Prog rock gets a kick in the pants from The Entrance Band and their self-titled debut.
There always seems to be an endless string of bands—Dead Meadow, Stephen Malkmus, the Mars Volta, et al.—paying tribute to late-’70s progressive rock. Luckily, there’s plenty of prog to go around. Enter the Entrance Band, formerly the solo project of singer/songwriter Guy Blakeslee and now a traditional guitar-bass-drums trio. On the L.A. group’s self-titled debut, there’s Clash-like immediacy on opener “Lookout!” with Blakeslee doing his best Joe Strummer. Though his voice may struggle to find a higher register on “You’re So Fine,” his guitar solo completely shreds. Solid tracks like Bloc Party–tinged “Still Be There,” anthemic “Lives,” and sludgy rocker “Sing for the One,” make room for “M.L.K.,” a balls-out sincere yet corny, riff-heavy tribute to the slain Civil Rights leader. With lyrics like “Hey there’s a reason I sing/’Cause I want to hear freedom ring/And I’ll remind you all of one more thing/remember Martin Luther King,” it’s not perfect, but it’s progress.
