CROSSOVER PROG

— First review of this album —

Sophisticated, smart neo-soul jazz-pop from NYC. Like hearing KOOP 20 years after the fact: Koop 2.022! (I love the band's own descriptor of "kaleidoscopic sense of time and texture"!) A big shout out to Progzilla's Epileptic Gibbon for making me aware of these amazing artists and their stunningly beautiful album!

1. "Cicadas" (5:08) strings--multiple tracks filtered through delay and echo and then woven together. So cool! (And so Jean-Luc Ponty like!) Synth pop keys and drums join in as do dreamy horns, vocalize and bass. When Hannah Selin begins to sing with verbal articulation at 2:10 her breathy ingenue voice comes in with such a sexy innocence. Totally reminiscent of 2001 KOOP with the vocal talents of the great contributions of chanteuses Cecilia Stalin Yakumi Nagano. What a refreshing, incredible start! (9/10)

2. "Bear" (1:53) opening as a very folkie tune reminding me of both HANDS OF THE HERON and A FORMAL HORSE, the music soon expands to become a more happy-go-lucky pop song with some jazzy nuances. (5/5)

3. "Dreamhouse" (5:46) a song whose complex rhythms only gain in sophistication and complexity as the song goes. Absolutely brilliant! What a great vocal performance. My favorite song on an album of great songs. (10/10)

4. "At Play" (4:05) representing more of the pure torch singing jazz vocalist, beautiful music/accompaniment certainly helps. The creative Burt Bacharach-like contributions of the horn section really change things; this is not the song I was expecting to unfold from those opening bars. I am very much reminded of the compositional skills and creativity of Philadelphia band iNFiNiEN as I listen to this. (9.5/10)

5. "Makeup" (4:16) a very pleasant jazz torch song. Hannah's breathy voice is so perfect set against the piano-based spacious jazz instrumental accompaniment. (8.875/10)

6. "Ocean's Children" (4:41) this one reminds me of JULIA HOLTER. Such creative genius coming from this vocalist! Another song that benefits so much from the horns, solid rhythm section and wobbly Herbie Hancock-like Fender Rhodes. (9.25/10)

7. "Tides" (4:42) the plodding rhythm line is a bit confusing, but then Hannah's DIANA KRALL-like vocal performance starts and I'm in a totally different universe. (What rhythm line?) I love the way the band/horns swell with the end of Hannah's vocal lines! Absolutely brilliant! Then there's a dramatic switch to a new jazzier blues motif at the three- minute mark, but things seem to settle back a bit for the final minute. (9.25/10)

8. "Prove to You" (4:44) despite Hannah's rock-like core vocal performance, I have to admit that the contribution of the Xanthoria (string) Quartet here is incredible--especially around that gorgeous chorus. (9.25/10)

9. "City Lights" (3:53) on this song Hannah's vocal performance is "hidden" somewhat within/behind the horns and piano. A pretty song, it doesn't quite live up to the amazing effectiveness of the others. (8.75/10)

Lead vocalist Hannah Selin's voice (and the effects the band & engineers have chosen to soak it with) reminds of the singers the Swedish duo calling themselves KOOP used on their 2003 album Waltz for Koop--though more Yakumi Nagano than Cecilia Stalin, though, in actual fact, more like a blend of the two. Gadadu's music is similar, as well, but much more sophisticated.

For as much as this band has excelled at eclectically gathering and blending from pop, jazz, folk, fusion, and avant garde musical traditions, I feel as this is the first album on which the band has most adventurously and confidently expressed their own musical style(s)--as if they have finally begun to express musics of the future more than syntheses of the past.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion and definitely a wonderful addition to any prog lover's music collection.

I saw two other PA users review Stereolab albums so I decided to review one of my favorites by this art pop six-piece.

