PROG RELATED

Well, L'Angelo Rinchiuso is by far, at least for me, best solo album under his name and why not one of his better albums in his entire career. It has that special romantic italian atmosphere, vintage sound all over, symphonic prog is all about here and a solid one from start to finish.

His voice is warm and is fiting this particular type of prog very well and really great instrumental sections, all is done with taste and in the true spirit of the italian prog school. All pieces stand as great, maybe with a plus on Io Viaggio Nel Tempo or title track.

All in all a real treat for prog listners, I was really pleasent surprised, to me one of the better albums from italian prog scene in last decade, really, is that good and beautiful performed. As a plus, the famous Paul Whitehead is present with the cool art work who is hand in hand with the music. 4 stars easy.

Destroying this silly notion that musicians reach a creative peak in youth and then sort of slack off as they supposedly strive for the dolce vita, is the purpose of reviewing this gently scintillating 2023 album, from two British bandmates whose lifelong friendship and collaboration has survived many Bryan Ferry mood swings (and there have been many). Phil Manzanera is a creative guitar legend of the very highest order and Andy Mackay remains arguably the most well-known and loved saxophone player outside of Mel Collins. With "Am.Pm.", they have created a rather exhilarating all-instrumental release that truly deserves more than cursory acknowledgement, perhaps even tossing in massive applause. Bringing on board 'The Great Paul Thompson' on the drum kit was a great move, as he is surely among the powerful three with Bonham and Moon! He is very present when needed on a few tracks requiring some oomph! For some, focusing on a wordless albums may seem to be an unsurmountable slope but there is a huge difference between tunes and music, though the latter will demand more imaginative concentration as well as personal interpretation. I happen to love that freedom of thought, especially from musicians I have ingrained in my DNA! As is always the case with these seasoned pros, you never quite know what to expect, as it can easily veer into jazz, pop, ambient, electronica, latino, rock or even classical orchestra. Suffice to say, that adventurers of this calibre do not need to rely on anything else but fascination for new textures and sounds, maintaining a half century of a most original sound that is so obviously theirs. The thrilling "Blue Skies" sets a torrid mood right from the start, as the Manzanera, Mackay and Thompson trio lay down an intoxicating horizon of sounds that is very true to their early roots, where screeching guitars ratchet up the electricity, insistent organ churns and swirling synthesizers bubble from Mike Boddy, a suave saxophone adding that lusty sensual innuendo and a nice tight beat keeping everyone muscularly athletic. A volcanic opening wake up call. Perfect breakfast soundtrack for "Mat1", the bright morning sun illuminating the sound kitchen with an assortment of tasty delights, nothing hurried or frantic (no pun intended), the heady aroma of Colombian coffee brewing awakening the senses, ready to tackle the day. "Yazz" is oboe central, well-rested serenity in an ambient soundscape, all about detail and ornamentation, the ideal platform for a slow duet between the suave guitar and the sexy horn. Anymore relaxed and it would serve as meditation before any hard work can begin. When the lads meet up for their Extraordinary General Meeting, aka "EGM", the time has come to discuss some creative energizing, the positioning of a fundamental beat and applying a wide palette of experimentation on the saxophone, improvised smoothness in the arrangement and echoing guitar slashes. "Ambiente" is, as the title would imply, smooth as dulce de leche, a sweet excursion into the vestiges of calm composure and inner resonance, real musical exploration with a purpose. The caring "Newanna" is like a floating swimming pool of recently inflated plastic dolls, without providing either a dream home or even a heartache. Just calm observation, acoustic guitar arpeggios and a reflective sax that lets the mind wander, deluxe and delightful. Meandering into the next vignette, "CC" is slow and gentle, sentimental, like a sorrowful memory of a time gone by, the images still oh so vivid, with Mackay glowing like the brass he caresses. The insightful "Ambulante" offers a sonic travelogue of softly shifting vistas, another example of exceptional musical restraint as Manzanera patiently emotes on his fretboard, often in harmony with the ambient saxophone. The tonal dexterity displayed by both is phenomenal. Now the party's over and I'm so tired, we reached the final bend and the jazzy tenderness of "Seth" glows like a vigilant candle as the sun goes down on another life. Urbane, classy, delicately powerful, a perfect au revoir! Is there a heaven? I'd Like to think so!

4 still beating hearts

But never mind, because we're also treated to six live tracks that? wait? hold on? these are the same live tracks that appeared on the 'Unnamed Feeling EP' which came out seven months earlier!

Okay, so thanks for that Metallica! So basically nothing new here, other than the edited version of 'Monster'. Pretty sure I could cope without that.

Overall, a pretty pointless EP, which as I said, was only there to tie-in with the movie. They could have at least given us some different live tracks, but ah well. Collectors like me will still snap this up anyway.

