It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly where to start for this record, mainly because it's strangely great in nearly all factors. Literally, how do people manage to be clearly inspired by many artists and have a sound this unique? And no less in 1979. These French rockers of this band known as Arachnoid takes it's foundation all the way back to 1970. It's very dark-sounding with some impressive dynamics between chilled-out sections and wild blaring technicality woven into this nice gem. It's quite experimental while also retaining a sense of urgency and direction. You can hear how the band was attempting to make something completely different from anything at the time, and arguably to this day nothing comes close. The closest thing I know of to this record would be Island's sole album, Pictures, which came out two years earlier. Moving on, it's full of uncanny tones and rhythms that constantly push forward in development. The speed these men play at is also skillful in the overall playing and execution of each song. If there was one main con, however, sometimes I felt that they could've spliced in more material in the songs, because each song has a large portion dedicated to keyboard and piano playing with low ambient noises in the background, and while I do enjoy these, sometimes that and the fact that the music can get repetitive can feel a bit dry.

Before I move onto the current album, I would like to give my appraisal to everyone who played on this album, but especially singer Marc Meryl. I have seriously never heard anything like his singing in my entire lifetime. The album begins with La Chamadière, which is a sprawling thirteen-minute-long suite. It has all these gloomy elements that really stand out on the album for the rapid pace and intensity of the parts inside this track, with the occasional screaming and singing coming from Marc. The scary form this song takes is just brutal in the song, especially with the type of music they are trying to play. I enjoyed how they put themselves out there in terms of experimentation while also staying true to a rock and jazz format. This is my personal favorite song on the album, and I highly recommend it even if you're not going to listen to the album. Piano Caveau is the ending song on side one, with a clearly defined classical feel compared to the opening number. It has more traditional piano arrangements, with fewer drums and more percussion in the background at some points. It's another strong song that holds true to the music present in the first song while also having its own unique charms to it, such as more emotional moments added into the isolated piano movements.

Side two begins with a melody of two compositions known as Toutes Ces Images and Segamisec Setout. This track continues the trend of stripped-down keyboards combined, but now with some dramatic vocals, which just hits differently with the different melodies being added to it. The restrained and muted guitar at parts also makes it feel uncomfortable and haunting. After this, it becomes more rock-oriented, with an actual comprehensible sound and something that comes close to normal riffs, of course, with a progressive twist. It feels as though it becomes a maze of different turns into zeuhl and eclectic prog that still one-ups into the category of symphonic prog, and it essentially assumes the position of a never-ending roller coaster of madness, which I just love. La Guêpe is next, and you could argue it's a continuation of the last song. Here, however, there is a much more defined fusion power that is present here. Mainly, instrumental music that is carefully structured and carried out dominates this one and creates a whole new face for this band. I also appreciate the more advanced drumming techniques used, with there only being real drumming on around half of each song. Sometimes it takes a similar approach to Sailors Tail by King Crimson took, but with anxious vocals being just as powerful as the guitar solo found on that song. The final song on this thing is another mixture of two short configurations called L'Adieu Au Pierrot and the simply titled Final. It's much more melancholic and serves as a closure to this outstanding yet obscure piece. It has a buildup all the way up until the end for a final climax that sums up what the entire album has been like perfectly.

In conclusion, this is an incredibly interesting and strong album! It has all the elements a perfect progressive rock album would need but just barely falls short. Some of the material found is just mind- blowing in so many ways while also having a good level of detail in each song. It has all of these great qualities, but some of the repeating patterns of musical elements can make it difficult to truly love it all the way through. I can't believe it took me a year to truly figure out how good this was, and I highly recommend it if you're looking for something similar to the description I gave. This is a strong 4/5 for me.

Roz Vitalis ? «Dedication to Bignick»: a triumph of musical depth and spiritual focus. Roz Vitalis is a Russian band working at the intersection of progressive rock, chamber academic music and post- avant-garde electronics. Their sound is a synthesis of intellectual rigor and emotional richness. It envelops like a prayer and disturbs like a piercing philosophical thought. This is not just music ? it is a form of spiritual work, where each note is a step towards meaning. The album «Dedication to Bignick» is a nine-part musical dedication, filled with sadness, respect and inner light at the same time. It opens with the composition «The Tragedy of the Ancient Spring», which sets the tone for the entire work: majestic, tragic, restrained and honest. This track immediately immerses you in a special space ? a space of memory, reflection, inexpressible melancholy and quiet hope. The album closes with "Silence in Waiting" ? the culminating final point, dissolving the listener in silence, in anticipation, in a trembling pause between worlds. However, the true peak of the album, in my opinion, is "Loneliness - Bringing Power". This composition is like a concentrate of the entire essence of Roz Vitalis: melancholy here is not passive, but is transformed into a source of strength. The sound penetrates deeply into the consciousness, reveals internal resonances, leaving behind not devastation, but purification. Roz Vitalis performers demonstrate the highest level of skill and the finest sense of form. Their work is an example of honesty in art, devoid of vulgarity, ostentatious shock value and superficial emotionality. "Dedication to Bignick" is not just an album, but a gesture of extreme human and musical concentration. It is a gift made in silence and conveyed with deep love.

"Cross The Divide" bursts forth, a radio edit; heavy riff, Simone takes her place with her unique voice, the catchy and dynamite chorus. "Arcana" flirts with the great titles of Within Temptation, my preference for Epica, the voices and guitars being more present. The orchestration between solemn and grandiloquence, the djent finale, violins and growl cleaning up any inclination. "Darkness Dies In Light - Part VII" where the saga 'A New Age Dawns' initiated on 'Consign to Oblivion' continues here; epic, theatrical, growl from Mark, powerful choir from Era, energetic progressive power metal with Coen's harpsichord. "Obsidian Heart" black djent, Dimmu Borgir in the background, Simone captivating on this ballad with a numbing slow tempo. Aggressive sound, heavy for the Olympian slap from the depths. "Fight To Survive - The Overview Effect," like Steve Wilson, also narrates the feeling of bliss experienced by astronauts; a fast, consensual track reminiscent of Edge of Paradise for its ethereal violins and buzzing bass. A modern, electro-futuristic sound with Isaac showing off on this fluid solo. "Metanoia - Part VIII" and "A New Age Dawns" follow for the orchestral intro. The violence of the riff, the majestic choirs, the mezzo-soprano vocal duet with the well-delivered growl on this heavy, symphonic, and airy track; tribal pads, the siren-like voice, we melt with the velvety guitar solo, highlighting Epica as a benchmark.

"T.I.M.E." shakes up the musical universe with this cinematic Burtonian sound, a celebratory theater where transformation gives way to integration; metamorphosis and final evolution, like the musical Horla precipitated to its inevitable death. Mark's over-reaching screaming vocals. "Apparition" is louder, its raging electro with a groovy breath; a hard rock where the guitar solo showcases its technical prowess. "Eye Of The Storm" has an oriental feel with a blasting drum pad aided by rhythm guitars, Mark, like on Nightwish, breaking Simone's wave. The third track is a consensus. "The Grand Saga Of Existence - Part IX," the latest new age with its Dantesque intro, its moderate verse, and a grandiloquent, lyrical, catchy chorus. A truly symphonic composition with a solemn break, a disturbing growl sound blasting again, and that explosive dithyrambic blast beat. "Aspiral" for the eponymous ballad, the voice-piano duet oozing with emotion, Krishnamurti's phrasing before the Olympian-like magical rise, a majestic crescendo.

Epica leaves its mark on their quarter-century of existence, surfing the heavy terrain. The triptych "A New Age Dawns" section looks towards the concept album with its serene and cataclysmic progressive breaks. Fluid, icy and warm, modern hard speed. Originally on Progcensor. (4.5).

After short stints in Psychic TV and the lesser known Zos Kia, Coil co-founder John Balance absconded off with lover Peter Christopherson to focus on Coil. This early release is a jumble of rage and ideas musically and lyrically. Weird, squelchy ambient and twisted, thumping Industrial, musically; and rage at the aids epidemic, Christianity and some plain old perversity for good measure, lyrically.

Ubu Noir is a short opening to the album, a handful of samples toyed around with, some woodwinds cut and mixed amongst some voices and what sounds like paper being ripped. After this little warm up, Panic starts as stuttering and stumbling quasi danceable (if you were having a seizure) industrial track, anchored by electronic drums and bass, allowing all manner of samples, guitar feedback, and Balance's shouted vocals to wreak havoc, it puts me in mind of a handful of Current 93's attempts at more 'commercial' oriented Industrial. Balances' notes on the song go on about psychic surgery and reverse death and the beginning of the world, but the lyrics can also be seen as allusions to how gay culture was and still can be perceived, 'Anything will be alright, If you come out in the night'. At The Heart Of It All is a much more somber, apocalyptic affair, synth lines slowly twinkle in the background, accompanied with mournful, plodding piano and soon to be full time member Stephen Thrower's howling grief stricken Clarinet playing. Tenderness Of Wolves starts with dark, clanging synth lines, coalescing more odd features; what sounds like a distorted, sampled sound of a baby crying, acoustic guitar and pan pipes. Gavin Friday provides some demented, crooning guest vocals here. Hard to tell if the lyrics are about lovers or vampires, or both. Spoiler returns to somewhat similar industrial stomping grounds of Panic; a dash of tribal, staccato drums and samples of horns form backbone for flauting pan pipes, snatches of guitar noise, and almost comical carnivalesque keyboard intrusions. Vocals are a mixture of sung and croaked, mostly being the word 'Spoiler'. Clap is a short uncomfortable Industrial intrusion, a squeal of guitar and glass shattering leads into a panicked and nervous synth line, swelling synths culminate in a burn out, before reforming shortly and burning out again. Liner notes contain treatment methods for the clap (slang for gonorrhea). An appropriately agitated song for a pertinent and sad time for many people involved with this group, and the anger and agitation only increases during side B.

The CD reissues of Scatology feature some extra songs stuffed after the original A side ending, Restless Day and Aqua Regis as well as Tainted Love, tacked on the end. Restless Day has a strong and driving rhythmic structure of drums, bass, and synth; quaint almost naïve vocals sing song about what I interpret as depression, while various multi-tracked guitar noises slowly crumble in. There's a percussive sound effect throughout the whole song sounding like a ticking clock, maybe hand in hand with lyrics seemingly about the drudgery of everyday life. Aqua Regis starts with some creepy toy piano, before switching gears into a soundscape of a darkened, hellish factory. Far away rumblings and thumpings, clanging and reverberating. Saws and gears grinding and whirring.

This song works very well at leading us back into the original track listing with Solar Lodge. Industrial rhythms and hopeless, wailing clarinet compete for dominance with near unhinged vocals from John Balance. Underneath all this is floating, droning, and warbled bass guitar, much like the subterranean river mentioned in the liner notes, from a quote attributed to Charles Manson about finding a bottomless hole out in the Californian desert, leading to an underground, North flowing river. Bottomless because "where could a river be going North underground?", conjecturing "How many people could you hide down this hole?". The title Solar Lodge is a reference to the Californian based, mid 60s cult/magical order of same name, perhaps most infamous for the case of child abuse stemming from a raid of their ranch, finding a six-year-old boy chained inside a box left in out in the desert. Black sun rising indeed as we spiral further down this path of daylight nightmare into The Sewage Worker's Birthday Party, the liner notes referencing a story in a Swedish S&M magazine and also fulfilling the title of this album. The song itself is one of the more minimal, bass guitar woozily droning and scratching along, uncomfortable rhythmic background squelching, and a singular, persistent, unerring machine thumping loathsomely in the depths of this awful place. It also contains snatches of private and intimate recordings made by Peter Christopherson for added unsavoriness.

Godhead≈Deathead opens with unidentified sounds, but plasticky and latex-y and icky. Quickly we move into a martial industrial beat, various refreshingly whimsical percussive accoutrements accompany militaristic yelled vocals, a mid-song pace change for a slower gothic feel, proto Dungeon Synth. It's cheesy sounding, but I kinda love it. Lyrically we have not moved into the whimsical, here being a takedown of Christianity, liner notes referencing St. Anthony's Fire or Ergot, a fungus that grows on grain and causes convulsions, hallucinations, and rot; being responsible for multiple epidemics during the middle ages. I take the title of the song, Godhead≈Deathead, as dig at the act of communion, bread being a symbol for Jesus' body, yet causing mass poisoning if infected bread is consumed. The next song Cathedral In Flames continues the Christianity battering; the Marquis De Sade, the York Minster fire of July 9, 1984, and the Hadith being lyrically mixed into a seeming ritual induction. It's also the weakest of the album, very similar to the previous song, and far cheesier. Off putting sampled trumpets, stumbling drums, odd cohesion and lots space between sounds, and Balance's nasally vocals don't work for me. Ending the CD rerelease on a better note is a cover of Soft Cell's Tainted Love, Coil opting for much slower, minimal, and somber approach. Balance delivers some beautiful, wistful half sung vocals; synths ringing and floating along, pealing like electronic church bells, echoing Coil's unhappiness of then and still current affairs.

SPARKS are the brothers Ron(keyboards) and Russell(vocals) Mael who are from LA. And "Propaganda" is their fourth studio album, but the second after "Kimono My House" to be recorded in England after their move there. They would record one more in England called "Indiscreet" before moving back to California. I am so thankful that one of the bonus tracks is an interview done back at this time in England from a female reporter. So much fun! She asked if they had been back to LA after their big move and they said yes and we felt like tourists. They then compared LA to Heaven but they are hoping Heaven isn't as expensive. Oh you boys!

I am one of their fans who feel "Kimono My House" is the better record. In fact I'd rate "Hippopotamus" from 2017 higher than "Propaganda". There is a difference in sound for sure with less energy here, and less piano here. Ron explained that this one was written on acoustic guitar instead of the piano for the most part. I feel both records are inconsistent but strong enough regardless to hit 4 stars. This one is a low 4 stars in my world. In fact both start out really well for the first 8 tracks or so before a lull, then ending with a strong closer.

I have to talk about the cover art because this is a band with some of the best covers I've seen. If you want to smile check them out. The brothers asked photographer Monty Coles for something dangerous. The sky diving suggestion with the brothers tied together was passed on by the boys but this picture of them tied in the back of a boat looking very Miami Vice was accepted, and this was ten years before that show. In fact this picture was taken in the south of England on a frigid day. It wasn't fun for them. The picture on the back is just as good with the brothers tied up in the back of a car.

The songs here are mostly about the tension between the sexes, but looked at in a refreshing and unique context lyrically. The lyrics might be their strongest asset. Much of the music here includes words about hapless men and women with authority. Laugh out loud stuff. And for me the lull here includes "Achoo" and "Who Don't Like Kids" both poppy tunes that have that novelty approach to them. Good songs but for me not of the same quality as the rest of the album. The vocals got more of a focus on this one too compared to "Kimono My House". They would record vocals constantly during the recording sessions feeling this was a way for them to have it be more produced, but in a good way. Ron mentioned that they stacked vocals before, even on their first album but here they carried that further.

