I was much looking forward to this disc after Presto Ballet’s debut “Peace Among the Ruins”. But if you have “Peace…” and you buy this disc, put all your expectations on the shelf. The very first thing that jumped out at me was the utter lack of bombast (for lack of a better word). This CD is definitely lighter-duty than “Peace…”. As someone who prefers the heavier side of prog rock (i.e., Dream Theater, Shadow Gallery, etc…), my initial reaction was disappointment.

HOWEVER… I have listened to the disc straight through 5 or 6 times now, and I will say it is growing on me. After all, it is still Presto Ballet. There are certainly very intriguing chord progressions, rhythms, and so on. There is a lot to appreciate about this disc once you accept it as it’s own entity and throw away your expectations based on the previous disc.