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 1996:
1. LANDBERK Indian Summer
2. OLGA KHARITIDI & JIM WILSON Entering the Circle
2. OLGA KHARITIDI & JIM WILSON Entering the Circle
3. EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL Walking Wounded
4. BONDAGE FRUIT II
5. RUYICHI SAKAMOTO 1996
6. DEAD CAN DANCE Spiritchaser
7. QUIDAM Quidam
8. ANGRA Holy Land
5. RUYICHI SAKAMOTO 1996
6. DEAD CAN DANCE Spiritchaser
7. QUIDAM Quidam
8. ANGRA Holy Land
9. OLIVE Extra Virgin
10. ULVER Kveldssanger
11. AFTER CRYING De Profundis
12. STEREOLAB Emperor's Tomato Ketchup
12. STEREOLAB Emperor's Tomato Ketchup
13. JAMIROQUAI Travelling Without Moving
14. SHIELA CHANDRA Bone Crone Drone
17. PAULA COLE This Fire
14. SHIELA CHANDRA Bone Crone Drone
15. TOOL Ænima
16. FIONA APPLE Tidal17. PAULA COLE This Fire
18. CARDIACS Sing to God
19. PORCUPINE TREE Signify
20. STEVE HACKETT Genesis Revisited
Honorable Mentions:20. STEVE HACKETT Genesis Revisited
BECK Odelay
TORTOISE Millions Now Living Will Never Die
KULA SHAKER KTHE FLOWER KINGS Retropolis
PENDRAGON The Masquerade Overture
Five Star Prog Masterpieces
(Ratings of 100 to 93.34)
None
The "Minor" Masterpieces
(Ratings of 93.33 to 90.0)
1. ANGRA Holy Land
By no means harsh or abrasive "metal," this music is more in the "heavy" department like SYLVAN, led by the very talented vocal/keyboard artist, André Matos--though I am equally reminded of a heavier, more sophisticated version of Peter Nicholls-led IQ as well.
Line-up / Musicians:
- André Matos / vocals, piano, organ, keyboards, orchestral arrangements
- Rafael Bittencourt / guitar
- Kiko Loureiro / guitar
- Luis Mariutti / bass
- Ricardo Confessori / drums
With:
- Sascha Paeth / programming, orchestral arrangements, co-producer
- Ricardo Kubala / viola
- Paulo Bento / flute
- Pixu Flores / berimbau
- Holger Stonjek / double bass
- Tuto Ferraz / congas, djembe, timbales, brush snares, clave, triangles, repinique, toms
- Castora / percussive effects, whistle, tambourine
- The Farrambamba Vocal Group / vocals
- Naomi Munakata / choir conductor
- Mônica Thiele / alto vocals
- Reginaldo Gomes / bass vocals
- Rafael Bittencourt / guitar
- Kiko Loureiro / guitar
- Luis Mariutti / bass
- Ricardo Confessori / drums
With:
- Sascha Paeth / programming, orchestral arrangements, co-producer
- Ricardo Kubala / viola
- Paulo Bento / flute
- Pixu Flores / berimbau
- Holger Stonjek / double bass
- Tuto Ferraz / congas, djembe, timbales, brush snares, clave, triangles, repinique, toms
- Castora / percussive effects, whistle, tambourine
- The Farrambamba Vocal Group / vocals
- Naomi Munakata / choir conductor
- Mônica Thiele / alto vocals
- Reginaldo Gomes / bass vocals
- Celeste Gattai / soprano vocals
1. "Crossing" (1:55) a church-like choral piece (plus songbird) (5/5)
2. "Nothing To Say" (6:20) pre-djenty guitars & bass with steady drums and then layers of synth support before lead guitar and fancy synth-strings bridge to singing section. (8.75/10)
3. "Silence and Distance" (5:34) starts out as a slow ballad--until 1:30 when the hard rocking' kicks in--with "horn" synth embellishments. (This keyboard artist, André Matos, is very talented!) Nice twin guitars represent during instrumental section. Solid song! (9.25/10)
4. "Carolina IV" (10:33) If IQ's Peter Nicholls' band were a little more heavy and dynamic, this is what you might get. (19/20)
5. "Holy Land" (6:26) shaker percussion give way to piano and "flute" keys for André to sing over. This definitely has a Middle Eastern flavor to it--though one delivered in a kind of Broadway/stage style. Reminds of RUSH--though a very keyboard-centric song. (8.5/10)
6. "The Shaman" (5:23) very interesting chord play from the piano while the rest of the band establishes the song's intro. It all funnels into a forward-moving 1980s heavy metal song with many layers of instrumental passages in the weave and within the multi-voice vocal weave. Great percussion section while Arabic(?) voice speaks. Then it peels wheels kicking into fifth gear for the final section. The vocal part is actually the weakest part of this. A very interesting song, musically, but not as interesting melody-wise. (9/10)
7. "Make Believe" (5:51) another snare and piano intro soon joined by acoustic guitar and organ before bass and voice enter. André really has a wonderful theater-like voice (I like his slowed down vocals much better than his metal voice--though he does come through with the high-range belting of the final third of the song. There's quite a little MARCO GLÜHMANN there.) This excellent song could've come straight off of Posthumous Silence! (9.5/10)
