This album was released in 1970 and Tony McPhee the leader, composer, guitarist, singer etc. decided to take the blues based sound that they were known for on their previous two albums out of this one. The first half of this album which is four tracks are part of a suite dealing with alienness. Each song deals with alienness on different scales, the first in a community, the second in a small town, the third in a country and then fourth in the world. I have to say that this record along with the followup "Split" from 1971 are both must-haves as far as I'm concerned. Quite different from one another but both really impressed me.

That first track is pretty good especially the instrumental sections. A fairly heavy and determined sound. The second track is not that great, kind of a pale version of the opener. The next two songs to end the suite deal with war. Both are exceptional tracks. The album cover and especially the album's title would have been so controversial in 1970. A bold move and then John Peel starts playing that third track about soldiers with such meaningful and passionate words. An anti-war track that Peel would play regularly giving this band a huge spotlight. And what a song! No doubt there were many haters for this one but the lyrics are right on. The biting words and the way he says "...you know " after certain lines just works so well. The fourth one of the suite ends with a nuclear explosion but we get some walking bass and killer guitar as well. Such a good song.

The last five tracks don't quite measure up to the last two before it but this is a fairly consistent album and there's something about each of the last five that works for me. "Garden" might be my favourite of those for the lyrics and sound. The closer "Eccentric Man..." is little heavier and a little slower and quite catchy, a highlight. 4 stars.

Although Jesse Heikkinen appears to be part of fellow Finnish forest folkers HEXVESSEL no longer, it still seems that where Matt McNerney's project goes so goes ITERUM NATA...to a point. While "From the Infinite Light" is probably the heaviest offering to date from Heikkinen, neither its mass nor acceleration approach that of HEXVESSEL's "Polar Veil", which is a good thing. By weaving metallic fibers into the near orchestral "This Gleaming Eternity" and "A Manifested Nightmare", and solemn JOY DIVISION like reverence without the suicidal ideation into "A Darkness Within" and "Something Truly Almighty", this 5th album hits most high points of the group's career musically. The only problems are that the lyrics lack the beguiling lucidity of yore and too many rather ordinary or deja vu numbers ("Overture", "Ambrosia", "The Drifter") litter the rest of the output. It's not out of any disrespect that I round down here, but out of respect for what the band has already proven it can do better.

More of Toto Blanke's experimentation outside of his gigs with Pierre Courbois and Jasper Van't Hof and Joachim K'hn. The influence of John McLaughlin's MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA and SHAKTI project is quite obvious here as is the more recent sounds and songs of WEATHER REPORT (on bassist Norbert D'mling).

1. "Birds Of A Feather" (9:41) opening with some of the sequencing he was experimenting with on his two previous albums, the song moves into WEATHER REPORT territory. A little too uniform in sticking with one single motif throughout the song--which makes it hard to stay engaged over ten minutes, but very high quality musicianship throughout. (17.75/20)

2. "Asiento" (3:51) Trilock Gurtu's opening percussion barrage lets us know that we're in for a SHAKTI-like fusion of Eastern and Western traditions. Norbert D'mling's fretless bass is straight out of the JACO PASTORIUS school of bass. Very nice imitation with nocitceably loose and free feeling from all musicians. (9/10)

3. "Hallo J. (2:00) Toto's beautiful play on his steel-stringed acoustic guitar paired up with Norbert D'mling's wonderful Jaco Pastorius-like fretless bass Wonderful! Could've gone longer (for my tastes). (5/5)

4. "Billi (6:06) a Latin vehicle for some wild tenor sax play from Mat Nodolny. Stu Goldberg's mostly-two-chord support is a bit too forward and, therefore, obnoxious. In the fourth minute, Toto's electric (Roland?) jazz guitar gets the second solo. Lot's of unusual hand percussives and weird synth noises being thrown into the background (Trilock's contributions a little too far forward). (8.875/10)

5. "Floating (5:39) a high-speed cruise that has a lot of angular melody lines in its "Vashkar"/Mahavishnu-like sound palette. Exceptional musicianship on display, top to bottom. (9.3333/10)

6. "Winterlied (3:42) a duet between Stu Goldberg's MiniMoog and Toto's steel-stringed acoustic guitar. It opens as slow and ruminative duet of MiniMoog and gentle acoustic guitar chord picking before breaking down with some more flashy contributions from the acoustic guitar while the MiniMoog continues its melody-searching unphased. Reminds me of both SHAKTI and PAT METHENY. (9.25/10)

7. "I'm A Stranger Here Myself (8:00) very much like something from AREA's Crac!: "Nervi Scoperti" Excellent musicanship (as it would have to be to earn that comparison)! (13.75/15)

8. "Friends (Dedicated To T. Blanke)" (4:27) interesting Weather Report-like weirdness. Smooth and melodic, though. (8.875/10)

Total Time 43:26

I'm not sure why Stu Goldberg gets second billing unless he was integrally-involved in the composition department as his keyboard play serves more in a support role (except for "Winterlied").

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of a broad spectrum of wonderfully-performed jazz-rock fusion--one that could hold a candle to anything happening at the highest levels of fame, virtuosity, and sales marketing in the rest of the world.

While Nektar's two early works had shown a clear inclination towards psychedelia and spacey instrumentation, it is also true that Roye Albrighton's distorted and generally raspy guitars brought with them a few decibels above the standard progressive movement, giving the band a very definite personality of their own.

And with "...Sounds Like This", their third album (1973), the English band based in Germany seems to want to exorcise all that rock energy in an extensive work starring Albrighton's haemorrhagic and rocky guitar dissertations, with Allan Freeman's keyboards remaining more as an important support with shy solo participations, as well as those of Derek Moore's solvent bass, and therefore moving away from the structured and lysergic style more identifiable of Nektar.

In the raw and rudimentary approach of the album, initially recorded live and then retouched and reformulated in the studio, lies its greatest attraction, with pieces marked by instrumental improvisation, and where both the arpeggiated and boxed guitar opening of "Good Day" and its persistent choral refrain, the wink to the beatlenian "Norwegian Wood" in the emotional "New Day Dawning", the bluesy "What Ya Gonna Do? "and Albrighton's vocal and guitar counterpoint stand out, as do the extended lucubrations of the funky "1-2-3-4" with the very active Ron Howden on drums accompanying the once again unleashed Albrighton, the thunderous and unbridled distorted guitar solo on the demanding "Do You Believe in Magic?", and the also lengthy and bluesy "Odyssey", with Howden's drum solo included, and a final section of increasing intensity, to bring the work to a close.

"...Sounds Like This" moves away from the progressive canons, and is rather an interesting sample of corrosive and primitive classic rock, something that Nektar would not repeat in the following years.

3/3.5 stars

After two romantic Genesis albums, the 80's started with the most melancholic and broken-hearted Genesis album - Duke. Duke retains very strong progressive rock elements for the last time ever but unabashed radio-friendly pop takes more place on the surface. The Duke's suite adheres to the highest Genesis standards (with the exception of "Duchess" which is a good experiment but a bit repetitive). "Duke's travels" is an astonishing journey by Banks and Collins that could have blown away almost any other prog-rock band in the 1980. Banks comes with two well though-out mini epics "Heathaze" and "Cul-de-sac" with great synth/grand piano background instrumentation. Semi-prog "Man of our times" is clearly heavy on bass tones and penned by Rutherford, well heavy drummed by Collins. The rest of the material corresponds to good pop/rock songs, mostly with feelings of sadness and ever improving Collins singing abilities with great harmonies and emotional depth. My only complaint is "Misunderstanding" which should have been left to a solo Collins album and is a bit of disgrace for Genesis. I listened to this album heavily along with ATTWT and Wind and Wuthering when I emotionally felt the same mood. Recommended to fans of accessible prog-rock and intelligent pop.

One of the earliest chapters of the Finnish based Colossus Projects was the 2006 release, THE 7 SAMURAI: THE ULTIMATE EPIC which was the sixth epic adventure of concept albums of prog which in this case focused on the 1954 Japanese film by director Akira Kurosawa, "The 7 Samurais." This was the first release to feature a sole CD rather than a double disc set although maximizing the limitations of the physical format at a playing time of nearly 76 minutes.

This various artists compilation only features three sprawling tracks by the bands C.A.P. and Tapobran, both from Italy and the band Témprano from Venezuela. This album is dedicated to classic 1970s retro-prog with vintage keyboard sounds and a unified stylistic approach that borrows from early Genesis, ELP, Jethro Tull and the Italian greats like Banco and PFM. Each of the three tracks exceeds 22 minutes with the opening track by C.A.P. reaching a satisfying 27 minutes of symphonic prog splendor.

Consorzio Acqua Potabile (C.A.P.) starts the prog party with the sprawling 6-suite "Alla corte degli eroi - 1550, periodo Sengoku" which narrates the developments of the Samurai through endless variations based in the context of classic symphonic prog with additional references to Jethro Tull, King Crimson and especially Italian greats including Le Orme, Banco, Museo Rosenbach and just about anything else but the kitchen sink. This is one of the strongest tracks which is the most focused and features the most logical meandering through an endless series of developments. The segments while basically mini-tracks in their own right provide a logical procession although the actual Samurai references are nebulous and sparse. This track also features the most interesting vocalist at least for my ears.

The Venezuelan Témprano follows suit with a similar but distinct style as it nearly matches the longevity prowess of its processor. "The Farmers" which constitutes a mere four suites delivers the usual suspects for influences but also finds itself a bit less focused as far as meaningful movements and resorts to lengthy jamming extensions which tend to sound a little forced and at some points monotonous. Although not unlistenable by any means, just seems to be a step down from the opener and much more Genesis influenced with easily identifiable moments from classic pastoral sounds and Hackett inspired guitar tactics. Some jazzy moments are scattered about and the track sounds a bit more vintage.

The final track "The Bandits" by Tapobran likewise extends over the 20-minute mark surpassing the 22 minute demarcation. This track is segmented into four suites and offers some of the more overt rocking performances with heavier guitar moments and keyboard heft that will please fans of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's more brash moments. Being Italian there are plenty of references to the Italian greats of the era as well as moments of actual Japanese references making it the most identifiable as something that refers to the concept, something these Colossus Projects tend to make secondary in emphasis. While the track is the shortest, it offers more of a condensed punch in many regards and suits a more dramatic ending.

Overall this isn't as consistent as some Colossus releases yet quite excellent when taken as a whole. This is one of those pomp and awe type of prog album that many will cite as endless noodling but if an infinite roster of variations and thematic changes are your bailiwick then this will not disappoint. All three bands show an excellent display of tackling classic 70s prog and making it their own and despite an immeasurable wealth of influences on board, each band delivers a distinct flavor that far exceeds mere copycatting. For lovers of sprawling epic prog compositions, this is prog heaven however anyone allergic to these types of excess best stand clear. Personally i love it.

I can't get over the difference in sound between this 1973 release and the next one "Eldorado". Much better production and sound quality here with "On The Third Day" and it's just more my style of music as well. This one while still very much tapping into what THE BEATLES did is a pretty good rocking record. "Eldorado" is dominated with orchestration and the sound quality is not good, There's no way I could go more than 3 stars with it. Sure that style would be the key to Jeff Lynne and ELO's success but for my tastes give me that gritty, slicing cello any day and that harder edged record.

Like "Eldorado" there are two songs I recognize, probably from listening to FM classic rock stations. "Showdown" is one I really like but wasn't the biggest fan back in the day. Also "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" is the other one I know and this rocks pretty hard, no doubt a good live track for these guys once upon a time. I can't believe Marc Bolan is playing guitar on this one along with the next tune "Dreaming Of 4000". Marc has been on some good Fusion albums and speaking of that check out the final 30 seconds of "Oh No Not Susan" with the Jerry Goodman-like violin.

Back in the day when I was 17 years old and finding my way musically I did check these guys out by buying "Out Of The Blue" for the very happy "Mr. Blue Sky". Interesting that the RYM site has the four straight albums beginning with "Eldorado"and ending with "Out Of The Blue" as their highest rated. And add "Time" from 1981. I'll take the "The Third Day" thankyou.

British intellectual Neil Ardley composes complex jazz-rock and then enlists the help of many seasoned musicians (many of whom had served in the ranks of Ian Carr's Nucleus).

Side 1: 1. "Prologue/Rainbow One" (10:25) layers upon layers of minimalist arpeggi performed polyrhythmically in rondo form--until 3:05 when they all come together in an awesome kind of DON ELLIS/EARTH WIND & FIRE/AVERAGE WHITE BAND jam. And then, oddity of all oddities (especially for a Jazz-Rock Fusion song) is the fact that the first instrumental solos don't begin until the seventh minute! (Given to Ian Carr, of course.) Very interesting--and enjoyable! (18.75/20) 2. "Rainbow Two" (7:35) a gentle duet of acoustic bass and flute open this one before woodwinds join in. Though mathematically interesting, eventually, the gentle, plodding music becomes rather soporific. (13.25/15)

Side 2: 1. "Rainbow Three" (3:28) Jean-Luc Ponty-like cello gets the leadership role over a percussive, Afro-folk rhythmic weave from the drums, percussion, and funky electric bass. Everything slows down at the end for a very subdued dénouement. (8.875/10)

2. "Rainbow Four" (6:15) this one starts out sounding like a merger of old-style jazz with modern minimalism but then everything shifts into old style Sketches of Spain-like music for trumpet, flutes, and other wind instruments to solo and weave in and out of a gorgeous Spanish-sounding ballad. Absolutely gorgeous melodies performed with awesomely inventive "choral" weave. Soprano sax solos in the fourth minute. The pain and anguish of the soloist gets so overwhelmingly powerful in the fifth and sixth minutes! Music does not get much better than this! (10/10)

Side 3: 1. "Rainbow Five" (4:25) sounds like a modern melding of DON ELLIS' big band ORCHESTRA with a smooth Weather Report or . Great clarinet play in the song's first and only extended solo. Ends with another odd separate whole-band horn motif. (9/10)

3. "Rainbow Six" (7:39) flutes and other winds trill around each other like butterflies before electric bass, vibes, hand percussion, and brass enter providing gentle waves of Kind of Blue-like textures. The bass and jazz guitar provide the only disruptors to the gentle waves of winds--the bass creating an EBERHARD WEBER-like feel. By the final third of the song the rolling waves of wind instruments begin to show a hint of a minimalist pattern. Nice tune. A very interesting composition. (13.5/15)

Side 4: 1. "Rainbow Seven/Epilogue" (14:58) sounds and feels like a kind of mélange of several (if not) all of the themes and styles of the other songs--the Epilogue portion definitely mirrors the opening in a re-oriented kind of variation. A little slower and more spacious than the opening side, there is some nice guitar and electric piano play involved (which was not so featured on previous songs). I love the rolling bass sound and the big band horn. Ken Shaw's extended guitar solo is a bit too jazz guitar-like and not so rock 'n' roll, and then Brian Smith's sax solo follows. With four minutes to go there is a full shift into a completely new and different motif with bass and drums leading the band into an almost- imperceptibly speeding up pace will horns et al. follow and embellish. (27/30)

Total Time 54:46

An album with wonderfully crisp and clean compositions performed and recorded with equal definition and clarity. With no side extending beyond 18 minutes--and three less than 15 minutes--in length I guess it should be no wonder that the sound quality is so great.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of finely-crafted jazz-rock fusion--an album that I think every prog lover would love.

