Pink Floyd's live appearance at Wembley in 1974 is an absolutely epochal performance from the band. Naturally, they performed the entirety of The Dark Side of the Moon, which by the point had been so extensively road-tested that they'd had it down to a fine art and worked in a number of variations from the studio release which makes this performance an intriguing alternative spin on the album.

In addition, the encore was a fabulous performance of Echoes - and before Dark Side they rolled out performances of Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Raving and Drooling, and You've Gotta Be Crazy, the latter two songs eventually making it onto Animals with somewhat tweaked lyrics as Sheep and Dogs, which really showcase how the core of their next two studio albums were, musically speaking, essentially already worked out even at this point in time.

Unfortunately, there's a big problem with this live release of the show... it doesn't include the full performance! Only the Dark Side of the Moon is included here; the other tracks have seen official releases, but if you want to get legitimate copies you'll need to go trawling through various expensive boxed sets from the band. This is not only highly irritating, but also kind of self-defeating on the part of the band - if they'd put out more full shows as standalone releases they'd surely be able to put a dent in the swathe of deeply inferior bootleg recordings circulating of their material. As it stands, the sound of the Wembley concert is exceptionally good - it's just a shame that it's such a pain to actually assemble the whole thing in the best possible quallity. Five star performance, five star concert setlist as a whole, but this can only ever be a four star release at most because of the terrible decision not to just release the whole concert as a unit.

'Fly by Night' is the first of two albums released by Rush in 1975, and much like the debut from the previous year, it is essentially a hard rock album with a few episodes of experimentations. An important album that is the debut of Neal Peart (replacing original drummer John Rutsy) with the band, who introduced some fantastical themes and took over as the primary lyricist of the band. And while there might not be much separating 'Fly by Night' from its predecessor stylistically, this album exhibits a better sense of composition, with each member becoming more comfortable and "researching" their role in the band more thoroughly. Lee's playing might not be as masterful and intricate as on future releases, and Lifeson's riffs not as menacing, but there is a promise in this record, which above all, contains some fine tracks, 'Anthem' and 'By-Tor and the Snow Dog' being two of them, within which you can hear some sort of drive, power and vision. The second side, however, is a let-down, full of forgettable tunes that might have some moments of instrumental brilliance spread around. The vocals can feel a little irritative at times (pointing at the title track) and there might not be too much versatility around here, but 'Fly by Night' is a fine early effort from Rush.

"Lunarians" is the fifth full-length studio album by US progressive rock act Deluge Grander. The album was released through the Emkog Records label in December 2020. It's the successor to "Oceanarium" from November 2017. "Lunarians" is the third release in a planned seven album concept idea. Some of the songwriting ideas featured on "Lunarians" were already explored in different arrangements on "Oceanarium".

Other than that "Lunarians" is a different release to "Oceanarium", as the latter is a fully instrumental progressive rock album, while "Lunarians" features vocals, although some parts of the music are still instrumental. "Lunarians" have more in common with Deluge Grander's third full-length studio album "Heliotians" (released in February 2014). The music style and the fact that the music features vocals connect the two albums, although they are certainly also different in some ways. "Lunarians" for example only features male vocals, while "Heliotians" featured both male- and female vocals. In addition to guitars, bass, drums, and vintage keyboards (and of course vocals), the music also features violin, cello, flute, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, and trombone, which brings a nice organic and occasionally almost classical orchestral touch to the material. The overall music style is 70s influenced symphonic progressive rock and artists like early-King Crimson, Genesis, and Camel are all valid references.

Deluge Grander don't quite reach the heights of their influences, but there are still a lot of quality music on "Lunarians", which should please fans of 70s progressive rock. The sound production is pretty well sounding, the musicianship is on a high level on all posts (the vocals could maybe have been a bit more interesting, but they aren't bad). So upon conclusion Deluge Grander bring another good quality progressive rock album to the table. The type of progressive rock album which you can listen to again and again and find new interesting intriguing details and beautiful moments. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

For the life of me, I can't remember why this album ever made it to my "check-out list". Probably it was just a part that my ear caught because now that I got around to actually check it out, I scratch my head in disbelief and I wonder where my head was when I ticked it. In essence, I have three issues with this album. The first one is the vocals of Malcolm Galloway (it's actually a one-man band since he plays all instruments except the bass and the flute) are very average (he's doing a bit better when he sings in a hushed fashion). The second one is that the guitar work ranks among the worst I have ever heard since the tone is awful and the playing is truly unimaginative. The 90% of the guitars is hitting a chord, allowing it to ring for a whole bar or two, hit it again and so on (the exception to the rule is Defiance and it is the album's less bad song). The third is that the music as a whole is unimaginative. There are some nice parts here and there, but does that say much? Every time (not too many, that is) I was listening to one of them, I kept pushing myself "hey, it can't be so bad" but it is. I listened to the entire album two times, but I gave up on the third. Just one remark: every time I see a one-man band, chances are it won't be a good one. It's kind of hard to be an accomplished songwriter/guitarist/drummer/vocalist/keyboardist all rolled into one. The diversity and versatility which can be achieved by different personalities is excluded with this setup unless we are talking about highly gifted people.

I don't like to use one star as a rating, but even on two-stars albums there are a couple songs that I like. Unfortunately, here this is not the case.

Not an exercise in self-indulgence but an album full of great and complex arrangements, solid writing, a few menacing riffs and an inspired, thumping sound that eludes the glory of the early 70s hard rock and metal scene, intertwined with the complexity and pretention of prog rock - this is what you get with Rush's 'Hemispheres', the second album the band recorded in the UK and one of the shortest prog LPs you might ever find. Taking up the formula of '2112' to an extent, the band's sixth studio offering features a side-long epic on side one, and three more tracks on side two. The epic is of course the majestic second part (or book) of the 'Cygnus X-1' opus introduced on 'A Farewell to Kings'. This 18-minute title track is a perfect example of prime Rush songwriting and tight playing, arranged in seven sections that deal with complex themes including the Apollo-Dionysus antithesis as well as societal collapse. Consistent and confident, we have an epic that is both musically and emotionally rich and perhaps overshadows '2112' in terms of overall sound and presentation.

The second side of 'Hemispheres' opens up with a classic Rush track - 'Circumstances', which is also the most conventional song on the album. This one has a trademark, hard-hitting, lush riff from Lifeson and bolsters some of the strongest Geddy Lee vocals on a Rush record. 'The Trees' is probably the odd one out, a slightly more pastoral, quirky piece that deals with a very abstract (and even trippy) story, not the best offering by the band but a song that gets progressively better as it reaches its second half. And finally, there is the classic 10-minute instrumental 'La Villa Strangiato'; this is a bombastic entry and an overly impressive effort by Rush. Despite its title, this track is one of the most consistently excellent pieces of music on any Rush album, a tense piece that keeps you aware at all times. 'Hemispheres' is a classic and a mandatory listen, and while it might not be entirely perfect, it is imperfectly pristine, gripping, and impressive.

If you'd told me a few years ago that a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fanmusic album would end up being my favourite album of 2024 I don't really know what my reaction would have been, but I suppose it is true that your favourite anything chooses you, rather than the other way around. Despite not having seen the cartoon that the vast majority of her music is inspired by, I have been following the work of Zelda Trixie Lulamoon, better known as Vylet Pony, ever since someone recommended me her majestic 2022 progressive pop anthem "I've Still Got Something To Teach You". As I found out, that song was one step in a process of broadening her stylistic horizons from her brostep and electropop roots to ranges which by the time of the release of the album I'm reviewing now had already expanded to include hip-hop, industrial rock, ambient and free noise. Monarch Of Monsters, a bombastic progressive rock epic with influences from alternative rock and metal, post-rock, noise rock and no wave, feels more than leftfield even within that context: it feels like an evolution beyond all this. Mistake it not for some gimmicky attempt to break into a new genre: this is an earnest and heartfelt artistic statement from someone with genuine knowledge and love for the prog craft.

The poppy and colourful nature of most of Vylet Pony's previous works contrasts dramatically with the relentlessly dour and oppressive nature of not only the pure musical content of Monarch Of Monsters but also the album's concept, an elaborate fantasy storyline (further expanded on in a 78 pages long novella that accompanies the album) following the journey of an anthropomorphic wolf and her encounters with all manner of violence, cults, religious conflict, betrayal, death and reincarnation, all described in harrowing detail and apparently serving as allegories for traumatic events from the artist's own troubled life. It's well written and adds more weight to the album's cathartic moments, but it is also a lot to take in and a lot of it is quite over the top and graphic (as if that needed clarification with an album cover like that, LOL) and, if I'm being honest, isn't something I would readily recommend reading through unless one has the stomach for it.

But a narrative concept can only carry an album so far, so how's the music? Well... it's kind of breathtakingly beautiful every step of the way through, from the melancholic blue piano notes that open "Pest" and develop into a wailing, heavy, guitar- and organ-led rock waltz, all the way up to its mirror track "Rest Now, Little Wolf" at the album's end, a serene stately showstopper which is also the only song on the album in a major key. A delightful spectrum of sounds can be found in between these two moments, with some of the calmer tracks ("Vitality Glitch", "Huntress") hearkening back to the old moody electronic style within the newly established rock context, and other tracks ("Princess Cuckoo", "And As Her Howl Echoed Until Eventide...") going straight off the abstract noise deep end. The instrumentation and arrangements remain very rich throughout and Lulamoon's singing demonstrates remarkable skill, varying between clean soulful vocals, desperate gut-wrenching near-screams (showcased to particularly poignant emotional effect on the amazing "Survivor's Guilt"), heartrending sobs and exhausted near-whispers.

To me, the album's sixth track, "The Wallflower Equation", stands especially tall: it is a 12-minute long steadily paced Mars Volta-ish groove mostly based on a single synth bassline, gradually embellished with ornaments, riffs, solos and interjections on distorted guitar, clarinet, saxophone and synthesizer array before winding down into a mournful duet for bass and acoustic guitar. However, the 22-minute "Sludge" is certainly something that must be mentioned as well: this brings more to mind artists like Swans and Sprain and weaves together several different sections into an awe-demanding whole, beginning as an ominous hypnotic darkwave march swelling in intensity and culminating after a brief atmospheric interlude and a scream of SINNER BE DAMNED into thumping dissonant guitar riffage which then makes way for a prolonged frenetic heavy rock jam with more synth and sax solos before seemingly collapsing from fatigue.

For some lesser artists an album like this would be a career-defining accomplishment to be imitated but never equalled. For Vylet Pony it is only proof that no challenge is too great for her and that the sky is the limit for what we might expect from her in the future.

After establishing a successful sound on '2112', Rush attempted to further consolidate their newfound progressive direction with 'A Farewell to Kings', an album the recording of which necessitated the band to try out something new and fly to Wales to record at Rockfield, where Yes and ELP had worked previously. The band's fifth album stands as their most complete and mature recording at the time of its release, an album on which we see a better songwriting and better playing, with each band member picking up new instruments and expanding their sonic image as the listener will hear the ostensible presence of synths together with the signature bass pedals and an array of percussive doodles played by Peart. Inspired by the successful sci-fi suite of their previous release, Rush focus on the geeky themes entirely for what concerns the themes on 'A Farewell to Kings', which although not necessarily a concept album, works as a thematic album looking at some post-apocalyptic scenario of the world, and certain songs do contribute to these ideas.

Presenting a tight collection of both longer and shorter tracks, one thing that indicates the matured sound of the band is the quality of the recordings as well as the increased sophistication of the music - especially illustrative of this are the two 10-minute pieces 'Xanadu' and 'Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage', both of which are emblematic sci-fi odysseys that present in an immaculate manner the moulding of Rush's heavy rendition of the progressive rock sound. The acrobatic, fiery playing is on point, the lyrics and the pomp of these tracks are over the top, and this is precisely what makes them interesting. The riffs are rather heavy and Alex Lifeson shines once again on this recording, which also sees a much more vile, technical playing from Geddy Lee as well. At the same time, the shorter songs on here work quite well, too. The title track is a typical 70s anthem with an acoustic-synth interplay opening, 'Closer to the Heart' is a more traditional rock song that has had success as the album single, while 'Cinderella Man' is a much more adventurous, heavy track, with lyrics from Lee, and 'Madrigal' is an elegant shorter track. 'A Farewell to Kings' is an excellent step forward for Rush.

