When I found that there was another prog band in the Los Angeles area, I was excited because for the most part LA isn’t too keen on the genre. That band is called The Source and their debut cd, All Along This Land. Upon receiving their cd for review, I found myself thinking “wow theses guys are fantastic”. Then when I saw their ages, I was even more impressed by the music. I’ve told their manager a few times that they’re ’old souls’ and that they must have been in stasis since 1975. The latter comment is derived by the fact that they sound ‘out of place’ with the current rock scene yet perfectly in the past. Now this is not saying they’re relics or retro. No they’re beyond that. So beyond the clones on the 70’s. They actually sound like the 70’s but with a new millennium sound.
I had a chance to see them live on May 14th in Hollywood and I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I honestly thought the album had to be all studio wizardry and couldn’t possibly be recreated in a live setting….. Boy I was dead wrong! These guys performed like a seasoned touring band with barely a mistake to be found.
Okay now for their sound. I found them to be in the realm of such greats as Yes, Steely Dan. ELP, Pink Floyd, Genesis (pre-1973) and King Crimson to name a few. In fact, I‘ll even dare to say that they deserve to stand right beside these bands as peers. It really shows on the 5 part title track! My only issue is I wished the 5 parts were merged into 1 track but it’s not one that will take away from this great debut. I will also mention that the other songs are complimentary to the title track, especially my favorite song “Dreams“.
If you like what the 70‘s bands started, you‘ll definitely enjoy where The Source is taking it. They mix in with that 70‘s sound something new, something fresh without mislabeling it. Take a chance with this band and pick up a copy of All Along This Land directly from The Source! Highly recommended, possibly the best prog debut in decades!!
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on June 22nd, 2007
