The masters of Japanese Zeuhl boldly dropped their vocalists for their fourth album and shifted their style to include blues and psychedelia but started with the funky opening of Minus One. Zeuhl is admittedly on the backburner in this riffy jazz jam that wouldn't be out of place as an old-school cop drama soundtrack. Prayer goes a bit downbeat and slow blues, before there's some quirky and brilliant bluegrass themed spacey jamming in Screen Game. Cowboys from Kobaia! The best track in my view though is Storm Bird Storm Dreamer. A rapid acoustic guitar strum sets a bed for a 12 minute progressive and tribal sounding spacey jam. Song Bank though attempts to do similar as an instrumental space jam but is perhaps a bit too long and a bit too chaotic. Finally Old Blind cat returns to the fairly unique psychedelic bluegrass blend with a bit of chanting to go with. Not really zeuhl, but certainly quirky enough to be related to that genre, and a decent album for anyone a fan of trippy space rock, jazz fusion, and blending of unusual styles.

"Elegy Written at the Apex of Spring" was once how I entered this territory, the awareness of death. Today, I would like to access this area again. I enter this review of Jethro Tull's "Stormwatch" recognizing the depth of the piece, "Elegy." Originally composed by David Palmer soon after the death of his father, "Elegy" focuses my mind on two exceedingly poignant times of my life, the early deaths of my Father and of a dear friend.

The dear friend, H. Eldon Wood, highly recommended "Stormwatch" to me via a long distance call in the Spring of 1980 from New Orleans, LA, to Notre Dame, IN. Previously, on two occasions, I have brought Eldon, 1959-2019, to the attention of the ProgArchives community: firstly, in my 12/24/23 review of Jon Anderson's "Olias of Sunhillow," and, secondly, on 11/13/24, through the kindness and generosity of cstack3, Forum Senior Member, who placed a photograph on ProgArchives.com of Jon Anderson and Eldon, in 2016, at a club in Austin, TX.

My Dad, Captain Kenneth H. Scarbrough, was a Crescent River Port Pilot in New Orleans, who, on April 6, 1969, at the age of 39, died in a collision on the Mississippi River between a tug pushing a string of barges containing oil and the vessel he was piloting, the "Union Faith." Contemporaneous radio transmissions on the river described my Dad, leaving the wheelhouse of the "Union Faith" to travel to the bow of the ship. According to the crew of the British freighter "Rialto" in the Port of New Orleans for repairs and direct witnesses of the collision and its aftermath, my Dad reached the bow of the "Union Faith" and succeeded in releasing her anchors, thereby preventing the fiery ship from drifting downstream in collision with nearby wharves and the French Quarter. Most likely, my Dad perished on the "Union Faith's" forecastle in the resulting conflagration.

On 4/6/1979, the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans dedicated a monument at the foot of Canal Street describing my Dad's actions on that fateful night of 4/6/1969. Further, on 7/16/2009, the Port of New Orleans commissioned a new harbor police vessel, the "Captain Kenneth H. Scarbrough." My sister, Kimberly, and her son, my nephew, Colin christened the new boat.

Thus, "Stormwatch" holds a critical position in my hierarchy of favorite albums.

"Orion, let's sip the heaven's heady wine." Among my memories of my Dad are his references to what I would later recognize as celestial navigation. The song "Orion"is basically an apostrophe by Ian Anderson and his colleagues to the constellation, which has endured in the perception of humanity. It is also an essentially British narrative, one in which I have come to learn that "fag packets" are packs of cigarettes.

"Something's on the Move" immediately grabbed my attention in 1980. Possessing highly descriptive, anthropomorphic, and meteorological lyrics, the song intrinsically appealed to my heritage as a native of southeast Louisiana. At the age of six in September of 1965, I remember my Dad moving our family furniture from the first floor of our house to its second level in anticipation of the approaching Hurricane Betsy. He was fearful the levee containing the Seventeenth Street Canal behind our home would break. Ironically, my Dad was right, only forty years in advance: indeed, in 2005, the levee did break . . . during Hurricane Katrina.

