This album just shot up into my top ten favourite records from Spain. Eduardo is an incredible guitar player and maybe even a better singer. Sure he's far from perfect but man he lets it all out. He screams, he uses wordless vocals and everything in between. You could say he also does this with his guitar, playing different styles and using both electric and acoustic on a regular basis. Keyboards consist of piano, organ, synths and mellotron. Mellotron on side two only coincidently. We get folky stuff, symphonic, psychedelic and straight up rock. The flute is a nice touch as well.

The album opens with "Thoughts Pt. 1" with that beautiful sounding acoustic guitar as vocals arrive with bass and drums in tow. It all becomes dramatic after 1 1/2 minutes especially those vocals. Contrasts will continue. "Thoughts Pt. 2" is a top three track for me. We get this uptempo strummed guitar that sounds really good before a calm arrives with vocals. Some backing vocals too then just like the opener we get hit hard at 1 1/2 minutes. Electric guitar, bass and drums create some power. Contrasts continue.

"Walking On The Grass" is the song I'd recommend any Prog fan to check out. It's a proggy tune with some killer electric guitar. It sure opens in a mellow way with that flute, acoustic guitar and bass. Vocals join in and they are reserved. It turns psychedelic before 2 minutes with those spacey vocal arrangements. Check out the guitar before 3 minutes then it all gets amped up at 3 1/2 minutes. Vocals are so good along with the bass. It settles right down at 4 1/2 minutes as we get a darker and more serious sound. When the vocals step aside we get a guitar solo then electric piano joins in too. It kicks into a guitar driven, uptempo section before 6 1/2 minutes. A spacey calm follows with vocals as themes are repeated the rest of the way in this 9 minute track. A top three.

"Pictures Of Sadness" is my final top three. Another track that features both acoustic and electric guitar but this time we get mellotron. Spacey synths, vocals and repeated themes as well in this one. I'm not big on those synths shooting off everywhere to open "Yann" but the ripping guitar solo 3 minutes in works fine. The closer features a mellotron solo by the drummer and is more in that folky style early on before the mellotron dominates. A solid 4 stars and I am such a fan of Eduardo's singing and guitar playing. So glad I took a chance on this one. I mean the cover has him cross-legged playing his guitar in outer space. Forgive me for being skeptical.

David Allen, effectively sans-Carmen, goes quiet.

Released in 2007, David Clark Allen's Widescreen was also compiled with Carmen's otherwise final album, 1975's The Gypsies, which I listened to earlier today. In the least, I do recommend perusing that album.

Introducing this album is the very traditional "Veracruz", with light percussion and acoustic instrumentation. Also handclaps! In retrospect, a sure highlight.

"La Luz" is instead minimal. Same for "Tango For Pia". And I'm seeing now, all percussion is apparently sampled material. It sounds good enough. Gets the job done.

"Delta" in the least has some soloing. This album though has turned out to be very minimal, very traditional in tone, and not often if at all in the 'progressive' camp. "Seti" on the other hand does have a slightly more upbeat rhythm. But ultimately still... not a whole lot here for me.

It's back to soft (and at least very lovely) on "Dancing on a Cold Wind"... until a minute in and the beat once again picks up. This has some more instrumentally than on most tracks that came before. The beat keeps it up on "Bouba", which... I don't know. It doesn't offer me much. Modernism didn't help. Another softie in "Isobel"... and in "Hope".

"Margarita" has something different, but still not for me. An apparently new version from a track off Gypsies. Lastly, we have the self-referential "Carmensque". Some strangeness herein. And here, like the bonus track on the aforementioned Carmen album originally released 42 years before, modern sampled percussion all the more. It's a tad abrasive though after all we just heard. This song features keyboards and synth most prominently. It's more like an electronica tune. I'll pass.

Two years following their incredible debut Fandangos in Space, Flamenco-Prog band Carmen released The Gypsies, their third. In my experience, it's a bit confusing just calling them a 'Prog Folk' band. They have so much to offer and so much of that is heavy as hell!

"Daybreak" opens the album with melody and beauty, then with infectious, beefy awesome. Being from LA, I figure they must have been partially influenced by Sparks/Halfnelson. There's an artsy, almost glammy thing going on in this. Also, great solo. Coolest thing I've heard all day so far.

"Shady Lady" will sound exactly how you'd expect haha. Honestly, though, the main melody in the chorus is awesome. And the mix is jam-packed. Bright acoustic guitars and soft, crystalline keys ride beside a rockin' beat. It's much better than I first thought (or let on). This song is thick.

