Top Albums of the Year 1981: Masterpieces and More

Though Prog Is Alive and Well in the 21st Century, I have decided to go back and "fill in" the years upon which the 21st Century is built, and not just the "classic" years of 1967-76. Each year will be given its own page, containing reviews of the albums I determine are worthy of recognition (both positive and negative). As usual, these pages will be works in progress, to which I'll be adding information as it comes my way.

My Favorite Albums of 1981:

1. RICKIE LEE JONES Pirates
2. KING CRIMSON Discipline
3. JEAN-PIERRE RAMPAL, ALEXANDRE LAGOYA, and MICHEL LEGRAND Pastorales de Noël
4. ANTHONY PHILLIPS 1984
5. ANDREAS VOLLENWEIDER Behind the Gardens - Behind the Wall - Under the Tree...
6. ESKATON 4 Visions
7. PAT METHENY & LYLE MAYS As Falls Witchita, So Falls Wichita Falls
8. BRIAN ENO & JON HASSELL Fourth World Possible Musics, Volume Two: Dream Theory in Malaya
9. U2 October
10. TOM TOM CLUB Tom Tom Club

11. THE POLICE Ghost in the Machine
12. JOHN MCLAUGHLIN Belo Horizonte
13. JOHN MARTYN Glorious Fool

14. TANGERINE DREAM Thief OST
15. BRUCE COCKBURN Inner City Front
16. LOS JAIVAS Alturas de Machu Picchu
17. SBB Memento z banalnym triptykiem
18. THE BUGGLES Adventures in Modern Recording

19. GENESIS ABACAB
20. CAMEL Nude

21. VAN HALEN Fair Warning

22. AL JARREAU Breakin' Away

23. EAST Játékok

24. UNIVERS ZERO Ceux du Dehors

25. PHIL COLLINS Face Value
26. STEVIE NICKS Bella Donna
27. BUDDY GUY Stone Crazy!
28. EIDER STELLAIRE I
29. SANTANA Zeebop!
30. OSIRIS Osiris

Honorable Mentions:

THE TUBES The Completion Backwards Principle 

THIS HEAT Deceit

ELOY Planets

JOAN ARMATRADING Walk Under Ladders

MATERIAL Memory Serves

STEVE HACKETT Cured

Five Star Prog Masterpieces 

(Ratings of 100 to 93.34) 

1. ESKATON 4 Visions 

I was only introduced to Zeuhl a few years ago (Thanks, ProgArchives!) through the mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, uplifiting, and mesmerizing experience of hearing Magma's Mëkanïk Dëstruktïw Kömmandöh. Such is my reverence and awe of MDK (which I consider one of the three greatest albums ever made) that I was almost afraid to try any other Zeuhl albums, much less try any other groups, listed under the Zeuhl sub-genre.
      After  Köhntarkösz, Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré, and K.A. I have finally 'risked it.' And I am SO glad I did! ESKATON, XING SA, JANNICK TOP, BONDAGE FRUIT, DÜN, UNIVERSAL TOTEM ORCHESTRA, GUAPO and  KOENJI HYAKKEI are all wonderful. While I have yet to hear an album with the energy and impact of MDK, I am so glad to discover that there is diversity within the sub-genre.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Paule Kleynnaert / vocals, synth
- Amara Tahir / vocals
- Alain Blésing / guitar (1-4)
- Gilles Rozenberg / organ, synth
- Marc Rozenberg / Fender electric piano, synth
- Eric Guillaume / Fender electric piano (1-4)
- André Bernardi / bass
- Gérard Konig / drums, flute (7)

This album, 4 Visions, from way back in 1981, is probably my second favorite of the Zeuhl albums I've heard. (Clue: I keep choosing to play it over everything else in my collection right now.) I love the bass, French vocals, drums, and more extensive use of electronics than I've heard elsewhere within the sub-genre (yet). Plus, the album's finale, "Le cri" (9:02) (20/20) is amazing--among my  favorite Zeuhl 'songs;' perhaps second only to "Da Zeuhl Wortz Mëkanïk." Great listen start to finish. And I love that I can make out and understand the lyrics. Plus it has an awesome album cover!

Best songs:  1. "Eskaton" (10:24) (21/25); the space-funky 2. "Attente" (10:12) with its lyrics being sung by an awesome female choir (19/20); 3. "Ecoute" (12:54) (29/30); 4. "Pitié" (8:46) with its nearly liturgical feel (19.5/20), and, of course; 5. "le cri."

97.27 on the Fishscales = 5 stars, A; Without a doubt a 5 star masterpiece of progressive music.

2. KING CRIMSON Discipline

Though I now realize that Robert Fripp and company were really inventing nothing new here, this was my first exposure to what I call "controlled chaos," to disciplined, demanding, highly intricate playing by multi-instrumentalists in polyrhythmic forms. To my senses, the song "Discipline" is the foundation piece of many, many future rock groups--even the Post Rock/Math Rock sub-genre. I know this is the album that got me to purchase a second generation (composite fretboard) Chapman Stick, the album that convinced my brother to add computerized drums to his already-rather-elaborate Ludwig kit, the album that convinced another brother to treat amplifier feedback as his "friend." And then of course, there are the live concerts we caught after this and the each of the next two albums came out: Mind-blowing! Stupefying! Though I'd seen Tony Levin before several times with Peter Gabriel's tours, these were the concerts at which I came into full awareness and understanding of what a genius and virtuoso he is. And, then, of course, there's my hero, Batterie Bill: living every beat as if it were his soul's expression. "Elephant Talk" is still a masterpiece of sonic and lyrical presentation (10/10). "Frame by Frame" has incredible musicianship with a pretty nice vocal melody (8/10). "Mate Kudasai" is gorgeous beyond belief (9/10). "Indiscipline" never fails to make me laugh?though it represents, for me, 'controlled chaos' at its must wild and untamed. Scary! (10/10). "Thela Hun Ginjeet" tells an incredibly engaging story through the medium of a Sony digital recorder! This one rocks! Just watch the mosh pit! (9/10) "Sheltering Sky" is an all-time favorite for its incredible melodies, the touching and expressive guitar weave and dialogue between Fripp and Belew (Fripp actually got up off his stool one time while playing this one live!) Plus it's got Bruford's incredible 'dancing marimba' rhythm. (10/10) "Discipline." The crown jewel. The song that signaled a revolution: Music with a brain. A beacon of human potential. A testament to man's highest intellectual creative potential. (10/10)
     Four geniuses, each leaders, innovators and virtuosi at their respective instruments, collaborating (right, Robert?) to create music that this avid music listener had never heard (in that way) before. And then they were brave enough to take it on the road. For several years! Forget the stale experimental splurge that came out of King Crimson's earlier incarnation in the 60s and early 70s, this is the music for which KC should be remembered as their "peak."

     Five stars, a masterpieces and one of the greatest contributions to progressive rock ever.

(Added later without the memory of having written the above review:)

Not only did Discipline began a new era of King Crimson, it introduced the world to a new kind of music. The front line of new technologies were being explored here by Messrs. Bruford (Simmons electronic drums), Levin (Chapman Stick envelope pusher), Belew (fretboard, feedback, taping, rhythm and looping experimentalist), and Fripp (guitar synth sounds and odd tempo rhythms) but more, the forms and formats of song presentation were also being tested as well as the polyrhythmic elements of world ethnic musics.

1. "Elephant Talk" (4:45) is highlighted by so many layers of jaw-dropping individual performances but also by Adrian Belew's erudite lists of words associated with "talk", each verse organized by alphabetic order, A through E, and by Belew's incredible guitar-produced "elephant" noises. (9.5/10)

2. "Frame by Frame" (5:13) is distinguished by some incredible polyrhythmic, multi-tempo play and gorgeous vocals by Adrian (lead) and Tony (b vox). Though the song is a bit repetitive in its ABACAB form, it remains a fascinating display of instrumental discipline to me. (9/10)

3. "Matte Kudasai" (3:49) is, seriously, IMHO, one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Between Adrian's heart-wrenching bottleneck work and his gorgeous vocal telling the tale of a sad Japanese "kept woman" living in America waiting for her lover. Great little solo from Señor Fripp as well. (10/10)

4. "Indicscipline" (4:36) is, of course, highlighted by the crazed, crazy yet very disciplined drumming by M. Bruford and the frenzied, on-the-edge soloing by Fripp, as well as the humorous narration by Belew. And the quote, "I repeat myself when under stress! I repeat myself when under stress! I repeat myself when under stress! . . ." (9.5/10)

5. "Thela Hun Ginjeet" (6:28) is another incredibly creative journey into the intensely focused mind and soul of wildman Adrian Belew. Built around a recording he made on a Sony digital micro-recorder while walking the streets of Manhattan, it revolves around hard driving rather straightforward rhythm and melody lines while displaying the awesome power and, again, (I have to use the word:) discipline of these four musical virtuosos. Next come my favorite two songs. (9.75/10)

6. "The Sheltering Sky" (8:26) is an incredibly beautiful showcase of the disparate and yet complementary talents and styles of King Crimson, Version 2's two lead guitarists--all built around a hypnotic rhythm created by maestro Bill Bruford on a hand-held marimba. (Hand-held so Hyper-Bill could walk/dance around the stage/studio while playing.) (20/20)

7. "Discipline" (5:03) is, to my mind, the single most important musical "song" of the 1980s. In it you can hear, see, experience and re-live the most concentrated, focused, disciplined, magically entwined and interwoven multiple melody and rhythm lines ever put to tape. Too bad Sir Robert never had enough trust in his own inner sense of time nor that of Maestro Bruford to let the track go without his metronomic click track, but, so be it. Belew and Fripp make it look like they're working their asses off on this one while the B.L.U.E. rhythmatists make it seem effortless. Amazing! (10/10)

97.19 on the Fishscales = A+/five stars; a masterpiece of progressive rock music and a major step forward in the evolution of prog. What people really fail to appreciate about this masterpiece of music creativity is the subtle yet complex and multi-layered contributions Tony Levin on his Chapman Stick made to each and every song. Every time I've seen this band perform it is always, ALWAYS Tony Levin that leaves me with the greatest feelings of respect and admiration. He is the glue to so many albums that I own, and yet no one really appreciates how much he contributes. By far and away the greatest "bass" player I've ever seen or heard.