8. "Z.I.T.O (6:09) Liszt-like keys over metal bass and guitars while André sings with a Geddy Lee/Peter Nicholls-like passion. Finally, some more great twin-shredding-guitar interplay! (9/10)
9. "Deep Blue (5:47) opens with gentle church organ playing slowly--as if processionally. André enters with an equally pious voice. Organ leaves, piano and strings take over accompanying André before the song shifts into full metal jacket at 1:30. In the slow down parts I'm reminded of Supertramp's Roger Hodgson on "Fool's Overture." And then, surprise! There's a return to liturgical sounds with organ, piano and lone tenor singing in Latin. Punctuated by horns and organ and female background choir, this is just exceptional music! (And exceptional theater!) Awesome! But we're not done yet! It's only 3:50! Hearing some words in the lyrics like "pray" makes me think that this might be a very personal, very spiritual song from André--despite the Brian May-like guitar solo. (9.5/10)
10. "Lullaby For Lucifer (2:43) back to the seashore with seagulls and waves over which Spanish guitar picks a gentle accompaniment for another very emotional André vocal. The only flaw is in the quality of the engineering of the vocal track. (4.75/5)
Total Time: 54:41
I don't get it: Are these guys Brazilian, British, or Israeli? If you like your prog metal theatric, sophisticated, and keyboard-driven, then these guys might be your cup of tea. I was hoping/expecting to hear more fire from the two guitarists. Oh, well.
92.25 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of theatric heavy (somewhat metal) prog and one of the more sophisticated and "deep" prog metal albums I've ever heard. Bueno!
2. "Nothing To Say" (6:20) pre-djenty guitars & bass with steady drums and then layers of synth support before lead guitar and fancy synth-strings bridge to singing section. (8.75/10)
3. "Silence and Distance" (5:34) starts out as a slow ballad--until 1:30 when the hard rocking' kicks in--with "horn" synth embellishments. (This keyboard artist, André Matos, is very talented!) Nice twin guitars represent during instrumental section. Solid song! (9.25/10)
4. "Carolina IV" (10:33) If IQ's Peter Nicholls' band were a little more heavy and dynamic, this is what you might get. (19/20)
6. "The Shaman" (5:23) very interesting chord play from the piano while the rest of the band establishes the song's intro. It all funnels into a forward-moving 1980s heavy metal song with many layers of instrumental passages in the weave and within the multi-voice vocal weave. Great percussion section while Arabic(?) voice speaks. Then it peels wheels kicking into fifth gear for the final section. The vocal part is actually the weakest part of this. A very interesting song, musically, but not as interesting melody-wise. (9/10)
7. "Make Believe" (5:51) another snare and piano intro soon joined by acoustic guitar and organ before bass and voice enter. André really has a wonderful theater-like voice (I like his slowed down vocals much better than his metal voice--though he does come through with the high-range belting of the final third of the song. There's quite a little MARCO GLÜHMANN there.) This excellent song could've come straight off of Posthumous Silence! (9.5/10)
8. "Z.I.T.O (6:09) Liszt-like keys over metal bass and guitars while André sings with a Geddy Lee/Peter Nicholls-like passion. Finally, some more great twin-shredding-guitar interplay! (9/10)
9. "Deep Blue (5:47) opens with gentle church organ playing slowly--as if processionally. André enters with an equally pious voice. Organ leaves, piano and strings take over accompanying André before the song shifts into full metal jacket at 1:30. In the slow down parts I'm reminded of Supertramp's Roger Hodgson on "Fool's Overture." And then, surprise! There's a return to liturgical sounds with organ, piano and lone tenor singing in Latin. Punctuated by horns and organ and female background choir, this is just exceptional music! (And exceptional theater!) Awesome! But we're not done yet! It's only 3:50! Hearing some words in the lyrics like "pray" makes me think that this might be a very personal, very spiritual song from André--despite the Brian May-like guitar solo. (9.5/10)
10. "Lullaby For Lucifer (2:43) back to the seashore with seagulls and waves over which Spanish guitar picks a gentle accompaniment for another very emotional André vocal. The only flaw is in the quality of the engineering of the vocal track. (4.75/5)
Total Time: 54:41
I don't get it: Are these guys Brazilian, British, or Israeli? If you like your prog metal theatric, sophisticated, and keyboard-driven, then these guys might be your cup of tea. I was hoping/expecting to hear more fire from the two guitarists. Oh, well.
