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 Big Science by ANDERSON, LAURIE album cover Studio Album, 1982
3.80 | 73 ratings

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Big Science
Laurie Anderson Crossover Prog

Review by Mellotron Storm
Prog Reviewer

3 stars 3.5 stars. This lady sure paid her dues, playing museums and anywhere she could be heard and seen with her visual and audio performances in the late seventies. She released a single called "O Superman" in 1981 that became a surprise hit in the UK. This certainly motivated her, and allowed her to make a full album which is "Big Science" released in 1982. And yes "O Superman" is on this record.

She started out playing the violin but her focus became the keyboards and in particular electronics. And she speaks the lyrics she writes, at least on this record and the next one from 1984 called "Mister Heartbreak", before starting to sing more on the albums that followed. So yes this is different. Not my thing overall but I do have an appreciation for how inventive she is. There's nine musicians helping her out that I don't know, plus a backing female singer. I like the tags for this one as in art pop, experimental, electronic and spoken word.

The lady has a way with words, and that deadpan delivery is something. I get the appeal. Telling stories to music with a lot of wit. I'm not big on the processed vocals she uses at times, like on "O Superman" and the closer. She does actually sing on one track called "Example #22". My favourite song is "From The Air" with the honking horns and catchy rhythm as she speaks "This is your captain..." as humour and synths follow. The title track has some interesting lyrics as it plods along, bassoon too. At one point she says "Big science, hallelujah!". "Sweaters" is another highlight but "Walking And Falling" disappoints.

It's interesting that she was married to Lou Reed for 5 or 6 years before his passing. I really don't like the cover art, it's so 80's. Good album though, and I agree with her being in Crossover on this site.

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 Os Mutantes by MUTANTES, OS album cover Studio Album, 1968
4.07 | 106 ratings

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Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes Psychedelic/Space Rock

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

5 stars The Brazilian psych rock band's debut album. Notice: they are talented, they are clever, and they have a message they wish to serve with their music.

1. "Panis et circenses" (3:40) a song that demonstrates the huge influence THE BEATLES' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band era has had--even on Brazil! The female vocals present a nice change for prog world. Also, I'm very glad that the band decided to sing in their own native language rather than picking up English. I love the little musique concrète finish. (8.875/10) 2. "A Minha Menina" (4:45) an odd but very entertaining (and even humorous) little peephole into a kind of mamba Beatnik psychedelia that may have existed in Brazil! I like this very much! Something that previews David Byrne's work of the late 1980s and 1990s as well as the Gypsy rock of bands like Les Negresses Vertes? (9/10)

3. "O Relógio" (3:32) gentle, bare-bones musical support for angelic reverb-voice of Rita Lee opens this song for the first 90 seconds--beautiful! But then the band jumps into a different room/universe of joy and ZA! partying for a minute before giving way to the somnambulant music of Rita's heaven. Brilliant! (9.5/10)

4. "Adeus Maria Fulô" (3:06) opens with some eerie cemetery/garden music with musique concrète inputs before Brazilian percussion group jumps in with a group choir presentation. Not really prog or rock but definitely interesting. (8.875/10)

5. "Baby" (3:02) an odd take on an early British approach to organ and electrified pop music. Not great--and certainly not innovative--but highly entertaining for its (intentional?) poke of fun at the early 1960s Anglo love song. (8.75/10)

6. "Senhor F" (2:36) another excessively clever and humorous interpretation on the pop music coming out of the Northern Hemisphere in the late 1950s and early 1960s (even 1920s!) Part parody of The Beatles, part of New Orleans and Parisian jazz pop. Even the fade out, fade in, and re-fade out at the end is totally cheeky/disrespectful of The Beatles. (8.875/10)

7. "Bat Macumba" (3:10) surfer pop rock that sounds so much like the music revived by Spanish psych-rockers ZA! in the 2010s. Infectiously fun. (8.875/10)

8. "Le premier bonheur du jour" (3:40) a turn to 1960s French Ye-ye dream pop with some brilliantly paired musical and vocal arrangements. I could live off of this type of music! It's almost Gamelan! (9.75/10)

