Interesting, original, sometimes great but occasionally perplexing.

Are you weak, maladjusted, a desperate lover or one of society's rejects? I'm sure you're not, but if you are, then Belgium's Green Violinist claim to have created an album specifically for you. Vincent Defresne, who is the lead singer and song writer in the band, takes his inspiration from great paintings to make his own art. That's the hyperbole, but what's the music actually like? Described as neo-prog, it does start out that way with a cacophony of sound, driven by a piano on the opening song 'The Great Scapegoat Seeking' that feels progressive and has a dark lyric at its heart.

Then the album becomes something else entirely. 'Velvet Rd' comes on like Chris Isaac due to Defresne's mournful vocal and his acoustic guitar which is a feature of this record, but where Isaac would go for a 50s influenced guitar solo, Green Violinist take the song in a trance prog rock direction. 'Shy People' continues to surprise as it sounds a lot like R.E.M would if they chose to make a prog rock record, again due in part to Defresne's vocal and guitar.

The 90s American alternative rock feel hangs around for the anti-Bobby Ferrin song 'Do Worry, Be Sad' which has a definite whiff of the Gin Blossoms about it. This song too then expands on the core melody of the song and heads off in search of ambient pastures. Throughout the record, piano, acoustic guitar, programmed sounds and choirs all have some time in the spotlight as much as the more traditional electric guitar approach. The latter tracks stick closer to the trance, neo-prog feel but don't leave the lasting impression the earlier tracks do.

Interesting, original, sometimes great but occasionally perplexing, if alternative prog and the bands mentioned above seems like a mix that you'd be curious to hear then it's certainly worth checking out...

Duncan Jamieson