My top three includes the second track "At Home At Work At Play" which is like the "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us", the opener from "Kimono My House". Catchy and upbeat coming in after the 20 second opener that is all vocals. I really like "Don't Leave Me Alone With Her" which of course is the opposite that most men would say. Man, Russell can hit the high notes here. Lots of piano as well, like on "Kimono..." And that's the appeal of my final top three called "Something For The Girl With Everything", another "Kimono..." sounding piece. Intense and catchy this one with plenty of piano and beats plus those ultra high vocals.

I have to give these two credit for following up their break through album with one almost as good, and for many it's better. Ron explains that they were so energized by the success of "Kimono..." that the creative juices went into overdrive.

In spite of its title, The Tangent's fifth studio album 'Down and Out in Paris in London' is neither a concept album, not it has anything to do with the George Orwell book - it is just a handy, fancy title for a record that happens to be the first occasion of an all-English lineup on an album by this otherwise international band (bassist Jonathan Barrett and drummer Paul Burgess are the newcomers joining Theo Travis, Guy Manning and Andy Tillison on board). Said to be a piece of work dedicated entirely and solely to the album format (unlike some preceding studio albums), and existing as a mere collection of songs telling some stories, this 2009 release features many bold sounds and performances that undoubtedly do resemble in a certain way the group's music from their early days, with the nostalgic, retro prog sweeps of sound, always so conscious of that very English aesthetic that has become part of The Tangent vocab. And in this regard, the five (or six, if you consider the bonus track) compositions on the album all work together in a fine way that gives this album a degree of delightful "Canter-memorabilia".

The big, epic suite that occupies the first slot on the record is the 19-minute-long 'Where Are They Now?', a gorgeous exploration of the stories of many characters appearing on previous albums, as Tillison goes on to tell the story of what happened to them. The opening riff is exhilarating and memorable, and its motif is taken up by the band and interpolated into the verses, after which some really fine vocal and instrumental sections follow, still on that upbeat note. Around the middle of the piece, however, it all goes into a much more mellow, melancholic tone and this mood is carried on until the final seconds of the suite. The second song 'Paroxetine 20mg' is an electrifying and sonically intense number that also happens to the "heaviest" and most exotic on this album, definitely adding a touch of desperation and cynicism. 'Perdu Dans Paris' works like an elegiac postcard with its eleven minutes of dreamy, ballad-y soundscapes, while 'The Company Car' surprises you with the gorgeous ELP impersonation on the organs and an excellent instrumental second half of the song, and the closing piece 'Ethanol Hat Nail' stands as the most sophisticated and angular piece of music on this album, an all-around neo-Canterbury suite that translates a lot of the sub-genre's signature tropes into the dialectic of modern prog. And with all this cleared out, one has to appreciate the apparent qualities of 'Down and Out in Paris in London' (like the nostalgic, sweeping tones replete with retro rock tropes), which go alongside some obvious flaws (in the face of the prolonged sections of slow-paced, mellow and repetitive playing), as discussed above.

The Canterbury scene has quite a wide range of sounds but some common ground due to overlapping members. In the case of National Health this was really a supergroup (after the supergroup of Hatfield and the North) and whilst they were later in the original scene I believe that they showcased the very best of Canterbury Prog with very skillful playing but keeping the English humour element. On "Of Queues and Cures" they really did hit the heights with a great album throughout. My immediate favourites are "The Bryden 2-Step" and "Binoculars" although all are great compositions. With The Bryden 2-Step there is a great build up which explodes into some of the best music I have heard, each member stands out but it all comes together so well. I love the sound of the fretboard to accentuate how much is going on here. Binoculars is unusual in that it is one of the few sung tracks by National Health but this track probably sums Canterbury up nicely with the English humour lyrics but also fantastic progressive music.

Of Queues and Cures to me is the height of the early Canterbury scene which includes some fantastic bands. Fifty years later and the sound is still going strong with bands like Zopp, an excellent tribute to the sounds of Egg and National Health.

Moving away from the metal and hardcore punk sonorities that prevailed in their debut album "Celestial" in 2000 and influenced by bands like Neurosis, Melvins or Godflesh, from which they pick up sonic references, Isis delves into more abstract territories and generous atmospheric displays very emblematic of Post Rock, to release "Oceanic" (2002), the second album of their discography.

The Bostonians, guided by the guttural and dosed voice of their leader Aaron Turner, privilege in "Oceanic" the construction of dilated and depressive landscapes that are broken by the gradual irruption of distorted and dark guitar riffs by Turner himself and Mike Gallagher, very present in the opening "The Beginning and the End", in the thick half-time of the intriguing "The Other", in the metal power of "False Light" and in the mysterious and disturbing "Carry".

On the other hand, the ambient experimentation reaches an enigmatic, tense momentum with the watery, brief "-" and "Maritime", and the industrial, lingering "Weight", a trio of instrumental tracks (Maria Christopher's subtle, whispery vocals add an interesting tinge of sensitivity to "Weight") linked by Bryant Clifford Meyer's electronic bridges and Aaron Harris's raw, boxy percussion.

And combining a dense atmospheric melancholy with stormy developments marked by oversaturated guitars and Turner's harsh and anguished vocal discharges, "From Sinking" and "Hym", possibly the best track on the album, reaffirm the parsimoniously demolishing character of "Oceanic", one of Isis' best works and a Post Metal reference.

4 stars

The enigmatic album by its name contains the well known Morse styles. This time, the length managed to be below 60 minutes so easier to digest. The album is a pleasant walk reflecting current Morse messages, music imagination, diverse keyboards and strong melodies. The first and last track build the backbone with the main motive supplemented with strong playing. Like on his previous solo albums, Morse is capable of crafting catchy shorter songs that neither a progger nor his girlfriend can despise ("Outsider", "Outside looking in"), in this vein, however "Inside his presence" beats them in my opinion. Typical keyboard dominated instrumentals can be spotted in "Sweet Elation" with lovely synths whereas "In the fire" brings a dynamic fierce piece with significant Portnoy's contribution and dueling guitar/synths a la Dream Theater. Mellow down and turning into a mellotron heavy section is fantastic and transitions seamlessly. "12" comes close to the dramatic mood of the 'Sweet Elation" albeit slightly slower; we're delighted with soaring guitar soloing which, to my ears, could be coming from who else than Mr. Hackett. The work is well structured with the climax coming in the last 4 tracks (with the exception of the light "Inside his presence"). While I don't care about the lyrics and the message of this album that much, the music is inspirational to me.

Never knew The Tangent could come as "for one" but 2024's 'To Follow Polaris' sees Andy Tillison, the creative mastermind behind the prolific prog band, necessitated to write and record their new album completely on his own, inspired and supported by his bandmates, who are otherwise busy with their other involvements. And this fantastic new project perfectly embodies the concept of the Gesamtkunstwerk, the total work of art, as Tillison handles not only all instruments (all sorts of keyboards, synths, pianos and electronic instruments, bass guitar, electric and acoustic guitar, drums and woodwinds), but he is also responsible for production, engineering, the album art and the recording of the promotional music videos for the album, and the end result is, as you might have guessed, as good as ever. 'To Follow Polaris' happens to be one of the most upbeat, unpredictable and optimistic albums in The Tangent's catalogue, even if it follows closely the stylistic footprint of the last couple of albums.

The five new tracks see Andy Tillison at his most anthemic and perhaps most exhaustively imaginative as the prog meister crafts some expansive melodies and graceful sonic soundscapes, and the mere fact that he recorded every single bit of this album by himself is beyond impressive, given that 'To Follow Polaris' is not some muddy indie-rock soup, but a full-blown prog rock record with all the "mandatory" quirks of the genre. 11-minute opener 'The North Sky' is the most upbeat piece on the album, the angular synths and the tasty rhythms here set up a nice tone to the record and the entire composition just works really well. 'A Like in the Darkness' is a more cynical, and even darker number that sees Andy Tillison exploring the jazzier side of The Tangent's music. Then comes the excellent neo-Canterbury mini-suite 'The Fine Line', on which the album's mastermind shares some of his (critical) concerns about the political and social climate of his country - the music, on the contrary, is playful and melodic and fits in perfectly with the moodier side of the band's more recent releases. 'The Anachronism' is the fourth entry on the album, and with its twenty-one minutes of playtime, it is the perfect epic piece, it is heavier and more complex than the rest of the album and just so happens to be one of the tastiest long numbers recorded by Tillison, a great and uncompromising work. Finally, we have 'The Single' taking a jab at the music industry, a fun pop-prog song that oversees a more accessible sound.

And with all this in mind, one could not help but enjoy this album by The Tangent (for One) - it has all the necessary elements of a benchmark retro prog album, and even if it might not shake up or redefine the musical climate of the genre, it is a great ode to everything that makes this band compelling and fun to listen to.

"Kimono My House" is the third studio album by SPARKS, and the first of three to be recorded in the UK. Brothers Ron(keyboards) and Russell(vocals) Mael are SPARKS, but when they moved to the UK they had to get a new backing band. So the tryouts began and included Warren Cann later of ULTRAVOX who made a brief appearance, and PINK FAIRIES guitarist Paul Rudolph, before deciding on their new drummer, bassist and guitarist.

The Maels were huge MOVE fans and tried to get Roy Wood to produce "Kimono My House" but he wasn't available so they settled on Muff Winwood brother of Steve Winwood. The main reason they moved to the UK was the reaction from fans during their tour over there. American music fans didn't "get" them, usually looking bewildered at their music or responding with apathy. Whereas in Britain they were adored. Their parents had just moved there, and the brothers loved everything related to the UK, so they abandoned their LA house and moved in 1973.

Their Top Of The Pops appearance in April of 1974 caused a sensation in the UK. This show was on once a week from 1964 to 2006, the world's longest running music show. And their appearance was one of those water cooler moments the next day. Everyone was talking about them! Even John Lennon. The music is poppy with Russell's very high pitched vocals. When asked by a British reporter what their sound was like, Ron replied that he plays the piano with his right hand only, disregarding the left side, while Russell sings in a very high pitch. Morrissey described Russell's voice as "sounding like he's singing in French italics."

So while bands like 10CC, QUEEN, ROXY MUSIC, STEELY DAN and the like get mentioned as comparisons, this band has such an original sound. And those lyrics! So humerous and witty with Russell doing vocal gymnastics at a fast pace. And the cover? So funny. And it's not the brothers either as some have suggested. I mean they are on most of their album covers and often in disguise but not here. They have the best covers. These two ladies are actually from Japan's Red Budha Theatre band led by Stomu Yamashta. To quote the liner notes on "Kimono My House"... "Critics were enraptured by it's heady blend of glam oomph, music hall humour, prog texture, rock power, Germanic cabaret, bubblegum pop and showtune infectiousness."

There are some outrageous lyrics on here. Russell by the way says that that "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us" and "Equator" were the hardest to sing live. "Talent Is An Asset" is about Albert Einstein's parents and them bragging about their son being a smart kid. Funny. Or a suicide pact gone wrong called "Here In Heaven", or how husbands did not look forward to Christmas and having to spend more time with their wives in "Thank God It's Not Christmas". The first seven tracks make this a four star album in my world. The last three are good, in particular the STEELY DAN sounding closer.

The three SPARKS albums that I would highly recommend are "Kimono My House" and "Propaganda" both released in 1974, plus "Hippopotamus" from 2017 showing that this duo has not lost their edge or wit one bit.

Moonshine Blast. Remember the name. These Paris based guys published last year their second record, Realm of Possibilities, which I honestly consider one of the greatest pieces of music of the decade. I decided to take some time to write a review, listening to the album several times, even watching some live performances of the band, and the more I listen to Realm of Possibilities, the more I'm sure I had already took a step closer to a musical masterpiece. The band proves to be able to play different genres, putting pop, grunge and psichedelia into a solid prog rock work, almays remaining loyal to their own style, finding their voice in an ocean of established artists, playing their own music with courage and awareness. There are even moments aimed to prog metal, as the heavy Strangled, built on a strong groove which I found myself handbang on several times, and songs with clear and poppy melodies, as Only You and No Exit: the most soft tracks of the record, even though some some good grunge riffs played with the bass. Grungy rhythms come back in songs as Fractal, which goes through different times signatures and a wonderful keyboard crescendo. Keyboards parts are curated by the singer Nicolas Duke, who has an incredible vocal extension and ability, feeling perfectly comfortable with each of the melodies the band plays. Sounds really good even in the most difficult tracks of the record: Cruel Immission, the most well written song of the record - starts in 7/8, goes in 4/4, ends in a wonderful crescendo - and The Cell, a sixteen-minute-long song built on psychedelic synthesizers and misterious keyboards, whose structure sent my mind back to Porcupine Tree's Anesthetize, in some parts. PT's influence is evident in much of the grooves the drummer Thomas Zecchinon plays, Gavin Harrison-like syncopath hits are recognizaible, especially in the two parts track Liquid Feels - don't understand why it's been divided in two, 'cause the whole thing works fine together. This is probably the weekest moment of the record, where Steven Wilson's passages and grooves kill their originality. The album ends with the beautiful acoustic ballad Where the Wind Blows, which wins the prize for the best lyric. Anyway, the highlists of Realm of Possibilities, for me, are the title track opener, a perfect overture for this amazing muscial journey, where Duke's voice, melodies and bass rhythm are at their best, the pounding Under.Control. (super heavy) and Broken Arrow, a poppy song that bounds Peter Gabriel's melody with Big Big Train'structures. As I said, remember about this franch band: they can easily play different genres, build complex structures and powerful melodies; their sound is recognizable, strong, original and accessful. They draw from monsters as Pearl Jam, Porcupine Tree, Big Big Train, Nirvana, Pineapple Thief, Mr.Mister and many others, keeping their own style. Realm of Possibilities is an incradible record, not perfect, but a good starting point for the future. Moonshine Blast is a young and talented band: we're going to hear them more often in the next years. And I can't wait for it.

The transformative power of Katatonia has been in play on several occasions throughout the band's long-lasting career, and perhaps the biggest testament to their longevity is the fact that every new "reincarnation" brings a feeling of rejuvenated power and a clear vision of the journey's final destination - moving on from their death-doom early days, the band utilized more alternative sounds during the 2000s, as heard on classic albums like 'Last Fair Deal Gone Down' and 'The Great Cold Distance', ultimately reshaping their sound to include more complex vocal harmonies and a somewhat progressive writing approach, also gradually including electronic sounds to the mix, giving their work a more accessible edge. And their 2012 release titled 'Dead End Kings' probably stands right between the doomy alt-rock phase's gradual abandonment and the rise of their more nuanced "prog" period, carrying a lot of the elements that had previously made their more recognizable works so beloved and so profoundly moving.

