NEO-PROG

The story of GREY LADY DOWN begins at late-80's when singer Martin Wilson met keyboardist Louis David and formed ''Shadowland'' along with guitarist Julian Hunt.The original rhythm section consisted of Andrew Rae and Stuart Ellerington,but in 1992 they were replaced by Sean Speare on bass and Mark Robotham on drums,while the band was renamed to GREY LADY DOWN (after an eponymous film of 1978 with Charlton Heston),as Clive Nolan had already a project under the name ''Shadowland''.The band gigged at the Oxford area and entered Phoenix Studios in 1993 to record their own material.Followed by a memorable performance at the Marquee Club of London the band signed a two-albums deal with Cyclops and ''The crime'' meant to be the first one.

Led by the sensitive and magnificent voice of Martin Wilson,GREY LADY DOWN played typical British progressive rock of the new wave with lots of digital keyboards, deep atmospheres, nice guitar hooks and symphonic tendencies.David's style of playing is very close to MARILLION's Mark Kelly with distinctive solos and grandiose fillers dominating the album.Julian Hunt has his own style with a guitar sound gearing up where it should (Gary Chandler of JADIS comes sometimes to mind) and far from being the band's hero with boring solos and any kind of this stuff.We meet an excellent drummer named Mark Robotham and a groovy bassist under Sean Speare,completing a quartet of excellent musicians...But the singing performance of Wilson is the real highlight of ''The crime'',a singer with theatrical chords and an emotional approach to music.Simply awesome!For fans of light-symph/song- based progressive rock this should certainly be a fascinating purchase.Strongly recommended, especially for the great vocal work...3.5 stars for this nice effort!

— First review of this album —

Sad to see I'm still the only one to review this band... I hope that at least my countrymen (Finnish) would find PAX ROMANA which apparently don't make much fuzz about them. Without library even I probably wouldn't know this band at all.

My review of their debut two years ago would actually fit quite well to this follower too. Again, the two Matti's share the vocal duties and leave also plenty of music unsung, which is good. Not that they are bad singers (well, maybe not very great either) but in the instrumental sections they can better show what they are able to do. The melodic, atmospheric music can be compared to Gilmour's PINK FLOYD (as I said before) and some Neo-Prog bands such as PENDRAGON. Feelings are often sort of dark or melancholic, but I'm glad to say the music doesn't get heavy or anything like that. In fact, even I almost wish they would have taken more risks and set the music soaring higher in the true Neo-Prog style. Anyway, the material is strong and pleasant all the way except for one bad egg in the basket: 'I'm In a Train' is terribly lousy rhythm'n'bluesy song that keeps repeating the stupid chorus. I wonder why they chose to include it. But it's just one song, not a big deal!

Their both albums clearly get better with further listenings. At this point it's hard to say which one will remain as the better album. It could be this one really. Though there aren't any such tracks that would immediately grab the listener, you can just lie down and let your senses flow with the music. The same in reverse: as a haphazard background listening this is not an album to make much impression. But I'm sure we all prefer the first option, right?

Well, I fully admit I'm only able to review this one because someone has been so kind to put the whole demo on our site as streamsongs so then you just have to listen to these three songs and you can do the review.

I had already noticed this band (from my own country) some time ago because I regularly play the streamtracks on the subgenre's page to try to discover new bands. And this one is pretty new, they launched a debut album this running year and after hearing this demo I'm really contemplating to buy that one. I'm a bit confused though because two of the three songs on this demo are also on the album but the third is called Awaking the Muse and that is actually the title of the real album but is NOT one of the tracks there ! ???

Anyway, the songs on this demo are pleasant and promising. The vocals are (as so often in prog) the lesser aspect of the band but all other elements are at least ok. The instrumental handling as well as the compositions make me convinced Holland has another very fine neoband on the block. There is some resemblance with Flamborough Head's music but that is probably because founder Eddie Mulder is originally from that band.

Tough call between 3 and 4 stars but because this is just a demo and I truly believe they can do even better than this I will go for three here (3,4).

I got my hands on the latest two albums by Albion some time ago and will review them in the correct order. Biggest difference between this one and Broken Hopes is the fact that this Album was sung in their native language and (as the title reveals) the latter in English.

Albion plays enchanting neo prog like mainly the Polish neobands can. Also this one is really romantic like their fellow countrymen Collage (Moonshine !) one day introduced and was also practiced by Quidam, Anamor and Mindfields. And of course like also Collage's follow up Satellite is able to produce.

Another important feature is the melodic content of the music which is extremely high. All musicians are great including the vocals of Katarzyna Sobkowicz. The songs are well constructed and the production is excellent. All ingredients for a great and high quality album just about as you can expect neo prog to sound. So there's only one outcome for the rating: 4 stars.

— First review of this album —

It is a promising debut album we have here, courtesy of US outfit Jolly.

Their speciality seems to be to combine segments with rather different stylistic expressions, and they are most fond of blending ethereal, mellow passages with slow, heavy guitar-driven sequences. The latter more often than not sprinkled with synths on top of the guitars or supplying gentler details in the back of the mix.