3. PAT METHENY & LYLE MAYS As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

Wow! What a ride is the title song "As Falls..." (40/40) is! Truly one of the great prog epics of all-time and, according to my own system of metrics, the greatest of the 1980s. Naná Vasconcelos, Lyle and Pat take you on a journey into the planetary ethernet before the WWW was even conceived! Then there is Side 2! The joyful "Ozark" (9/10); the emotional and beautiful tribute to then-recently deceased jazz giant, Bill Evans, "September Fifteenth" (15/15), and; the also-so-joyful "It's for You (New Chautauqua, Pt. 2)" (19/20). I was and still am so blown away by this album. The shock and awe is as powerful as it was the first time I heard it in 1981. A masterpiece of progressive music by one of the most creative, eclectic and prolific music artists of this or any generation.

1. "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" (20:46) my number one favorite LP prog epic from the 1980s! (40/40)

96.67 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; an unquestionable masterpiece of progressive rock music and a milestone in the evolution of jazz-rock fusion.

4. ANDREAS VOLLENWEIDER Behind the Gardens - Behind the Wall - Under the Tree...

This is the first commercially- and internationally successful album from the Swiss electric harpist who pioneered the crossover between smooth jazz and New Age music. This is the album that I first got to know and love Andreas' work and it remains my all-time favorite work of his.

     Having seen Andreas in concert twice in those early years, I came away with continued awe for the diverse skills of jack-of-all-trades side-man Pedro Haldemann.

Line-up / Musicians:

Andreas Vollenweider - harp, guitars, saxophone, synthesizers

Walter Kaiser - drums

Jon Otis - percussion

Pedro Haldemann - percussion, vocalizations, and multiple other instruments

1. "Behind the Gardens-Behind the Wall-Under the Tree" (7:19) (14/15)

2."Pyramid-In the Wood-In the Bright Light" (7:52) That bass! The space! The tempo changes! The coda that bridges all of the sections together! Heart-wrenching perfection! No wonder this remains a concert pleaser to this day. (15/15)

3."Micro-Macro" (2:49) (8.75/10)

4."Skin and Skin" (3:22) great chord play followed by more of those amazing bass lines. Pedro's mouth accordion adds so much! And then it starts to swing in the final minute! Awesome! (9.5/10)

5."Moonlight, Wrapped Around Us" (1:03) some real (if distant-sounding) accordion! A perfect interlude! (4.5/5)

6."Lion and Sheep" (2:56) the greatest little melody on the album! With great support from the African-sounding percussion instruments and the bass line. (9.25/10)

7."Sunday" (1:57) yet another great song form providing a happy, animated bridge to the album's outro   (4.75/5)

8."Afternoon" (0:47) the thundershower sounds leading to the album's finale.

9."Hands and Clouds" (2:24) a gentle, almost Calypso melody from solo electric harp to send us on our way. (4.75/5)

Total length: 30:29

As I always thought that this album played pretty much as one continuous multi-part suite, I was never so happy as when it was released on CD.

94.0 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of (at the time) fresh jazz-tinged New Age electronic music and a landmark album in the development of electronic and New Age music. 

5. ANTHONY PHILLIPS 1984

This is an album that shocked me when I bought it having never heard it. A big fan of all-things Anthony Phillips, I had never really given his keyboard work much credit until this album (though I had the Camel, Mike Rutherford albums to which he had contributed keyboards). To me he was the God of the 12-string, a guitarist of serious artistry. But, with 1984, from the opening sound of the drum machine to the soon ensuing layers of keyboard synthesizers (with guitars skulking in the background!) Not a lyric or vocal to be found. (Ant's only weakness may be in those laryngeal chords God gave him.) I was blown away! The series of melodic movements Ant carries one through during the 41:23 monster 'song' that he created in honor of the passing of the year that writer George Orwell had made so iconic is incredible. I remember playing this album for weeks with joy and amazement, fully entranced by the journey. It was like Mike Oldfield great epics and Todd Rundgren's "Treatise on Cosmic Fire"--which I adored--but this was somehow better. How could computer drums, keyboard bass, and layers of synthesizer take the place of real rock instruments. I mean, I has heard songs like this but never a whole instrumental album delivered so seemless, so beautifully, so convincingly. (As I listen to it as I write I am reminded of the effect it always has of drawing me into an alternate world--making me feel as if I am floating within the liquid of the musical soundscape. No wonder Ant has found such success in scoring for BBC projects.) The variations of themes with and within each "Movement" is masterful--each revealing a new melodic theme that continues to steer the listener's journey of mystery, of tension and release, tension and release. All while stringing us along on that rather cheezy drum machine (a Roland CR-78)--though the great Morris Pert is along for the ride--providing background percussives. Amazing! And amazing is this album--certainly a long lost masterpiece that has too long flown under the radar and been ignored or dismissed. This is definitely an awesome listen. As good if not better than any electronic album before or of its time (and yes that includes Kitaro, Tomita, Larry Fast, Klaus and TD).

"1984, Part 1" (18:41) (38.5/40) = 9.625
"1984, Part 2" - ANTHONY PHILLIPS (27/30) = 9.0

93.57 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of progressive rock music.

6. SBB Memento Z Banalnym Tryptikiem

SBB is one of the many wonderful bands that has been revealed to me through ProgArchives. I've picked up this, Pamiec and Slovenian Girls--this one on vinyl (!) I can never decide which of their albums I like the best. Probably Pamiec, but Memento has some incredible performances and shows the band playing very well as a collective.

1. "Moja Ziemio Wysniona" (8:29) is filled with extraordinary themes and riffs, all strung together like a . The subtle things on this song that catch my ear: rhythm guitar in the seventh and eighth minutes, the subtleties of the drums before that, the synth sound in the third minute, the Allman Brothers-like dueling guitars at the end. Cool song, if a bit dated. (18/20)

2. "Trojkat Radosci" (7:40) begins with 80 seconds of solo electric guitar--treated guitar a la PAT METHENY on New Chatauqua. The second section uses this treated guitar as support for a wonderful display of Spanish-influenced classical guitar playing--culminating in a gorgeous harmonized melody line 'chorus' at the three minute mark. A return to the before, at 4:29, a synth wash enters to set the stage for some electric guitar soloing. The TANGERINE DREAM-like synth work behind the bluesy ROY BUCHANAN-like guitar fire is awesome. Cool song. (or is it a suite with three parts?) (13.5/15)

3. "Strategia Pulsu" (3:23) has a sound and almost disco-influenced that is shows its age but could have come off a JAN AKKERMAN, LENNY WHITE or AL DiMEOLA album from the same period. Clavinet and harmonica are interesting touches. (8/10)

Side 2, song 1(4.) "Memento z banalnym triptykiem" (20:28) begins with a mild pace with a bluesy FOCUS-like feel to it. At 2:10 all music drops away and a vocalist begins singing (in a foreign language I presume to be Polish). At first he is only accompanied by acoustic guitars and background synths. A strong vocal performance in the vein of the best of the Italians. The shift at the four minute mark is breathtaking in its emotional impact. Very delicate cymbol play is used to keep time while slide guitar, acoustic guitar and one single repeated keyboard chord sucks you in and keeps you locked there while the nylon-stringed guitar goes EARL KLUGH sh*t-crazy! Absolutely amazing! Very gradually the pace starts to pick up, prepping us for the end of this section, followed by a jovial almost bluegrass folk-section, with some more awesome guitar work--several, in different channels and levels. Hand clapping, choral "Na-nah, na-nahs," beer-hall piano and harmonica proceed to add to this very friendly, engaging section. At the 10 minute mark we are ushered out of the party barn and enticed into yet another theme house. It's like being at a Renaissance Faire: Each booth, stage or vendor offering his or her own slice of their world. By 11:45 a synthesizer is taking center stage before giving way to an organ's introduction to a moderately paced rock section with a little electric guitar solo. At 14:10 the music again drops away to make way for the vocalist to again tell his story. The use of vocal harmonies beginning at 15:10 is effective if a bit foreign for the unusual (to my ears) diatonic chordal structure of the harmonies. At 16:13 a delicate part starts to support the vocalist(s) sounding a lot like HARMONIUM's "Depuis l'automne" before an electric guitar blasts into center stage carrying the band with it into a classic blues-rock solo scene. Great, emotional playing--that reminds me of someone/some song of classic stature-- and then POOF! it's gone and the same finale of the classical music piece that opened the album (a Strauss waltz?) finishes the album. Awesome. Prog doesn't get much better than this, folks. (36.5/40)

I've got to give this one a full five stars, folks, cuz, as I said, Prog just doesn't get much better than this. this band worked hard to put these delicate, complex demanding songs together-- and their efforts paid off in that they have definitely put together one for the ages--something quite memorable and certainly not banal!

93.53 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of progressive rock music.