"High Time" feels like a Heavy Metal intro, really. Another song, driven by the rhythm section. Nice harmonizing guitars. I feel much of this music will appeal to other potential-of-Prog-Lite American bands, like Styx or Kansas. And now that I've written that, maybe Roxy Music fans will appreciate some of what's going here as well. There's a Pop element that is undeniable. But it's all performed very well. "Dedicated to Lydia" is to follow, a quieted folksy number. I really liked the ending; a little jaunt.

"Joy" has an optimistic, but interesting eerie feeling. Fitting title. Wordy track, to say the least. Vocally reminiscent of Tommy Shaw or Steve Walsh... Or Dan Fogelberg?! Musically pretty cool. A unique sound. And it continues in this eerie fashion. Another one with a very cool ending.

Another track of interesting feeling is "The Gypsies", our title track; a sort of Latin-inflected Jethro Tull. Beefy and daring, but really the vocals genuinely straight up sound like a successful mimicry of Ian Anderson. Very cool song. It rages on. "Siren of the Sea" is of a comparable heaviness. Pretty good song. One of the weaker vocal performances? "Come Back" follows and does so pretty naturally, as I feel the melody at the intro was similar to "Siren". This song has a very familiar beat. Not a favorite.

"Maragrita" starts off slow and feeling with piano and chimes. It was pretty. Classical sort of guitar soloed atop. It is juxtaposed by "Flamenco Fever", another heavier Anderson-mimic?! All of the vocals working together really is great, and this is rhythmically very cool and the synth and... the song itself(?) is pretty damn awesome. In the least, a slightly maximalist field day.

And finally, "Only Talking to Myself", starting off with a pretty wild flamenco riff, but then?... This is like a (barely) Prog Pop bonus track, not on the original album. Female lead vocals, the feeling of which remind me of Happy Rhodes pretty immediately. Apparently devoted to bassist John Glascock. I had honestly forgotten that he was in Carmen (as he went on to join Tull in '76); he passed away in 1979. Lovely track, but it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Not considering that final track, True Rate of 3.5/5.0.

This record really surprised me. It has hints of RIO, 80's jazz, French prog and harder Crimson-esque rock. Normally, when I come across rare/obscure records that don't have a clear point of view...they are disappointing and poorly recorded. Amoc has broken the cycle!

Recording Quality: I purchased the record on Vinyl...it sounds really, really good. The drums pop in the best way.

Key Songs: Orientexpressen - A song full of synchronized sax/guitar runs and some gorgeous sax soloing. Lots of interesting twists and turns. Reminds me of Masal in the loud parts and almost goes into late 80's Slint-style indie rock in the quiet parts. A stunner.

Pulp - Very guitar driven song with a mix of warm soloing and discordant, hard breakdowns. Much like the rest of record, it's all over the place. But it sounds good and the players are always on point.

Sounds Like: Later Soft Machine, Shades of King Crimson and a French Henry Cow

Summary: A very scattered record packed with great playing and surprising moments. Deserves more ears!

Having recognized the album cover to their 2008 sophomore follow-up to this one, Blomljud (currently the 44th highest rated on the site for Symphonic Prog), since what feels like forever, I was looking forward to digging in. And to know that they're from Sweden, my interest can only grows (it's impossible to make "Swedish supremacy" sound unproblematic haha). Featuring once-Flower King Tomas Bodin on keys and synths and co-production, yet another tick for my personal interest in Moon Safari.

Highly melodic and sweet throughout, "Doorway" opens up the album. Nice vocals (reminiscent to British contemporaries Haken's Ross Jennings), and a lovely mix. A beautiful track that even at its softest has a lot to offer musically. It is on this track, around minute 4, that Bodin's feature first(?) resides, providing a beautiful Moog solo (is he also responsible for the melodica here as well?). Very tasteful. What I assume to also be his solo is at the end: phenomenal. Throughout is also some great organ. Another solo, this time guitar, is sweet and light and melodic. Indeed will appeal to fans of "New Prog", in bands like The Flower Kings, Big Big Train or Echolyn. It is the wonderful vocals toward the end that are a great highlight to this track. Classic and complex. This is all right up my alley.

"Dance Across the Ocean" opens with synth lead very comparable to the Styx classic "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" [Or is it "Sing For The Day"?]! Sprawling and big. Once again, I must mention the mix: I love the wall-to-wall production style. And just like Styx, vocals are high priority for Moon Safari. It is evident, and I'm very for it. An epic-sounding, very classic Prog feel. Again, all for it.

Soft and sweet, "A Sun of Your Own" begins. Again, their sonic choices are so satisfactory for me: a classic symphonic Prog fan and a maximalist through and through, sometimes it's hard to feel truly pleased. This song is perhaps a little poppy? Hard to place, though I've been a more recent fan of Power Pop darlings Jellyfish (don't sleep on them, if you're fans of XTC, Queen, The Beatles, etc.) and specifically, I hear similarities here to Jason Falkner. Overall, somewhat static compared to what came before. Still a solid track in its own right.