This is an album easy to be loved by both the Symphonic and the Fusion progtribes. And not in any concessive or self-indulgent way. It's rather like if those two main undercurrents converge in one powerful, yet effortless musical flow of amazing ideas, where the composers never fail, and also never repeat themselves, being always able to retain the listener's attention with a new fresh change of signature or with another unforeseeable melodic turn. Not only the intruments shine brightly, but also the vocals, which open the album in great choral manner, and just keep setting the emotional tone from there on. And talking abut vocals we come now to talk about the lyrics, which are another strong point here, at least assuming that you are prepared to deal with the picture of alienation of all sorts. From society, from mankind, from friendship, from radio, from city, from life itself, just be ready to poetry singing to exclusion from everything that matters. Or don't be, if Spanish is not your thing. In any case, the music conducts proceedings in its own language with pristine clarity.

La Grasa De Las Capitales is an atmospheric recording, but containing myriads of moods and moments, instead of only one. So, we have two symphonic mini-suites opening and closing the tracklist, full of power and virtuosism the first, and subtle melodic nuances the last. Track 2, San Francisco y el Lobo, brings an exquisite vocal melody on acoustic guitar. Track 3, Perro Andaluz (so titled after a Luis Buñuel movie) merges tuneful melody, classical arrangements and final fusion workout, all with stunning elegance. Track 4, Frecuencia Modulada, is the light number, making fun of the FM music of the era, but never diluting the musicianship, as shown in the tremendous vocal performance by Lebon. Track 5, Viernes 3 AM, is a quintessential García song, underlined by one of the best fretless bass lines by Aznar. Track 6, Noche De Perros stretches on towering basslines, culminating on the strength of Lebon electric guitar. Drummer and percussionist Oscar Moro shines all over the album, but Track 7, Los Sobrevivientes is where he leaves a unique mark to an atmospheric feel like no other.

A deeply dark, somber masterpiece. Lots of nice melodies too, but just don't stay there in the surface, listen hard and go under, you won't be disappointed.

When I first got this record back in the early 80s, I didn't really know what to make of it. However, it is now my favourite Vangelis album. Another Vangelis album that I thought was really useless at the time is Invisible Connections. However, it is now probably my second favourite Vangelis album. These albums are pure abstract electronica, and they are very good in that context. In my view, much of the more accessible Vangelis music has not aged particularly well, but that certainly cannot be said of Beaubourg and Invisible Connections -- they stand up very well amongst the experimental electronica being made today.

While there are early signs of what the group are capable of, sadly, it's only demonstrated in a small number of songs here. Most of the album tends to drag, with tracks being quite dreary and boring. There are however, some energetic bursts where Muse display fantastic interplay between guitar and keyboard, as well as a pounding bass and frontman Matt Bellamy's impressively high vocals, and there is no doubt this is where the key element of their style lies.

Those highlights? 'Cave', 'Muscle Museum' and 'Sober' are probably the only songs worth listening to. They sound like the Muse the world would come to love, but overall, are still not overly memorable, if I'm to be honest here.

Other than that, there's not really much here to entice me back. Muse will go on to release some absolutely fantastic albums and some downright classic rock tracks, but you'd never have guessed it listening to this back in 1999. Avoid 'Showbiz' and just move on to its follow-up, 'Origin of Symmetry'. THAT is where things get interesting.

"Forever" is a compilation of Queen released in 2014 with tracks from almost all their studio albums with the exception of their eponymous debut and "Flash Gordon". It has one track from "Queen II", three from "Sheer Heart Attack", three from "A Night At The Opera", four from "A Day At The Races", one from "News Of The World", one from "Jazz", four from "The Game", one from "Hot Space", two from "The Works", three from "A Kind Of Magic", one from "The Miracle", three from "Innuendo" and five from "Made In Heaven". It has also two non- album's tracks and two Mercury's tracks.

