RIO/AVANT-PROG

Norwegian proggers SOT are Skjalg Reithaug, guitars, Lars Andreas Haug, tuba, and Arild Nybord, drums, perform a quirky brand of jazz fusion with a distinct RIO feel and smatterings of manic time sigs and jerky spasmodic rhythms. The orgiastic music follows odd time signatures with jazz fusion and Avant textures.

Tracks such as Monster Master have erratic rhythms and are driven by everchanging drum patterns. The augmentation of the ominous but playful tuba by Lars Andreas Haug differentiates the band from anything you have heard as its rare to hear tuba intertwined with guitars and proggy keyboards.

Mann med Yacht is a great track with scorching lead guitar and the tuba blasting over a frenetic rhythm. The oddball vocals are a welcome addition, as previous albums were enhanced by vocals, often madcap and nonsensical. This album us virtually devoid of vocals.

Rolig Orken is a bizarre track with low, low woodwind and estranged guitar rhythms. It's a slow burner that builds to a sparse desolate sound of delayed guitar trading off with tuba.

Barals Grav closes with a twisted time sig and staccato blasts of melodious guitar and tuba. The rhythms are disjointed and jarring to the ear. This is how I like SOT, when they are inventive and daring. They have a dynamic energy that is bold and ultimately infectious.

The band had a scorching debut, Kind of Saltz, followed by the impressive Redwings Nest. Those 2 albums are still better examples of what this band can produce, however this latest entry is a solid effort that captivates the listener with sheer innovation. SOT are at their best when they go full tilt into manic arhythmic dissonance and bizarre vocals. However this mostly instrumental album is more subdued and not so off kilter for me apart from the mentioned tracks. But for its audacity to utilise unusual musical ideas and instruments, SOT are still a band worthy of our attention.

The percussion that comes in has a tribal quality as though war was brewing beneath the peaceful atmospherics. It gets threatening and ethereal at 14 minutes in, with a repeated motif that ascends and becomes entrancing.

The music is brooding, ominous and occasionally sounds like The Residents in a baroque mood. The bass clarinet and other woodwind instruments lend a classical soundscape and the viola strings complement these melancholy nuances.

This is a compelling piece of music that moves in many directions captivating the ear. It is worth taking a listen to this Compassionizer multi movement suite.

REVE GENERAL consists of three former VOLOPUK members plus all of that four piece band called METAMORPHOSIS. They were based in Austria and featured two guitarists, cello and violin. They ran the same sort of time span as VOLOPUK, beginning in the late nineties and releasing their final studio album in 2006. So REVE GENERAL is a seven piece band with a drummer, 2 violinists, 2 cello players and 2 guitarists. This is heavy chamber music. Guigou himself refers to this music as "rock chamber" or "contaminated chamber music".

This is live music. They never released a studio album but have played a few gigs including three consecutive nights in November, in France in 2014. The just under an hour of music here is taken from those shows. By the way of the seven musicians 2 are from Austria, 2 from Czech Republic, and 1 from Japan, France and Turkey. This was mastered by Udi Koomran and sounds great. It kind of reminds me of RATIONAL DIET's "At Work", just how powerful and intense this gets with the strings.

One of the highlights has to be that very french sounding song with male vocals called "Si Tu Viux". Just a pleasure. The instrumental that follows "5/4" is even better. Another highlight is that opener "Nejak" with the way it builds until violins are slicing madly. Some nice contrasts on this one as well as male and female vocals. So intense late, like it's ready to blow. "War" sounds great to start with drums only but then we get a lot of depth and how good is this after a minute! Some spacey moments too later. Man every track has something to offer including that fifth one with the long title.

The only bass on here is on "Winesoup Cowboys" where the VOLOPUK cello player obliges. And it makes me wish there was more. Some powerful stuff on this one and they repeat themes. "Dunaj" might be my favourite track. So powerful with depth and intensity. Yeah I'm a broken record here. "Paralyse" is another heavy tune with male vocals too. "Vodka Express" ends with some train whistles but before that we take a ride that is very adventerous as well as serene. Check out the post rock vibe before 3 1/2 minutes with those guitars. More female vocals on the closer plus an explosion of sound before 4 minutes, but some good contrasts throughout.

I'm more impressed with this now than when I spent time with it several years ago. I'm bumping this up.