— First review of this album —

Spectrvm come from Cantù, a town in the province of Como, and their roots date back to 1974 when they took form under the name of Stratus. The first incarnation of the band was active until 1982 but never had the chance to release an album. In 2020, after a long period of hibernation, they came back to life with a new name and a renewed line up featuring Frank Lazzari (vocals, organ, keyboards), Jordan Bozzolan (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Daniele Bozzolan (bass, piano, backing vocals) and Marco Brega (guitars, backing vocals) plus the guest Renato Olivo (vocals, guitar). After a meticulous work in the recording studio, in 2023 they finally released their debut album, entitled "Teschio del mondo", on the Terzo Millennio Records label. It's an interesting work with a strong emphasis on melody that sometimes could recall bands such as Latte e Miele, La Corte dei Miracoli or La Bottega dell'Arte...

The opener "Anima" (Soul), alternates frenetic sections and reflective passages with beautiful melodic lines and harmony vocals that could recall New Trolls or Pooh. According to the liner notes, it tells in music and words of an inner journey into the depth of human nature with its fragilities and fears. The lyrics evoke sounds of silence carried by the wind and the image of a man who takes his soul in his hands. It's a silver soul, a globe of light. At the end a friendly hand appears that helps him overcome his personal crisis...

"Bestia" (Beast) starts by an evocative organ solo and alternates melodic vocals to more aggressive passages (the short instrumental middle section, in fact, could recall Deep Purple). The lyrics describe a strange dream in which an ominous beast weaves a net and waits at the end of the road for his prey. The beast is a metaphor that symbolizes problems like drug addiction, mental illness, a nervous breakdown or a sudden lack of money...

"Nessuno piange, nessuno canta" (No one cries, no one sings) is a long, complex piece that tells the story of a pet dog that during a windy night escapes from the garden of a sad house in the suburbs. But life in a big city is very hard. The puppy is lonely and scared as he wonders through spectral streets, drunk on sounds, whipped by threatening lights, spied on by hostile eyes. He keeps on running, hunted down by kicks and noises, he's exhausted, but when his heart is about to break a door opens. The ending of the story is up to you...

The funny "Sogni di pietra" (Dreams of stone) is a nice piece that describes the dreams of a stone longing for a more interesting life. It's a metaphorical way to depict the feelings of someone who can't change the rhythm of his life and whose days are all the same, all life long. Same horizon, same sun and moon, same view, same routine. For eternity...

The title track, Teschio del mondo (Skull of the world) is a short, visionary song that evokes dark thoughts and new expectations. The title refers to the image of the moon reflecting light in a dark, cloudless sky. The night comes wearing its black cloak and the moon looks like a skull. It's the time when the spiders feed on their preys and the protagonist look at the sky in a hallucinatory way. In the dark someone steals, some other kills, others cry for help. The sun will come like a burning blade to bring back warmth and hope...

"Crisalide" (Chrysalis) is an excellent piece that tells in music and words of a metamorphosis. The dream of a new day and of a body that is going to change, the chrysalis slowly turns into a colourful butterfly, ready to take off with into sky. The chrysalis is still dreaming of its new life, a rebirth and a leap into the unknown, full of dangers like cobwebs or man and his madness. A lightning bolt or a flame could burn the butterfly that now dives into eternity...

"Prigione" (Prison) is a piece that expresses amazement and bewilderment. According to the liner notes, it is a tribute to the Seventies and to the psychiatric reform wanted by Franco Basaglia. This piece tells about the exit of a mentally ill person from his room and the eve of his return to the real world after years of isolation. Words and music try to express the feelings of the protagonist...

The last piece, "Templum" (Temple) is sung in Latin and wants to convey an atmosphere of mystic mystery. In fact, the short lyrics are the motto of the Knights Templar, a French military order of the Catholic faith that was founded 1118 to defend pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem and existed for nearly two centuries during the Middle Ages. "Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da Gloriam" can be translated as Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory...

On the whole, a very good work that deserves a try.

1. Ghost Entry for this vintage intro catching up with the 80s, in the style of a tender SIMPLE MINDS or TALK TALK, with a pronounced latent air; ULVER that already calls out! 2. A City in the Skies for the superb classical intro that tends towards an encore of the 1st track; good but in 2025? A little digression to keep hope alive? 3. Forgive Us in mid tempo and a deeper, groovy, jazzy eclectic sound; we swing, we snap our fingers, the latency begins to take effect; the finale with this trumpet from Nils that descends from the sky, recalling the smoky atmosphere of the 80s, decried but updated here; air that continues on 4. Nocturne #1 and the ambient, soaring, solemn and grandiloquent title; a rise to the heavens, a musical anthem that surprises, but ULVER often knows how to surprise, mixing, blending sounds; majestic with aqueous, divine, vibrant sounds 5. Locusts and the return of the typical sound, ambient pop rock with invasive synths worthy of the 80s, and Kristoffer's voice raw, high, like Jim from afar.

6. Hollywood Babylon with the dull, metronomic attack, a still new-wave air filled with spleen with a sound of the SIMPLE MINDS 1st wave; be careful the variation with the roaring percussions brings this little more progressive; but the synth tune is beautiful with Stian's melting guitar 7. The Red Light for the consensual title, it needed one it's there, redundant, binary, not bad, jerky especially worth it for its southern crooner finale and a melting keyboard solo, often melting here 8. Nocturne #2 and the 2nd act on a synthetic percussion, an ambient riff tune, cinematic post rock with sound that Peter GABRIEL could have created without a doubt; the metronomic side quickly becoming hypnotic, mantranic 9. Helian (Trakl) arrives, finally, latency of the sound typed, heavy, weighty, to help go further; strangely the vocal à la LACRIMOSA, EINSTURZENDE NEUBATEN, RAMMSTEIN in dark wave, phrasing, can block the listener; the evolution is slow, vibration accompanied by an Arabizing choir in the distance; the final sax comes to tear the stirrups in the ears in a jazzy trance way; to meditate, contemplate, clash.

The critical and commercial success of '2112' practically allowed Rush to continue existing as a band and while we might be able to evaluate from a contemporary point of view how important this album is for their creative evolution, it is also an excellent excursion into the overall growth of Rush as a trio, as the influence of progressive rock finally becomes prominent with this album and the complexity and depth of the compositions is expanded and experimented with. Obviously the massive title track, a 20-minute sci-fi suite made up of seven interconnected sections, becomes the album's centerpiece - here we have all the jarring memorable riffs, a fast-paced, energetic playing through which the electrifying guitars of Alex Lifeson and flying bass rhythms of Geddy Lee emerge. And even if the lyrics might often be cheesy and over-the-top, the entire piece is constructed so well and is performed so masterfully that you could hardly be unable to enjoy it. The acrobatic drums of Neal Peart do add another dimension to the dense, recognizable sound of Rush.

The second side of the album looks towards the band's hard rock roots as it presents five songs within the three-minute format which are all quite different but really good, from the mellow and sorrowful 'Tears', to the enigmatic piece title 'The Twilight Zone', there are also more straightforward rock songs like 'A Passage to Bangkok' and 'Lessons', and one might see how well the second part of '2112' works, despite being essentially different from the epic title track. So this album becomes not only a staple for the band but also a musical statement as we observe a refinement of the compositions and a solidification of the songwriting as an ardent progressive rock influence sweeps right into the musical world of Rush. Ultimately '2112' stands as one of the band's best efforts and has remained a pretty fine listen for all these years.

Twelve half steps are 12 pieces that stand on their own but are linked in the same shape and painted in different colors. Why half steps? Because the truth is never found around the corner, each step is a way to discover 12 objects half-revealed. The music in these 12 songs is a collection of songs developed spontaneously and displaying different modal scales. From jazz to world music, rock, and space music, the man does everything himself. The atmosphere is laid-back but never boring. The music goes through different moods, from a more oriented guitar vibe, and at other times, it's mapped onto more rhythmic parts. You'll find traces of King Crimson, Pink Floyd, and Peter Gabriel in specific passages, but the whole music is very different. If you want beautiful, relaxing music that can shake things up, like 12 rocks turned over, you will enjoy this album. To listen in surround for a better experience.

"Audio-Visions" (1980), the seventh album by Kansas, confirms the band's musical tendency shown in "Monolith", significantly reducing their interest in elaborate and intricate structures in favour of more commercially digestible and less demanding sonorities, under the influence of the expansive wave of the early eighties, with pieces that fit into similar dynamics to those of Boston, Toto or Foreigner, among other AOR bands.

And so it is that in addition to raspy and contagious hard rock riffs, many chanting refrains also take force in the North American proposals, as with the powerful "Relentless", the scornful "Anything for You", the harmonic "Hold On", or the energetic "Loner" and "Don't Open Your Eyes".

On the other hand, a bit of colour and versatility comes from the bluesy and painful "No Room for a Stranger" with a very good guitar solo by Rich Williams; and the sorrowful "Curtain of Iron" and "No One Together"', the best pieces of the album, try to rescue their progressive roots with interesting instrumental elaborations starring mainly Kerry Livgren's keyboards and the vocal interplay of Steve Walsh and Robby Steinhardt, although it seems that the compositional magic no longer has the same strength of their beginnings. Finally, the gentle "Back Door", another AOR track, adds some epicness to the closing of the album with a good final chorus accompanied by Steinhardt's fiddles and some melancholic bagpipes in the background.

Differences over the musical direction of Kansas, which included Livgren's religious convictions not necessarily shared by Walsh, led to the singer taking a hiatus for the next five years to devote himself to personal projects until his return to the band in 1986 with "Power".

2.5/3 stars

Review Nº 861

Traditional music always had a special place in the Irish culture. The traditional music exploded in Dublin in the 60's as younger artists began to see the possibilities of merging the traditional folk and other new genres. It was in this context that appeared Horslips. For anyone who grew up in Ireland in the 70's, Horslips were rock'n'roll. Somehow they were able to fuse the rock sensibilities to traditional Irish tunes. They made the old music accessible to the new generation.

Horslips was founded in Dublin in 1970. They're a Celtic progressive rock band that compose, arrange and perform songs inspired by the traditional Irish airs, jigs and reels. Horslips is usually regarded as the founding fathers of the Celtic rock for their fusion of the traditional Irish music with the progressive rock music. They went to inspire many local and international musical acts. They're probably also considered the best Irish progressive rock band ever. Thought Horslips had limited commercial success when the band was playing in the 70's, there was a revival of interest in their music in the late of the 90's. They became to be regarded as one of the defining bands of the Celtic rock genre.

"Dancehall Sweethearts" is the third studio album of Horslips and that was released in 1974. The line up on "Dancehall Sweethearts" is Charles O'Connor (vocals, Fiddle, mandolin and concertina), John Fean (vocals, guitar and banjo), Jim Lockhart (vocals, keyboards, concert flute and whistle), Berry Devlin (vocals and bass) and Eamon Carr (drums, percussion and bodhrán).

After the two previous albums "Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part" and "The Táin", Horslips abandoned a bit the Celtic rock sound that defined those two works. With "Dancehall Sweethearts", the band used a formula closer to the American rock style. Still, many folk touches are still present but to a much lesser degree. The band takes a huge back-seat to an almost American sounding generic rock vibe. The problem was how to sell Horslips in 1974. That convinced their record label to come up with the clichéd rock band cover photo for "Dancehall Sweethearts". They wanted Horslips to be seen firmly in the 70's rock canon. But the material remained stubbornly Irish. The title of their third album spoke to the Irish musical tradition. "Dancehall Sweethearts" brought them to the United States and Canada on tour. However, that album wasn't as strong as the other two. It reveals a more "modern" rock sound in their music and song writing.

"Dancehall Sweethearts" has ten tracks. The album opens with "Nighttown Boy", a corny bouncy horn driven riff rocker. It has a nice guitar riff blended with keyboards, mandolin and the inclusion of saxophones. I like the horn parts. "The Blind Can't Lead The Blind" is a stately electric folk song. It opens with a female choral part that I love. I also quite enjoy the main groove and the circular melody. It feels like a traditional song. "Stars" is another highlight on the album. It features excellent keyboard work from Lockhart with his part in the chorus. It has a sweet bluesy guitar riff too. "We Bring The Summer With Us" is a very beautiful short song. This is a kind of a traditional folk song with a nice prog treatment brought by the keyboards and the joining of the concertina too. "Sunburst" is very well played with a slight bombastic arrangement. It makes the best use of the grandiose side of things with its horns and female backups. This is a nice break on the album. "Mad Pat" isn't a masterpiece. It's a bit obvious in the melody department, but it's very well performed and chugs along with rocking energy. It has great melodies and some catchy segments. I like this song very much. "Blindman" is another great song with a potent vocal performance from Charles O'Connor. It has a perfect melody and some catchy segments that manage to turn it in a nice prog folk piece with some successful. "King Of The Fairies" is a very impressive instrumental song despite its relatively short length. It shows the versatility of the band with the use by the many Celtic traditional instruments. "Lonely Hearts" is a back to the straightforward rock song style of the first track, "Nighttown Boy". Despite be a kind of repetition it doesn't spoil the nice mood of the album. "The Best Years Of My Life" is a very short song that closes the album in a melancholic way. Somehow it ends the album abruptly.

