PYROCLASTICS

The most amazing thing about Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic is that they came out of Boston, a city, despite being home to two of the best music schools in the world, has almost no ear for interesting music. When you think of Boston bands, what comes to mind? The mostly generic arena rock of Boston? The too simplistic pop of The Cars? Bleah!

There is almost no prog in Boston. My friends & I were once the only ones to show up at an Echolyn concert. So it's quite a surprise that Birdsongs can actually thrive here.

This album is quite good. It was the first I had head without Roger Miller (no, not that one). The tone without Miller, to me is a bit less harsh, and very palatable. The majority of the original songs here are inventive and creative, taking unexpected turns rhythmically, melodicly, and tonally. And each piece is completely unique.

The problems on this disk begin with the covers, an okay but nothing special version of The Simpsons theme song, which doesn't come close to their cover of The Rock & Bullwinkle theme, recorded for their first full length album, and Eno's Sombre Reptiles, which makes me yearn for 801's spectacular version from their live album.

The disk is also 2 songs too long. They should have left off "Tomorrow Never Came", a song using a rhythm borrowed from The Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows" as well as some small pieces of the melody. The song goes nowhere and stays there for its entire 4 minutes. The album ends with a boring rendition of Brian Wilson's "Our Prayer" played as a straight chamber piece.

Despite the above faults, I highly recommend this one.