It says something about Rome Burns originality and wilful nature that when the lyrics to "The Escapologist" make reference to T.S. Eliot it is not to The Wasteland or Four Quartets, but rather Macavity, The Mystery Cat, with the central metaphor of an escapologist who desires to avoid commitment. This album is co-produced by Manuskript vocalist Mike Unwins, which will come as no surprise when you've heard "Bodhidharma" which mixes dark-sounding guitars and 80s synth noises. This diatribe against religion succeeds because it focuses on the personal, with witty lyrics such as 'We heard that she would rise again/So we buried her nice and shallow'.

"Then Janus" seems to be a relationship in which the intimacy and love has faded. Singer Simon is looking for a 'panacea', by means of 'Cork and flax and sealing wax'. This is literate pop music, but you never get that Paul Simon problem of too many words per line. "Coordinates Of Control" has torrents of guitar, which drop away to be replaced by wispy synth whirls during the verse. Once again the subject is relationships, but by looking at worn out subjects from a different angle Rome Burns bring newness to the subject. Simon promises a 'mansion made for two' in which there are 'four chambers painted red and blue'. Like poetry the exact meaning of his words may take a while to decode. Luckily you can enjoy listening to the song, while you divine the lyrical meaning.

The introduction of "Rebecca Eureka" shows the heavier side of the band, with throbbing guitars. All you fans of transponding radar will understand where the inspiration for this song came from. I had to look the term up on Wikipedia. These words have depth, but if you only want to skim the surface of their meaning there's still lots to enjoy. "Tears Of The Avalanche Girl" reminds me of 90s indie band Kitchens Of Distinction. Both bands make emotional, yet literate music, which engages the heart and the head. The instrumental interlude in this song is brief, but breathtaking. "Splitting Adam" recalls "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music at some points, but how often has this melody been married with a pun on 'splitting the atom' and the invitation to 'Go find a friend for a house that's condemned'?

"The Writing's on the Wall" gets extra marks for the correct use of the apostrophe. The chorus sounds trite, compared to the majesty of the verse, but you've got to give credit to Simon for managing a mouthful such as 'Deplhi's in the DMZ/Under strict U.N. control' without stumbling over the words or making them sound awkward. "Allegiance Lies" is a slow song and is memorable only for the female backing vocals. "Biding Time" sees the quality raised a notch, with some wonderful chiming guitar. There's an electronic influence to the introduction to "Never Reign". It's a peon to being an individual, which it will come as no surprise to learn, Rome Burns consider A Good Thing.

"Past The Embarkation Point" reminds me of early Uninvited Guest. There's some interesting word play, which means those that pay attention to the lyric sheet will appreciate extra levels of meaning. This song has a suitably epic feel to close the album upon.

The more you put into Rome Burns, the more you get out. The music is never obscure, but it has depth which sometimes takes time to appreciate. The lyrics alone are worth the price of admission, but the music is damn fine too. We need more imaginative individuals making music like Rome Burns.