The "Minor" Masterpieces

(Ratings of 93.33 to 90.0)

7. THE POLICE Ghost in the Machine

If ever there was a pop album by a renowned indie pop band that deserves consideration for being a "prog" album, this may be it. The alternative rock radio station in Fort Pierce, Florida, would freely and liberally play each and every song from this album when it came out and through 1982, making it, to my mind, an automatic association to the "album rock" bands like Yes, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, AC/DC, and Pink Floyd.

Lineup / Musicians:
Sting - bass, lead vocals
Andy Summers - guitars, synthesizers
Stewart Copeland - drums & percussion

1. "Spirits In The Material World" (2:58) Amazing song, amazing lyrics. (10/10)
2. "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (4:20) Great, emotional song. (9.75/10)
3. "Invisible Sun" (3:43) Great song. (9.5/10)
4. "Hungry For You (J'Aurais Toujours Faim De Toi)" (2:52) (9/10)
5. "Demolition Man" (5:54) (8.75/10)
6. "Too Much Information" (3:42) (8.75/10)
7. "Rehumanize Yourself" (3:10) (8.25/10)
8. "One World (Not Three)" (4:45) (8.5/10)
9. "Ωmegaman" (2:47) Wow! what a ride! (9.5/10)
10. "Secret Journey" (3:32) Great intro and pretty decent song. (9.5/10)
11. "Darkness" (3:11) quite possibly my favorite Police song of all-time. (10/10)

92.27 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of prog pop that is shining example of the proggy effect of the new technologies available to pop bands during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

8. UNIVERS ZERO Ceux du dehors

The exploration of blending classical chamber forms with rock instrumentation and elements continues. This, Uzed's third album release, is, in my opinion, so far, the band's most diverse and accessible album. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Andy Kirk / piano, harmonium, organ, Saint-Jacques Church organ (2), Mellotron (1,4), vocals (2,7), glockenspiel & Yamaha CP70 (6)
- Patrick Hanappier / viola, violin, vocals (2)
- Michel Berckmans / bassoon, oboe, English horn (1), vocals (2)
- Guy Segers / bass, clarinet (7), vocals (2,7)
- Daniel Denis / drums, percussion, vocals (2,7), cymbals (6), harmonium & violin (7)
With:
- Ilona Chale / vocals (4)
- Jean-Luc Aimé / violin (3)
- Thierry Zaboitzeff / cello (6)
- Jean Debefve / hurdy-gurdy (2)

1. "Dense" (12:26) definitely constructed to be danceable, the pacing and spacing conjure up a whole stage of pitter-patting and flitting ballet dancers. Full rock complement of drums and bass does nothing to hurt this music. In fact, it would be impossible to establish the baseline insistently frenetic pace without them. And, most surprising, is the overall Moulin Rouge feel to the music: none of the dark, somber sound and mood here. Even the slow accordion-driven section in the fifth minute retains some element of human positivity (like "rest"). The cor anglais work in the sixth minute is my favorite: I can see the solo ballerina dancing her ever-increasing expenditure of radiating energy as the instrument proceeds, with other dancers slowly rejoining on stage as the horn gives way to the rest of the returning band members. At 8:45 there is a sudden build and cut, leaving a dark, quiet, passage of ambivalent tension. This carries on for two minutes before horns and strings rejoin with a repetition of upward-climbing spirals of chords and melody notes--all occurring over the still-insistent pulsing bass lines.  (22.75/25)

2. "La Corne du Bois des Pendus" (8:42) opens with an ancient feeling with hurdy gurdy/harmonium and woodwinds before monastic like wordless choir vocals join in. Reset and harmonium and reeds take another round. Round and round these two motifs go until around 3:30 strings get a pop--in the absence of the rhythm tracks. Reeds join in and then back off for solo choir "ahhs" before recorded crowd noises fill the foundational space for harmonium and strings to play some very discordant, disturbing music. At the six-minute mark church organ sweeps everything else away for a solo shot. It is then joined by oboe and viola and then bass as the music builds and peaks at the very end of the eighth minute--and stays there for the rest of the song!

     I am such a sucker for replications of "ancient" pre-classical musics that I find myself totally immersed in this beautiful, nostalgic song. It's like taking a walking journey through the 15th century section of Rennes or the like. (19/20)

3. "Bonjour Chez Vous" (3:52) listening to this from the year 2023 I can honestly say how little the band has changed in 30 years as this song could very easily have come off of the band's 2010 masterpiece, Clivages. (I know they went through their phase of experimenting with electronic instruments with 2042's Implosion but you know what I mean.) Here they are more upbeat than is typical of the band. The use of classically-established chamber music forms and motifs feels like a direct link to the music of 21st Century genius, Olga Podgaiskaja (Rational Diet, Five-Storey Ensemble). (8.75/10)

4. "Combat" (12:53) militaristic drums are paired up with electric bass over which reeds and strings create their unbridled chromatic chord progressions. At the one-minute mark there is suddenly a stoppage, a quiet before the impending storm, which is slowly filled by a slow-build return of the militaristic elements and accompanying idiosyncratic groups and individuals. Fascinating! In the fourth minute one can feel the coagulating esprit de corps   (23.5/25)

5. "La Musique d'Erich Zann" (3:29) like a soundtrack to a particularly frightening scene in a F.W. Murnau film. Strings alone--and principally one violin. Very effective. (9/10)

6. "La Tete du Corbeau" (3:11) now hear is the macabre sound that I'd come to expect from Uzed! Coming from a low end ascending scale, repeated over and over, measure after measure, contrasted with another group of instruments playing minor descending melodies. Almost like a mathematical study! (9/10)

7. "Triomphe des Mouches" (5:36) tension from a sustained harmonium chord is toyed with by treated piano notes and before "Jaws"-like riff enters at the very end of the second minute. Harmonium, piano, and violins create a syncopated rhythmic fabric of music over the top of the pulsing bass instruments' notes. Interesting if different. Exaggerated breathing/groaning voices join in before a percussive bridge to more frenetic harmonium (at least two harmonia!) and piano play reach new heights of tension. The flies win! How terrifying! (8.75/10)

Total Time: 50:09

After two albums, the UZed sound and prevailing dark mood no longer come as such a shock. For some reason, I find the songs of Ceux du dehors to be the most accessible and enjoyable collection of the band's discography.

91.59 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a masterpiece of Avant Garde/RIO music but also a continued reminder to all prog rockers of the potentialities of their genre of music. In my opinion, Univers Zero is essential listening for all musicians proclaiming a desire to carry the torch of true progression in modern music.

9. JOHN McLAUGHLIN Belo Horizonte

At the time of the release of this album, I had become fascinated with the many sides of this amazing artist: from the pure jazz of  'Round Midnight to the fiery rock-fusion of The Mahavishnu Orchestra and his collaboration with Carlos Santana to his stunning union with percussionist extraordinaire Zakir Hussein in the Shakti recordings, to his acoustic expressions on 1971's My Goals Beyond. Belo Horizonte was such a sublimely beautiful, almost "mainstream" addition to my collection. Parts of this album are among my all-time favorite soundscapes John has ever contributed to (especially "Zamfir").

Line-up / Musicians:

Tommy Campbell - drums & percussion

Jean Paul Celea - bass guitar, acoustic bass

François Couturier - Fender Rhodes electric piano, synthesizers

Jean-Pierre Drouet - percussion

Augustin Dumay - violin, vocal

François Jeanneau - tenor & soprano saxophones

Katia Labèque - piano, synthesizer

Paco de Lucía - acoustic guitar

Jean McLaughlin - acoustic, electric & baritone guitars

Steve Shenan - percussion

1. "Belo Horizonte" (4:28) a showcase for the outstanding skills of drummer Tommy Campbell. John's acoustic guitar play also shines along side the electric keyboards of François Coutrier. (8.66667/10)

2. "La Baleine" (5:58) Acoustic guitar in the lead despite some great support from the electronic instruments. Nice variation in the sub-parts allowing John to really shine. (8.75/10)

3. "Very Early (Homage to Bill Evans)" (Evans, McLaughlin) (1:12) a brief guitar-based composition based upon a Bill Evans (who had just died the previous September) song melody. Preview of that which would arrive in fullness 12 years later with the 1993 release of his all-acoustic guitar album, Time Remembered: John McLaughlin Plays Bill Evans. (5/5)

4. "One Melody" (6:27) incredible atmosphere created by the support crew--especially the keyboard players--all serving one of John's more unusual (more Shakti-like) acoustic guitar performances. The song reminds me most of the music of WEATHER REPORT with its multiple motifs and rabid percussion work in the second half. (8.875/10)

5. "Stardust on Your Sleeve" (6:03) a nice swing song that reflects the melodic, Weather Report/Jazz Crusaders-like, synth-dominant jazz fusion of the time. Very nice synthesized soprano sax work of François Jeanneau. (The dude could have very well succeeded had he jumped into the sax-led Smooth Jazz trend that burgeoned in the 1980s.) Nice song. (9/10)

6. "Waltz for Katia" (3:26) more European-flavored traditional jazz with Augustin Dumay's violin and Katia Labèque'skeys. (piano and synthesizer) vying for dominance with John's guitar. Very tight and clear--thanks in no small part to the great rhythm section of Tommy Campbell and bassist Jean Peal Celea. (8.875/10)

7. "Zamfir" (5:47) Perhaps my all-time favorite rendering of a John McLaughlin composition: absolute beauty. (10/10)

8. "Manitas d'Oro (For Paco de Lucia)" (4:13) a more serious, dour composition in the melody department (performed predominantly in minor keys) than is typical when these two guitar masters get together. Probably why it has never reached the acclaim of the other collaborations they did. (8.75/10)

