REVOLUTIONS

From everything I've read, Rob Reed really wanted to celebrate his influences and purposely used Magenta to create something similar to those classic prog albums of the 1970s. On their debut album, Revolutions, Reed does just that. Influences are everywhere, including early Marillion, Yes (particularly Steve Howe), Genesis, Renaissance, and so on. However, the influences only seem to show themselves in small sections of the music. It seemed Reed may have remembered a good hook here and a good passage here and there from the prog greats, took it, modified it to fit his project and merged the whole thing together with very nicely written melodies, catchy hooks, and the beautiful voice of Christina Booth (somewhat similar in vocal range to Annie Haslam, but unique to my ears). The album of course shows some Cyan influences, Reed's other prog band.

The final product is made up of four 20 or so minute, multi-part tracks and a seven minute finale. So you really need to allot some time to listen to this whole album. I can already see people making comparisons with the hit-and-miss Tales from Topographic Oceans, but Magenta's Revolutions is so beautifully arranged that it's an enjoyable listen from beginning to end. And yes, it is accessible prog and shows very little in complexities. Reed's talent is thoughtful and provocative lyrics and exceptionally catchy melodies and hooks.

I primarily consider Rob Reed's project as a tribute to the greats of the past, and from the many comments I have read, this was Reed's intention for this album. If you can't get past the influences and loosely consider close resemblances as rip-offs, you should probably avoid this album. Otherwise, I think this is a remarkable and touching masterpiece that brings the past into the new century. Easily a five star album and highly recommended to open-minded listeners that understand the reasons this album was made.