9. "Trem Fantasma" (3:19) more wild ZA!-like indigenous music to open this one before stopping and resetting into a musical form that is more of a Brazilian Hollywood-surfer rock. Very nice vocal arrangements to accompany (and parody) this jazzy musical form. It sounds so much like a Brazilian/Beach Boys rendition of Donovan's "Sunshine Superman." (9/10)

10. "Tempo No Tempo" (1:49) opens like a sleepy reluctant-wake up song, it turns into something much more caffeinated with the complex, lightning fast group vocals. (4.5/5)

11. "Ave, Gengis Khan" (3:51) more totally sarcastic parody of British rock forms and styles, the facetiousness of the lyrical topic seems to give notice that the Brazilians get how corny and ludicrous some of the British song topics are. (8.875/10)

Total Time 36:30

What I LOVE so much about this album is the total freshness of the Brazilian mind and cultural interpretation of rock, prog, psychedelia, parody, sarcasm, etc. Retention of their own cultural and musical backgrounds is the key to my enjoyment of these songs, even when they try to go Anglo ("Panis et circenses," "Baby," "Senhor F") . Plus, the engineering/production of this music is so interesting!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of early Southern Hemisphere proto-prog. this is an album that I think any and every prog lover would find very entertaining and humorous, no matter your linguistic background. One of South America's first contributions to Prog World.

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 Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence by DREAM THEATER album cover Studio Album, 2002
4.16 | 2185 ratings

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Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Dream Theater Progressive Metal

Review by Hector Enrique
Prog Reviewer

4 stars The day after the extraordinary "Scenes From a Memory", surely one of the best albums in Progressive Metal, was a huge challenge for Dream Theater. A challenge they did not shy away from, and taking advantage of their stellar compositional and musical moment and the widespread recognition of the early 2000s, the band released the voluminous 'Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" (2002), a work of just under a hundred minutes divided into two distinct parts.

The dark first part tackles heavy digestion tracks: the intense "The Glass Prison", referring to the first three of the twelve steps of the program in the fight against alcohol abuse and sustained by an excellent introduction with John Petrucci's huge guitar riffs and Mike Portnoy's hyperactive percussion, the disenchantment for religious dogmas in "Blind Faith" marked by John Myung's deep bass and the exchange of protagonism between Petrucci's guitars and Jordan Rudess' synthesizers, the dreary and insipid "Misunderstood", the controversy over stem cells in the powerful "The Great Debate" with riffs and chords very much indebted to Tool and Rush to mention a couple of influences, and the deep grief at irreparable loss in the mid-tempo, melancholic and heartbreaking "Disappear".

The second half, one of the New Yorkers' most committed creations, bravely exposes six different disorders and upheavals that afflict the complicated human mind. After the instrumental orchestral arrangement "Overture", which includes some metal touches, the suite flows without pause through Petrucci's thick guitar riffs in the traumatised "War Inside My Head", through Portnoy's percussive display and his haunting second voice supporting James LaBrie in the schizophrenic and very thrash metal "The Test That Stumped Them All", also through the pause proposed by Rudess's keyboards in the heartbroken and maternal "Goodnight Kiss", by the unplugged harmonic luminosity of the autistic "Solitary Shell", by the intricate intensity of the bipolar "About to Crash (reprise)", and finally by the epic and dissociative "Losing Time" that prologues the reflective call for understanding and acceptance of those afflicted by these disorders in the conclusive "Grand Finale", and its prolonged and disturbing final point.

"Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence", the band's sixth album, was one of the best releases of the genre in the 2000s, and ratified Dream Theater's position as one of the must-have references in Progressive Metal.

4/4.5 stars

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 In Search of the Lost Chord by MOODY BLUES, THE album cover Studio Album, 1968
3.86 | 491 ratings

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In Search of the Lost Chord
The Moody Blues Crossover Prog

Review by BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars The band's follow up to its mega-successful landmark album, Days of Future Passed shows marked influence from The Beatles recent work as well as, perhaps, the psychedelic inputs of mind-altering experiences provided by experimental drugs and Indian cultural and musical traditions.

1. "Departure" (0:44) here we go again: a spoken word intro to an album means we're probably in for a Days of Future Passed-like adventure.

