IT'S NOT AS DARK AS THAT, FRIEND

England's Motion Theory gained some recognition around the release of 2009's Featherhead, and their most recent EP, It's not as dark as that, Friend, will hopefully garner some additional attention within the prog rock community. Sporting a more mellow sound and generally more professional compositions than Featherhead, this five-track EP will undoubtedly impress people who enjoy melancholic progressive/alternative rock. Motion Theory just keep getting better and better, and I can't wait to hear what they have next up their sleeves!

The music here is a bit more mellow than Featherhead, but still unquestionably the work of the same band. I'm often reminded of acts like Marillion (Somewhere Else or Happiness is the Road era), Radiohead, and Muse, but Motion Theory does have their own sound and never rub off as a "clone" of any sort. There's plenty of variation that keep the EP fresh during its entire 22 minute duration, with the mellow "Dead Reckoning" and the progressive "Sure It's Chaos, But It's Ours" standing out as highlights. The professional and tasteful musicianship further emphasizes the fantastic songwriting exemplified throughout the EP. One of my only significant complaints about It's not as dark as that, Friend is that the production is a bit weak. Although certainly listenable, it does sound a bit too unpolished for the heavily atmospheric music here.

Despite my issues with the production, It's not as dark as that, Friend is generally a terrific EP from Motion Theory that I'd readily recommend to all fans of progressive/alternative rock. These guys have their own sound and a knack for creating songs that are beautiful and memorable - and, for me, that spells quality! 3.5 stars are very well-deserved here. It'll certainly be interesting to see what the future holds for this talented young act.