SLEEPING IN TRAFFIC - PART TWO

This is probably the least accessible album from their career. Not love at first sight, this album needs several spins to catch your attention. It is very diversified (from heavy prog during ''The Hunter'', even somewhat country-oriented with the well named ''South Of The Border''.

But mixing too many genres is at time confusing. The later song also has some ''10CC'' influence: some humour, several theme variations and vocal effects. Almost the same grotesque and bizarre atmosphere reigns on the weird ''Cashflow''. Totally eclectic, I must say. But difficult to digest.

This album is of course overshadowed by the ultra long epic ''Sleeping In Traffic'' which opens on a brilliant intro full of sounds; with mainly hypnotic guitar. An ENORMOUS start. Some flamenco is taking over for a while, which is fine. The first sung part could have been avoided but it is getting better after a while.

This song is well balanced, but to be honest it falls really short when compared to major epics from prog giants. Some passages are not really tasteful and as a whole, this track lacks in passionate moments, thrilling instants, memorable vocal performance or magnificent instrumental breaks.

In all, I can't consider it as a great prog epic, period. I had expected much better after having read all those laudatory reviews. Mine is not really like these, I'm afraid. I have listened a few hundred times to ''Supper's Ready'', ''Close To The Edge'', ''Thick As A Brick'', ''Echoes'' and ''Awaken'' to name a few. I will never reach these numbers with ''Sleeping.''.

Some might feel gorgeous to integrate some ''Staying Alive'' parts in a prog epic. As far as I'm concerned: I can pretty well live without this crap (yes, there are no other words to qualify this passage).

This ''Sleeping.'' is not very impressive to my ears. Ultra long album for the sake of it, that's for sure. Few gorgeous songs to be honest. I guess that this is one of the most overrated album on PA (with ''Les Quatre Saisons'' probably).

To my standards, this is only an average album but I will upgrade it to three stars.