Total length: 37:34

A very eclectic yet surprisingly lush and atmospheric contribution to the jazz lexicon from this ephemeral yet often-fiery musician, the fact that it comes during his courtship (and collaboration) with soon-to-be wife, Katia Labèque as well as to the beginning of his now life-long commitment to living life in Monaco is tinted slightly by the very recent death of jazz icon and one of John's heroes, jazz pianist Bill Evans (to which he dedicates a brief rendition of an Evans tune, "Very Early"--and to which he will dedicate an entire album of solo acoustic guitar covers of Evans tunes on 1993's Time Remembered). Other than outstanding Philly drummer Tommy Campbell and one song duet with Paco de Lucia, the cast of collaborating musicians is entirely French. One of the things that sucked me into this album from the start is John's commitment to acoustic guitar playing (I've always loved his acoustic guitar playing more than his electric). The 70s/80s jazz synthesizer keyboard support I also find tasteful and not overdone. It's an album of beautiful melodies, beautifully supportive chords and harmonics, to some very peaceful, meditative music--smooth jazz despite the virtuosity on the guitar. While all of the songs flow very pleasantly from start to finish, with a variety of rhythms and structures--like samba, waltz, and swing!, from Flamenco to sophisticated Weather Report jazz, the high point for me is the incredible SHAKTI-like "Zamfir"--which is, I'm guessing, a tribute to the great (and much maligned) Romanian pan flute player. The gorgeous textures created by Katia and François Couturier's keys along with Tommy's brilliant cymbal play and restrained drumming allow bassist Jean-Paul Celea and John's delicate guitar play to shine out front, despite their laid back volumes. "One Melody" is another high point for its constantly shifting textures and soloists--and its astounding drumming. "Stardust on Your Sleeve" also carries a very Zawinal/Weather Report feel to it: so smooth and downright "cool"! For years I though of this as a "jazz lite" album because of its sleepy pastiche, but now, years later, I see--and appreciate--the stupendous performers who were collaborating with John here--the artists who gave these soundscapes such smooth perfection. This has always been, and remains to this day, one of my favorite albums that John McLaughlin--a real guitar hero of mine--ever contributed to much less composed and led. Definitely a five star masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion.

90.5555 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion and an excellent representation of the trajectory that jazz-rock fusion was on in 1981.

10. BRIAN ENO & JON HASSELL Fourth World Possible Musics, Volume Two: Dream Theory in Malaya

My first acquisition of any Jon Hassell "solo" material, this purchase was made more because of Brian Eno's association with the project (and the "Fourth World Possible Musics" moniker), though I was already well aware of  Jon Hassell's totally unique trumpet style and sounds from 1980's Ambient 2: Plateaux of Mirror and 1981's Fourth World, Vol 1: Possible Musics.

Line-up / Musicians:

Jon Hassell - trumpet, pottery drums, Prophet 5, gongs

Brian Eno - drums (2, 3), bowl gongs & bells (5, 6) 

Michael Brook - bass (2, 3)

Miguel Frasconi - bowl gongs (5)

Walter De Maria - distant drum (2)

1. "Chor Moiré" (2:21) experiments with digital delay and multi-layered overdubbing. (8.5/10)

2. "Courage" (3:38) primal drum and bass rhythms woven together over which a steady breathy three-note trumpet melody is played, delayed. and looped as if ad infinitum. (8.66667/10)   

3. "Dream Theory" (5:15) using the same looped three-note trumpet melody as the lead and foundation, more trumpet loops are worked into the weave as hand drums and bass seem to play as if unimpressed, impassive observers. (8.75/10)

4. "Datu Bintung at Jelong" (7:05) more subtle, laid back, low-note trumpet breath-play drones recorded over a loop of reversed percussion and keyboard music while other percussives play forward in real time.  (13/15)

5. "Malay" (10:12) a primal "dance" tune set to the rhythms of recordings of one of Malaya's aboriginal tribes, the Senoi, performing their morning ablutions in the local swamp water while dream-sharing with song and dance to water-splashing rhythms. My all-time favorite Jon Hassell song. (20/20)

 
6. "These Times..." (2:53) Here Jon plays multiple trumpet tracks over the sounds of crickets, bowls, and gongs. Sounds very much like something from one of Jon's collaborations with Brian Eno on the Ambient Music album series (2 or 4).(9/10)

7. "Gift of Fire" (5:01) A Gamelan-like weave of percussive instruments (tuned and untuned) over which mutliple layers of Jon's breathy trumpets swirl and twirl like a Sufi dervish. (9.5/10)

Total time: 36:25

91.078 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of truly ground-breaking experimental music. 1981!

11. LOS JAIVAS Alturas de Machu Picchu

I own both the film that was made in the slopes, stones, and ruins of Machu Picchu for this music as well as the album and love both. The 1970s costuming is a bit dated (and slightly embarrassing), but the rock blend of classical and Andean folk musical traditions that these men pulled together to accompany the words of revered poet Pablo Neruda is ingenious not to mention brave and courageous. Each of the musicians is quite adept at their instruments (including singing!) though there are a few awkward moments where the transition and blending of electronic rock instruments with Spanish or Andean folk instruments (which are, obviously, acoustic) take some adjusting for we, the listener. The music, I'm sure, would have far more impact on me if Spanish were a language I command, but even without, this is it is highly engaging and often quite emotional. I love the pacing of the album's first two songs--slow, methodical, building both mood and power. Some of the melodies are foreign and a bit grating to my own sensibilities (like the opening to the third song, "Amor Americano"), but I can accept, appreciate, and respect them for the regional and ethnic traditions that they represent. Also, the sound engineering could have been better in places but it serves. All in all, I cannot argue that this is in fact a masterpiece of progressive rock music--a shining example of one of the highest achievements of what our artistic genre can accomplish. is the seventh release of these Chilean Prog Folk masters but this one stands head and shoulders above the rest of their output for two reasons: 1) it is a concept album based around the poems that Pablo Naruda did of the same name, and 2) a movie version of the album was filmed on site among the ruins of the ancient Incan capitol city of Macchu Picchu. The film gives the music a much fuller impact. Check it out if you can, it's breathtaking for the scenery (if a bit comical for the period clothing and hair styles).

LOS JAIVAS is exceptional for the extraodinarily effective way in which they were able to blend traditional Andean and Hispanic folk instrumentation with the European and electrical rock instruments and effects--and Alturas de Macchu Picchu is a brilliant representation of this fact. Pan flutes, ceramic pipes and flutes, big mountain drums and horns mixed into the same weave with piano, electric bass, synthesizers, expanded drum kit and acoustic and electric guitars--with neither backing off to the other, each holding their own in the mix, in the weave--it's amazing to hear! 

The first fourteen minutes of the studio album--consisting of 1. "Del aire al aire" (2:14) (5/5) and 2. "La poderosa del muerta" (11:08) (20/20) are absolutely flawless. It is only with the festive drinking song, 3. "Amor americana" (5:26) that the choice of song styling gets a little out of my comfort zone (though many native Latin Americans would probably love and appreciate it). (7/10)

Luckily, the music gets back on track with the gorgeous multi-instrument weave of 4. "Aguila sideral" (5:19) in which bass and piano are as important as native flutes and voices. (10/10)

5. "Antigua America" (5:37) opens with a kind of multi-instrumental Native American Jethro Tull riff before solo flute and solo classical grand piano preparing us for the build and blend into the powerfully paced and dynamic themes of the body. I can't help but hear a kind of Asian influence in the melody--I don't know if this is intentional as representational of the anthropologic evidence of the arrival of Native American population from Asia via the former Bering Straits land bridge or not, but it could be. (9/10)

6. "Sube a nacer conmigo hermano" (4:47) brings us back into the realm of local, traditional Latin/Andean musical styles and rhythms. Very dynamic with the choral call-and-response sections that seems so pervasive in Latin American musical traditions. I would like to mention here how pianist Claudio Parra shines throughout this album. He is extraordinary. (8/10)

7. "Final" (2:33) is a gentle weave of multiple voices singing over a sea of ever shifting chords of rapid piano arpeggi. (9/10)

Total time 37:04

90.67 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; though not quite the equal of the video movie presentation, this music does stand on its own quite well; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music and definitely a masterpiece of progressive folk rock music.

4.5 Stars; Excellent Additions to Prog World

(Ratings 89.99 to 86.67)

12. ELOY Planets

A band that has never really connected with me due in part to the rather blatant Pink Floyd similarities but also to the rather mundane and straightforward rhythm patterns they chose (which were, I know, de rigueur in Germany during the 1970s and 1980s. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Frank Bornemann / lead vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, co-producer
- Hannes Arkona / acoustic & electric guitars, keyboards
- Hannes Folberth / keyboards
- Klaus-Peter Matziol / basses, backing vocals
- Jim McGillivray / drums, percussion
With:

- Wolfgang Dyhr / strings arranger & conductor

1. "Introduction" (1:58) spacey synth movements. (4.25/5)

2. "On The Verge Of Darkening Lights" (5:37) very nice, spacious music with bass, synths, guitars, and sparse drum play as Frank Bornemann sings. The music fills and gels in the instrumental section between vocal sections with some great synth work from Hannes Folberth--work that continues as the song decays into what will become the intro to the next song. (9.25/10)

3. "Point Of No Return" (5:45) At times it's Frank's forced storytelling vocals (which so similar to/imitative of those of the Pink Floyd lead singers) that I find irritating. The sound palette here is quite likable but the music coming out of it gets a little repetitive. (Being that it is obviously intended as a support to the lyrical message of Frank's vocals, I get it. I guess that one of the things I like most about prog is the interesting expressions being put down by the instrumentalists; here those are lacking). (8.66667/10)

