Hear In The Now Frontier

Queensrÿche’s recent release Hear in The Now Frontier may be more accessible than 1994′s Promised Land, more pop than progressive, but it certainly isn’t lacking in subtext. It does at times venture into the sonic territory of the so called “alternative.” But, then again, there are hints of Pink Floyd, the Beatles – a decidedly 70′s sound (I must not be alone in this, because the April 1997 issue of Music New Network has made a similar comparison).

While almost every song has some lyrical hook that will stick in your mind long after the disk ends, (the music itself is as radio ready as Queensryche has ever been) perhaps the tracks that stick the most are “Get A Life”, “You” and “Miles Away” (which is almost the perfect summertime song).

It’s quite obvious that many of the high profile criminal cases of the last few years have influenced some of the lyrical themes here, but that makes for easy targets, as there have been high profile cases long before OJ, McVeigh, et al, and, unfortunately, there will be more after.

The opening track “Sign Of The Times”, which kicks off very Soundgarden-like, sets the tone for the rest of the album. Name checking such hot button issues as school violence and security, racism and vandalism, and government corruption, you know immediately that Queensryche haven’t gone soft and done a fluff album. However, the whole “lost youth” angle was more clearly, and disturbingly drawn, in “Empire.” Many of these songs here owe more to “Another Rainy Night” rather than their more challenging works. “All I Want” seems on the surface to be a love song, what with its slow guitar intro and dreamy, Beatles-esque quality to it (cf Sgt Pepper’s), it is actually very dark and sinister. “Some People Fly” is to this album what “Best I Can” was to 1990′s Empire – determined to succeed or survive against all odds.

There is much to like about this album. If you are into the more popish side of rock (or progressive rock), this is one to pick up.

#	TITLE	SAMPLE	LYRICS
01.	Sign Of The Times	Alternative content	SHOW
02.	Cuckoo's Nest	Alternative content	SHOW
03.	Get A Life	Alternative content	SHOW
04.	The Voice Inside	Alternative content	SHOW
05.	Some People Fly	Alternative content	SHOW
06.	Saved	Alternative content	SHOW
07.	You	Alternative content	SHOW
08.	Hero	Alternative content	SHOW
09.	Miles Away	Alternative content	SHOW
10.	Reach	Alternative content	SHOW
11.	All I Want	Alternative content	SHOW
12.	Hit The Black	Alternative content	SHOW
13.	Anytime / Anywhere	Alternative content	SHOW
14.	sp00L	Alternative content	SHOW
15.	Chasing Blue Sky	Alternative content	SHOW
16.	Silent Lucidity (Unplugged)	Alternative content	SHOW
17.	The Killing Words (Unplugged)	Alternative content	SHOW
18.	I Will Remember (Unplugged)	Alternative content	SHOW