Attention fans of all things Progressive, I have a new band for you, THE CUSTODIAN. This side project of Richard Thomson (The drummer and vocalist) is quite enjoyable to say the least. His voice is very easy going on the ears for this record is absent of any harsh vocals. The choruses and harmonies created with his voice are very catchy and get stuck in the listener's head. His drumming is something to point out as well. While he sings he is also able to turn out a few nice drum fills and exhibit some fancy foot work. The guitar work on this record is very virtuosic, especially when the solos cut through the mix. The solos aren't blazing fast but instead they take a slower approach adding feeling and emotion to the song. The solos really seem to speak to the listener and when they talk you listen. They really grabbed my attention when I first heard each one. Other than the solos the guitar seemed to play a backing role over the course of the album. The bass is very prominent creating a well-defined bottom line. "Things We Tell Ourselves" has a very groovy bass line that seemed to stand above the rest of the mix. That song is an actually an 8 minute instrumental with a few neat little guitar harmonies that keep the listener entertained for the duration and wondering where the music will head next. "Things We Tell Ourselves" is one of many instrumental tracks to be found on "Necessary Wasted Time" and each vocal fewer tracks fails to bore the listener for those tracks (not to mention every track) takes you on a calm yet interesting journey. The production of this album overall is very polished and sounds absolutely exquisite. It was a joy to sit back and listen to this calm yet adventurous album.

THE CUSTODIAN knows what they are doing when it comes to music and this album showcases that. Everything seems to be in place on this album. There really isn't anything that blew my mind on this record but that doesn't change the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed this release. It was nice to listen to an emotional, laid back, progressive album. "Necessary Wasted Time" is an album I can see myself coming back to over the course of time for the vocal choruses and the heart felt guitar solos. I would highly recommend this album to any progressive music fan.

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