01 - Sunrise.flac:92472f42c2dbba37058f533802832890
02 - Departure.flac:9c82eecfe0aa496def76ce3a5fce5118
03 - Rolling.flac:965e6ec7f94b4959f21e50604c39e6e1
04 - Daydream.flac:8aa2e5b5afe35e4418aed6b79b3e7e61
05 - Moving.flac:4ef663f561766f6552797babee4cb705
06 - Midsummer Day.flac:90c1f8c5fb1d9a79b075d25a8279ee78
07 - Progress.flac:7d1622e8f2707f5579991d06d46a251d
08 - Sunset.flac:bc255d610fdd124445f691fc7ffeabd4
09 - Shunter.flac:036b400e2fe84c0e2f4a78375c62972c
10 - Rocking.flac:cead0c6e2f47e1c1af3dcd3ca3064930
11 - Nightdream.flac:1ec8b563bf0923eb55678114df0664d6
12 - Arrival.flac:d4e22b6afe98ea8d942fbe476c26a759
Following his days with the original King Crimson and the release of his LP with Ian McDonald, drummer Michael Giles focused on studio work. After building his own recording facility, he began work on Progress, completed it around 1978, mixed it, and then put it on a shelf, waiting for the "right moment" to put it out as prog rock was experiencing an abrupt decline in popular favor. It came out only in 2002 and thus will appeal mostly to nostalgic fans. A loosely conceptual album built around a trip by train, Progress is a very nice album of prog rock with hints of jazz fusion and Canterbury-style writing. Michael Giles is not a great singer. His voice recalls Chris Squire's on the latter's solo LP, Fish Out of Water (i.e., it lacks strength and character to assume a leading role). Then again, only five of the 12 tracks have lyrics. The other tunes range from delicate atmospheres to full-on prog rock anthems and feature established U.K. musicians like Geoffrey Richardson, John Perry, and Jimmy Hastings, plus brother (and also ex-Crimson) Peter Giles. Highlights include "Departure," where the drummer reminds listeners that he has the finesse of a free improviser, the quiet "Midsummer Day," "Progress," and the jazzier "Arrival." Most of all, Progress shows how good a session player and studio arranger Giles could be. It will be of more interest to fans of Cunning Stunts-era Caravan and Hatfield and the North (although the music adopts a friendlier mood reminiscent of Anthony Phillips' pop albums from the same period) than to King Crimson completists.