PROGNOSIS 19

Prognosis 19 is from Classic Rock Presents Prog magazine featuring some of the latest and greatest in the prog scene. It begins with clocks ticking, baby crying and ominous drones with a track called 'Into this World' by Cosmograf. The minimalist piano and brooding vocals are melancholy and gloomy. The heavy guitar sound is welcome as it builds to a melodic chorus. The atmosphere is powerful on this and very unique making this an intriguing piece of music; the 11:14 running time is worth the wait especially to hear a blazing guitar solo at 8 minutes in.

Presto Ballet's 'The Puzzle' is quite pleasant with some excellent guitar and an overall psychedelic feel.

David R Black's 'Ezra' is a more commercial sound in terms of vocals. It is a nice melody driven track that has some prog elements but is not as way out as the rest of this sampler.

Nosound are represented with a live version of 'Lightdark' a very dreamy psychedelic piece with Sigur Ros style vocals and very ambient textures with swathes of keyboards. I am not a real fan as it sounded too dreamy for my tastes, and too long at 8 minutes without enough variation to hold my interest.

Panic Room are a favourite of the magazine and here they are featured with 'Sandstorms', and I am always interested in the female vocals. The organ is killer on this and totally immersed in a 70s sound yet remaining modern and fresh.

Phaedra's 'Honeydewed Autumn' has more female vocals, mesmirising beauty and totally ambient. It is pastoral and folky with new age lyrics and quiet dreamy arrangements.

Sendelica are a band I have not heard and 'Banshees & Fetches' is a 12 and a half minute journey into prog excess. It is full on psychedelic space rock with all the trimmings. Extremely atmospheric and hypnotic with tons of synths and a strange effects.

Cranium Pie have a great article in the magazine so I was interested to hear 'Remember'. This was a throwback to 70s psych with a modern rock edge. The vocals are terrific and I was entranced by the dominant keyboards.

John Wesley's 'Firelight' is another psych prog excursion with easy listening vocals. The music rings out with phlanged guitar effects and a driving rhythm. The wah-wah guitar is awesome on this and it has a strong melodic phrase.

Overall this is the spaciest psyched up sampler yet from Prog magazine and as such makes for a very good listen.