Not As Good As The Book (Special Edition)

"Not As Good As The Book", The Tangent s fourth studio album, is the band's most ambitious project to date, with the Special Edition including a full short novel by band leader and keyboard player Andy Tillison Diskdrive. The album itself is a double CD package featuring shorter songs on the first disc and two epic tracks on the second. Although most of the Tangent's usual hallmarks are existent, there are some deviations into new areas, including the main theme of the problems facing many of us in midlife. Not As good As The Book also seeks to redress the imbalance created by the fact that most rock songs are about young peoples ideals and problems; the future that we dreamed of when we were young is here... and it's Not as Good as the Book!

The Special Edition novel is a short and humorous fantasy, sci-fi story in which a character called Dave accidentally destroys the earth with a copy of "Relayer" by Yes. In fact the whole thing is full of references to progressive rock, sometimes nostalgic, and sometimes considering its future. The whole package (including the book) is beautifully illustrated in French comic book style (bande dessine) by the young and exciting artist, Antoine Ettori.