Conclusion: "Dancehall Sweethearts" is still regarded as one of their finest recordings and the more mainstream approach on this album fully reveals that instrumentally they were every bit as talented as their more famous early 70's counterparts. The Irish folk roots are still hidden underneath the melodies and give them a bit of an "exotic" touch to otherwise mainstream rock songs. On their previous albums those roots have been the strength of the band's sound. Here, they're more decoration. Anyway, I really like this album. They still sound great to me. I think the combination of the Irish traditional Celtic music with the more mainstream rock works very well. It's an album with an excellent balance between both styles. It remains a great album that doesn't wane with time. I only can say one more thing. "Dancehall Sweethearts" is a great album that deserves to be checked. You won't be disappointed if you're a fan of great music.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

"Indelibly Stamped" is the second full-length studio album by UK music act Supertramp. The album was released through A&M Records in June 1971. It's the successor to the eponymously titled debut full-length studio album from August 1970. Since the release of the first album quite a few lineup changes have occurred and only main composers Richard Davies (keyboards/backing- and lead vocals) and Roger Hodgson (backing- and lead vocals/guitars) remain from the lineup who recorded the predecessor. Hodgson has switched from bass to guitar, and new bassist is Frank Farrell. Kevin Currie has joined on drums, and Dave Winthrop has been added to the lineup performing flute and saxophone.

Stylistically Supertramp have changed a lot since the slightly progressive rock leaning debut album. "Indelibly Stamped" leans much more towards blues rock and soul and there's generally a lot more rock grooves and rock guitar riffs here and an uplifting positive attitude compared to the subtle and mellow sound of the debut album. "Indelibly Stamped" still features more subtle, melodic and quiet moments, but it's generally a louder and more rock oriented release. I used Procol Harum as a reference in my review of the debut album, but here I'd probably mention early Steely Dan or something like that instead (a track like "Your Poppa Don't Mind" could almost have been a Steely Dan song).

Supertramp still don't sound like they would sound a few years down the line, but that doesn't mean "Indelibly Stamped" isn't an enjoyable listen and a quality release in its own right. The album features a professional, organic, and detailed sound production, which suits the material well, so upon conclusion "Indelibly Stamped" is a good quality sophomore release from Supertramp. It may lack the last memorable hooks and catchy songwriting to lift if from good to excellent, but a 3 star (60%) rating is still warranted.

This week, I'll be reviewing vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Steven Wilson's 2023 release, "The Harmony Codex." Wilson, is of course, the man behind Porcupine Tree, Blackfield, Bass Communion and is a partner with Tim Bowness in No-Man and recorded "Storm Corrosion" with Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt. He is also renowned for his production and re- mixing skills, having remixed many classic prog albums. He is one of the busiest and most in demand people in the prog world. "The Harmony Codex," is Wilson's seventh full-length solo studio album and currently most recent as of the time of this writing, although he has a new album set to be released on March 14, 2025, called "The Overview."

"The Harmony Codex," (THC going forward) is inspired by a story that Wilson wrote for his autobiographical book, "Limited Edition of One," (which i have not read) , although it is not a straight narrative. There are some expanded editions with many bonus tracks, but I am reviewing the 10 tracks on the standard edition.

Without further ado, let's dive in. Track 1 - Inclination

It begins with a middle eastern, almost snake-charmer-like sound. Drums and percussion enter, but not a standard drum set. The style continues after a brief pause and the instrumentation begins to expand. This intro would make a good belly dancing track. No guitars as of yet, wind instruments, (possibly) keyboards and ethnic percussion and making the music here. The music fades out in favor of quiet sound effects by 2:45, then Wilson begins to sing a cappella. Piano and synth sounds join him, then the groove returns around 3:30. There is another pause in the rhythm around 5:45. There is a guitar solo near the end along with all of the other layers of sound. It's not a bad track, but it didn't blow me away either.

Track 2 - What Life Brings

A drum fill kicks this one off, and we are in a mid-tempo 4-4. There is acoustic guitar, piano, bass, drums and a synth bed underneath along with the vocals. Wilson's fantastic vocal harmony style appears before the 1-minute mark. There are nice vibrato electric guitar flourishes. This is more of the classic Steven Wilson sound I am looking for. There is a nice guitar solo at around the 2 minute mark. Another harmonized verse follows. I really like this track; it has a great sound to it. Israeli singer Ninet Tayeb is singing on this one with him. Guy Pratt of Pink Floyd sideman fame plays bass here. Wonderful song!

Track 3 - Economies of Scale

Electronic sounds with a drum machine start this one off. The vocals join in with some piano accompaniment over the intro rhythms. It appears that this is mostly Wilson here with only Adam Holzman appearing on "modular synthesizer." Nice acoustic guitar sounds end on the second verse. I was looking to see if there was a second vocalist for the high- pitched vocal part, but I see no one listed. I like the vocal arrangement in the second half of the song. The song just ends on a vocal line. Some interesting things are happening, but it's still not my favorite Steven Wilson track.

Track 4 - Impossible Tightrope

This is the longest song on the album at 10:44. It begins with a solo violin by Ben Coleman. formerly of No-Man. Nice synth strings eventually take over. A subtle drumbeat joins the mix. By 1:15 a syncopated rhythm comes in with guitar & bass joining the drums, but the string sounds are still sustaining along with it. The groove is 7-8. By 1:55, the strings drop out and the 7-8 rhythms are in charge. At 2:40, the music quiets down and acoustic guitar takes over until around 3:00 when the rhythm explodes back in along with a wild sax solo. At 3:40 the rhythm stops again and everything gets quiet, until piano takes over at around 4 minutes. High pitched vocals join-in. But the 7-8 returns around 5:15. The groove is almost 70s Genesis-like. Choir-like vocals accompany the lead vocal. A new guitar riff joins in after a verse. There is a LOT going on here, and I am loving it. Many rhythm changes are happening by the time we have reached 7 minutes. It feels like the album finally kicked into high gear. A keyboard solo happens after 7 minutes. There are melodies on the instruments that are doubled by wordless vocals. I realized that the meter shifted from 7-8 to 6-8 at some point. Just before 10 minutes the rhythms stop in favor of sustained sounds to close out the track. This is definitely my favorite track, so far. GREAT PROG!

Track 5 - Rock Bottom

Ninet Tayeb returns on this one to the degree that she is co credited with Wilson on this one as the artist. Not sure how to describe the intro sounds on this one; kinda dreamy, but in a disturbing way. Then Ninet's vocals come in with subtle guitar and synth backing. At 1:24, the full band kicks in. Wilson and Tayeb sing in unison as the next verse begins. The tempo is a slow 4-4 with a descending chord pattern. The intensity builds as the song proceeds. A guitar solo explodes in at around 3 :25. The song concludes with her emotional vocals with subtle backing. Good track!

Track 6 - Beautiful Scarecrow

Random sounding synth sounds kick this one off and electric piano and a subtle drum part establish a rhythm. This one is spacy and psychedelic. Wilson's vocals have an effective effect on it. The song begins building around 1:45. Then it eased back off again. A beat kicks in at 3:12. Another verse returns as the music eases off again around 4:25. That closes out this interesting track. Pretty good.

Track 7 - The Harmony Codex

Sound effects start off the title track, perhaps wind, or the void of space. By around 1 minute, an arpeggiated melody emerges, which is a bit unsettling. Wilson's wife, Rotem, provides a spoken word narrative about taking in the vastness of space. The arpeggiated chords continue in their wobbly way. I guess this is meant to accompany our trip through space? Additional instrumentation joins in and the music becomes gradually stronger, with more bottom end. I keep expecting this to go somewhere, but I don't think it is, other than adding more layers of instrumentation. Things begin to mellow just before 8 minutes. Rotem returns with more narration at the end of the song. Ahh, It was all a dream! Not bad, but not one of my favorites.

Track 8 - Time Is Running Out

Mellow piano arpeggios lead Wilson's vocals in. A drum machine rhythm kicks in at around 1 minute, along with a bit of acoustic guitar. The vocals begin to harmonize and build up by around 1:30. At about 1:50, there is a processed bass voice, but I can't make out whether it is actually saying anything. Following that the dynamics continue to increase with the vocals. A guitar solo follows. The bass voice follows, along with accents on the drum machine. The piano and some synth effects abruptly end the song. I like this one, I can see it growing on me.

Track 9 - Actual Brutal Facts A clean guitar riff with delay starts this one, along with some bass accents. A funky beat kicks in and some atmospheric keys join. I could hear this one being on a PT album. He is talk-singing the first verse, then there are some guitar lines in between the verses. The second verse uses a similar style, vocally. I suppose one could call it a rap. There is a pause in the rhythm at around 3:15, with sustained sounds. Then the guitar brings the rhythm back, before the band explodes. There is a psychedelic guitar solo as the song nears completion. The rhythm stops with a few seconds remaining, excepting an electric piano part. Pretty good.

Track 10 - Staircase

A synth riff starts this one. Bass and bass drum accent the beat. A rhythm gets established, and Wilson begins singing. I love when the rhythm section kicks in hard at around 1:30. Cool guitar solo around 2:10. The synth wash behind the solo and rhythm section is quite nice. Synth riffs fill in before the next verse begins. There is a bridge with vocal ahhs over the rhythm. Awesome bass solo at around 5 minutes! The music pauses around 5:45, then some simple piano chords take over. A synth starts playing a countermelody with the piano. Rotem provides more narration echoing lines from the title track. Synth lines follow with around a minute left. That brings us to the conclusion of the song and the album.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

While there are some good tracks on the album, It does not come close to "The Raven that Refused to Sing," for me, or even "Grace for Drowning," and what I have heard from "Hand. Cannot. Erase." My favorite by far is "Impossible Tightrope." I have seen that many people were very impressed with the album, but it is leaving me wanting. I'll give it a disappointing 3.75 out of 5 stars. Maybe "The Overview," will be more what I am looking for. The early info shows that he recorded it with only Randy McStine (Guitars), Adam Holzman (Keys) and Craig Blundell (Drums) along with him, so it seems more like a rock band effort.

Clicked 4 , but really 3.75.

If this album had come out in the early 70s today we would still be talking about it, it would have been a masterpiece. Listening to "Un'altra Mano Di Carte" today brings to mind the best albums by LE ORME and BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, but not only, here we are faced with a symphonic prog of excellent workmanship. Lovers of this genre will love this album from the first listen. However, it is 2025 and for those who do not appreciate this music enough, this album will sound kinda dated. LIMITE ACQUE SCURE (that means "Secure Water Limit") with "Un'Altra Mano Di Carte" (Another Hand Of cards) give us six tracks of excellent progressive rock, really well played to the point that the curiosity to see this band live is certainly not small. Anyway, I do believe that, even though this year has just begun, this album will most likely be among the best prog productions of 2025.

A true bucket-list event for me was seeing Yesterdays perform at the Winter's End Festival 2024 in Chepstow. I had been looking forward to this moment for years, and it turned out to be an incredible experience.

This live album includes the same songs from their setlist at the festival, plus one track from the Colours Caffé album. However, it was recorded in August 2024 with a different lead singer. András Karola stepped in to replace Stéphanie, who was reportedly unavailable due to medical reasons. Despite having only 12 days to learn the entire repertoire, Karola delivered an exceptional performance. Guitarist Ákos also lent his vocal talents, taking lead on the first two songs. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him sing lead, as I had only heard him on backing vocals before.

Another significant addition to this recording was the presence of their percussionist, Kósa Dávid, whose contributions brought extra richness to the rhythm section. And the biggest treat? Both their studio flute player, Kecskeméti Gábor, and tour flute player, Kozma Kis Emese, performed together, creating stunning two-part harmonies on the flute. This collaboration was a true delight for the audience.

The August performance was recorded in its entirety, prompting the band to release it on CD, digital platforms, and vinyl.

The Little Prince and Other Stories primarily features songs from their epic concept album Saint-Exupéry álma, while the second half plays out like a "best of" Yesterdays. If you're familiar with the studio versions, you'll be in for a treat. The live versions include extended improvisations, intricate flute harmonies, outstanding vocal deliveries, and extraordinary keyboard work.

This album also marks the debut of Yesterdays' new keyboard player, Tóth Gábor, who impressively handles eight keyboards, filling the role of the late Enyedi Zsolt, who sadly passed away in 2020. Joining the lineup was bassist Csajkos Nándor, who infused the band's sound with Chris Squire-inspired bass lines perfect for their progressive style.