"Forever" has thirty-six tracks. "Nevermore" is from "Queen II". It's a short nice piano ballad with tempo changes that appear a couple of times. "Dear Friends", "Lily Of The Valley" and "In The Lap Of The Gods..." are from "Sheer Heart Attack". "Dear Friends" is a short ballad with piano and voice. It's beautiful and sad. "Lily Of The Valley" is a short song with a beautiful melody. "In The Lap Of The Gods..." is a strange piece with great changes on vocals. It has a great piano work. "You're My Best Friend", "Love Of My Life" and "'39" are from "A Night At The Opera". "You're My Best Friend" is a beautiful and catchy song with nice harmonies. "Love Of My Life" is a beautiful and catchy ballad, probably one of the best I've heard. "'39" is a nice acoustic ballad with great guitar work and beautiful harmonies. "Drowse", "You Take My Breath Away", "Long Away" and "Somebody To Love" are from "A Day At The Races". "Drowse" is a nice song, but it's nothing more than that. "You Take My Breath Away" is a lovely ballad, a mellow piano number with a great vocal performance by Mercury. "Long Away" is a beautiful and pleasant song with great vocals from Mercury and Taylor. "Somebody To Love" has complex harmonies, great guitar solos and a nice gospel choir. "Spread Your Wings" is from "News Of The World". It's a nice rock ballad with good guitar harmonies. "Jealousy" is from "Jazz". It's a typical ballad with a great vocal work and a nice acoustic guitar playing. "Play The Game", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Save Me" and "Sail Away Sweet Sister" are from "The Game". "Play The Game" is a powerful, nice and an emotional ballad. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" is a nice song that sounds to the 50's. It was a nice tribute to Elvis. "Save Me" is a great song with touching and beautiful lyrics, nice harmonies and a great guitar work. "Sail Away Sweet Sister" is an acoustic ballad, one of the best and most beautiful compositions by May. "Las Palabras De Amor" is from "Hot Space". It's a rock ballad nicely sung with good acoustic guitar work and a nice synthesizer performance. "It's A Hard Life" and "Is This The World We Created...?" are from "The Works". "It's A Hard Life" is an excellent song with a simple structure and a beautiful melody. "Is This The World We Created...?" is a nice acoustic ballad made for the acoustic guitar of May and the voice of Mercury. "Who Wants To Live Forever", "Friends Will Be Friends" and "One Year Of Love" are from "A Kind Of Magic". "Who Wants To Live Forever" is one of their most emotional ballads. "Friends Will Be Friends" is a beautiful song with good lyrics, one of the most well known Queen's songs. "One Year Of Love" is a nice calm slow ballad with a beautiful saxophone solo work and great string orchestral arrangements. "The Miracle" is from "The Miracle". It's a creative song with complex musical arrangements. "Don't Try So Hard", "Bijou" and "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" are from "Innuendo". "Don't Try So Hard" is a great ballad, one of their most beautiful. "Bijou" is an enjoyable song, mostly a guitar solo piece. "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" is an emotional song. It's the last farewell of Mercury. "I Was Born To Love You", "A Winter's Tale", "Mother Love", "Made In Heaven" and "Too Much Love Will Kill You" are from "Made In Heaven". "I Was Born To Love You" is a nice song to hear. "A Winter's Tale" is a nice song, the last song composed solely by Mercury recorded two weeks before his dead. "Mother Love" is a good and beautiful song with sad and depressing lyrics. "Made In Heaven" is an enjoyable thoughtful good rocking track. "Too Much Love Will Kill You" is a nice song that I like very much. "Let Me In Your Heart Again" and "Forever" are non-album's tracks. "Let Me In Your Heart Again" is a nice single with new arrangements recorded during of "The Works". "Forever" is a piano version of "Who Wants To Live Forever". "Love Kills" and "There Must Be More To Life Than This" are from Mercury. "Love Kills" is a nice song originally used in Giorgio Moroder's film "Metropolis". "There Must Be More To Life Than This" is a Mercury's song from his "Mr. Bad Guy" solo work initially made to "Hot Space".

Conclusion: "Forever" is a good compilation album of Queen that covers practically almost their entire career. Only two of their studio albums aren't represented here, "Queen" and "Flash Gordon". If in the case of "Flash Gordon" that is perfectly understandable because it's a soundtrack album, I cannot say the same about their debut. "Queen" is a great album, one of their best and most progressive works. It has many great tracks that could be part of it, such as, "Great King Rat" and "My Fairy King". Anyway, that couldn't be enough to put "Forever" as a bad compilation. Besides, all tracks recorded on "Forever" were all re-mastered versions. So, this is a nice starting point to begin with this band.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Stylistically Metallica pretty much continue the heavy metal style of "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct", although they also add the occasional thrash/speed metal part to their music. The music is centered around heavy hard rocking riffs and rhythms, Kirk Hammet´s wha-wha effect laden blues rock influenced guitar solos, and James Hetfield´s distinct sounding commanding vocals. It´s the sound of a Metallica with nothing to prove and completely at ease with what they´re doing. There´s a mature confidence in the way the songs are constructed and the way they are performed, only a seasoned act like Metallica can produce. That unfortunately also means that some tracks are a bit too safe and predictable, and could rightly be called filler material, but "72 Seasons" is predominantly a good quality release.

Featuring 77:10 minutes of music "72 Seasons" is a very long album, and had the most unremarkable material been cut, it would arguably have made for a more intense and consistent quality release. Highlights include the opening title tracks, first single "Lux Æterna", and the closing 11:10 minutes long stoner metal/doom metal influenced "Inamorata". The latter is probably the only song on the album, where Metallica try something a bit different and I´d say it´s THE standout track on the album.

"72 Seasons" features a sound production which is powerful, organic, and detailed. It´s a sound production, which suits the material well and again it´s a feature of "72 Seasons", which is relatively similar to how "Hardwired... to Self-Destruct" sounded. Compared to some of their most successful releases from the 90s, the sound production on "72 Seasons" is more stripped-down, simple, and organic. It works relatively well on most of the material, but the slightly faster tracks could have prospered from a more sharp sounding production.

Upon conclusion Metallica have created another good quality late career release (like they´ve done a few times post-2000). It won´t surprise you, and it won´t dethrone your favorites from the 80s/90s, but it´s a release which shows that Metallica still have a little fuel left in the tank. As mentioned above I think it would have been a stronger release, had some of the fat been trimmed and the playing time been shorter, but I´m sure the hardcore fans won´t complain. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)