Instrumentally this is really enjoyable, and I like how they add samples to the music. Basically the straight up four piece of guitar, bass, drums and organ, but with a second guitarist and a vocalist. There's a bluesy flavour at times especially on that fourth track. My favourite is the fifth song which is organ led early on, a rocker. The closer is also quite good.

I suppose me listening to this would be like a non-english speaker listening to "We're Only In It For The Money". We are missing out.

The music continues to be a challenge for me, and really it wasn't until that sixth track "1992" that I finally heard something from this band I liked. The longest at 6 minutes and the next three songs along with the closer are at least five I can get into. They did release one more studio album called "See" in 1992 with the same lineup which is pretty cool before calling it a day. There's less of the exotic instruments this time around but more horns from Hodgkinson, and he brought back the hawaiian guitar.

While I like this quite a bit more than "Slow Crimes" it's just not the style of avant I can get into. Respect? Yes, I mean who can compose music as challenging as this?

But we also get HENRY COW drummer Chris Cutler helping out, as well as Catherine Jauniaux from AKSAK MABOUL on vocals. Catherine will likely make or break this album for you. I mean she can be annoying, cringe-worthy and really out there, but very entertaining. I understand the band got together on three different occasions to record this. From September of 1981 to January of 1982, and in three different countries including England, Switzerland and Belgium. Man this is a tough one for me. Noisy and manic are good descriptions. It's like they tried to make the music as difficult as possible, so no wonder Catherine is on here. Lots of unique sounds like jews harp, tapes, tuba, ukulele, hawaiian guitar and more.

There's not a lot on here that I'm into but I like the sounds late on the song "Pop", as well as those instrumental sections(surprise) on "Like This" and "Cain & Abel", as well as the all instrumental "Brickyard". They would not release another record until 1989 and Tim would release a couple of solo albums before that one came out called "Rubber Cage", which I prefer to "Slow Crimes". Their final studio release was in 1992 but they did release many live records. A strong album in the avant world, but not in mine. Barely 3 stars.

Partygoers include (just to name a few): Matt Hollenberg (John Zorn, Titan To Tachyons), The Mercury Tree, Markus Reuter (Stick Men, The Crimson Projekct), Marc Ducret (Tim Berne, Bobby Previte), Patrick Gauthier (Magma, Weidorje), Paolo Botta (Yugen, Ske, French TV), Bernard Falaise (Miriodor, Ensemble Supermusique), Tatsuya Yoshida (Koenjihyakkei, Ruins), Alan Benjamin (Advent, Mirthrandir), Anthony Beard (Ni, Piniol, Scherzoo), Rémi Leclerc (Miriodor, Les Projectionnistes), Emanuele Sterbini (Sterbus), Craig Walkner (Far Corner, William Kopecky), Ed RosenBerg III (Jerseyband, Kilter), Håkan Almkvist (Ensemble Nimbus, Hans Bruniusson), Ivan Rozmainsky (Roz Vitalis, Compassionizer) Vincent Sicot-Vantalon (Unit Wail, Scherzoo) Joe Lester (Intronaut, Mouth of the architect) Samo ?alamon (Quartet, Quintet...) Shawn Persinger (Boud Deun, Prester John) Steve Marek (Monobody, Loose Lips Sink Ships) Salvador Govea (Iconoclasta, Govea) Jonathan Piña-Duluc (Proyecto Piña-Duluc, El Trío) AND Juan Belda (Juan Belda Bit Band, Skalectric). Like WOW!!!

The album features eight tracks at a traditional album's playing time of 42 minutes but surprisingly not available on any physical format as of yet because GRECO BASTIÁN is still seeking a label to host his wild ride of a musical parade. Uh, Musea, Cuneiform? Why aren't you jumping on this? Delivering the same intensity and knotty crazy avant-prog excesses as the previous album, this one feels like a natural advancement with crazy complex time signatures run amok with crazy rhythmic drives and unrelenting brutal prog bombast. While complex and technically infused, the repetitive zeuhl inspired grooves offer a stabilizing force that allow adventurous riffing sessions and super energized soloing. Once again the long list of attendees offer a diverse approach to each and every track with GRECO's tight knit compositorial skills offering the tangible connective tissue as not to make the album sound like a various artists release.

