THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

I wish this album was a bit better tied together, because some tracks are amazing. However, a poor layout and some weak pieces really weigh this album down. So, four stars, though a few of the tracks here have never been surpassed by the band.

This album is bookended by three longer pieces, The Good Don't Last, Harm's Way, and Flow. These three take some effort to enjoy. For a long time, I didn't really enjoy any of them. But over time, it began to become clear that these feature some brilliant music. Flow especially features some incredible vocals. I wasn't patient with them at first, which is very unprog of me. Apologies.

But that brings up the middle of the album. Four tracks: In the Mouth of Madness, Cakewalk on Easy Street, June, and Strange World. These songs are what define this album. From the explosive oddness of In the Mouth of Madness, complete with wacky sound effects, wackier lyrics, and a fantastic series of vocal lines, this track grabs your attention quite effectively after the mediocre opening track. Cakewalk on Easy Street is fairly straightforward as far as songs go, but the melodies really work, especially considering the bouncy abnormality of the preceding track. June is my absolute favorite from the album, despite there being basically nothing prog about the track at all. It's simply stunning, though. A must listen. Strange World is another unique one, not as odd as In the Mouth of Madness, but it's certainly a fun endcap to the shorter midsection pieces on this album.

If you really like the Beard, this is a quality album. However, as far as CDs go, I find this one to work better shuffled in with other tracks than standing on its own. Not essential, but fun, and with plenty of high moments.