NEO-PROG

Proximity and Chance

The emergence of this new project from John made me both excited but nervous, much like the previous one. The reason is simple after being so thrilled by his previous work and his evolution as a musician I was concerned whether he could maintain the momentum and offer something new and interesting, which genuinely added to his canon. I need not have worried.

Rather than a track-by-track and musician call-out, I am going to offer a more organic less Germanic review, more about the themes that I hear in the music.

The music comes over as more dynamic and cuts through more than in the past and yet the arrangements with melody, counter melody and harmonics has more depth and weight. The bass playing, from the man himself, on the sub-Traffic opener, tracks and shadows Peter Jones, but equally offers some neat surprises and to my ears is more Roger Glover than the Late Chris Squire in terms of sound. Something else I noticed on this piece is Peter's voice is related to Steve Winwood's. I would not be at all surprised if he is a midland maniac.

The other standout feature which really shows John's developing skills is the quality of the orchestrations. I am old enough to remember The Nice, Deep Purple and Yes all using orchestras, for the most part, the judicious use of a Mellotron, which triggers string sounds, was much more dynamic and simpatico, the foundation stone of several bands' musical personality. In retrospect, the aforementioned projects sound naive, less a fusion and more a collision.

Here John does not add the strings, they are an integral part of the music, helping create the unique and singular atmosphere of pieces like "Burnt Cork" and "Agents" and because of the stories he is telling the orchestrations are often dark and spartan, Stravinsky like.

There are more gentle pieces, the instrumental "A Sense of Place." where Vikram Shanker duets with John Hackett. Vikram's ability to offer support to the tunes is well known from John's previous work, but again because of the more developed arrangements his accompaniment adds even more.

As well as Peter Jones and Sally Minnear, whose smiling alto delivery delights on Fini, a new edition is the Australian Tenor Shaun Holton. His sardonic delivery of the narrative on "Agents" is perfect but it took me a while to get used to him telling the story of Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King." Those Haggard, Kipling stories, set in a remote and unknown part of the world in the 19th Century, are propelled by a particular English heroism and some might argue delusions of grandeur. In the end, after listening to Shaun's performance several times, it does come off as heroic in the right way. The operatic delivery suits the hubristic story he is singing about.

There is a good deal to stimulate and repeatedly return to, but two pieces stand out for me. The fabulous evocation of Victorian Melodrama of Burnt Cork and the ridiculously joyous Chance (Under the Sun). They take you on a journey draw you in and get inside your psyche.

Burnt Cork begins evoking the atmosphere of the theatre where our protagonist is performing and then moves forward with a beautiful rhapsodic run from Vikram, wonderful, layered romantic strings, and then Mr Jones comes in with an intuitive, sensuous vocal. Throughout the orchestra is integral, sometimes, sweeping, full of pathos, and other times, dramatic jabs. This music is mature, considered and Peter narrates the antagonist's pain and suffering and developing hatred with a real sense of connection. This has that Progressive Rock Musical feel of KV62. It's in the middle of the piece the orchestrations go supernova, supporting Peter's vocal. The atmosphere is full of menace, the orchestrations communicate that with darting, determined, muscular pulsing. These are the sections that put me in mind of Stravinsky. The drama over, Peter takes us out through the angst and madness of the murderer. Such good storytelling and such simpatico arrangements.

Chance is probably John's first standard; I would expect people to cover this. It is a very strong piece. "A future yet to know the past behind us." My goodness we need that. Echoing rotating guitar, the glorious tune, the gorgeous chorus, a Ringo drum pattern and then Luke Machin's solo doing all the things a guitar can do to support and elevate a piece upwards. I am humming this constantly.

More vivid production, dynamic sophisticated arrangements and great vocal performances enhance a programme of music which includes a couple of pieces, which are his best work yet.

I had nothing to worry about. It's a privilege and a joy to say nice things about music from such a down to earth but very clever man.

As one of the most popular progressive Polish bands to emerge in the last few decades, the Warsaw based COLLAGE was also one of the very first to jump onto the second wave prog revival with its own brand of neo-prog in the vein of classic Marillion, IQ and Pallas. The band underwent many changes during its initial years before settling on a lineup that would include Tomasz Różyckid as the band's first lead vocalist who appeared on an album. While Różycki would only stick around long enough to record the band's debut release "Baśnie," the band would go on to release the internationally popular "Moonshine" as well as making a surprise comeback in 2022 with the band's first album in over two decades with "Over and Out."

