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Non-Prog CD Reviews

Alarm Clock Conspiracy Harlequin Review by Gary Hill The mix of sounds on this disc is pretty wide. There are proggy moments, country sections, jam band tunes, pop rock and a lot more here. It’s all quite good, though. There is really no easy comparison to make because, as much as this all seems to fit with the rest, it’s not really like any other band. Whatever you call it, though, this is an effective release. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2015 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review

Skygazer Psychedelia and progressive rock merge on the mellow, but powerful opening of this cut. It moves out to more of a straight ahead rocker after a time. That serves as the bulk of the song proper.

Got My Mind Made Up This one is a killer pop rock piece. It’s energized and has a great vocal arrangement.

Harlequin A lot of the title track lands in the alternative rock pool of modern rock music. That said, the killer instrumental section at the end of the song takes it fully into progressive rock territory. That movement ends the piece with a fadeout.

Hard Driving Wheel This one definitely has elements of country music built into it. It’s another that’s pretty mainstream in terms of its arrangement and execution. It’s also a strong cut. I love the instrumental section. It’s more or less a country based ballad.

Thinking Of More or less a Beatles influenced modern pop rock tune, I love the melodic guitar solo on this.

To My Lost Friend I can make out hints of the Grateful Dead and more on this fun little number. It’s bouncy and catchy and one of the highlights.

Too Much Another with a lot of the Grateful Dead mixed into it, this has a heavy dosage of country music, too. It’s another strong one. In fact, it’s one of my favorites here.

Sly Simmons Country and psychedelic rock merge here. It’s another catchy number. It’s also another winner.

On This bouncy little rocker is another with a lot of pop and psychedelia built into it.

Reginald Day Is Here A bouncy hard rocker, this is fun. It’s still got plenty of psychedelic rock in the mix. There is a lot of straight ahead rock and roll, too.

Creatively Losing Expression Here we’ve got a retro tinged bluesy rocker. This is classy stuff.

You've Been Content This is balanced between a harder rocking, bluesy kind of jam and a mellower, almost proggy one. It’s quite a clever and effective piece of music.

Something Tells Me Folk, pop and country merge here. This is an effective number with some hints of psychedelia at times.

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