The album's closing track, Seven, stands out as one of the finest contemporary symphonic prog compositions I've heard. While the studio version is impeccable, the live rendition takes it to another level, especially with its incredible solos in the final section. Singing along with the band to this masterpiece in Chepstow back in April 2024 was an unforgettable moment for me?an absolute bucket-list achievement.

Favorite tracks/moments: Bábu, Rajzolj át, Ma minden érdekel and Seven!

For fans of symphonic prog, this release is a must-have. And if you get the chance to see this band live, don't miss it. After this experience, Yesterdays holds an even closer place in my heart. Highly recommended!

Released in 1995 (the clue's in the name of the album!), 'From the Gutter to the Stage' is a compilation album by progressive metal band Savatage, one of my all-time favourite groups.

I mention that little fact, because even though they've been one of my favourite bands for a long time, I find this compilation a bit of a mixed bag. Don't get me wrong, the songs are absolute bangers, but as is the case with any "best of" CD, firstly, they become dated over time, and secondly, there's always a case for songs that should have been included or excluded. And in this case, yeah, there's a number of songs I feel shouldn't have been left out, and likewise, there's some here that I feel take up the space of what otherwise could have been one of the 'Tage's main compositions.

There's a second disc, which I guess is some kind of "rare" tracks or something. But they've all since seen the light of day on the 2002 re-issues, or elsewhere, so listening back to it now, they're nothing new, and also, there's only four of them, which is kind of a waste of a disc! First world problems, I suppose.

Anyway, all negativity aside, this IS Savatage, and Savatage are awesome. You've got 'Edge of Thorns', 'Gutter Ballet', 'Hall of the Mountain King', 'Chance' and 'Power of the Night', all of which are absolutely fantastic tracks. So overall, this is a good disc to own, and certainly makes for a great introduction to newcomers, but ultimately, it's dated, and by this point there's better, more well-rounded compilations out there.

I loved 'Load'. I loved 'Reload'. I didn't mind when they did a covers album, or played with an orchestra. And I was one of the 17 people (including the band themselves? maybe) who actually liked 'St. Anger'. But with 'Lulu', Metallica (and Lou Reed, for that matter), have finally achieved their goal of making one of, if not THE, absolute worst album in music history.

The collaborative project between musical giants Metallica and Lou Reed, 'Lulu' is a 2011 concept double-album, and while the project initially sparked people's interest, the results very quickly became the subject of universal criticism.

And rightfully so.

I always give every album a fair number of listens, even ones I don't enjoy, hoping that something might just click or pique my interest after multiple listens. I listened to 'Lulu' three times, and it's been the three most tedious experiences I've had to endure. The songs are boring, the lyrics are awful, and the mash-up between Metallica's heavy metal and Lou Reed's weird style of talk-singing, or sing-talking, just don't work.

Musically, the album COULD have been okay. If James Hetfield was singing and this was another Metallica foray into alternative or art rock, it might have been listenable. But it's not. There's lyrical gems like "I would cut my legs and tits off when I think of Boris Karloff", and a song where Reed spends eight minutes asking "why do you cheat on me", and the whole time I hearing this, I'm picturing Lars Ulrich at some art gallery, trying to be all deep and introspective. But in reality, this is all an absolute pile of nonsense.

Nothing can redeem this album, and the only reason I have to keep it in my collection is because it's Metallica, and I have some rubbish OCD collector thing going on, that makes me need to keep it. Just don't even bother.

Random noises and noodling does not make good music. This album is atrocious. The only noise that sounds edgy enough to approach coolness is "Learning To Shave" its still piss, but at least its not crap like the rest of the album. This is bad, some of the worst music ever put on out. If anyone here knows who Liam Gallagher is, he makes better music as a solo "artist" and that is saying something. This is Yoko Ono "music". They must have been high as kites to have thought they were recording music. Don't fall for the glowing reviews, its from people who think Jackson Pollock is Michelangelo.

Review originally posted at www.therocktologist.com

A very cool alt/prog debut!

"'Nightingale Express' is a concept album. This inspired moviemaker Lex Vesseur to make a short movie with music from the album. He also made the artwork and the visuals for the live show. So both the music and the film return in an interactive rock show with a live VJ.

Washed up, tired and staggering across a beach in the early hours of the morning. Somewhere in the twilight between desperation and surrender, there is still a glimmer of hope. That sense that everything will be alright, no matter what the odds are."

That's a brief description I received from Freeman Promotions, in which one can have a slice of what this album is about. I bet if you like that summary, then you will be interested in the music. "Nightingale Express" is the debut album of these guys from The Netherlands, who have been playing together for some years. It comprises eleven songs that together make 53 minutes of what I would call altern-progressive rock.

"Nightingale Express" is the first and longest track of the album. It was a risked but wonderful decision to start with their most accomplished work, because this is a 13-minute composition that shows complexity, great arrangements, challenging passages and a great musicianship. Here, the band let us know about their compositional skills. It starts slow and little by little the volume of the repetitive vocals is increasing until they along with the instruments reach a high point. Then the music itself begins to create a new structure that combines the soft and in moments hard sides of the band. The voice reminds me a bit of A.C.T.'s one, very emotional and ad hoc for those bands that blend progressive with alternative and even metal rock.

After five minutes there is a great instrumental passage led by guitars; here we can appreciate to the rhythm and repetitive guitar while other is entering softly with some notes as background. It progresses, adding new lines (bass), power (drums) and various elements while the seconds pass. After seven minutes there is a new passage where all of a sudden the music turns a bit heavier, creating some repetitive but addictive moments; then it is flowing again, putting a diversity of textures and moods, in moments it is emotional, in others captivating, or even unpredictable. What an impressive opener!

"Wanderer's Log-You" is a one-minute piece that has a soft sound made by guitars and a delicate voice. It leads to "June Fifth" which starts with drums in a mid-tempo rhythm, later guitars, bass and vocals join and begin to create that catchy but not-far-from-prog sound. In moments, the guitar becomes more emotional while playing the brief solos, and the sound reminds me a bit of dredg. Though this piece is much shorter than the first track, it also has some inner changes that put dynamism on it.

"Phases" start with a rhythm guitar that makes a repetitive sound. Later it changes and little by little is adding new figures, different elements that produce more colors and even emotions. In some moments, the guitars also have a crimson-esque tune, while in the others they create the same dredg-like sound like the previous one. "The Unreachable" continues with the mid-tempo rhythm, making a predictable but delicious structure that in the end produces a great song. The sound is much closer to alternative rock, however, I insist, they do have some prog tendencies that can be appreciated in some passages.

The next is the second wanderer piece, it is "Wanderer's Log-Me", which once again has only a minute of mellow vocals and guitars to share. "Thieves of Time" is a pretty interesting song. Here I love the bass sound because it is soft and delicate, but can be perfectly appreciated and actually provokes an addiction in the listener, at least with me, the bass caught my attention during most of the track. After four minutes the music changes considerably, creating an amazing sensation of power and despair at the same time; the sound is heavier, closer now to metal, without being metal at all. I like a lot the ending of this track and the synth atmosphere it produces.

"Out of Line" starts with a kind of spacey synthesizer that is seconds later accompanied by drums and strings. Then the music flows and makes some slight changes in the intensity, putting more emotion in some moments just like in the chorus. The music here does not produce drastic turns, however, it does not sound plan in any moment. "Come on Home" continues with the same style, and with the concept of the album. Here I like the backing vocals they implement in some moments, producing a different atmosphere, and though it is not the best track of the album, it fits on it as a cool complement.

"Wanderer's Log-Storm" is quite different from the previous brief tracks. This time the rock element in its A Liquid Landscape's style (alt,prog,metal) is resumed here in a powerful and emotional 2.5-minute instrumental song, which leads to the final track of the album, which is entitled "Secret Isle". This one, in the other hand, has a soft and delicate sound that contrasts with the previous track. The sound is very calm, in the neo-prog vein and if you ask me, even touching the boundaries of a ballad. An obvious sense of goodbye is also produced here, in this beautiful yet disarming final track.

I liked the album a lot, and though it is not evidently a masterpiece, nor anything that had never been created, I've had a great time while listening to it. Cool debut, now I am interested in see what's next with this band. My final grade, 8 out of 10.

Enjoy it!

Oh yeah... THE ONE ALBUM Monarch Of Monsters (2024) by "Zelda Trixie Lulamoon" also known as Vylet Pony. what can i say? it's an industrial noise prog post rock metal album with tons of GENESIS references and two furries making out in the cover (that's not a good sign, btw, the part of the album where this happens is kinda sad)

the album was released together with a novel, that explains the dark concepts, there is a PONY character named Vylet Cypruss, that is a reincarnation of a Wolf that lived a long long time Ago and killed the sister of the "second protagonist", a Lamb called Aria the album revolves around heavy themes, both musically and lyrically, talking about abuse, murder and MORE EXTREME THINGS I PREFER NOT TO TALK ABOUT

and btw, because of >ME< posting about this album on r/progrockcirclejerk, Vylet Pony is now on progarchives :D

I truly do believe this album deserves five stars. "TRANSPARENCIAS" ? is a powerful instrumental, it's a stunning debut album. And easily earns its place as one of my all-time favourite progressive rock albums. MIA are definetly talented as well as unique and original. If you're enjoying mellow side of prog rock this album is probably the best choice for you. I especially enjoyed the keyboard and drums duo. This is original. In my opinion, this album has all the best qualities a rigorous should expect and demand from a symphonic prog masterpiece. You have to get yourself immersed into "TRANSPARENCIAS".

This is great!

First of all, I'd like to thank Javier Miranda for his music, but also for his great recommendations, because the name of Roman Gil was completely unknown to me until Miranda mentioned it via private message. So yeah, the word of mouth (virtually, I assume haha) is still a great way of sharing music.

So Román Gil is a quite talented Spanish composer, musician, producer, who in 2023 released this wonderful solo album with the title of 'Atom', in which he wrote everything and performed several instruments, but in which he gathered some other great singers and musicians as guests in order to deliver a work full of quality. Well, 'Atom' consists of 9 tracks and a total time of 40 minutes where we receive a delightful and ambitious mixture of different musical realms, so be ready for the trip.

It opens with an amazing 3-part suite entitled 'ATOM', divided in 'Atom', 'Hijo de la Luz' and 'Vida'. The self-titled movement is the instrumental introduction, first with a delicate guitar sound, then the music becomes intense, dark and quite cinematic, it would perfectly work as a silent movie soundtrack, Then, when mellotron appears the direction changes, the sound is still cinematic, but now more pastoral and symphonic, here the second part of the suite brings vocals for the first time in the album. The sound is charming, delicate, it is like a hug. What I like about this is that in just a few minutes, Gil and co. made me think of quite different musical influences, because it sounds a bit like RPI, also like Argentinian rock, also it shows some Swedish winks, I don't know, but I am sure there is an evident musical and cultural diversity, Violin is beautiful, but I especially love those constant and ever changing bass lines. And it is precisely the bass who opens the gates for the third part of this suite, whose orchestrations are quite beautiful, as well as the piano work. The rhythm brings joy and tranquility, brings life (Vida) so it is contagious and, once again, it is like a hug to our hearts and souls. Only with this epic we can notice Román Gil's amazing compositional skills, which makes me think again of all those low-profile musicians / artists around the globe that have an exceptional talent that is yet to be discovered.

I am sure there are several personal tracks here, I mean, the title of 'Mi padre' (my father) might be a hint of it. Keyboards and orchestral sounds appear here in a prominent way, but also we can listen to several voices, both male and female, reminding me of maybe a play, I particularly thought about Jesuschrist Superstar haha, but well, I also love how the intensity increases while the seconds pass, adding a richness of nuances, layers and textures that at the same time are capable of modifying the emotions. Some funeral drums, some floydian guitars, etc.

The short 'La Capsa' is a folkish gypsy track which brings Catalan for the first time. It has accordion, flute and a sound full of cadence. It leads to 'El Negoci' whose sound is quite different, catchy, with some 80s essence and even with a slight invitation to dance. The language is still Catalan here, and though I don't necessarily understand everything, I am always thankful with bands and artists that use their native languages. There is also a funky element here, so this is a song I enjoy a lot.

The album is full of changes, an example comes next with 'La Por', which is a much softer and delicate track where vocals and piano guide us at first, of course, some elements are being added while the seconds pass, such as drums or keyboards, or even vocal choir, reminding me a bit of The Moody Blues or even Rick Wakeman's works. Another contrast comes with 'Amic Meu' whose rhythm is faster and the invitation to dance returns. A gypsy essence, a vintage folkloric tune, a boost of serotonin.