After going trying out vocalist Zbigniew Biniak for a couple years and then allowing original vocalist Jarosław Wajk to rejoin, the band wasn't satisfied with the results and eventually settled on Robert Amirian as the permanent vocalist who fit like a glove and has been an essential member of the band ever since he joined in 1993. After a successful debut that not only propelled COLLAGE into national stardom as one of Poland's most successful and radio friendly modern prog bands that surprisingly translated into international success across not only Europe but overseas, COLLAGE's next move was one of the most head-scratching decisions that a band could make for a release of a sophomore album and one that remains a mystery as to why the band thought it was a good idea in the first place.

Of all the possibilities of delivering a second album and showcasing a new vocalist to the band's fanbase, the band chose to release a cover album titled NINE SONGS OF JOHN LENNON which as the title states pretty much sums up what this album is, namely a collection of nine songs written by John Lennon and reinterpreted into the world of COLLAGE's neo-prog lens. A very bizarre move indeed and although everyone was inspired to embrace a musical career based on the music they love from their youth, to crank out an entire album of covers so early in a fledgling band's career seems like a death wish. Despite this rather peculiar decision COLLAGE managed to move on and release their internationally revered third album "Moonshine" the following year but wow. This one really could've ended it all.

Now bad ideas aside i have to admit that the music contained on this album is not nearly as bad as i possibly could've imagined and while i rarely find myself warming up to albums of only cover songs of popular pop artists of yore, amazingly COLLAGE did a decent job of adapting these classic Lennon songs into the context of their spacey neo-prog sound that they had established over their career. Somehow despite all odds the band breathes their own creative forces into the unthinkable act of tarnishing one of the great rock and roll legend's most celebrated tracks ranging from "Power To The People" to the impossible to top classic "Imagine." While the band remains faithful to the overall melodic lyrical structures, where the band takes liberties in the extended jamming extensions that add keyboard-rich neo-prog glory to otherwise straight forward pop rock songs.

This album also found the band shifting from its lyrics sung in its native Polish to becoming an internationally recognized band that used English for its second chapter. Somehow the band pulled it off to a certain extent with an interesting mix of remaining faithful to the original songs while adding its own progressive rock stamp to the mix. I can't even imagine the number of fans who found the entire thing sacrilegious given John Lennon's rock god status across the entire world but i have to give these guys credit for just doing what they wanted with really no consideration for the ramifications of their decision making. Clearly this was fueled by a giddy idealism rather than actually considering the implications of such a move. Overall this is not really a bad album at all and quite pleasant as far as cover albums go. While a far cry from the band's best efforts it's actually listenable and actually quite creative on tracks like "Give Peace A Chance" which also finds a surprise foray into Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water" guitar riff as well as a short vocal snippet from Led Zeppelin's "Rock And Roll!"

Sure most everyone loves John Lennon, his music, his passion and his phenomenal legacy in The Beatles and as one of the most beloved solo artists of all time. He is sorely missed for his down to Earth political views and dedication to peace on planet Earth with his relentless stance that continued up to his unfortunate assassination in 1980. COLLAGE may have made a strategic faux pas as far as furthering their career with NINE SONGS OF JOHN LENNON but given the careful dedication paid during the renditions carried out on this album it's easy to give it a pass as nothing more than a bad business move. The tracks are actually more creative covers than 90% of similar albums out there and to my surprise the mix of neo-prog and psychedelic space rock in the vein of Pink Floyd coupled with classic John Lennon songs turns out to be not as horrible as my imagine led me to believe. Not essential by any means but this honestly is a what i'd call a very good album. I'm utterly shocked that i like this to the extent i do!

While the lion's share of second wave prog emerging in the 1980s at least in terms of popularity existed in the United Kingdom with bands like Twelfth Night, Marillion, IQ, Pallas and Pendragon leading the way, it's astonishing that many other nations were following suit simultaneously with bands like Scarab emerging from Finland, Arkus from the Netherlands, Sirius from Germany and bands like Osiris emerging in the most unlikely of places, Bahrain. While still basically locked behind the influence of the U.S.S.R. in the 1980s, Poland too got in on the act with the Warsaw based COLLAGE emerging as not only one of the first bands but also one of the nation's most popular.