So anyone familiar with this Swedish metal act would know what to expect, with the music being quite far from happy and uplifting. The dark, almost gothic undertones of seminal Katatonia albums are also present here, while the listener might appreciate the ostensible sophistication of their compositions as well as the variety of moods and styles tackled on this ninth studio album. The vocal work of band leader Jonas Renkse is excellent all throughout, the guitar tone on the album is powerful and warm, and the drumming is fabulous from start to finish - just hear excellent tracks like 'Hypnone', 'The Racing Heart', 'Buildings', 'Leech' or the gloomy 'Lethean', all beautiful, haunting, and emotional pieces that definitely carry all the elements of top-quality Katatonia music. The band has always been inventive and consistent, and 'Dead End Kings' is just a splendid example of how good Renkse & co. are at producing albums full of top-notch material.

I am obliged to do this. Secondly because this album has always been in first position on my shelves (yup alphabetical and no A.R. & Machines are filed under 'AR') but firstly because I am responsible for correcting the mis-information on the bands biog....Simon Kirke* and Paul Kossoff were never ever involved with this crew...which has the spin off of making other reviews that mention it look a bit 'daft'. I apologise. That was not my intention. * I am a Free fanatic and have followed SK and Paul Rodgers on FB for many years. The odd time I have sent a message/asked a question they have quickly and courteously replied. On reading this bands biog and finding out 'new' information, I dropped a message to SK asking for confirmation. The gist of his reply was 'who?' In fairness he went away and did his research and got back to me and confirmed that he and Kossoff had had zero to do with them and he added that, being London based and back then all the musicians knew everyone else in the capital, none of the names in Aardvark even rang a vague bell so he (and Koss) couldn't even have done a 'sit in and jam at a rehearsal for an hour from which myths are made of'. So, straight from the drummers mouth so to speak...

More importantly, the album in question. I have a theory (and if you don't like it, I have others!) that the true representation of what was going on re a genre at a certain time and place is not to be found in the agreed upon classics/best of the time but probably in the second and even third tier bands. Here in the crate digs will you find the most 'atypical' sounding 'prog' from that year or two....and Aardvark are it for 1970 in the UK. There is a psych hang over, a little bit of Beatle 'serious pop' and lashings of the burgeoning 'heavy' sounds here via the now and then rip roaring Hammond. The opening track says it all really. Concise and employing most of the above elements, The Nice and Atomic Rooster are probably most obviously referenced but am a fan of the keys freak out and you really don't miss a guitar, regardless of who had or hadn't been involved in the bands earlier life! Track 2 is piano led and Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll and Trinity are the touchstone. It has a jazzier/bluesier edge. Many Things To Do is a mellotron free Moody Blues with a stabby 'blues boom' solo in the middle. I assume you are getting the picture? There is nothing off putting here and if you had been told it was a library recording used as generic backing for films/tv progs/ads and so forth at the time ie sounding like what was 'happening' without having to fork out royalties. There are parts of most songs (Greencap) where a keys solo hits the spot and here a bass to the forefront passage which reminds me of an East of Eden track. They even spin out ideas to the 6min+ length...because that was what was 'happening'! 'I am not being critical, just a critic' as I think Lester Bangs once said. It is an album that doesn't get played much (OCD meticulous recording of everything played. I would get out more but there is too much music to listen to!) but has never ever come close to the 'sell on ebay' box. I still feel bad about the myth busting but let's just say this is a solid one and done (who counts 40 odd years later reunions?) and if you heard it blind (err you know what I mean) you would ask 'is this from '69/'70'. It is probably about right (current 3.44) as a 3.5 but it is not a 4 so I end up reducing the average even though I don't want to.

This Live At Coventry Cathedral performance features the cover of Ricochet, a unique rise, a crescendo symbolizing the march of a caravan through the desert, the heat, the sand; the rest of the album performed live for nearly 30 minutes.

However, there is the real version of the cathedral recording, with its 90 minutes of pure improvisation, electronic tinkering ranging from dark to spatial, sounds ejected from analog synthesizers and sequencers from a bygone era. A unique track that ebbs and flows like a singular experiment, flirting with the work of VANGELIS and the early Tangerine Dream, a unique, austere, and intimate sound that goes beyond electronic music by striking head-on with progressive rock at its peak. A beautiful tribute to a time when people took their time. Look for and listen to this real live performance while taking the blue pill.

Magic Pie, fruity, symphonic, and classical prog metal with reminiscences of Genesis, Kansas, Pink Floyd, and early Kansas.

"Opus Imperfectus Pt. 1 - The Missing Chord" epic symphonic intro, unique metallic; 4 minutes that delight in contemporary prog with Eirikur's vocals flirting with those of Martin Barre and Deep Purple. A long track stacking drawers and energetically wandering through classical territories with Erling's captivating keyboards and Kim's vibrant, melancholic guitar. A purple break followed by a surging, creative jazzy heavy rock. A finale on the nervous dream stage of Dream Theater, bewitching with keyboards and guitar at the apotheosis; excellent thanks to the Gregorian choir. "By the Smoker's Pole" for the haunting vocal and guitar combination, over a Deep Purple slow with warm organ. The rise unleashes a guitar solo like in the golden age of rock, ideal for re-declaring one's love.

"Name It to Tame It" for the conventional, over-the-top heavy metal prog, arriving midway through with a heady folk-progressive drift with a catchy riff, with its velvety, melting electro keyboard; a beautiful introduction for a hellish guitar solo, simple but effective. "Kiddo" is windy, with organ, flute, and folklore; a warm vocal, Queen-style backing vocals, an interlude leading to "Someone Else's Wannabe" with its spatial keyboard, a cinematic flight with vocals reminiscent of Styx. The keyboard takes on the futuristic style of Zio, Frost*, the Beatles, and Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers" all at once. The scorching Hammond then the burning keyboard, the progressive space like in the good old days of hard rock. "Everyday Hero" with its fat Kiss riff, an unspoken pleasure. A classy tune with vocals crafted in a rock operetta style, simple, catchy with keyboards in the background, moving away from prog. "Opus Imperfectus Pt. 2 - Maestro" closes in apotheosis with the solemn title, mid-tempo hard symphonic rock with captivating vocals. A tribute to maestro Bowie in the background.

Magic Pie, a strange piece of music, reminiscent of Deep Purple in its vocals, but unique for its wild, prog, bluesy melodies, with a modern progressive texture. Originally released on Progcensor.

Are you looking for a progressive rock revival? Do you crave something truly new or neo-progressive? Then this might not be your album. Hybris isn't about innovation; it's a beautifully crafted collage, a showcase of the best of classic '70s prog, skillfully and intelligently performed by modern musicians. It may be one of the best progressive rock albums of all time, but it's not for everyone, especially those hoping for innovation or a new direction. The only truly "different" aspect here is its origin.

Änglagård, the Swedish band behind Hybris, formed in 1991 and quickly gained attention in progressive circles with their commitment to the classic spirit of King Crimson, Genesis, Yes, and Gentle Giant. In an era when prog had faded or morphed into metal, these young musicians went against the grain and revived something that had long been considered extinct.

But it's important to remember the general context: Scandinavia in the early 1990s wasn't fertile ground for this type of music. The underground scenes were dominated by death metal, black metal, and the rise of electronic and techno music. In that climate, choosing to create long, symphonic, flute-inflected, '70s- inspired progressive rock was not only unusual, but adventurous. Änglagård didn't follow trends; they completely defied them.

The original lineup included Tord Lindman (guitar, vocals), Jonas Engdegård (guitar), Thomas Johnson (keyboards), Johan Högberg (bass), Mattias Olsson (drums), and Anna Holmgren (flute). Their sound fused mellotron-laden textures, complex time signatures, and Scandinavian melancholy to create a deeply atmospheric and complex album.

Released in late 1992, Hybris would become one of the most influential albums of the new wave of '90s progressive rock. It opens with "Jordrök" ("Earth Smoke"), the album's only entirely instrumental track. The music bears clear similarities to '70s progressive giants like Yes and King Crimson, but Änglagård also forged a unique identity, thanks in large part to Holmgren's folk-tinged flute playing and the expressive, energetic drumming of Olsson (who was only 17 at the time). There are even echoes of Stained Glass Stories, Cathedral's obscure '70s album. Keyboardist Pär Lindh makes an uncredited guest appearance on the record.

Änglagård didn't create Hybris as a tribute; they revived progressive rock with authenticity and conviction. And they weren't alone. Along with bands like Anekdoten, Landberk, and White Willow, Änglagård helped fuel the Scandinavian progressive rock revival of the 1990s, a movement that was darker, more melancholic, and often more intense than its 1970s predecessors. But Hybris stood out: more symphonic, more dynamic, and more faithful to the golden age of prog.

Hybris is a wonderful album. I think a deep analysis of the work would be redundant; it's been done thousands of times before. The important thing is that Änglagård, with this album, built a bridge between modern and classic progressive rock, offering a warm and entertaining sound that still resonates. Thanks to bands like Änglagård, Anekdoten, and The Flower Kings, we can now enjoy more recent artists like Wobbler, All Traps on Earth, and Tusmørke. Hybris revolving door that paved the way for what Scandinavian progressive rock is today.

Same year as Friends (which came out in July) this November release is definitely more pop/Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion oriented. (Pressure from the Polydor front offices?)

1. "The Golden Dawn" (3:39) an iconic song that has served as intros and signatory songs for countless shows, radio and televised, as well as often mistaken as something by artists like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Mike Oldfield, Bob James, Larry Fast/ Synergy, Patrick Moraz, Kraftwerk, Passport, Jan Hammer, Vangelis, and many more. (8.875/10)

2. "Slinky" (5:42) here we get into the Smooth Jazz territory of Bob James, The (Jazz) Crusaders, and the Laws family (esp. Hubert and Ronnie) as well as Earl Klugh. An eminently enjoyable tune whose loud horn section takes one back to Chick's great The Mad Hatter album of a couple years before (my all-time favorite Third Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion album). The spacious structure and flute-with-Fender Rhodes melody presentation are so like the concurrent work of BOB JAMES, though. There's even a little MiniMoog homage at the end to the iconic RTF album, Romantic Warrior (also from 1976). (8.875/10)

3. "Mirage" (2:11) the orchestral arrangement of this pretty little filler is quite like the sound palette Chick and Claus Ogerman will put together to support Freddie Hubbard's upcoming 1979 release, The Love Connection. (4.375/5)

4. "Drifting" (4:09) a pretty little Yacht Rock motif that serves to support (and inspire) some of Chick's wife Gayle Moran's unique vocal stylings. Interesting to hear (and distinguish) the fretless bass of Bunny Brunnel in the mix. Nice little instrumental passage with horns and Joe Farrell's flute doubling up Chick's Fender Rhodes' melody lines. But, overall, there is nothing really remarkable about this song. (Maybe it's in the lyrics--which I don't hear.) (8.75/10)

5. "Glebe St. Blues" (6:58) a very STEELY DAN-sounding sound opens this before Gayle and Joe's tenor sax join in, alternating with one another in a blues/blues-rock fashion. At the end of the day, however, there is nothing so very special about this song (which is pretty much the same that I feel about most Steely Dan songs). (13.125/15)

6. "Fickle Funk" (5:05) an upbeat, uptempo song that feels as if the iconic drumming of Steve Gadd is paving the way, but it's not! It's Tom Brechtlein! He does a fine job while Chick, Bunny, and the horn section pull off another rather excellent J-RF rendering. Truly a J-R F song that has it all--plus more carry over from The Mad Hatter and one heckuva train of flugelhorn (Allen Vizzutti), trombone, and soprano sax solos in the second half while Bunny's going wild beneath them (though, in actuality, maybe they're trying to keep up with him). (9.25/10)

7. "Bagatelle #4" (3:34) one track solely devoted to Chick's somber Slavic classical piano chord play while his own "classic"/signature MiniMoog sound eventually solos over it. A "choir" of gospel blues choir singing soon joins in to accent and bridge the two. (8.875/10)

8. "Hot News Blues" (6:18) Chick's response to Bob James' "Celebrate Me Home" song on Kenny Loggins' album of that same name--here using up-and-coming vocal star Al Jarreau to sing the lead. (Al's 1978 album release, All Fly Home, his fourth release in three years, was about to rocket him into national spotlight--with regular singing appearances on Johnny Carson and three minor hits in "Thinking About It Too," "Fly," and "All.") Despite some great performances from Bunny Brunel and a great chemistry between Chick's Fender Rhodes and Al's jazzy scat voice, Al fails to take it to the heights I was expecting. In fact, one might argue that Chick's MiniMoog and the background gospel singers might have had greater success elevating this one to expected/hoped for heights. (8.875/10)

9. "Central Park" (5:22) a rollicking song to celebrate and commemorate the energy of New York's grand Central Park, obviously on a particularly lively and bustling summer's day. This is just a great whole-band celebratory jam with horns and percussionists working their magic on full speed and high vim and vigor. There's even a chorus of exuberant celebrants appearing in the fourth minute singing joyously while Chick, Bunny, Tom, Joe, and the horn section throw their own pep and merriment into the Latin weave. Album's don't often end on such a high note! (10/10)

Total Time 42:58

Though the album often feels like Chick conforming to pressures from the Polydor "head office," the quality of songwriting is still top top notch. (This is, after all, the one and only Chick Corea, folks!) Also, we'd almost gotten used to hearing albums from Chick that had consistent, start-to-finish themes or sounds whereas Secret Agent shows Chick's ability and talent for the creation of singular, stand-alone songs expressing quite a range.

A-/4.5 stars; though this might not be the greatest representative of peak era Jazz-Rock Fusion, it is a definite representative of superbly crafted and rendered Jazz-Rock Fusion songs: a variety pack, if you will. A new team of highly skilled creatives continues to uphold the incredibly high standard of music making that Chick Corea has now commanded for nearly a decade. Highly recommended!

The burst of creativity by Neal Morse in the first years of the new milenium was phenomenal, not only was it large by quantity but he turned everything he touched into gem, be it his V and Snow albums with Spock's Beard, two fantastic Transatlantic albums and yet he scrapped enough from his creativity bottom to craft an inspired double album like this. Not surprisingly, his first progressive album sounds close to his tenure with Transatlantic for which he served as the primary composer, save for guitar licks by Stolt. Morse's first album after religious converting is very personal and more emotional than a usual prog-rock album. Hats off to Morse for creating such a delicate and sophisticated body of work and also executing many duties on his own. I like his sense of melody and passion, versatile keyboard playing and a limited but passionate vocal.

The best thing about Neal Morse that he delivered consistently excellent albums for at least next ten years (except the few pop/rock and cover albums). You should give this masterpiece a chance irrespective of your religious beliefs.

