LIVE AT NEARFEST

Finally, a full live album from Prog-festival favorites IZZ. This is one band that really needs to be experienced live on stage. The music comes to life with stellar musicianship and wickedly fun band interaction. This live album gives us much of the best of IZZ as well, culling tunes from Sliver of a Sun, I Move and My River Flows.

We are treated to an unreleased intro piece, Swallow Our Pride. Late Night Salvation, last years song of the year, in my book, is a dymanic tune featuring the amazing and underated Paul Bremner's brilliant guitar work and a drum duet that was a show stopper at Cal-Prog '05. Greg Dimiceli and Brian Coralian drum clinic would make any percussion enthusiast salivate. Coming Like Light is another tune that shows the band stretching out with quick piano flourishes segueing into mad guitar driven breaks and lovely female vocals before the thrill ride ends. Two of IZZ' most intricate instrumentals close out the disc, Star Evil Gnoma Su (Rats Live Among Us) shifts, twists and spins throughout, while Mists of Dalriada takes you on a Celtic romp with Brems' blistering fretboard runs leading the way. The only tune missing for me, is Crossfire, which is always a standout live song.

This band continues to grow as performers. The vocals have grow and become more solid to the overall production. The Galgano brothers are both fine singers and top notch at their respective instruments, even changing places at times.

If you haven't seen IZZ, you are missing out. Live At Nearfest is a worthy warm-up for the live show.

This band deserves far more exposure. This live album culls some of the best songs from their studio albums (and even one upcoming?) and infuses them with great energy and vision. Highly enjoyable! My favorite is Late Night Salvation, although I admit that I was expecting the drum solo section to be expanded a bit from the studio album. But that doesn't take anything away from a great album. Just a great performance all around. Highly recommended.

This is a fantastic live set from IZZ - taken from NearFest in 2007, it contains some of the best tracks from their three studio albums. In particular, the band breathes new life into the songs from the Sliver of a Sun album, Assurance and Where I Belong, such that the versions of these songs far exceed that of the studio originals. The sound quality is terrific and the band plays tight and focused. This disc serves as a wonderful introduction to the band for those who are looking to check them out, and is of course well worth it for existing fans. An excellent addition to one's prog collection, this band has never failed to disappoint and their future is quite bright.

For sure this band needs a live album and this one is a great representation of what you get with them. Professionally recorded at Nearfest 2007 Izz were the opening band of the two day fest. This set is a 45 minute dynamo with some of their signature pieces. I am sure many in the crowd were left breathless after this set. How many bands would start their set with a new song? These guys and gals know what to do. Then move into on of their most robust songs in volume and depth the title track to their last studio album My River Flows. I am sure the crowd is awake at this point. Then they drop back to their 1998 initial CD Silver of a Sun for Assurance. This is a great song and sets the stage for the next two Coming Like Light the first of two epics off of I Move then into Late Night Salvation the hands down best song off My River Flows with Paul Bremmers unforgettable lead guitar and brilliant vocals from Tom Galgano and Laura Meade. Then back to Sliver of a Sun for Where I Belong before ending with the other epic off of I Move Star Evil Gnome Su and finally an encore of The Mists of Dalridaia. This is great stuff but for me this is way to short but maybe this year at Calprog they get an 1 and a quarter hour so maybe their will be another one coming.

However if anyone is looking to get a great sampler of the bands selections and the quality is fantastic. This was a stellar performance by a band more people should be paying attention too. 4 Stars.

Izz sound is definitly a grower. I had heard their second studio album (2002´s I Move) and I remember not liking it. Too many modern references for my taste (you know, Radiohead, Coldplay and the like...). However, even then I found this american group to be far more adventurous, skillful and, yes, progressive, than those bands. I thought that their live album would be a little more energetic and less slick than their studio counterparts, and I was right. Even if the style here is not what I call my favorite type of progressive music, it is still quite impressive anyway. The obvious King Crimson influence on some parts and the cool jazzy elements were quite a surprise for me. Their live perfomance is spotless and their instrumental precision is amazing.

I was wondering why they were labeled as symphonic rock and not crossover, but listening to this CD with atention you´ll find that they are indeed quite symphonic and the music is far more complex than I initially thought it was. Their elaborated and varied compositions (specially on the CD´s second half) are really excellent and hints even a few Yes-like passages, with very fine keys and several Chris Squire-ish bass runs. I loved the exquisite keyboards timbres, the brilliant guitar passages and the sophisticated vocals (the two girl backing vocals are very good!)

The album was very well recorded and produced. Highlights? Try the 12 minute Late Night Salvation and the cool Where I Belong, but Live at Nearfest has no weak tracks. They are a real tight band.

Conclusion: very interesting and original sounds. If you want to hear something new in the prog field, this album might give you some pleasant moments. RAting: something between 4 and 4.5 stars. A band to watch for!

Sitting In This Asylum ... I Need Assurance Now

'Live At Nearfest' presents an excellent IZZ performance from the year 2007. Firstly, let me assure that they belong to my favourite bands over hell of a long time. Founded by Galgano brothers Tom and John they are of an exceptional singularity, thus I often come back to them, especially when I'm in a pleasant mood. I like their convenient combination of trickiness and warm-hearted harmonies - additionally the (polyphonic) vocals are a special trademark. Musicianship is wide-ranged, John Galgano for example handles bass, guitar and keyboards, and they have two drummers respectively percussionists aboard, who complement each other.

Won't claim that this is something like a best of collection exactly, but the compilation surely makes it big, sounds rounded due to a perpetual shift back and forth between charming and propulsive moments. They start with Swallow Our Pride - a testimonial, which made it on the next coming album 'The Darkened Room' then. My River Flows is somewhat exceptional while given with two guitars involved, speaking of Paul Bremner and John Galgano perfectly complementing on this very dynamic song. Now the operating temperature is achieved in a minimum of time.

The symphonic Assurance shows them hanging back then with charming moments at first, but - not really surprising - in between the horses break into a gallop of course. Wonderful vocals and sparkling piano lines are the attraction on where the studio version of Late Night Salvation seems to be better as for my impression - eh ... sorry ... if at all I'm talking about nuances here, you should know. I still find this an exceptional feature included - just take care of the female vocals and the drum solo performed by both percussionists.

The atmospheric Where I Belong is showcasing Anmarie Byrnes and Laura Meade in front - and then Star Evil Gnoma Su follows as their showpiece per se. Every time I listen, I'm still impressed about the virtuosity - a masterpiece of progressive rock indeed. The live version even seems to work slightly better. Chapeau! Funny - after years I finally realized, that the song title is a (simple) pun. This live album is a perfect introduction to the IZZ world, if you still are not familiar. Furthermore you shouldn't miss their studio output.