SONIC TOOLBOX A Space In Time
( Review from Get Ready To Rock )

Double Dutch, anyone? Sonic Toolbox, a fairly grizzly pair of old proggers (?) from Denmark who – on the cover art – look like Boris Becker and Robert Plant after a night on the town (and on the reverse, Boris and Glenn Hughes). You wouldn’t want to open your wardrobe and find either of these guys lurking.

The pair’s second album, opens with ‘Your New World Order’ a broody, moody Depeche Mode sort of number – dark keys-dominated meanderings with melody provided by the vocal lines. ‘When You Go For The Rich’ brings a playful, almost pop groove to proceedings, and ‘I Can Do It’ is an unquestionable toe tapper, with ‘Love Your Life’ even featuring some decent lead guitar lines.

But quite where Lars Boutrup (vocals, keys, guitar and bass) and Michael Miller (drums, percussion and keys) sonic meandering fit in today’s bewilderingly broad music scene is something of a conundrum. Their keys dominated sound will almost certainly appeal most to those still rooted in the 80′s.

‘Wonderful Time’ is almost ethereal, ‘A Light Song’ a bit [spaced out] Beatlesy, and ‘Big Cigars’ (instrumental) has an almost Peter Gunn beat, which wouldn’t be out of place in an Art Of Noise set.

Is this prog? Fresh back from HRH Prog VI, I have to confess, I no longer know. ***

Review by Pete Whalley ( Get Ready To Rock )