Then the 25-minute epic, "We Spin the World": and indeed, even in its first 3 minutes, epic indeed! So many emotions and feelings here, and, by then, not even a word had been spoken. I'm just very impressed with this band. Compositional excellence aplenty. On this note, it's impressive that they kept this epic upbeat for the wide majority of it, not needing to 'space out' to cause/will interest to occur. Starting around minute 5 is a not-so-favorite part, but then it... does get better! I can't even place what it is I didn't like, especially as the piece moved and it got more comfortable: specifically around the triumph of minute 8, which is also interesting enough, to say the least. One of the most impressive moments is around 13:40, with Beach Boys-esque a capella loveliness. Again, the vocals are some of the best elements of Moon Safari, and that's saying a lot: they're good all 'round. And finally, nothing to say about "Beyond the Door" but 'purty'.

Clearly a concept of sorts, in the least, through to the end, just a very sweet and optimistic album. Very whole, it is a more than solid debut.

True Rate: 3.5/5.0

Caravan's four studio albums of the 1990s are an odd bunch, not least because they only recorded one album of all- original material in the decade (The Battle of Hastings). Cool Water consisted of demos from the late 1970s with some extra tracks tacked-on from a studio session, and then there's All Over You, which consisted of rerecorded material from their classic albums given radical rearrangements to give them a more modern sound.

Then there's All Over You... Too, recorded in mid-1999, which is the sequel to All Over You. It's another set of updated songs, and is recorded by essentially the same lineup - with the addition of Jim Leverton on bass (who'd sat out the All Over You sessions despite having joined the band for Battle of Hastings) and Doug Boyle on guitar (offering an extra twist similar to those he contributed on the Canterbury Comes To London live album), and with a guest spot from Hugh Hopper of Soft Machine on one track.

This feels like a more successful take on the same general experiment that All Over You was trying. It helps that Caravan aren't necessarily messing with their most beloved material here. That's not to say they don't touch any of their sacred cows - some of the tracks here (like the cuts from For Girls Who Grow Plump In the Night) are highly-regarded Caravan tracks which are undeniably in the top tier of their catalogue.

At the same time, they're more willing this time around to dip into material which perhaps isn't so well-remembered - many consider Caravan to have been on the wane a little on Blind Dog At St. Dunstans' and at a low ebb on Better By Far, but they're happy to dip into those albums for that material, and arguably Nightmare (from Better By Far) the sections of the Grubby Little Oik suite (from Blind Dog) they rework here have never sounded better - and it's less of a shock to hear the experiment because even if you are a Caravan fan you probably don't regard the original versions with quite as much fondness as, say, any of the material on In the Land of Grey and Pink.

That said, even the reworkings of truly first-class Caravan classics here are somewhat interesting, the band doing a decent job of casting their classic material in a more modern form which suggests that their perceived unfashionability in the 1990s may well have been one of the great musical injustices.

If you only care for Caravan as a 1970s classic prog act and have no desire to hear that material played in a way which substantially differs from the original albums, you won't like this album regardless of how well-executed it is. If, on the other hand, you're open to a different take on familiar and not-so-familiar Caravan songs, it's worth a punt.

Given what I know of 21st Century Robert Plant, his unsurprising folk excursions, more-so in recent years (just five years after this) most memorably collaborating with Alison Krauss, I've been not so drawn to it. It wasn't until I saw the ratings for this album that my ears pricked up (or were ready to do so). His first album in 9 years, this was apparently the start of the reinvigoration of his career, here at nearly 54 years old.

From the get-go, "Funny in My Mind" sounds like what I'd expect from the above expectations and classic Plant. Very bluesy, a bit experimental. "Morning Dew" was overall just as interesting, with little glimmers of something for you to latch onto. I guess I'm still waiting with optimistic anticipation...

"Last Time I Saw Her", he's soundin' great and fresh. Reminds me a bit of Queens of the Stone Age, perhaps. Cool riffs, and featuring weird spurts of synth.

"Darkness, Darkness" is that classic, blues-sadness melancholy that we've known since Led Zeppelin I. So far, a sure highlight (in comparison). I think, though, ultimately, I'm just asking for a little bit more.

We're back into the rock with "Red Dress". Blues-slide guitar rings out. Like I said, it rocks harder than most all so far, but... I guess I'm asking for too much? haha. Then it's onto "Hey Joe", the oft covered rock standard, this seemingly more-so traditional than, say, Hendrix's famous version. This is low and slow, minimal and introspective. After minute 2, it picks up and it is dark! A riveting, heavy guitar solo starts around minute 4. The underlying accompaniment is actually very light and minimal still, somewhat hypnotizing.