To end this record Gil and co. give us 'Cançó de Comiat' which I believe sums up what the album has been bringing so far: a trip through a diversity of sounds, emotions and musical cultures. It has two introductory minutes, then it changes and becomes bit darker, the orchestral arrangements, synths and guitar offer a diversity of nuances. And so on, we have to let the music taking us whenever it wants, because at the same time, we create our own worlds where we take the music.

Congrats to Román Gil on this excellent album!

Pungent, cerebral and witty, Steely Dan's 'Pretzel Logic' is one of the really few perfect albums in the history of pop and rock music, an album that is special in too many ways, this is the third instalment in the band's discography and the final studio release featuring a full band lineup, and more specifically the quintet of Becker, Fagen, Baxter, Hodder and Dias, of course, with several appearances from a cast of session musicians, too. This album really takes up the blueprint of the band's previous efforts and elevates it by experimenting with the three-minute pop format, allowing the compositions to evolve into complex pieces of music that draw in influences from jazz, funk, soul, classic rock and bop.

The seamless flow of the album is another commendable achievement, together with the overall versatility of the compositions as we might hear what seems to be the perfect balance between the pop influences over Fagen and Becker's music and the complex arrangements with virtuosic, technical, playing. The wit and the charisma are also there, yet they never really undermine the complexity or the precision of the various tracks. 'Pretzel Logic' is a fantastic musical experience and a masterclass in pop music - an achievement many praised bands of the 70s could only dream of. With its thirty-three-minute length, straightforward delivery, stellar production and quirky catchiness, this album is also notorious for its superb sounds and over-the-top musicianship, and as the story goes, any major dude will tell you this is essential.

"Oceanarium" is the fourth full-length studio album by US progressive rock act Deluge Grander. The album was released through the Emkog Records label in November 2017. It´s the successor to "Heliotians" from February 2014. "Oceanarium" features re-arrangements of musical ideas which also appear on "Heliotians" and on the subsequent album release "Lunarians" (released in December 2020) among other songwriting ideas.

If anyone thought that "Oceanarium" would be anything like "Heliotians" because both albums belong in a planned seven album concept idea, they would be wrong (at least partially). Deluge Grander certainly is an interesting band...they started out releasing two progressive rock/jazz-rock/fusion hybrid albums, and then the symphonic progressive rock album which is "Heliotians" which features prominent use of male- and female vocals. And now this. "Oceanarium" is still a symphonic progressive rock album, but it´s fully instrumental, which sets it completely apart from "Heliotians". It doesn´t sound like the first two albums either though, as the jazz-rock/fusion influences aren´t that strong here and in that respect the music is more reminiscent of the instrumental part of the music featured on "Heliotians".

Featuring 8 tracks and a total playing time of 79:56 minutes, "Oceanarium" is a long release, but the long playing time is warranted, because there´s something new happening all the time. Not in an incoherrent or busy fashion, but the tracks develop naturally and beautiful symphonic parts are followed by more powerful and technical parts. So there is a good balance between the progressive elements of the band´s music and the atmosperic and emotional ditto. Those who enjoy 70s instrumental progressive rock and artists like Camel and other calm, melodic, and atmospheric progressive artists of their ilk, should be able to appreciate this.

"Oceanarium" features a well sounding production job, which could almost have been a 70s progressive rock production. I stil think the production choice to place the drums fairly low in the mix is an odd one, but since Deluge Grander have now done it on every release up until and including this one, I´m sure it´s a conscious choice, that I just don´t agree with. Other than that "Oceanarium" is a high quality symphonic instrumental progressive rock release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

Melancholic, in a some way nostalgic piece of mediocre prog, good for the RPI fans. As they say, the album tells us a story about two planets - Felona and Sorona. Two opposite realities - one is friendly and comfortable, the other is cold and gloomy. This narrative is provided by the short songs that swiftly transplant us from one point of space to the other. The musical pallete consists of firm, heavy drums, warm acoustic guitar quarters, thin, clean vocals, and, of course, lush, space-type keyboard passages, inspired by the ELP. For me, the trouble of this album is... lack of punch. Some sort of pepper, you know, something that catches your mind and makes you admire, that will immediately take it to the level of a masterpiece. Sadly, no things of that type are on the record. It's just a basic prog album from the 70s, well-composed, not annoying, but not really remarkable or enormous either.

I must admit that this band needs a serious re-evaluation as it just simply did not stick in my mind enough to do any reviews of their preceding three albums which I own, even though they are highly rated and esteemed in the prog community. Things happen for a reason, and I see no shame in correcting this oversight on my part. I am neither an octopus, nor a gentle giant (well, gentle maybe). So, please humor me. This talented band from the beautiful portico-rich city of Bologna uses a peculiar mix of dense symphonics as well as a more accessible sound, characterized by expert instrumental foundations laid down by keyboardist Luca Zabbini and guitarist Marco Mazzuoccolo, with rhythmic support from Francesco Caliendo on bass guitar and drummer Eric Ombelli. Lead vocals are executed by Alex Mari, who possesses an energetic voice not far from the DeYoung/ Kimball style, singing in very slightly accented English. There is a diversity of different styles throughout the set-list, that keep the attention span on constant alert.

The opening piece demonstrates all the attributes listed above, as "Carry On" has a definite classic Styx feel, as the lead and harmony vocals are overtly expansive as if staring into a "Crystall Ball", yet the musicianship remains quite complex, the keyboards and guitars daring to stretch out way beyond the scope of AOR. The melodic content is richly presented, and the delivery is top notch. The next number is a powerful and choppier affair, laden with assorted stop and start manoeuvres, highlighted by the dexterity of Ombelli's impressive wood on skin technique. On "Summer Set You Free", Zabbini relies on some broiling hot Hammond sounds from his organ and does not fail to astound with some ripping solos, a man possessed.

The symphonic bluster returns to the "Paradise Theater" on "An Ordinary Day's Odyssey", a towering edifice (a Bologna characteristic) of clever variation, with a stupendous piano solo in the mid-section that is a sheer delight, as it sets up a majestic chorus that does not fail to impress, veering into a nearly pastoral finale, lavishly rendered with orchestrated grandeur. An amazing track. Fuelled by a pirate-like feel, as if a Jethro Tull track of yore was lost in Italy, "The Lost Ship Tavern" has a ribald, rousing mood, courtesy of folky orchestral accoutrements, and a stunning organ flurry that could have been played by a "Minstrel in the Gallery". Alex Mari's vocal is perfectly adapted to the sung story, the guitars buzz hard, as another round of tankards are delivered to the guests.

Progressing nicely along, "Voyager" is the longest track at 8 minutes + and has that immense quality of initial restraint, as the pace builds up with complicated polyrhythmic gymnastics and the lamenting vocals kick into gear. The mood is reverential and adventurous, with a flurry of instrumental transitions that showcase the extraordinary soloing talents of Zabbini and Mazzuoccolo, altering gears where necessary, throwing windy orchestrations into the mix, an absolute masterclass number. The chugging "Morning Train" asserts the unrelenting continuance, a 'mercurial' vocal display and a song structure that could have been easily a Queen number, what with that hard frizzy guitar tone and a regally playful pomp and circumstance section that has all the nods and winks this side of Buckingham Palace. Fascinating bravado well played! Another unexpected twist out of the blue, the suavely built up "Propaganda" ushers in an up-front Caliendo bass line that shoves the arrangement into a combination of Stealy Dan (the vocal is ridiculously overt), with hints of Return to Forever, as well as some saxophone blaring that astounds. The guitar solo has a jazz-rock feel that is unmistakable. There is a fantastic e-piano finale to kill this baby off. The next four tracks settle in wonderfully, keeping the pace interestingly diverse and also on the ball, coming across as if a suite, at least sonically speaking. Both "Shibuya 3 AM" and "Lonely Girl" are set in a more contemplative form, perhaps more linear that the high shining previous pieces. The splendorous "Mediterranean" as the title implies, casts a neo-classical piano ballad shadow that is most welcome, Alex's compelling voice in tow, a redolent bass flutter nearby and a simple anthemic chorus. Naturally, the pressure is raised when the churlish organ decides to bully its way into the arrangement. Then the twins join hands in communion, like Romulus and Remus repentant. Utterly magnificent, a shining hidden gem that needs to be heard. As if composed near Hadrian's Wall by Roman ancestors as inspiration, "Kyanite Jewel "is another soft-paced song, with sweet vocals and eventual swagger, amid a stout British folk-rock feel, loads of acoustic guitar and pastoral piano attesting to the fact. Absolutely lovely. The album is finished off by another thunderstruck prog-rock blast, "Voyager's Homecoming" seems intent to blow all the previous prettiness into a myriad of starry confetti, I could not help noticing some overt "Thick as a Brick" clues, the Hammond organ's kettle almost boiling, the drums home fire burning, and the singing master of the house building castles by the sea. A pompous, grandiose and overarching 'arrivato a la casa'. I am very glad, I finally got the push to review this album and now fully comprehend why its is to be found on so many top records of 2024 lists.

4.5 minute expeditions

If my memory serves me well, I got to know this album through some internet station. After listening to it several times, I finally put my finger on what works for me and what not. But first things first, This Winter Machine is a neo- prog band founded by Al Winter in 2016. On this album, at least, the band is primarily keyboard-driven. The album consists of five songs only, since two of them are epics and another one nearly so. The longest one, which is the title track, kicks off the album and it is a highlight with its beautiful melodies, mainly on the piano. But from the first song it becomes apparent, to me at least, that there is an issue with Al Winter's voice: when he holds a high note it sounds as if his voice is trembling. But thankfully most of the times he sings at a lower register, so this issue doesn't come on too often. The Wheel starts very promising but on the 2:40 minute there is a theme change on 5/4 time which, bar a few meters, remains the same until the end of the song which is 6 minutes long and it wears me out well before it is over. Then comes an instrumental track which although is five minutes long it comes off as half-baked, but then again maybe this is why it is named Lullaby (Interrupted). On After Tomorrow Comes the issue I mentioned becomes more evident than ever. It would be a really nice song since the melodies are captivating but for me it's just too much, he sounds as if he is really struggling to hit the notes. But the best was saved for the last: Fractured is the album's top song and its ten minutes go by in a flash. Everything is in place here where the band plays on its strengths. Last, I will mention that I haven't paid detailed attention to the lyrics, but they belong to the aforementioned strengths of the band.

In spite of some things that don't work quite well for me, I am positive that every fan of neo-prog should give this band a chance and hear and judge for themselves if it is right up their alley.

Beverley Kutner met John Martyn in 1969. In the fashion of that era, they were quickly married and recorded two duo albums in the span of a year before Beverley stepped back from direct participation. "Stormbringer" is the first, and considered a key moment in the evolution of Martyn, though it's static in a decidedly non-Darwinian manner. You would think that, with two songwriters, two singers, superb guest artists in particular on piano and bass, this would at least offer more variety than John's prior solo releases, but this is like the gray water used in showers by those who take our environmental crisis seriously, simply there, utilitarian and lacking in good taste, only slicker.

It's an anonymous piano based bluesy folk with nary a hook or quotable line in its near 40 minutes, let alone much in the way of tempo changes. I'm not sure to whom to compare it, because I'm even less sure if anyone else has bothered. Perhaps PETER GREEN era FLEETWOOD MAC. Maybe LINDISFARNE's 1969 debut, but several leagues below it. A few passing allusions to SANDY DENNY? "Woodstock" is the only tune reminiscent of the prior two discs, mostly "Tumbler", but is better than most of that album because it's a veritable beacon here. Otherwise, this album's name is utterly in opposition to its effects.

Jan Garbarek Eventyr 1981

With Nana Vasconcellos and John Abercrombie

Sometimes, I wonder if some of these things are really jazz, even though many of the players are almost exclusively jazz wisened and practiced.

This middle period of Jan Garbarek's is interesting ... not sure you can call it much of anything other than "ambient", as you never really get that feeling that the players are going to break out and jam on their instruments. With Nana Vasconcellos doing his thing on various percussive instruments, and John Abercrombie adding some very light (and beautiful) touches to what Jan Garbarek is doing, and the best part of it ... they keep it going, very smoothly.

This is a special album, for me ... the opening is one of the nicest things I have ever heard and felt ... it has a calling f some sort, and it sounds very lonely, and not quite desperate, but you can feel the emotion with the call. Soria Maria is a Norwegian tale, and even though we might not know what that story is, you get the feeling that you know it some by the piece of music. It's beauty is a bit on the side of the likes of a siren's call in the old greek stories, it has a bit of an inebriated feel to it, or at least a bit on the person being affected if not by stimulants, then by the desire to do what the hero has to do in the story.

