The right rate 3 stars: 4 stars to the originality !!
Lethe | Milan, Italy | 01/07/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is not a masterpiece within the new-prog field, nor a fascinating and appealing work ... yet the originality and the great interpretation by the vocalist Geoff Mann as well, make this album a diverse one! Some fans of "rebel"-new prog (Marillion oriented) regarded this album as the first example of punk-prog ... certainly this work is not derivative and expresses a lot of political protest, even though hidden quite well !! The execution is good, apart from some sloppy rythm and a formulaic drumming style too,but the impact is strong and the protest by Geoff is really surprising as well(listen to the "Creepshow"). The instrumental the "Poet sniffs a flower" is quite odd and epic too! The final output is not bad and, naturally, this band since their first approach into the field of UK 80's new-prog, created a very different and much more creative style in the early eighties, than a lot of other merely derivative bands(even though They are not necessarily better !!) Check this album if you like a simple new prog style- enriched with new ideas- and also their live ("Live and let live"), which is interesting ...not essential completely, but nevermind !!"