92.25 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of theatric heavy (somewhat metal) prog and one of the more sophisticated and "deep" prog metal albums I've ever heard. Bueno!
2. LANDBERK Indian Summer
The wonderful final album from these Swedish masters of atmospherics and emotion, this album is a bit more polished and pop-oriented than their previous effort, One Man Tells Another. "Why Do I Still Sleep" may be the second best song of 1996, and "Humanize", "I Wish I Had a Boat", and the hard-drivin' "Dustgod" aren't far behind. An album full of catchy, haunting melodies that you'll find yourself humming long after the music has stopped.
Reine Fiske is a genius. He plays guitar unlike anyone I've ever heard--on a par that is comparable with maestro Jeff Beck and the late and, sadly, much obscured blues axeman, Roy Buchanan. Fiske and Beck are similar in the way that the two create astoundingly beautiful and totally unexpected soundscapes with the same implement that all other musicians who claim to play guitar use. The answer to the riddle: What makes them so different? must be that Reine Fiske and Jeff Beck must be gods--or, at the very least, not of the same Earth/human substance as all other guitarists. Seriously: Check out this player. He is a player of a totally different ilk.
Reine Fiske is a genius. He plays guitar unlike anyone I've ever heard--on a par that is comparable with maestro Jeff Beck and the late and, sadly, much obscured blues axeman, Roy Buchanan. Fiske and Beck are similar in the way that the two create astoundingly beautiful and totally unexpected soundscapes with the same implement that all other musicians who claim to play guitar use. The answer to the riddle: What makes them so different? must be that Reine Fiske and Jeff Beck must be gods--or, at the very least, not of the same Earth/human substance as all other guitarists. Seriously: Check out this player. He is a player of a totally different ilk.
Indian Summer is my favorite Landberk album, despite some odd familiarity--especially in the vocals (at times I hear striking similarities to ICEHOUSE, THE CHURCH, INXS, and DAVID SYLVIAN). This album shows maturity and, yes, autonimity; they've really come into their own sound. It started with the end of One Man Tells Another--the brilliant "Tell."
1. Indian Summer starts out by hooking you in with the catchy "Humanize" (6:09) (9/10) but then lags a bit with the next two songs: slightly monotonous, Icehouse/Church-like.
2. "All Around Me" (9:03) Ira Davies vocal in the verses, powerful, dynamic choruses, and protracted sensitive Reine Fiske solo throughout the middle/second half. (17.75/20)
3. "1st of May" (3:34) a little straightforward rocker with a great Steve Kilbey-like vocal. (8.75/10)
4. "I Wish I Had a Boat" (5:41) picks it back up again in a very David Sylvian-sounding 'avant- ambient'-like way. (9.25/10)
5. "Dustgod" (5:04) combines the earlier Icehouse/Church sound and feel with the Sylvian-ness in a brilliant, upbeat way. (9.25/10)
6. "Dreamdance" (4:49) shows off some absolutely amazing guitar playing/styling (all songs on which genius Reine Fiske participates are worth a closer listen, but this one puts his uniquity right in your face). Love the heavily treated vocal and bass work, as well. (9.75/10)
7. Then comes my favorite, the eight-minute gem called "Why Do I Still Sleep?"(7:55) with its masterfully delicate guitar stoking and the surprise female vocalist pleading the song title to us at the end. Yeah, with all the crap going on in the world, Why do I still sleep? Or, as Jonathan Wilson put it, Can we really party today? (15/15)
8. The finale, the delicate Pat Metheny/New Chatauqua-like title song, "Indian Summer" (5:12) is frankly a bit of a let down--even though it sounds as if it could have come off of Brendan Sutton's BARK PSYCHOSIS album, Hex. (8/10)
91.32 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. While not a full masterpiece of prog music, this is an excellent album that I highly recommend. And don't forget Reine Fiske's other projects: Morte Macabre, the first Päatos album (Timeloss), Dungen, The Amazing, as well his collaborative appearances on albums by Motorspycho and Elephant9. They're all worth checking out.
