Reviewed by Stephen Luff

Australia's prog rockers' fifth album is an interesting one. Albums of cover versions seldom overcome the hurdle of bringing new creative elements to existing classics but here Unitopia demonstrate fine musicianship and studio craft to deliver a cohesive project which exudes confidence and a warm affection for their extensive musical influences. As soon as you put the disc on the first thing you notice is the high production quality. Trackwise it is an intriguing selection: "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft", made famous by the sugary Carpenters' version, but originally recorded by Klaatu, is a strong song given a fresh creative coat of paint. Put that alongside Marillion's excellent "Easter" with its line "A time for the blind to see/Surely now can all of your hearts be free" and the contrasts become very apparent. The album also contains two excellent melodies, one dedicated to Genesis (with Mark's lead vocals sounding very similar to Peter Gabriel) and another to Yes. If I was to choose a favourite, it would have to be the cover of the Korgis' "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime" which, if it was possible, is more engaging than the original with its imitate, emotional delivery. Other masterly interpretations include "Even In The Quietest Moments" (originally performed by Supertramp) and Led Zeppelin's "Rain Song".

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.