— First review of this album —

I haven't tried their previous one yet, "Haih... or Amortecedor...", so the last Mutantes impression that I have on my mind is their two and great progressive efforts at 73/74. The results are a band back in the psychedelic way, but in a experimental modern manner (non- commercial) and heavier at the first tracks. I miss the prog keyboards. The tropicalia scene masters are not the same, because the band formation is not the same. And the songwriting aren't portuguese anymore. But I'm talking about the enjoyment of this album, and it's worth.

The album begins with the neilyoungish folk The Dream is Gone. It's a good track, a good opening. So, it's followed by the main title Fool Metal Jack, a heavy psychedelic noisy song. I really love it. Very very very relevant! Picadilly Willie is a heavy psychedelic blues, out of cliche and sameness. At the fourth track, Ganjaman, we have some kind of tribal beatles, and trust me, it works. The drums are the higher point here. Look Out is another heavy rock psychedelic oriented. Eu Descobri is the portuguese singing (female vocals) from Fool Metal Jack, an acoustic song. I like this too. Time and Space is an experimental track, but some vocal flaws. To Make It Beautiful is a cool soft rock. Once Upon a Flight is an awesome track IMO, a mix of folk, psychedelia and metal guitars. Oh, and the keyboards are cool at this track, but it could be more apparent. Into Limbo could be better, weak vocals sometimes. But it's a good one, at the album level. Bangladesh is the weak side of this album, a folkish boring track. Valse LSD it's atmospheric and acoustic, and it fits right as an ending track.

This is not an essential album for any collector, Os Mutantes history has ended long ago. But this one is an excelent addition.

— First review of this album —

This is a great little instrumental album from Tai Shan of FInland. It is quite different from most instrumental albums, as it doesn't seek to impress with bombast, riffing, or technique. Instead, it presents a wonderful mix of symphonic prog combined with a little neo-prog and jazz.

The musical is well-composed, and performed very well. While I want to give this album a better rating, I can't help but feel a little complacent about it, though. The first nine tracks are nice, but not much else. They are well done, even beautiful. Yet, they are just kind of...there.

The final track on the album, the title track "Iceflower", is a completely different story. It represents the perfect fusion of all the elements that Tai Shan wished to include in their music. Everything comes together, and we get great keys, some awesome sax solos, flutes, and a wonderful symphonic rock atmosphere. It is one of the better tracks I've heard this year!

Like I said, this album is nice. It's pretty and done well, but nothing new or spectacular really happens. "Iceflower" is the one exception, however, as all the elements combine perfect here. Good? Yes. Essential or even great? Besides the final track, no.

'Ossian (with Tomasz Stanko)' is the second album by the polish group Ossian. This album, like most of Ossian's albums, is an improvisation, spread over two or three songs(the two parts of 'Epilog' could be considered separate songs). The Polish Ossian is not to be confused with the Scottish folk group Ossian and the Hungarian metal band Ossian.

'Wstep Do "Ksiegi Chmur"(Introduction to the Book of Clouds)' is the first song. It covers the entire first side of the LP with a flute-oriented, Kraurtock-like improvisation. Behind the ongoing flute, there is a lot of percussion and some sound effects, which create a very natural feeling. Despite all the percussion, there is hardly any sense of rhythm throughout the piece, as sounds just come and go. This music might appeal to fans of Faust.

The second half of the album is 'Epilog "Muzyki fruwającej ryby"(Flying Fish Music)'. The first part, 'Ten sam wiatr porusza dwa drzewa(The same wind moves the two trees)', starts of with the kayagum of Jacek Ostaszewski, who also played the flute in the first part. After a while, the trumpet of Tomasz Stanko comes in with some lines and screeches. About halfway, tabla and other percussion come in and create a dark rhythm, while the trumpet gets continuously more aggressive. From there the trumpet and trombita improvise over the percussion up to the start of the second part, 'Dziurawe ucho (prawe)(Ear holes(right))'. The name of this part is based in the second half of the first piece, which was named 'Dziurawe ucho (lewe)', or 'Ear holes(left)'. This part starts off slowly until percussion takes over and the flute returns to the music. The trumpet of Tomasz Stanko is again prominent. Later the music turns again very minimal and arrhythmic with occasional trumpet and percussion interacting. This is kept up until a long trumpet note marks the ending of the album.

Overall Ossian provides very unique music, as a mix of Krautrock and ethnic music, with a lot of rare instruments as well. The music might, however, be difficult to enjoy, with not much rhythm and little variety. That makes that this not a perfect record.