The deal is sealed: Chick Corea's Return To Forever is more than just a single album issue: it's now a band, a collective with a singular purpose: to explore the expanding and ever-elastic boundaries of the new medium that will become known as Jazz-Rock Fusion.

1. "You're Everything" (5:11) Chick's gentle, melodic electric piano musings that are joined in the second half of the first minute by Flora Purim's very traditional Ella Fitzgerald-like jazz vocals. There is a strong hint of the previous decade's most popular influx into popular music: Brasilian bossa nova--a presence that becomes more pronounced and even dominant as the song develops (with the joinder of Stanley's double bass, Airto Moreira's brushed drums, and Joe Farrell's mellifluent flute. Light and bouncy and very Latin, this song feels/seems a response to pop demands as well as to the domineering influences of Chick's Italian heritage. (9/10)

2. "Light as a Feather" (10:57) opening with a quick fade-in on a Flora Purim vocal that was already in progress usually does not bode well for the presentation of finished compositions, but the length of this with its many smooth and melodic performances overcomes any obstacle presented by recording and editing processes. The performance of now-21 year old bass prodigy Stanley Clarke displays the young artist's continuing development of his own signature sounds and styles--though more in the solos than in the sometimes stiff and rote-sounding supporting chord arpeggios. The performances are all great--so smooth and professional--even presenting some creative and spirited solos from Joe Farrell on tenor sax, as well as Stanley and Chick. Flora's Latinized vocal, however, feels not only a continuation of/carryover from the previous song and is not really missed for the nine-tenths of the song in which it is absent. (18/20) 3. "Captain Marvel" (4:53) some uptempo Latin jazz with some awesome performances from Stanley and Chick, some rather weak and uninspired wordless vocals from Flora, and some poorly recorded and mixed kit drumming from Airto (too far in the background--as if being played in a pit while being recorded by microphones hanging from 20 feet above--while Airto and Flora's hand percussion tracks are recorded as if right in your lap. (8.875/10)

4. "500 Miles High" (9:07) another great opening from the duet of Flora Purim and Chick Corea that rather quickly turns into a Jazz-Rock motif. Flora's vocal here lets me know how influential her vocal stylings were to posterity cuz I definitely hear the mirrored style of the wonderful guest vocalists present in 21st Century electronic jazz duo KOOP's wonderful music. Once the music takes off, Stanley works furiously to try to fully-arpeggiate a progression of fast- changing chords while Chick splashes his own Fender Rhodes chords around over the top before Joe Farrell's aggressive sax steps in to take the lead. In the fifth minute, then, Stanley slows down, which turns out to be a signal that he's getting ready to support and play off of Chick's own solo. The two make such a good duo; I think I could listen to just duets between the two for an entire album. Anyway, the performance demands on Stanley are considerable despite the rudimentary techniques asked of him: they're just performed at such a high speed, yet his own solo in the seventh and eighth minutes is exquisite and classy while also impressive from a skills perspective. Taken into its whole with Flora's dulcet airy soprano melodies (of some rather prosaic lyrics) this is my favorite song on the album. I can't quite grasp whether or not I love this song for its Koop-familiarity or for its own sake. Probably a little of both. (19.25/20)

5. "Children's Song" (2:47) definitely a song that is simple enough to serve as a lullaby. It's minimalistic while still being demanding of the players due to its odd time and polyrhythms. I see it more as a Chopin-like étude. (4.5/5)

6. "Spain" (9:51) a cover of Miles Davis' classic tune shows some live, in-the-studio group spirit while displaying Chick's fascination with Latinized renditions of musical standards (here opening with the jazzified rendering of Rodrigo's famous "Adagio" (the Second Movement) from his "Concierto de Ajanjuez"). Hearing Flora and Airto's effervescent vocalizations from the percussion platform add a kind of 'live' feeling to the song. Both Airto and Chick seem quite engaged while supporting Joe Farrell's light flute play. Stanley is once again hyperfocussed on holding tight to the machine gun notes he's playing in trying to arpeggiate the five-chord descending progression--even as Chick takes the next solo on his "dirty"/distorted Fender Rhodes. At the end of the eighth minute everybody kind of clears out for Stanley to perform a solo. Unfortunately, I do have to admit to one significant negative reaction I have to the song: many of the individual and collective elements of this song were (obviously) lifted/borrowed for BARRY MANILOW's 1978 hit song, "Copacabana," with which I am much more familiar with (for nearly 50 years now as opposed to only getting to know Chick's and Miles' versions for a more recent time span). So, despite the great performances and structural and melodic elements, my brain is constantly singing Barry Manilow version! (17.5/20)

Total Time 42:46

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of fairly early Jazz-Rock Fusion from a group of artists who were trying to merge together as a band but, many of whom, were still experimenting, exploring, and developing their stylistic preferences as well as their own personal interpretation of what this "fusion" thing was really about. Though it's now dated and overshadowed by the musics to come in 1973-76, this is still a collection of excellent songs and a very significant contribution to the odyssey that was the pioneering days of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

Ever the champion of his local Newark musicians, Larry forges another album with his signature adventuring on experimental sounds through keyboard synthesizers.

1. "Fuel for the Fire" (6:07) hearing this song for the first time lends itself to a theory that Larry and his collaborators had encountered the musical talents of both Urszula Dudziak (through the music of husband Michal Urbaniak's NYC- based band) and Leon Thomas (through Pharoah Sanders). I like and appreciate Linda's wordless work but she's really doing nothing very extraordinary much less innovative. Also, some really nice foundational play from the Fuel lineup feels a bit wasted on the video game synthesizer that Larry seems fixated upon (which later gets turned into some nice Fender Rhodes play). This just feels like a rather boring trip down the New Jersey Turnpike. (8.75/10) 2. "I Ching (Book of Changes)" (6:25) sounds a bit like music to a 1990s video game that was created by fusing melodies from Oriental and Classical music into cartoon-like urban funk themes. The music is at times frivolous and even laughable--like a Charlie Chan movie or an episode from Bill Cosby and The Cosby Kids--but at the same time offering some rather remarkable, high-quality fusion as well as some very high quality musicianship. (8.875/10)

3. "Turn off the Lights" (7:03) Linda Logan is back to lead us through a late night sex dungeon. Her sultry, ultra- suggestive vocal rides along a funk rhythm motif within which Larry explores keyboard sounds with an adventurousness that rivals George Clinton or Joe Zawinul (or Billy Preston). Focusing on the music there is a lot of fun sound and play coming from Larry's fingers--and Linda's vocal performance is strong and refined--quite worthy as an urban singer representing the Betty Davis School of Feminist Funk. (13.375/15)

4. "Floating" (4:12) another instrumental with a street-cruisin' funk motif that seems founded in both classical music traditions as well as the latest urban trends. I'm also once again reminded of the Black Exploitation soundtracks and early video game soundtracks as Larry's lead synthesizer sounds ready to settle into an Atari game of Pong or Space Computer. Not enough adventure and variety to warrant this as a representative of a highly creative, but that might be explained by its compositional credit going to Fuel's young guitarist, Santiago Torano. (8.6667/10)

5. "H + J = B (Hustle + Jam = Bread)" (6:17) more great urban funk from Fernando, Rob, and Santiago. This organ-based funk song sounds like a vehicle for Fuel's percussionists over which Larry continued to explore (rather mindlessly) the variety of synthetic sounds available to him on his array of synthesizers. (8.75/10)

6. "People Do Be Funny" (3:42) the third and final song with vocalist Linda Logan once again features Larry noodling around beneath Linda's urban funk vocal as if he's oblivious to the rest of the crew and the potential for more. (8.667/10)

7. "New York Electric Street Music" (8:33) more nice foundational funk music (with some nice work from drummer Santiago Torano) which feels underdeveloped and, therefore, rather wasted as its only reason for existence is to serve as a cushion and propellant Larry's rather silly vocal and keyboard work. There is some rather cool incendiary lead guitar work peppered here and there within the music (the seventh minute, in particular). (17.5/20)

Total Time 41:39

It is unfortunate that so much great funk music feels rather wasted by Larry's rather singular and selfish preoccupation with the monofocus of playing George Clinton-like synth lines over and between the rhythm section and the vocals. This results in a collection of songs that feel tremendously under-developed; this could have been so much more!

C+/three stars; a collection of well-founded funk that sadly seems grossly one-dimensional and quite underdeveloped.

Released three months after the first part, 'Automata II' completes Between the Buried and Me's two-part 2018 concept album, exploring a scenario in which dreams are broadcast for the purpose of entertainment and following one of the protagonist's dreams, a dark story that oversees a lot of personal issues expressed in the search for a lost family. This second installment sees the band completely embracing their adventurous, conceptual and atmospheric side, as 'Automata II' only features four songs, three of which work as lengthy and complex blocks of music, overshadowing perhaps the first installment of this work with the focused and aggravated approach as well as the flamboyant songwriting that sees the producing some of their most eclectic and futuristic compositions. The entire second part is a fantastic ode to everything that makes this American band special - the staggering and sometimes intimidating complexity of their music, the frantic riffing with all of the unpredictable twists and turns, the strong melodies and the unexpected mixture of seemingly incompatible genres and sounds, as well as the balancing between the clean singing and the striking harsh vocals.

Opening track 'The Proverbial Below' is a gargantuan 13-minute opus that sees a lot of fancy chord progressions à la King Crimson, which is definitely a major influence for the band. Kicking off with a muscular metallic riff, the song soon turns to a dazzling dance of time signatures and extraordinary playing, simply one of the best long pieces BTBAM have ever recorded. This is followed by 'Glide', with its two minutes of bluegrass wackiness, a nice little snippet of music that gives way to the glorious and really heavy 'Voice of Trespass', another one of the centerpieces across the two parts of the album. Some horn sections and vaudeville vignettes do make their way through, on a song that end up being incredibly diverse and enjoyable, despite all the in-your-face growls. And the closing piece is 'The Grid', with its ten minutes of epic riffing and moody shifts, it start off really harsh, but it transitions into a very atmospheric piece towards the end that closes off this half of the double album with its quiet, almost nostalgic tones. The entire double-album is fantastic and the idea of releasing it in two parts makes it more easily digestible; Still, one has to admit that 'Automata II' is the better mini-album overall.

Between the Buried and Me returned in 2018 with an interesting two-part concept album that is simultaneously melodic, intense and lavishly complex, with the first part called 'Automata I' featuring six tracks for a total length of some thirty-five minutes. The band's releases are typically quite labyrinthian and full of complex riffs, hooks and melodies, so trying to narrow things down to an EP-length release seems like a fine compromise between the intensity of the music and the digestibility of the work. For what concerns the contents of this album, 'Automata' seems to be one of the more experimental and frivolous BTBAM works, with the five-piece band exploring a variety of moods, sounds and stylistic shifts, all while staying faithful to their excellent signature blend of metalcore and progressive metal. Sacrificing none of the aggressive prog-pomp of their classic albums, 'Automata I' is sufficiently eclectic and enjoyable to be considered as one of the high points of their career.

Starting off with the killer track 'Condemned to the Gallows', we have some muscular riffs and intense growling vocals, with an interesting keyboard pattern dispersed all over. The rupturing heaviness is counterbalanced by the complexity of the track and the gorgeous clean vocal sections - we have six minutes of heavy, proggy greatness. Transitioning swiftly into the second song 'House Organ', this significantly shorter entry is really aggressive and the group's metalcore pedigree comes to the fore. Third song off the album is the manic 'Yellow Eyes' and its eight minutes of relentless technical playing and quirky writing, that sees BTBAM exploring some of their most unusual vocal melodies. Just a very strong longer piece that is followed by the moody and somewhat darker 'Millions', as we have one of the rare instance of a slower-tempo song from the American metalcore outfit. A one-minute-long instrumental leads to the closing piece titled 'Blot', a 10-minute tour de force that sees the band going back to what they do best - melodic chaos, strong melodies, angular playing and unpredictable twists, all within the ten minutes of soaring complexity. The first half of this two-part album is an excellent work that anticipates many of the glorious moments found on its complementary second half.

BELIEVE, or the latest episode in the adventures of Miroslaw Gil, features a new vocalist, as the newcomer is none other than Jinian Wilde, whom we've encountered in recent years with the David Cross Band, although many years before he was more of a dancefloor performer or DJ, in a genre that has nothing to do with progressive music.

BELIEVE is a combo stamped with a neo-prog stamp, I agree, since it has the particularity of including a violin in its ranks, and what a violin, as we'll see below, played, carried, and transfigured by the grace of SATOMI, the Japanese member of the band who also plays keyboards, a very high-level instrumentalist, now full of experience. Where MILLENIUM takes few musical risks (although their last album reincorporated a flautist/saxophonist for a better result), COLLAGE returned with a surprising and splendid album "Over and Out," so BELIEVE was expected at the turn.

And the turning point begins with the pearl of the album "Hold On" and its more than twenty-one minutes (10/10), magnificent, sumptuous, sublime, I let you choose the adjective that suits you, a timeless piece of progressive music beyond the decades, an incandescent whirlwind like there are few, I could give it an (11/10), that says it all, to take to our desert island. We already know that finding something superior will not be possible, which will not prevent us from listening to the other tracks. "Wicked Flame" can be considered the album's weakest moment, except that the weakest for Mirek GIL and his band would be the best of many others (8/10). A piece that opens with powerful guitars and violin before Jinian lays down his first words, SATOMI quickly and brilliantly filling the sonic space (as always), with the acoustic guitar joining in at 4:06, but that violin! Aargh... Mirek's devastating six-string guitar takes over most of the piece until its conclusion.

"Shadowland," the second of three tracks clocking in at over eleven minutes, features a keyboard/vocal introduction that's recitative and a bit haunting, until the guitar enters at 1:40. But the god of violin arrives at 3:19, fear not! Jinian Wilde's chanted vocals may put some off, but they fit perfectly into the track's overall melody, and since Satomi and Mirek Gil are pulling out all the stops, it's a breeze (9/10). A special and deserved note goes to Przemysław Zawadzki on bass guitar and Maciek Caputa on drums, who provide a rhythmic foundation where speed and talent are one, allowing the soloists to shine with unrivaled brilliance. Maciek also includes a welcome piano interlude at 9:30, after the woman has put down her violin...

The two shortest tracks to conclude this album are the first of the strings. "Be My Tears" first, a mid-tempo, violin and acoustic guitar carried by Przemyslaw's bass, a Polish star (!!!). Jinian's vocals are lively and clear, and as for the violin, everything has already been said... (9/10). The latest, "Shine," is only seven minutes and twenty-eight minutes long, very calm. Satomi is still present, don't worry. Jinian sings with restraint and emotion. The melodic structure is quite simple, radio-friendly without a doubt, easy to listen to. Mister Gil's six-string guitar takes off mid-track, supported by the beautiful keyboards (8/10). An easy exit to close this album, which overall reaches the heights of the progressive sphere.