From the start, "Skip's Song", I would think, should appeal to fans of Led Zeppelin (perhaps Led Zeppelin III?). Rolling drums and an emotive, introspective Robert Plant, who has a very good vocal performance here. Some of the composition feels very psychedelic, even! I'm happy with it.

And finally, "Dirt in a Hole" definitely melodically has a lot to offer, including lovely female backing vocals. The main riff was familiar, but I couldn't place it.

I think, as I'm not too surprised by my feelings, I'll observe tracks that people are most excited about for his discography here on out. It's just not what I tend to look for, Prog or not. I like Robert Plant, but I guess my expectations are a tad too specific to what he did in his youth. The album fortunately did, to me, only get better and better.

This album is another example of the notion that you shouldn't simply follow the bandwagon. Yes didn't cease to make great records after Close to the Edge, as I was made to believe. Relayer and Going for the One are prime examples of Yes at his best. I can imagine not everyone likes the apparently straightforward rockers like Going for the One. But the joy and the mastery is so apparent. I love it.

Going for the One - A Yes rocker. As straightforward as Yes could be those days. There's plenty of complexity to be found. Love it! 8.5/10

Turn Of The Century - Howe and Wakeman shine on this track. Anderson sings his heart out. Love it. 8/10

Parallels - Another energetic, rocking track with everyone on full cylinders. 8.5/10

Wonderous Stories - A mellow but also energetic and inspired track. The musical craftsmanship shines, as always. 8.5/10

Awaken - Everything you want from a Yes classic. A journey. Masterfully played, powerful on all fronts. Section after section, the trip is amazing. 9.5/10

I like the energy and passion that is apparent on this album. And I like every track. I hesitated to give it the highest score. It is not a masterpiece. But it is close. 4 stars.

TIME'S FORGOTTEN is a progressive metal band from Costa Rica dating back to 2004 with their frontman keyboardist Juan Pablo CALVO. Known for having opened for ANGRA and AVANTASIA. They are releasing their second album there.

63 minutes for this full album where the sounds are diverse and that's what made me fall on it and stay there. A basic progressive metal sound with heavy riffs, borderline pompous keyboards, solo guitars that could take up a little more space; purely neo-progressive moments with intricate musical drawers that make you prick up your ears; 'Second Time', 'Backhome', 'Welcome you my night' and 'Silent Waters' for its experimental side are the central pieces in my opinion; as for the suite 'The Tale of the Sun and Moon (Dandelion)' it is quite simply for me the example of metal-prog fusion with an almost avant-garde fruity sound, animated from which one emerges something little stunned.

Well, TIME'S FORGOTTEN has released a little gem that it would be good to listen to again from time to time given the creative energy deployed in it.

US was founded in 1975 being more of a cover band with symphonic rock as their chosen musical territory, covers of STEELY DAN, EAGLES, Peter FRAMPTON and the MOODY BLUES. They lived in an early life as the SAGA band keeping alive until 1983, which I got to know while researching the Canadian SAGA that I cherish. In another life, they are also US again reinjected this since 1998 and without being obliged to choose the pill to swallow; refueled with progressive GENESIS sounds worked in Paul's garage and not Nemo. This is their 13th studio album.

"Stars in Broad Daylight" based on ALAN PARSONS then quickly GENESIS, the 70s with keyboards including the Hammond B3 and the Moog. A symphonic title with a sluggish cartoon soundtrack where it blows up everywhere. The finale on a melody where the influence recalls YES; a title that oozes, which overflows with various and varied keyboards struck by a master's hand and a theme on the meaning that one can give to one's life. "Carousel" debut on the GENESIS "Watcher of the Skies" shorter track of 12 minutes; acoustic break to rest the ears, a crystalline BANKS keyboard, to propel an aerial guitar solo with finesse; the text about the personal tragedy of losing a life companion. "Song for Koen" for the great digression with Genesis keyboards as if it rained from the days of 'Foxtrot', a feminized voice with Marijke and it advances on an influence straight out of the 70's and the bass of SQUIRE; a synth à la ELP arises on this long crescendo. A change of rhythm in the last third starts on a more serene declination where the drums come forward by shelling out melancholy notes helped in this by a moving solo; Dantesque rhythmic and symphonic uphill finale far removed from the neo-prog label in my opinion, it's moving and worth its weight in gold. 50 minutes spent like a letter in the post.

US shows they know how to play, that's for sure. US shows that they sweat bloodily to release this simple and effective album, made in a studio aptly nicknamed "The B'SUS" for Blood Sweat and US, CQFD. A very good second- rate album for prog fanatics who rage around the world in search of the pearl not yet heard. Fruity, playful, bucolic progressive and symphonic rock leading to reverie and spleen.