2. "Ride My See-Saw" (3:38) solid psychedelic rock music with the near-patented Moodies harmonized group vocals over the top. I must say that Justin Hayward's lead guitar is surprisingly good: aggressive and decisive. The vocal melodies are pretty engaging but its the tambourine and bass combination that get my attention. Well played, Graeme Edge. (8.875/10)

3. "Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?" (2:58) another band that feels compelled to imitate the almighty BEATLES, here a melancholy as-if disinterested "Yellow Submarine" like vocal and music. The chorus, at least, is original and highly alluring. Yes, We're all looking for someone. (8.875/10)

4. "House of Four Doors" (4:12) there's the Mellotron! Starting out with the choral vocals and then switching to single lead for part two of the verse is interesting. Graeme Edge's drumming has become very Ringo Starr-like. I love the anachronistic acoustic interlude at the end of the second minute, and then an even further dive into Baroqueness with the introduction of the harpsichord at the end of the third. The classical bombast in the first part of the fourth minute is a bit much--as if Liberace had just walked in. An interesting if ultimately weird and disjointed song. (8.875/10)

5. "Legend of a Mind" (6:36) Timothy Leary's dead? No, he's on the outside looking in! I guess this might tell us where the band might have been getting some of its psychedelic inspiration. The sound palette and engineering here is, fittingly, quite unusual with its partially muted parts. At the two-minute mark the motif shifts into something more trotting for the next installation of the story. Then there is a mediæval pastoral instrumental section with some Indian- like cello slides. An interesting and proggy song but nothing Earth-shattering or worth writing home about. (8.75/10)

6. "House of Four Doors, Pt. 2" (1:47) great orchestral opening with Mellotron and timpani and bass. Then the vocal choir returns to recant the main melody of song #4. (4.5/5)

7. "Voices in the Sky" (3:25) a very pleasant acoustic-oriented song that feels/sounds like a song from Justin Hayward's great 1975 BLUE JAYS release with John Lodge. Though nothing groundbreaking, this would make a good John Denver or Dave Mason song. (8.75/10)

8. "The Best Way to Travel" (3:14) fading in with multiple strumming acoustic guitars, once the bass, drums, and vocals arrive it feels all BEATLES. Again Graeme Edge's drumming is so Ringo Starr-like. At 1:04 the music suddenly cuts out leaving space for some doppler effect rapid pitch descents repeated over and over, spaciously, until the third minute when everybody returns to what they were doing before the "break"--with the slight addition of a rather annoying squeak repeating itself every second. (8.66667/10)

9. "Visions of Paradise" (4:15) flute and acoustic guitar picking open this one with some very pleasant chords and melodies. "Distant" voices join in at the 0:30 mark with sitar and banjo, singing its lyrics in another very pleasant melody that weaves harmonically with the other instruments. I like this very much; it sounds mature and sophisticated yet expresses itself with nice delicacy. Also, I love the growing confidence Justin Hayward exudes on the sitar as the song progresses. Exquisite flute playing, Ray Thomas. A top three song for me. (9.25/10)

10. "The Actor" (4:39) using flute and acoustic guitar picking again, the melodies here are ver yfamiliar as if they come from/were left over from their previous album, the classic Days of Future Passed. I especially like the fullness of the Mellotron-drenched choruses. Another top three song. (8.875/10)

11. "The Word" (0:48) a standard Moody Blues poetry reading, here by Mike Pinder, this time introducing a song. Powerful.

12. "Om" (5:44) Indian instrumentation here dominate as the band members take turns singing BEATLES-esque from different vantage points in the sonic field sounding a bit like "A Day in the Life." I love the sound of Indian instruments- -especially when played by native Indian musicians. 'Nuff said. Still, not many Western bands/musicians in the 1960s did as nice a job without the help/presence of Indian musicians as these guys do here. Great finish to this album. (9/10)

Total Time 42:00

B/four stars; an excellent addition of psychedelic acoustic-dominant early prog that rises above its tendencies toward Beatles imitation.

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 Coses Nostres by ICEBERG album cover Studio Album, 1976
4.08 | 93 ratings

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Coses Nostres
Iceberg Jazz Rock/Fusion

Review by Nickmannion

5 stars Spain goes JR/F. Ok. Although the convoluted story of how this and their next album landed in my possession is as unlikely as the opening statement. But am glad they did.