Recommended to fans of experimental music, a bit risky for fans of melodic music, but still a very original mix of influences, overall 4,5 stars, rounded down to 4.

"You all pray you'll see heaven. Well, I've already been there, it's a beach. You can stretch out your hands to the god of your choice, but I wonder if you'll ever reach."

Like in the evolution of species where there is little difference between any one generation and the next but fundamental differences between the ancestral generation and the present one, there is little difference between one Jump album the next but fundamental differences between the early albums and this most recent release to date. Apart from the distinctive voice of John Dexter Jones, there are indeed few if any direct connections between this album and the band's earliest albums. Yet this is still 100% Jump.

The Neo-Prog tag never completely fitted Jump, but it fits less here than ever before. There is hardly one trace of Neo-Prog left here. Fans of Crossover Prog and Prog Folk are more likely to enjoy this than are Neo-Prog fans, but this is one of those rare albums that can probably be enjoyed by Prog fans and non-Prog music fans alike. No doubt it would be considered not progressive enough by many a Prog fan, and I myself was not too impressed on the first few listens. However, together with (the very different) Living In A Promised Land and ...And All The King's Men, The Beachcomber is one of the Jump albums that have been in most heavy rotation since I discovered the band and it has thus proved its staying power. It is not up to par with those other two excellent albums, and the difference in quality between this album and many other Jump albums is one of degree rather than kind, but I now feel that this album deserves an extra star compared to many other good Jump albums.

The diverse influences (including Jazz, Blues, Pop, and more) are seamlessly fused together into a consistent sound and you never get the feeling that they are "jumping" from one style to another (that was sometimes the case on some earlier albums). Usually Jump relies on lead vocals, dual guitars, keyboards, bass and drums. But occasionally they include other instruments as well. Here we get some appealing fiddle on the opener Down Three Times and a couple of other tracks enhancing the modern Folk Rock feel of the album, as well as tasteful saxophone on the jazzier closer Forgive Me My Sins. These two tracks bookend the album nicely and are definitely among the highlights here together with The Sniper and On Bended Knee. The weakest track is probably Lennard's Blues, but even that one is not bad taken for the Blues rocker it is, it is also well hidden away in the middle of the album's second half among an otherwise consistent set of good songs.

This album is probably not everyone's cup of tea, and it is not Jump's best album, but it is probably impossible to deny that this is high quality music with a great attention to detail.

I have listened for the 'Live With Britten Sinfonia' album by Jaga Jazzist only once, but I had known a couple of their songs, featured on this album, from their previous efforts.

What can I say - this is one of the most satisfying albums I have laid my hands on in the past few years. There is one very important (albeit subjective) test that this album passes cum laude: being stimulating without being irritating. Takes a lot of subtlety and refined taste to achieve this. It's like carrying something very fragile and precious in your hand: squeeze it a little harder than absolutely necessary to maintain the grip, and you crush it; loosen your hand just a little more than you should, and it drops and shatters into pieces.

I am especially impressed by the way Jaga Jazzist have evolved

Jaga Jazzist are enlisted here as a jazz-rock fusion band. I think the 'Live With Britten Sinfonia' has shown, once again, that they are quite capable of, and interested in playing any kind of serious music. I'd classify this album as modern classic to avoid splitting hair as to whether the 'Live With Britten Sinfonia' is symphonic, progressive, experimental, eclectic jazz or whatever. Shall I call them the Super Fusion of Everything band of the 21 Century?

Five stars without reservation.

Despite having lost their original (and very original) frontman Nash The Slash, FM managed to find some kind of deal that had them enter a studio and engrave directly a disc. This DTD process had become quite rare by the late 70's and was sometimes still used for demo acetates. This process implies that the direct engraving forbids any kind of mixing and production work, even down to overdubs, etc? So whatever was played in the take was final. Sure the band actually took four takes of each tracks of this "EP", and chose the better one. As you can guess, the "untouchable" results can be relatively raw and even have a jam feel at times, but fear not the overall results is astounding: difficult to be more demanding, and while not improvised, the music takes a slight JR/F slant at times, to counter (or complement) the space rock; the latter still being their main influence.