This is where all those consolidated sounds and styles in Stereolab's earlier albums suddenly splintered, separated and were given their own space (they hinted at it in Mars Audiac Quintet, but here it sounds charged). They still approach each song with the heavy hand of a rock sensibility (as opposed to their later smoother electro-jazzy- groovy-esoteric stuff), and cram it with experimental and inventive arrangements. A grab bag of unpolished gems. Equal parts orchestral pop, proto-punk, moog rock and funk, without actually adhering to any prefab formula. Yet to a lot of people in a lot of ways, it's the only Stereolab LP where you don't have to develop a whole new philosophy about the structure of popular music in order to appreciate it. But your parameters are challenged and broadened anyway. Take "Spark Plug", a funky number with meat, its groove offset by the robotic chant "auto production / auto organization". Or the buzzing Suicide pulse of "OLV 26", given a melodic warmth. Or the odd rhythm coupled with a Steve Reich-like vibraphone trance in "Tomorrow is Already Here". Like I said, it's heavy-handed. This ain't EZ listening. Even forays into schmaltz like "Monstre Sucre" have a weighted off-kilter quality. While tunes like "Metronomic Underground" and "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" are so catchy, so instantaneously addictive, you'd never guess they were built around riffs lifted from Yoko Ono songs. Everyone should own this, even to see just how influential they were. Subversive in its intelligent sense of fun.

4.5

Most of this CD is great, reminds me very much of the better works the band Yes put out in the 90's which isn`t surprising since three (that I know of) members have worked with Yes in the past.

The big concern for me wasn't about what the music was going to sound like as I expected it to be great, more so I was concerned what the vocals will sound like would they attempt to try and clone the Jon Andersons style (I hoped not) They only sound like Anderson a bit in the harmony vocals, but the lead voice is more like a mixture of Rabin and Anderson in its application with a slight Peter Gabriel sound to his voice (hard to explain what I mean you need to hear it)

There's the odd "throw away" song that to me wasn`t adding to the rest of the collection of well written pieces "INFORMATION OVERLOAD" went over my head I`m afraid .. but the rest of the CD is well played well executed prog rock which sounds very experienced yet fresh and not too overly ambitious. I especially liked "Look inside" and 'Brotherhood of Man".

This is not the Next "Close To The Edge" but it certainly is a pleasant surprise 4.0

(Originally written in 2022)

It seems like I am starting to make a trend of sorts where I review albums with a very similar sound, Yoshimi, Long Season, and now Dots and Loops. A trifecta of sorts of more dreamy psych rock with mixes of experimentation it's sort of funny to review three albums from three of the biggest continents, America, Europe, and Asia. Kinda unique how things manage to work out like that. Anyways, I was recommended to check this album out, so thanks.

So, about Stereolab. They are an English French band formed in the 90s with Tim Gane (Guitar, keyboards), and Lætitia Sadier (lead vocals, keyboard, guitar, percussion), both of whom were involved in the 80s pop group, McCarthy. Members throughout the band's history would come and go, some of which were from bands before, sort of and sort of not making Stereolab a supergroup. The band is considered to be one of the early post-rock bands, mostly from the first wave of post-rock, before the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and modern-day Swans took the world by storm. They, Slint, Talk Talk, and Cul De Sac are considered to be forefathers in post-rock in a way, and while I could argue bands like Faust or Neu (or any krautrock group in general if you really think about it), generally speaking, the late 80s through early 90s is when post-rock was born, and bands like Stereolab are rather popular in small internet circles for this reason alone. However, do I like this record? Yeah, but not entirely.

The album begins with Brakhage, and this is when we have to get familiar with this sound right from the get-go, because the entire album is very closely similar to this one song. It is very easy to listen to, and when I say that I do not mean it's bad, I just say that in general, it is probably one of the most pop-sounding post songs to be conceived. The guitars are lush, the vocals are smooth, and the general vibe of this song is very soft and fuzzy. You can feel that this song is meant to be comfortable in a good way. It is relaxing, never too complex, and very easy to settle into. Not a bad start to the album, though I wish they did experiment a bit more.

Miss Modular, the next track on the album, is sort of the same. It is very easy to listen to and get a hang of, and while I like the song, this shows one of the faults this album has. Every song here doesn't change all that much, they do add new elements to slightly spice things up, but they never experiment with their sound. Each song feels the same, with no new emotions or thoughts and feelings, almost cookie-cutter-like. It feels weird to never see this, especially for an album that is very artsy and is considered one of the early examples of a genre that loves to bend and experiment with each passing song. I cannot say I entirely dislike it. I feel like they knew what they wanted to achieve, and with that, they have achieved their main goal of creating a very easy listening experience, so I do applaud them for that, however, their main goal should have a little more weight. It frustrates me to hear talent not being utilized to create something that could bend and shape rock or pop music, but instead never actually try to be unique or different.