Review Nº 767

"Made In Heaven" is the fifteenth studio album of Queen and was released in 1995, four years after the dead of Freddie Mercury. This is the last album from the band to feature vocals from him when he was alive. However, after Freddie Mercury's dead in 1991, the remaining members of Queen have worked with previously recorded vocals and piano parts that Freddie recorded before he passed away, along with newly recorded lyrics by the remaining band's members, to create another new studio album. It included two songs, with a new musical arrangement of Freddie Mercury's solo album, "Mr. Bad Guy" and "I Was Born To Love You", and "Made In Heaven". The song "My Life Has Been Saved" has a version launched in 1989, the compact with the song "Scandal" released on their thirteenth studio album "The Miracle".

Prior to its release, some critics thought Queen were cashing in. Instead, Queen wrote the perfect final chapter to an amazing career. Some fans were disappointed in the 80's and some new fans were introduced in the 80's. Still, "Made in Heaven" is an album that won't disappoint, whether you're a fan of the 70's hard rock or the 80's pop rock, indeed.

"Made In Heaven" has officially, eleven tracks. The first track "It's A Beautiful Day" written by Queen and Freddie Mercury is a nice song, where the vocals and piano sounds beautifully. This is a good song to introduce the album. The second track "Made In Heaven" written by Freddie Mercury was originally from his solo album "Mr. Bad Guy". This is a version which was given a special treatment to sounds more like a Queen's song. I think this is a better version than the original. The third track "Let Me Live" written by Queen is a rock ballad that features vocals from Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor. It was completed after Freddie Mercury's dead. It's a good song that sounds to the early Queen's sound. The fourth track "Mother Love" written by Freddie Mercury and Brian May was the final song co-written by both, and was also Freddie Mercury's last vocal performance. It's a good and beautiful song with sad and depressing lyrics that notice that he knew perfectly well that he was going to die soon. The fifth track "My Life Has Been Saved" written by Queen and John Deacon is, in my humble opinion, one of the weakest songs on the album. However, it remains a good and enjoyable song to hear. The sixth track "I Was Born To Love You" written by Freddie Mercury, was another song originally recorded for his solo album "Mr. Bad Guy". After he passed away, the band remixed it and added instrumentation, turning it into a fast rock song. This is a good and nice song to hear. The seventh track "Heaven For Everyone" written by Roger Taylor is a beautiful and sentimental track. Despite be a song taken from Roger Taylor's album "The Cross", this version sounds as a Queen's song. The eighth track "Too Much Love Will Kill You" written by Brian May, Frank Musker and Elizabeth Lamers is one of the highlights on the album. It was initially made for "The Miracle", but it was never released. Later, Brian May recorded it for his debut solo album "Back To The Light". This is a nice song that I like very much. The ninth track "You Don't Fool Me" written by Queen was one of the last songs to be recorded for the album. It isn't a very good song. It sounds too much to funky and disco and has nothing to do with the Queen's sound. It's a bit dated in our days. The tenth track "A Winter's Tale" written by Queen and Freddie Mercury is a beautiful song. It was the last song composed solely by Freddie Mercury and was recorded two weeks before his dead. The eleventh track "It's A Beautiful Day (Reprise)", as its name says is the reprise of the first song. It's a better version than the first one. It has new and different musical arrangements and a heavier rock piece of music at the end of it.

The CD also features two tracks that aren't presented on the data shed of the album. The twelfth track "Yeah" is an excerpt from "It's a Beautiful Day (Reprise)", where Freddie Mercury shouts "Yeah" that has no more than 4 seconds. The thirteenth track is a light track, where hardly we can hear anything because is recorded too much low. Its name was never mentioned, but some says is called "Mystique". It symbolizes the passing of Freddie Mercury to the Paradise.

Conclusion: I can see some parallelism between "Made In Heaven" and "An American Prayer" of The Doors, despite being two completely different musical proposals. As many of you know, both albums were released with some material recorded by both artists before their dead, and were released by the remaining members of both bands, after they died. Relatively to "Made In Heaven", and musically speaking, we are in presence of a great album, with songs like "Made In Heaven", "I Was Born To Love You", "Heaven For Everyone" and "Too Much Love Will Kill You", which did our delights, while we drove our cars and listened the car radio, instead of having to listen some kind of pop music without any kind of quality and imagination. So, "Made In Heaven" probably should be rated with 4 stars. However, I have a problem in doing that. In the first place, its music hasn't any kind of progressivity and we are on a progressive site. In the second place, I rated "Queen", "Sheer Heart Attack", "A Day At The Races" and "Innuendo" with 4 stars. Thus, it would be unfair to give the same rating to it too. So, the right thing to do is to rate "Made In Heaven" with 3 solid stars, really.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

To share my impression of new album Roz Vitalis "Semi Acoustic at Kuryokhin Center" I will describe images and feelings that arise while listening. (The order of the compositions is different)

Blurred. Road, path and work. Enjoying the road. It can be difficult sometimes, but then revitalization and motivation can occur. Hard work and inspiration. Perseverance, courage and hard work, goal setting helps. The main thing is to see what you are doing it for.

Jungle Waltz. Beautiful, mysterious game and playfulness. It seems that tropical animals are walking and playing around. Mystery, tension take place at the end accompanying a final battle the main wild characters participate in.

The Hidden Man of the Heart. Virtue, hope, rise, the path to achieving the goal come up while listening to this composition.

Lavoro D'amore. Relationships can be difficult. If you want to build relationships you need to put a lot of effort. You have to try your best to go through quarrels, misunderstandings, anger, resentment. Then comes relief, revival, a new stage of the relationships.

Forbearing One Another in Love. Seems like this composition reflects the stages of relationships. Fleeting glances, sympathy. Love. Two clarified each other. It started out hard. Misunderstanding. They were spinning in the stream. Everything is great. Very beautiful, fairy tale. Storm, fake and condescend, work on relationships. Relief has come.

Recovery. Vanity and care are replaced by joy and enjoyment of life, improving the internal state and finding peace.

Ascension of hope. It embraces feelings of beauty, love, kindness, lightness, sublimity, flight, hope.

Passing winter. Light sadness, melancholy, fear and mystery change to hope and enlightenment, excitement, with a feeling of peace and awareness that everything is going as usual. Magical and bright feelings, beauty and sadness occur.

Ending. The road and the work, enjoying the result and the experience that was gained.

Mother of all rain. The peace and joy that we experience in good times, in sunny weather, the laconically and unexpectedly change to the charming and immersing. You feel the atmosphere of strength, struggle and work that we experience in difficult times or in rainy weather. You go through difficulties and move on.

Passing over. Boiling and seething change to the peace. Then it changes immediately to the mystery. You continue the path, with new experience.

Here we have the third album by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Ruud Dielen, who has yet again provided all the instrumentation apart from the drums (Kike Paglia) and some vocals, although this time he has wisely brought in Frank van der Borg who provides vocals on one track and Celia van Onna who provides them on three. Given my major issue on 'Zodiac' were the vocals, this is something I definitely agree with. ProgArchives have determined this as being crossover prog, and given I was on the team when he was approved, I must concur, but this is crossover in the sense that he is crossing multiple genres and bringing them together as opposed to the defined crossover genre itself.

By far the most important instrument here is Ruud's wonderfully melodic guitar which can be very Gilmour-ish at times, while at others it is far more direct. This is an album where the music style can almost be defined by a decade, as this is loaded with the Seventies throughout with Ruud providing a masterclass in how to wring emotion from six strings. Following on from Frank's growly vocals on opener "Repentance" we move into the first of three instrumentals, "Slow Down". There are chunks of this which are pure Floyd, while at times we are thrown into the realms of psychedelia. One becomes transfixed at what is taking place, and to say I am surprised that Ruud has produced such a wonderful release with his third album is something of an understatement. Wherever one looks there are touches of real quality, whether it is the fretless bass here, the powering drumming there, the acoustic making an entrance in that place, all brought together with powerful use of melody and never overplaying.

The result is a highly effective and enjoyable release which is a great introduction to Ruud Dielen, and given the step change from his last album it will be interesting to see what the next one brings. This is Seventies rock containing plenty prog elements, and is one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Here we have the fourteenth studio album from American prog outfit French TV, who released their debut all the way back in 1984, but I am somewhat embarrassed to say this is the first time I have come across the group. With such a long history behind them it is no surprise there have been multiple line-ups, but bassist Mike Sary has been there since the beginning while this is the fourth album to feature both Katsumi Yoneda (guitars) and Patrick Strawser (keyboards) although in recent years they have had some issues with drummers, and this is the debut for Fenner Caster. They also have a few guests in Kenji Imai (flute), Warren Dale (saxophones) and Ludo Fabre (violin). Until last year I had not thought of Pat since the Nineties, when I reviewed an album by Volaré, but recently I have reviewed a few released under his own name or as part of a group, but it was still quite a surprise to see him here as well.

Now, having not heard any of the band's other material I cannot say if this is similar to what they have been releasing recently or not, but I do know from reading other reviews that this is nothing like their early stuff. Seeing this was on Cuneiform I did expect something more overtly RIO, but this instrumental release has much more in common with classic Canterbury, although it also contains more melodic moments as well. The guests play an incredibly important part as they often take the lead, while the core quartet provide consistently high note density. It is the way they move between different styles which makes this such an interesting release as there are areas where if it was played in isolation then it would not be enjoyed at all, but it is the contrast between loungecore and dramatic inventive and complex prog which makes it all work together. There are only five tracks on here, but there is no lack of material to enjoy given that the opener is more than eighteen minutes in length.

Although this is highly melodic, I found it did take me three or four plays to really start to get inside it as although on the surface it does appear commercial for the most part, there is a lot going on and it certainly takes time to fully ingest. This is an album which will only be enjoyed by those who are prepared to give it the time it deserves as otherwise the masterclass in musicianship will just pass them by. If, like me, you have managed to avoid French TV for the past 40 years then this is certainly an interesting release to start with, but whether or not it is truly representative of where they have come from then that I cannot answer.

Cast , this veteran and prolific band from Mexico conducted by excellent keyboard player Alfonso Vidales, done another excellent album named Arsis issued in 2014. Anyone intrested in prog is knowing that Cast is for sure one of the better symphonic/neo prog bands in last 30 years, each album is better then the next and to be fair they do not have a single album bad or unintristing in their catalogue, this is a rare case among bands from this genre when they will celebrate 45 years of existence.

Their music evolved through the years from almost neo prog with lots of Marillion, Camel, Genesis influences in their 90s albums to a symphonic band later on, but in each phases their really manage to survive in the scene and release music of a real intrest.

Arsis is a real symphonic prog album of the highest calibre, only 3 pieces here divided in many small ones, the opening has 30 min and is a pure delight. Inventive instrumental sections, lots of keyboards, piano motifs but in combination with the guitar parts the result is an excellent album all the way. Well crafted and composed, intresting orchestrations and lots of changes but done with taste.

All in all a solid album and among the best genre has to offer, all members involved done a great job and Cast once again must be taken in consideration when talking about genre best and longevive bands. Easy 4 stars and recommended.

Didn't expect to see two more of these Momentaufnahme albums from Faust's catalog, but I do not quite mind it so much. The more Faust the merrier.

Compared to the second Momentaufnahme, this quite the improved collection of archived songs from the 70s. It's a lot longer than the prior releases, being nearly 50 minutes, as opposed to the 30 minutes that was shown before. It makes the album have a bit more meat on its bones than before, which I quite like, especially since a lot of the tracks here are quite great.

These are tracks from 71 Minutes, and some BBC sessions that the band recorded, so this isn't gonna be the most original release, especially for die hard Faust enthusiasts, but what is here works, and listening to some of these more rarer tracks in some nice quality is quite appreciated. I especially like Psalter and Baby, both quite groovy tracks, with Baby in particular reminding me a bit of the noisy, proto-punk sound of The Stooges. Guess Faust was punk before it was cool.

I also quite like the BBC sessions. They are pretty high quality, and feature three pretty good songs. However, I noticed Krautrock is a bit muddy in the drones, where you can barely hear the drums and guitars. Not a big problem, since Faust was known for doing stuff like that, and the original did something similar, so it's not the end of the world. Probably just noticed it now on that particular version.

There is still the issue of some tracks just not being good, at all, but it certainly has been toned down as opposed to I and II. There are only 3 tracks that I don't like, but that is only out of 9 other songs that I do enjoy, and they are very short so I don't really even pay attention to them. Still an issue, but certainly better than before.

A lot more quality is on here, so this is one of the better of these series of Momentaufnahme releases, at least to me. There are some great krautrock on here, and while it may not reach the heights of Faust IV or Ravvivando, I don't see the harm in seeing this as a great archival from a 50 year old band.

Best tracks: Psalter, Baby, Geister, die wir riefen (BBC Session), Stretch Out Time (BBC Session)

Worst tracks: Schwindebeck I, Schwindebeck II, Zwölf Meter unter der Oberfläche

I've mentioned many times that orchestral music just isn't my thing and this album is full of it. I think the first time I heard this band was probably the song "Telephone Line" on the radio and I really liked that one. But they would have many hit songs playing on the radio over the years, I'm sure Jeff Lynne isn't hurting financially. Just read the Bio here. This particular album and "On The Third Day" the one before it get props from some Prog fans but to my ears this is commercial sounding music that is inconsistent overall.

After the opening overture we get the hit "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" and it's a pretty good tune and one I remember from back in the day. I still can't get over how orchestral this album is with that 40 piece orchestra in play. I honestly thought this band would be in Prog Related, so I'm surprised to see them in Crossover although this record by itself leans heavily towards the Symphonic I must admit.

I'm not surprised at the success commercially of this one with the two or three popular tunes and of course being unique with that orchestra. And come on this also brings THE BEATLES to mind at times as well. Jeff was onto something. Just not my thing. 3 stars.

Nektar, the band formed by four young Britons in 1969 in Hamburg, Germany, finally released their debut album "Journey to the Centre of the Eye" in 1971, after two years of touring the music circuit in the region. A work influenced by the psychedelic wave prevailing in those years and contemporary to the Floydian "Meddle" and the Crimsonian "Islands" among others, and which finds in the fantasy story of an astronaut's journey to Saturn, worried about the fate of the earth and intercepted by aliens, the perfect motif to build lysergic and dark sonorous atmospheres.

Although there are thirteen enunciative themes that compose it, "Journey to the Centre of the Eye" is in reality a huge single suite that beyond the wandering and abstract lucubrations of the experimental "Prelude" and "Warp Oversight", it flows solvently, using the experimental "Prelude" and "Warp Oversight", it flows solvently through Allan Freeman's intriguing keyboards and melotrons shared with Derek Moore, the latter also responsible for an extremely deep bass, interacting with Roye Albrighton's distortion and effects-laden guitar riffs as in the rising instrumental intensity of "Countenance"; as well as in solidly structured sections such as the hopeless and dramatic "Astronauts Nightmare", the two parts of the sinuous "The Dream Nebula", the anguished "Burn Out my Eyes" or the dense and conclusive "Death of the Mind" overflown by the intensity of the omnipresent melotron, pieces that also count on the megaphonic and stunned singing of Albrighton in cosmic mode and the determined drums of Ron Howden.