Just two lengthy instrumental tracks over this EP (lasting just about a half-hour), but both of them are divided in four or five movements. Opening on Headroom (giving the album's other name), the trio embarks on a breakneck speed movement, where Billy Cobham would not disown Deller's drumming. Yes, the feeling is very much JR/F during the Tyra movement, but as soon as the composition calms down the Reflections movements, the mood goes spacey (but not cosmic), but once the tempo picks up, it gets jam-like, notably in the closing movement Scarberia (a nickname for the eastern-county Scarborough, extending the Toronto city limits way out east). On the flipside, Border Crossing also reaches towards JR/F sonics, Mink almost pulling a Santana-like solo around 2:30. More spacey effects (sometimes dissonant) are happening during the second movement, The only time vocals are to be heard, they're muffled in deeply in the mix at the start of the third movement, but this doesn't mean that the track comes back to a sense of normalcy. Indeed, when FM crossed that border, there was no turning back, but the trio almost loses itself two thirds of the way into their cosmic expedition. Once they finally find their way, it's a slow jazzy violin (between Ponty and Lockwood) return to base.

This limited-number release DTD album had become quite rare (I lost my vinyl copy somewhere crossing the pond), because it had never seen, a reissue, beit in vinyl or on CD, until early 2013, when Esoteric finally released it, along with the splendid Black Noise and the band's following two albums (also never released legit), still with Ben Mink. Personally, if DTD/HR is absolutely essential, I find that both Surveillance (79) and City Of Fear (80) fail to maintain the level of their first two albums, so unlike this essential album, they're quite expandable, partly because they hold shorter AOR-formatted songs. In the meantime, despite the change of violin/guitarist (always a big gamble), DTD is definitely worthy of the excellent debut Black Noise.

— First review of this album —

A crazy bunch of Québecois that only recorded one album, this sextet were relatively unrepresentative of the average Québecois band, despite the obvious drug reference about their name and their album title (first pill). Indeed, released in late 72 on a public-owned label, his is a product of its time. Lead by singer and wind-player Emile Naud, he's seconded by a sizzling lead guitar and a dazzling organ, but the rhythm section is quite solid as well. Despite a few notes on the back cover, not much is discussed of the band itself, and the only photo known (to my knowledge anyway) is the one taken in front of the mushroom mural painting.

Opening on the rapid-fire instrumental track Dynamite, which features in a drum solo in its middle section, Naud's sax is giving it a very brassy sound. The 7-mins slow blues Ghetto Noir is up next, and Maillette's organ rivals with Charette's guitar for the attention, while Naud's vocals (situated between Dyonisos and Octobre) and his harmonica are definitely giving an old-south feel, despite the French-sung vocals. The 6-mins Rêve Futur heads in a splendid mid-tempo track where Charette's fuzzed guitar and Paradis' efficient rhythm guitar are giving an answer to Maud's flute. Excellent bass and drum parts as well. Best track of side A. The side-closing Train is sonically fairly close to its predecessor.

The flipside opens on the 11-mins centrepiece Chateau Hanté, a slow creepy tune that features tons of noises to create its graveyard aura; especially with the nearly cookie-monster-like spoken vocals. The sinister feel is only half-convincing, and therefore the credibility is ampered, but the searing guitar and spellbinding beat gives a slight Univers Zero feel. Despite a fairly conventional start, Folies Du Mercredi is their wildest and most adventurous track, changing constantly climates and rhythms. Mad is back on the sax, and Maillette's excellent organ solo two-thirds in add much drama, as does Charette's sizzling fuzz guitar. Great stuff, and it is probably the album's highlight, along with Rêve Futur. The short almost-goofy afterthought Pop-Pino closes the album one down note, though.

Wile their Première Capsule album is n almost must-hear Québecois 70's artefact, I can't tell you that Les Champignons are an essential part of "La Belle Province's" overall musical soundscape, but it is surely a very enjoyable detour. I just wish it would one day get a fully legit reissue, but the Radio-Active bootand the more recent Flawed Gem label copies make it unlikely for a fragile ProgQuebec label to take a financial risk in reissuing it. Anyway, an excellent consolidating block to your Quebecois prog section.

Connoisseur's choice in Jazz.

Interesting to see these two albums released on one disc. Common practice is of matching a better album with a bonus-like weaker one. This is not the case here as both of them - albeit slightly different - are excellent works on their own, if for various reasons.

SM remains one of my fave bands from the '70s and I deeply appreciate most of their works. This band is a rare phenomenon where regardless of the diversity of styles, drastic changes in musical directions/ personnel, 40 odd years on their music remains relevant - and brilliant.

By the time they released "Fourth" in 1971, there was little - if any - trace of their former Psychedelic approach. This album is pure British Jazz of the most artistic (i.e. difficult) kind. Deep, dark, meandering pieces, perhaps closer to the ECM label than to standard CBS works. Admittedly, one must have at least a cursory understanding of Jazz and even then it's probably the most difficult SM album to get into. One of the finest examples of "heavy" Jazz and to me it's a masterpiece, but one must be in the mood for it.

