Progressive rock spilling over into 1982 when very few people wanted to admit to listening any such stuff. Peter was in Van Der Graaf Generator and he was born in 1948, so at the point of this album, he was only 34. But he sounds much older. Looks older on the cover too. Prog was always a pretty timeworn music, I suppose. Music from a time when you could be born just after The War and still be only 34 when Donkey Kong was in the arcades. Weird.
Anyway, post-punk seems to have muddled itself together with prog on this album. And it's not shit. Post-punk's ability to eat everything in its path and shit out confusion and excitement. Skittering sax and guitar on "Seven Wonders" - "I don't know what it is you fear/The shift is nothing to be afraid of." That sounds post-, dunnit? "Paradox Drive" is maybe more New Wave, pop music riven with edginess. "The Unconscious Life" has more of a cabaret about it; another meeting point for prog and punk, I guess. Reminds me of later The Divine Comedy, the similar way round a tune.
"Accidents" sounds exactly the way the tune was written. There's something about his voice too. Like The Human League: flat and not flat.
Exotically un-exotic. Prog vanilla with chocolate prog sauce.
Rating: Prunk out of Post-Pog
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