Fred Trafton

October 23, 2002

A quick glance at Left Coast's web site will reveal that Left Coast is both a band and a recording studio, which is undoubtedly the reason for the high quality recording of this album. It's not hard to guess by the name that they are from California. Left Coast is a band that plays a broad range of different styles ranging from prog metal to arena rock to power ballads to "adult pop" AOR tunes, all very tasteful and well performed, and all with a proggy edge to it, though "prog" isn't usually the first word I would use to describe any of their tunes (well, with the exception of "Dancing on Crystal" perhaps).

"Earthquake" is the first cut, very prog-metal, sounding a bit like Blind Guardian without as many overdubs, but then it slows to a spooky power ballad at the end. "On The Prowl" is also metallic with some nice Jan Hammer guitar-like synth work in the middle and some "Lucky Man" synth soloing at the end. The next cut, "You" loses the metal feel and starts out as an AOR adult pop tune, nice but not very proggy. This is made up for in the song's postlude with spacey echoed 12-string guitar, a Gilmouresque solo and Steve Howe-ish arpeggios, the first outburst of what I would really call "prog".

"Moment of Truth" is practically Styx-ian pomp rock, suitable for filling arenas full of stoned males waving their fists in the air to the beat. "Do You In" is also petty pompous, but also features some interesting guitar chords, vocal harmonies and an ideosyncratic poly-metric bass line which I really liked, though I'm unsure if its a bass or keyboards. "Shadows" sounds like 2112 era Alex Lifeson in acoustic mode, (like the acoustic part before visiting the Priests of the Temple of Syrinx) except for the slinky fretless bass line which is a nice feature. "Evening in Montreaux" shifts gears again with an easygoing jazz rock instumental, though a bit too Steely Dan to really call fusion. "No Turning Back" is a 70's-styled rocker; "Spanish Lover" is also a rock tune, but has a nice latin feel and a sort of Flamenco part in the middle, juxtposed with an electric guitar solo. Neither of these are bad, but they're also not very prog.

"Rainmaker" is interesting for its pseudo Native American toms and cinematic movie theme intro (I've seen this section panned in other reviews ... personally, I liked it in spite of the pseudo Native American drums), but after a break becomes a conventionl metal rocker, though with some interesting echoed cascading guitar arpeggios. The most conventionally proggy piece on the album is the instrumental closer, "Dancing on Crystal", with some nice Steve Howeish riffs, string and chorale synth pads, multiple sections running the gamut from metallic to mellow to marching, and radical tempo changes. There's even a synth solo (or is that a heavily processed guitar?). This is my favorite cut on the album, and is worth the wait.

All in all, I would say Left Coast's Worlds of Mystery would appeal to fans of the so-called "AOR" genre, and also with some appeal to prog lovers, especially those who like the so-called "neo" or "metal" sub-categories. But don't get the idea that they will replace Yes or Genesis on your playlist any time soon. -- Fred Trafton