An album that will enter my sixty best of all time!

What a shame this is the only official live recording Blue Effect ever released. It's a really good one, though, with some fantastic moments, recorded at a venue (Lucerna Music Bar, Prague) I really enjoy going to due to its great sound. The concert itself was in fact a celebration more than just a gig. It included many valued guests, including previous lineup singers Viktor Sodoma, Vladimir Misik, Oldrich Vesely and Lesek Semelka.

Throughout the years when Radim Hladik was de facto joined by Walk-Choc-Ice band members, there was a real musical chemistry that was slowly building up - almost to perfection. IMO, some of the live versions sounded even better than the original tracks - I only had some issues with Honza Krizek's vocals. My absolute favourites from this release are Zmoudření babím létem, Rajky and the phenomenal Ej, padá, padá rosenka, sung by Vesely and Semelka.

I remember being a regular visitor at Blue Effect's acoustic/electric concerts all over the Czech Republic, but especially in Prague, namely at Vagon, Lucerna, Balbinka or Chodovska tvrz. It was amazing standing right in front of Radim Hladik, watching him play, putting his guitar behind his head - even at his advanced age and despite his health issues.

The last concert I saw Blue Effect/Radim Hladik performing was in 2016 in Loket (a beautiful scene in a river meandre with a majestic castle on a rock above the stage) as a forerunner of Jethro Tull (!!!) Radim was very ill already, wearing his breathing apparatus, but apparetly, music was keeping him alive. Anyway, what a great concert that was, one of the best I've ever been to... and a bit later on, waiting at Balbinka, Prague, we were announced that the concert we were waiting for would be cancelled due to Hladik's health (he was taken to hospital that day and never left it...)

It's been years since Radim Hladik passed away but he lives on through his phenomenal musicianship and extraordinary talent.

Zoviet France (stylized as :$oviet:France: for this release) is a long running Industrial/Ambient group from England, various members have come and gone, the one constant being Ben Ponton. On :Garista: $F are Ben Ponton, Peter Jensen, and Robin Storey (who would later leave $F and carry on solo as Rapoon). We find our merry trio in full out hobgoblin mode for this release; no structured music here, no notion of normalcy, everything is indeterminant. Not content with just sounding like drunken heathens, this aesthete and esotericism extends even to the packaging of their releases. The original cassette release is a hand cut cloth J-card slathered in petrol or creosote. If you'd come across this while out for a walk in the woods you'd think the orcs from LOTR were about, doubly if you chose to listen to it.

The first side features a handful of short excursions, though really making distinctions is pointless I will still attempt some guidance, starting with Scrama Mdags (as far as I'm aware this and all the other song and album names don't mean anything to humans). Odd synthetic, bouncing rubber band-like electronics rollick along to scratchy, tape mucked, background howling; abruptly we cut into Mosbas, a completely unstructured mess of random sounds. Something that sounds like an effects ladened horn whispers and blares away, odd echoed banging sounds, a cheap organ blurts randomly in the background; it's all kept fairly sparse, allowing for lots of space. Vocals eventually butt in, groaning and moaning under some tape effects, sounding pitch shifted. At some point we've rolled into Mama Piss (okay I guess one song title does mean something to humans), vocals sounding like someone washing their mouth, gurgling some water. More voices join in, laughing and making random EEHHHH, AHHH, WAAHHOO and OOHHH sounds, going on far longer than I want to listen. If there was any question of how serious this group was at this point you've had that answered now.

We get our first semblance of articulate music, hobgoblins can evolve. A dirty, thunky, rubbery bass line barges in, syncing up with the treated vocals, while the rest continue to hoop and holler. We enter Nruknesh, even more unhinged treated vocal performances accompanied by bottomed out, bass heavy droning and thumping. Sounds like some tribal ritual performed next an industrial refrigerator or air conditioning unit. Caarcuraz continues the un- normalcy with some viscous, swirled electronics and voice, chanting incessantly along eeeEHHHHeeeeeEEHHHH. Layers of uncanny, deep chanting and chittery-chattery voices and chirping, cracked electronics are thrown into this tape degradation party.

The two longer 'songs' are quarantined on side two, starting with M1 M1 M1, this has no exits unlike the motorway, buckle up asshole. We're back to Mosbas, drawn out soundscaping with random bangs, treated vocal ululations, horn and organ (if that's what they are, idk I'm guessing folks). Tape hiss so loud it qualifies as a fourth participant. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same session chopped into separate parcels. This meanders on with no conclusion or goal in sight, at some point the sound drops out WHO KNOCKED OVER THE FOUR TRACK GODDAMNIT. Of course we continue on in a couple seconds unabated. The lack of progression serves towards making it sound like you're living in fairytale fantasyland, living in a mud hut clutching your sheepskin blanket while listening to a neighboring village being pillaged and razed by a band of trolls and goblins. While the gloam settles, you hope they don't fancy a long night of destruction. Eventually the track simply ends. We enter the final stretch with the longest offering Rangmabasm. Similar to Mosbas and M1 M1 M1 this session makes use of silence and space, even more so than the two aforementioned, making for an even more spaced out and nebulous listen, and plenty of silently, snakey hissing tape. Reverbed clangs of all manner of pots, pans, sticks, stones, buckets, buckets of kitchen utensils, trashcans; rubbery, stretchy electronics whump, warp, and warble heavily and loudly; forlorn callings of horns and inhuman wails from out of the tape hiss abyss. Occasionally an industrial rhythm of trashcan beating and synthetic humming will form, bottoming out in noisy cacophony before disseminating. Eventually we do settle and morph into some tribal, ritualistic groove of synth and various percussion. A dance around the firelight. It gathers and ends toward an upsurge into the abyss, I presume whatever universe this was recorded in apocalyptically ended. There is light however, we did get our first sign of human intelligence in the form of articulate words, 'he's bobogarista'! That's only one articulate word actually, but a phrase to live by nonetheless, 'he's bobogarista' cause aren't we all?

In conclusion this is perfect for whatever next church function you're attending that needs some music.

The first live album from Steven Wilson is a masterful exercise in re-interpreting boldly several of his best cuts, with the 2012 release 'Catalogue / Preserve / Amass' recorded during the European tour in promotion of the highly-acclaimed 'Grace for Drowning'. The single-disc live set features songs from both of Wilson's first two solo albums, with a particular highlight on the aforementioned 2011 double album, songs from which occupy five of the seven slots of the setlist. Alongside the then-former Porcupine Tree leader we find longtime collaborators Adam Holzman and Nick Beggs, together with drummer Marco Minnemann, woodwinds player Theo Travis, known from his work with Soft Machine and The Tangent, and experience guitar player Aziz Ibrahim, whom some might recognize from the H Band fronted by Steven Hogarth of Marillion. An all-around impressive lineup of musicians tackling a complex and demanding setlist, replete with classic Steven Wilson compositions, all part of his early and most experimental period, with lots of "fusion outbreaks" and improvisation going on around.

In the opening notes we hear the Bass Communion piece 'Citadel' playing in the background, over which Marco Minnemann swiftly builds a choppy rhythm that gives way to 'No Twilight within the Courts of the Sun', an 11-minute piece that sees the six-piece band setting up a fiery performance that approaches a sonic cavalcade at its loudest. Originally from the album 'Insurgentes', this live interpretation really brings out all the wicked qualities of this blooming and experimental piece. Next up on the setlist is the ghastly 'Index', as the live playthrough delivers that gloomy and claustrophobic feel in a dazzling way - there is a vivacity to this recording that one might not always get from the studio version. 'Deform to Form a Star' is the third track on the album, a beautiful performance that mostly stays faithful to the album version. The instrumental 'Sectarian' is an interesting entry here; this 7-minute piece allows the band to really "let themselves loose", the performance is manic and explosive, followed by the cathartic 'No Part of Me', with the live version expanding upon the melodramatic feel of the original recording. 'Veneno Para Las Hadas' from 'Insurgentes' also appears on this excellent live album, which is concluded with the centerpiece of 'Grace for Drowning', the 24-minute psychedelic fusion opus 'Raider II'. An outstanding performance of this closing piece, absolutely masterful, precise and breathtaking, and a grandiose finale to an otherwise-perfect set.

This live album from Steven Wilson might seem slightly overlooked, but it is a fantastic recording that shows the unmatched force that is his live band - every single nuance of this gorgeous album is perceptible and enjoyable, and every single minute of the album is an enriching sonic journey, making 'Catalogue / Preserve / Amass' one of the true masterpieces of Wilson's career.

Kindred souls who first met through Ian Carr's Nucleus project gatherings (Belladonna) finally get a chance to collaborate.

1. "Golden Lakes" (4:45) both gents show a marvelous ability to express in gorgeous melodies--in tandem and separately--and then to return to them occasionally thus keeping the listener tethered to the song. And this is from piano and electrified acoustic guitar! (The main melody does, however, sound familiar.) (9/10)

2. "Stop Fiddlin'" (2:53) a song of bluesy piano-sounding electric piano. (8.5/10)

3. "The Things You See" (4:29) beautiful Fender Rhodes and electric guitar interplay that remind me of BOZ SCAGGS' "Harbor Lights." 50-seconds in we are spliced into a completely different track on which Gordon is playing acoustic piano in a kind of Chick Corea/George Gershwin style while Allan scurries around on an acoustic-sounding electric guitar. At 2:45 the music then splices back to the opening instrumental sound palette with someone playing a "fretless"-sounding bass line (methinks it Gordon's Fender Rhodes). I love these acoustic duets the most--wish they would stay away from the electric stuff (and stay away from the bluesy, N'orleans sounds and stylings). (9.33333/10)

4. "Diminished Responsability" (8:14) fast Chick Corea-Al Di Meola-like acoustic piano and acoustic guitar playing off one another à la the song "Romantic Warrior" if sped up and/or juxtaposed with something more classical in origin-- not unlike something that John McLaughlin would do were he paired up with pianist wife Katia Labèque while on his steel-stringed acoustic guitar. Allan's guitar sounds so Stanley Jordan like in his solo voce section whereas Gordon's piano sound and styling sounds like a very serious, classically-oriented Chick Corea. (13.375/15)

5. "She's Lookin', I'm Cookin'" (11:54) despite the continous "wandering" feel of this one--where the piano and acoustic guitar continuously feel as if they are feeling each other out, trying to figure out whether to dance or run--the beauty of this "get to know me" conversation is reminiscent of some of John McLaughlin's most tender "conversations" with other musicians (and himself). At the end of the fifth minute Gordon switches to electric piano kind of freeing Allan to explore his own inner ruminations and inspirations. Gordon gets to do some of the same with his right hand on the piano in the second half of the song--over the course of both of the main motifs employed by the songwriters. I just don't like it when Allan goes to warp speed or when Gordon moves into his blues-based chord and phrasings. Otherwise, this is a great, beautiful, enjoyable song. (23/25)

6. "At The Edge" (3:15) I specifically looked this one up because I saw that Allan sings on it. (I LOVED his voice and vocal stylings on the 1969 'Igginbottom album.) This one-man song reminds me of both 'Igginbottom's lone album and the softer parts of "Nevermore" and "Mental Medication" from the debut UK album. (9.25/10)

7. "Up Country" (4:15) almost some stride New Orleans-style piano. Allan plays more reactively than in a planned, composed fashion--though two separate tracks mirroring each other illustrates some rehearsal and planning pretty well. (8.75/10)

Total time 39:45

I have to admit that Allan Holdsworth's unique and sometimes abrasive melody choices become much more tolerable and even enjoyable and, believe it or not, soothing when delivered from an acoustic guitar. The electric guitar sound that he discovered in 1977 that became his "iconic" signature sound (until he discovered the SynthAxe and other guitar synthesizers) is well and good but sometimes setting him so far apart from the other instruments (and musicians) in a song that you really do feel as if the man is just a visitor from another planet or another dimension. The acoustic guitar humanizes him.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of more traditional acoustic blues and jazz duet play between two amazing virtuosos.

Recorded at Caribou Ranch, Neder Land, Colorado in June of 1976 for August 20 release by Columbia Records.

A1. "Sweet Revenge" (6:04) definitely a hard-rock-oriented tune with a five chord repeating power motif within which Tony and keyboardist Alan Pasqua fly around while Allan and bassist Tony Newton hold down the fort until the 1:35 mark when the musicians shift into a spacious funk groove that is led by Tony Newton's bass line and Tony Williams' steady straight-time drumming while Alan and Allan add little of their spice to the mix. By the three-minute mark Allan is back to providing the five power chords while Tony Newton remains fixed to the funk bass lines as band leader Tony and the keyboardist begin to add their spicey flourishes and riffs. Guitar gets some solo licks in during the sixth minute but really nothing more: it never becomes a song for solo set ups; the musicians are each responsible for working their own creative ideas over and above the mainline they are each charged with. Very interesting! Once again "Jazz Drummer" Tony Williams surprises me with his firm rock orientation and commitment. (9/10)

A2. "You Did It To Me" (3:50) is this where DEVO got the ideas for their hit "Whip it"? Tony Newton's vocals (multiplied with some tracks effected with heavier reverb) is rockin' funky R&B in a kind of Jazz-Rock AVERAGE WHITE BAND form and sound. (The uncredited horn section leads me to surmise that all of those extraordinary horn lines can be attributed to keyboard genius Alan Pasqua and his familiarity with the very latest of keyboard technologies--perhaps the Yamaha CS-80 or ARP Omni or even Mellotron.) Though Jack Nitzsche is listed as contributor of arrangements, not artist/musician/or group is ever credited, which makes the employment of a horn section suspect. Rated up for the extraordinary work of Alan Pasqua. (8.875/10)

A3. "Million Dollar Legs" (6:36) using JIMMY CATOR BUNCH's bass line from "Troglodyte," Billy Preston's "Outa Space"- style clavinet, plus some gorgeous ARP strings, more keyboard-generated horns, Disco drumming, and horn-like lead guitar work from Allan gives you this interesting . By this time, the third song in line, I am coming to feel that band- leader Tony Williams had a very diverse and comprehensive plan for this album, for these musicians--a plan for which his enlisted musicians would have to be fully-attentive to. (9.125/10)

