Initial impression with these proggers' first album since 2002 is that the venerable trio from the Great White North is doing its best to keep up with complicated concept—metal bands like Mastodon the group's no doubt inspired. Closer inspection, though, reveals that most of the proceedings are fairly clean-cut and midtempo, with guitars only intermittently attaining heavy density (amidst the Cream-like blues-rock of the wartime statement "The Way the Wind Blows," for instance). Still, despite the lyrics' typically diverting barrage of paradoxical metaphors and philosophical bumper-stickers, and one commendable, down-to-earth homage to "factory town" life built on a Link Wray-reminiscent twang riff ("Workin' Them Angels"), three of the album's most notable tracks are instrumental: "The Main Monkey Business" (mythic with exotic world percussion), "Hope" (folksy, new age loveliness) and "Malignant Narcissism" (booty-shaking, jazz-funk fusion). Here and elsewhere, as usual, time changes will keep the customers satisfied. —Chuck Eddy