Pentwater

Pentwater was an unusual musical animal. They took strong elements of progressive rock leanings of such groups as Yes and Genesis and combined them with a rather dark sense of humor and a strangeness à la Frank Zappa. This record was their debut and showed off a variety of sounds. From the opening anthem "AM" to the nearly painful "Frustration Mass," the album really covers a lot of ground. The closer of the disc, "Gwen's Madrigal," is the best cut on the LP, though. It is a progressive rock powerhouse that feels longer than its four minutes. The lyrics are a whimsical fantasy based on a washing machine, believe it or not. ~ Gary Hill