COLLAGE formed as far back as 1984 but would take several years to release demos and develop their sound sufficiently to compete on the world's stage with the established bands of the fledgling neo-prog subgenre. While the band underwent many lineup changes over the years, the 80s saw its share of members come and go with only guitarist Mirosław Gil and drummer Wojciech Szadkowski leading the way to the next chapter. Cementing a lead singer was the most problematic and after a short stint with Jarosław Wajk (who would later rejoin briefly), the band settled on the lively vocalist Tomek Rozycki who only appeared on the band's 1990 debut album BAŚNIE (Polish for 'Fairy Tales') before being briefly replaced by Zbigniew Bieniak, again by Wajk and then ultimately by the band's longest running vocalist Robert Amirian.

The band's debut came out in 1990 and became a huge hit in not only its native Poland but also surprisingly abroad despite all the lyrics of the eight tracks that spanned a playing time of just over 45 minutes being entirely delivered in the Polish language. The album spawned many radio hits in Poland including "Ja i ty", "Kołysanka" and 'Rozmowa" and two years later would find a secondary home on the Italian label Subteranea Records. At this stage the band also featured Przemek Zawadzki who played bass as well as all keyboards. The album may have been the anomaly in the band's overall career but was successful in allowing the band to gain almost instant national success that spilled over into the rest of Europe despite existing essentially behind what the West deemed as the Iron Curtain of communism.

While essentially a predictable neo-prog album inspired by the usual Genesis tricks of heavily synthesized atmospheres and Steve Hackett style guitar sweeps, COLLAGE also had a first wave of British neo-prog to offer hints of inspiration including the imitable Fish and his fist rendition of Marilion as well as the less theatrical bands such as IQ and Pendragon. While perhaps not the most original specimen of early neo-prog, BAŚNIE made up for it with a true sense of enthusiasm and an adventurous energetic approach that offered heavy bass grooves and beautiful motifs that shifted moods and offered a stellar display of instrumental interplay which allowed the band to become popular as a live act. With diverse tracks that crafted varying tempos, chord changes and of course addictive melodies, COLLAGE proved to be a cut above the competition from the very beginning and even though Tomasz R'życki would only appear on this sole release, his vocals showcase a sense of maturity and extremely compatible stylistic approach for the keyboard-drenched neo-prog style that COLLAGE was undertaking.

COLLAGE would achieve greater artistic kudos for its well-regarded 'Moonshine' and even more recently its comeback album 'Over And Out' which found the band return some three decades after its debut but BAŚNIE was instrumental in launching the band into the limelight at an early stage and garnered fantastic reviews in its own right. Perhaps the band plays it a little too safe and hadn't quite latched onto its own distinct sound but despite not going too far out on a limb exuded a confidence and energetic delivery that proved to be enough to overcome any comparisons to other bands that preceded. Overall i wouldn't call this the band's creative peak in any way, shape or form but this debut is certainly a very competent first offering that rightfully put the band on the map and propelled COLLAGE to the ranks of one of Poland's top progressive acts of the modern age, which is quite the undertaking in its own right. It's extremely well done and really is an early Polish classic of prog.

— First review of this album —

On 5th February 1993, Edmund Geoffrey Mann died aged just 36 years old, leaving behind not only his family but artwork, plays, fifteen albums and the memories of the fans who had seen him perform in hundreds of concerts. Of all the musicians who have died since I became interested in music it was this death which impacted me the most (still true to this day), and I put together a tribute from many who had played with and known him. Thirty years on and Andrew Wild released 'His Love', a wonderful biography of the Mann with loads of photos and information, and to accompany that there was also this CD which can now be purchased separately.

