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A wonderful progressive rock album, that like for example Kevin Gilbert and Simon Apple blends many styles. And does it with grace! Sometimes sounding like a mix of Rocket Scientists and Genesis, and with it's rich instrumentation and well made arrangements thoughts also go to Phideaux, early Peter Gabriel and Alan Parsons Project. Simply Brilliant - Just For Kicks Music (Germany) Coming out of Australia, Unitopia's debut has some usual 70's prog sounds blended pretty well with modern influences. I believe this is the first Unitopia release other than perhaps an EP, so this is new to my ears. One thing can be said is that Unitopia utilize more than the usual retro prog act, and is heavy on rhythms and textures not too unlike Peter Gabriel's solo work. Hopefully the word 'Gabriel' cropping up all over this review doesn't put off anybody, as there really isn't any Genesis clone sound in here at all. The vocals do have a slight Gabriel texture here and there, but just slightly. And not really. The best material is towards the middle and end, where they textures and songwriting step up a notch. 'SLOW DOWN' is an atmospheric winner especially, while 'MORE THAN A DREAM' is a decent anthem. The album closer 'STILL HERE' is 80's Peter Gabriel to the core. While other 'prog' bands tirelessly study anything and everything Gabriel from 1972-75 with an almost unhealthy fanaticism, this one track is more the real deal, taking its Gabriel influence from the era when Gabriel was his true self and not part of a songwriting committee. This album is good melodic rock for night listening. It starts rather average, but the better tracks are in the second half. Here's the trax: COMMON GOAL: starts with the heavy rhythm, followed by some Mellotron. I was worried at first when I first heard the Mellotron, maybe thinking that the album would be littered with that cumbersome beast of an instrument. However, they also drop in some horn sounds, rappy vocals, dark guitars and other flavors. FATE: imagine Peter Gabriel as the singer of a slightly more adventurous MIKE & THE MECHANICS but not quite. This one is a melodic mid-tempo with some well placed saxophone and female backing vocals. JUSTIFY: Gabriel circa 1992(US) sound at first, before going into a more jazzier section with some clicking bass and electric piano and ending with a more anthemic closing. TAKE GOOD CARE: an orchestral intro, much like the soundtrack to an epic film. Then African folk influences, which take you into a more 'world' music scenario. This is a positive and uplifting track. RIDE: a shorter track in a funkier direction. MORE THAN A DREAM: a piano intro, engaging atmosphere and rhythm slightly recall IQ's more accessible moments from the 90's, if in spirit, while the orchestral bits add a rich luster which makes this one of the better tracks from the album. SLOW DOWN: an atmospheric and dreamier track which probably would have been more effective as the last track on the album. Almost Pink Floyd-like until the rhythm/funk section comes in with a jazz/classical section which is music to the ears, then the reprise of the main theme. Good track. LIVES GO ROUND: another more upbeat number with some Yes-like instrumentation. Mostly upbeat with slight acoustic textures, but with a slower mid section and synth solo. STILL HERE: some more atmospheric world music rhythms and obvious Peter Gabriel textures (think of an imaginary Gabriel album between 1986's 'SO' and 1992's 'US' and maybe something like this may have been on it.) Nice synths and ambience. Probably the one of the best solo songs Gabriel never made. And forget Genesis. Unitopia have started off with a decent disc for a debut, we'll see what happens next. - Jason Carson, Progressive Land Prolusion. The history of Australian outfit UNITOPIA is dated back in 1997 when songwriters Mark Trueack and Sean Timms met each other. Soon they recorded a semi-epic suite Take Good Care, which has become the foundation stone for their first album "More Than a Dream". The CD was released this last December and, apart from the band, it features an orchestra conducted by Tim Sexton. Analysis. "More Than a Dream" is a mixed bag, bringing together its makers' original compositional thinking with the 'discoveries' they've 'made' being influenced by '80s pop-art, though the artifacts of Neo progressive of the same decade can also be found here. The objects that Unitopia have drawn their inspiration from while working on this recording are quite numerous and include such well-known albums as Peter Gabriel's "So" and "Up", Phil Collins's "Face Value" and "No Jacket Required", Genesis's "Duke" and "Abacab", plus (to a lesser degree) "Holidays in Eden" of Marillion, "The World" by Pendragon and more, to be mentioned in due time. Unitopia at times very successfully apply the tunes and rhythms of their native aborigines, some other ethnic motifs, elements of opera, classical and English folk music, as well as hard rock- and pop-related features. The essence of Common Goal lies in the combination of angry electric guitar riffs with melancholically atmospheric passages of strings provided by the orchestra. Some works from "Salisbury" by Uriah Heep and Saga's "Generation 13" are notable for a very similar approach. Ride, Still Here and Slow Down are bright, melodically pronounced songs, and yet, there is nothing memorable. All lie outside my interest, as does Fate, which is arguably the most lightweight and contagious, a primitive pop-rock opus built around the invariably straightforward guitar chords with a primitive verse-chorus song structure. The addition of ethnic colorations doesn't help in this case at all, unlike Take Good Care where such are really in place, particularly when they're combined with orchestral arrangements. The title track is also a radio-friendly song, but it's more or less tasteful, based on a well thought-out melody. The refrain quite strongly resembles the central theme of Motherless Children, which is the first fragment of the 30-minute epic Duel With The Devil from "Bridge Across Forever" by Transatlantic. Justify has a nice instrumental interlude in the vein of vintage hard rock. All in all, the aforementioned Take Good Care (comparable with Peter Gabriel's gems Biko and Shaking The Tree) is the only song on this recording that more or less fully suits my personal taste. This is a fine symphonic Neo generously enriched with oriental and African-like tunes, the joint movements of orchestral strings, guitars and marimbas being especially impressive. Conclusion. Dear reader! It depends exclusively on your taste, whether to check "More Than a Dream" out or not. If you like your progressive music to be mostly melodic and unpretending, this is most likely what you're just eager for. Tried Prog heads should be much more careful, unless they've just suddenly found themselves to be equidistant from neo progressive and mainstream pop rock:-). VZ: June 16, 2006 - Progressor

