TALES FROM THE LUSH ATTIC

I have to agree on almost every point of Salmacis's review. There is a knawing feeling of Genesis cloning on IQ's first album, but it's not a copycat. Nicholl does his best imitation of Gabriel on this album, especially on "The Last Human Gateway". The gripes I have with this album are Cook's drumming, which misses the pace of the band on some of the first track and on "The Enemy Smacks" and Peter's vocals are mixed somewhat muddily getting buried by most of the band, (I'm a BIG fan of his lyrics). Orford's keyboards are fine using Mellotron with good taste in spots, but of course better things are to come. The gothicness of the following album and beyond are hinted in spots, ("Awake and Nervous" for instance). And you'll hear the signature IQ sound around the 5 minute mark on the first track. This album smacks of first album syndrome, muddy production, out of sync drumming and wearing your influences on your sleeve, but by their next album, ("The Wake") it all jells. I still believe they're more classically progressive on their first album then any Marillion album, (but that's my opinion...) even with Fish, but I can only give this particular disc 3 stars, (4 if you're an IQ fanatic). BTW, if you get the InsideOut version, not only will you get a bonus track, there's a hidden track that's basically an instrumental ditty with an Asian/Indian flavor....kinda neat and unexpected to say the least.