What we have here is a Is a 15-track compilation album taking tracks from all the different albums Geoff recorded from 1981 until his untimely passing in 1993, presented chronologically. Is this a 'Best Of'? No, as there are just way too many songs missing - no "Creepshow" or "Sequences" for example, both songs which Geoff totally owned, while "We Are Sane" and "The Collector" are also absent, but if these had been included then it would have had to be a much longer release so it is best to think of it instead as an introduction. This is a nice way of seeing the changes in Geoff's approach through the years as when he joined Twelfth Night, they were primarily an instrumental act and he had to find room for his voice, "Sequences" being the best example of that, and here we see him moving from being an essential member of a band through to solo artist, collaborator and band leader.

Of his canon, 'Casino', is often the most overlooked which is nothing short of criminal as this project with Clive Nolan had the potential to become huge and it is interesting to compare it with the songs either side, with "Over The Edge" (with Marc Catley) featuring his wonderful wobbly guitar while "Apathetic & Here, I" is just Geoff and an acoustic. Geoff packed way more into his time here than many of have achieved with far greater time, and this set is a wonderful way of discovering more about his music and is the perfect item to be listening to while reading the book, so why not get both?

— First review of this album —

On September 2nd, 2023, Solstice sold out the iconic venue built by jazz legends Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine in 1970, something they view as a career highlight. The night was recorded and is now available as a full concert film (plus photo gallery) or as audio, and it is this which I am now playing. The band are the same as the previous two studio albums, namely founder Andy Glass (guitar), Jess Holland (vocals), Jenny Newman (fiddle), Peter Hemsley (drums), Robin Phillips (bass), Steven McDaniel (keyboards) plus two additional singers in Ebony Buckle and Gwen Taylor. Apart from the three singers, this line-up has been together for some years, having released 'Spirit' in 2010.

It is now 40 years since 'Silent Dance' came out, although I must admit to not hearing it until 10 years later, after I had already reviewed 'New Life'. Solstice are included on ProgArchives as Neo due to where they have come from, but if they were up for inclusion now I can see there being a battle with Crossover, as the band has in many ways moved from what they were and created a sound quite unlike any others in the scene. The fiddle has always been an important part of the music, and Jenny knows when to take the lead or when to take a break, the keyboards are often a backdrop as opposed to a driving force, while the same can be said for Andy who is more than happy to take a back seat at times, riffing hard at others. The whole band is designed to keep the female vocals front and centre, bringing in prog, pop, rock, folk and other influences to produce a highly polished performance. Jess is a real find, being a real performer as well as singer, and having two others with her to provide vocal harmonies in a live setting allows for more passion and depth.

We have been fortunate enough to have two studio albums, from the same line-up no less (which is somewhat unusual for the band) and given the way they are playing some high-profile gigs let us hope they have enough time to record another one soon. This is a wonderful demonstration of great prog from a band who for some strange reason have never really been given the acclaim they so richly deserve. If you are already a fan then I am sure this is in your collection, and if not then now is the time to investigate given the band have made this available free of charge so that even more can discover the great sounds of Solstice.

One of the many Polish prog bands popping up since Poland gained its new independence following the collapse of the USSR in the early 1990s, ARLON emerged from the tiny city of Przemyśl which is located in the extreme southeastern part of the nation literally on the border with the Ukraine. I actually had the opportunity to stay in that city for one night passing through when i was traveling in that region. The band that plays a mix of classic progressive rock with a touch of neo-prog has been an industrious act playing numerous rock festivals since its inception in 2009 such as The Festival of Progressive Rock in Gniewkowo, The Cieszanoow Rock Festival, Prog The Night as well as playing at Rock Area on Stage in Katowice which was a one time event that featured a guest appearance from Clive Nolan of Arena and Pendragon fame.

So far in 2024, ARLON has released two albums, this debut ON THE EDGE in 2013 followed by a sophomore album "Mimetic Desires" two years later in 2015. The band lineup has remained consistent since 2012 and includes Paweł Zwirn (drums), Wiesław Rutka (guitar, lyricist), Maciej Napieraj (bass), Jacek Szott (saxophone, keyboards, vocals, composer, lyricist) and Paweł Szykuła (vocals). The band was founded by drummer Pawel Zwirn. The main composer has been Jacek Szott and although emerging from a very far removed enclave in Poland, ARLON recognized the international appeal and unlike some Polish bands delivers all lyrics in the English language. ON THE EDGE is a lengthy album at nearly 58 minutes and features 9 tracks.