While the album is similar in many ways to the last, this one is organized a bit differently and the production sounds better. Likewise the bass grooves seem more pronounced and the mixing job is supreme. The album starts and ends with the "Kobaïan Call To War" parts which pay tribute to the great Magma while the inner tracks ramble on at full speed. For those who disliked the previous album because of its unrelenting rapidity and incessantly unforgiving time signature brutality, then THIS ONE'S NOT FOR YOU!!!! This is one wild avant-prog vortex of sound that will freak your [&*!#] friggin' out! This one is for the most adventurous seekers of everything turned up to the highest prog levels possible. It's all instrumental and it's busy AF. Layers of crazy contrapuntal amass to create a frenzy of exciting intensity akin to one of those modern roller coaster rides that does an unthinkable amount of spins through tunnels and the like. This is complex prog for complexity's sake and for those who crave this, they are in for a treat.

Once again GRECO BASTIÁN seems to evoke Danny Elfman styled compositions are far as chord changes and various elements on board are concerned but the music of the myriad influences also shines through as do the idiosyncrasies of each guest musician on board. This is the type of prog party where things get so wild that the neighbors have to call the cops! This one offers no moments respite. No time for breathers. No ballads, no moments of contemplation, no way. This one is an incessant brutal speedfest from beginning to end with knotty angular rhythms, pummeling time signature changes and adrenalized performances with no chance for the musician's to catch their breath. OK a few scant moments do exist! Hardcore as hell and adrenalizing AF, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MORE FRIENDS delivers exactly what i was hoping for, namely more of the same uncompromising energetic drive and complexity of what the previous release offered. One of my favorite avant-prog artists of the 21st century so far! GRECO BASTIÁN is without a doubt the best part host prog has to offer! Completamente asombroso!

So we two side long tracks both around 21 minutes. The trio here are drums, electronics and then bass, guitar, piano and synths. Lots of guests adding horns, more electronics, cello, hurdy gurdy and more. The title track has the added words "A Sky Buriel" which was a practice where they would leave the dead body to the elements high on a mountain. A gong opens the song, then silence for about 20 seconds, and then another gong, and this continues for some time, although the silence gets scratchy and atmospheric as it goes.

When the music does arrive before 2 minutes it really does sound like it's for a funeral. A change before 7 1/2 minutes as we get a lot of atmosphere then it settles right down, really spacey a minute later before building. We do get some bass and drums after 16 minutes but this soundscape is about the atmosphere and mood. "The Dawning Moon Of The Mind" is where we get a lot more sounds, mostly intricate but almost distant. Experimental and exotic comes to mind here for the first several minutes. It actually gets quieter but then some life after 8 minutes. It's another spacey section but heavier. Waves of sound 13 minutes in. Some cello follows that will continue pretty much to the end.

A good album but I feel I need something that's right in between what "Carboniferous" and "Jhator" sound like. The middle ground I suppose. 3.5 stars.

It was really his ELECTRIC MASADA project that opened my eyes to a part of his world that I am truly fascinated with. Such a powerful band with Zorn sounding like Pharoah on the sax. Some stuff he's done solo in the ball park to this music would be his "Simulacrum" series. The album I'm reviewing is from 2015 and part of that series. I would also highly recommend "The Painted Bird" and "The Garden Of Earthly Delights" from 2016 and 2017 respectively, and part of that series. I also found two of his more mellow records "Mount Analogue" from 2012 and "The Interpretation Of Dreams" from 2017 to be well worth tracking down.

Zorn takes care of the compositions and arrangements here while sitting back and letting this dynamic trio play his music. We get Kenny Grohowski on drums, Matt Hollneberg on guitar and John Medeski on organ. A power trio if there ever was one. Seven tracks worth 45 minutes and we get hammered on this one. It's such an interesting setup with the drums being such a key, and he is incredible. Then the organ and guitar solo but they also create layers at times.

The highlight is the almost 21 minute title track. What I love about this one is the space. The calms. Contrasts to the power that is on display throughout. It also contains some brief brutal prog moments, where they get extreme. This song is more about soundscapes early on but after 7 minutes it's all about the energy overload. But contrasts continue. I also want to mention the closer "Dreamplay" because it is also different like the title track. It's dark early with guitar before kicking in hard around 1 1/2 minutes. I like the contrasts on this one. The other five tracks just lay an absolute beating on us.

A solid 4 stars, and like the album's title and cover, this thing burns out of control.