The opening short track has you heading down symphonic prog boulevard and you would have been admiring the view and sounds as it has promise. But then a sharp left (track 2) into JR/F avenue leaves you in no doubt where you are heading. Let's pray it won't be a cul de sac....Nova...the second track is firmly in the Return To Forever town planning oeuvre and not a hint of a smooth and lazy by numbers design. Plenty of guitar/keys mirroring and for once a bass player with chops but also the knowledge that it is his job to provide the solidity for what else is being layered on top. Twists and turns and no straight road...dynamics and atmosphere. Marvelous. This bleeds into the third track with a detour via ECM stylings and a prog layering of synths and I suppose being Spanish ... the old Scottish cattle prod comes out....or acoustic if you prefer (this will not translate well/reference may be lost on many) but only the merest suspicion of flamenco is in there. The only slight downer is the synth sound is a little thin and not as rich as I assume they were aiming for. La D'En Kiftus is my standout. And not just because they employ a guitar sound similar to Micky Jones of Man in parts. Loads of freak out keys/guitar response that works for me every time. Then a slurred bass riff takes this somewhere else before the guitar and keys guys decide they want to play the same thing before the bass and guitar man want their turn .More time changes and proggy keys builds. They know their stuff. Actually they do throw some flamenco scales and chordings into track 5 but it is subservient to the JR/F imprint. I can't make my mind up about the guitar man. Oh he can play and he certainly is attacking rather than carefully constructing and is probably close to Al Di Meolaesque with a nod to Akkerman and Bill Connors. I think, like I mentioned re synths earlier, it is a thin sound that stops me short of really singing his praises. This being 1976 it was unacceptable to put out a JR/F album without a funky track (A Valencia). This one has a Nektarish feel too, surprisingly. And doesn't dote on the funk. And you wouldn't expect to find BJH referenced either but some of the keys wash would fit with/from them. We close with 11/8 Manifest....now there's a time signature that makes my dancing make sense...and while it goes nowhere new from the above, it underscores how good this band/album is and I would take this/them all day long over say Brand X (far too polite). Sometimes obscure gems turn out to be diamonds and this lp plus Sentiments (1977) really are worth mining for. I can't vouch for the rest of the catalogue but it doesn't matter. These two albums are the business. Proper, proper JR/F.

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 Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh by MAGMA album cover Studio Album, 1973
4.29 | 1171 ratings

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Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh
Magma Zeuhl

Review by Dapper~Blueberries
Prog Reviewer

5 stars Oh boy, my 300th review! Like my 100th, and 200th review, I elected to review an album from my top 10 list. You know, to share my opinion on what I believe to be the best of the best in terms of music. And today, the lucky 3rd place in my favorites of music goes to Magma's own 3rd place, that being Mekanïk Destruktïẁ Kommandöh, or MDK as I will call it throughout the rest of this review.

Now as with Yes and Genesis, I have a bit of a personal history with Magma, maybe a tad too personal. I won't go too much into my history with the band, but in late 2021 I was flat out obsessed with the group. I practically listened to any album they have released that was available on Spotify, just being entranced in their weird and wacky world of zeuhl music. I have more than cooled down in my obsession with the band after a bit, but every now and then I will go back to their music with open ears. Truth be told, I still absolutely love this band no matter what, I will continue to love it, and, on top of that, I will forever see MDK as the magnum opus of weird progressive rock music.

Unlike my previous reviews of these masterpieces, which all had at least one large epic that bumped up my feelings for the record considerably, MDK, in its whole, IS the epic. It's one of those albums where it is one large song, just split into multiple songs. Honestly speaking, I think MDK is the best at this front, and this ain't bias talking. I genuinely think the record nails the whole effort of making an album long song. Each track on here has their own charms, and their own climatic effects on my psyche that, on their own, they excel on every aspect of what I crave in zeuhl music. But, as a whole, these songs manage to create a whole experience that is magical.

The instrumentation and vocals are also just immaculate. You have the lovingly weird Kobaïan vocals and methods that the singers, mainly Christian Vander, promotes. The brassy, almost apocalyptic sounds that zeuhl has in the dozens. And a general flow throughout each track that makes the music feel all the more conceptually inclined. While I know many may find these sounds to be a bit too weird, I think that is the charm Magma rightfully holds. They may not be as weird as, say, Art Zoyd or even their Japanese little brother of Ruins, but Magma owns their refined avant-gardeness with pride. They care not for conventions of rock or jazz music, nor do they care for if they will ever appear on a radio ever. The only thing they care about is making the weirdest, most trippy experiences possible, and also to refine them into more interesting sounds.