4. "Mysterious Monolith" (7:40) a little more Genesis in this song's palette with the 12-string guitars and Hammond organ. I like the tempo change as we enter a new motif after Frank's first stint at vocals. Interestingly, the new motif is maintained when the vocals return. Lots of interesting keyboard work, if bursting in flourishes more than providing foundational elements. Great synth work--and bass, too--in the extended instrumental passage of the final two minutes. (13.75/15)

5. "Queen Of The Night" (5:22) piano provides the sole accompaniment to Frank's plaintive vocal for the opening and first minute. Unfortunately, the melody chosen for the vocal track is lifted straight from Pink Floyd's "Time." Orchestral strings join in during the second minute and then female choral vocals to accent and sometimes lead. It may have come across as kind of cool back in its time, but now it sounds kind of cringe-worthy. The final two minutes tries to restore the rock elements. (8.66667/10)

6. "At The Gates Of Dawn" (4:17) opening with another more-Genesis palette to host a prolonged synth solo in the vein of the afore-mentioned band's "Entangled" song, this instrumental song presents a nice interlude. Very nice strings incorporation in the final two minutes. Nice song even though it feels as if it is missing something. (8.875/10)

7. "Sphinx" (6:50) once again a factor of GENESIS imitation is felt with this song (similar to the style of "Squonk"). Once again, the lyrics seem to be the most important element to the band since the contributions of the instrumentalists are very laid back and supportive, seldom flashy or isolated. (13/15)

8. "Carried By Cosmic Winds" (4:32) nice multi-keyboard opening for the first 75 seconds before bass joins in and Frank enters with the vocal. I like the way Frank's voice is incorporated more within the mix with the instruments on this song. Very cool instrumental passage filling the third minute after Frank's first verse--with vocoder and great keyboard work. Don't know why the strings were deemed necessary for the next verse and beyond as Hannes Folberth was, I think, doing quite nicely on his own. Weird, rather abrupt end to the song--and album! (9/10)

Total Time: 42:01

To my ears, this is the Eloy album that allows the keyboard mastery (and experimentalism) of Hannes Folberth to come shining through (though the contribution of authentic strings sometimes confuses or confounds this factor). Did anyone else notice the absolute absence of lead guitar solos throughout the album? Interesting! Also, the band seems to have been quite enamored and inspired by Genesis' A Trick of the Tail album since there are so many songs displaying striking elemental "similarities." 

88.77 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection and the first Eloy album that I have actually felt some connection to.   

13. THIS HEAT Deceit

An historically important album that received virtually no notice or attention at the time of its release, this post-punk classic found musicians Charles Hayward and Charles Bullen collaborating with friend (and untrained-musician) Gareth Williams to create this album in the confines of their own former-manufacturing plant-converted-to-recording studio. The musicians say that at the time they were making this album they had a firm belief that they were going to die. The tired, angry, angst-filled "post-punk" spirit informs each and every one of these cynical, disconsolate creations. Very critical of social political forms, trends, and events of the time. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Charles Bullen / guitar, clarinet, drums, tapes, vocals
- Gareth Williams / keyboards, bass, tapes, vocals
- Charles Hayward / drums, guitar, bass, keyboards, tapes, vocals

1. "Sleep" (2:15) (4.5/5)

2. "Paper Hats" (6:03) amazing bass with crazed Eno/Heads/Belew-like vocal. (9.25/10)

3. "Triumph" (2:56) (9/10)

4. "SPQR" (3:29) group chanting about being Roman over dynamic drums and frenetic rhythm guitar strumming. (8.75/10)

5. "Cenotaph" (4:40) here the band sound like a cross between 1970s BRIAN ENO, TALKING HEADS, GANG OF FOUR, and Bill Laswell's MATERIAL--though perhaps on the bored side due to the affect expressed in the vocal performances. (8.875/10)

6. "Shrink Wrap" (1:41) some traditional tribal African rhythms and chants form the foundation for this. A bit like some of the British bands on Peter Gabriel's first issue of music from his WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) festivals (like XTC). (4.375/5)

7. "Radio Prague" (2:22) with the in-and-out cuts into the voice tracks the band is perhaps trying to convey how sequestered this (at the time) Communist country was (perceived) existing behind the Iron Curtain. (No rating cuz it is no song.)

8. "Makeshift Swahili" (4:05) more pseudo African rhythms and sounds with English words being screamed over the top open this song. After about 1:50, there is a shift into more British musical form (and then another at 2:30 into more punk-like form). Interesting. And creative. (8.75/10)

9. "Independence" (3:43) an interesting form of expression for the choral reading of American Declaration of Independence. Why the music is so plodding and the affect of vocalists so disinterested and tired is curious. (Perhaps they're meant to sound drunk--singing in a pub as one would a sea shanty.) Clever if bewildering. (8.875/10)

10. "A New Kind Of Water" (4:58) bass drum three-beat heart beat with cymbal play, repeated single stroke bass and guitar chord and weird drunken chanting over the top until the two-minute mark when the music gels into something more akin to a rock 'n' roll song. This is obviously a lyrics-driven song; too bad I don't comprehend lyrics. (8.75/10)

11. "Hi Baku Shyo (Suffer Bomb Disease)" (4:04) creepy-weird monster voice noises beneath which an accordion plays an occasional arpeggio or two.  Yes, the human vocalizations could be construed as a person dying some horrifically painful death (with flies buzzing around to eat the decaying flesh) as per someone who'd been bombed, napalmed, or even exposed to radioactive fallout, but, really: is this necessary. (8.66667/10)

Total Time: 40:16

This is my first exposure to the existence of this band much less their sound and discography. My impression is that this is an album that sounds totally like another Brian Eno project--maybe with his own musician friends from the 1970s or with members of Talking Heads' expanded format (e.g. Adrian Belew), very oriented to rhythm and lyric not necessarily melody (though chant is a modality often used herein). I really liked this listening experience: the creators have very similar complaints and worries that I've had over the course of my lifetime. Plus, I really appreciate the passionate forms of expression the trio use to make their pleas known. A very powerful, haunting experience. (I haven't been able to get the moods and ideas out of my head since hearing it.) Though musically this may not be a collection of truly masterful songs, as a piece of art expression the truest emotions of the human experience this is spectacular and much appreciated.

After listening to this album for the second and third times I began getting an appreciation for how creative, dedicated, and influential this band was. I feel as if I have a better read on where "post-punk" bands like black midi and Black Country, New Road are coming from. 

88.66 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; some incredibly inventive ideas and expressions occasionally marred by lack of musical familiarity or crudity.   

14.  EAST Játékok

Line-up / Musicians:

- István Király drums, percussion
- Péter Móczán / bass
- Géza Pálvólgyi / keyboards
- János Varga / guitar

- Miklós Zareczky / lead vocals

1. "Nyitány ~ Overture" (3:25) opens with fading in drums (sounding like the intro to "The Court of the Crimson King") before band enters with two separate progressions of synth chords accompanied by a "Run Like Hell" bass line. Synth solos melodically, repeating itself and its melody, over the next few rounds of the two separate chord progressions before being joined by a second synth before sea sounds and seagulls bridge to the next song. Kind of ELOY-ish. (8.5/10)

2. "Messze a felhõkkel ~ Far away with the clouds" (5:43) synth-based song with straight time drums and excellent fretless bass work back a pleasant vocal. I like the use of little instrumental bridges between each verse of the vocals. Nice electric guitar lead in the third and fourth minutes--kind of a cross between David Gilmour and Ray Gomez--ending just before the 4:00 mark when the music takes a radical left turn into Euro-disco electronica--a bit like TANGERINE DREAM at first, then as the two soloists--synth and electric guitar--start duelling it sounds more like JAN HAMMER and DARYL STUERMER. (9/10)

3. "Szállj most fel ~ Fly up now" (5:30) opens like a more recent BLUE ÖYSTER CULT song before backing down for some spacious time keeping from the drummer. Piano chord progression establishes a bare bones key for the vocalist to enter and sing over. at the 1:30 mark there is a shift as the rest of the band joins in for the vocal chorus. Interesting reversion to the BÖC motif for the extended space between verses. The chorus sections are definitely the best part of the song--though it is quite an interesting song if only for its unusualness. Cool laid back yet-emotional instrumental section with spacious piano solo, background vocalese, and bird-like synth solo. (9/10)

4. "Kék-fekete látomás ~ Blue-black vision" (2:16) opens with what sounds like a Berlin School sequence with which intermittent bass notes, synth flourishes, and disco-like cymbals play. Like soundtrack filler until a fiery electric guitar riff is thrown in near the end. Weird and yet kind of cool. (4.25/5)

5. "Gyémántmadár ~ Diamond bird" (4:00) opens with flanged electric guitar arpeggi as scaled down weave mixes in from other band members. Singing uses long drawn out notes to fit within the weave before lead synth steps in for the vocals. Sounds like DEMETRIO STRATOS singing--as a matter of fact, this could be an AREA song! (9/10)

6. "Lélegzet ~ Breath" (3:10) TONY BANKS "Fly on a Windshield"-like "vocal" synth over low keyboard bass note opens this song. Guitar arpeggi and fast synth riffs flit in and out of the spacious soundscape as fretless bass solos slowly in an almost EBERHARD WEBER way. This atmospheric song is obviously another cinematic interlude filler as was #4 "Kék-fekete látomás," bleeding directly into the next song. (4.5/5)

7. "Nézz rám ~ Look at me" (4:08) multiple synth washes, driving bass line with atmospheric muted electric guitar chords thrown in as Miklós sings in an ELOY kind of way. Nice flashy guitar solo in the third minute. There is also a bit of a Euro-pop sound and feel to this one--and it still feels cinematic like its prelude. (8.75/10)