It feels like you have been enchanted while listening to it ... forget music ... just close your eyes and see if you can find the visual for it ... I think it gives us the terrain and the majority of the feeling surrounding it. It was, thought of as a "new age" type album, but with all due respect, that is not even a good suggestion in my book. The music here is way and far above a lot of that stuff that was created simply with a name on it to sell, and had not half as much an image as the stuff in this album does.

The whole album is fantastic, and not of the pieces are weaker or not as vivid as any of the others, although none of them have the incredible wake up call that Soria Maria has, which is very strong, and gets stronger as Nana Vasconcellos augments the piece with some of his drums very lightly ... this adds a bit of "distance" to your view of it, but it does not take away from the piece, the story of which has some long voyages.

The title, as it turns out, and I did not know it until I tried to look for a definition just as I am writing this is defined as "a bold or exciting undertaking or experience" ... and well, I think that is all you need to know to enjoy this album of fantastic music. It is a far out experience, and not always something that many of us take on, specially with a soundtrack!!!

The long pieces, (Soria Maria, Eventyr, Once Upon the Time, East of the Sun and West of the Moon) are all the special things here, and just about, all you need to listen to, but please don't do that ... this album deserves a full listen, as the smaller pieces might be thought of as simpler ... with the longer pieces all "a story" and it is my thought that it was Jan Garbarek's idea to tell a story, with the playing, and I think it succeeds well ... most jazz is not about a story ... it is ... here we go, and then each person does their thing and meet up somewhere in the end ... but here, as a piece is coming to an end, you want more ... even though I kinda think that some folks might consider this whole album a bit somber ... a soundtrack for an imaginary story ... a fable from the Norwegian history.

An album worth having, if you are a fan of folks experimenting well and trying to do something different than just play notes and chords a la jazz style ... this is about the mood and its continuation here, that defines this album ... and if you like that ... this is just fine.

Excellent work, and a part of a period of Jan Garbarek, that I think he was looking to see what could be done with jazz that was not so invisible as most jazz playing is, and so tightly based on notes and chords by most players. Hearing this, the first thought of mine ... was .. this is not "jazz" ... and I suppose that this is ambient, with a jazz like bend ... but that might be hard ... since you can close your eyes and this has a movie somewhere.

NOTE: Parts of this album was used in the film "JOURNEY OF HOPE" in 1990 a Swiss/Turkey film, about the plight of many refugees trying to get out of Turkey. The music in the film has Arild Anderson (not sure which album yet), Jan Garbarek and Terje Rypdal (from EOS) ... and it presents Xavier Koller's film with astounding images with various parts of the music, making it look like the music is about the hope that these folks have for a new life. It won an OSCAR for Best Foreign Film the following year.

I feel like I've had a bit of history with Xavier Phideaux. It was 20 years ago I discovered Prog along with this site shortly after it. Let's just say it was overwhelming looking at all the bands and sub-genres. Where do you begin? And it is kind of amusing to me the first hundred albums or so that I bought, having no clue other than what reviewers were telling me.

PHIDEAUX's "Chupacabras" from 2005 was an early purchase and I loved it. A year later I bought "The Great Leap" and "Doomsday Afternoon" but neither of those did much for me. So in my little mind I decided to go for some of those albums he released before "Chupacabras", thinking they would be more my thing. Again another year later I'm picking up "Ghost Story" and "Fiendish" and I preferred "Ghost Story" but at that point I decided to get off of the PHIDEAUX bus thinking "Number Seven" is probably just like "Doomsday Afternoon" with the same or similar lineup.

Then "Snowtorch" comes out and people are raving about it. I don't bite at first. But eventually, around 2018, I did bite, and got hooked, lined and sinkered. Yeah I'm mounted on Xavier's wall somewhere. This is the one! My new favourite from PHIDEAUX. We get four tracks worth around 45 minutes, dominated by the two part title track. It's pretty crazy how this one hits me emotionally. And I'm talking about the music not the lyrics, which honestly have little to do with my ratings of albums. The male and female vocals were made for each other. Same style but different tones of course, but they work magic here.

"Snowtorch-Part One" is over 19 1/2 minutes and features plenty of piano and vocals from Xavier early on. We do get some flute before female vocals arrive. Organ is almost RPI-like at times. Those duo vocals just kill(gulp). Back to piano leading the way later on, as well as some synths before 16 minutes, and sax a minute later.

"Snowtorch-Part two" is over 16 minutes, and the first four minutes are very interesting. Atmosphere then takes over before keys arrive then a full sound. So good. A nice heavy sound after 6 minutes. Female vocals before 8 minutes, and I like the wordless vocals at 10 minutes. Then Xavier is back singing with piano but she will be back late. Man, the melodies are so beautiful on this record. Such a feel good sound. The two shorter tracks aren't as good, but they do add to this album, not take away.

This goes straight into my "best of" Crossover list, and it's easily a top ten for 2011. What a pleasant surprise this was, and it's good to be back on the PHIDEAUX bus.

Children of E.L.B, by the Norwegian band Soup, is a masterpiece that solidifies the group's position as one of the brightest promises in post- progressive rock. Rooted in the rich tradition of contemporary Norwegian progressive music, the album is a sonic journey that masterfully blends acoustic elements, electronic textures, and guitar solos that evoke the emotional grandeur of Pink Floyd.

A standout track is "In Memory Of Richard Wright," a tribute to the late Pink Floyd keyboardist. The song carries an aura of longing and reverence, reflecting Wright's impact on progressive music and the band's personal grief during the production period. The atmospheric keyboards and emotional solos resonate like a musical conversation between generations, connecting Floyd's legacy to the future Soup represents.

The album's greatest strength lies in its balance between intimate moments and instrumental outbursts. The production is sophisticated yet retains a sense of authenticity and vulnerability. Each track offers a unique emotional experience, guiding the listener through soundscapes that feel both familiar and innovative.

Children of E.L.B is more than an album; it's an immersive experience that captures the essence of progressive rock while paving new paths. For fans of the genre and music that seeks to transcend emotional barriers, this is an essential work.

Mellow Acoustic Debut

Mario Barbaja has released five solid albums over the years, and all of them are pretty different vibes from each other. His debut album is no exception. Released in 1971, a year prior to his breakout sophomore album Megh, Argento does not sound like the growing RPI movement had influenced young Mario quite yet. There are hints, for sure, but this album sounds much more like other soft singer-songwriters of the day: Nick Drake, early Cat Stevens, Donovan, and Vashti Bunyan. This album is mellow and quiet and completely acoustic-guitar driven. It sometimes sounds like Mario is whispering and playing softly to friends in one room of the house so as not to wake up the parents in another room. Kidding, of course, but I did have that thought at one point.

The folk music dynamic is there as well as a mixture of components that make it sound more Italian than English, but it is still not hugely RPI-sounding beyond the Italian vocals. In addition, we have the romantic flavor of the songwriting, sometimes a more classical feel, sometimes a bit of light psych. There are some female co-vocals at times and a fair amount of expressive flute. Several songs employ sitar and hand drumming for an exotic Eastern component. The overwhelming net effect of Argento is as a piece of music to play late at night when one is looking to relax and chill out. It is truly a lovely work to own and likely very sentimental for Mario and his old friends, but for my taste, I much prefer his saucier later albums. I would not recommend this title unless you are a big fan of the four artists I mention above. If you are an RPI fan looking to check out Mario, go for Megh instead. If you like art rock, check out his New York Bazaar album. All five of his releases to date are solid though. There are no duds in the Barbaja collection.

'The Final Experiment' is the debut album by legendary progressive metal outfit, Ayreon, the band pseudonym of multi- instrumentalist and songwriter Arjen Anthony Lucassen. I use the term "legendary" because Ayreon albums have not only gone on to garner huge fan adulation and respect, but have become known for utilizing a wealth of musicians from various genres, thus displaying a high standard of quality and musicianship.

However, that's now. Back in 1995, Lucassen was pretty much unknown, and was just starting to put this little project together. Not being able to pick from an unlimited pallet of musicians like he is today, almost everyone on this album is also relatively unknown, and are mostly friends from Lucassen's homeland, the Netherlands.

And so with that said, this album is nothing more than laying the foundations of what's to come. The huge medieval science fiction concept is in place, and it's clear the musical direction is in the vein of traditional progressive metal, though with an underlying folk influence. However, for all the pomp and pageantry, I do find this album to be pretty forgettable. There's only a handful of songs I'd really consider coming back to, such as 'Eyes of Time', 'Sail Away to Avalon' and 'Ye Courtyard Minstrel Boy', which are all remarkable, but otherwise, I would much rather listen to any of Ayreon's later releases.

But for what it's worth, this is still an album worth owning, if nothing more, than because it's the start of a huge rock opera that will go on to span many albums over many years. But much, much better things are on the horizon for this Dutch project.

3.5 stars. I'm really on the fence with this one. Germany's own Bernd Kistenmacher comes off as a disciple of Klaus Shulze, releasing this his debut in 1986. His music has been referred to as "spherical kosmische synthscapes". Spacey is the word. He would go on to release close to 20 albums over the years, and collaborate with Harald Grosskopf in the process. The man is legit. We get a 53 minute album here with three long tracks.

This is all electronics by the way. Including sequencers but they are either light, or mixed down. The production gets mentioned a lot by reviewers. It could have been a lot better. In fact the reason I'm still balancing myself on the fence with this one is that 25 minute opener called "Rucksturz" where it just didn't sound right to me after 2 spins. But after that I'm used to it. Still, that's half the album right there that I'm not "all in" on.

I've seen four different cover arts for this one and I prefer the original one that is not shown on the site here. I do like the spacey sounds of electronics over sequencers and this leans toward the spacey. I much prefer that second track "Quitting Time" over the opener. At 14 1/2 minutes this one changes slightly throughout. He keeps it interesting, including that more than slight change before 12 minutes. Soon it's back to spacey with the synths crying out like a guitar.

"La Tendresse" is the 13 minute closer, and it opens with spacey winds that are fairly brisk. They stop as we get some interesting sounds after 2 1/2 minutes. It's more aqua sounding after that, lets put it that way. Then it almost sounds like a fire crackling at one point as this plays out. Like I said some interesting sounds on this record but at the same time this is very uniform sounding. Sounds like mellotron later but none is credited.

All titles were composed, performed and arranged by Bernd between April and July 1986. In the liner notes of the 2012 re-issue Kistenmacher suggests that this his first album was more than just a musical beginning, it helped him get through life. He calls this album a shore of an ocean, which asked him to embark on a great journey.

Review Nº 860

"Calling All Stations" is the fifteenth and last studio album of Genesis and that was released in 1997. It was recorded following the Phil Collins's departure from the band in 1996. Vocalist Ray Wilson, the brother of Steven Wilson, who had fronted a short lived but popular grunge influenced outfit called Stiltskin, was brought on board after a lengthy auditioning period. Wilson's darker vocals were more reminiscent of Peter Gabriel than Collins. The drummers Nir Zidkyahu and Nick D'Virgilio, the Spock's Beard drummer, were called to supply the drums. The album met negative reviews upon its release, saying that Wilson was a good vocalist but that the album suffered from lack of good material.

"Calling All Stations" has eleven tracks. All songs were written by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford except "Not About Us", "Small Talk" and "There Must Be Some Other Way" all written by Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Ray Wilson. The first track "Calling All Stations" is the title track. It's a good and interesting track that sounds different from what the band have ever done before. It's a song much more heavily that what was usual on the band driven by the sound of the keyboard and the guitars. We may say this is a surprising open for a Genesis' album. The second track "Congo" was the first single from this Genesis' album. It marked the debut of Ray Wilson as the vocalist of the band. It's a song with a clear pop tune with an African style drum beat. This is a song that became a hit across the Europe. It isn't a bad song indeed, but in reality it sounds too much to a pop song. The third track "Shipwrecked" was also a song chosen to be released as a single from this album, and it was only a minor hit. It's a simple ballad with a very simple musical structure that became a little bit repetitive. This isn't also a bad song, but it seems very clear that it was mainly made to be a big hit single. The fourth track "Alien Afternoon" is, without any doubt, until this moment, the best and most progressive song on the album. This is, in my humble opinion, the band's first attempt to return to their progressive roots. In reality, we are in presence of a pretty good song that sounds to the neo-prog style. The fifth track "Not About Us" was the third and final single taken from this Genesis' album. It was also the last single to feature Ray Wilson. It's a nice and beautiful ballad with great melody and full of emotion. It's certainly a song with the hand of Ray Wilson, which is beautifully and superiorly sung by him. The sixth track "It That's What You Need" is a great and another emotional ballad. It's a very slow and melancholic song very romantic, nice, catchy and pleasant to hear. This is, in my opinion, one of the better songs on the album. The seventh track "The Dividing Line" is with "Alien Afternoon", one of my two favourite tracks on the album, until now. It has an excellent drumming work and it's also, in my humble opinion, with "Alien Afternoon", the second song one the album with some progressive lines. The eighth track "Uncertain Weather" is another good song on the album. It has interesting lyrics and some beautiful musical moments. It's a track dominated by the synthesizers performed by Banks, which simply flows along the musical structure of the song. This represents another beautiful musical moment on the album. The ninth track "Small Talk" is one of my less favourite songs on the album. It's a song with some funk influence, but sincerely, I think they failed their objective. This is, in my opinion, a repetitive song with some pale creativity musical ideas. The tenth track "There Must Be Some Other Way" is with "Alien Afternoon" and "The Diving Line" the third highlight on the album and represents also their most progressive song on the album, too. This is a good song with the nice and crystalline vocals of Ray. This is, without any doubt, a song with some beautiful musical moments and also with clear progressive lines. The eleventh and last track "One Man's Fool" finishes the album in a very quiet and slow way. Despite being not a bad song, this isn't, for me, a brilliant song. It's also a very repetitive song without any kind of musical creativity. This is probably my less favourite song on the album.