Lyrically, "Stormwatch"coalesces around "Dun Ringill." Shamanistic and incantational, Ian Anderson's lyrics transport us to a communion with the forces of nature:

We'll wait in stone circles/til the force comes through. /Lines joint in faint discord/and the Stormwatch brews/a concert of kings/as the white sea snaps/at the heels of a soft prayer whispered.

"Flying Dutchman" is, perhaps, the heart of this album. Here, Anderson resurrects the enduring image of an aimlessly drifting vessel, haunted by the spirits of its deceased crew. Most appropriately, though, these ghosts are manifested in the form of boat people basically ignored by the "lovers of the good life." Here, we have a globally conscientious social ethic. 1979 or 2024, the Human Condition remains the same.

In the Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Tradition, at times of burial, we pray to be made "deeply sensible of the shortness and uncertainty of life [.]" It is entirely appropriate that the 1979 version of "Stormwatch" concludes with "Elegy.." Very concretely, Jethro Tull's bassist, from 1976-1979, John Glascock, only performs on "Orion," "Flying Dutchman," and "Elegy" with Ian Anderson performing the bass on the balance of the original issue of "Stormwatch." Glascock would die of congenital heart disease at the age of 28 in 1979.

Musically, "Stormwatch" is a late 1970's representation of the musical prowess of Jethro Tull. Undergirded by the orchestral arrangements of David (now Dee) Palmer, the "showcase" lead instruments are the lead guitar work of Martin Barre and the ubiquitous flute of Ian Anderson. Just as one studying the guitar does not look to the performances of Jimi Hendrix for lessons in technique, Ian Anderson's approach to the flute displays an almost profligate lack of concern for instrumental exactitude.

John Evan, at the piano and organ, delivers solid work, especially on "Flying Dutchman." Barrie "Barrymore" Barlow's drums and percussion are fine representations of performances one expects from a percussionist of his milieu.

Surely, Jethro Tull's place in the canon of progressive rock originates in the albums "Aqualung," "Thick as a Brick," and, perhaps, "A Passion Play." Yet, in albums like "Songs from the Wood" and "Stormwatch," the members of Jethro Tull have expanded their "vocabulary."

I would like to submit that an authentic expansion of human awareness contains perception of our finitude.

— First review of this album —

Despite another provocative title - the cover art suggests that the dog is master of the house, but I suspect that this is metaphorical, and in any case a cat would have been a better symbol - the sophomore jinx seems in effect here for this Finnish all instrumental group. The rhythm guitars too often chug and plod along and overextend themselves, without much happening around them, and much less atmosphere wafts from the arrangements. The opener is perhaps their best accomplished piece to this point, and "The First Cigarette of the Day" and "Take us to the Fantasy, Derrick" are both enjoyable but otherwise I don't sense a whole lot of growth from their debut. It's still just worthwhile enough to stay out of the doghouse. Oh, I think I might understand the metaphor now.

— First review of this album —

In the footsteps of GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR and likely others, BAULTA is a Finnish post rock group that articulates their protests through the titles of their albums and, less convincingly, the music itself, since lyrics are absent. Equally paradoxically, their name translates to "speaks". It's like the 1960s instrumental surf music to which their grandparents grooved updated to the anti-establishment under 40, now under 60 crowd. But is it good?

In this earliest incarnation BAULTA's sound is electric guitar driven, often sounding like early BIG COUNTRY sans the bagpipe, or the more contemporaneous THOBY LOTH without the Celtic machinations. While atmospheric, these are mostly toe-tappers, with the sweet "Black Lodge/White Lodge" being a notable exception. I'll note that Eugene's axe has, in an act of unsubtle cultural swindling, been replaced by a Tomahawk. It's for FLOYD fans to decide if the music itself was appropriated. "Arctic Hymn" sounds like an instrumental version of "Kingston Corner Blues" by obscure atypical neo prog group JUMP, and "The Floating Girl Among Us" reaches the celestial heights to which it presumably aspires.

So yeah, it's good, verging on great at times. Just don't expect much ambient or metal. I'm not sure the power obsessed will be that impressed, let alone change their ways after hearing this.