8. "Üzenet ~ Message" (4:18) floating synth note with bass piano chords and bass and drum hits open this one before the music settles into a smoother pace as the singing joins in. At the 1:20 mark there is a deeper and more complex bridge before we return to the second verse. Continually rising synth in the sky accompanies singing for this one. Cool effect! The second time through the heavy "bridge" Miklós sings, in a much more powerful, DEMETRIO STRATOS way till the song finishes. (9/10)

9. "Epilóg ~ Epilogue" (2:28) an organ recapitulation of some of the chords and themes of the previous song before Miklós and Richard Wright-like synth sing over the organ. Again, cinematic storytelling is the feeling that I come away with from listening to this--GOBLIN-like. (4.25/5)

10. "Remény ~ Expectation" (4:33) speaking of GOBLIN, this instrumental song really does have that ominuous Euro-cinema feel to it as deep chords are alternated with spacious pauses while bass and drums plug away. Electric guitar begins to solo aggressively in the second minute and only proceeds to light it up as it plays. At the 2:30 mark the guitar stops and the syncopated chord progression from the opening takes over on its own. Then there is an unexpected turn of the corner as the song turns left, moving into a majestic chord sequence before ending with a distant-sounding synth and cymbal outro. Very interesting. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 39:31

While EAST's followup album, Hüség sounds and feels as if the band has integrated a variety of elements from other European prog rock bands, this album, to my ears, sounds more like a KLAUS SCHULZE-, ELOY-, and GOBLIN-influenced Euro-rock album. The second half (Side Two) is especially reminiscent of the cinematic music created by Italian jazz-rock fusion artists GOBLIN. While it's good, and I like it, this album is not as mature or sophisticated as Hüség.

  

88.23 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of cinematic Euro-progressive rock music.

15. JOHN MARTYN Glorious Fool

An album that came out during the beginning of Phil Collins' flurry of activity as a record producer (a brief period in the early 1980s in which he produced and performed as a session drummer for albums by John Martyn, Frida [of ABBA fame], Philip Bailey, Eric Clapton, Howard Jones, Adam Ant, as well all of his solo albums--a period which happened to coincide with the launch of his solo career), it opens with a remake of John's minor hit, "Couldn't Love You More" from his 1977 album, One World, the album that introduced me to this songwriting, guitar genius.

Line-up / Musicians:

John Martyn - vocals, guitar

Alan Thomson - bass

Max Middleton - keyboards

Phil Collins - durms; vocoder and additional vocals, piano (11)

Danny Cummings - percussion

with:

Dick Cuthell - flugelhorn (3), trumpet (9)

Eric Clapton -  guitar (1)

1. "Couldn't Love You More" (3:59) a bit sappy with the Collins/Mowtown b vox. Clapton's lead guitar work is also a bit dated. (8.75/10)

2. "Amsterdam" (5:27) now here's a different sound from John Martyn's guitar. The chunky fretless bass of long-time Martyn band mate Alan Thomson is also interesting for its amplification and exaggeration. Phil's drums here are too … Phil Collins. Phil did, however, manage to get a pretty extraordinary performance out of Mr. Martyn--and a nice subdued keybaord performanc out of former blues-rock piano-pounder (see Jeff Beck Group) Max Middleton. (8.75/10)

3. "Hold On My Heart" (4:39) Phil's "Burt Bacharach" song that he later re-worked and rerecorded for the 1991 GENESIS album, We Can't Dance. This version is nice, but the Genesis version is iconic. (8.75/10)

4. "Perfect Hustler" (4:42) highlighted by its wonderfully active Caribbean percussion work (thanks, Danny Cummings!) Definitely showcases how versatile and malleable John's vocal stylings could be. (8.66667/10)

5. "Hearts and Keys" (7:33) quite an atmospheric coup, this song definitely does well to almost capture the magic of my favorite John Martyn song of all-time, "Small Hours" from 1977's One World. I know, however, that John could've done it without the electronic keys and fretless bass. It's Phil's tom-tom play that makes this song a perfect match for John's vocal. Definitely a top three song for me. (9.25/10)

6. "Glorious Fool" (4:58) obviously Phil was a big fan of John's One World album as this song kind of replicates the "Big Muff" and "Dealer" songs from that 1977 album. Very cool song. (9/10)

7. "Never Say Never" (4:56) a Phil Collins "flash" song intended to occupy a big space with its big sound and "big" performances (drums, guitar, and vocals). A little too much Phil--it actually overshadows the protagonist's performance. (8.666667/10)

8. "Pascanel (Get Back Home)" (3:48) the weakest, most one-dimensional song on the album despite the interesting synth work. (8.4/10)

9. "Didn't Do That" (4:20) a great display of the way the contemporary jazz trends of the time could infiltrate the pop music scene. (8.75/10)

10. "Please Fall in Love With Me" (6:07) Great, sensitive vocal work that gets overwhelmed by the drum work of the second half. (8.75/10)

11. "Don't You Go" (4:43) a valiant attempt to capture John's classic heart-wrenching song rendering that, for whatever reason, seems to fail to succeed. Too bad. (8.66667/10)

Total time: 55:16

Phil Collins' production certainly comes shining through as it was so different from any of John's previous album releases. I think, overall, that this was a good move, though not all of the re-worked Collins/Motown versions of Martyn's songs stand up quite as well to their originals. On an interesting side-note, this was the first meeting and collaboration between John and long-time bandmate Alan Thomson's bass--a partnership that would last to the end of John's career (and life).

87.64 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice addition to any prog lover's music collection that contains a nice if different (Phil Collins style) presentation of John Martyn's music.

16. RUSH Moving Pictures

I've resisted listening to this album in one sitting. Ever. Remember, I owned their first albums (through the first live album) and, by the time they hit their "prog era" I had moved into serious prog, away from power cords. But today, June 25, 2020, I'm going to give it a go. Wish me luck!
      I've never liked the sound engineering of this album, the instruments seem to exist each in their own universe, they aren't well blended. Plus, I have never liked that Oberheim sound. And the songs just aren't ... my cup of tea. Are these drums really that impressive?

Line-up / Musicians:

- Alex Lifeson / 6- & 12-strings electric and acoustic guitars, Taurus bass pedals
- Geddy Lee / basses, bass pedals, synthesizers (Oberheim polyphonic, OB-X, Mini-Moog), vocals
- Neil Peart / drums, timbales, orchestra bells, glockenspiel, wind chimes, crotales, percussions
With:
- Hugh Syme / synthesizers (6)

- Terry Brown / co-arranger & co-producer

1. "Tom Sawyer" (4:34) never did much for me. I always find myself bothered by any lack of cohesion or flow. (8.67/10)

2. "Red Barchetta" (6:08) starts out okay, instrumentally, (though sounding very 80s-ish) before singing and SKA and Jimmy Page guitar licks ensue. Maybe the lyrics are supposed to mean something to me. The shift in the middle shows promise but then never delivers. Interesting violin-sounding guitar solo. (8.67/10)

3. "YYZ" (4:24) the much lauded and revered instrumental. Anticipation. Nice instrumental teamwork but, come on people, have you ever heard of Mahavishnu Orchestra? Return to Forever?  (8.5/10)

4. "Limelight" (4:21) one of the more accessible and melodic songs on the album (though sounding a LOT like "Fly by Night"). The drums are more enjoyable when they're singled out. (8.75/10)

5. "The Camera Eye" (10:57) opens like a late-70s jazz-rock fusion song before beefing up and then taking a sharp left in the third minute. Silly synth noises and two-chord strings with unusual power chord progressions. I like the more laid-back vocal style here (like that used in "Limelight"). Nice use of space between power chords. When Geddy's voice becomes more insistent, raising an octave, it works. Then another ninety-degree turn. About half way through I can see that a rotation of themes is becoming apparent. Again, maybe these would be better if I heard the words--if I cared about the verbal message being conveyed. For me, the voice is just another instrument. Okay. I made it through that one. Interesting. But I've heard better. So many better. (17.25/20) 

6. "Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear)" (4:44) Blurry power chord progressions dominate the soundscape while Geddy sings and syncopated percussives are randomly thrown in. With fuzzy synth chords, the song congeals and tension builds. Some nice chord shifts here and there. For me, this has been the best musical journey of the album. (9/10)

7. "Vital Signs" (4:47) more POLICE-like SKA with CARS-like synth-bass. Musically, this is a very accessible, engaging song. Depending on what Geddy's singing about, I don't know one didn't get radio play. I especially like that there is an anthemic phrase repeated over and over at the end, "Everybody got deviate/elevate/escalate from the norm." My favorite song on the album. (9.33/10)

Total Time: 39:55

For being such a well-loved and famous album, I'm very surprised that there was so much of it that I had never heard before:  pretty much all of Side Two.

87.39 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice contribution to Prog World.

17. EIDER STELLAIRE I 

Founded by OFFERING drummer Michel Le Bars. (What a distinction and honor it must be to have been chosen by drummer extraordinaire Christian Vander to be his drummer!).

