Back in 2022 Background Magazine reviewed Surrounded By Ghosts (see review), the excellent debut album of Myth Of Logic. This progressive rock act is the brainchild of Florida-based multi-instrumentalist Scott G. Davis. Scott easily plays on keyboards, bass, electric and acoustic guitars. Furthermore he provides the lead vocals as well. His music is inspired by 70s progressive rock and takes you back to the times when acts such as Genesis, Yes, Kansas and Emerson Lake & Palmer ruled the progressive rock waves. Fans of his debut didn't have to wait long for a follow up, because one year later he released Pictures From A Previous Dream. Which was one year later followed by Light At the End. And at the end of 2025 his fourth studio album The Memory Of After saw the light of day. So a really busy guy this Scott G. Davis. The first three albums together form a trilogy. The so-called Here &There Trilogy. It tells the story of a man named Robin who mourns his lost love and, through dreamlike experiences, recovers. The follow-up The Memory Of After is a story-driven album following a character named Mercy as she decides the fate of everyone on Earth. Davis did manage to come up with a great sounding soundtrack to this new concept story. And with the help of guest musicians Chris Barbosa (violin on The Memory Of After Part I & II ), David Pate (saxophone on The Sky Is Falling), Jerry Outlaw (lead guitar on Mercy Paradox), Louis Alexi (drums and percussion) and Tara Jennings (voice-over on The Memory Of After Part II) he probably released his best album so far. The best musical parts on this album are the opening piece The Memory Of After (Part I) - Keep A Silent Watch and the closing one The Memory Of After (Part II) - The Skeleton Flower. Two epic pieces of music on which the music reminded me most of all of Kansas and their two masterpieces Leftoverture (1976) and Point Of Know Return (1977). The comparison comes most of all because of the fantastic violin playing of Chris Barbosa on those tracks. The American musician Todd Rundgren comes also to mind many times because of the harmony and lead vocals of Davis. Just listen to the other long epic piece Mercy Paradox. An excellent composition on which you can enjoy an excellent guitar solo done by the earlier mentioned Jerry Outlaw. But also Shadow Box goes towards the music of Rundgren. But also influences of Emerson Lake & Palmer are notable on this track. Mainly thanks to the brass synthesizer parts. Those influences are also notable on The Sky Is Falling because of the Keith Emerson kind of piano parts. But also Rundgren comes again to mind on this composition. However the saxophone parts move the song sometimes into a totally different direction. Maybe a bit of Supertramp or jazzy and easy listening music. Even Rush comes to mind on this album. Just listen to An Empath In Exile and Machine Language and you do know what I mean. Even the sound of the short lived band UK comes to mind on Disconnect thanks to the organ parts. Strangely enough, while listening to this album, I can't forget Neal Morse. A musician who is responsible for some amazing music since the nineties. Not sure he has been an influence to Scott but he certainly sometimes sounds like him music wise. To summarize you can say that The Memory Of After is an album which is ambitious, complex, and immersive, with a high technical display that merges vintage '70s prog influences with a contemporary vision. With the nearly 15-minute opening epic The Memory Of After (Part I) - Keep A Silent Watch and the nearly 20-minute closing epic The Memory Of After (Part II) - The Skeleton Flower as the magnificent highlights. With strong runner up Mercy Paradox. Therefore I can recommend this excellent album to every proghead who is most of all into the progressive rock of the seventies! **** Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