"Journey to the Centre of the Eye", despite its rudimentary production work, is an excellent debut album that did not achieve all the repercussion and recognition it deserved, partly because of Nektar's geographical distance from the epicentre of the movement and partly because of the proliferation of excellent bands of the genre that made it difficult to gain a place in the general consideration of the time.

4 stars

Fernando Refay is one of the respected prog rock artist from Argentina in last decade. He release under his name 4 albums since 2010.

His second offer from 2014, named The day we came to realise being the best so far. Is a concept album, described in his own words " A concept album that tells the story of the survivors of the earth after a nuclear holocaust ", well, that is proving the great art work aswell, I can say is like a rock opera, not far from Ayreon albums

Fernando is a multi instrumentalist, he can handle very well keyboards, piano and even some vocals here and there, but have a pletora of guests here, some of them being from Vanished From Earth band where Refay is member all done a good job in the end.

The music is quite elaborated, specially the instrumental sections, maybe the vocal parts are not quite so strong, only ok, the pieces are long with opening track Balad clocking around 25 min is a winner. Melodic lines combined with more edgy make from this second album a good listen, something between symphonic prog rock and prog metal. Keyboards are all the time used throughout the entire album and in combinatian with the melodic prog metal parts and atmospheric symphonic arrangements and textures giving a worthy album.

Fernando Refay done a good job on this album and I thing worth investigated. 3.5 stars for sure.

If you're looking for some good old classic progressive rock you can't miss this Leviathan album. Born in the mid-80s in Rome, they were among the first bands in Italy to join the new wave of Prog Rock. Originally recorded in 1988, Heartquake is the reissue of the band's debut album of the same name. Of the original lineup, only the vocalist, Alex Brunori and percussionist Andrea Monetta remained, to whom were added Andrea Amici (keyboards, in the band since 1990), the guitarist Fabio Serra and the Sienese bassist Andrea Castelli fresh from the experience with Il Rovescio della Medaglia, one of the most iconic bands of the prog rock scene made in Italy. The result is an album with a classic sound but extremely original. From the first song we understand the solidity of the band which manages to perfectly calibrate virtuosity and groove. The references to Genesis' style are evident without losing originality and freshness. The second piece is extremely interesting and brings to mind bands like Cressida or Camel. The title track is also excellent in which the band's chemistry is evident. An excellent album, well recorded and worthy of five stars. My hope is to be able to hear a new work from the Italian band soon. FabArt

"It Leads To This" is the latest THE PINEAPPLE THIEF offering released in 2024. This is a band who just has not stopped the last seven years, even during the pandemic they may have been the most active band out there. Their last album "Versions Of The Truth" was a solid record but I like this one better. It's so old school here for Bruce and the boys with all the tracks ranging between 4 1/2 to 6 minutes and almost all the music is mid-paced. But it's how they contrast sections and change things up that makes this work. Those trippy passages, the heaviness or the experimental bits all work as contrasts to the melodic and mostly mellow music provided here. I really like this record.

It's pretty cool in the liner notes to see seven pictures of what is supposed to be the same person from when he is a boy all the way to being an old man. A gradual process. This is such a consistent record maybe the most consistent of their whole catalogue. Picking a top three would be hard but the one song I seemed to resonate with the most was "All Thats Left" the way it starts out like a whisper to shouting as it were later on.

I have been on THE PINEAPPLE THIEF bus for almost 20 years. When Gavin came on board for the album "Your Wilderness" I think it was like catching lightning in a bottle. With Bruce's already emotional lyrics, then bringing in a world class drummer to the fold, well that first album with him will always be my favourite. The live tour that followed gave us "Where We Stood" a top three for me and again this is an inspired band right here saying look at us now! And how about the wordless vocals from Bruce so unique to those two albums. My top three would also include "Little Man" from 2006 which encapsulates all that went before with some of their best songs and emotion to burn here.

Yes time to get off the bus, it's time. I do recommend this one quite highly though if your already a fan.

A Scarcity of Miracles (billed as "A King Crimson ProjeKct") came out in mid-2011. It's quite mellow and atmospheric, especially compared to King Crimson's most recent releases.

It starts off with its title track. After an extended, mellow intro, a relaxed rhythm emerges, and Collins's saxophone is a nice, smooth complement. Jakszyk's voice is strong, and Harrison's drumming provides just the right amount of propulsion. On the downside, this song is a bit on the long side, and that will be a common issue throughout this album. The underlying ideas are strong; they're just stretched out a little too much.

"The Price We Pay" has a new wave feel to it at points, and Fripp's soundscapes add a lot of depth. "Secrets" takes too long to get going, but its second half is strong. Harrison's drumming is restrained but effective, and the harmonization of sax and distorted guitar works very well.

The introduction to "This House" is also overlong, though it does feature very pretty interplay between soundscape textures, wordless vocals, guitar, and sax. Once it gets going, it reminds me somewhat of the gentler moments on The Division Bell. The jazz flavors are nice, but this song is quite drawn out.

"The Other Man" features some interesting discordant stabs of guitar, and I appreciate that textural variation. Levin's bass is impactful, and the percussion is also the most propulsive it gets on this album. Unsurprisingly, this is my favorite cut on the album. The bloat is minimal, and the contrast between the album's overall gentleness and this cut's aggression is smartly balanced.

A Scarcity of Miracles ends on its longest song, "The Light of Day". Even by the standards of this release, the opening is spare. Jazzy guitar licks echo distantly, and Jakszyk's vocals are only minimally-accompanied. This song frequently hints at interesting melodic ideas, but it struggles to fully realize any of these suggestions. The instrumental closing section is dark and imposing, while also being controlled.

Overall, A Scarcity of Miracles is a decent album, but it channels a lot of Robert Fripp's tendencies toward ambient music and airy, jazzy improv. With that in mind, this could have been much, much worse, and if you're looking for something subdued but dark, this is a decent choice.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

I have not been this excited about a piece of music since the release of "A Drop of Light" by "All Traps on Earth" at 2018. A new Present record is also unexpected since the passing of Roger Trigaux at the age of 70 in 2021. Apparently, the music was recorded during his illness, and he passed away in the middle of the recording sessions. All of this might lead one to think that the music would perhaps be a little reflective, lacking new ideas and orientation. Well, nothing can be further from truth.

This record sinks its roots into their previous album Barbaro (Ma Non Troppo) and then takes off from there in a true progressive spirit.

Music is their usual mixture of chamber rock, avant rock, RIO and zehul, incorporating sharp, urgent guitars, ever present bass which are well supported by myriad of other instruments ranging from woodwinds, violins and acoustic piano etc. From the perspective of rhythm changes, the compositions are very well balanced. We are not hit with a relentless wall of sound; instead, bombastic elements are interrupted with softer sounds of woodwinds and quieter sections.

The musicianship is absolutely top-notch. Although the compositions are complex, everyone plays with accuracy and complete coherence. I especially like the Pierre Chevalier's acoustic piano. His touch on the keyboard reminds me of Glen Gould; such crystal clear, distinct notes from every single key. Incredible!

The two longest tracks in the album "This is Not the End, Parts 1 & 2" are where we notice the advancements in the composition technique they utilized to date. These two tracks use circular structure with instruments exchanging not only the melody lines but also interrupting each other with jagged uncomfortable bursts. To some, the music might seem repetitive, but this is because of the circular structure of the compositions; circularity and repetitiveness should never be confused. Philip Glass's symphonies are circular, not repetitive. This style of composition is expertly implemented by the group where tension, sustainment and release phases are perfectly positioned. Absolute delight!

The progressive element in their music become apparent when this album's compositions are compared to their first two albums which I also love ("Triskaïdékaphobie" and "Le poison qui rend fou"). In comparison this record has clearly laid out musical ideas that are implemented perfectly without the wandering melodies and rhythms as if one is lost in a city but enjoying the experience, which seems to be the case in the first two Present records.

I highly recommend this record.

About a year after HWWYHTBHW, King Crimson put out their second full-length album in this configuration: The Power to Believe. It features the same line-up as ConstruKction, but it is considerably better. The album is weightier, and industrial elements are incorporated more fully.

The album's title track is a four-part, 15-minute suite spread across the album. The first of these parts, "A Cappella" is a bit of synthesized vocals, like what we heard on the EP that preceded this album. This leads into "Level Five", a live rendition of which was released ahead of this album on the live EP Level Five. This is meant to act as the fifth installment of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic", and the jagged, distorted guitars call to mind that ancestry. Mastelotto's electronic percussion clicks and stutters anxiously, and the industrial inclusions are well-realized.

A much gentler track, "Eyes Wide Open", follows. This cut ranks among the band's strongest mellow pieces, with Belew's vocal performance being especially effective. Creepy synth-reeds open "Elektrik" before moving into a jittery, industrial instrumental. This track melds the band's '80s era guitar style with more electronic flavors wonderfully.

"Facts of Life" has an extended, creepy intro, but the song proper sticks to this album's usual sound. It's heavy, aggressive, and woven through with little electronic touches. The chorus is catchy, and the instrumental passages are dynamic and exciting.

Part II of "The Power to Believe" is its longest section. It's a slinking, uneasy instrumental with some Middle Eastern touches. Mastelotto gets an opportunity to show off here by deploying a plethora of chimes, gongs, and other percussion instruments. The slow fade-in of "Dangerous Curves" builds tension. Structurally, this piece reminds me a lot of "The Talking Drum". Everything keeps building and building to a sudden, powerful cessation of sound.

"Happy with What You Have to Be Happy With" comes next, and it's one of my favorite (latter-era) songs from this band. It's heavy and groovy, and Belew's vocals are powerful and lightly distorted. His lyrics about songwriting are also characteristically somewhat silly.

The Power to Believe ends with the final two parts of its title track. "Part III" revisits the vocals from "Part I" and mixes them in among ominous, instrumental soundscapes in its first half. The second half is a slow, lurching instrumental that feels like a mix between this band's mid '70s output and some of Pink Floyd's spacier moments. "Part IV" is a quiet, droning piece that once more includes the first part's vocal snippets. It adds a sense of calm finality to this record.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

In 2002, King Crimson released a new EP: Happy with What You Have to Be Happy With. This release was recorded by the same lineup as ConstruKction, and it was meant to serve the same purpose as VROOOM: to act as a teaser for the upcoming full-length. Two of the songs here would appear on their next album, and there is also one live recording. 

"Bude" is a 26-second intro of synthesized vocals that leads into the title track, which is nearly identical to the version on The Power to Believe.

"Mie Gakuri" is an airy instrumental interlude of wavering synth pads, "She Shudders" is another piece just like "Bude", and "Eyes Wide Open" is a gentle bit of folky jazz-rock. It's a pleasant little piece, and hearing King Crimson unplug for one song is a nice change of pace for the band. An electrified version of this piece appears on The Power to Believe. This is followed by "Shoganai", an instrumental consisting solely of peculiar percussion reminiscent of a gamelan. I like it.

"I Ran" is yet another little synth-vocal piece. This is followed by "Potato Pie", probably King Crimson's bluesiest song. It still has some of that King Crimson strangeness, but it's quite straightforward by this band's standards. This song is decent, but really nothing special.

A live recording of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part IV)" comes next, and this takes up about one-third of the EP's runtime. It is, as expected, a powerful, aggressive performance, but its placement on this disc feels a bit like padding.

The last track here is "Clouds", one final synth-vocal interlude. It's only 30 seconds long, but following a 30-second silence, the hidden track "Einstein's Relatives" begins. (Man, I really do not miss hidden tracks being a thing. CDs have their uses, but unwieldy digital files with a minute of silence in the middle were not fun to deal with on iPod back when I was in high school.) After a brief, sped-up, one-man reprise of the title track, it wanders about rather aimlessly. There are a bunch of disjointed ideas, studio chatter, and general dicking-about. It feels like a piss take, and it really doesn't offer much of interest.

Despite having some good ideas, this is quite the skippable release. I'm annoyed it wasn't available to stream anywhere, so I had to spend a few dollars to buy a CD off Discogs. (This was actually one of four CDs I had to buy (along with VROOOM and ProjeKcts Two and X), but this was the most disappointing of the bunch. This one couldn't even rip properly. And of course as I was formatting this, I found it actually is on YouTube, just with a truncated name that made it easy to overlook.)

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

Following The ConstruKtion of Light, ProjeKct X (the full quartet of King Crimson, just under a different moniker) put out a full album. Much like ProjeKct Two, it's clear that this music stemmed primarily from jamming and experimentation, but it is notably better than Space Groove. The sound palette is more diverse and earthier, which works to the band's strengths. Heaven and Earth, ProjeKct X's sole album, is overlong, meandering, and generally unnecessary, but it's got some good stuff scattered throughout.

"The Business of Pleasure" is a good, growling intro with industrial flavors. But the next couple tracks each meditate on one not-very-interesting idea apiece. "Maximizer" sounds like it could have been refined to fit in on a proper KC album, and the nine-and-a-half-minute "Strange Ears (Aging Rapidly)" is an alright jam.

There are some fun, wonky ideas in "Overhead Floor Mats Under Toe", and "Six O'Clock" has a good, trudging rhythm. Most of these songs?especially the ones over three minutes long?go on for much longer than they need to, which hampers the enjoyability of this record. There's too much muddy guitar noodling and too many vaguely-electronic beats that go nowhere.

"One E End" is especially electronic, even by this release's standards, and "Two Awkward Moments" is a decent one-minute interlude. "Demolition" dwells on one riff for seven minutes when 90 seconds would have been fine.

The title track, which appeared on ConstruKction, is the penultimate cut. Heaven and Earth ends with "Belew Jay Way". This torpid piece is your typical King Crimson jam, insofar as it hints at something interesting that may happen, but it instead simply lingers for too long without coming to a satisfying conclusion.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

During the time when the various ProjeKcts were performing and recording, Tony Levin left the band as well, bringing King Crimson to the quartet of Fripp, Belew, Gunn, and Mastelotto. This four-piece began recording their next album in late 1999.

The resulting album, 2000's The ConstruKction of Light, is not King Crimson's best, and even Fripp acknowledged he was unhappy with the results. Somewhat unusually for King Crimson, none of this material had been played live before recording, and the songs feel overly reliant on past ideas.

ConstruKction opens with a song called "ProzaKc Blues", and it's not very good. It's a somewhat tongue-in-cheek blues cut with industrial flavors, and Belew's voice is distorted and pitch-shifted down. Despite Belew's clever lyrics, this song is beyond saving.

The title track harkens back to the band's '80s sound, with Belew and Fripp playing interlocking guitar lines. Overall, this cut lacks any real impact or power, and a lot of it comes off as limp math rock. Pat Mastelotto's electronic drum kit doesn't sound very good, either. Its first six minutes are repetitious, but once Belew's voice comes in, that helps to save the last third of the song. "Into the Frying Pan" is better, channeling some early-to-mid '90s alt rock flavors, but it's also too long.

"FraKctured" began life as a "Larks' Tongues" sequel before Robert Fripp decided it was more of a sequel to "Fracture" off Starless and Bible Black. The opening of this one sounds very similar to this album's title track, though some of the speedy riffing evoke moments in "Fracture". The twinkly, clean guitar tones Fripp and Belew utilize here don't really suit the music very well, and it robs it of any intensity. Mastelotto's snare drum also calls to mind Lars Ulrich's disastrous tone on St. Anger. There's finally some distortion later on in the song. And while it does help with the previous lack of intensity, there's something about this particular tone that is simply unpleasant. It's frazzled and sharp, but more in a "crappy amp" kind of way than a "harsh experiment" kind of way.

