TAKING THE STAGE: LIVE 1997-2005

US outfit SKY CRIES MARY has been around for 25 years at the time of writing, with a string of albums from the late 80's and throughout the 90's that saw them build a good-sized following. In the last few years the independent US label Trail Records has taken an interest in this act, issuing a compilation disc in 2009, followed by "Taking the Stage: Live 1997-2005" now in 2011. The latter item is a remastered version of the band's live recordings made between 1997 and 2005.

As far as progressive rock goes, this is a disc residing on the border between psychedelic art rock and indie rock. If you're a newcomer to Sky Cries Mary and have an interest in psychedelic music, I'd recommend getting hold of the compilation disc "Space between the Drops" rather than this live CD initially. But if you know and like the band, be it on a superficial level or as a dedicated fan, "Taking the Stage" is a production that can be recommended with ease. This is another high-quality production courtesy of the US label Trail Records, where the level of interest is determined by musical taste alone.