Line-up / Musicians:

- Véronique Perrault / vocals
- Jean-Claude Delachat / guitar
- Pierre Gerard-Hirne / pianos, organ
- Marie-Anne Boda / flute, vocals
- Patrick Singery / bass
- Michel Le Bars / drums
With:
- Michel Moindron / tenor saxophone (4)

1. "Onde" (8:35) solid Zeuhl fare with differing keyboard sounds but still using chunky bass and drums to propel the music ever onward. Very nice guitar work from Jean-Claude Delachat. Well performed overall but lacking a little of the "raptured soul" of Vander's stuff. (18/20)

2. "Arctis 6.ème Éphéméride" (7:04) chunky fretless bass á la JACO PASTORIUS, the song has a very nice progression with imperceptibly smooth transitions. Though I'm not a fan of the fuzzed up Mahavishnu John McLaughlin sound employed by the guitarist, I laud the work--his play with the bass player and off of the female choir. I also enjoy the subtle presence of the flute. (13.5/15)

3. "Légende" (5:37) more JACO bass, bouncy Fender Rhodes, quieter drums, to support the lead guitarist's work--and it is extraordinary, I must say. I'd say this one is less Zeuhlish, more jazz fusion. But it's really good! (9.5/10) 

4. "Tétra" (6:32) slow, then fast, based in Latin rhythms, then Mahavishnu-like driving speed with Jean-Claude again the feature instrumentalist (which is not really in the true spirit of Zeuhl), this song shows good musicianship and emotional CORRADO RUSTICI-like guitar skills and stylings, but the funky bass, and tempo shifts don't always work. Sax in the latter half is a welcome addition. (8.5/10)

5. "Nihil" (7:26) opening like a Vander composition, letting whole band and voices slow-build into the main body of the song, it's good, it follows the Magma forms and examples, but, in the end, it's not quite Magma. It's the bass and singular female voice that detract. And though the drums start out very strong, they don't remain one of the driving forces of the song as Christian does--it's the simple bass and key chords that do a better job of that. Something about the way the drums are mixed into the soundscape weaken them, I think. (12/15)

Total Time: 35:14

87.14 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a wonderful contribution to the Zeuhl jazz fusion world--here fusing the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA sound and style with Le Bars MAGMA training.

Other Very Good Albums

(Ratings of 86.67 to 85.0)

18. OSIRIS Osiris (1981)

Prog from Bahrain?!!! Obviously inspired by the prog giants of the 1970s, this full, keyboard- and guitar-led band of young Middle Easterners launched full on into Prog World with a skilled and highly texturized Arabian-influenced rock sound.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Mohamed Al-Sadeqi / lead & acoustic guitars, vocals
- Mohammed Amin Kooheji / rhythm guitar, bass (1), percussion (2)
- Abdul Razzak Arian / organ, MicorMoog, polyphonic synth, Korg keyboards
- Sami Al-Jamea / Fender Rhodes, piano, MiniMoog
- Mohammed Amin Shafii / bass, vocals, keyboards (8)
- Nabil Al-Sadeqi / drums, percussion
- Isa Jahani / vibes, percussion, vocals
With:
- Sabah Al-Sadeqi / lead vocals & guitar (8)
- Khalid Almutawa / bass (8)

- Nader Rafii / congas

SIDE 1

1. "Fantasy" (6:00) opens with synth and electric guitar establishing a fast paced weave before drums and bass join in. Bridge and shift after the one minute mark into a bluesier section with bouncy organ for reverbed voice to enter and sing--somewhat ELOY-like (the singing, that is). Instrumental returns to the opening weave alternate with singing sections until the music holds fast for a two-guitar solo in the fourth minute, which then slows down and turns into a solid one-guitar solo before sliding back into the fuller version for the dynamic closing section and synth solo (90 seconds!) (9.25/10)

2. "Sailor On The Seas Of Fate" (11:46) seagulls, TD bass synth and Hammond open this slow tempo song before Arabian percussion instruments join in. At 2:25 electric guitar takes the lead, at first as if reluctantly, then with confidence. It's like I'm listening to an Arabian Santana!
      There is a break at 3:33 for Fender Rhodes foundation for effected vocal. TOTO-like rock theme introduced at 4:15 in lieu of a chorus. This back-and-forth goes around for two cycles until 6:50 when a flanged acoustic guitar starts doing arpeggi with wave-like cymbal play and a Fender Rhodes piano. This continues in a pretty theme until 9:30 when a nice MiniMoog solo begins to play over the vibes for the final two minutes. (21/25)

3. "Struggle To Survive" (5:01) a purely CAMEL song, even the vocals, as if it came straight off of Mirage or Moonmadness. Nice drumming. (8.5/10)

SIDE 2
4. "Atmun" (5:11) this instrumental opens as a basic, simple classic rock song until 2:00 when a nice new motif begins. There is a weird shift at 2:45--a bridge--leading to a passage with nice guitar and keys in the fourth minute. Cool final minute. (8.5/10)
5. "Embers Of A Flame" (5:00) after a brief rock opening a Fender Rhodes plays alone beneath gentle vocals. The rock-gentle sections cycle around twice before an uptempo jam section features a soloing electric guitar in the third minute. Great solos! From the guitar, MiniMoog, and then Hammond organ! (8.5/10)
6. "A Story Of Love" (6:15) opens with a full CAMEL/Latimer feel and sound. The chorus sounds like something straight off of LOS JAIVAS' Alturas de Macchu Picchu album! At 3:35 a more aggressive instrumental section begins in which the soloing electric guitar is in the lead. There is some pretty flashy lead guitar and MiniMoog exchanges before the music returns to the rock/Los Jaivas rotation for the final vocal section. (8.25/10)
7. "Paradox In A Major" (4:06) using either a different lead vocalist or different effects on the vocalist this song incorporates a fairly simple chordal structure to present a CAMEL sound palette. It's a very tight weave, almost classical in its structure, between the vocal verses. There is a very interesting two-channel (chorus?) effect being used on the electric bass over which a SANTANA-like guitar solo is being nicely performed. (9/10)

Total time 43:19

My favorite song elements are the Arabian percussion, eclectic electric guitar and keyboard voices, and the strong bass and drums. Everybody is competent and skilled, holding together the music flawlessly. Though the chordal structures are often quite simplistic, the transitions and shifts are usually quite dynamic and unexpected.

85.88 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a solid contribution to early 80s progressive rock music--from Bahrain!!! 

Not As Good As Advertized

CAMEL Nude

 I used to play this one a lot in the early eighties. Along with ANTHONY PHILLIPS' 1984, I think it one of the under-appreciated gems of the early 80s. Lots of catchy melodies, pretty song structures founded in some traditional Japanese music, the album has a really nice flow of songs to tell the concept album's story (based on a true life event) about a Japanese soldier from World War II who has been living alone on a small Pacific Island for thirty years without knowing that the war is over--thinking that he is still fighting for his emperor and country. Found and brought back to Japan, Hiroo Onoda has to come to grips with the extraordinary changes in the world, his country, and his family.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Andrew Latimer / guitars, lead vocals (9,13), flute, koto, keyboards
- Colin Bass / bass, lead vocals(1,3)
- Andy Ward / drums, percussion
With:
- Duncan Mackay / keyboards (1-15)
- Jan Schelhaas / piano (3), 
- Mel Collins / flute, piccolo, saxophones (1-15)
- Chris Green / cello (3)
- Herbie Flowers / tuba (12)
- Gaspar Lawal / percussions (7)

1. City Life (4:41) (8/10)
2. Nude (0:23)
3. Drafted (4:13) (8.4/10)
4. Docks (3:50) the first song that bears any similarity to the progressive rock of the previous decade. Sounds a lot like one of Steve Hackett's "nightmare" songs.  (8.75/10)
5. Beached (3:32) another song that feels so Steve Hackett-like. The first song that the keyboards make a mark. (8.75/10)
6. Landscapes (2:39) Tony Banks-ciric-1981 keyboard play opens this to be joined by Andy (or Mel?)'s flute. Pretty. (4.375/5)
7. Changing Places (4:10)
8. Pomp & Circumstance (2:05)
9. Please Come Home (1:13)
10. Reflections (2:39)
11. Captured (3:12)
12. The Homecoming (2:48)
13. Lies (4:58)
The Last Farewell:
14. The Birthday Cake (0:30)
15. Nude's Return (3:41)

Total Time: 44:52

The album's weaknesses are its New Age keyboard sounds and the horrible play and recording of the drums. (Was this really Andy WARD--THE Andy Ward?!?!) There are several really nice vintage CAMEL instrumental passages/songs. "Beached" [3:32] [9/10] was always a highlight for me on Side One and "Reflections" [2:45] "The Birthday Cake"[4:05] and "Nude's Return" [3:42] on Side Two. Still, the music is often a bit simplistic and corny, which is why I can't give this one more than three stars.

 

DUN - Eros (1980) This is a jazzier, more up-beat expression of Zeuhl (if in fact, it is Zeuhl. I mean: how does one become 'Zeuhl'? Call up Christian Vander and ask approval? I've heard some groups assigned the 'Zeuhl' sub-genre moniker are disappointed [XING SA] and others who so obviously should fall in this category based upon their musical style aren't [GUAPO]. But then again, bands change and, unfortunately, this site hasn't seemed to figure out how to let individual albums receive their own individual assignations, instead of a band once and forever being labeled 'Symphonic' [GENESIS] or 'Crossover' [BIG BIG TRAIN] or 'Black Metal' [ULVER]  [really, 'Post Rock/Math Rock'] or 'Experimental/Post Metal' [THE GATHERING] when the whole of their catalogues hardly express the sub-genre of music to which they were originally assigned. Somehow they've managed it on the new JMA (JAZZMUSICARCHIVES.COM) that Max et al. have created.)

