Chronometree

Glass Hammer's fifth studio release finds the band paying homage to ELP-Tarkus-era progressive rock. The music is wrapped in a concept about a concept album. Their tongue-in-cheek approach saves them from the obvious criticism that easily could have been heaped their way. The story pokes fun at the egg-headed prog-rockers, including themselves, who took this type of music too seriously. On a serious note, a similar story to the one described actually happened to a Yes fan who spent too much time looking for a deeper meaning to Jon Anderson's lyrics. Keyboardist Fred Schendel is a dead ringer for Keith Emerson, and he adds direct quotes throughout. Vocalist Brad Marler can be grating, but is thankfully used sparingly. The musicianship is top-notch, and the sense of humor is appreciated, but on the whole, Chronometree falls flat. Where as Transatlantic did justice to the heroes of progressive rock in a creative and productive way, Glass Hammer's comes off as amateurish and aimless. Diehards will enjoy this, but casual fans are encouraged to check out their more original work, such as The Middle Earth Album or On to Evermore.