This is evident as to how this record came out after their second record of 1001 Degrés Centigrades, which, while still zeuhl, was a lot more based in jazz fusion and a more traditional rock flow. However, MDK explores a sound that fits way better into the vision of what zeuhl should be, a more orchestral, brass based version of what they did before. It all evolves into something that I think firmly is within its own thing, and I fully believe it works perfectly. This is a once in a lifetime record, since everything just fits together with zero hang ups or different expectations. You aren't gonna get jazz fusion, at least not in a traditional sense, nor a traditional prog rock, or jazz rock experience. You are gonna get ZEUHL. MDK is zeuhl in its purest state. It is the absolute zero in this amazing and weird musical genre, the basis if you will.

It is not a surprise that Vander is proud of this record, as he practically remakes it whenever he can in live shows, his own records, and or even releasing an older version of the music in the 90s. I'd be too if I made something this good. While I do think the live albums are a discussion for another day, MDK in a live setting works just as well as the studio version. The versions of MDK on Retrospektïw, Magma Reims 1976, and Trilogie Au Trianon are my favorites, maybe I might consider them masterpieces in their own rights too. My personal favorite is the one from Retrospektïw, as it has this bass solo from Bernard Paganotti that has a bit of a call back to De Futura, another s-tier Magma track. Not only that, but it also has that amazing opening that feels so dramatic and heavy, that it turns MDK into not only a musical expression for me, but a full blown epic.

I could go on all day, though I think I'd be scraping the bottom of the barrel for my love on this record if I continued any further. Where Close To The Edge made me fully fall in love with progressive rock music, and Foxtrot made me fall in love with the epics they propose, MDK is where my love of the different, more avant-sides of the progressive rock house fully bloomed into a point of no return. Of course, I fully believe everyone should at least listen to this album once, as it is just amazing. I love Magma with my whole heart, and I doubt that love will waver throughout my life. If it ever does, then I probably got brainwashed.

There is no prog, only zeuhl.

Best tracks: All of them

Worst tracks: N/A

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 December by MOODY BLUES, THE album cover Studio Album, 2003
2.54 | 76 ratings

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December
The Moody Blues Crossover Prog

Review by sgtpepper

2 stars The last MB studio album is inspired by Christmas but in contrast with younger musicians, there are no commercial aspirations. The band provides their usual artistic acumen, solid original compositions, warmth in the music execution and a good impression. Both main vocalists are in a good shape. Instrumentation is subdued as usual in the songs of this setting, likewise there isn't any space for experimentation and leaving the comfort zone which MB developed in the 80's. Cover versions are average ones, with classical ones faring better than pop music. Given that there isn't enough original material, the record still sounds less dull than MB albums of 1986, 1988 and 1991. Not exactly recommended but also not discouraged either to listen to this album in late December.

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 Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation) by TANGERINE DREAM album cover Boxset/Compilation, 1996
4.26 | 14 ratings

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Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)
Tangerine Dream Progressive Electronic

Review by VianaProghead
Prog Reviewer

4 stars Review Nº 799

Tangerine Dream is a progressive rock band that was formed in Berlin. The band was among the earliest explorers of a new musical universe opened by the electronic instruments. The universe of Tangerine Dream was born as a journey aided by the new electronic keyboards, transformed into a contemplative survey of the universe. They were able to create music without a regular pulse but just with organ chords, a few manipulated guitar lines and synthesizer effects. Tangerine Dream became a landmark and one of the first bands that made the first explorations in electronic realms.

"Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)" is a compilation album of Tangerine Dream that was released in 1996. It's a compilation album with six tracks. It comprises the four tracks on their fifth studio album "Phaedra" that was released in 1974 in it's entirely, the first part of the two parts of their sixth studio album "Rubycon" that was released in 1975 and the title track, which is one of the four tracks on their seventh studio album "Stratosfear" that was released in 1976.