ARLON delivers a dreamy type of neo-prog with a blend of jazzy saxophone, soft-spoken vocals and heavy emphasis on atmospheres. The guitars play clean and soft most of the time but the band has adopted the more modern trends of using heavier guitar riffing for contrast. The band recorded their debut at the Studio Underground in nearby Rzeszów, a nearby business hub that is surprisingly economically robust and teaming with activity considering it is the largest city in southeastern Poland with a population of nearly 200,000 inhabitants. I also had the pleasure to spend a night there and it was much more vibrant than i could've imagined so an obvious attraction point for Polish bands of that region of Poland. ON THE EDGE easily escaped the narrow focus of its homeland and was received by many nations in Europe, the USA as well as being praised in nations like Egypt and Brazil.

ON THE EDGE is a decent if rather safely played style of neo-prog. It gets the job done but doesn't quite add that extra sauce that makes the band really stand out like bands such as Abraxas and Quidam did right from the very start. Firstly the compositions while nicely played and competently delivered just lack any kind of bite really. The band seems to lack a signature sound at this point while its getting its feet wet in the recording process. Likewise i find lead singer Pawel Szykula's vocal range to be a bit limiting and neo-prog bands really need a strong frontman to animate the musical style but on a positive note the rest of the band is tight and delivers a convincing style of neo-prog however the drums could be perhaps a bit more nuanced. Like most neo-prog, the keys play a major part and ARLON covers that arena quite well. I've been reading that the band really stepped things up with its sophomore release "Mimetic Desires" so i'm curious to find out if that is indeed the case.

Overall a decent slice of second rate neo-prog but doesn't quite deliver with enough passion and bravado to make it a compelling listening experience. Neo-prog can be so magical if done properly and in this case it sounds like a band still finding its way through the long and arduous process of self-discovery. I absolutely love the album cover though, one of the coolest depictions of a triumphant successful ascent to a celestial body lurking overhead above the some sort of ancient fortress. It's surprising the band only has two albums under its belt as it's not apparent that it has disbanded but as things go musicians have other lives to attend to and it's never clear how long hiatuses will last so anything is possible in the wild and unpredictable world we find ourselves in these days. This album is pleasant but does rise much more above that.

Since 2018, this composer and multi-instrumentalist has not only been consistently delivering standout albums that I am proud to possess and review, all very highly rated but also because the recipe ingredients and manpower invited happen to vary from album to album. So before delving into the intricacies of this fifth chapter, I invite all those readers still unfamiliar with this Cheshire cat, to travel back into his past 4 albums and discover all the pleasures therein. The bar is set pretty high because the previous "Kintsugi" was a tour de force that earned it my highest praise. Vocalists Sally Minnear and the celebrated Peter Jones are back, not surprising they are stellar performers, as is keyboardist Vikram Shankar. New allies are Luke Machin, a gifted guitarist who seems to be equally prolific, playing on a multitude of recordings, John Hackett needs no intro at all, and Southern Empire's Shaun Holton sings on a couple of tracks. Lastly, Dave Brons tosses in a couple of bars at the end of the opening track, while Moray MacDonald blows a mean trumpet on one number.

"13" sets the immediate tone for the remainder of the set list, as Holden lays down a solid rhythmic pulse, with snarling bass, solid riffs, and some nice drum programming. Peter Jones grasps the microphone, and his fluid voice is always a delight, delivering that mythical story of how the number 13 is a superstition that will not go away. Friday the 13th, 13 people at a table, open umbrellas, broken mirrors, walking under ladders, black cats, touch wood, and rabbit foot. Poetry for the mind. We enter epic land with a musical adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King", the lengthiest piece and adventurous as can be, an ideal setting for Shaun to show off his singing skills. The sense of mountainous elevations, imagining the Khyber Pass and Everest beyond, an imperial trumpet announcing the fantasy of soldiers of misfortune wanting to become gods, and rule by force or by will over vast territories of immense riches. The allusion to Alexander the Great also comes through in the cinematographic arrangement. Close your eyes and let the shifting variations induce the imagination to wander. Vikram peels off a nifty synth solo as the final denouement arrives. Gong!

