staples such as Gentle Giant and ELP, showing great dynamics and intricacies not often attributed to groups doing this kind of nu-prog flash. `Tis a grower indeed, this one, and I wouldn't blame anyone for dismissing it as another of Inside Out's prog quick-fixes. It is a little better than that, luckily, and blooms as it goes, one song at a time. A solid three and a half stars.