Another aspect of this contrast which is also used in slightly different settings throughout is to mix passages with sparse instrumentation with themes that are distinctly rich and energetic.

Still, I found the band most interesting when they had a more subtle approach, the second to last effort Solstice a clear highlight and a brilliant track as far as I'm concerned. The lighter, almost ethereal and slightly space-tinged sound of that composition works beautifully with the driving bass, and the addition of heavy, staccato guitar riffs at the very end a brilliant use of this sound as an effect.

A promising band with a good debut album, worth seeking out for those who enjoy sophisticated art rock with an emphasis in exploring contrasts as described.

What would happen if you mix Yes with some elements of Renaissance and spice things up very slightly with an harder edge. You would get this.

And THIS, is a good thing! I really like this album right after the first listen. The Steve Howe like guitars and some of the bass really reminded me of Yes during their best era. The presence of female vocals and some and the way the music was structured really felt like I was listening to Renaissance.

Does it lack originality based on the above? Not really in my opinion. Listen to "The Ballad Of Samuel Layne" in between the 8 and 10 mins mark and you won't hear too much to remind you of Renaissance of Yes. There is nice addition of strings (cello, violin) here and there. The mood seems to be darker at moment, the music sometimes gets a little heavier/edgier. Being a metal-prog lover, I sometimes wish they would push a little farther in that direction. It would have made this CD even more interesting.

There is plenty to like here. It is my only album from them and I will likely look at their previous releases. My favourite here is "Blind Faith". The others songs are also very good. Final Rating: 4 stars!

This band caught my interest ever since I discovered one of their songs on a Cyclops samplers back in the early nineties. The song is actually on this release and is called Circus. It's a small epic of almost 10 minutes and I still think of it what I thought of it more than 15 years ago: the composition is interesting and fairly original but on the other hand it's not really impressive where the musical/instrumental excellence is concerned.

And that's in fact the story of the whole album I can say after hearing it a couple of times. This is nice neo prog but nothing really mindblowing. The vocals are average and sound typical British, the keyboards are more dominant with this band than the guitar. Third song Again starts with a captivating Pan Pipe melody but I must admit that this is the most outstanding bit of the whole album. On the other hand there are no sad fillers here, each song is at least worth while listening to and that can not be said of every album I heard in my life, so that's always an important plus.

But because all songs are in between 2,75 and 3,5 stars the final outcome for Paraphernalia can only be three stars. Nice debut. By the way, the band sounds a bit like eighties Pendragon, probably their biggest influence.

— First review of this album —

01. L'oiseau Bleu (Trans Europ Express) ~ Departing For The Future ~

First, one thing must be said. Soon the record initiatey we seem to be listening to a forgotten recordc from 70's, blame the perfect choice of sounds for the instruments. Me, being a bass player 'came particularly pleased with the sound from bass of Yukio Iigahama. The funny thing is that at various times the quiet and introspective sound of the band reminded me of some other sound, but not a specific sound, I imagine that this is due because the band seems to have a lot of influences, like VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR, YES, PINK FLOYD, KING CRIMSON and FOCUS, just to name a few of them. Beautiful guitar lines of Katsumi Yoneda with light nuances worked well with the keyboards from Ryuji Yonekura and flutes from Kenji Imai. Meanwhile back there are the drums from Takayuki Asada.

02. Exotic Landscpae Nomad ~ ~

Complex, urgent, and still beautiful! This band got it all at one time that 70's have been rediscovered, but all give their 'personal touch' to them, is no different in this case, however, here the 70's are revisited in a perfect manner, but not as a copy, but as if the band had gone directly from that decade. Awesome! Beautiful acoustic passage in the second half of the song. Calm and beautiful. It's amazing the approach that Kenji have on his flute, completely different from all the pipers of prog I've ever heard. Innovative!

03. Sirocco Chase ~ Sailing For The Mystic Palace ~

A theme which begins infectious, full of emotion, and gradually becomes beautiful and emotional. Here the guitars from Katsumi are the highlight, melodics and beautiful lines. At the end of the song it becomes full of power again and the flute takes over the theme.

04. Col De L'Iseran ~ Arduous Path Of Makind ~

Here we have the synthesizer for the first time in the album, another thing you'll notice right away is the rhythm completely broken. The band recorded vocals in this track, which in my opinion was extremely interesting, they can bet more on this on the next album will be perfect. Just over two minutes, the sound of water and beautiful guitar bring peace to the listener. The end of the track brings about a circus, or at least a good music festival. Wonderful theme!

05. Aurora ~ Breath Of The Earth ~

A calm piece, as the name suggests, this song reminded me somewhat of the themes used in anime (japanes cartoons), they managed to depict landscapes that song, just as the record name and track suggests. At four minutes a fantastic bass line and a piano and guitar in the background that 'scream' as guitar and drums make the track sound naturally. Intriguing keyboards in six and a half minutes, a kind of 'sound of the fairies', which came in handy with the rest of the band's sound. It's amazing how much the band knew how to choose the sounds for the album.