A wonderful progressive rock album, that like for example Kevin Gilbert and Simon Apple blends many styles. And does it with grace! Sometimes sounding like a mix of Rocket Scientists and Genesis, and with it's rich instrumentation and well made arrangements thoughts also go to Phideaux, early Peter Gabriel and Alan Parsons Project. Simply Brilliant - Just For Kicks Music (Germany)

Coming out of Australia, Unitopia's debut has some usual 70's prog sounds blended pretty well with modern influences. I believe this is the first Unitopia release other than perhaps an EP, so this is new to my ears. One thing can be said is that Unitopia utilize more than the usual retro prog act, and is heavy on rhythms and textures not too unlike Peter Gabriel's solo work. Hopefully the word 'Gabriel' cropping up all over this review doesn't put off anybody, as there really isn't any Genesis clone sound in here at all. The vocals do have a slight Gabriel texture here and there, but just slightly. And not really.

The best material is towards the middle and end, where they textures and songwriting step up a notch. 'SLOW DOWN' is an atmospheric winner especially, while 'MORE THAN A DREAM' is a decent anthem. The album closer 'STILL HERE' is 80's Peter Gabriel to the core. While other 'prog' bands tirelessly study anything and everything Gabriel from 1972-75 with an almost unhealthy fanaticism, this one track is more the real deal, taking its Gabriel influence from the era when Gabriel was his true self and not part of a songwriting committee. This album is good melodic rock for night listening. It starts rather average, but the better tracks are in the second half.

Here's the trax:

COMMON GOAL: starts with the heavy rhythm, followed by some Mellotron. I was worried at first when I first heard the Mellotron, maybe thinking that the album would be littered with that cumbersome beast of an instrument. However, they also drop in some horn sounds, rappy vocals, dark guitars and other flavors.

FATE: imagine Peter Gabriel as the singer of a slightly more adventurous MIKE & THE MECHANICS but not quite. This one is a melodic mid-tempo with some well placed saxophone and female backing vocals.

JUSTIFY: Gabriel circa 1992(US) sound at first, before going into a more jazzier section with some clicking bass and electric piano and ending with a more anthemic closing.