As I mentioned above, "Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)" has six tracks. The title track of "Phaedra" would set a whole new standard for the Tangerine Dream's sound. The minimalism of their first albums was pretty much gone, as the sequenced rhythms provided the band with a rich and fat sound stuffed to the rim with mystical and delightful atmospheres. Given focus by the arpeggiated trance that drifts in and out of the mix, the track progresses through several passages including a few surprisingly melodic keyboard lines and an assortment of eerie Moog and Mellotron effects. Despite the impending chaos, the track can sounds more like a carefully composed classical work than an unrestrained piece of noise. The climax of the track comes surprisingly enough after the sequencer has stopped, and makes room for a sinister and incredibly moody part filled with Mellotron, gongs and haunting electronic sounds, building up some of the most fantastic atmospheres ever created by humans. And to add to the feel of beyond and mystery, some distant and faint sounds of children playing can be heard several seconds after the track has ended. It would become a standard track in the future of their music. "Mysterious Semblance At The Strand Of Nightmares" reportedly was a pure solo number of Froese. It has a line with a kind of a buzzing mysticism that consists almost entirely of grandiose washes of Mellotron, accompanied by free form of some spacey electronic sounds. The effect of this music is thoroughly hypnotic if you get involved with it, really. "Movements Of A Visionary" begins with some structureless noises. It seems to improve the voice experiments from their previous album "Atem". The rest of the track consists of a warm and comforting organ improvising around the sequenced rhythms that now was one of the band's main trademarks. It gently swings back in the direction of a hypnotic rhythm. "Sequent C'" is a brief piece for flute that closes the album in a moody way. It's a piece of ethereal and floating beauty that was recorded by Baumann's solo on the flute with some electronic alienation. It represents a very beautiful and melancholic musical vision of Tangerine Dream. "Rubycon Part 1" starts with a lot of atmospheric and mellow soundscapes performed on the Mellotron and the synthesizers. After a while the sequencers start which provide for pleasant rhythms. The frequent organ and piano parts move strongly towards the sound that Pink Floyd produced on "Meddle". It has some sounds where the mood alternates between dark and light, before it beautifully and graciously rises up toward a grandiose and haunting part with some fantastic atmospheres that in a dream take us to the ocean. It quiets down after a while, and starts to build up some tension to prepare us for the sequenced part. Together with the eerie Mellotrons, distorted piano chords and droning organs, the electronic sequenced rhythms carry you away in the same dreamlike state as "Phaedra" did. The title track of "Stratosfear" kicks off the album with grandeur and sheer elegance. It has frenzied hypnotic beauty mixed with swirling guitars and changing tempos that turns it in an awesome spacey song with a memorable melody. It opens with some relaxed and pleasant chords on guitar, which creates an atmosphere that fits the track very well, indeed. The electronic rhythms then start, introducing one of the best and most recognizable melodies that the band ever wrote.

Conclusion: "Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)" is an excellent compilation album of Tangerine Dream. This is a compilation album that comprises tracks that belong to three of the best studio albums created by the band in the middle of the 70's. These are three works that belong of what is considered their golden era, the phase that became known as "The Virgin Years", albums released to the Virgin record label, as the name indicates. It was just missing "Ricochet", technically a live album with original music that wasn't released on any studio before. "Tangerine Dream (1996 Disky Compilation)" is a great starting point to all who aren't acquainted with the music of the band yet. Here, we can see why Tangerine Dream is a much respected progressive band and was able to create an aura that lasts till today.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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 Opposing Mirrors by SHUMAUN album cover Studio Album, 2024
3.50 | 7 ratings

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Opposing Mirrors
Shumaun Progressive Metal

Review by alainPP

3 stars SHUMAUN nervous progressive hard rock with reminiscences of DREAM THEATER, RUSH, FATES WARNING, ALICE IN CHAINS see DEFTONES. Nervous guitars, keyboard shaping the air for prog metal with three drummers.

"The Perils of Amnesia" marks the imprint of a melodic prog metal with oriental Persian scents, all concocted with a vocal flirting with that of VANDEN PLAS; the drums set the mood. "Balance" bass forward amplifying the heaviness with a keyboard solo flirting with that of the MARILLION, the guitar solo flows like a torrent; voice growl for a micro second and the progressive space which smells like DREAM THEATER, energetic. "Opposing Mirrors" in radio edit, concise, compact, rhythmic, fits in; Thomas on sticks sets the rhythm. "Anxiety and Daydreams" for the instrumental prog metal ballad; superposition of melodic layers, nervous sounds, post rock atmosphere; a touch of sadness to leave by closing your eyes and accepting to be invaded by the guitar notes; predictable and well done all the same.

