SURFACE SERENE

This is truly a wonderful discovery. It's rare to find an album that contains no filler, but Little Atlas' Surface Serene truly has no filler. Every single track on this amazing release is great. If I were a prog rock DJ, I could honestly say that I'd be hard-pressed to have to pick one song over another to play on the radio. They are all truly that great.

Little Atlas is sort of in the same boat as Spock's Beard, although they sound nothing like Spock's Beard. They have a sound that is all their own, but you hear influences all over the place. I hear influences from Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Echolyn, and Kansas, among others. Even though they show influences from the classic prog acts of the past, it's all mixed in with a very modern sound, kind of like what IZZ has been doing, but much better. Although there are no epics here, and it is only slightly complex in places, Little Atlas' hook is their catchy melodies. I sometimes find that these melodies can stick in my brain for several days after a listen. That's quite addictive for one with just two brain cells (and one of them is devoted to breathing!). The band plays with a lot of energy, emotion, and passion.

Overall, a genuine masterpiece. I expect that many years in the future, people will look back on this as one of the crowning achievements of progressive rock in the early 21st century. An essential addition to any prog rock collection. Highly recommended!