With the piano and the flute ruling the space, "A Sense of Place" has that quintessential pastoral Welsh feel, a lovely instrumental pause, a shimmering ode to tranquility. The title could well have been A Sense of Peace, and no one would have dared a word. Plain beautiful. With a tale about insane jealousy and competitive revenge, "Burnt Cork and Limelight" has certainly dramaturgical, I daresay, Shakespearean tendencies. The faultless melody is a masterful addition to an arrangement lush with immaculate orchestrations that truly emit a sense of stage music for actors who hide their dark side by pretending to follow the script but desperately seeking to murder their alleged foe. Peter Jones delivers one of his finest deliveries ever, utterly convincing. Applause from the captive audience is the final straw. 10 minutes + of enchanting entertainment.

The subject of recent covert assassinations of defectors in the UK, "Agents" tackles the open-faced gall of sending killers armed with nerve agents to eliminate any threats to the Kremlin's authority with apparent immunity. The music is suitably anxious, with shadowy figures hiding behind diplomatic immunity, carrying vials of lethal poison, and seeking out their targets. Luke rips off a cloak and dagger axe rant. Revenge is a bitter pill, tastelessly dropped in a teapot. A passionate visit to Paris does not mean one can 100% find love, sometimes it's the exact opposite, a realization that may hurt on the moment but better now than 20 years later. Sally Minnear sings her plight in the City of Light, Notre Dame casting a long shadow, the book vendors on the embankments of the Seine offering fictional non-fiction editions of a love not meant to be. The musical atmosphere is suitably restrained and romantic. L'amour fait mal (Love hurts).

The final two tracks deal with the two choices offered in the title, "Proximity" peering at the Red Planet and simply wondering if it was perhaps a former home once long ago, having had to settle on Earth, to find a more suitable climate. The glorious hymn "Chance "is the segue that tackles the complex notion of 'what if?', and 'who am I?'. It has a Jon Anderson-Yes positive feel to it that is most up lifting. Within the realm of logic, each person is nothing more than the amalgamation of all the preceding relatives from both ancestral chains, an intricate evolution with no clear starting point unless it was from the universe itself. DNA does not stand for Do Not Admit. All three vocalists join in on the choir, singing a hopeful message, "that we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal". The only absolute is that there is only one sun. John Holden is a progressive rock force to be reckoned with. Get close and get lucky.

5 Vicinities and risks

Review Nº 778

This version of "Live From Loreley" is a very special edition of the series Sound & Vision, a double pack edition formed by a live CD plus a live VHS cassette and that was released in 1995. It was taken from a recorded live show performed at the Freilichtbuhne Loreley, St. Goarshausen, Germany on 18 July 1987. The recordings were made during the first part of the 1987 "Clutching At Straws" live tour, showing Marillion at the peak of their fame and most commercial success.

The line up on "Live From Loreley" features Fish (vocals), Steve Rothery (guitars), Mark Kelly (keyboards), Pete Trewavas (bass) and Ian Mosley (drums). The concert has also the participation of Cori Josias on backing vocals.

"Live From Loreley" is a live show that comprises songs from their four studio albums recorded by them up to that point, "Script For A Jester's Tear" from 1983, "Fugazi" from 1984, "Misplaced Childhood" from 1985 and "Clutching At Straws" from 1987. It includes also non-album's songs, which were released on their debut EP "Market Square Heroes".

The cover of the album uses the original 1987 concert poster designed by Mark Wilkinson, a British graphic designer which is best known by his cover art created for a number of British bands, like Marillion and Fish. It shows the central character from the cover of their single "Incommunicado", taken from their fourth studio album "Clutching At Straws".

From that live concert were released several live documents during various years. A video recording of this concert had first been released on a VHS tape in 1987, and re-released in 1995, then packaged together with an audio CD, including the soundtrack of the VHS tape. This video recording was re-issued on DVD in 2004. On 2009, Emi released the recordings for the fourth time. Then it was a digitally re-mastered double audio CD, including four tracks that had been omitted from the previous video and audio versions, "White Russian", "Fugazi", "Garden Party" and "Market Square Heroes". Still, the version of "White Russian" founded on the 2009 issue had previously been released as the B side of their single "Warm Wet Circles", the third single taken from Marillion's fourth studio album "Clutching At Straws".