A4. "Joy Filled Summer" (5:51) the melodic offerings of this song almost make it guilty of sliding into the realm of Smooth Jazz (especially with Tony's anchoring it all in his souped-up Disco drumming) but there is just too much nuance and complexity going on here to ever call this "Smooth"--and too much rock infusion to call it "Jazz"--and yet, Jazz-Rock Fusion it is in all it's perfect if decadent glory. (SO sad to see/hear J-RF go this route.) At the end of the fourth minute the band deigns it possible (and perhaps permissible) to clear out for some Holdsworth pyrotechnics but it's short-lived as the other three exceptional musicians all are suddenly flooding the pool with their own extraordinary offerings: all at the same time! Amazing! I mean, musically this isn't that enjoyable, but instrumentally it's quite a show! (9/10) B1. "Lady Jade" (3:59) gentle Fender Rhodes and, later, ARP Strings and Moog synth from Alan P. that sound as if they could be coming from or BRIAN JACKSON or JOE SAMPLE (or Richard Clayderman!): it's like an overture or intro to something much bigger, much more grandiose. With this song I've finally begun to understand how and why Allan Holdsworth treasured his two year stint with Tony Williams as the most formative and transformational of his lifetime: the music here is so creative, the ideas so fresh and boundary-pushing (and eclectic). While the end results, as polished and incredibly-well-executed as they are, may not be to everybody's liking, they are, each and every one, displays of extraordinarily complex, extraordinarily difficult pieces to play. What an adventure! What an apprenticeship for any musician! As a matter of fact, I would go so far to say that any musician who is hired, mentored, and then launched out into the world after being part of a Tony Williams project has been given the finest "finishing school"--or, better yet: "graduate school"--experience available on the planet. (9.25/10)

B2. "What You Do To Me" (7:06) beautiful and melodic "smooth" Alan Pasqua-decorated funk with deceptively hard to play music in which each of the band members has to keep devoutly disciplined as well as ego-lessly focused in order to add their own idiosyncratically-generated "more" on top. The execution of this song reminds me of the stories that Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis tell of Prince's demands of them during band practice/rehearsals for THE TIME: always adding more to what he wanted from his musicians: dexterity, syncopation, polyphony, harmony with and over the melodies, but then movement (dance moves), looks and facial expressions and other theatricals, vocals, costuming, attitude, etc. The point is: by asking/expecting more from his musicians (multi-tasking), Prince was able to help his musicians grow: to help them realize that they are capable of so much more than they themselves ever thought themselves possible. I imagine that this is exactly how Tony Williams made his collaborators feel: as if they were helped to re-imagine themselves as much better, much bigger, much more capable musicians (and humans) than they had ever imagined of themselves. (13.875/15)

B3. "Inspirations Of Love" (9:48) Opening with a rather bombastic full band "orchestrated" motif that feels like an opening overture or intro to a Broadway musical, but then after 90 seconds everybody just kind of quits: going on a walkabout as Tony Newton and Alan Pasqua wander off into a stunned space-filling spacey space filler with spacious bass notes and swirling Rainer Brüninghaus-like waves of piano runs that feels like part Pharoah Sanders, part space interlude. At 3:45 the full band/orchestra chords signal the entry into a new motif (reminding me of The Soft Machine's "Hazard Profile") which then turns into a funk-rock Mahavishnu--like vehicle for some stellar new-era Allan Holdsworth soloing until Tony asks for a clear-out in the sixth minute to make room for a beautiful and impressive (for being so incredibly smooth) extended drum solo, the echoing cavernous tom-tom play extending well into the eighth and ninth minutes even as Alan Pasqua's Chick-Corea-like waves of piano runs begin to rejoin and fill part of the field. At 8:20 Tony Newton's big bombastic bass re-enters and leads the band into an "orchestrated" outro that feels like a bookend match to the song's rockin' Broadway musical opening. An unusual song that feels like a response to some of the more symphonic and proggy pieces of recent Lenny White, Chick Corea, and Return To Forever albums (Venusian Summer, Leprechaun, and Romantic Warrior, respectively). I found this particular song so surprising, so wildly unexpected yet so uncommonly creative and mystifyingly enjoyable (for the cinematic and melodramatic journey it takes one one) that I found myself listening to it over and over for several hours before I finally felt that I could finally get a grasp on it. One of the best musical listening experiences I've had in a long time. (20/20)

Total time: 43:14

The technical and keyboard wizardry of Alan Pasqua really comes shining through for me throughout this album. Tony's drumming are dependably flawless and Allan Holdsworth guitar playing feels very restrained and constrained while Tony Newton's contributions feel spot on top-notch quality for whatever Tony Williams is asking of him (which is considerable--but which the 15+ years Motown/James-Jamerson-trained bass player is well prepped and suited), but, in my opinion, it's really the keyboardist's album to show off on despite the exceedingly high demands Tony has placed on his band mates. As for my assessment on Tony's performances and accomplishment: I am awed at his ability to play at multiple levels of technical prowess: playing flawlessly on the timing front while spicing things up with his endlessly-creative flourishes and embellishments that wow and impress without taking anything away from the rest of the song or his collaborators. To listen to six songs over 43 minutes in which not a second is wasted, not a second is "coasting" or moving along rotely, without having to work, not a second goes buy without the listener being able to find a "resting" place for any of the musicians, this is such a rare feat in the world of music that I have endless respect and admiration for this album.

A/five stars; a purely unique masterpiece of incredibly well-rendered and well-played performances of intensely- creative and highly-sophisticated musical ideas unlike any other album from Jazz-Rock Fusion's "peak era" that I've heard. For those listeners and critics of this album who fail to see its redeeming qualities--the way it stands up to either the standards set or the expectations provided by Tony's previous albums (or Allan Holdsworth's future potential), I will stand up mano à mano to them and task them with one single proposition that should serve to settle any dispute as to whether or not this album is great: I want you to show me that you can play one minute of any part of any of these musicians' parts in any one of the songs on this album. If you can do that without flaws or overdubs, then and only then will I let you get away with trashing this album as a "sub-par" sellout illustrating the crumble and demise of the Jazz-Rock Fusion movement. Instead, I choose to hold this album up as one of the most remarkable peaks and apogees of the entire Jazz-Rock Fusion scene.

POWER OF OMENS are led by vocalist Chris Salinas, and this four piece is from Texas. They formed in 1994 and this is their debut from 1998. They would release one more album in 2002 before calling it a day. That is when vocalist Chris Salinas joined ZERO HOUR, another similar band with the focus on complexity and emotive vocals. And it was when I heard "Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond" by ZERO HOUR with this new singer Chris Salinas that I had to track down POWER OF OMENS his previous band. This guy can sing!

It's hard to believe I reviewed PoO's second release "Rooms Of Anguish" over 18 years ago on here. It took many more years before I found their debut that I'm reviewing today called "Eyes Of The Oracle". Both of their albums are massive at over 72 minutes each. Chris has a voice that is like a cross between Geoff Tate and Ray Adler. "Perfect Symmetry" isn't a bad reference actually crossed with "Specs Of Pictures Burnt Beyond".

Chris would sing on one more ZERO HOUR release called "Dark Deceiver" which might be his best vocal performance on an album. I find "Eyes Of The Oracle" to be a fascinating listen because I don't hear a lot of guitar solos, and the drums seem to be doing their own thing most of the time. The bass kills on here. By the way the album was dedicated to the drummer's father who had recently passed. We do get some keyboards but the dominant sound is the voice of Chris Salinas. They do mix it up with some mellow pieces and even a Spanish vibe on the closer. But man they can get heavy and complex. There is a huge 20 minute track called "Test Of Wills" on here.

I do prefer the followup "Rooms Of Anguish" but I have to go 4 stars here despite it's length and the over-use of Chris' voice.

I bought this album back in 1996 and I didn't like it and there's little chance I'll like it now. While I did shortly buy Seen One Earth a little later, I didn't find it too bad. With Speed of Light, it was clear Peter Bardens was taking the success of "in Dreams" from the previous album and running off with it. That means letting Neil Lockwood sing on most of the songs, while he only sang on "In Dreams" on the previous album and the rest was largely instrumental. Seen One Earth sound exactly the kind of 1980s music I couldn't stand, this coming from someone born in 1972 and should love so much of the 1980s, like others my age, but I don't (synth pop and hair metal being some of the worst offenders). Cheesy digital synthesizers everywhere (including the Yamaha DX-7), cheesy drum machines (although Mick Fleetwood does appear on "Whisper in the Wind"), dated digital production. I remembered how from 1984 until sometime after 1992 it seemed like every recording was digital and it was rare to hear anything analog. Bardens fell in that trap hook, line and sinker. A lot of the music was trying to imitate the sound of Pink Floyd circa A Momentary Lapse of Reason, even Lockwood sang like David Gilmour. But it was done in this cheesy pop/New Age style. I always felt the worst offender was "This Could Be Paradise" (Bardens named his studio Paradise Studios, which this, and Seen One Earth were recorded, and I'm sure his solo albums after, although I was never in a rush to explore his solo career past this). Some cheesy pop/New Age hybrid, but those Brazilian a-go go bells never stop throughout the whole song. I'd rather hear it in actual Brazilian music or during Brazilian Carnival. "Westward Ho!" actually isn't all that bad, a rather nice instrumental piece, despite that '80s sound that makes me usually cringe, but that's the only decent song on the album. But what was up with that digital sax sound (likely from the DX-7) used throughout this album? I know he did use a little on Seen One Earth, but it's all over this album. I'm sure if he hired a real sax player, the sax player would likely go all Kenny G. all over us, and that's not what I'd want to hear (too many '80s recordings using sax gives me this nauseous Kenny G. vibe to it, even if it were a tenor sax, rather than a soprano sax that Kenny G. was known for). So, I guess a synth emulation of one is more tolerable than hiring a Kenny G. soundalike. "Whisper in the Wind" is another one of that pop-type numbers sounding like something perfect for a movie from this time period. I hardly hear any prog, where on Seen One Earth I do still hear a bit of prog. If you have to hear late '80s Pete Barden, go for Seen One Earth, it won't change your world, but it didn't leave me nauseous. The 80s sound and production are a bit more tolerable. Give Speed of a Light a pass.

In the timeline of Ruins, this is perhaps, in relative terms, one of the most accessible albums. However still very firmly in the aggressive and jarring avant-garde realm! Vocals are more scatty than simply screaming, and there is a tight complex feel to the instrumentation rather than just throwing a drum kit down a flight of stairs. Tracks like Skhanddraviza and Mennevuogth showcase this very well, and Wanzhemvergg shows a much more rhythmical and melodic side as it goes on. There also interesting medleys of Iron Maiden and Mahavishnu Orchestra tracks. The duo are accomplished musicians, they just enjoy being chaotic!

It is incredible to experience how moving and introspective electronic music can be - digging through the archival works of the late Edgar Froese, Thorsten Quaeschning, Hoshiko Yamane, and Paul Frick, or the trio comprising the currently-active incarnation of Tangerine Dream, had refined various pieces found sufficiently intriguing both for the musicians and for the listeners (as they might have imagined), and had crafted a stunning seven-piece studio work that dazzlingly reminisces the cosmic explorations of some of the German band's finest classic albums. Of course, the compositions ultimately remain original, with the three experienced musicians giving the archival tapes a refreshing contemporary spin, unsurprisingly placing Tangerine Dream among the most innovative and forward-thinking electronic music acts, well into the 21st century.

The sweeping electric violins and the floaty synth loops and soundscapes introduce lush, expansive and often sublime sonic "paintings", with the band daring to experiment within that well-recognizable framework of many of their previous albums. The influence of IDM and downtempo can be appreciated within the shorter pieces on here, while the two longer suites ('In 256 Zeichen' and the title track 'Raum') evoke the brilliant construction of sounds and nuances, as heard on some of Tangerine Dream's most novel 70s releases. The production and the arrangements on here are simply excellent, with the trio provoking their audience with an audacious album that only outwardly resembles some already-familiar works - in reality, this album seems to be the natural step forward from 'Quantum Gate', with its novel soundscapes and contemporary motifs, it is everything that one might desire from a rejuvenated Tangerine Dream. Pieces like 'Continuum', 'You're Always On Time' and 'What You Should Know About Endings', alongside the longer suites, are undoubtedly colossal, and the entire 'Raum' album is a daring addition to the massive Tangerine Dream catalog.

2.5/5, rounded off to 3.

This isn't a bad album, but I just can't get into it. There are some good songs here, but not all of them are of a consistent quality. Safe as Milk is a better record, overall, but this still deserves to be heard by those who like Beefheart.

One of the biggest complaints about this album is the added effects by Bob Kraznow, so the album sounds more like many of the mainstream psychedelic rock records, with effects like reverb. Some of these effects are alright, but at the same time, they feel very out of place. Captain Beefheart's music is known to be raw and in-your-face, with heavy resemblance to old Blues songs, which were only accompanied by a single guitar, most of the time. While the Captain and his band include many instruments, their music often mirrors that rawness of the Blues. Because of the edits done to Strictly Personal, it feels off. This is possibly why the Captain later disavowed that remixing.

One of the weaker records by Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, Strictly Personal is not essential, but still, there are some pretty amazing songs in there, so maybe don't miss out if you're a fan.

"Solitaire" prog intro, acoustic on the rippling guitar, suave vocals; a text on the desire to live outside of the current world. Evolving music in a captivating "Inspector Gadget" mode. The sensual, intense guitar once again demonstrates its sharp playing with Florent's expressive drums; a Pain Of Salvation feel for the melancholic finale. "Jekyll" continues with Stéphane's catchy piano, an intimate piece, "if I were president", the contribution of Élise's choir mirroring and the heavy explosion. The velvety keyboard, everything is in phase on this shivering beat. " (Obviously) I surrender" with its proven groove, reverberating, flickering guitar, Élise giving the answer to JPL on a defeatist, intimate air in which the fruity and energetic solo comes to give a little hope. "Man is a wild animal" for prog metal, as fierce as the animal side that inhabits us; a hard tune reminiscent of the 80s French bands flooding the airwaves, like Trust on the soft side, Thin Lizzy for this polyrhythmic ballad moment, a true indictment against accessing today's most repressed desires; the Radiohead-esque finale is excellent.

"Puzzle" begins, recalling the touch of Knopfler, then the tune moves into a playful episode combining choral vocals with raging guitar, devastating with its rhythmic, dissonant melodic variation. Pure beauty with the solemn, contemplative outro. "Les fantômes" returns with a tortured heavy sound where electric guitar is the mainstay, like Michael Schenker. A good, greasy 80s sound, slightly nostalgic, with Élise still too much in the background and Jean- Baptiste in ecstasy. "Postscriptum" is the apotheosis, or how to make a vulgar French rock band look like a prog band, even in postscriptum! Rock, blistering blues, a steady then frenetic rhythm, a time-honored organ and the riff behind it. A few wanderings and the tune picks up steam with the final keyboard, simple, warm, almost electronic, inviting you to relax without getting carried away.

Jean Pierre Louveton has released a French gem where the lyrics blend more easily with the melodies, the female vocal contribution bringing the sound to refined melodic moments. Originally released on Progcensor.