Another blues-influenced song, "The World's My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum" showcases more of Belew's quirky lyric-writing, but the musical backing isn't great. It's a noisy, jumbled soup that fails to make a splash.

What comes next is the 13-minute "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part IV)". The jagged riffs certainly call to mind prior entries in this series, but there's a more industrial edge to the rhythm. I can't exactly call it a rousing success. The composition isn't bad, but the tone choices are questionable, especially with the percussion. Its outro features some synths that are uncharacteristic for this band, and this behemoth is beset by a sense of aimlessness.

The ConstruKction of Light ends with "Heaven and Earth", which is credited to ProjeKct X. This piece has an urgent backbone, and I like it a lot. It's a song where repetition and slow, incremental changes are utilized effectively. Its slow, synth-heavy outro is too long, but I'll take what I can get on this album.

In 2019, King Crimson released The ReconstruKction of Light, a remastering/partial re-recording of The ConstruKction of Light. It certainly sounds better, especially in regard to the drums. Mastelotto used an acoustic kit on the re-recorded version, and it helped a lot. However, choices of sounds were only a portion of the problems plaguing ConstruKction; most of these songs just aren't up to the band's usual songwriting snuff. ReconstruKction is a mild improvement, but unless you feel more warmly toward this album than I do, it's really not worth it.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

In late 1999, King Crimson's collectors' club put out a compilation of outtakes recorded by the band's "double trio" lineup in 1994, titled The Vrooom Sessions. Several of these songs were later reworked or re-recorded for subsequent albums, but there are some neat cuts here. Considering these are not fully-formed songs, I won't dwell on this release for too long.

"Bass Groove" is exactly what it advertises, with the overall atmosphere being dark and moody, and "Fashionable" is funky and could have fit in on Discipline. "Monster Jam" is too long, but it's a great way for the two drummers to show off. Meanwhile, "Slow Mellow" takes its name too seriously and is an incredibly long three minutes. "Krim 3" is fantastic, with a jagged, bouncy groove. (It was later reworked for an Adrian Belew solo release.) 

"Funky Jam" is fantastic, and?wait, I've heard this before! This is the "alternative version" of "Matte Kudasai", isn't it? At least, I thought it was, based on the version of the album I've had on my hard drive since 2010 or so. Was this just mislabeled?

Yes, it was. This is how I found out wherever I got my digital copy of Discipline from had a mislabeled song on it. Well, this is embarrassing. I looked up the real alternate version of "Matte Kudasai", and it's only minimally different from the canonical version. That is to say, I'm still not nuts about it. "Funky Jam" holds up, though, and I'm happy to have some proper provenance on this matter now.

"No Questions Asked" would eventually become "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream", and an early version of "One Time" also appears here. "Calliope" is weird, bouncy, and too long; but it's fun, and another great percussion showcase. The closing "Booga Looga" has a vaguely Western vibe to it, and it's a decent enough cut. 

The Vrooom Sessions is a pleasant collection. It's far from essential, but it shows a side of King Crimson's songwriting that isn't just endless, airy improvisation.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

The first of the ProjeKcts to record in the studio was ProjeKct Two, consisting of Fripp on guitar, Trey Gunn on touch guitar and guitar synth, and Belew on electronic percussion. Their sole album, Space Groove, was released in 1998.

Space Groove is a goddamn monster of an album. A 90-minute double album, disc one (subtitled Space Groove) consists solely of the three-part title track. Starting off, curiously, with the 19-minute "Space Groove II", it's a fitting title. There's a decent groove, and it's quite spacey. In a way, it reminds me a lot of vaporwave aesthetics. It's glossy and airy and bears some similarities to Japanese jazz from the '80s. It absolutely drags on for longer than it needs to, but it's not as punishing as I expected an improv-heavy instrumental cut would be. This probably could have been trimmed down to a pretty solid seven-to-ten minute song. "Space Groove III" follows and is a weird, atonal piece that centers guitar synth. It's mercifully short.

Disc one ends with the 17-minute "Space Groove I". Its opening mood is darker and more dissonant, but it still fits well into the overall atmosphere. This song absolutely feels its length, and it's a much less fun listen than Part II, which opened the album. A lot of this movement reminds me of a worse, longer, more aimless, and less satisfying rendition of "The Sheltering Sky".

Disc two, subtitled Vector Patrol, has more manageable song lengths. It's got 14 songs across 51 minutes. That's a lot of music, but there's not going to be such egregious bloat.

"Happy Hour on Planet Zarg" has a peppier beat but comparable sound palette to the last song on Space Groove. The percussion is sort of interesting, but the guitars come off as purposeless. "Is There Life on Zarg?" follows. It's got some nice, warm bass soloing, but this short piece also lacks focus.

This sort of music is very hard for me to write about. It's all instrumental, the structures are loose, the overall sound is similar song-to-song, and I just don't find it that engaging. That's not to say there isn't good music here. "Sector Patrol" is a nice change of pace when it starts, but its quality is reliant on context. On its own, I doubt it'd grab my attention. The playing is all skillful, but it's just not particularly engaging or intentional.

The two-part, 13-minute "Deserts of Arcadia" is a mind-numbing experience that reminds me of "Space Groove". It has some flashes of good ideas, but nothing to maintain its integrity across its runtime. 

After a brief interlude, another long cut follows: the eleven-minute "Escape from Sagittarius A". It starts off fairly heavy (or, the guitars do, at least; the percussion doesn't pack enough weight), and it almost reminds me of moments on Starless and Bible Black. It soon returns to this record's usual ambiance, and it keeps ping-ponging between distorted and airy noodling.

"Return to Station B" marks the end of Vector Patrol, and it's probably my favorite song here (not just because it ends the album). It's got a steady pulse, and this song feels like it might have had a bit of thought put into it regarding structure and drama.

Space Groove is an unfun slog. It's the convergence of several recurring threads in King Crimson's music, and they're all my least favorite ones. It's a wandering, self-indulgent musical masturbation session. None of the music here in isolation is bad, but when taken as a whole, this double album is exhausting and unsatisfying.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

With Roger Trigeaux's passing so too his band will also pass on. Despite what the album's title says. Roger passed in 2021 during the recording process but the sessions were done. Pierre Chevalier has taken the reigns and done a fabulous job admitting there were decisions that had to be made about certain things and they tried to do what Roger would have wanted. I'm not sure where Roger's son Reginald is being a long time member but they brought in guitarist Francois Mignot from NI and PINOIL to take his place.

A seven piece although they include Udi Koomran as the eighth member and for good reason. AHVAK did the same many years earlier and yes drummer Dave Kerman was on that record and on here of course. What a professional this guy is, blows me away. It's actually interesting all the musical connections on here with all of these guys playing together it seems at some point.

In fact ARANIS, 5UU'S and UNIVERS ZERO are well represented here. The chemistry is something. I don't remember ever having this feeling of standing in the middle of a band performing and getting dizzy from the counterpoint, the tempo changes and the interplay all done as one.

So of course Roger is on here playing keyboards and adding spoken words which are gruff and kind of creepy especially the laughing parts. I haven't mentioned Keith Macksoud on bass or Kurt Bude on sax, clarinet and bass clarinet, and finally Liesbeth Lambrecht on violin and she is from ARANIS. Songs are built on rhythm and repetition and are a combo of heavy rock and classical. Read that on the press release I think on the Wayside site.

The opener "Contre" at 8 minutes has some of those spoken words from Roger and laugher. The piano is stark and full of suspense from Chevalier and that will come and go. There is so much going on before that calm after 5 minutes. Kerman is impressive here and we will get hit hard again. "This Is Not The End Part 2" is over 12 minutes and features some killer violin and I love the bass clarinet. Some good contrasts on this one and man it gets almost stifling, suffocating with all that is going on when it gets intense.

The final track is "Part 1" of the title track and is a monster at 26 1/2 minutes. The atmosphere to start makes me nervous. And yes Roger does return speaking and laughing around 3 minutes in. The voice continues for a while the bass clarinet leads then some nasty outbursts before it get dense 9 minutes in, maybe crazy is a better word. Kerman is on fire but then just a quick a calm that lasts a while broken by the violin 12 minutes in. It starts to move after 16 1/2 minutes then a couple of minutes later the tempo speeds up. How long can they keep this up? Violin and drums are nuts late. What a composition!

A top three PRESENT album but I need to have a PRESENT marathon and come up with some kind of an order. They never disappoint. Without question a contender for album of the year for 2024. Beat this!

Coming about six months after VROOOM was the double trio's first full length album, THRAK. THRAK features rerecordings of most of the songs on VROOOM, starting with that EP's title track. It's still a dark, heavy monster that expertly balances delicate clean passages against its stormier moments. "VROOOM"'s second part has been split off into its own song here, "Coda: Marine 475", and it almost sounds like some sort of demented Abbey Road outtake. The subtle hints of psychedelia mesh quite well with King Crimson's prog metal base.

A wobbly, swirling riff kicks off "Dinosaur", and Belew's vocal delivery is strongly reminiscent of David Bowie. More hints of late '60s pop are evident in the melody and chord progressions, and it's a truly unique blend, especially in 1995. The double rhythm section adds an incredible dynamism.

"Walking on Air" has a dreamier feel to it, again expertly blending a vaguely late '60s aesthetic with King Crimson's ever-present experimentalism. This is another strong entry in King Crimson's history of slow songs (though its ending is a hair more dragged out than it needs to be). It's jazzy and warm with a vaguely tropical feel to the rhythm. This piece is followed by the instrumental "B'Boom", which puts the drummers in the foreground over an ominous soundscape. The track features some exciting rhythmic work in its second half, but there's not really enough here to justify this being a four-minute song. It could've been a fun two-minute interlude.

Another instrumental, THRAK's title track, comes next. The guitars interlock with jagged riffs, and the percussion sounds nearly robotic at points (but in a good, sci-fi sort of way). Parts of this song remind me of moments on Red.

"Inner Garden I" is a short, creepy piece that cultivates a sense of foreboding. The transition, then, to the very funky "People" is jarring. It's fun and jumpy with skittering guitar, slap bass, and light percussion. The chorus is catchy and propulsive, but some of the soloing comes off as awkward. Its second half is more atmospheric and lingers longer than it needs to, but the two halves still fit together naturally.

"Radio I" is a 45-second interlude of synth effects that serves no purpose. "One Time", though, has an inviting bassline and a laid-back feel. However, it doesn't amount to much, and it's around here that it starts to feel like King Crimson may have (to a degree) succumbed to the common 1990s curse of including songs that normally wouldn't have made an album in years prior, just because a CD can hold 80 minutes of music. (For the record, THRAK is only about 10 minutes longer than the band's previous longest release, but it's a far better outcome than the obscene bloat partaken in by acts like Rush and Pink Floyd.) "Radio II" is equally as pointless as the first, and "Inner Garden II" doesn't differ in any meaningful way from the first part. It's fine in isolation, but I don't see the point of including the two parts like this.

There's a surprising amount of blues influence to the main riff of "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream", and some of that late '60s pop sensibility witnessed earlier on the album shows up again, too. The track oozes easy confidence, and the band's ability to plunge into orchestrated chaos is impressive.

THRAK ends on the two-part, nine-minute instrumental "VROOOM VROOOM". The main body of it makes numerous allusions to past King Crimson songs, most notably "Red". The riffs buzz aggressively, and both drummers do a great job at keeping things plowing forward. There's a hard gap between "VROOOM VROOOM" and "VROOOM VROOOM: Coda" which kills the momentum. The coda fades in slowly and has a lurching main riff, but once it gets going, it's able to make up for that disruptive moment of silence.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

This sextet's first release together was the EP VROOOM, and most of VROOOM would be rerecorded for their next full-length release. This was meant to serve as a music appetizer. It was supposed to whet the music-listening audience's appetite after ten long, King Crimson-less years. Considering the minimal differences between the versions of the songs present on VROOOM and THRAK, I'm not planning to dive into the cuts that appear on both and are effectively the same. Otherwise, I'll just be repeating myself a lot.

"Cage", high-energy 90-second cut. It draws from bluegrass and post-punk, and it reminds me a lot of Primus. I never would have expected this sort of thing from King Crimson, but it works really well.

"Thrak" would go on to be rerecorded for their next album, but the version on here is nearly twice as long as the album version. The percussion steals the show, skittering and scattering as the stringed instruments twist and squeal. It does go on for longer than it needs to, but it's an interesting cut with some direct parallels to the band's heaviest '70s output.

The only other song unique to this EP is "When I Say Stop, Continue". It sounds like it belongs on Starless and Bible Black, and I mean that in the worst way possible. It's a groaning, aimless, meandering instrumental. In the last minute, the drummers establish a good groove, but the guitars and basses continue their caterwauling.

VROOOM is a pretty solid EP. It's utterly unnecessary in light of what came next, but given the context of its release, it's good.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

King Crimson's next album was 1984's Three of a Perfect Pair. Its oxymoronic title belies the somewhat jumbled nature of its writing, with the two sides of the record having their own themes. Side one (called "The Left Side") features poppier, more accessible music, and side two ("The Right Side") leans more into King Crimson's experimental and improvisational tendencies. (When bonus tracks were added for a CD remaster, they were dubbed "The Other Side".)

Also, the lineup remained the same here. Good job, guys!

Three of a Perfect Pair opens with its title track, and it's pretty typical '80s Crimson. Fripp and Belew play interlocking clean guitar lines that are alternatingly smooth and jagged, Levin and Bruford provide some nice funk, and Belew's vocal performance is strong. For the most part, this piece doesn't stand out among their '80s output, but the synth solo in the middle is wonderful.

"Model Man" is warm and poppy, and it's yet another song I could have mistaken for a Talking Heads piece. "Sleepless" features a distinctive slap bass opening that showcases Tony Levin's skills as an instrumentalist. It's darker and tenser than the preceding cuts, and it was a modestly successful single. This song is a hair longer than it needs to be, but it's solid overall. (Three different and unnecessary remixes are included as bonus tracks on the 30th anniversary remaster of this album.)

"Man with an Open Heart" continues with the poppy trend of the Left Side, albeit with some of Fripp's signature unorthodox guitar chords.

The Left Side ends with eerie electronic sounds on "Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)", and eerie electronic sounds is all it offers. There's no real progression or build in tension or structure. It just sorta floats along. It sounds like background music for a video game from 1998.

Kicking off The Right Side is "Industry", which starts in a vein similar to "Nuages". This seven-minute piece meanders for its first couple minutes before something of a backbone emerges. As the name hints, the band draws from Industrial music here. The tones are austere, and there's a certain robotic nature to this piece. Unfortunately, the various elements of this song don't ever coalesce into anything noteworthy. It's a lot like many of King Crimson's '70s improvisations, but with a 1980s sound palette.

"Dig Me" has some better development, but it comes off as somewhat slapped-together. The verses feel like they're in a constant state of disintegration, but the chorus is majestic and melodic; the two don't fit together. This is followed by the instrumental "No Warning", and it suffers from aimlessness similar to the two preceding instrumentals on this record. At least Bruford gets a chance to show off here.