This version of "Live From Loreley" has thirteen tracks that appeared on the CD and the VHS versions. The exception is "Incubus" appearing only available on the VHS version. The first track "Slainte Mhath" was released on "Clutching At Straws". The second track "Assassing" was released on "Fugazi". The third track "Script For A Jester's Tear" was released on "Script For A Jester's Tear". The fourth track "Incubus" was released on "Fugazi". The fifth track "Sugar Mice" was released on "Clutching At Straws". The sixth track "Hotel Hobbies" was also released on "Clutching At Straws". The seventh track "Warm Wet Circles" was also released on "Clutching At Straws". The eighth track "That Time Of The Night (The Short Straw)" was also released on "Clutching At Straws". The ninth track "Kayleigh" was released on "Misplaced Childhood". The tenth track "Lavender" was also released on "Misplaced Childhood". The eleventh track "Heart Of Lothian" was also released on "Misplaced Childhood". The twelfth track "The Last Straw" was released on "Clutching At Straws". The thirteenth track "Incommunicado" was also released on "Clutching At Straws".

"Live From Loreley" finds the band a few years later in their career as they were supporting the release of "Clutching At Straws". This would be Fish's last recording with the band before he embarked on his solo career. Filmed at an outdoor festival typesetting in front of some 18,000 fans we see a seasoned Marillion, confident in their music and in the eyes of their dedicated fans. This period showed the band at the peak of their career, though it was also a very awkward period for Marillion. While the concert took place a full year before Fish's departure from the band, you can really see how little interaction there was on stage between Fish and the rest of the band. One of the great things about this DVD is one gets to see just how good Marillion was in concert during Fish's era. The set list is a well chosen greatest hit set, and the band plays a tight concert. The sound quality is reasonable. So while it's not the best imaginable concert to release on DVD, it's a great document of its time. There are no extra features to speak of but it's a very enjoyable video to watch.

Conclusion: This is the third time that I reviewed this live concert. Some time ago, I had already reviewed the digitally re-mastered double audio CD version of 2009 and a short time ago I also reviewed the DVD re-issued version of 2004. And as I wrote before, when I reviewed both versions, we are in presence of an excellent live show made by one of my favourite bands, especially in the era of Fish. This live show represents, in my humble opinion, one of the best live musical moments ever produced by Marillion, the other is "Recital Of The Script". It shows a mature band that knows what is doing on stage and where Fish shows clearly that he is the absolute mastery of the stage. The track selection is excellent and in relation to the sound and the video images I must say that they're very good, in the same line of the live concert itself. Unfortunately, "Live From Loreley" represents also the swan song of Fish as a Marillion's band member.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

One of the most dynamic and interesting neo-prog bands to come out of the Polish scene, ABRAXAS was also one of the earliest predating the sweep of bands that emerged in the 1990s. Formed in Bydgoszcz in 1987, ABRAXAS didn't take its name from the classic Santana album as many may think but rather from the actual mystical term from the system of the Gnostic Basilides. Roughly referring to the dualism of good and evil forces penetrating each other, founding members Adam Łassa (vocals) and Łukasz Święch (guitar) deemed the term quite appropriate for their strange musical compositions that offered alternating mood swings, sudden rhythm changes and unorthodox arrangements.

After many years and a few lineup changes, ABRAXAS may have been one of the earliest Polish neo-prog bands to form but would require a lengthy nine years before its self-titled debut finally emerged in 1996. By this time only vocalist Adam Łassa remained and after recruiting guitarist Szymon Brzeziński, keyboardist / flautist Marcin Blaszczyk, bassist Rafał Ratajczak and drummer Marcin Mak, the new ABRAXAS was ready for business and delivered an impressive debut that sounded like no other. Apparently this album was released eponymously first in 1996 and then in 2000 re-released with the cumbersome Polish language title ...CYKL OBRACA SIę, NARODZINY, DZIECIńSTWO PEłNE DUSZY, UśMIECHÓW NIEWINNYCH I ZDRADY? which translates to "The Cycle Rotates, Birth, Childhood Full Of Soul, Innocent Smiles And Betrayal." I'll just refer to it as the debut :)

The band's debut is an explosive powerhouse of neo-tinged progressive rock with the dramatic theatrical flair of Fish-era Marillion and the dynamism of classic 70s prog acts like Van Der Graaf Generator. The many years of practicing, touring and juggling band members apparently hardened Łassa to assemble a team of seasoned professional delivering highly energetic and shape shifting arrangements that offered the best of neo-prog and beyond brought to a higher level of competency with Łassa's charismatic vocal style with keyboardist Marcin Błaszczyk showcasing a level of virtuosity that ranks up there in the Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman halls of fame. Although the lyrics are completely sung in the Polish language, apparently there are a bit controversial showcasing the feistiness and punk attitude of ABRAXAS which emerged in the late 80s when the punk scene had caught up to Eastern Europe.

