Track Listing

1. Aeropause
2. Goshen's Remains
3. Apprentice Of The Universe
4. Bright Ambassadors Of Morning
5. Exact Colour
6. Voices In Winter/In The Realms Of The Divine
7. Bullitts Dominae
8. Twyncyn/Trembling Willows
9. He Tried To Show Them Magic/Ambassador's Return

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23005 in Music
• Released on: 2006-04-10
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The debut album from London’s Pure Reason Revolution, The Dark Third suggests that progressive rock, long-treated as a pariah in self-respecting musical circles, is no longer afraid to speak its name. Boasting a name inspired by Kantian philosophy, a number of songs in two distinct ‘movements’, and a flagship single – the mighty "The Bright Ambassadors Of Morning" – that clocks in at twelve minutes in length, here is a band unafraid to untether the unicorns of ambition and let them gallop free. This is not always a wise idea. Without the sheer, dazzling proficiency of Yes or the hulking heaviness of King Crimson, affairs occasionally get bogged down in a mire of sub-Sigur Ros atmospherics that drift along with little discernable purpose. There are, however, a number of saving graces: the Beach Boys-inspired vocal interplay of John Courtney and Chloe Alper, voices coalescing in lullaby-like harmonies; or an occasional, sparking heaviness that manifests most clearly on the tricksy, hard-riffing climax to ‘The Twyncyn/Trembling Willows’. An epic undertaking, and sometimes it feels that way, but fans of new-wave proggers like Mew or Muse ought to be up to the challenge. --Louis Pattison

Customer Reviews

Enigmatic and eclectic
My first encounter with PRR was the 12 minute single 'The Bright Ambassadors of Morning' - an excellent track, which unfortunately, seems to have appeared on every subsequent release and has now been done to death. PRR - if you're reading, please take note. That aside, it is a wonderful, sprawling track which changes direction just at the right moments, when repetition threatens boredom and throws the listener enough curve balls to maintain interest.

I've read many reviews of PRRs music since and they certainly appear to have been pigeon-holed with progressive rock. But what's in a category or a genre? I have spent a lot of time in the past, debating what is and what isn't prog. There are certainly prog influences here - most notably the Floydian guitar and extended workouts, but it really doesn't matter what one might call it - just listen to the music, it's refreshing to hear something a little out of the ordinary when so much around is bog standard. I particularly like the manner in which many tracks segue into each other, making the listening experience seamless and all the more enjoyable.

The vocal harmonies are very strong, if tonally, slightly bland at times. The musicianship is tight and there is enough going on in the background, to ensure repeated spins reap rewards. But I think they can improve on this and I eagerly await their next release, which should reflect lessons learned from this effort and will, maybe, show all of us their true direction. If Amazon had allowed me, I would have placed this at 3.5 stars, but in the absence of that option, I'll upgrade it to 4.

sounds like it was recorded in a broom cupboard.....
it sucks, and very amateurishly too. Your average nerd with Cubase could do just as well

The future of progressive rock is here!!
Wow. That's the best single word I can sum up my feelings for this incredible CD. There are apparantly multiple versions since the band somewhat confusingly released different CDs in the UK and the US, plus a lot of EPs, but the bottom line is that this is fresh and new and cool and yet familiar and classic all at the same time. If your music tastes are rooted in the progressive sounds of Pink Floyd, yet you also like hard driving modern crunching pop, all done with gorgeous male-female harmonies ala Mamas and Papas/Beach Boys, this is it. Chloe Alper is the female lead vocalist, but there are 2 prominent male voices who trade off and harmonize together. Chloe is a gorgeous frontwoman, which doesn't hurt--I saw this band live at Nearfest in the US in 2007 and they kicked tail. This is not progressive noodling around, but progressive with a pop and hard rock twist, very vocal oriented. Gorgeous arrangements, catchy hooks and riffs. Fans of Porcupine Tree will love this.

Any band that quotes Pink Floyd's Echoes in their signature tune (A Million Bright Ambassadors of Morning!) and also the Electric Prunes (I Had too Much to Dream Last Night) you know has done their homework and has an appreciation for rock's past. This band will be huge, count on it. This is a future classic that you can hear now, while it is still fresh and new.