This was the first official live album that GURU GURU released back in 1978. Released on the Brain label the sound quality could not be better. A double album with ten tracks from ten different shows they played in 1978 from February to December of that year. Most of the shows were in Germany with The Netherlands also represented. What I find interesting is that while this was the tour for their 1977 album "Globetrotter" almost all of the music is new, not on any of their studio albums. Side three is where they visit the past, but for the most part it's like listening to new GURU GURU music.

I have always found their albums to be somewhat inconsistent, I think because of the humour Mani insists in using. But you could say that about their whole career. After three legendary albums from 1970 to 1972 they released two sub par albums in 1973. Then two great Fusion records in "Dance Of The Flames((1974) and "Mani Und Seine Freunde"(1975). Back to the sub par with "Tango Fango"(1976), then "Globetrotter(1977) which has it's fans. I'm just not into the latin and funk elements they were into during this period, or that commercial flavour.

I think adding BRAINSTORM's Roland Schaefer was huge. Mostly for his sax but he plays guitar and is a producer. He joined for the "Tango Fango" album. And I have that album cover on a GURU GURU button I wear proudly on my one coat. I also have a balloon both from an archival live release called "Live In Germany '71" which blows this 1978 album to bits in my opinion. It was actually kind of cool to hear them as a four piece though, and to hear the style of music they were playing at this time. So a live document of a period that is far beyond their classic period. In my opinion fans are better served with any of the few archival live albums they have since released that were recorded from 1970 to 1972. An obvious statement I suppose.

Some of these songs drift into territories I have no desire to be in, in any way shape or form. Very much a mixed bag.

Here we have the debut album by a new French outfit who have delivered us a concept album based on the story of lifelong soulmates Charlie and Hope, who had always spent their lives together. One day, Charlie wakes up alone in the middle of a completely different and devastated world and this is the story of his adventures as he attempts to find his partner. The idea of loss and searching is not new, but this story takes on real poignancy when one realises this is a new project by Anne-Claire Rallo (Nine Skies, Solace Supplice) who has delivered this following on from the death of her husband Eric Bouillette (Nine Skies, The Room, etc.) in 2022. She has been joined on this personal quest by friends and colleagues of them both, so she has been assisted by Alexandre Lamia (Nine Skies, Ingaro), Alexis Bietti (Nine Skies, Genesya), Johnny Marter (Nine Skies, Marillion, Mr. Big, Brian May, Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, etc...), Martin Wilson (The Room, Grey Lady Down), Helen Tiron (Sun Q) while it was mixed and mastered by John Mitchell (Lonely Robot, Arena, Asia, Frost, etc.). Martin and Helen take on the lead vocal roles, and I must admit to find it strange to be listening to Martin more than 30 years since I first came across Grey Lady Down and their initial demo tape. They were very active in the London scene back then and I saw them many times on the live circuit, and I note there is a guitar solo on one track from Steve Anderson who I first saw with Sphere before he also joined GLD and was of course also in The Room with both Martin and Eric.

The music is polished Neo Prog, which given who is involved is of little surprise, but there are also some quite symphonic elements as well. Outside the rhythm section, and one sax solo (plus the aforementioned guitar lead), all music has been provided by AC, Eric and Alexandre so with three guitarists, three keyboard players (and one violinist) it is no surprise there is a lot going on. It is punchy, powerful, and packed with drama and emotion. The recording process of this must have been very difficult once Eric has passed away, as here we have AC reaching out into the darkness, using others to convey what she is feeling as she searches through life anew, her world turned inside out. It is of no surprise that at times the music is quite angular and causes us to be uncomfortable, but there are also sections of real beauty when all the darkness is cast aside and we have a totally different approach as we find solace. The piano in "The Ballad of Peggy Pratt" is delightful, and in very stark contrast to the chaos we also find ourselves listening to.

There is a lot to take in, both lyrically and musically, but it is also a very accessible album due in no part to both the compositions and performances by all involved with the vocals kept to the fore with real clarity. Melodically very strong, the production is spot on and the result is a modern progressive rock album with real style and panache which I thoroughly enjoyed. It will be interesting indeed to see what comes next.