Conclusion: "Calling All Stations" was almost a completely deception to me. I'm not saying this is a bad album but definetely I expected much more of it, really. Apparently, it had all the conditions to be a great progressive album. In the first place, Phil Collins quit the band leaving the door open to Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford left the pop influences of their last albums and return to the original progressive roots of the group. In the second place and in my humble opinion, their previous studio album "We Can't Dance", despite some pop songs, had a less pop oriented direction. In the third place, we were in the end of the 90's, a time when the progressive music has returned in force. There were also the times were many new prog bands arrived. So, is "Calling All Stations" a bad album? No. We can even say that it's a good album. But, it can be a good album to some other band, but not for a band like Genesis. So, this is the reason why I'm saying that "Calling All Stations" was almost a deception to me. It represents, without any doubt, an opportunity missed by Genesis to can return to their previous progressive roots. And I really think that their faithful fans deserved completely it. So, "Calling All Stations" became, in a certain way, a completely waste of time in Genesis' musical career.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

"Heliotians" is the third full-length studio album by US progressive rock/jazz-rock/fusion act Deluge Grander. The album was released through the Emkog Records label in February 2014. It´s the successor to "The Form Of The Good" from June 2009, although the two Deluge Grander albums are bridged by the September 2013 second full-length studio album by keyboard player Dan Britton´s other project Birds and Buildings. Only Britton and drummer Patrick Gaffney remain from the lineup who recorded "The Form Of The Good", although female vocalist Megan Wheatley has guested on the last couple of Deluge Grander releases and appears to have now become a permanent member of the lineup (at least on this album). Other new members are Cliff Phelps (guitars, vocals), Christopher West (bass, flute, vocals), and Natalie Spehar (cello).

Stylistically "Heliotians" is a very different release to the first two Deluge Grander releases, as it´s a much more pure progressive rock recording, compared to the previous more hybrid progressive rock/jazz-rock/fusion styled albums. Both male and female vocals are featured prominently on "Heliotians" and in many ways it sounds like an almost completely different band playing here than on "August in the Urals" (2006) and on "The Form Of The Good". This is 70s influenced progressive rock. Symphonic and featuring the use of vintage keyboards/organs and influences from classical music and folk, and it´s only occasionally jazz-rock/fusion tinged.

If the preceding albums were all over the place and featured a both busy, challenging, and eclectic playing style and a ditto eclectic songwriting approach, "Heliotians" is a much more consistent and coherrent release. There´s a clear structure and progression of the tracks and they don´t jump from one songwriting idea to the next with no apparent connection. Instead "Heliotians" appear more mature and less wild than the previous releases. It´s a beautiful, epic, and melodic progressive rock album, and all involved are high level musicians. Early King Crimson mixed with some Renaissance could be a description of the band´s music, but Deluge Grander aren´t a clone band. They can certainly hold their own, both in terms of musicianship and songwriting.

Therefore it´s a bit of a shame that "Heliotians" sometimes feels a bit underproduced. Especially the drums have a tendency to drown in the soundscape, and a bit more power and clarity wouldn´t have hurt. On the other side this sounds a lot like something out of the 70s progressive rock scene, which also featured many releases with relatively questionable sound production values, so it may not be all bad to the ears of a traditional progressive rock listener. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

ASTRAL MAGIC is the psychedelic solo project with everything that has to do with electronics, ambient, ethnic, folk!

"Intro: They Have Arrived" psychedelic intro just to announce that they are here. "Over the Edge" 60s psychedelic sound, vocals as soft as a 70s lollipop, the kind of sweet shell, a sound on the fundamentals of the genre, HAWKWIND, OZRIC TENTACLES and QUANTUM FANTAY. A fresh and vintage sound that flows like ice cream, I must be hungry. "Back to Earth" a bit of ORESOUND SPACE COLLECTIVE synth S-F and the guitar takes the measure; ethereal pop air with hints of the electronic period behind, SPACE for example; it is mostly vintage psychedelic. "Stuck in the Mud" 60s air I persist, that of the mods, soft rock, respectful with the organ behind twirling; the most this guitar that comes and goes according to the solar effluvia. Repetitive or captivating, cloying or trance, with a beautiful melancholic violin in the background. "It's All in Your Mind" a B-movie tune, western or gangster, a tune that takes you into cinematic memories, the vocal echoing, hovering, far away; as if it were sung in Teutonic; simple, timeless. "F Equals 1 Over T" begins cinematically, vocal à la CHURCHILL, to a NASA commentator; a spatial, electronic sound that recalls his first works from four years ago; a metronomic, hypnotic tune, too short.

"The First Light" with the return of the 60's sound, the one that gave a beautiful image to the music, relaxation and nonchalance. The aerial guitar unfolds effortlessly, without showing itself either, supported by the monolithic drum pad. "Something in Her Eyes" and the reminder of the psychedelic movement with synths squirting notes with the typical foggy vocal that could be found on the rare TANGERINE DREAM albums, sung precisely. "Psychedelic Avengers" a synth spark and off we go; linear vocal with the guitar strumming lasciviously, the keyboard behind in the 70s style. The plus on this piece is the keyboard-guitar association that follow each other, respond to each other and create a musical space provided with the assured kitsch effect of the keyboard sparks-layers. "Those Who Came from the Stars" eponymous title that starts without an intro, one of the weak points of this album in fact in view of the finale which brings precisely this pleasant lot of sounds from elsewhere also bringing back to prog. "Sea of ​​Infinite Possibilities" with finally a landmark title; a captivating psychedelic sound as indicated and a long piece that unfolds easily, to dream, meditate or rest with the violin in front. "Frozen in Time" that we find as a Bonus on those who will purchase the CD. This is the second good surprise with a real psychedelic title in the OZRIC TENTACLES movement and colleagues; a long captivating variation to listen to in relaxation mode, without pretension but without burden with TANGERINE DREAM as a reminiscence. Originally on Profilprog.(2.5)

Kansas seemed poised to continue their sweeping advance as one of the genre's most established and recognisable bands with their original combination of progressive rock and AOR-spiced hard rock, following their mega-successful "Leftoverture" and "Point of Know Return".

And when the image of a haughty Native American looming over the horizon on the cover of "Monolith" (1979), their sixth album, saw the light of day, it seemed like the harbinger of a work with vindicatory and conceptual themes, considering that pieces like "Song for America" and "Cheyenne Anthem" had already reflected with great sensitivity and respect for the land and for the displaced indigenous people.

But as "Monolith" goes on, those references don't appear, but instead high doses of harmonic and digestible hard rock in a constant search for self-knowledge, with songs marked mainly by the riffs and guitar solos of the duo Rich Williams/ Kerry Livgren and the secondary contribution of Robby Steinhard's violins, as in the opening "On the Other Side" or in the energetic "How My Soul Cries Out for You" (with its inexplicable pause in the middle), "A Glimpse of Home" and "Stay Out of Trouble" and, on the other hand, with the disconcerting inclusion of "People of the South Wind", a disco rhythm that not even Williams' great guitar solo saves from the bonfire.

And of progressive elements, not much. Maybe some reminiscences in the introductions and intermediate keyboard and violin developments of "Angels Have Fallen" and "Away from You", the best of the album. Too little for so much expectation in my opinion.

The melodic and acoustic "Reason to Be" ends "Monolith", a correct album, but not progressive rock or anything like it, but a more accessible and direct warm hard rock, the path that Kansas would begin to walk very close to the beginning of the eighties.

2.5/3 stars

Robert Connolly has just been added to the site here, and I enjoyed the first review that went up a day or two ago. And I agree that it is about time. I remember buying this pirate cd from Greg Walker probably 15 years ago or so. This album was released in 1978 but never re-issued. The cd I have is from that infamous label Tachika Records. So they ripped it from the vinyl and thankfully they did include that 8 page comic book that has over 30 scenes in. A sci-fi story that is very well illustrated.

I've read that the Sam The Record Man music store here in Canada used to post this album in their front window display cases. Helping the locals. I may have even seen that on my first visit to Sam's store on Yonge street in Toronto back in the late seventies. Right out of high school Connolly decided he was going to be a professional musician. Clearly he had the financial backing I believe from his parents, as he owned all this keyboard equipment like mellotron, mini moog, organ, piano, synth bass, string ensemble, and on top of that he owned his own studio. The man played guitar and bass as well. And his hair! Gino Vannelli anyone?

Well, his first band called PLATEAU recorded some music but despite some tireless efforts from Robert to get a label to sign them, none were interested in this kind of music at that time. So Robert decides to break the band up and go solo. We get about a 35 minute album here with side two of the vinyl being the music already recorded by PLATEAU and used with his former members permission. Same with the title of this record. So a five piece band on side two, while side one is just Robert, a drummer, and two female singers, and that's it. So Connolly is playing bass and guitar on side one, while he sticks to his keyboards on side two.

Apparently Robert was a bit of an expert when it comes to the Nazca lines in Peru, and also of the opinion that aliens must have paid us a visit. Check out that album cover. So yes the opener "Plains Of Nasca" has that in mind. Opening with narration the organ and drums take over quickly thankfully. A catchy organ led sound is the result. Many mention ELP with the organ's power and dominance here. There's some soulful female vocals along with guitar and spacey sounds as well. "A Close Encounter" is different, almost folky, with female vocals singing in a reserved manner with strummed acoustic guitar, not a fan. This feels out of place and we do get some moog and organ later.

More narration on "Power Of Giza" but this is a catchy organ/drum sound. "Battle Of Gomorrah" is the closer from side one and Robert does use some Biblical references, maybe to make this sound legit. Not big on this one either, thinking maybe "Dance Of Gomorrah" would have been the better title. Side two in my opinion is better. More of a band sound here. And the drummer on this side actually played with a local Hamilton band called DOWNCHILD BLUES BAND, a name I've heard countless times on the radio back in the day announcing their live dates in Toronto. Never heard their music but Dan Aykroyd was a friend of that band's leader Don Walsh and got them to do some songs for The Blues Brothers. Even Daniel Lanois adds backing vocals to their final record.

Side two features the over 14 minute "Journey" and the short and uptempo "The Oracle". Nice to hear bass on this side and the flute on that long track. And the guitar is in play more. So while I feel that it's about time I can put this cd to bed now, I also feel that there was some of that "What could have been" if this was released five years earlier. Connolly should be proud. A talented guy who also was also an author, journalist and film producer.

I listened to this album and it sucks. And I am beginning to suspect that almost anything with "jazz" in it is going to blow. There is no music here that grabs you. At times it sounds like "music" for video games. Just endless noodling, nothing here is memorable. Look at all the glowing reviews! You'd think they were listening to one of Pink Floyd's very best! The album is almost over and I cannot wait for it to finish. Truly horrible "music" coming out of my speakers. If I wanted random notes going nowhere I'd ask my five year old to play on his keyboard. There are many Youtube artists that make much better music than this crap. Ugh this noise is awful!

'Katy Lied' is the fourth studio album by Steely Dan and the first one in the discography following Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's decision to stop touring and continue as a studio act with various guest musicians, a decision which had led to the departure of previous band members Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitars and Jim Hodder on the drums, playing on all three previous LPs of the Dan. And while this is an excellent album per se, released in March of 1975, it is also quite divisive and slightly transitional in terms of the final effect, the quality of the recordings, and the overall dissatisfaction of the two band leaders with their creation, infamously refusing to hear the final mixes. And yet amidst all this, with 'Katy Lied' being a classic Steely Dan record, is an intelligent and ardently crafted piece of work that combines the typical pop rock sensibility to writing with jazz instrumentation, elevated by the stellar production and rather identifiable vocals of Donald Fagen, delivering some smart, witty and often cocky lyrics.

