Listen to the Pictures is, simply put, an average neo-prog CD. There are short songs and longer songs, they stay simple, and are mostly keyboard driven. Choruses have catchy melodies and the influence of
Marillion is palpable everywhere. Still, not much of it strikes the imagination or the soul. Keyboardist Alain Funck and guitarist Max Cinus do a convincing job, but the rhythm section has a tendency to go sloppy at the very wrong time. Jean-Pascal Boffo's mixing job is impeccable, but the songs are simply weak. Instrumental tracks like "Open Mind" and "Indochine" are
Supper's Ready's best material, along with the short but very effective "Days of War." "Harlequin" gets very close to one's idea of what "prog Muzak" would be.
Listen to the Pictures shouldn't be avoided, but there are a lot of better neo-prog albums out there. ~ François Couture