Although this was written in 2015 it was only released in 2024, and contains just five tracks. For the most part it is the same line-up as the 2020 album apart from the first song, "Light A New Fire", which has Neil's cousin Paul Foss on drums. These five tracks were played live but not previously recorded and the sound quality is not quite as good as MMAL, but this is still a wonderful release. Back in the day when I was living in the UK I always felt I had a finger on the pulse, but now I am the other side of the world I confess I have no idea what is going on in the scene unless someone contacts me, but I do find it difficult to understand why Exhibit A are not more well known. Their highly commercial take on prog rock straddles Neo and AOR, but to these poor abused ears it is a load of fun.

Dave still has a nice voice, Neil often provides layers of backgrounds when Nick crunches the lead, the two Paul's fill in the space on the drums while Steve provides run and melodies all his own which takes the music in a different direction again. There is an argument from some prog snobs that Neo is not real prog, and bands should not bother with it, but some of our largest underground prog bands at least started in the genre and there are plenty still proving it is a valid style of music, and that is again the case here. I don't know why it took 9 years for this to be made available (all four Exhibit A albums are on Spotify btw), and why it is only five tracks with a total run time of just over 30 minutes, but I do know I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. There is a professional naivety to it which is endearing, It Bites mixing with Pallas and early Genesis with even some IQ bits and pieces, which makes this a really enjoyable release. This is not prog which runs a risk of disappearing up its own orifices as it takes itself too seriously with loads of "look at me" egos on stage, but instead is a melodic Neo album which is fun from beginning to end, and surely music is supposed to be enjoyed and not just endured? I have no idea if this is the end of the story from Exhibit A, but I certainly hope not as here is a band many progheads would enjoy if they went out and looked for them.

Okay, time for a quick history lesson. Exhibit A came together in 1984 out of the remnants of Mishra and by the time they recorded their debut tape in 1990 their line-up was Dave Foss (vocals), Neil Foss (keyboards),

Steve Watts (bass), Nick Hampson (guitars) and Tony Robertson (drums). I reviewed the album in 1993 and found it very enjoyable indeed and was stoked when they then released the CD 'Out There' the following year, saying that I had no hesitation in recommending the CD to everyone. Now, that was a time in the UK when there were loads of bands in the underground prog scene, with some classic albums being released, but apart from a few fanzines there was no way of getting news out there and many of these bands folded way before they reached the fanbase they deserved.

I hadn't thought of the band in ages until Neil contacted me earlier this year to let me know the band had actually reformed and recorded some new material, and would I be interested in hearing it? So some 30 years on from when I first heard the band, I am now listening to this album, which was released in 2010. There is often a snigger when bands reform as it could be around just one member, but this time it is the reverse as apart from drummer Paul Caswell we have the exact same line-up as we had on the debut. I must be honest and wasn't sure what to expect as I recall the band moving into commercial It Bites areas but what would it be like so many years on? Well, it is hard to realise the band had been away for so long (apparently they reformed in 2007), as this is a recognisable follow-on from the last release with Dave still in fine voice, Neil dominating with keyboards, loads of incredible fluid basslines, nice chunky Neo guitars and drums bringing it all in from the back. This is undoubtedly Neo but there are Crossover tendencies as well, and if one is looking for more prog references then Pallas and Abel Ganz are obvious, and some early Galahad, but mostly this is Exhibit A. this is not the finely polished and massively layered prog we get from many bands these days, nor is it the metallic version which others are straying into, but instead is good old fashioned Neo like they were playing in the Eighties and Nineties.

Well-produced and finished, here we have an album which is incredibly easy to listen to and enjoy the first time of playing, and the more it is listened to the more there is to discover. For those of us who were bucking the trend in the Nineties and listening to prog instead of grunge, then this is a delight.

Review Nº 848

Jon & Vangelis was a musical project formed by the lead singer of Yes Jon Anderson and the famous Greek electronic pioneer musician Vangelis, in the 80's. But this wasn't the first time the two had worked together. The first meeting between them took place in London, in the 70's. Vangelis was to be the natural replacement for Rick Wakeman on keyboards, on Yes, when Rick left the band after the release of their sixth studio album "Tales From Topographic Oceans". It would never happen especially due to personal reasons of Vangelis. However, the role went to the second choice, the Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz. Still, Jon Anderson has participated already, in the role of vocalist, on albums of Vangelis like "Heaven And Hell", "See You Latter", and played harp on the album "Opera Sauvage", too.

