THE HEMULIC VOLUNTARY BAND

I would like this album even more were the story/lyrics not about the life of a bunch of rodents. (Literally!) I like the GENTLE GIANT, YES and JETHRO TULL influences and "In the Wild" and "Late November" are definite prog classics. Sometimes sounds a bit like THE DECEMBERISTS--especially the 27-minute epic, "A Dangerous Journey." Wish there were more efforts to layer vocal harmonies as in the 18th minute of "A Dangerous Journey."

***** 5 stars: "In the Wild," "Late in November" **** 4 stars: "The Groke," "Waiting By The Bridge," "The Hemulic Voluntary Band," and (could be 5 stars were the lyrics more relevant and the musical shifts more varied stylistically and in tempo:) "A Dangerous Journey."