The band's debut album is simply amazing in how it sweeps you off your feet instantly with the first feisty notes of "Before" and makes you those stray leaves on the album cover, whisks you up into the musical flow and never allows you to get off the ABRAXAS express for its hour-long run. After an energetic introduction the music suddenly becomes sombre and ambient which leads up to the intricately designed track "Tarot" which showcases all the band's eccentricities and bizarre compositional liberties. The album truly takes you to another world and one you find yourself content to emerge yourself well within. Sounding as bizarre as Mr Doctor from Devil Doll only in a theatrical Fish styled way, Łassa immediately stands out from pretty much anyone else our there and while the music can be shocking and startling is mostly carried through by beautiful neo-prog melodic processions that offer the usual bass, guitar and keyboard approach.

By the 90s Poland was ready for the prog revival and ABRAXAS was perched to deliver the goods. Not only were they competent musicians beyond measure and had the stage presence of a world class act but the unorthodox composiitons set them apart from the copycats of Western bands still grasping for their own voice. This led to sharing the stage with such acts as Fish, Porcupine Tree and Robert Plant with Jimmy Page. A unique mix of neo-prog, various strains of progressive rock and even a bit of traditional Polish folk music under the surface, ABRAXAS delivered a bonafide masterpiece on this exemplary debut and one that captures the very essence of what a well oiled neo-prog machine is supposed to sound like without sounding derivative of its influences. Utterly brilliant and even the two bonus tracks on the 2000 remaster are phenomenal!

Back on the progressive path with "Ever", and just like their Genesis referents with "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", IQ fulfilled the dream of the double concept album with "Subterranea", the band's sixth. The enigmatic story of the teenager Kaspar Hauser, who appeared in the German city of Nuremberg back in 1828 without having had direct contact with other people, a famous character of scientific study related to human behaviour in situations aseptic to social relations and murdered in unclear circumstances in 1833 at the age of 21, is the source of inspiration for this massive and somber work of more than 100 minutes.

Divided into two parts of generous mileage, "Subterranea" presents IQ's fictionalised version of Kaspar's various experiences in the world that opened up before his eyes, using a generally intimate and complicit narration by Peter Nicholls and wrapped in intriguing and intricate walls of sound that both the guitars of Mike Holmes, the wide range of synthesizers and their infinite effects of Martin Orford, the rugged and imposing bass of John Jowitt and the more active participation than usual of Paul Cook on percussion, build.

Carefully crafted pieces flow harmonically without pause or haste, like the thick, hypnotic half-time instrumental "Overture", or the Genesian "Sleepless Incidental" and "Failsafe", or the beautiful and moving "Speak My Name" with Nicholls lulled by Orford's luminous keyboards and a delicate acoustic plucking by Holmes (one of the band's best ballads), or the aching melancholy of "The Sense In Sanity" overlaid by Orford's atmospheric synths, and the bridge that the instrumentals "State Of Mine" and "Laid Low" build to cross over from the first to the second part of the album, where the suffocating "Capricorn" and the emotive sax of guest Tony Wright, the electronic experimentation of "The Other Side" and the heartbreaking "High Water" with Holmes' melancholic guitar stand out, but above all the substantial 20 minutes of the epic "The Narrow Margin" that runs between classic elements of the genre, nods in its middle section to the jazziest Camel and shades of futuristic insanity, and whose denouement unleashes an excellent guitar solo before closing the piece and the album with gentle acoustic notes, a gem.

"Subterranea" not only cemented IQ's progressive comeback, but positioned them as one of their greatest exponents of the nineties onwards.

Very good.

4 stars