Orion's Room

Proudly boasting the label of "acoustic prog rock," Orion's Room mixes the unlikely combination of Celtic-influenced folk music with various aspects of '70s-era arena rock. The fact that Herman's Hideaway serves as the "arena" on this live offering is only part of the problem with The Development. The juxtaposition of...

By Patrick Casey

March 20, 2003

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Proudly boasting the label of "acoustic prog rock," Orion's Room mixes the unlikely combination of Celtic-influenced folk music with various aspects of '70s-era arena rock. The fact that Herman's Hideaway serves as the "arena" on this live offering is only part of the problem with The Development. The juxtaposition of the band's music -- which has a distinctive Riverdance flavor -- with the guttural growl of Glenn Danzig-type vocals suggests early on that subtlety is not this group's forte. Cliched crowd-baiting and drum solos throw almost all remaining nuance out the window. The band would do well to further highlight the earnestness and technical prowess displayed on the hook-filled "Enjoying the Riots." In an ambitious attempt to breathe life into the corpse of '70s fusion, Orion's Room has obscured its impressive musicianship. Maybe it should have let the beast of prog rock rest in peace. (See www.orionsroom.com.)

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