This is an example of the 17-minute long song, Refractions in the Plastic Pulse. When I think of 17-minute songs I think of some big names that are very experimental, very groundbreaking, or very sonically enriched. Stuff like In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly or Ocean Cloud by Marillion comes to mind in which both songs try new stuff throughout, experimenting with the band's sounds to create a new sonic experience like never before in music. That is why I generally call 15+ minute songs epics because they break the mold, they try new things that previous songs might've not had the chance to do before in the album. Here with this song though it all just continues what the album did before, the only difference is that it has elongated itself into the double digits. Due to this reason, I felt immensely disappointed with this one track. It feels almost cheap to not have a long song that has at least some kind of new sound or something along those notes. It is clear they still can create good music with songs before and after this, with Diagonals being my favorite example with it adding horns to the mix. If this track did stuff like that and tried new things more often then I would say it's a great track, but as it stands it doesn't stand well in the face of so many other long tracks.

The rest of the album is again still very solid. Lush and harmonic sounds galore here. However, I have to say I find it odd this album is so popular with its very apparent and needless flaws. Quite frankly, the reception garnered feels undeserved. I do not hate this album, but it doesn't do much for me to love it. I'd say skip this one since for the first wave of post-rock there are much better, much more ground molding and much more diverse albums out there than this one.

— First review of this album —

3.5 stars. STEREOLAB have an interesting sound where we get this stew of percussions, drums, fake beats, electronic beats, bass, and intricate guitar. It's enough to make you dizzy, but then the female vocals come in which are warm and soothing. She will sing words, but she will also add a lot of wordless vocals as well. The music is uplifting, positive and catchy.

This Ep is a nice companion to their 2004 album "Margerine Eclipse", with them sounding very similar since they were from the same sessions. Underneath the information about who engineered it and mixed it etc. it says "Mary, thinking about you." Former band member Mary Hansen had only very recently passed. This Ep is over 20 minutes and five tracks. And my description in the opening of this review applies to these songs as well.

I do like "Microclimate" for the way sounds echo at the start. It's just a little different early on before the beats take over with vocals. A lot of electronics early on during "Mass Riff" but we have at least two themes being contrasted. A driving track that is the longest at 6 1/2 minutes. "Good Is Me" is an interesting mid-paced tune with contrasting themes. Bass, synths and guitar standout on this one.

This Ep along with a second Ep form the bonus disc for the recent re-issue of "Margeine Eclipse". And it's such a great package as it gives us everything associated with the "Margenine Eclipse" sessions.

Unambiguously the best Supertamp record along with/after Breakfast In America. A lot of real progressive masterpieces can be found here. The opener 'School', 'Hide In Your Shell', the epic 'Rudy', 'If Everyone Was Listening', especially the closing 'Crime Of The Century' are among the best pieces of progressive music ever. The album's two most accessible tracks, 'Bloody Well Right' and 'Dreamer' are somewhat less inspiring in musical terms but it doesn't deduct from the quality of this record.

Supertramp's brand of prog rock always tended towards the slicker, more commercial, less idiosyncratic end of the pool, akin to post-Dark Side Pink Floyd, or the Alan Parsons Project, or Kayak. I don't think this is a bad thing by any means- but I think it means that Supertramp does better commercially in a progressive pop mold than when they're trying to do more ambitious prog stuff. The best songs on this album (Bloody Well Right, Dreamer) are, probably not coincidentally, the poppiest; and the most forgotten about(Hide in Your Shell, Rudy) are the most ambitious: big sweeping structurally ambitious mini-suites which come across to some as dull mid-tempo ballads at heart. 4.0