The pair worked together from 1979 to 1991, producing four original studio albums, "Short Stories" in 1980, "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo" in 1981, "Private Collection" in 1983 and "Page Of Life" in 1991.

So, "Short Stories" is the debut studio album by Jon & Vangelis and that was released in 1980. Jon Anderson was the author of the lyrics and performed all vocals and the music was all composed by Vangelis which performed all instruments, keyboards, synthesizers, piano and electronics. Beyond them, "Short Stories" had also the participation of Raphael Preston on acoustic guitars with some small contributions as a guest musician.

Originally, the vinyl version had ten tracks, but the CD version has only eight tracks. I have both versions but I'll review the eight tracks version. The first track comprises the first song "Curious Electric". It's a superb and brilliant opener for the album. This song begins to create the perfect musical atmosphere along the entire album created by Jon and Vangelis. On this track Vangelis is simply brilliant and this song is, in my humble opinion, one of the best compositions ever written by him. The second track comprises the second and third songs, "Each And Everyday" and "Bird Song". These are two beautiful love songs which are performed together such as a single one. These are two completely different songs from the previous one because here we have the music of Vangelis providing the musical ambient to Jon Anderson's voice, while on "Curious Electric" is the opposite. In other words, Jon Anderson provides the vocal ambient to Vangelis' music. The third track comprises the fourth song "I Hear You Now" which was also released as a single. It's another love song, very beautiful and melodic and it's also very delicate and vibrant at the same time. This song represents the perfect harmony between the two musicians which is, in my point of view, the main hallmark of this album. The fourth track comprises the fifth song "The Road" which is the only track to feature an additional musician Raphael Preston, who contributes with acoustic guitars. The song is very pleasant and contributes for one of the best and most beautiful musical moments on the album. The fifth track comprises the sixth song "Far Away In Baagad" and the seventh song "Love Is". Despite being performed together, these are two completely different songs. "Far Away In Baagad" always reminded me strongly the debut solo studio album Of Jon Anderson "Olias Of Sunhillow". It's an incredible song with beautiful and mysterious melodies and also with a great keyboard work. "Love Is" is the opposite. It's a nice and mellow love song but it's also at the same time to much sentimental and bore. This song represents for me the lower point on the album. The sixth track comprises the eighth song "One More Time". It's a very simple song with very beautiful and charming atmosphere created by Jon Anderson's voice. It's the type of the song that in the future would be adopted by the duo. The seventh track comprises the ninth song "Thunder". Despite be the shortest song on the album it has some beautiful and interesting musical moments. It's very short but very nice. The eighth and last track comprises the tenth song "A Play Within A Play". This is a sublime and dreamy song that represents with "Curious Electric" and "Far Away In Baagad" the three highest moments on the album. It's a song that starts slowly, it grows until reaches the climax and in the end it returns and dissipate slowly again. This is a great ending for the album.

Conclusion: I know this album since it was released and I always loved it. Of the four albums of them, this is the best, the most progressive and the only one where the communion between the incredible voice of Jon Anderson and the beautiful music of Vangelis is almost perfect. I'm one of those who think that the voice of Jon Anderson and the music of Vangelis make a perfect wedding. I don't share the idea that Anderson doesn't seem an integral part of the duo because on this album he only sings about the rules of Vangelis. I don't care if the music was composed by Vangelis and Anderson only sings his lyrics. In my humble opinion, here we can clearly see the both worlds and the perfection between them. "Short Stories" is a very beautiful album, well balanced, uniform and cohesive. In the end we may say this is almost a perfect music work. So, I've no doubt in saying this is a great addition to any progressive collection.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

