CHILDREN OF ANOTHER GOD

When I put my feet up, open my ears and take in this 2010 release by the keyboard magus Magnus, the last impression that comes to mind is "low budget". Yet, in spite of all the guitar figures charitably distributed throughout this work, apparently only one track actually includes that instrument strewn about the shoulders that is fretted and picked. The rest is apparently synthesized, which really goes to show how far technology has come, and how, in the right hands, it can craftily dispense with codependency on big budget studios and production. And this man seems to have two right hands.

Still and all, I guess what upsets me most is that I thought Messieurs Hackett and Magnus were old buddies, and surely Steve and his brother could be persuaded to join Nick for old times sake. You mean he has to pay them? I guess we are spoiled by the explosion of prog from all quadrants that masks its minimal commercial viability, but economic realities impinge, albeit in this case not enough to denigrate the quality in the slightest. Leaving production aside, the concept, lyrics, musical score - yes this is a visually resplendent album, and arrangements are all best of breed. Magnus has traded the more poppy and world oriented songs from "Hexameron" for a more uniformly progressive release that is still quite vocal oriented. The only exception would be the ALAN PARSONS like "Doctor Prometheus", which is ironically one of the most accomplished, but the title cut introduces a soothing melody that reappears much later, while "The Colony is King" is possibly the best STEVE HACKETT track not to appear on a Hackett album. The dark and foreboding "Crimewave Monkeys" laments the anonymity of today's average cyber crook. Linda John-Pierre cops a quasi JON ANDERSON persona for the delicate "The Others".

In almost every way an improvement on Magnus' prior work, "Children of Another God" unfolds as a victim of its own success. Like that A student needing just marginal accretion, it never quite lunges beyond its comfort level long enough to attain highest honors. Still, this is an excellent album by an artist who has kept the faith far longer than many of prog's erstwhile Deities.