TAKE GOOD CARE: an orchestral intro, much like the soundtrack to an epic film. Then African folk influences, which take you into a more 'world' music scenario. This is a positive and uplifting track.

RIDE: a shorter track in a funkier direction.

MORE THAN A DREAM: a piano intro, engaging atmosphere and rhythm slightly recall IQ's more accessible moments from the 90's, if in spirit, while the orchestral bits add a rich luster which makes this one of the better tracks from the album.

SLOW DOWN: an atmospheric and dreamier track which probably would have been more effective as the last track on the album. Almost Pink Floyd-like until the rhythm/funk section comes in with a jazz/classical section which is music to the ears, then the reprise of the main theme. Good track.

LIVES GO ROUND: another more upbeat number with some Yes-like instrumentation. Mostly upbeat with slight acoustic textures, but with a slower mid section and synth solo.

STILL HERE: some more atmospheric world music rhythms and obvious Peter Gabriel textures (think of an imaginary Gabriel album between 1986's 'SO' and 1992's 'US' and maybe something like this may have been on it.) Nice synths and ambience. Probably the one of the best solo songs Gabriel never made. And forget Genesis.

Unitopia have started off with a decent disc for a debut, we'll see what happens next. - Jason Carson, Progressive Land

Prolusion. The history of Australian outfit UNITOPIA is dated back in 1997 when songwriters Mark Trueack and Sean Timms met each other. Soon they recorded a semi-epic suite Take Good Care, which has become the foundation stone for their first album "More Than a Dream". The CD was released this last December and, apart from the band, it features an orchestra conducted by Tim Sexton.

Analysis. "More Than a Dream" is a mixed bag, bringing together its makers' original compositional thinking with the 'discoveries' they've 'made' being influenced by '80s pop-art, though the artifacts of Neo progressive of the same decade can also be found here. The objects that Unitopia have drawn their inspiration from while working on this recording are quite numerous and include such well-known albums as Peter Gabriel's "So" and "Up", Phil Collins's "Face Value" and "No Jacket Required", Genesis's "Duke" and "Abacab", plus (to a lesser degree) "Holidays in Eden" of Marillion, "The World" by Pendragon and more, to be mentioned in due time. Unitopia at times very successfully apply the tunes and rhythms of their native aborigines, some other ethnic motifs, elements of opera, classical and English folk music, as well as hard rock- and pop-related features. The essence of Common Goal lies in the combination of angry electric guitar riffs with melancholically atmospheric passages of strings provided by the orchestra. Some works from "Salisbury" by Uriah Heep and Saga's "Generation 13" are notable for a very similar approach. Ride, Still Here and Slow Down are bright, melodically pronounced songs, and yet, there is nothing memorable. All lie outside my interest, as does Fate, which is arguably the most lightweight and contagious, a primitive pop-rock opus built around the invariably straightforward guitar chords with a primitive verse-chorus song structure. The addition of ethnic colorations doesn't help in this case at all, unlike Take Good Care where such are really in place, particularly when they're combined with orchestral arrangements. The title track is also a radio-friendly song, but it's more or less tasteful, based on a well thought-out melody. The refrain quite strongly resembles the central theme of Motherless Children, which is the first fragment of the 30-minute epic Duel With The Devil from "Bridge Across Forever" by Transatlantic. Justify has a nice instrumental interlude in the vein of vintage hard rock. All in all, the aforementioned Take Good Care (comparable with Peter Gabriel's gems Biko and Shaking The Tree) is the only song on this recording that more or less fully suits my personal taste. This is a fine symphonic Neo generously enriched with oriental and African-like tunes, the joint movements of orchestral strings, guitars and marimbas being especially impressive.

Conclusion. Dear reader! It depends exclusively on your taste, whether to check "More Than a Dream" out or not. If you like your progressive music to be mostly melodic and unpretending, this is most likely what you're just eager for. Tried Prog heads should be much more careful, unless they've just suddenly found themselves to be equidistant from neo progressive and mainstream pop rock:-).

VZ: June 16, 2006 - Progressor