CELLULOID was the one man project of American Chuck Minuto. He managed to release two studio albums in the early 80's before calling it a day. CELLULOID is often mentioned when the topic of mellotron in music is brought up. He owned an M400 mellotron, and while he shows on the credits for this his debut that he also uses a computer, that is misleading. A computer in 1982? Anyways, in reality he rented a synclavier which was all the rage during the first half of the 80's with many artists checking it out and using it their music like Frank Zappa and Laurie Anderson for examples.

Chuck was 17 years old when he recorded this record and it really feels like amateur-hour to me. There is almost nothing for me to latch onto here. The mellotron choirs very late on Part I and that's it. Most of the time I find the sounds he is producing to be really annoying. And that Part I is broken down into three sections and there's actually no mellotron at all on the first movement called "The Formation Of Space, land And Sea". This is the synclavier in action folks. And he will generate sounds like strings, brass, organ and really almost whatever he wanted to make. Although hovering atmosphere seems to be the dominant theme on this record.

His second and final release called "Neptune" is a true mellotron album as he had run out of funds to rent the synclavier again. In fact even the pressing of that album was cheaped-out on. As for his debut "Mercury" I found it to be really lacking in almost every way possible. In fact he sings and speaks on Part II and it's painful to listen to. To each their own but 2 stars is all I got for this one. A big disappointment. I am impressed with one thing though, and that's that he thanked Edgar Froese in the liner notes.

BBC Sessions+ is a stand alone release of disc 5 in The Wumme Years box set, which also included remastered versions of Faust, Faust So Far, The Faust Tapes and 71 Minutes of... . It's an excellent selection of odds and ends from Faust's classic early 70s line up, but it's also difficult to rate.

The first half is a sessions that was broadcast by John Peel on BBC Radio 1 in 1973, and although there are three distinct pieces it is indexed as a single track on my copy. The Lurcher is an otherwise unavailable 8 minute instrumental slice of early 70s Faust that meanders according to its own internal logic, starting with saxophone blowing over a lazy beat and slowly morphing and mutating until Krautrock kicks in at around the 8 minute mark. This isn't radically different to the version on Faust IV, although the individual instruments are more clearly audible. The BBC session closes with an alternate and slightly extended version of Stretch Out Time from The Faust Tapes.

The second half gathers together a few otherwise unavailable fragments from Faust's early years, along with a couple of pieces that had previously surfaced on Munic & Elsewhere, The Last LP Party 9 is very much of a piece with other Faust instrumentals of the era, while 360 is a tape collage Faust at their most experimental. Party 10 would have slotted nicely onto The Faust Tapes, and then we're into the the heavily treated drums and percussion of Party 1. This leads into We Are The Hallo Men, and then we get alternate versions of So Far and Meer.

The BBC Session is superb, and justifies owning this album on its own. Prospective buyers should be aware that the session was also issued as part of a bonus disc with some Faust IV reissues, although Bob Drake's remastering gives this much better sound quality. The remainder of the album is a kind of supplement to 71 Minutes Of... , and overall you get a pretty good overview of Faust's world in the early 1970s. If you see it at a bargain price it's not a bad introduction to Faust's early years, but you would be better starting with Faust and working forward from there. 3 stars.

Ever since the inclusion of Gavin Harrison as the band's drummer (about a decade ago), The Pineapple Thief have been releasing stellar albums exploring the beauty in subtlety and fragility, as their music has come to define a diligently melancholic trend in progressive rock, always with that delightful art-rock edge, brought along by the great songwriting capabilities of Bruce Soord, and his frail, soothing and shyly narrative vocal delivery, akin to the singing voice of Steven Wilson, a musician close enough to The Pineapple Thief. This latest phase of theirs has seen them release the near-perfect sorrowful excursion that is 'Your Wilderness', the tense and melodic masterwork 'Dissolution' as well as the shaky and experimental 'Versions of the Truth' and the compilation of re-recorded tracks called 'Give It Back'. Within this block of work, 'It Leads to This' from 2024 sits as a further solidification of that recognizable PT sound - nostalgic and tranquil, with the feel of gentle desperation lost amongst the ghostly chords of the subtle verses, this latest album feels like an exercise in precision and self-affirmation.

Recorded by the four-piece band including Soord and Harrison, the primary songwriters and the people responsible for the sound, structure, direction and production of 'It Leads to This', we also have the talented bassist Jon Sykes, who does a great job overall, providing smooth grooves and palpable depth to many of the songs on here, together with keyboard player Steve Kitch, with his minimal and unobtrusive "interventions" with the keys, he is the man responsible for the caressing and at times even haunting atmosphere of the album, definitely occupying a Floydian position within the band at the moment. Unlike the last few albums, this release brings along an ostensible heaviness, which might remind some of 'Your Wilderness', an album similar in spirit and structure, and in-between the roaring riffs and the mathematical drum parts, the listener shall try to breathe in the nuanced moodiness of The Pineapple Thief, as expressed in great songs like 'Rubicon', 'The Frost', 'All That's Left', 'Now It's Yours' as well as the title track - a back-to-front great collection of songs that further solidify the band's status as the kings of art rock melancholy.

Birthing by Swans is a fantastic possible end to the band's longer format releases. For the past 13 years, they have released mammoth double albums, full of lengthy psychedelic compositions fully exploring their sound and composition ability and this is a great culmination of all of them, with spell binding production from band leader Michael Gira. While it is not the strongest out of this series as it does meander at times, it is fantastic in its own right, showing off a wide range of colors and textures, going from apocalyptic crashes to the most serene of moments. Genre wise it showcases the bands brilliant mix of post rock and metal with elements of experimebtal psychedelic rock, anti folk and industrial moments that harken back to their early no wave days. I'd give this a low 8 out of 10.

Review Nº 898

Jussi Pekka Pohjola was a Finnish multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer that was born in Helsinki. Despite he is best known as a bass player, Pohjola was also a classically trained pianist and violinist. Pohjola belonged to one of the most prominent musical families in Finland. Pohjola is, without any doubt, one of the greatest electric bass players in Europe. He studied classical piano and violin at the Sibelius Academy, in Helsinki, all the while allowing his natural instincts to lead him to a career in rock'n'roll. He rose to fame as the bass player of the Finnish progressive rock band Wigwam, but he soon departed on a solo career, initially releasing Frank Zappa influenced progressive rock albums. As his career progressed Pohjola developed a more novel musical style that could best be described as fusion jazz style.

After leaving Wigwam, Pekka did a lot of studio work and played in some other bands. In 1977 Pekka formed The Group, recording their eponymous debut album in the same year. But most important, Pekka recorded his first solo studio album "Pihkasilma Kaarnakorva" in 1972 during his Wigwam days, his second "Harakka Bialoipokku", internationally known as "B The Magpie" in 1974 and the third one, "Keesojen Lehto", internationally known as "The Mathematician's Air Display2" in 1977. Pekkas fourth solo album, "Visitation", which was released in 1979, was a big critical success.

So, "Visitation" is the fourth studio album of Pekka Pohjola and was released in 1979. Besides Pekka Pohjola (grand piano and bass), "Visitation" had also the participation of Seppo Tyni (guitar), Olli Ahvenlahti (electric and grand piano and bass), Pekka Poyry (saxophone and soprano saxophone solo), Juhani Aaltonen, Eero Koivistoinen and Teemu Salminen (saxophones), Tom Bildo (tuba and trombone), Markku Johansson (trumpets), Aale Lindgren (oboe), Vesa Aaltonen (drums and percussion), Esko Rosnell (percussion) and even also the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra (woodwinds and strings), all as guest artists.

The music of his most successful album, "Visitation", was a major step forward for Pohjola, the first major pinnacle that all the early albums led up to. It has come to represent the standard of Finnish music to a foreign audience with its portentous sound and fantasy themes. However, it equally strikes for its variety of moods and styles. Still operating essentially in the melodic jazz rock mode, yet driven by many other new influences, he pulled together the best of his compositional skills surpassing anything he had done up to this point. There are stronger classical elements, more use of dissonance, dynamic shifts and general stylistic adventurism. "Visitation" is the best place to start getting familiar.

"Strange Awakening" opens with an elegant piano playing and a restrained clanging of cymbals building an enigmatic atmosphere. Starting from a motivated piano tune, Pohjola erects a truly breathtaking fusion structure, where there's a place for both his melodious bass passages and a massive polyphonic bombardment. The atmosphere changes in the second song "Vapour Trails". It's a lively and fast tempo jazz-rock song that brings Tyn's electric guitar, who paints the playing space with speedy and extremely precise solos, and maestro Peyri, who polishes the rhythmic foundation with no less sophisticated passages. On "Image Of A Passing Smile" the instrumentation expands even further in the song as the woodwinds and cellos of the orchestra are brought in. The first half of the song, which contains very beautiful melodies, is mostly acoustic, except for Pohjola's bass guitar, while the second half is more energetic. "Dancing In The Dark" is a hit progressive fusion with some funk elements. It's perhaps the most playful part of the album, where Tyn's electric guitar gets plenty of space and Pohjola's bass lines are delicious to hear. The trumpet solo by Johansson adds to the scope of the album's soloist spectrum. With only three minutes long, "The Sighting" starts lightly, but quickly grows into a more dynamic performance, which once again features the album's entire saxophone quartet. There's a new instrument, Lindgren's beautifully played oboe. The album ends with a great orchestral piece, "Try To Remember". It begins humbly like a hymn and slowly grows bigger. The orchestra plays in addition to the woodwinds. The entire string section is included in the orchestra. The woodwinds sound beautifully, especially in the beginning of the song.

Conclusion: "Visitation" is only 32 minutes long but it's an amazing album that is almost perfect that doesn't contain idle time. The musicality on it is simply superb. Here we have music that could be described as symphonic jazz rock and its bold and majestic sound is quite unique. Pekka was an amazing musician as a composer and performer. He was able to build something that is really very difficult to do in music, which is to join the complexity to the beauty of the melody. Besides, he was an amazing bassist and multi-instrumentalist. I love the interplay between the bass and the guitar. The album also has an amazing rhythm section. Besides that, the orchestration and the use of the brass section, strings and woodwinds are simply amazing. All of this made "Visitation" a terrific ambitious album, almost unique.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

A sublime evolution from neo-prog past

This is cool! Laviantica is a veteran band from Rome active for over three decades now. While they have roots and influences deep in the past glories of those old neo-prog bands, they have done a remarkable job of moving that ball forward into a fresh and modern progressive rock that doesn't feel at all dated.

And as an added bonus, this is a fully instrumental album that is engaging as hell. Not for a second will you miss some dude blathering personal opinions on geopolitics or spinning a yarn about another plate-mailed knight heading into battle in the realm of Norvelle. Instead, this album is a dream for fans of melodic instrumental rock, with all players having more-than-adequate space to evolve idea after idea.

Despite the lack of vocals, there actually is a story told in the CD/LP booklet. The Experience is a "concept album telling the journey of Galbat, an imaginary entity coming from an immaterial space, who decides to explore our physical world." What I loved so much about this 40-minute instrumental journey is simply how genuinely effective they were at being compelling without a singer. The music and melodies themselves pull you right in and affect you emotionally.

Well-constructed keyboard and guitar passages are everywhere, while the only real "substitute" for a vocal is the frequent use of the flute. While Laviantica does not sound particularly like Mike Oldfield or Camel, the experience is similar. A very lovely and almost soothing melodic ride that carries you away, not unlike The Snow Goose or Ommadawn but definitely sounding more current if you will. Spain's Gotic is actually an even closer reference with the ample flute and punchier rhythm section, but, again, Laviantica sounding 2018 and not 1978.

There is so much going on here from symphonic to RPI to updated neo-prog to even folk and jazz-fusion elements. The 12-minute opener of "The Journey" followed by the 8-minute "Breathing Flower" is a one-two punch that should lock you in as a fan. Adventurous, flawless performance, but really it is the spaciousness and color of their songwriting palette that make this one of 2018's finest. I'm surprised it is not more widely known.

While "Winged Life" sounds less than the work of two very different writers than the first 2 SHEARWATER albums, finally folds in JONATHAN MEIBURG's ornithological muses, and begins to mess around with (experiment is a bit too complimentary a term at this juncture) the longer form, it's still shockingly timid and lethargic. Luckily, it's a bit more indie pop oriented, with "My Good Deed", the JONATHAN RICHMAN-like "The Convert", and "A Makeover" reflecting back some of that OKKERVIL RIVER sunshine in an appropriately more laid back format. As for Meiburg himself, he seems to be marking time here, stealing for what would become the Island Arc trilogy, and he is otherwise incognito, which makes only half a good album. I was expecting a bit more, but unfortunately this falls somewhere between "The Dissolving Room" and "Everybody Makes MIstakes" in quality and memorability, rarely taking flight, hence 2.5 stars, rounded down.

Better than many

This album is wonderful, it's one of the best albums I've heard in many, many years. Unfortunately, the band didn't make it big and only managed to release another album in 1989 and then a reunion, and that was it ? as happened with so many other bands.

Yezda Urfa is an American band formed in 1973, whose name comes from the ancient Russian-Ottoman language, without a clear meaning. The band released a self-made, handmade album in 1975, Boris, and The Sacred Baboon in 1976, but it was only published in 1989.

The band its an a strong mix of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Gentle Giant, and some Yes and Genesis, all mixed together. Without a doubt, Boris is their best album little-known and obviously underappreciated. People who have been able to discover Boris may realize that they are in front of a classic, one of those albums that come out every once in a while.

If you want to listen to great music, take a look here this is one of the great records in prog history.

— First review of this album —

When I see a bassist fronting an album, I tend to get emotionally invested, as there is no lingering doubt that the low-end monster can be a major source of inspiration. Antoine Fafard has carved out quite the career and reputation, having been part of Quebec-based band Spaced Out and eventually branching out into a solo career that is running strong. Antoine is a sensational technician but also plays with penetrating emotional intensity, elevating his craft to the highest levels of bass domination. He has also mastered electric guitar as well as keyboards. His previous offering "Perpetual Mutations" last year was a stunning collaboration with the legendary drummer Gavin Harrison, who needs zero introduction. So much for letters of noblesse! On this new album, Gary Husband takes over the percussive chores with his usual impeccable flair, while longtime Fafard collaborator JP Zanella displays his brassy saxophone whenever a composition needs a 'voice'. Ten prime tracks are offered and here are the highlights:

From the humongous opening barrage justly named "The Fifth Damnation", the Zanella sax duels with Fafard's blistering axe work, a highly lubricated, no holds barred rampage that seeks to percolate the senses into a heady brew. Somewhat more reflective is his bass work on the ever escalating "Mount Improbable" which dares to add some spectacular Spanish guitar to the ascending climb into the rarified air. Combine this with an equally Latin flavoured saxophone blast and you get the message, let us not omit to mention Husband percussing like a madman.