Three of a Perfect Pair closes on "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part III)". The album cover is meant to be a simplified interpretation of the original Larks' Tongues album cover, and the themes of contrast throughout the album make sense in the context of a sequel. Following a jittery intro, The Right Side finally has something that feels like a real song. The music is tense, energetic, and thoughtful. Somehow, this composition manages to feel like a new wave sequel to the original, and it works shockingly well.

Three of a Perfect Pair is a spotty record. It's also one of the band's blandest. The closing cut is the best of the bunch by a wide margin. There are a couple other decent tracks, but much of this record comes off as disappointingly generic.

Aside from the above-mentioned "Sleepless" remixes, The Other Side bonus tracks include three other experiments. One, titled "The King Crimson Barbershop", is a Tony Levin composition featuring everyone except Robert Fripp doing a barbershop trio. It's goofy, silly, and totally unserious. This is the quintessential super-unnecessary-no-it's-not-going-on-the-album-why-would-you-even-ask-but-fine-it-can-be-a-bonus-track-now-that-it's-been-30-years song.

"Industrial Zone A" is a short instrumental focusing on menacing ambiance. "Industrial Zone B" is a four-minute instrumental with a bit more meat on its bones, though it still suffers from a lack of direction.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

Less than a year after Discipline, King Crimson released their next album, Beat. For the first time in the band's history, their lineup remained identical on consecutive albums. Good job, guys! Beat draws much of its lyrical inspiration from writers of the Beat generation. I don't particularly care for Beat writers, so it's a good thing I'm not a lyrics guy.

"Neal and Jack and Me" features twangy, spiraling guitars, similar to those on Discipline, but between the rhythm and Belew's singing, this sounds more like a Talking Heads song than the hyper-technical, math-y new wave of the preceding album. (Belew was an occasional live guitarist for the Talking Heads. During a period of especially bad intra-band drama, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz approached Belew about replacing David Byrne, to which Belew declined.)

I'll continue the Talking Heads comparison on "Heartbeat". This song feels almost conventional. It's alright, but this poppy, melodic, mid-tempo cut reminds me of 90125, insofar as this is a good song, but not a particularly good King Crimson song (just as 90125 is a good album, but not a particularly good Yes album).

King Crimson finally starts sounding like ('80s) King Crimson on the instrumental "Sartori in Tangier". Fripp's guitar synthesizer squeaks out an unusual lead as Levin and Belew weave a wiry, rubbery backing. It's dark and moody, and it gives Levin a chance to flex his skills on the Chapman stick.

A tapping pattern opens "Waiting Man", and there's a warm, vaguely-Latin feel to the first verse. There's no percussion for the first half of this song, and even when it comes in, Bruford is fairly restrained.

Side two of Beat opens with "Neurotica", and rather than Talking Heads, the first riff sounds much Rush-ier. Belew's rapidfire babbling and the loose chaos of the verses establish this as a unique song. Structurally, this reminds me a lot of "Elephant Talk", but it's not a direct ripoff. I love all the weird flourishes Fripp and Belew put into the guitar lines.

"Two Hands" is a slower, quieter song, and I like Bruford's precise performance. Overall, though, this song doesn't make much of an impression. "The Howler", meanwhile, is fun and replete with strange guitar and synth chords, as well as nimble instrumental lines. This isn't Belew's strongest vocal performance, but I do like the swirling, uneasy guitar solo.

Beat ends on the instrumental "Requiem". There's an airy ambiance as the song opens with an extended, speedy guitar solo. Technically, it's impressive, but it fails to have much impact. As the song progresses, it only becomes more chaotic and tedious. This is clearly the band indulging in an extended improvisation, and I think I've made my thoughts known on how that usually turns out.

On CD reissues, a bonus track titled "Absent Lovers" was included, and I like it a lot. It's full of pep and verve, and I think it would have been a strong inclusion on Beat.

Overall, Beat is alright. It is comparable to In the Wake of Poseidon in that it's not a bad album, but it feels like a weaker version of the album which preceded it. King Crimson did this math-y new wave pretty well most of the time, but moments on Beat sounded a bit underbaked or uninspired.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

Initially called Discipline, this quartet featured influences from new wave, post-punk, and funk, and was starkly different from every prior King Crimson incarnation. The act was eventually rebranded as King Crimson, however, and an album called Discipline was released in late 1981.

The album opens with Tony Levin's unique rubbery bass on "Elephant Talk". (It may be a Chapman stick, a two-handed, tapped hybrid bass/guitar that is a specialty of Levin's.) The guitars clearly draw a lot from new wave, both in style and tone. The lyrics are quirky, with each stanza containing different words for talking that start with the letters A through E. It's groovy and fun, and the occasional big, bent guitar note calls to mind elephants trumpeting.

"Frame by Frame" has a high-energy opening riff that evokes images of film frames flying by on rapidly-spinning reels. The verse is mellower, and Tony Levin's backing vocals add a nice level of warmth.

What follows is my least-favorite song on the album. "Matte Kudasai" is a slow, schmaltzy '80s ballad, and that's simply a style I don't find enjoyable. King Crimson has no shortage of good slow songs in their catalog, but this is one of very few King Crimson songs to sound like a product of its time in a bad way.

"Indiscipline" is the most typically-Crimsonian song so far, and it features a great, dark, twisting lead guitar line over a heavy, plodding beat. The vocals are spoken over a backing of primarily bass guitar, and it works. This song is all jagged edges and tumbling rhythms, and that swirling chaos works beautifully.

My favorite song on Discipline, though, is "Thela Hun Ginjeet". (The title is an anagram for "heat in the jungle," a reference to urban crime, the topic of this song.) Belew's vocal performance is dramatic, and the rapid, anxious strumming helps cultivate a tense atmosphere. The spoken-word segments consist of Belew talking about experiences while walking around New York City trying to get other field recordings. Fripp's lead guitar is often stretched out, and there's a strange catchiness to it all.

"The Sheltering Sky" is a mellow instrumental track. Bruford's percussion is electronic but reminiscent of woodblocks. It adds a relaxing vibe to the track, along with the laid-back rhythm guitar and the gentle throb of Levin's bass. Fripp's lead guitar synthesizer has a less-pleasant tone to it, and its whining and squealing grows tiresome rather quickly. There are some good ideas here, but this is the one place on Discipline where Fripp's love of improv hampers things.

Discipline ends on its title track, an instrumental cut that is a great distillation of the album's overall sounds. Clean guitar lines tie knots around each other, and Levin and Bruford give the song a nice bit of funk.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

Musical brothers finding a truce in recording. Andrew Lloyd Webber is famous as one of the most revered composers of musical theatre, soundtrack scores and showtimes of all time, most notable for musicals scores for "Cats," The Music of the Night," "Phantom of the Opera" and of course "Jesus Christ Superstar." Spanning a musical career WEBBER has primarily existed in the realms of classical music and Broadway showtimes mixed with aspects of rock and pop however his younger brother Julian Lloyd Webber, a solo cellist carved out a career in the worlds of modern classical, concertos, orchestral, romanticism and post-minimalism.

In a rare moment where the brothers' two different styles found a crossroads on this one of a kind album titled VARIATIONS which was written by Andrew in the mid-70s for his brother Julian to perform, a magical moment where sibling rivalry found common ground. The album is based on the theme of Paganini's "24th Caprice" and as the album title suggests it includes 23 differing VARIATIONS which has been a key tool in spicing up classical music since the beginning of time (as well as every other Western genre since). The score premiered at the 1977 Sydmonton Festival and featured the progressive jazz rock band Colosseum II to serve as the rock part of the equation. The following year it was recorded and released and then immediately shot up to #2 on the British charts showcasing the appeal of these types of novelties as the prog rock years were waning.

VARIATIONS was unusual concoction that features just as much jazz as rock interjected into a classical context however Andrew having mastered the art of classical composition ensured the rock and jazz aspects interacted smoothly with the clashing forces with which they were put against thus offering a sleek and well?.varied instrumental display of fine classical craftsmanship. The impressive lineup included Don AIry of Colosseum II, Deep Purple and Rainbow amongst others along with Rod Argent also of the same three groups. In addition Barbara Thompson of the original Colosseum brought in her jazz sensibilities from her time with The New Jazz Orchestra and would soon take inspiration to join the United Jazz + Rock Ensemble. Gary Moore also of Colosseum II and Irish rock band Think Lizzy provided guitar work while Julian rocked the cello. The biggest surprise of all comes from the appearance of Genesis and Brand X drummer Phil Collins sitting on the drum kit.

While only a short album at about 34 minutes, VARIATIONS certainly delivers its namesake with bravado and gusto alternating between moods, tempos, cadences, key changes, genres and all the tricks and trinkets that classical musicians pull out of their magic hats. While considered crossover classical where rock and classical along with some jazz commingle on the greater musical playground for a day, the emphasis is clearly on the classical aspects due to the source material which coincide with the the sophistication that virtuoso classical composers display. While there are certainly moments of cheesiness especially with the canned drumming moments (i wish Collins was more Brand X than Genesis here), the overall effect is as dramatic as one of Andrew's top theatrical scores. Julian totally rocks the cello but never makes it sound like a forced rock instrument.

While this sounds cheesy in its premise it's actually quite an intricately designed moment where none of the genres water each other down in the least bit and on the contrary find the perfect juncture where all can unleash their full potential without interfering with the other. Julian's virtuosic cello performances are the true standout but for the most part he is reserved and the musical flow dictates the overall instrumental interplay which found Andrew in the conductor's chair as well as adding his overall duties as producer and playing the synthesizer. It's an oddball album for sure and it will vaguely remind you of The Nice or other "rockin' the classics" prog that was all the rage in the 60s and early 70s but the difference here is you get a real classical composer reinterpreting the genius of Niccolò Paganini with an arsenal of talented musicians to take his vision to heart. Much better than i had expected and actually find this captivating.

For their next studio album, Fripp asked David Cross to leave the band, bringing King Crimson down to just the trio of Fripp, Wetton, and Bruford. The resultant album, Red, released barely six months after Starless and Bible Black, and was the band's heaviest yet. This result was due in large part to the influence of Wetton and Bruford, as Fripp took a more collaborative tack on the songwriting here.

Red opens on its title track, which features a pounding, upward riff that transitions into a determined passage. Wetton's bass adds a ton of weight, and Bruford's drumming is deft and nimble. A percussionless passage near this song's midpoint features some wonderful, creepy cello before launching back into a slightly-slowed-down take on the main riff. "Red" is one of the most seminal instrumental tracks in the progressive rock canon, right up there with the likes of "YYZ" and "The Great Gig in the Sky".

"Fallen Angel" is warm and sweet; Wetton's voice is soulful, and oboe brings a wonderful coziness to the verses. King Crimson have usually been good at these slow songs, and this is one of their shining highlights in this style. It's brought to new heights here with the swirling, distorted, plaintive chorus. Wetton's bass growls, a cornet wails, and Fripp's jagged strumming adds to the unease. Of course, Bruford is in top form here. 

There's a sense of anxious urgency to "One More Red Nightmare". The riff is dark and haunting, and Bruford's clattering percussion adds a lot. When Wetton's vocals come in, the verse is groovy and infectious. Heavily-affected handclaps add some nice textural variation and add to the track's surprising catchiness. Founding member of the band Ian McDonald gets a cameo with a sax solo that adds a lot to the dreamlike drama. 

Side two's opening track?"Providence"?sees the one hiccup on Red. Though nowhere near as bad a blight as the final ten minutes of "Moonchild", this improv-heavy instrumental falls flat in comparison to the other four masterpieces on this album. David Cross shows back up to play violin, which adds a delicate and often-unsettling character over Wetton's growling bass. 

As with many of King Crimson's other extended improv jams, "Providence" often hints at something interesting that might happen, but it never really comes to fruition. There's a sinister bit of bass here, and the drums feel like they could lead into something there, but it takes until five-and-a-half minutes in that anything even remotely interesting happens. Even then, it feels like the seed of a good song that still needs to germinate. "Providence" closes on a good jam, but it's not worth the build-up. Yes, some might praise the raw, unfiltered character of this performance, but I (usually) like my studio records to have more solid roots and clearer planning. In many ways, Red is a better album than Larks' Tongues, but the aimless bloat of this song prevents it from grabbing the top spot on my list.

Red closes on "Starless". Its opening moments ? full of Mellotron, mellow guitar, and jazzy bass ? harken back to the sounds of the band's debut record. Both Ian McDonald and Mel Collins show up on this song to provide saxophone. Wetton's vocal performance is as powerful as ever, and there's a strong sense of something swelling up beneath this song's calm surface.

The song shifts to a more stripped-back arrangement for a while, and there is a palpable, growing sense of disquiet. Fripp's simple guitar pattern is slightly off kilter, and Bruford's drumming is fittingly askew. Wetton's bass grows in prominence, and it eventually turns into a massive, blustering storm. After a brief, jittery guitar break, the song dives into a speedy, jazzy sax solo, and Wetton and Bruford again flaunt their impressive technical skills.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

Their next album, Starless and Bible Black, is somewhat odd, in regard to how it was recorded. The band wanted to better capture the energy of their live shows, so most of these songs were tracked in concert. However, the work done in the studio was so extensive that this release is considered to be part of King Crimson's studio discography. Of the eight songs on the album, only two were entirely recorded in the studio.

One of these in-studio songs, "The Great Deceiver", opens the album. It's got a high-energy, distorted main riff, which is vaguely reminiscent of some of the band's past work, such as "21st Century Schizoid Man". The verse is pretty loose, but it pulls together into a tight, catchy chorus.

"Lament", the other in-studio track, follows. It starts off gentler than the opener, but it delves into a fuzzy, frazzled sound in its second verse. Wetton's bass playing is a highlight here, throbbing and popping beneath Fripp's guitar.

I like these two studio songs a lot. The stuff that was recorded live, though, often underscores my issues with Fripp's focus on improv.

"We'll Let You Know" is an entirely improvised piece, and it sounds like it. The song opens with unfocused, unsteady noodling. Bruford does a good job working with what he was given, but this song doesn't really ever come together into anything until the final 45 seconds. Even then, it's a decent-enough jam, but it's nothing too noteworthy.

"The Night Watch" has a bit more structure and features some studio overdubs, due to some hardware issues the band had at the concert. Cross's violin is lovely, and Wetton gives a great vocal performance. This is a fairly sweet, gentle piece, in the same vein as "Exiles". Fripp gets in some good soloing, and the Mellotron enriches the piece further.

Another improvised piece follows: "Trio". This song is titled as such because Bruford does not play on it. However, he's still credited as a co-writer, since he made an active decision not to add any drums. Featuring just bass, viola, and Mellotron, it's actually pretty good, as far as improv goes. It's quiet, meditative, relaxing, and with a vague sense of warm nostalgia.

Side one ends on "The Mincer", yet another bit of improvised music. (Wetton's vocals were overdubbed in the studio.) The first half feels a lot like a Pink Floyd song from 1969. There's a hazy, woozy atmosphere, and keys and guitar both vaguely float about. As the song progresses, Fripp's and Bruford's styles become more recognizably Crimsonian. Unfortunately, this track suffers from the same problem that afflicts "We'll Let You Know". A lot of the playing here comes off as noodling that doesn't amount to much of anything. It hints vaguely at what the band might get up to eventually, but they never build to that hoped-for high.

