Aural Fixations

IQ
Dark Matter
(InsideOut)
When it comes to progressive rock, fans have it hard. Not just because the genre has been so vilified by critics and fans for its very existence, but because the term "progressive" has become ambiguous. Does it mean rock that actually progresses, i.e. matures, evolves and moves forward, or is it just an adjective that denotes a specific kind of music that bears certain well-known characteristics (including majestic keyboards, virtuoso musicianship, epic song structures, etc.)? For Great Britain's IQ, it's more the latter than the former, but you know what? That's just fine. There aren't many bands around anymore that still extol the virtues of classic bands like Yes or Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, and if a group can do that style well, more power to it. And IQ definitely does it very well indeed on its latest album Dark Matter. The five songs have it all—dramatic analog synth solos, lush organ and Mellotron, flashy guitar solos, nimble rhythms, theatrical vocals and, best of all, melodies for miles. Despite the occasionally epic lengths ("Harvest of Souls," an accusatory meditation on America's place in a post-9/11 world, has a whopping 24-and-a-half minute duration), IQ never lets the sonic presentation overwhelm the songs themselves, always letting the tunes take the lead—even if it's into outer space somewhere. The lyrics don't always work—a line like "One day one thing for sure—this too shall pass" hardly qualifies as a great insight. But that's a minor detail for sweeping tunes like "Born Brilliant," "You Never Will" and "Sacred Sound," which will definitely tickle the ear of the discerning prog fan. Even if you're a prog neophyte, Dark Matter is a good first draught with which to whet your whistle. Michael Toland [buy it]