"That Which Turns" returns to a heavy composition and its small progressive space during an enjoyable solo break with acoustics; the hard riff and the same vocals, average. "Beyond Reflection" offers a slow marshmallow ballad on a text concerning the death of his father; dark in fact, sad but that's Life; the voices are indeed his father asking to come home; the solo gives a little color to this moment and can serve as a passage between our two worlds, the drums held by Leo. "Some Memories" relaunches the prog metal of DREAM THEATER, a riot of diverse sounds; an aggressive riff washes away our cues, making the air clean; it's Marco who hits, the bass on MAIDEN; the variation launches a more energetic guitar solo you can't; it's modern, the voice can slow down a bit, the very catchy melody which rounds out the violence. "Porcelain Trees" as an epic piece, a velvety keyboard at the start brings the most musically; high-pitched, growl voice intensifying his lyrics about injustices; a stage with the jerky rhythm that gets carried away and the drums that channel; calm and energetic, meandering on melodic metal that lacks the nerve of prog blood. Origin on ProfilProg. (3.5)

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 = 1 by DEEP PURPLE album cover Studio Album, 2024
3.63 | 22 ratings

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Deep Purple Proto-Prog

Review by AtomicCrimsonRush
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

4 stars

New Deep Purple is irresistible for old metal heads and the line up of the big 5 is a wonderful treat. They are back on their 23rd studio album; Ian Gillan on vocals, Roger Glover on bass, Ian Paice on drums, Don Airey on keyboards, and Simon McBride on guitars. The progenitors of classic metal are in their Twilight years but can still rock with the best of them. And they have the genius of Bob Ezrin in album production. What can go wrong? Not much but don't expect another In Rock, Machine Head or Perfect Strangers. Instead prepare for an excellent album that's all killer. No filler.

They burst out the gate with the melodious Show Me, followed by cool riffing on A Bit on the Side. Gillan is in fine vocal form and the music rocks hard with touches of prog, mainly from the keyboard wizardry of Airey. The lead breaks on this are freakish with incredible speed fretwork and that melody is infectious.

Sharp Shooter has a sporadic rhythm and locks into a steady pace with great vocals.

Portable Door has a fast tempo and Gillan gives it everything accompanied by glorious organ and guitar motifs. I like the melody and the Hammond organ sounds. Another dynamic lead break enhances the enjoyment.

Old-Fangled Thing has a tremendous lead solo, lashings of organ and a quirky jazzy feel. I like that musical interlude too.

If I Were You is a power ballad that has a melancholy feel.

Pictures of You has a riff that reminds me of Alice Coopers Devils Food. I like Gillans vocals here and it's got an infectious melody.

I'm Saying Nothin' has quirky lyrics about keeping dark secrets to the grave, perhaps autobiographical. Again it has a great melody, cool guitars and keyboards trading off in style.

Lazy Sod is another song about being too lazy to get outta bed, remember Lazy, and it's got a great riff and rhythm. The lead break is killer from McBride. Aireys keyboard attack is masterful; a wonderful track on the album.

Now You're Talkin' opens with slide guitar and then it motorvates along with sizzling energy.

No Money to Burn has a 70s classic rock feel. The riff is blistering and Gillan powerfully sings about having no cash to waste. It sounds a bit like Wishing Well in the mid section. The lead break is scorching and again Airey hammers that keyboard with speed and precision.

I'll Catch You is a slow bluesy track that holds an emotional edge with Gillan reflecting about feeling broken and dreaming about a girl beyond his reach. "My bags are ready, My keys are in the car. Anytime you want to jump, I'll Catch you in my arms" is a line that jars me on each listen. This is a superb track.

Bleeding Obvious closes the album with fret melting guitar riffs and high string bends layered over. The guitars are frenetic along with Paice and Glovers rhythm section. It ends in a paroxysm of speed picking and fast tempo drumming.

At the end of this new Album I can't help but think how much they achieved with this. After so many years in the business, it is incredible they can still generate music of this calibre. The album grows on you and I am in awe of the musicianship and how Gillans vocals resonate. There's a lot of passion poured into this and if it's their last album they have gone out in a blaze of glory.

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