1.  "L'épice" (9:25) is, to my mind, a mix of some of the more dissonant musics of CHICK COREA/RETURN TO FOREVER and the Avant Garde stylings of YUGEN or UNIVERS ZÉRO (with, of course, the variation on HENRY MANCINI's "Peter Gunn" bass line). Kudos to the searing jazz rock guitar and warbled bass sound in the first section. More KOTEBEL-like flute in the second section. (I know I'm terribly guilty of assigning similarities between two different group's sounds even when one far predates the one I'm comparing it to. Je m'excuse.) (12/20)

2. "Arrakis" (9:36) is, to my mind, the most nearly true Zeuhl song on the album, yet still more jazz-sounding and uplifting than most MAGMA work. It's very similar to the sound EUMIR DEODATO created on his two studio albums from the early 70s, Prelude and Deodato 2. The first 4 minutes and 15 seconds are quite enjoyable. The up-tempo middle section (4:15-6:50) is a bit tedious (mostly for the straightforward time signature held by the metronomic drumming), but the last sections are again quite fun (even the drum solo--at times flanged; a very cool effect, IMO).

3. "Bitonio" (7:09) begins like a staccato all-band percussion jam from the PAT METHENY GROUP song. Then piano arpeggios take the song into a different  direction?one of flow and linearity. The next switch into the distorted/treated bass and decaying synth notes is interesting, but then it just as suddenly ends, to be replaced by a very spacious and suspenseful movie soundtrack scene:

(Now he's there, in front of you! He's chasing you!)

(Run!)

(A hiding place! Stop! Don't breath! Be invisible! )

(Is he coming? Should I check and see? No. Yes.)

(There he is! Run!) 

4. "Eros" (10:17) takes one on quite a diverse journey. Because of the wonderful flute work in the rather pretty first section, I am reminded of several of the songs on EUMIR DEODATO's 1973 classic, Prelude. The second more avant garde section reminds me of KOTEBEL as well as Andean pipe musics. I like the ingenius effect as the weave of the guitar, bass and drums tightens and comes forward to overcome and then take over for the flute before settling in to support a funky synth solo. This is followed around the eight minute mark by a return to more avante jazz sounds and structures. An unusual crash and lull-to-fade completes the song.  Overall this album provides the listener with an experience more similar to that of UNIVERS ZERO than MAGMA, IMO.

73.33 on the Fishscales = C-/three stars; a fair album. Great composition and performance but lacking in accessibility and pleasure. Recommended for the experience--and for "Arrakis."

Albums on the Fringe of Prog World

U2 October

A year after their stunning debut, the Dublin quartet made the statement that they were for real and here to stay with a nearly-as-good sophomore release--an album that remains in my Top 100 All-Time Albums to this day.

Line-up / Musicians: 

Bono - lead vocals

The Edge - guitars, piano, backing vocals

Adam Clayton - bass guitar

Larry Mullen Jr. - drums

with:

Vinnie Kilduff - Uileann pipes, bodhrán

Side One:

1. "Gloria" (4:14)

2. "I Fall Down" (3:39) (9.5/10)

3. "I Threw a Brick Through a Window" (4:54)

4.  "Rejoice" (3:37)

5.  "Fire" (3:51)

Side Two:

1. "Tomorrow" (4:39)

2. "October" (2:21)

3. "With a Shout (Jerusalem)" (4:02) (10/10)

4. "Stranger in a Strange Land" (3:56) (9.5/10)

5. "Scarlet" (2:53)

6. "Is That All?" (2:59) (10/10)

Total length: 41:05

PHIL COLLINS Face Value

The debut solo album from Genesis drummer-turned-lead vocalist Phil Collins. On this album, Phil still makes the listener very aware of his skills and foundation in la batterie yet also definitely makes his case that he has the songwriting and singing skills to become a pop star. The opener, "In the Air Tonight" has taken a firm place as one of the four or five greatest "classic rock" songs of all-time and "I Missed Again" introduced us to his future "Earth, Wind & Fire" sound that would make him an award-winning pop superstar.

Lineup / Musicians:
Phil Collins - Vocals, drums, percussion, keyboards, programming

1. "In The Air Tonight" (5:27) (10/10)
2. "This Must Be Love" (3:55) (/10)
3. "Behind The Lines" (3:54) (/10)
4. "The Roof Is Leaking" (3:15) (/10)
5. "Droned" (2:49) (5/5)
6. "Hand In Hand" (5:20) (/10)
7. "I Missed Again" (3:40) (8.75/10)
8. "You Know What I Mean" (2:33) (/5)
9. "Thunder And Lightning" (4:11) (/10)
10. "I'm Not Moving" (2:30) (/5)
11. "If Leaving Me Is Easy" (4:54) (/10)
12. "Tomorrow Never Knows" (4:18) (9.5/10)
13. "Over The Rainbow" (

GENESIS ABACAB

     Welcome to the new world: thanks to Phil's work on Peter Gabriel's third eponymous album, we have THE GATED DRUM! (Which I hate. But history is history.) The songs of ABACAB seem much simpler. (More use of the A-B-A-C-A-B song form.) The band uses much less complex chord structures and much less subtleties or surprises within these songs than previous albums. I'm not sure I feel confident continuing to categorize their music as "progressive rock"--and I most definitely can no longer consider this the same kind of music the band was producing in the 1971 to 1977 time span.

Favorite songs: "Dodo/Lurker" (7:32) (12.75/15); "ABACAB" (6:58) (13/15); "Man on the Corner" (4:27) (8.5/10) (perhaps my favorite theatric Phil Collins vocal of all-time--he really hits it hard and powerfully, even if it is a bit over the top), and the chorus of "Keep It Dark" (4:32) (8.5/10)

Line-up / Musicians:

- Phil Collins / vocals, drums
- Mike Rutherford / guitars, basses
- Tony Banks / keyboards (Prophet synth)
With:
- The EWF Horns / horns (2)

- Thomas "Tom Tom 84" Washington / horns arrangements (2)

1. Abacab (7:01) (13/15)
2. No Reply At All (4:40) (8.25/10)
3. Me And Sarah Jane (5:59) (8.25/10)
4. Keep It Dark (4:31) (8.5/10)
5. Dodo / Lurker (7:28) (12.75/15)
6. Who Dunnit? (3:22) (7.75/10)
7. Man On The Corner (4:26) (8.5/10)
8. Like It Or Not (4:57) (7.5/10)
9. Another Record (4:28) (8/10)

Total Time: 46:52

Another very good album from the three remaining Genesis members, Tony BANKS, Mike RUTHERFORD and Phil COLLINS. This one a shorter collection of totally unrelated songs (as opposed to the band's previous effort, the Broadway musical, Duke). I liked this album pretty well, and even went to see the band on their American tour supporting it.

I don't like the three-chord rock, the use of pseudo-Reggae rhythms/riffs, the use of Phil's friends' horns, and, of course, the gated drums. Otherwise this is an okay record.

81.5 on the Fishscales = C/three stars; a fair contribution to music though less and less proggy.

VAN HALEN Fair Warning

Never a huge Van Halen fan, I was always intrigued by the innovative musicianship and sound created by guitarist Eddie Van Halen. For me, this album felt like a breakout, "solo" album by Eddie as there were a lot of songs that seemed to show no desire for pop/radio listenership, were intended only to satisfy some personal artistic urges. The results, however, are sonically, creatively, among the most interesting the band (and Eddie) ever created.

"Mean Street"	(4:55)
"'Dirty Movies'"	(4:06)
"Sinner's Swing!"	(3:08)
"Hear About It Later"	(4:33)
"Unchained"	(3:27)
"Push Comes To Shove"	(3:48)
"So This Is Love?"	(3:05)
"Sunday Afternoon In The Park"	(2:00)
"One Foot Out The Door"	(1:56)

BRUCE COCKBURN Inner City Front

I only discovered the music of Bruce Cockburn with his 1983 release, The Trouble with Normal, but was so won over that I immediately started backtracking into his discography--which led me to the discovery of this masterpiece--most definitely my favorite pre-TTwN release of his (other than, perhaps, his 1977 live album, Circles in the Stream).

The hit opener, "You Pay Your Money and You Take Your Chance" has been a concert fan favorite ever since it came out and "Wanna Go Walking," "And We Dance," "Broken Wheel," and "Justice" creep in and out of his concert repertoire from time to time but it is the insistent, soul-screaming "Loner" that has been and remains one of my favorite Bruce Cockburn prog epics of all-time. Not only for it's amazing vocal performance of some seriously powerful and personal lyrics, but the guitar and violin soloing throughout. It's amazing!

TOM TOM CLUB Tom Tom Club

Who could not like-even-love this happy go lucky jaunt through quirky poppy land? Every song on this album offers ear-worm aural candy and brain-worm catchy lyrics. And did we forget that Tom Tom Club is none other than the husband-wife rhythm section of Talking Heads without leader David Byrne or guitarist Jerry Harrison? Then there's the presence of guitar genius Adrian Belew, in the prime of his "outburst" into public recognition, pouring out sounds, rhythms, and riffs for the ages. No wonder this music is so fun!

1. "Wordy Rappington" (6:27) (/10)

2. "Genius of Love" (5:34) (10/10)

3. "Tom Tom Theme" (1:25) (/5)

4. "L'Éléphant" (4:50) (9.5/10)

5. "As Above, So Below" (5:23) (/10)

6. "Lorelei" (5:05) (/10)

7. "On, On, On, On..." (3:33) (/10)

8. "Booming and Zooming" (4:32) (/10)

SPECIAL MENTION:

TANGERINE DREAM Thief Original Soundtrack Music

Despite knowing that the film's AMAZING finale, "Confrontation," was NOT a TD composition--that it was cobbled together by Craig Safan while TD was out on tour--this was THE album (and film going experience) that sucked me into the TD fold; up to this point I was only a luke-warm dilettante/fan of their music.

If any music fit a movie soundtrack perfectly, this was it!