06. City ~ Land Of The Living ~

I believe the more 'fusion' track of the album. Guitar and flute doubling the same line as drums and bass sound 'wrecked' with its bars very strabge to our ears. Four minutes, all the instruments stop suddenly, only the bass like a timeline in a continuous note, at least until the flute begins to 'roar'. What you hear then it is a theme in a broken time and with virtually all instruments doubling the main melody. And so ended one of the best surprises I've heard this year and in recent years.

The band knew exactly how to dose the record, just over 47 minutes in length with 6 tracks. And which usually bothers me, the lack of vocals, here goes unnoticed because the group 'sings' with the instruments and tastes great as well as choose the sounds of them. As I said earlier in the text, the band does not emulate the sound of the 70s, the band came out of the 70's, even if it is not true. A great listening for all lovers of progressive rock!

4,5 stars!

Feeling is everything

The first I want to say about this album is it's full of energy and melancholy. It begins promising with a couple of very good songs with very good musicianship and songwriting. In fact, I would divide this album to two halfs, if I'm speaking about my interest in IQ's Frequency. The first half contains from first to fourth song. The homonymous song - Frequency is the most memorable and powerful song on the album. I would call it a breakthrough on the whole album. Next songs are very good, too and contain some frash ideas. Next half contains three songs, from fifth to seventh. Honestly, I'm loosing interest around the beginning of it. The album becomes too long for so unvaried record. The album run out of ideas and become monotonous. Because of this lost of speed and fresh energy I'll give 3,5 stars to Frequency.

The time has come for some dessert so why not some Fruitcake. No, not the tasty pastry but rather the Norwegian band that has a sizeable catalogue of languorous prog , a heavier version of Pink Floyd with some added classic touches that cannot fail to please. Led by drummer Pal Sovik , a rock solid thumper, and the unabashed use of bass-pedals (so fans beware!) ,the band has a definite style of their own as they combine heady doses of legendary Northern cool to the deal. I choose to start with their second release (and my favorite) "Room for Surprise" and its simply breathtaking artwork, no less than a 1796 J.W. Turner original, among the best cover art anywhere. "Time to Go" is a smart case in point, a brooding bass (Taurus and string) slithers along slyly, the rest of the players laying down shining coats of progressive colors, all kinds of sound effects (gulls, crashing or rolling thunder), almost space rock because of the groove. A tremendous opener. "Tall and Dark" is more playful and breezy, nice biting guitar flashing the way and a solid chorus that is most pleasant to the ear, Jens Sverdrup's axe displaying all kinds of inventiveness and élan. The weaving "Keep the Light" has a childlike feel , the sweeping and weeping synthesizers brooming the path delicately courtesy of Siri Seland , the drums dropping sonic buoys thus keeping things narrow and tight, an interesting style to say the least , especially when the lead guitar pops in for a cameo ride! Nothing too complex but very enjoyable. The title cut is another quirky whopper, almost as if inspired by Manzanera/801 or Split Enz, yet the recurring synth pattern is totally savvy and buzzing, giving this a shiny appeal. Gunnar Bergersen's bass rumbling fittingly, open things wide for some cool guitar and synth interplay. "Touch the Sky" is the 10 minute epic ride and it lives up to rest and then some. Organ, guitar and synths combine to set down a rich sonic sandbox, inviting all in to play and "touch the sky". All four players get to stretch out and flex their ideas into more concrete terms, highlighted by Sverdrup unleashing a series of solos with many phosphoric licks. The occasional vocals are relatively weak but do not deter in any which way mainly due to those massive walls of bass-pedals that litter the whole album. A first rate singer like future Fruitcake and Guardian's Office lead singer Tony Johannessen would have made this a superlative effort. Better late than never. Two shorter pieces ensue: "Hunting Old Ladies" is a strange title but saved by a glorious bass pummel that rolls along unmolested, butterflied synths scouring the airspace ahead, organ aiding and abetting the sonic crime and judicious guitar flexing unexpected muscles. The arrival of some voluptuous piano adds such a fascinating sparkle to the arrangement, here a lot closer to mid-period Genesis than anything else, a great tune. The frosty "Golden Age" sounds amazing but Sovik's pale vocals are unconvincing, another song saved by elegant phrasings by the usual suspects. Sverdrup again comes in nicely with a spirited yet mournful solo. "The Famous Hill" is a medium length adventure, loaded with loopy recurrent chords hence toyed by all the members into a somber ruffle that develops slowly but surely into an agreeable piece. The piano reverts anew into the fray, giving it even more credentials as it fades into a soporific haze. "A Whisper" is a delightful finale, the keyboardist Seland orchestrates some romantic piano lead while singing as well briefly, giving this a welcome feminine slant, a rewarding journey in so many ways. Not necessarily a must, some who may find this too maudlin just don't get their style (not me, I have all the albums except the last one), Fruitcake deserve at least the recognition of a fairly long yet unknown career. The opening track remains a killer. 4 candied cherry fjords