There are bands that seem tied to the destiny of the land that gave them birth, and just as human beings can detach themselves from their family and achieve their own flight, only to then, over the years, involuntarily return to their genesis, Pez, the band of Ariel Minimal and friends, follows the winding paths of Argentina, changing, contradictory, sometimes of great quality and complexity... and others that are better forgotten. Not in vain, their most recent albums have not been reviewed here. But on this occasion we are talking about the first great album, where all the influences finally converged in a work with an author's signature. Although Quemado (1996) and Fragilinvencible (2000) already had progressive elements, airs of King Crimson along with touches of Astor Piazzolla (the great maestro who revolutionized and changed tango forever), it is in Convivencia sagrada that the world of Minimal, with its own poetry, metrics and sounds, is revealed. A powerful and distinctive guitarist who conveys ideas as well as complex feelings through both music and lyrics. Along with Gustavo Fósforo García on bass and Franco Salvador on drums, Pablo Puntoriero joins the band on saxophone and flute, and Juan Salese on electric keyboard and synthesizers. The blend of voice and instruments adds Minimal as an additional instrument, in addition to his work as a guitarist. The counterpoints and changing rhythms also leave room for melodies, progressive rock, jazz, and occasionally free jazz with bossa nova, tango, and psychedelia, with influences such as Luis Alberto Spinetta, who paved the way with his group Invisible, and another Argentine legend, Litto Nebbia, a personal friend of Ariel Minimal, who has included him on several of his albums and is his mentor. Tango is present in El Cantor, as well as orchestral progressive and free jazz in ¡Queseyo! A cornerstone that would cement a promising career in the years to come, with a progression of several albums in this direction and even more variations, until a certain stylistic stagnation and a return to their punk and hard rock origins... from which they seem to be emerging now. Because if there's one thing that characterizes Minimal and his band, it's honesty to what their heart dictates, as well as constant change. In this quest, there are successes and failures, as in life, but the alchemy is renewed by adding new members who revitalize it with their influences.

— First review of this album —

"Rose, My Rocket Brain!" was the three song, 14 minute cd they sold on the "Margerine Eclipse" tour. The most recent reissue of the "Margerine Eclipse" recording comes with a second disc that includes "Rose, My Rocket Brain!" and the Ep "Instant O In The Universe". And as band leader Tim Gane relates in the liner notes, this reissue contains everything they recorded during the "Margerine Eclipse" sessions.

The biggest difference in my opinion between the three songs here and the main album is the lack of electronics on these 3 tracks. And it hasn't been given the Tim Gane makeover after the fact, like the main record. And I would put these three tracks over any from the main album. That's what makes this extra disc so special, and I'll talk about the Ep "Instant O In The Universe" soon. I should mention too that the song "University Microfilms International" is the unedited version, so it's actually 1 1/2 minutes longer than the original.

All three tracks are fairly subdued yet uplifting. Relaxed happy songs. I can't help but feel good listening to this music. "Banana Monster Ne Repond Plus" features lots of percussion and organ. Of course the vocals lead the way, including some wordless singing. I'm surprised at the experimental sections on this one. "University Microfilms International" is another feel good tune but a little different with all those intricate sounds, the guitar and keyboards too. Vocals and wordless vocals again. The closing title track opens with bass which is very satisfying as relaxed vocals join in. Catchy but laid back. Organ then guitar as it builds. Active drums and the vocals come and go. They go off on a detour after 2 minutes then back to happy.

It's perfect that this is included with the other Ep giving us over 36 minutes of bonus material on that second disc, all from the "Margerine Eclipse" sessions. Nice.

The debut release of heavy, Gothic Celtic-oriented music from this French ensemble from Brétagne.

1. "Little Butterfly" (4:19) indescribably, deliciously seductive. Almost from the opening notes I am completely under their spell: both Dam Kat's voice and diction as well as the deeply-engaging music. What an opener! (10/10)

2. "King Arthur's Death" (7:37) both PORTISHEAD and RADIOHEAD come to mind with the opening of this song, but the power chords of the chorus and instrumental sections and smoldering hot electric guitar work on Pat O'May's solo belie a different, deeper element that cannot be compared with anyone that I can think of! (14/15)

3. "My Son" (6:05) with this song my comparisons of the dangerous, Siren-like singing talents of Ms. Millot are growing closer to those of Elizabeth Heaton (which is about as high praise as I can muster from the group of artists this 21st Century has to offer). A piano-founded song with more sultry-seductive vocals and fiery guitar pyrotechnics. The music, however, is a little too blues-rooted for my preferences. I love the injection of Uilleann pipes. Too bad it was saved only for the end. (8.875/10)

4. "The Battle" (7:44) the music here is a little more unpolished with several sound choices that seem to reach back to the 1980s and some questionable compositional and sound engineering choices. At times it feels as if Dam Kat's vocal track is getting buried by the levels and thickness of instruments. I find myself excited by the transition after Kat's "O happy" lyric to a fast-paced "Heavy Celtic Rock" motif--where the Uilleann pipes get a chance to shine again. Unfortunately, the section (including the vocal) play out as if something from a beginning garage band who've only learned a few simple early Black Sabbath chords.(13/15)