In Memory

Back in the '80s, we were inseparable. I was 17 when we met, just trying to survive high school. He was two years older and in college pursuing physics. We had the most intense friendship, the kind where young men bond and surf the wave between adolescence and adulthood. We did it all: learned how to party, chase girls, build hot rods. We started a band. We spent many summer nights on the roof of his parents' house smoking and discussing weighty topics. We trusted each other with our fears. We became experts at the art of keeping 'adult considerations' at bay as long as possible. If maturity was sunlight, we were vampires. If you've read about Anthony Kiedis and Flea back in their youth, you'll have the picture, although we didn't achieve their level of mastery at music, partying, or girls. While our shared love of hard rock and metal was fierce, our mutual old faves were likely Heart and Zeppelin. The Song Remains the Same was my holy grail for certain, both the album and movie. It was the 1970s in one perfect symbolic artifact, and we were two young men who lamented missing that boat. We were trapped in the middle 1980s, hating that culture and wishing we were at Madison Square in '73 instead. (I'm more appreciative of the '80s music scene now, having far more expertise, but at the time and at that tender age, we were two proud, purist '70s freaks, two "throwbacks" as his sister called us.) More on us later.

Song Remains is Zeppelin's finest hour(s) captured, their live peak despite what they've said about being tired that night or what the blowhard critics think of it. Nonsense. The '73 tour was the band in perfect possession of their full rock powers. They had acquired and mastered the experience from the earlier tours, yet they had not lost an ounce of their edge to the factors that would begin to dog them with each tour thereafter. I can watch them in '75, '77, and '79 and see the slippage immediately in all of them except perhaps Jonesy. Age, substance use, vocal damage. Different factors affected the other three. Not horribly, necessarily. They could often do just fine on later tours, but it's still noticeable to my keen Zep eye. My only point is that '73 was the perfect crystalized moment where they could...do...no...wrong. Even the mistakes and missteps that did occur felt acceptable here, more charming than cringe. My favorite stuff here is the Houses of the Holy material which was the new stuff at the time. It's fresh and powerful, but most especially "SRTS/Rain Song, and Over the Hills and Far Away," all of which are have so much extra spark running through them as compared to the album versions.

Quite simply, these powerhouse live selections have become definitive versions of some of their best material, fleshed out and expanded with glorious interplay and personal prowess. I have nothing against the studio versions of these songs which are masterful in their own way, but these live versions are so on fire: there are songs within songs hatched of improvisation, much cool embellishment, and just sheer bravado on high. For me it is Jimmy I most connect with, the sheer beauty in his playing, especially the added luster and emotion of "Rain Song," the "golden" Les Paul hue to his sound, and the complete confidence he had on the harder rocking tracks. His playing is full of adrenalin and sensuality, masculine and feminine, the "light and dark" that he has often asserted were so important to the Zep canon. I understand the criticism some have of Page as "stumblefingers," and he is guilty of it sometimes, but he so transcends it. His runs, bends, his feel for the emotion, his service to the songs are ample reason so many consider him among the best. Pagey was certainly our hero for this album alone, and we tried to play like him in our band. My friend got way closer than I ever did. He could play anybody.

Our legendary friendship lasted into our early 20s before we took different paths and never reconnected, leaving all of that fire where it burned hottest, in our past. It was a beautiful thing that had to be short-lived because it was so fiercely a youth thing. I've been pretty cavalier about the lifestyle we used to lead, that partying is no big deal, that it never hurt us. But I can see now how it did take down some pretty cool people I've known, far too prematurely. Today I would tell young people to avoid abusing themselves and embrace healthier fun. But my dear friend who left us at age 57 was unrepentant to the end. He told me back in our youth, "There's an old saying that 'youth is wasted on the young.' They're never gonna be able to say that about me." And he was right. He hit the ground at 90 mph and never did slow down.

I loved him. Still do. After he died, they gave me his guitar which, as you can imagine, is an unreal emotional experience for me to play now. I strap it on only occasionally, and I swear I'm able to play better on his axe than I can on my own. I think that's his doing, and I can see him smile at the trick. The Song Remains the Same (along with Bebe Le Strange and Little Queen in particular) remains the soundtrack to every crazy night in our beloved suburban past, our youth pressed to a slab of vinyl. It remains a masterpiece to me. Similar to Yessongs and The Grateful Dead Movie, The Song Remains the Same is simply an absolute gift to fans, complete live shows captured in their prime so that people who were too young may experience them. It's a shame that the Floyd didn't have the foresight to do something this bold on the Dark Side or Wish tours. I don't really have the time of day for criticism of these documents as I feel privileged that they took the time to do them for us younger kids who couldn't be there in person. Cheers, mate. We'll jam again one day.