Side two consists of two long instrumentals. The first, the improvised title track, starts off with more of the aimless ambiance I've come to expect from this band's unscripted work. Something of a recognizable pulse finally emerges a bit before the five-minute mark, and Bruford and Wetton really shine. Cross's work on the Mellotron is fine, but Fripp's continual strangulation of his guitar grows tiresome for me. At least the song has a satisfying (though brief) climax, where Fripp and Cross both pull out some long, twisted notes.

"Fracture" has more to immediately grab onto. (I also couldn't find any source that explicitly identified this track as being improvised, so there may be more structure to this song than other ones on the album.) The main riff is lurching and full of dread, and the effects applied to Cross's violin remind me of David Jackson's saxophones in Van der Graaf Generator. It eventually moves into a section of quiet claustrophobia, where violin and clean guitar tread delicately around one another. "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part II)" gets a brief revisitation, and it really sounds powerful in a live setting. Parts of this song can drag on a bit, but it's still a strong conclusion to an otherwise-spotty record.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

The result of this new quintet lineup was 1973's Larks' Tongues in Aspic. It is a harsh, austere record with no shortage of jazz and avant-garde influences. It's also the band's best album, for my money. 

There's also an argument to be made for this being the first progressive metal record. Progressive metal is usually credited as having begun in the mid 1980s with acts like Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and Queensrÿche, and I can understand why. Prior to the mid '80s, "heavy metal" was a pretty squishy term, and many acts who pioneered metal rejected the label (most notably Black Sabbath and Motörhead). Similarly, many things considered metal in the '70s?such as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin?are nowadays thought of as metal-adjacent or very influential on metal, but not as being metal themselves. 

Larks' Tongues is not 100% metal, but no early progressive metal album is. Hell, even today, no Dream Theater album is 100% metal. With that caveat in mind, the heavy music here still holds up, and I think all but the kvltest-of-the-kvlt elitists would concede that the two-part, twenty-minute title track would still be classifiable as "metal." 

"Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part I)" opens with the gentle tinkling of chimes from Muir's wide array of percussion instruments. After a few minutes of quiet ambiance, high-anxiety violins and distorted guitars charge in to bring a sense of doom. Bruford's drumming is immediately noticeable as an upgrade over previous ones, and Wetton is also the band's flashiest bassist so far. The riffs in this song are strange, tense, and unsettling. Once it really gets moving, it does a great job at keeping the listener unsettled. It's never clear what strange idea is lurking around the next musical corner.

About midway through, Fripp lessens the distortion on his guitar, opting for a jangly, skittering tone, and the other members of the band are given a great opportunity to flex their muscles. Moments of quiet are woven in naturally amidst the more aggressive sections. (There's also a particular violin line around the 10-minute mark that strongly reminds me of a bit of music in Beetlejuice. I just find that interesting.)

Next is "Book of Saturday", a pleasant little ballad. The guitar has a comforting jazz flavor, and Wetton's vocals are great. He's probably my favorite of King Crimson's many singers. "Exiles" is another fairly gentle piece, where Cross's violin is utilized excellently. The Mellotron is relatively subtle, but it provides a nice depth to the overall sound. However, this is probably my least favorite song on the album, as it feels a bit too long and a smidge repetitious. 

There's a determined, plodding drive to "Easy Money". It's also a place where Muir's unconventional percussive flourishes really add a lot. The verses are minimal, quiet, and convey a sense of restrained tension; and the chorus is big and powerful. The build-up is fantastic.

"The Talking Drum" has a long, quiet introduction. It is so long and quiet, in fact, that I consider it to be one of the few slip-ups on the album. If I'm listening to music with the volume somewhat low and this comes on, I usually need to check to see if something is actually playing. However, in a quiet environment, one can hear the pitter-patter of Muir's percussion. Around two-and-a-half minutes, the rest of the band joins in, though also quietly, at first. This gradual fade-in continues until, eventually, violin and guitar can be heard sliding across each other and the three-man rhythm section lays down a fun, funky beat. The song culminates in an anxious jam that leads right into the second part of the title track.

"Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part II)" opens with a heavy, ragged, odd-meter riff. Muir's uncommon percussion is a fantastic inclusion, and the violin makes this piece sound like a metallic version of Mahavishnu Orchestra. The song moves through moments of aggression and quiet, but it remains focused, overall. Fripp's guitar riff keeps the band rooted to one idea, and Wetton and Cross both get plenty of opportunities to show off. As the song swells near its midpoint, it bursts into a lurching breakdown that presages many structural developments in modern metal. Add on top of that Cross' squealing violin solo, and it makes for a fantastic cut.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

The conclusion of the Lizard recording sessions came with more (expected) bandmember turnover. As mentioned above, vocalist/bassist Gordon Haskell quit the band. He drew his primary influences from soul and Motown, so it's clear why he'd be a poor creative fit for King Crimson. Drummer Andy McCulloch would leave the band not long after Haskell. Haskell was replaced by Boz Burrell (one of the future founding members of Bad Company), and McCulloch's replacement was Ian Wallace. As is par for the course so far, this lineup would persist for just one album: 1971's Islands.

This section of the Deep Dive is probably going to be my hottest take. I don't like Islands. It is a sleepy, boring, aimless record that does little and says less. This was the first time in probably seven or more years I'd listened to the album, and I'd forgotten how many heavy moments there are here, since the string-heavy bookends always left the biggest (negative) impressions on me. But even when Fripp takes the lead, his playing is often overly-busy and scattershot. 

I genuinely do not understand the love this album gets. Normally, if a band has a well-received album I'm not a fan of, I can at least get why. This is an exception to that. Yes's Fragile is inconsistent and half-filler, but the highs are so high, I can see why people would put it so far up in their respective lists. I'm relatively critical of Wish You Were Here, but I understand why it resonates with people. Even The Wall and Hand.Cannot. Erase.?two records I didn't quite pan but gave overall-lackluster reviews to?have elements that make me understand why people like them so much. To me, Islands has no such redeeming qualities.

The album starts with the ten-minute "Formentera Lady". Jazz, classical, and chamber music influences are prominent throughout the whole record, and this song is no exception. Bowed double bass, piano, and flute swirl for a while before the vocals begin. Burrell's voice is very nice here, and these opening moments have some promise; it reminds me a lot of Atomic Rooster's gentler moments. However, it becomes clear that this song is content to just sort of drift along, alternating between subdued verses and the slightly-peppier chorus. Much of the final three minutes is consumed by a noodly sax solo and some warbling, wordless vocals. I can envision what the band was going for, but this simply isn't a success.

"Sailor's Tale" is my favorite song on the album. Opening with a high-energy, jazzy rhythm, guitar and sax share the lead. Some of the soloing can feel a bit purposeless, but at least it's relatively entertaining. When things slow down, Fripp throws some strange, clattering guitar chords over the top of lush Mellotron, and it works pretty well. The feeling of the song becomes urgent as the pace picks back up, and I especially like the drumming in this closing section. The song does end on a too-long drone, but I'll take what enjoyment I can get from Islands.

"The Letters" isn't without its redeeming qualities, either. The saxophones here have some great punch and power to them, and they contrast nicely against the quiet, calm verse. Moving deeper into the song, though, the instrumental section turns into a bunch of noisy nonsense. Burrell's vocals in the last minute are impassioned, and he's capable of being both delicate and strong.

Side two opens with "Ladies of the Road". Sinfield's lyrics aren't great here, and Burrell's delivery doesn't help them. This is a song about groupies, and it's trying to be dirty and raunchy, but it comes off as stilted and awkward. There are some blues flavors here, but Fripp clearly can't quite commit to it, constantly tossing in jazzy and avant-garde licks that don't really fit. During quiet moments, I do like the more complex vocal arrangements. The composition of this song does give a hint of where Fripp would take King Crimson in the near future: it is relatively stark, austere, and heavy.

"Prelude: Song of the Gulls" is an alright little instrumental. It contains no rock instrumentation, with a small string arrangement and Collins's flute being the only elements here. It doesn't make much of an impression, and it doesn't really add much.

It doesn't even serve as a natural introduction to the ten-minute title track. Piano, vocals, and bass flute start this song off gently, but it doesn't feel like an extension of "Prelude". In returning to Islands after so long, I found more to like in the preceding songs than I recalled (especially songs 2-4), but the unending, uninteresting, and aimless title track incinerates any goodwill I may have been fostering toward this record. It just keeps running in circles, adding nothing new. In its second half, trumpet and percussion enter, and it's obvious that a lot of post-rock bands that I'm not too fond of took inspiration from this song. 

After a minute of silence there's a hidden track, but it's just studio chatter and the string arrangement tuning up. I don't know why they included this.

Certain CD reissues have included the previously-unreleased bonus track "A Peacemaking Stint Unrolls", and it's more interesting than most of the record. The guitar is wiry and jittery, and Fripp's nimble riffs sound like a precursor to math rock. Bits of riffs that would be reused in future songs can be heard here, so this is a unique artifact of the band's songwriting process.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

Wake saw more lineup churn in its wake. For King Crimson's next album, Lizard, which released just seven months later, Gordon Haskell (who sang on "Cadence and Cascade") joined as the new vocalist/bassist; and Andy McCulloch became the band's new drummer. Mel Collins was promoted to full member, too. A number of session musicians were utilized, especially for keyboards and assorted wind instruments.

King Crimson has (almost) always had great album art, but the intricate, medieval-style lettering of Lizard might be my favorite. Woven in among the letters are images associated with the lyrics of five songs here.

I should note that I am reviewing Lizard based on Steven Wilson's remaster of it. The original is muddy and murky, and Fripp himself called the album "unlistenable." Wilson did an amazing job of decluttering things and letting the individual elements truly shine. Even Fripp has (kinda) come around on it. It's clearly not his favorite, but King Crimson played some material off it during their 2016-2017 tours.

Twinkling electric piano and soulful vocals kick off "Cirkus (Including "Entry of the Chameleons")", but that quickly shifts to a darker mood. Stabs of ominous Mellotron contrast beautifully against twangy acoustic guitar. Lizard is King Crimson's most keyboard-forward album, and I've always appreciated that unique character. Even before Steven Wilson's remaster, I might not have enjoyed it as much, but I appreciated its place in the band's oeuvre. Despite all these lovely textures, this song (and most of the others) do feel a bit long.

"Indoor Games", compared to the drama of the opening cut, has a bouncier, more lighthearted and fun feel to it. Synthesizers and saxophones twist in instrumental moments, and the verses are underpinned with Fripp's unique, idiosyncratic guitarwork. Despite the relatively light, poppy mood, there are plenty of strange jazz, classical, and avant-garde elements on display here. Some of the instrumental futzing-about in the song's middle drags on for a bit, but it's not terrible.

At The time Lizard was being recorded, The Beatles were going through a very messy, very public break-up, and "Happy Family" documents public perception of that drama. The vocals on this song are run through strange effects, and bizarre, piercing guitar and piano lines jump between the left and right audio channels rapidly. I like this song overall, but it does show Fripp leaning perhaps a bit too heavily on chords that eschew traditional considerations of tonality. The jazzy guitar noodling is especially egregious here, and even the awesome lead synth line (played by Peter Sinfield) couldn't fully abrogate this cut's excesses.

The final song on side one is the brief "Lady of the Dancing Water". It's a short, sweet acoustic ballad that adeptly blends folk and jazz elements. It's a nice palate cleanser after the strange, dense songs that preceded it.

Side two is consumed by the 23-minute suite "Lizard", King Crimson's longest studio recording. Jon Anderson of Yes provides vocals for the first part of the song, and he's a great inclusion. There's a sense of foreboding in the verses, but the chorus is warm and hopeful, despite the less-than-cheery lyrics.

(In doing some reading for this piece, it turns out Jon Anderson's guest inclusion wasn't as simple as Fripp & Co. inviting a prog-rock peer to work with them, like Van der Graaf Generator did with Robert Fripp. There are rumors that Haskell had already left the band over creative differences with Fripp, and other rumors simply state that this song was written too high for Haskell's range.)

After those very pleasant first four minutes, "Lizard" unfortunately goes a bit off the rails. To reiterate, I enjoy "Lizard" overall, but it suffers from the same ills as the other songs on the album. It's overlong, unfocused, and too-often-dissonant. Before Wilson's remaster, it really was a chore to get through the "Bolero" section.

Cornet, trombone, and piano get too much time in the forefront, bringing this opus to a rather Miles Davis-y place I'm not particularly fond of. There's a bolero beat underpinning all this activity, and it's a very long six minutes.

Haskell shows up about halfway through the song, as it enters its third movement. This segment begins with a stripped-back, tense arrangement, and a piercing English horn adds to the tension. All of this complements his voice wonderfully. The song finally regains a sense of purpose as the Mellotron comes in, leading the way on a weary, determined march. There's a great, gritty sax line that barges in, but the backing is too scattered to really support it with the oomph it needs, at least at first. Once things finally coalesce, this piece becomes what "The Devil's Triangle" was striving for: dark, impactful, classical-rock fusion. It's just a pity it takes such a meandering path.

Despite my many gripes, Lizard is greater than the sum of its parts.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

Less than a year later, King Crimson released their sophomore album: In the Wake of Poseidon. 

Structurally, Wake is nearly identical to Court, despite there being quite a bit of churn in the band's lineup. Such instability would be a recurring theme of these early releases. 

Wind/keys player Ian McDonald quit after King Crimson's US tour, citing a distaste for the harshness of the music, and drummer Michael Giles would leave after recording the album. (Fun fact: McDonald would eventually go on to co-found Foreigner, playing on their first three albums.) Fripp offered to leave the band, if it would convince McDonald and Giles to stay, as he considered the band more important than himself; but those two insisted that Fripp was more important to the band's continued existence than they were.

Greg Lake was on his way out of the band to join Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer, but he still provided vocals on all but one song. Though he sang, Lake did not play bass on Wake. Instead, Peter Giles was invited back to the band. Fripp provided most of the keyboards, except for piano, which was played by Keith Tippett. Wind instruments are less prominent on this album, but when they do show up, they're played by prolific prog saxophonist Mel Collins.

Wake features three brief, quiet pieces (or should I say, "peaces"?). The first of these, "Peace - A Beginning", is ultimately forgettable. What follows is "22nd Century Schizoid Man"--sorry--"Pictures of a City (Including "42nd at Treadmill")", a heavy, jazzy, sax-forward song with an extended, frenetic instrumental midsection. It's decent enough, but it pales against its obvious progenitor.

"Cadence and Cascade" is a gentle acoustic ballad, and it is the one song here sung by someone other than Greg Lake. As far as ballads go, it's not bad, but it is completely opposite the style most people associate with King Crimson. 

The title track is this album's answer to "Epitaph". Mellotron and acoustic guitar alternate to give a sense of  richness and pared-back austerity, and Lake's vocals are impassioned. It might be a little longer than it needs to be, but I like it a lot.

Side two opens with the brief acoustic instrumental "Peace - A Theme". Again, it's fine, but unnecessary. This leads into the oddball, jazzy "Cat Food", which was released as a single. King Crimson actually went on Top of the Pops to perform (or mime, more accurately) this song. It has a weird catchiness, and the chorus is pretty strong. This composition seems like a precursor to the direction King Crimson would take in the '80s: there's a definite pop slant to it, but it's still plenty strange.