Perhaps it seems like there is no more that experimentation, a play with techniques, but a more consolidated, focused and well-conceived sound. And with a perfect side one, absolutely iconic and flawless, featuring classics like 'Bad Sneakers' and 'Doctor Wu', we have the much more inconsistent side two, with the swingy joyous tones of 'Everyone's Gone to the Movies', and the swirling 'Your Gold Teeth II', alongside the quite forgettable 'Chain Lightning'. This is a pleasant, perfectly enjoyable and smart album (yes, also snobbish on certain occasions) that serves as an underrated and transitional entry from the Steely Dan universe.

One thing that could be said for the quasi benevolence of record companies and artist management back in the day is that a measure of quality control was brought to bear from a slightly independent source, which prevented accidents like these from ever seeing a record press. Sure, once established, artists inevitably issued archive recordings that could be enjoyed or dismissed wistfully with a cluck of the tongue, oh those silly boys! But here we have somebody who thought what JOHN MARTYN needed to improve on his debut was to return to Scottish elocution school and inseminate it with a US southern blues style, so the very first and only Cajun canterbury album. This dampens the potential counterbalancing of fine guest playing on guitars and flutes. As Monty Python once said, and said, and said, "silly silly silly".

Classic Italian Prog

For decades, Pierpaolo Bibbo was another RPI artist classified with the unfortunately common "one-shot" moniker, an artist/band who released one album in the '70s era only to vanish afterward. Thankfully, the ranks of such one-shot artists seem to be thinning in recent years as more genre elders have been returning from the mists to restart their recording career again. Results can vary. Some returns and reunions have been fruitful blessings while others were perhaps best left back in the mists of the '70s. Bibbo recorded his debut Diapason back in 1979, though it wasn't widely available until Mellow issued it on CD in the '90s when it was then welcomed warmly by a reinvigorated RPI enthusiast community. Bibbo would not return with a new album until 2012. Since then, he has become an active recording artist again, releasing three more solid albums. Razza Umana is another triumph, maybe his best. I'm still on the fence on that question.

Bibbo is a superb multi-instrumentalist whose guitar, keyboard, and vocal skills have only improved, remarkably, as he was in his late 60s at the time of this release. His most known Diapason was a fine album, but it was experimental in nature, searching for unique keyboard sounds, often succeeding, but the result was more interesting than enjoyable in some ways. What I love about Razza Umana more than the others is that it feels so natural, so warm, without getting hung up on "progressive rock" tendencies. Don't get me wrong---there is plenty of icing on this cake. But here the icing never overtakes the cake. The cake is the songs, and the songs here are strong, spacious, and really beautiful. This is classic symphonic RPI with some prog-folk touches and with just the right mix of electric and acoustic, keyboard atmosphere, and rich Italian vocals. While this is not a Pink Floyd-sounding album, I will note that Bibbo's electric lead soloing did remind me instantly of Gilmour's leads, the sound, the soaring, the expression of the notes, bends, and runs.

Songs for the Human Race

The tracks have a more traditional feel, warm and wonderfully melodic, luxurious to the ear. I will say that for those who demand extreme complexity or enjoy abrasiveness or discordance, that crowd could be disappointed here because this falls into the "pretty prog" camp. It's just very pleasing to the ear. Lyrically, I'm at a loss again as an English-only fellow, but using Google Translate on the song titles, it would appear there are some heavy topics being discussed, possibly aging, concerns about humanity's future, spirituality, and even extinction. Musically, however, any dark concerns about the state of the human race are mostly cloaked by the sound and melodies meaning the overall effect was upbeat to me, positive.

What moves me about Razza Umana is the sense I get that Bibbo is unpacking his life journey on this one. It feels like a true conversation between him and his listeners, open, pleasant, emotional. Gone largely is the pursuit to appeal to "prog" listeners with quirky electronica or overly provocative, angular musical twists which, although thrilling, can also be a distraction. Instead, this album feels like the most authentic connection we've had with this artist, and thus the experience is the most rewarding one in my eyes. This feels like a man pouring his heart out to you, not hiding behind technical wizardry. At the same time, I don't want to make it sound musically boring. It's not. There is drama, passion, beauty, and long, thoughtful passages to sail away on. It can rock. The performances are top notch. While I hope this is not Bibbo's last album, if it is, it is the perfect nightcap for a solid body of work that began with Diapason. I highly recommend this album to lovers of beautiful Italian symphonic prog.

Somehow during my period of burgeoning interest in British Isles folk rock that began in earnest when I heard a concert recording of STEELEYE SPAN on radio in 1976 (and for reasons I won't go into thought it was RENAISSANCE!), I never picked up a JOHN MARTYN album and indeed was no more than vaguely aware of him. He appears to have gained almost immediate acclaim for his association with the likes of JOE BOYD and by extension FAIRPORT CONVENTION, but gained a more than cult following through some of his early 1980s releases, at a time when I was in despair at the exaggerated at the death of prog. If I heard him during these years, it made no impression.

As far as this debut goes, I will sum it up with an overly simplistic "you had to be there" trope. It's "nice", even pretty, sweetly personal in that slice of life manner, and an early pioneering effort for the singer/songwriter/acoustic guitar era, soon to be adopted by the more accomplished more engaging works of the likes of DONOVAN, CAT STEVENS. AL STEWART, NICK DRAKE, GORDON LIGHTFOOT (whose contemporaneous works were already in another class), and others far more obscure like NIGEL MAZLYN JONES and BOB THEIL. The influence of DYLAN is felt and he even covers the iconic "Don't Think Twice it's Alright" for further confirmation. To be fair, at least at this stage he sings better than most of these though their material and their voices might be more in sync than those of Martyn. Most importantly, they had a real identity.

Nonetheless, a few gems are scattered in here, like the opener "Fairy Tale Lullaby", "Ballad of an Elder Woman", and "Golden Girl", to which the aforementioned CAT must have listened on repeat while recovering from TB and without which his brilliant "Mona Bone Jakon" might never have existed. The rest is history, but I round up because, though I wasn't there, I probably should have been. Respect.

There is no doubt left in my mind that the bass guitar is my favourite instrument. Not content to anchor the rhythm section by connecting the melody and the pulse, the control center that sets the sonic foundation, progressive rock has given us players that have dared to push the boundaries into the realm of lead instrument (Squire, Lee, Entwhistle, Karn, Levin, Wetton etc?). Not many bands out there that can claim a bass dictatorship, excluding guitars or keyboards. Australian band The Omnific has a two basses and one drummer set up and now along comes this bass/drum duo from France called Alber Jupiter, needles to say the buy button was immediate. Both bands oddly enough, delve into the harder edged counties of psychedelia/space, focusing naturally on providing a wide palette of tones to their instrument of choice. Thankfully, constantly evolving musical technology can turn any instrument into a another one (with a few exceptions) and while drummer Jonathan Sonney pulses like a madman, his partner Nicolas Terroitin lays down foundational bass tracks as well as adding various sonic contrasts by using a whammy bass pedal, there are also a few synth colorations for effect. There is a palpable Krautrock tendency as well that explores the deepest confines of the universe of the mind.

After a short mood setting intro, the onslaught of galactic resonance takes hold on the mighty "Flying Turtles", in the realm of bands such as Monkey3, Naxatras and Vespero, to name just a few, there is also an obvious Lemmy Hawkwind vibe, with plenty of cavernous bass thrusters that owe more to Ted Nugent's classic Stranglehold than more recent examples of power space. Appropriately hypnotic, mind numbing and megalithic, the steamroller effect in full array, this colossus tramples underfoot without repentance. Sonney pummels his skins like a savage throttle engineer, methodically illuminating the course ahead. The leaden tempo knows no relent on "Uber en Colère", behaving like a parallel torpedo, whirring inexorably towards a new frontier in the outer cosmos, perhaps slightly more sedate as if in cruise control, a merciless agenda, nevertheless. Talk about atmosphere, throw in stratosphere and ionosphere while you are at it! The echoing riffs plow across the asteroid belt, unrepentant. A magnetic hold on the passengers takes effect, a galactic torpor that numbs the muscles and the mind into tacit acceptance of the dangers of the voyage ahead. Trepidation and fear of the unknown, a complete deficiency of the sense of time and space, relying on the hope that nothing will fail from the set purpose of discovery and perhaps survival will occur.

At first robotic and mechanical, "Martine à la Plage" showers a cosmic playfulness that has an eerie synthpop feel, before evolving back and forth into a more brutal vein, injecting loads of detailed dissonance and thrilling sounds into the sandbox of space. A ritualistic beat keeps this ship on course, inducing euphoria and acceptance, while the textures veer towards tingling expanses, keeping the thrusting adventure alive and well. Nastiness reveals itself on the gripping "Fangs", with its almost punkoid vibe, distantly clouded vocalizings that suggest the kind of distorted psychosis that insanity (temporary or permanent) can exude. Traumatic, bruising sonic torture, the bass thrashing as if strangling itself into submission, this is not pretty. At times, I felt an early Bauhaus sensibility (Bela Lugosi is Dead) that deepened the gruesome nature of this psychedelic contusion. Intense.

The epic 11 minute + title track finishes off this enormous album, and remains the absolute highlight here, as it possesses all the hall marks of the style these two lads wish to explore. Step one: lay down a profound and intransigent groove, offer no surrender or mercy and lay down a wide variety of sonic thrusters and boosters, keeping the raw emotion constantly spiralling, a world where nothing really matters except for introspective voyaging. Both Nicolas and Jonathan keep the controls to the heart of the sun on full interstellar overdrive, their silver machine mastering the universe, two brave warriors on the edge of time. Majestic and a must listen.

Shame many missed this in 2019, bigger disgrace dropping the ball twice. 4.5 celestial bassinets

I just discovered this CD (and this band) in a second hand record shop. I was attracted by the label which released nice bands such as P'cock (the great "In'congnito" - 1981) and when I read the record was recorded and mixed by Klaus Schulze himself in 1990, my decision was made. And I must say I was not disappointed. This record features excellent moments: 'Fendi', 'Woman Pur', and especially 'Bouquet de Fleures' (yes with this spelling!), a 15 minutes epic. The band, a German trio (forget their silly name today) wanted to illustrate perfumes musically and this is a great idea idea! The music often sounds like Vangelis and Schulze of course. If you miss those two keyboards wizards (RIP), this disc is for you.

"The Form Of The Good" is the second full-length studio album by US progressive rock/jazz-rock/fusion act Deluge Grander. The album was released through the Emkog Records label in June 2009. It´s the successor to "August in the Urals" from July 2006. The two Deluge Grander albums are however bridged by the March 2008 debut full-length studio album by keyboard player/vocalist Dan Britton´s and bassist Brett D´Anon´s other project Birds and Buildings. So at least half the Deluge Grander lineup have kept themselves busy in the three years between "August in the Urals" and "The Form Of The Good".

Stylistically the material on "The Form Of The Good" continues the hybrid progressive rock and jazz-rock/fusion style of the last album. It´s still highly eclectic music featuring elements from many different genres and playing styles, and it´s all delivered in a busy and dynamic fashion with avant-garde parts sometimes entering the picture for an even more diverse listen. So don´t be fooled by the tranquil and atmospheric nature of album opener "Before The Common Era", as it´s easily the most accessible track on the whole album. The hyper energetic "The Tree Factory" follows and it´s quite the enjoyable song featuring both country and blues rock elements along side the progressive rock and jazz-rock/fusion elements. The remaining three tracks are just as eclectic and adventurous. In addition to drums, bass, guitar, and various keyboards, the music also features flute, saxophone, violin/cello, clarinet, oboe, and trumpet/trombone.

The music is predominantly instrumental but features a few vocal parts. Vocals are however not at all as prominently featured here as they were on "August in the Urals". Although the latter is also a mostly instrumental album, especially two of the tracks feature vocals, which are an important part of those compositions. That´s not really the case on "The Form Of The Good". Although the drums are sometimes drowned a bit in the busy soundscape, "The Form Of The Good" is overall a well produced and well sounding release. There´s a nice organic tone to the instruments and upon conclusion "The Form Of The Good" is another good quality release from Deluge Grander. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

Supreme bassist Jannick Top composed a track and put together a Zeuhl supergroup to play it. There's a rehearsal version and a live audience version and oddly I slightly prefer the rehearsal one. Its mostly pretty frenetic and gets quite aggressive, with violins providing a key element of that aggression (Didier Lockwood being just one notable name on strings) alongside Jannick Top's rollicking basslines. It sounds free and improvisational at times but in reality it's just well rehearsed! Its intense, so not that accessible at times, and the bonus tracks are just more of the same. But for poignancy this is a good Zeuhl-linked track to dig out if you can.