5. "Esyllt" (5:50) tender and ominous singing accompanied by piano play that sounds as if it comes from a dated computer-generated piano. When bass, drums, rhythm guitar chords, and harp join in at the end of the second minute things improve. I love the mix and presence of the harp. The music starts to ramp up, get heavier, while Kat's singing seems to sink its teeth into one's neck with increasing courage and conviction. Has the bite from a vampiress ever felt so welcome?! Incredible vocal performance! (8.875/10)

6. "Silent Agony" (6:02) another opening that reminds me of PORTISHEAD, the presence of harp from the very start is even more welcome and suggestive than on the previous song. On this song Kat's voice seems to lilt and flutter around the room like a butterfly. Or a bat. She is so talented! The music is rather simple rock but offering a nice palette of instrumental sound choices, which helps. Then you get another pretty nice guitar solo from Pat O'May to smooth things over in the third and fourth minutes. (8.875/10)

7. "Don't Forget Me" (6:58) though this song starts out rather unremarkably at the end of the third minute the band moves into a very cool, completely different and nuance-loaded motif--one that puts on display the more creative talents of the band's musicians. Kat begins singing again in the sixth minute in a rather conspiratorial kind of voice that reminds me of some of Rickie Lee Jones' early tender vocals. It ends up being one of the album's stronger songs. (13.75/15)

8. "I'm Not Scared" (5:08) Uilleann pipes and low organ chord notes introduce this palette just before Kat enters singing in what is almost an a cappella stage musical style. Early Robin Guthrie guitar chords begin keeping time while Kat switches to her upper registers. Metal power chords enter with drums and active deep bass while Kat oscillates from airy upper voice to lower sultry. Another pretty unique yet engaging song. (8.875/10)

9. "Look Around You" (7:26) the highlights of this rather sedate almost-Americana-like song are 1) the parts where Kat provides her own angelic, k.d. lang-like harmony background vocals, 2) Pat's Steve Vai-like guitar solo in the fifth minute, and 3) Kat's clear investment in her vocal's delivery of the song's message in the sixth minute. Enchanting. (13.375/15)

10. "I'm Alive" (7:06) Unfortunately, there is nothing very special, inventive, or engrossing about this song (except for maybe the dreamy keyboard work). Even Kat's vocal fails to engage or hook me (and I can't really figure out why). Nice bass-and-drum rhythm pattern created in the fifth minute. (13.25/15)

Total Time 64:15

A-/4.5 stars; a very intriguing and promising debut album--one whose emotional music is very difficult to categorize. Highly recommended for all you other progheads to judge for yourselves.

Philippe Grancher's sole piece of work, 3000 Miles Away, caught my attention when I saw the album's unique artwork. I had it under my radar since late 2024, but only recently did I get around to listening to it. This album has such a fantastical approach to progressive rock, and it overall expands mainly on minimalist and electronic ideas. The first half of this album is the side that exercises these approaches. The three compositions found on side one feel like multi-sectioned pieces that switch between ambience and classical harmonies that are full of depth, emotion, and a strangely satisfying and pleasing feel and sound. Each of the tracks feels as if they connect into this mythical world of a lost art Philippe created on this record, and each number, while remaining consistent in the original sound he made, always brings a different perspective on what was found in the passages before it. It's a real shame he never expanded on this form of music again after his career, because he had real potential, as shown here.

Side two also has incredibly good points on here. It brings in more rock themes and introduces dynamics between the low and moody characteristics found on side one and this new jazzy, folk, and conventional work on side two. The progressive nature of some sections feels otherworldly at points, and in combination with the climate, it makes for some great sections. However, throughout the album, I felt some of the sections were a bit too disconnected and short. Because I don't have a physical copy, I had to go off online platforms, and it was hard for me to tell when one song ended and one song began because each song has at least one shift of musical direction midway through. And unlike side one (which would shift in terms of the material being played but never too far from the past passages), it feels to me that these parts could've stayed more consistent. Ignoring this problem, though, side two is also pretty strong.

In conclusion, I don't think there is a single album out there that is quite like this one. It is legitimately 3000 miles away from any other work! I was fascinated by the authentic music Phillipe made for his testament to time. It has its flaws here and there, but overall this is an exceptionally excellent album that has many positive aspects to it. While this is far from an essential progressive rock album, I still recommend listening to it for the experience. This is in between a 3.75/5 and a straightforward 4/5 for me.