(A slightly shortened version of "Cat Food" was released as a single, and it was backed with the B-side "Groon", which is even jazzier and more dissonant than its A-side. This instrumental feels somewhat analogous to the extended instrumental section of "Moonchild", albeit noticeably more fun. That is to say, it is an ultimately unnecessary improvisational instrumental.)

Following "Cat Food" is the 11-minute instrumental "The Devil's Triangle ("Merday Morn", "Hand of Scerion", "Garden of Worm")". This piece evolved out of the band's interpretation of the "Mars, the Bringer of War" section of Gustav Holst's The Planets, which was a mainstay of their early live shows. I've heard some recordings from their 1969 concerts where they played "Mars", and it is an amazing, snarling, metallic assault.

The version on Wake, though, has a long, slow fade-in, and drums and Mellotron are the primary instruments for most of its runtime. It swirls and swells and evokes the harsh polytonality of the orchestral original. In the end, despite all the grandiosity and bluster, its finale feels somewhat anticlimactic. Guitar and bass are too minimal, and there's not enough textural variation. It's a soup of various keyboard tones.

The album ends on "Peace - An End", another short piece. This one, though, combines Lake's vocals from "Beginning" and Fripp's comforting acoustic guitar from "Theme".

If you can't tell, In the Wake of Poseidon isn't my favorite King Crimson album. It's not their worst, but it might be their most disappointing. This is definitely the least-creative the band ever was, as they effectively just made an inferior knock-off of their debut.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

In the Court of the Crimson King begins with one of the band's best-known songs. "21st Century Schizoid Man (Including "Mirrors")", inspired by Henry Kissinger's brutal bombing campaign in Southeast Asia, is one of their absolute high points. The song's main riff is fierce and unconventional, using guitar, sax, and distorted bass to scorch the listener. Greg Lake's fuzzed vocals only add to the atmosphere. Following a pair of short verses, the song plunges full-bore into odd-time, jazzy madness. This composition is an astounding mission statement from the band, and even despite the many shifts in their sound over the years, the searing, experimental proto-metal of this song remained a key component of the act's identity.

"I Talk to the Wind" is the only song on King Crimson's debut without subsections, and it was the only one originally written for Giles, Giles & Fripp that made it onto this record. Warm flutes and reeds give this cut a floating, idyllic feel, and Lake's vocals are delicate and alluring. Fripp's guitarwork channels jazz once more, albeit in a more sedate form than on the album opener. I love "21st Century Schizoid Man", but this is, for my money, a stronger overall composition and close to a perfect psychedelic folk piece.

Speaking of perfect (or near-perfect) compositions, side one of ItCotCK closes with "Epitaph (Including "March for No Reason" and "Tomorrow and Tomorrow")". Mournful clean guitar, dramatic Mellotron, and rolling percussion lend immense yet restrained weight to this song. Lake's vocals are again a highlight, and the occasional stab of piano and acoustic guitar add wonderful, sharp contrasts to the song's richness. In its midsection, reeds are given prominence over a minimal backing. "Epitaph" ends on a melodramatic note, but the band sells it, one hundred percent. This is not overblown; it is the perfect amount of blown.

Side two starts off quite promisingly. "Moonchild (Including "The Dream" and "The Illusion")" begins as a subdued, morose, and very pretty piece. Haunting Mellotron, simple guitar, and the occasional bit of percussion meld to make a song which balances stark, ethereal eeriness with trepidatious hope. However, after about two-and-a-half minutes, what was up to this point a flawless album (in my eyes) hits an immense stumbling block. And this would be a stumbling block which would plague almost every single release King Crimson ever put out. Simply put: Robert Fripp loves improv, but he's not very good at making it interesting. 

"Moonchild" meanders for a punishing ten minutes of aimless jazz noodling. I actually never listened to the whole thing until about a year ago when I purchased a vinyl copy of this album and I was physically unable to skip this song's extended jam. It is a dull, monotonous slog with nothing of value. It is a festering, open wound on this album's face, and this album's face is famously horrific enough as it is.

After the longest ten minutes of your life, the album's final song?"The Court of the Crimson King (Including "The Return of the Fire Witch" and "The Dance of the Puppets")"?is a majestic, glorious composition on which to end. Mellotron and multilayered vocals lend this cut a fittingly regal air, and Sinfield's lyrics are gothic and fascinating. There's a lovely, extended flute solo over gentle, folky backing between the verses, and the main theme roars back more powerful than ever after a brief calliope interlude. 

It really is a pity "Moonchild" is ten minutes longer than it needs to be. Otherwise, this would be an absolutely perfect record.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

In 1968, brothers Michael (drums) and Peter Giles (bass and vocals) posted an ad looking for a "singing organist," and Robbert Fripp (neither a singer nor an organist) replied. This trio recorded an album, The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp, which is an enjoyable-enough psychedelic folk record. The cover features what might be the only photo of Robert Fripp smiling. (He's on the right, wearing glasses.) The guitar parts clearly presage what would eventually be heard in King Crimson's first incarnation, but this is folkier and more psychedelic than anything that group would put out.

Cheerful Insanity at times reminds me of The Who's psychedelic efforts, as well as other contemporaneous acts, like The Small Faces and Pink Floyd. Organ lends a rich character to the compositions, and the vocals are nice. However, frequent spoken word interludes detract from the experience. These attempts at humor are clunky and feel like a lesser version of Frank Zappa.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2024/04/15/deep-dive-king-crimson/

Review Nº 766

'Live From Loreley' is a DVD of Marillion that was released in 2004. It was taken from a recorded live show performed at the Freilichtbuhne Loreley, St. Goarshausen, Germany on 18 July 1987. The recording session was made during the first part of the 1987 'Clutching At Straws' live tour, showing the band at the peak of their best commercial success.

The line up on 'Live From Loreley' was the usual at the time: Fish (vocals), Steve Rothery (guitars), Mark Kelly (keyboards), Pete Trewavas (bass) and Ian Mosley (drums). It had also the participation of Cori Josias (backing vocals).

'Live From Loreley' is a live show that comprises songs from their four studio albums recorded by them up to that point, 'Script For A Jester's Tear' from 1983, 'Fugazi' from 1984, 'Misplaced Childhood' from 1985 and 'Clutching At Straws' from 1987. It includes also non-album's songs, which were released on their debut EP 'Market Square Heroes'.

The cover of the album uses the original 1987 concert poster designed by Mark Wilkinson, a British graphic designer which is best known by his cover art created for a number of British bands, like Marillion and Fish. It shows the central character from the cover of their single 'Incommunicado', taken from their fourth studio album 'Clutching At Straws'.

From the 'Live From Loreley' live tour were released four live documents. It was released a 1987 VHS tape version with thirteen tracks, a 1995 CD + Video Double Pack with twelve tracks on the CD version and thirteen on the VHS Video version, because 'Incubus' wasn't included on the audio CD version, a 2004 DVD version with fourteen tracks, and a 2009 double audio CD version with eighteen tracks, much more complete because it includes four new tracks that had been omitted from the previous versions, 'White Russian', 'Fugazi', 'Garden Party' and 'Market Square Heroes'.

So, 'Live From Loreley' is a DVD with fourteen tracks. About the tracks chosen to be performed in the live set we can say that 'Slainte Mhath' was released on 'Clutching At Straws', 'Assassing' was released on 'Fugazi', 'Script For A Jester's Tear' was released on 'Script For A Jester's Tear', 'Incubus' was released on 'Fugazi', 'Sugar Mice' was released on 'Clutching At Straws', 'Hotel Hobbies' was released on 'Clutching At Straws', 'Warm Wet Circles' was released on 'Clutching At Straws', 'That Time Of The Night (The Short Straw)' was released on 'Clutching At Straws', Kayleigh' was released on 'Misplaced Childhood', 'Lavender' was released on 'Misplaced Childhood', 'Bitter Suite' was released on 'Misplaced Childhood', 'Heart Of Lothian' was released on 'Misplaced Childhood', 'The Last Straw' was released on 'Clutching At Straws' and 'Incommunicado' was released on 'Clutching At Straws'.

The set list is very interesting, as it differs significantly from 'The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)'. The focus here is more on 'Clutching At Straws' than on 'Misplaced Childhood'. So, there's relatively little overlap in the song selection between both live albums. Fish interprets the pieces with a lot of expression and power and I don't think that he falls off in any way compared to the interpretations on the other recordings that I know. Fish is also dressed appropriately in a brightly coloured Jester costume and heaves his massive figure across the stage. Also, the background singer doesn't bother me at all. She's used subtly and supports the pieces well dosed. The stage is wide and illuminated with many colours. The enthusiastic crowd, at that time were about 18,000 spectators, was offered something not only musically, but also visually. The picture on the DVD looks a bit fuzzy and glaring in certain colour tones, particularly with a lot of red, but is otherwise okay. However, it doesn't meet today's standards. But that hardly matters, because the music is able to grab. The sound on the DVD is okay. It's not a real 5.1 sound, but a subsequently highly mixed surround sound, but it makes a good impression. Additionally, the DVD offers as an extra, a Photo Gallery from the band at the time.

Conclusion: To see again 'Live From Loreley' after so many years is a very nostalgic experience for me. It represents unfortunately the last live tour of the band with Fish. As I wrote in other occasions, I like of both Marillion's lines up with Fish or Hogarth. However, with Fish on board Marillion is a completely different kind of band. And when I see this DVD is totally clear for me, this is the Marillion that I love most. On 'Live From Loreley' we can see a band doing a great live performance, where all musicians are great and know what they are doing on stage. However, what impressed me most was the stage performance of Fish. It shows an artist with an absolute control of the stage and the audience. In Loreley, he fully demonstrates that beyond his great vocal capacity he also owns a great and impressive personality on stage. In relation to the video and the sound of the DVD, I must say that they're excellent, in the same quality line of the concert.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

It seems like a long time since I've spent some time with a Prog-Metal record so I decided to do that with Italy's HEART OF SUN. A five piece including keyboards and two of them add programming. I really like the album cover art. The music though just doesn't do it for me overall despite being a little different at times from the norm. Some crazy synths at times and the guitar style on the opener reminds me of some jazz/fusion guitarists surprisingly. After that he's all metal though.

The drumming bugs me, I just feel like it has that power-metal style where your getting hammered into submission. The singer does remind me of James LaBrie at times, not the strongest voice and an accent. Now after saying those negative things about the singer and drummer they are both from TIME MACHINE a band from Italy I really like. It's also a band that has had many lineup changes and my favourite album by them "Eternity Ends" has a different singer and drummer than the two on here. Also, everyone mentions DREAM THEATER when describing this record so there's that.

I did find this entertaining but I'm not huge on the vocals and there's those predictable tracks where every box is ticked. This seems to have been a one-off and they're from Italy! Anyway a good album with some talented folks but not a 4 star record.

Born in Miskolc, Hungary in 1939, YOCHK'O SEFFER escaped the clutches of communism when he was 17 and moved to France where he studied reeds, piano and composition at the Conservatoire de Paris under the tutelage of many 20th century greats including Olivier Messiaen. SEFFER quickly gravitated towards the wilder side of jazz first performing with avant-garde jazzist Mal Waldron and then playing with countless others including Ornette Coleman, Pharoah Sanders and Steve Lacy just to name a few. After playing saxophone throughout the 60s with some of the greatest jazz players of the era, SEFFER formed his first avant-jazz outfit Perception in 1969 and two years later delivered a crazy chaotic dissonant style of European free jazz.

However in the meantime he hooked up with Christian Vander and played on the early jazz-oriented Magma albums and after joined Zao where he played sax, clarinet, flute, tarogato AND piano. With seemingly endless talent SEFFER first collaborated as a solo artist as a collaborative effort with Christian Vander and friends to create post-bop album before unleashing his own version of jazz-tinged zeuhl in 1976 with this debut release DELIRE. Adding the secondary band name Neffesh Music (music of the soul), SEFFER released three albums with this one being the most wild and ambitious with little though paid to the transcendental nature of what would come. DELIRE featured six tracks at nearly 39 minutes offered a wild mix of free jazz, jazz fusion, avant-prog and zeuhl.

Interesting for a zeuhl band, Neffesh Music lacked not only guitars but also featured no bassist (which future Neffish albums would feature). Sounding something like a mix of 20th century classical music and jazz, DELIRE featured a cello, bass clarinet, viola, violin and percussion with SEFFER handling the saxophone and long list of keyboard styles. The album remains one of those rarities that has still never been released beyond its 1976 first edition on the Moshé-Naïm label however readily available with a few click on your computer keyboard! Given the presence of so much wind instrumentation and a piano, this debut is undoubtedly more steeped in SEFFER's musical familiarity of avant-jazz however the chamber music elements give it a strange Stravinsky style.

This is fairly chaotic music with complex arrangements that offer strange counterpoints, independent musical processions that sometimes work together and others purposefully clash. Imagine the piano antics of Cecil Taylor with a chamber orchestra and you can imagine the freaky virtuosity exploding like fireworks. The zeuhl influences do occur however they hardly dominate especially in the most bizarrely twisted title track which takes avant-jazz meets chamber music to extremes with no Magma references whatsoever. This is b y far the most atonal and free jazz track of the entire album and sounds like a modern classical orchestra is battling it out with a free jazz ensemble. Totally wild and unapologetically demanding. The ending comedown track "Ima" which takes the jazzy saxophone playing into a more meditative state in the vein of Indo-raga with a buzzing drone effect with some chanting female vocalists joining in. Perhaps SEFFER's dabbling in jazz-tinged Krautrock?

It must be stressed that this album sounds nothing like Magma, Zao or even the following Neffesh albums and actually doesn't sound like anything i've heard. The unique mix of avant-jazz with modern classical chamber music crafts an interesting stylistic version of third stream however the album itself is quite diverse from beginning to end with easily digestible tracks more on the psychedelic side and of course al those gnarled instrumental workouts that come towards the end of each side of the album. While this would definitely be considered difficult music listening and very unclassifiable as far as pigeonholing a distinct genre, the craftsmanship on this is mind-blowing and every musician performing is the cream of the crop. If you don't like atonal free form jazz and crazy 20th century classical then don't even bother with this one but if that's your bailiwick then this is one you can't miss!

Canadian band Mystery released their eighth studio album 'Redemption' in 2023, adding up another valuable piece of music to their incredibly consistent discography. A band that is currently quite recognizable within the progressive rock community, Mystery have actually been around since the second half of the 80s, however, releasing their first studio album in 1996. For a history that has lasted for more than thirty years, naturally there have been numerous lineup changes, with guitarist and founding member Michel St-Père being the sole constant one for all these years. And in 2023, with a solid lineup that has been around for the last decade, Mystery present a fantastic follow-up to their 2018 album 'Lies and Butterflies', a record that still resonates strongly with many people who are familiar with it, which is what will probably happen with 'Redemption', too.

