TOM PENAGUIN

1. "The Stove Viewpoint Introduction" (2:44) layers of synthesizer-generated sounds creating a bit of a Patrick Moraz/Mike Oldfield soundscape that moves, in the third minute, into more Dave Stewart territory before bleeding into ? (the next song) (4.375/5)

2. "Housefly Leg" (14:25) though I love all of the instrumental recreations of old, familiar Canterbury sounds, it is the crisp drumming that I find most impressive (and original). The second motif that occupies the third minute sounds more GENESIS-like before shifting into NEKTAR territory for the third motif. Then we're back to the original KHAN/HATFIELD/ANTIQUE SEEKING NUNS sound palette for some beautiful and gentle melody making in the fifth minute. An electric guitar moves to the fore for the sixth minute to solo in a style that sounds and feels more like something from American Jazz-Rock Fusion (one of Steely Dan's virtuosi: Larry Carlton, Jay Graydon, Denny Dias, Dean Parks, or Walter Becker). This solo dominates well into the ninth minute with plenty of keyboard support and complementation until the nine-minute mark when Fender Rhodes and electric bass play along side some impressive drumming for a little over a minute. Then "everybody" clears out so the Fender Rhodes can support an extended bass solo--one that becomes more and more impressive (almost MAGMA-esque) as it moves into the 12th and 13th minutes. Tom has certainly become a great drummer! From 12:35 on the instruments are all weaving in and around each other in a very HATFIELD AND THE NORTH fashion, each virtually soloing though still maintaining some modicum of cohesion ? until it stops! Pretty impressive song! Especially the layering of support for the soloists but really the drums the most. Unfortunately, I come away feeling no particular connection to any of the melodies or themes lingering in my brain; more impressed with the highly skilled imitative quality of the music. (27/30) 3. "Aborted Long Piece No. 2" (3:35) though the thick, heavy bass and drum play in this doesn't quite feel accurate, I do feel immediate familiarity with the Dave Stewart-like organ and Fender Rhodes play on this. It could almost fit perfectly among Egg's classic suite on their sophomore album from 1971, The Polite Force. (8.875/10)

4. "Arrival of the Great Hedgehog" (9:16) basically it's gentle Fender Rhodes and organ arpeggiations and gradual bass augmentation and expansion with eventual Moog "flute" (or Casiotone "fantasy") play over the top until the electric fuzz guitars and drums join in during the third and fourth minutes, respectively. The fifth minute is slowed down for a more Andy Latimer/Eef Albers(FOCUS)-like guitar sound to enter and slowly build into an impressive (Allan Holdsworth-like) solo (with those very impressive drums accompanying, accenting, and egging him on). All of the above guitarists would have been proud of this solo--as drummers Billy Cobham and Bill Bruford would be smiling. Great production and performance. I wish the song could have had a little more development and nuance, not just exist as a skills display piece. (17.75/20)

5. "The Stove Packed Up and Left" (7:29) definitely a Dave Stewart composition. (J/k) To my ears, this song feels like the most mature, most developed and refined. (13.75/15)

Total Time 37:29

This young man has the chops, has all the appropriate instruments to create the appropriate sound palettes, and definitely has the ear to help him recreate old style musics (EGG, KHAN, HATFIELD AND THE NORTH, CAMEL, MIKE OLDFIELD), but I believe that he still has some learning to do with regards to fine-tuning his music so that they sound less like imitations and more like originals. After three published albums, I think he is well on his way.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of adroitly Canterbury-styled instrumental music. I would think that every prog lover would find something interesting and enjoyable on this album

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