"Fifth" came out in 1972 and is a lighter and more accessible effort still in the Jazz vein, but closer to Jazz-Rock. Side A of the LP has a different rhythm section to side B, yet the album as a whole retains it's integrity.

Both albums are excellent and highly recommended.

"This is no dull rehearsal, this is your only chance. The stage is set for you, come on and dance!"

World Of Wonder was Jump's sophomore album and here they showcase their "wondrous world" of eclectic Rock better than on the debut. Many of the band's trademarks were already present here (albeit in less than fully developed form) including the excellent vocals of Mr. (John Dexter) Jones, the commanding guitar playing of Steve Hayes and Pete Davies (one of the few guitar duos in Neo-Prog), and the keyboards of Mo (one of the few female keyboard players in Prog).

The album opens with A Northern Man which reminds me a bit of 80's Jethro Tull with its tasteful flute-like keyboards, clean and sharp, almost "metallic" electric guitar sound, and the nifty acoustic-electric interplay. This is a good opening number that sets the stage for a good album. However, the next couple of tracks raise warning flags as to the quality and direction of the album (and the band). I wonder how many prospective fans switched off before reaching the album's much better second half. The title track and (the autobiographical?) Mr. Jones are rather mundane, conventional Hard Rock numbers, and definitely the weakest tracks of this album. To continue with the Jethro Tull comparison, these songs can perhaps be associated with style of the latter's weak Rock Island album. Louder Than Words is a bit better, but it too is not particularly interesting even if I do like the "we counted them in, we counted them out"- section which points towards the more "theatrical" style of the excellent follow-up album ...And All The King's Men.

As I said, the second half of the album is clearly better and more interesting than the first half. The better songs begin with the excellent Gryphan's Galliard, a rocking medieval-style dance tune. Poison In The Sea is a bit of a Reggae Rock fusion. Not one my favourite songs here by any means, but it is interesting enough. Four Winds Blow is a very good progressive Folk Rock number with accordion (or something that sounds like an accordion) and a nice acoustic guitar solo. Funny is another progressive track that fuses together Jazz Rock, Funk Rock, and Folk Rock in an interesting way. Like Poison In The Sea, this is probably an acquired taste, but I like it! At this point the album has recovered from the initial malaise, but some of the best is yet to come. The final two tracks, Where Silver Calls and Whip-Hand Jack, are both excellent progressive Folk Rock pieces; the kind of Folk Rock that really rocks.

It is true that World Of Wonder suffers from the inclusion of a couple of weaker numbers, but you shouldn't let the few mundane rockers give you the wrong impression about the album and the band. World Of Wonder definitely has enough highlights to be an overall good Jump album that is even up to par with or even better than some of the band's more recent (rather different) albums. In its best moments it points towards superior subsequent albums like ...And All The King's Men and Living In A Promised Land.

A classic and often hailed as BJH's best work to date, "Once Again" was remastered in 2002 and this is the version that caught my attention as I looked to familiarise myself with them.

Originally released in 1971, it is no surprise that this album is covered by a general veil of psychedelia, even if this expressed through the softest of approaches, quite often pop. The closest act that comes to mind is certainly The Moody Blues, where this album shares the "nostalgic" late 60's feeling to the nth degree.

Eight compositions and another five (although three are simply different takes/versions) comprise this release, the majority based on very slow tempos - actually many of them can be simply described as sophisticated pop-rock (and possibly proto-prog) ballads. The one element that stands out is Holroyd's work on the bass lines, easily the proggiest aspect of "Once Again", that otherwise does not show any sign of outright innovation. The orchestral work of Robert Godfrey on 'Galadriel' and 'Mocking Bird' is certainly worth of mention, giving these two tracks a more pompous, grandiose atmosphere with beautiful arrangements. If it wasn't for the latter I pretty much doubt that they would be remembered and hailed as fan favourites.

'She Said' is possibly the best number here (with the best guitar work), with 'Happy Old World' being possibly the weakest. Although the vocal melodies are pleasant, I get the impression that the tracks tend to drag much longer than they should have, and the experimentation/diversity is not there to sustain the duration, often leading to repetition towards the end.

All and all, a good album with its own character but not in my top list of the early 70's; nevertheless, this psych/blues feeling of nostalgia I get from "Once Again" will make me spin this a few more times in the future.