The bass guitar stream on "Flow" is extremely technical, a dexterous ramble that defies proper description, certainly closer to a torrent than a pastoral brook, the drum work highly stimulating as the impossible lead guitar does some Holdsworthian spirals that are otherworldly. More brassy reflections add to the stimulus. Contrast that with the sedate "Quadrivium" , a jazzier mood piece that features a geometric bass solo that stamps the crimson wax on the qualifications for bass greatness. Hints of Percy Jones and the great Jaco, but Fafard is definitely in a league of his own. Zanella provides the impetus to accelerate briefly into turbo charged fury, before gearing down into cruise control.

The intricate tingling onset of "Moebius Loop" intoxicates with surrealistic textures, deeply burgeoning variations, steeped in experimental jazz exploration. A mid-section platform guitar platform winks at vintage Summers-Fripp realms, where criss-crossing riffs are sliced open by sheer saxophone frenzy. Once again needing to be reiterated, Gary Husband displays both flawless stick technique and maverick inspiration on his kit. Divergence is now a necessity and the acoustic shuffle on "Paraorbital Vision" works like a charm, deflecting towards energetic encounters with trembling notes, Fafard's guitar doing scorching damage, while Zanella seeks to soothe the burn.

The general style is heavy jazz-rock fusion, so any Mahavishnu Orchestra influence should be par for the course, as "Flying Ocean" and "Transmuted Reality" showcase both sonic extremes made legendary by that combo. The elaborate acoustic guitar sections will definitely remind one of the classic jazz-rock pioneers (John and Al), the brass parts adding the needed "voice".

Right away or "Tout de Suite" in French, is the longest track here , clocking in over 8 minutes+ and as befits an epic composition, the pace is first set into motion and will evolve according to the trio's inspiration. What is remarkable about this production is that all three musicians have overtly equal playing time, no one hogging the spotlight, so that indulgence is never an issue. Locked in, inspired and focused. Yes, it is definitely challenging and demanding, though never coming across as a showing-off display of chopzilla. Having witnessed live a world class bassist who drew booing and insults for his pedantic performance, full of ego and utter fluff, I surely recognize egotistical tendencies. There are absolutely none here. In fact, Fafard's talent on guitars is surely worth the price of admission, as I have rarely encountered such a phenomenon, going from 4 to 6 strings with such audacious brilliance.

A contemplative finale, "De Natura Deorum" perfectly encompasses the previous set-list as it explores all the attributes that this trio possesses in spades (as well, as diamonds, clubs and hearts). When the urge to be sonically stimulated by an awe-inspiring crew comes along, this release will come as a blessing without any camouflage or window dressing. Just plain old fashioned blow out of the highest order.

4,.5 square globes

Before the masterful 'War of Being', English band TesseracT did 'Sonder', a 2018 studio album by the prog metal innovators that is deeply moving, incredibly technical and impressively subtle in its execution. To date their shorter work, this record kind of works as a transitional release between two slightly different phases of theirs - their boastful progressive aggression, as depicted by the band's latest offering, and their more melancholic, experimental and occasionally atmospheric past works, meaning that 'Sonder' encapsulates qualities from both of these "realities" of the band, making it incredibly lavish, diverse, hard-hitting and joyful to experience with its thirty-six minutes' worth of music.

The songs appearing on the album are rather straightforward yet sufficiently complex and engaging, exploring laboriously the techniques and dynamics of djent, which is a sub-genre the band has been associated with since their early days. The music can get rather intense and emotive, with vocalist Daniel Tompkins delivering one of his most expansive and illustrious performances, supported by the brilliantly dense web of guitar, bass and drum patterns, acute and punctual, subtle and well-calculated, there is an aspect of perfection to the music of TesseracT, and this album does a perfect job in exemplifying just how immersive this style of prog metal can be once entwined into the webs of masterful songwriting. Its shorter length allows 'Sonder' to feel really cohesive, focused and collaborative, as every single element of the various songs fits the overall idea and the grandiose feel of suspense that is creeping around the very fabric of the musical landscapes here, often in the form of fascinating ambient textures. The band alternates between heavy passages, majestic technicality and melodic, almost electronic washes of sound, which are elevated by the overall accessibility of this album, through excellent tracks like 'King', 'Juno', 'Mirror Image' and 'Smile', just perfect examples of the group's collective strengths. Entries like 'Orbital' and 'The Arrow' have an interesting, spacey and almost complementary role to the rest of the heavier pieces, giving the album sufficient depth and utility. Excruciatingly excellent work of art from a talented young band!

The first time that the monicker Damn the Machine came my way was when I was reading a live report at the Greek Metal Hammer from Dream Theater and Damn the Machine were supporting them. The author ended his review about them with the urge to "check them out!". Back then, there was no streaming services nor any of my friends had the album to give it a listen and the band passed out from my memory for many years. Until one day, I don't know how, I had a digital version of the album in my computer, I thought I should give it chance just to see what this was all about and the result was me browsing the discogs platform to get my copy. I finally made it and I have listened to it tens of times and counting and here are my thoughts on this album.

First things first, the band was founded by the well-known guitarist Chris Poland (most known by his tenure in Megadeth which also made me wonder how could a guy with a metal background form a band that could support Dream Theater. Little did I know) and the vocalist/guitarist David Judson Clemmons. The line-up is rounded up by Poland's brother Mark on the drums and David Randi on the bass. The music is mainly heavy, but that's the tip of the iceberg. Surely, it goes in the progressive territory with the numerous time changes, the odd meters and the mind-boggling theme alternations. Many a time I am in awe of the creativity and imagination that permeated the band. This is surely not your every-day metal! The only flaw of the album is that in some songs I am in total bliss, I want to have more and suddenly the song comes to an end. This is quite the opposite when some other, mostly modern, progressive metal bands tend to extend a song beyond its natural life just to prolong it enough to make a track as the prog metal rules dictate since in their mind it is "the longer, the proggier". Anyway, I got over this and now I focus on the A-class songwriting, as I have already mentioned, the warm sound of the guitar, be it distorted, clean or the tastefully placed acoustic guitars, the amazing bass-lines, the intelligent drumming. After all these listens I can't find any flaw. That makes me feel angry with myself since the band went totally unnoticed at the time and they had to disband and I am equally to be blamed along with almost all other metal fans. Then again, it takes some musical background to fully appreciate this music and more than that the band couldn't have much luck at a time when the grunge was at its peak. Whatever the reasons, the band has printed once again the album on vinyl so it's never too late to get the recognition they deserve. I will end my thoughts by using exactly the same words as the editor back in 1993: check them out!

I gave it much thought whether I should dub it as a masterpiece of progressive metal music or as an excellent addition to any prog metal music collection and the only reason that hold me back for the first was the doubts I had was that it didn't make an impact like, say, Operation:Mindcrime" from Queensryche. But, to my ears, it goes by in a flash, I never get bored of it and it doesn't fail to captivate me. So, there you are. After all, the most important is not to miss out on this awesome music, if you are a prog metal fan.

A Long Climb to Nowhere

The Ladder and Magnification are arguably Yes' most turbulent albums?not because of their musical content, but because of the circumstances surrounding their creation and release.

Magnification was originally set to be released on September 11, 2001. The tragic events of that day forced a delay and cast a long shadow over its reception. But The Ladder, released two years earlier, faced its own tragic chapter: the sudden death of its producer, Bruce Fairbairn.

In late 1998, Yes regrouped in Vancouver to write new material. For the first time in years, they returned to collaborative songwriting, abandoning solo contributions in favor of building songs together from fragments and ideas. This period also marked keyboardist Igor Khoroshev's full-time integration into the band.

The title The Ladder was inspired by a 1966 artwork by Yoko Ono, famously seen by John Lennon?a ladder leading up to a magnifying glass that revealed the word "YES." It's a fitting metaphor for an album that aims for something affirming and meaningful but ultimately falls short.

Bruce Fairbairn played an unusually hands-on role. He attended rehearsals, helped select material, and brought renewed energy to the sessions. It was his idea to return to analog textures he convinced Chris Squire to use his classic Rickenbacker bass again, giving the recordings a familiar Yes flavor. Steve Howe would later describe him as one of the most cooperative producers he had ever worked with.

Then, on May 17, 1999, during the final stages of mixing, Fairbairn died suddenly of a heart attack. Known for his punctuality, concerns were raised when he failed to show up to the studio. His passing left the band stunned and cast a somber tone over the completion of the album. The final track, "Nine Voices," was dedicated to him.

Musically, The Ladder is an improvement over the dismal Open Your Eyes, which had somehow sold well despite its lack of inspiration. Structurally, the album is more coherent, and the title track?a 9-minute highlight is genuinely beautiful, easily one of Yes' best songs in years.

But the rest of the album doesn't hold up. Much of it feels lightweight and uninspired. "New Language" tries to recreate the energy of earlier epics and fares slightly better, but still pales in comparison to the band's classic material. "The Messenger," a tribute to Bob Marley, completely misses the mark. Rather than channeling Marley's spirit, it feels like a genre experiment gone wrong.

Overall, the album feels like a contractual obligation. With 11 tracks running just over an hour, there's very little that truly sticks. Most of these songs would never have made it onto an album during the band's prime years.

The production lets the album down. Whether Fairbairn managed to complete the mix before his death or someone else stepped in, the result is cold and overprocessed. Steve Howe's guitar sounds metallic and unnatural, Alan White's drums are buried and lifeless, and the bass is oddly bright and disconnected from the rest of the mix Igor Khoroshev is the only one who stands out, as his good taste is evident in the analog sounds he uses, especially in the titled track. The whole thing feels flat and sterile?lacking the warmth and dynamism that defined Yes in their peak era.

The Ladder could have been something meaningful. The band was working well together, the energy in the studio was reportedly good, and there was a clear attempt to recapture the old magic. But the tragic loss of their producer, the uneven songwriting, and the uninspired production turned the album into something that never quite takes off.

Roger Dean's cover art nods to the band's classic era, but the music within doesn't live up to the promise. In the end, The Ladder isn't a triumphant climb upward?it's a weary ascent to nowhere.

What we have here is the three disc 2CD and Blu-ray version which has been released to coincide with the album's 50th anniversary and features the original album mix remastered by Ben Wiseman, along with 5.1 surround sound and stereo mixes by Stephen W Tayler and five bonus tracks drawn from rare singles and the album sessions and also includes an illustrated booklet with essay. The music, composed by Andrew Latimer and Peter Bardens, inspired by Paul Gallico's novella 'The Snow Goose', also features The London Symphony Orchestra with arrangements by David Bedford, and I find it difficult to believe there is any proghead who does not have this album in their collection. It is the album I have played more than any other ? according to LastFM the second most popular album in my collection is Anthony Phillips' 'Private Parts & Pieces X ? Soiree' at 980 songs played, but 'Music Inspired by the Snow Goose' is over 2,000. There is something about this instrumental album (there are a few wordless vocals only) which is mesmerising, with the band somehow conjuring images in my mind every time I listen to it. I have never read the novella as I am concerned it may impact my enjoyment on the album, but the band decided to record a concept album based on a book, with each of them bringing one in for discussion, and after a half-hearted attempt at Herman Hesse's 'Siddartha' (check out Outside In's 'Karmatrain' to uncover their wonderful use of that) they instead turned to this.

I can listen to this on repeat, and often have, while it is the perfect album to drift away to at night. I don't listen to it every week, but I am sure there are few months in the year when it does not hit my player at some point. I still much prefer the original to the 2013 re-recording, and to my jaded ears the remix doesn't really add a great deal, just means I get to press play and then can hear the album through twice with some bonus tracks in the middle, two of which are single versions of songs on the album. The combination of Bedford's orchestration, the layered guitars, banks of keyboards plus a highly sympathetic rhythm section means this is an album which I simply cannot get enough of. Compare this release to any of their others, like "Breathless", and it is almost like a totally different band yet Andy Latimer, Peter Bardens, and Andy Ward were on both. I find it indescribable, yet can say it is full of beauty which captures me each and every time I play it, and when I put it on it has to be played from the beginning to the end as anything else is sacrilege.

If, somehow, you have missed out on this truly magical experience then this expanded release is the time to resolve a huge musical oversight.

Letters to the moon

Seattle's progressive scene is well known for its high level bands like Wah Wah, Exit Wound, Spacebag, Panther Attack!, Bone Cave Ballet, and The Autumn Electric. Though not as famous as the city's grunge scene, these bands are highly regarded in progressive circles.

Remember Echolyn when they were good more experimental, before going bourgeois? Well, this band is somewhat similar to that version of Echolyn. They're also quite original, with an eclectic style that ranges from Gentle Giant to Fates Warning and Dream Theater but with a vintage flavor, all in a single song. That's how wide a spectrum this great band can reach.

Moon Letters presents its third full-length after its 2019 debut Until They Feel the Sun and 2022's Thank You for the Future. Now Dark Earth is the latest work from this great band, and it's their darkest to date? yet also their most complex, with outstanding instrumental passages and moments of heightened virtuosity. The band works incredibly well together here; they sound tighter and more mature. The album is tremendously entertaining and well executed. The truth is, I had a great time listening to it. 4.5 out of 5.

XANADU were a talented five piece band from Poland who managed to release two studio albums in the first half of the 10's. "Follow The Instinct" is the second one from 2014. And while there was only one lineup change after their 2011 debut, it's a big one as they bring in a new singer. The debut "The Last Sunrise" sounded just like RIVERSIDE to a fault. Still, what an album! The singer sounded just like Duda as did the music. More of a Prog Metal album really. The new singer has a voice that surprisingly sounds like Nick Barrett from PENDRAGON, so you can imagine the change in the sound right there from that debut.

I didn't think of RIVERSIDE once despite the heavy and atmospheric sound that we get in spades on here. This is for sure more of a Heavy Prog record. We get nine tracks worth around 50 minutes. The album opens and closes with these short 2 plus minute atmospheric pieces with repetitive guitar lines. I have a top four but I have to mention the second track and how surprising it was to hear the singer for the first time. Where did Duda go? Haha! The next song "Escape" is a top four. Just a nice heavy sound to this one. Love the synths here and throughout the way they create so much atmosphere. This theme is contrasted with the more laid back sections with vocals and emotion.

"More" and the next two songs round out my top four. So much depth of sound with "More" and it's mid paced with reserved vocals. Again so much atmosphere. Check out that dirty little guitar line that comes out of that. "Violent Dream(Pt.2)" is my favourite and this one is heavy and rhythmic. Check it out after 1 1/2 minutes. Inventive stuff here and later at 4 1/2 minutes. What a song! "Chaos" rounds out my favourites. Again it's heavy and catchy and mid paced. This one does get intense. Some powerful music on here.

I really connected with this album. I'm such a huge fan of their sound and feel that both of their records need to be heard. I do prefer this one though for being more original sounding.