While their style may broadly be described as neo-prog, they do take in some influences from symphonic rock and hard rock, but the thing with Mystery is that one always knows what to expect, to a certain extent, and they have become incredibly consistent and excellent at delivering precisely this brand of very emotive and melodic neo-prog, full of cinematic guitar playing, thoughtful lyrics, and warm, lush and beautifully produced soundscapes, necessarily being able to deliver both the memorable hooks and the long, intricate epic pieces, always bringing in some great vocalists, including Jean Pageau, the one singing on 'Redemption'. As for the songs and the album, this record has been recorded over the course of five years, carefully crafted by honing some old recordings of songs left unfinished, or by introducing entirely new material of gorgeous and intelligent modern prog rock - all of the band's qualities are gorgeously displayed on songs like track one, 'Behind the Mirror', which is a melodramatic and dynamic piece, with smart bass playing and lovely sweeping guitars. The shadowy undertones added by the keyboards surely enhance the atmosphere not only on this song, but on the entire album all throughout.

Then comes the emotive splendor of the title track, a more haunting piece featuring a great vocal performance by Pageau. 'The Beauty and the Least' is a mini-epic clocking in at around nine minutes, with Mystery slowly building up a tense fabric of soundscapes, climaxing in a dramatic instrumental section unfolding in the second half of the song. 'Every Note' is a lovely ballad-type entry from Mystery, something familiar for them, as they manage to write memorable shorter pieces, in which they never compromise the usual richness of the music that is associated with them. 'Pearls and Fire' is a 12-minute composition going through multiple movements, simply a neo-prog delicatessen. 'My inspiration' is a hopeful and more playful piece that occasionally could remind someone of IQ, or another great band from the higher ranks of neo-prog. 'Homecoming' displays a welcoming, warm playing, topped by the excellent vocals and the great hooks. The 20-minute-long closing piece 'Is This How the Story Ends?' is a stylish outro for a fabulous album in which a very experienced band decidedly displays their craft of composing textured and memorable progressive rock defined by strong melodies and playful sonic intricacy.

Ever since their very first release back in 2001, I got hooked on this Polish band, enthralled by the incredible multi- instrumental talents of mainstay Michal Wojtas, particular enamoured by the three long "Fieldmour" tracks, which as the title aptly describes, is a Mike Oldfield/David Gilmour homage of the highest calibre. After 2 less than perfect released and 13 years of silence, we leap fast forward to 2017 with the stellar Hunt album, a quantum jump in quality immediately led the prog community to anoint high praise and critical approval. In 2010, The Storm and especially the glowing Hero album in 2021 just elevated further this tight band into sliding not far behind the beloved Riverside as Poland's finest prog band. With stellar backing in the form of bassist, violinist and cellist Kornel Poplawski, the percussive side manned by Konrad Zielinski and finally Marta Wojtas supplying voices and percussion, band leader Michal Wojtas refined his vision even more, leaving far behind those early Mike and Dave influences, as well as a brief tinge of Knopfler on the sophomore album. This album needs to be listened to in its entirety and in sequence, as it becomes intoxicating rather quickly and lasts to the final bitter seconds.

Armed with a tantalizing guitar riff and some spooky electronics that surely define the weirdness we currently live in, "Hope Is" shatters the apathy with a masterful exposition of modern prog and indicating the direction it should be going in the future, Marta's sung words of courage in the face of the darkest hours ahead provide some semblance of panacea. The rhythm section marshals a fair bit of ferocity, as Michal's hardwired guitar spirals into the skies above. Nice prog wake up slap in the face. Immediately addictive due to the repetitive "Stay Human" chorus, and pronounced charmingly as hew-man, the arrangement is dreamingly minimalist with the lightest percussion accompaniment and an equally resonant stinging guitar line. Eventually, the pressure builds up with careening synthesized sonics that sound like war sirens blaring, exhibiting a kind of looming doom that cannot fade away, actually revving up into a slow churning frenzy. A genius track that would have worked on a classic Floyd album of your choice.

Definitely a highlight, "Insomnia" slices through the soporific atmosphere where a mournful violoncello rakes the nerves, as sleep will not arrive regardless. The fear of the unknown is not exactly ideal for slumber. The lead guitar is wretchedly uncomfortable, a turbulent sense of dismay within the notes, as the brutal riff compounds the pain and the lead vocal cries out both scared, scarred and in dire need of relief. Absolutely terrific. Exposing strong electronic tendencies that set the tone for the next sonic horizon, "Trail" is an introspective voyage seeking understanding, perhaps even finding wisdom somewhere down the road, that clanging rhythmic pulse adding to the suspense. As the slide guitar scorches the path ahead, increasingly furious, and intense, the mood shifts to a sudden respite, a clearing where the danger arrives unannounced with frightening heaviness, recalling some of the finer Porcupine Tree onslaughts. I collapse exhausted. After such fierce intensity, "Welcome" is most refreshing, a brooding neo-gothic lament with Kornel Poplawski on the microphone, dark cloudy electronic orchestrations that add to the submissive nature of the arrangement. The second half relives the earlier vocal instrumentally, with echoing e-piano and screaming guitars, one can imagine a modern prog version of Bauhaus.

Another killer track (as if the others weren't), the sombre "Queen" is seriously disturbing, a funereal, dystopian, slightly deranged composition, where the dense music is heavily laden with doom and gloom, the anxious voice in abject surrender. The tortured axe solo verges on insanity, the zombie growls to be dreaded, the bass and drum in mortal ruin. The rambling nature of "Perfect Run" comes across as a scamper towards some kind of salvation, fleeing impossible dread and mental or physical invasion. The wandering tone is both positive and negative, as is typical with the human brain, always subjected to the extremes. A chugging train headed towards freedom but lingering pain at what was left behind, both unknowns that need to be confronted. The tragically overwhelming anthem "Don't Surrender" suggests that hope can only come by vanquishing the fear, replacing it with courage, determination and will power to carry on. Spoken words, surely prayers and oohing choruses offering comfort.I could not help to close my tired eyes and envision the immense suffering that has been going on in the Ukraine, for which this album could definitely be a role model. Perhaps some of us far away from that reality should stop complaining about their frivolous problems. Case in point, the album continues with "Simple Pleasures" the longest piece presented here and a fitting call for peaceful understanding that we all inhabit this blue planet, we breathe the same air, and we all hope, I said HOPE, for a better life for our children. Yes, it's a turbulent world where opinions override facts, where agendas overcome decency and respect, and endless glorification of self needs to be vanquished. When will we learn that hope is simply not enough.

The tragically simple "Dolina" reflects over the valley that lies ahead, sung in Polish and accompanied by solemn strings. 5 victims of our expectations

The 1995 representative of the on-going development and evolution of Ed Wynne's Ozric Tentacles.

1. "Cat DNA" (6:28) an all-out hard-drivin' rock 'n' roll song with some extraordinary guitar work impressing over the solid bass and drums rhythm section and synth interplay, the sound of this one is so good: with all instrumentalists sounding truly inspired and fully-engaged. The music is a little rooted in old rock 'n' roll forms and palettes, but it's good. Ed, in particular, is on fire with his electric guitar play--both soloing and chord play. It's weird: according to the credits John Egan is playing flutes but my ear cannot detect them--which means that they're probably so heavily- treated that I think they're a synthesizer. (9.125/10)

2. "Ahu Belahu" (2:55) the sounds of large animals (predators by the mood being cast by the music) carousing around an exotic stream. Nice percussion and synth work from Conrad, Zia and Christopher Lenox-Smith. (8.875/10)

3. "Ghedengi" (5:41)a very TANGERINE DREAM-like song whose musical sounds all feel computer generated--even the bass and drums. Scenario-like AL DI MEOLA like guitars enter in the second half of the second minute. Cross-melodies are expressed in the third minute before a stoppage and eerie wait-for-the-volcano-to-stop-spewing delay before the band restarts the initial motif to play out to the end. (8.875/10)

4. "Wob Glass" (7:50) an okay rhythm track that again has me thinking that the bass and drums are totally computer- generated. Synths lay down some interesting sounds and textures over the top. This is not a bad song except for the fact that I keep waiting (and hoping) for something extraordinary to burst out at me, but, alas! it never happens. Even the cool weave in the fifth minute and Ed's "breakout" guitar foray in the sixth fall short of what I'm hoping for. (13.125/15)

5. "Neurochasm" (6:47) nice palette of instrumental sound choices (and a song in which drums and bass finally sound like drums and bass) but, even though it's a fairly hard-driving rock song, it's not until the 3:20 mark that anything exciting really kicks in. Ed's guitar feels as if he's trying to reach for Satriani/Vai territory. Not bad! Flutes in the fifth minute (yes, real flutes)! (The longer the song goes on the more I hear TONE LOC's "Wild Thing" bass line!) (13.125/15)

6. "Become the Other" (6:24) another lush sonic landscape that sounds as if it came from AL DI MEOLA's Scenario album. Multiple guitar tracks, sometimes mellow and moody, sometimes fiery, or even very pregnant (as if he's holding back--just building up to something fiery) keep the listener enrapt with expectant tension. Finally, around the four-minute mark--in the background--it starts to happen! But then it returns to the moody, ethereal Scenario motif for the final two minutes. Nice music; it's just that, again, I was kind of expecting something ? more. (9/10)

7. "Vibuthi" (10:52) acoustic "guitar" of some sort seeming to solo while sitting next to a waterfall inside an Indian or Middle Eastern temple grounds or ashram. At the 90-second mark flute joins in with Ed's virtuosic melody-making for a bit before the rest of the band finally kicks in at the 1:52 mark. Definitely a music that is directly derived from some Oriental tradition--the study of if not the direct copying of. The flutist, bass player, and drummer all perform admirably. Even when Ed takes the melody play to his electric guitar the music remains quite true to its traditional world music roots. And what's even nicer is that the melody and harmony lines all remain catchy and engaging throughout. As the music slowly moves more and more into full-on rock 'n' roll in the seventh and eighth minutes it really rocks! But then it pauses to reconsider and then falls back into its more ethnic world music instrumental palette and melodic sensibilities. Interesting appearance of two organs in the ninth minute: sounding as if two small organs in a Jerusalem church were duelling with one another. Though the song loses its charm a bit when it keeps sliding over into the rock realms, it is quite an admirable feat of ethnic captivity--as well as quite a convincing display of teamwork. (18.25/20)

8. "Plurnstyle" (7:46) bass player Zia Geelani's style hugs a bit too closely to Reggae traditions in this one for my tastes (and enjoyment), but the laid back weave created by the rest of the musicians is quite pleasing--and even impressive. It is always such a pleasure to experience the otherworldly (or alternate-world) places that the beautifully-engineered soundscapes of any Ozric Tentacles song takes one to. After six and a half minutes of just messing around, Ed steps in with his axe to do some shredding. Again it feels as if he is trying to reach for heights that others have achieved: but somehow it comes out more like emulation than the realization of original sounds or ideas. (13.25/15)

Total Time: 54:43

An album of quite-listenable and competent songscapes that somehow manage to fall short in terms of reaching the heights one might hope for from these seasoned musicians.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of spacey world music prog.

As Faust entered into the 2000s, the popularity of rock music seemed to wane a bit as hip hop and rap soon took a more center stage in charts and performances, with acts like MF DOOM, Kanye West, and Eminem gaining loads of popularity. It obviously wasn't the end of the world for rock music, as what many older folks would have you believe, it just was that rock wasn't the big shot genre as it once was back in the mid to late 20th century. Now, Faust most likely saw this, and decided to throw their own hat into this new ring of hip hop, though only for one time, with the experimental hip hop group of dälek.

dälek is most known for their 2002 album From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots, and if you've heard that album, like I have, you can certainly see a clear inspiration from the more unconventional side of krautrock that Faust rules with an iron fist, particular from the tracks of Spiritual Healing and Forever Close My Eyes. It also should be mentioned that Faust was very high on their industrial inspired train, and with dälek being very much a group situated in the industrial zone, it was basically a match made in heaven for both groups.

In some respects I kind of prefer this over Ravvivando, mainly because I feel it does the more long, track splitted suite better than what their previous 1999 effort did. The tracks flow better between one and another, and the effort of making this not a full on jam works wonders in its direction, especially in regards to the rapping that dälek contributes. Obviously I certainly love the jams that Faust can deliver, but having them take a back seat for more rhythmic ideals that krautrock is known for creates quite the interesting aura on the whole project.

I also find the blending of hip hop works very well with krautrock, to some extent. Krautrock has always been more of a beat heavy genre (I mean listen to Yoo Doo Right by Can), so combining rap with the genre is a pretty logical step to take for Faust, and I think they have no better output in that department than choosing dälek to be their head honcho in the hip hop ideals. Will Brooks' style of odd lyricism that blends the lines of consciousness, mystery, and humanity is quite the best puzzle piece when it comes to the musical direction that Faust was going towards in their works. It also works well due to Oktopus' production work, making each drum beat, each sample, and each element of Will's voice have a lot of weight within a stream of noise and grit. It's a sound that I very much enjoy, and a part of me wishes to hear more collabs with Faust and a variety of other experimental hip hop groups. I know for a fact that Faust and Death Grips would be an amazing combo, especially Zach Hill's drums, but I digress.

Though, there are two things that keeps this album back a bit, and firstly is that I feel like this more of a Faust album first, and a dälek album second. To me, it sounds less like a clear collaboration with both parties in the studio, and more as though dälek are merely rapping over select Faust instrumentals that they were also tasked to mix and produce. I love collaboration works when both parties can truly go hand and hand. For example, last year's collab project between JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown, Scaring the Hoes, showcases a very wonderful collaborative effort from both parties, with Peggy's rapping and production skills merging very well with the ideals that Danny Brown produces on his own records, creating a still extremely good effort, even after a year later. But here with Derbe Respect, Alder I find both parties, while certainly merging well, do not feel as if they are in brotherly arms as much as I wish they could've been, and so the effort ends up feeling one sided.

There are also just some odd decisions when it comes to tracks. I don't really get why Remnants or Erratic Thoughts are on here as they just feel like placeholders for much bigger tracks, and the whole rapping that Will does being quite muddied in most of the tracks doesn't quite help in my assumption of this being more of a Faust album then a full on combo. As much as this album shows the full potential that krautrock and hip hop can apply to both, some aspects of this feel quite missed, and I honestly believe that if the two groups strived to make this the best collaboration record in their respective discographies, than I wouldn't mind having this be a near, if not full on masterpiece, but as it stands I don't quite see it being upon the same threshold as other albums.

A great, but certainly imbalanced release from both Faust and dälek, but it is a very nice effort if you wanna see a genre fusion such as this. If you wanna hear a mix of industrial, krautrock, and hip hop, then I'd say this record is the best you're gonna get.

Best tracks: Hungry for Now, Bullets Need Violence, T-electronique

Worst tracks: Remnants, Erratic Thoughts

The Gathering came back after 3 years of a break, not only with a new vocalist onboard but with the stylistic change. The band have never been that close to generic alternative rock on one hand and moody ambient music on the other one. Saying radio-friendly in the Gathering world would be moderately non-conventional for many other bands but it is true that the band does not experiment to the extent they did before though there are neat instrumental moments such as cresciendo, melotron supported "Capital of nowhere". "You promised me a symphony" is a proof that the band hasn't forgotten how to write poignant ballads and the vocalist has the right vocal colour. "Pale traces" makes one think that The old female singer was still onboard since the new one handles her duties perfectly here. For me, it's the weakest Gathering album as since their debut one until it came out due to the lack of very good material and playing it safer. Still far from terrible by all means.