Line-up / Musicians:
Favorite songs: "Østenfor sol og vestenfor maane" (3:30), "Naturmystikk" (2:56), "Utreise" (2:56), and "Ulvsblakk" (7:04)
With very few songs clocking in at over three minutes, it's a very difficult album to provide an overall rating for. My gut feeling is that this album deserves something between a 91 and 93.33 for its overall rating--making it a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music.
4. TOOL Ænima
Though I am not really very enamored (or even tolerant) of metal--especially tech/"extreme" metal--there is something profoundly alluring and interesting about Tool music. I think it's the fact that, despite the thick and heavy chords, there is this kind of etheric spaciousness to the music. Maynard James Keegan's singing is usually so diverse and rarely domineering, like he finds the holes and threads in the music into which he weaves his voice/vocals as if they are another instrument. I find it fascinating.
1. "Stinkfist" (5:11) (8.75/10)
91.32 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. While not a full masterpiece of prog music, this is an excellent album that I highly recommend. And don't forget Reine Fiske's other projects: Morte Macabre, the first Päatos album (Timeloss), Dungen, The Amazing, as well his collaborative appearances on albums by Motorspycho and Elephant9. They're all worth checking out.
3. ULVER Kveldssanger
An awesome album with an acoustic guitar foundation to the music. If there was ever a band who could be used to make a case for the categorization of music on ProgArchives on an album-by-album basis, this would item of evidence #1. How this band became known as Post Rock, Math Rock, Prog Metal, or even Death Metal I'll never know cuz the display on Kveldssanger is Heavy Folk like TENHI or IVAR BJØRNSON & EINAR SELVIK or even some of the output coming from OPETH, AGALLOCH, and PAIN of SALVATION.
This was a fairly recent discovery that I fell in love with immediately and love to play start to finish. And I love it when bands choose to sing in their native tongues.Line-up / Musicians:
- "Garm" (Kristoffer Rygg) / vocals
- "Haavard" (Håvard Jørgensen) / acoustic guitar
- "AiwarikiaR" (Erik Olivier Lancelot) / drums, flutes
With:
- Alf Gaaskjønli / cello
- "Haavard" (Håvard Jørgensen) / acoustic guitar
- "AiwarikiaR" (Erik Olivier Lancelot) / drums, flutes
With:
- Alf Gaaskjønli / cello
Total Time: 35:29
I so admire the gutsy adventurousness of this band! How many times can a band totally reinvent themselves? And they continue to have such a loyal fan base.
I so admire the gutsy adventurousness of this band! How many times can a band totally reinvent themselves? And they continue to have such a loyal fan base.
With very few songs clocking in at over three minutes, it's a very difficult album to provide an overall rating for. My gut feeling is that this album deserves something between a 91 and 93.33 for its overall rating--making it a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music.
4. TOOL Ænima
Though I am not really very enamored (or even tolerant) of metal--especially tech/"extreme" metal--there is something profoundly alluring and interesting about Tool music. I think it's the fact that, despite the thick and heavy chords, there is this kind of etheric spaciousness to the music. Maynard James Keegan's singing is usually so diverse and rarely domineering, like he finds the holes and threads in the music into which he weaves his voice/vocals as if they are another instrument. I find it fascinating.
2. "Eulogy" (8:29) a fascinating exploration of space, temporality, and dimensionality. (19.5/20)
3. "H." (6:03) awesome intro of heavily distorted power chords! Brilliant tease of potential energy during the singing parts! Amazing construct! (9.5/10)
4. "Useful Idiot" (0:39) LOL! (4.5/5)
5. "Forty Six & 2" (6:03) great Crimsonian weave. (8,75/10)
6. "Message to Harry Manback" (1:53) super creepy! (4.5/5)
7. "Hooker with a Penis" (4:34) too much for me. (8/10)
8. "Intermission" (0:56) ;) (5/5)
9. "Jimmy" (5:24) some cool vocal techniques, otherwise, too much like a heavier NIRVANA song. (8.5/10)
10. "Die Eier Von Satan" (2:17) You got it! (5/5)
11. "Pushit" (9:56) by now, the sound and rhythmic patterns of the music are getting a bit tiring. Still, Keenan's unorthodox vocal talents (and subject matter) are mesmerizing. Great final three minutes of bass & guitar. (18/20)
12. "Cesaro Summability" (1:26) (4.5/5)
13. "Ænema" (6:40) almost like a normally structured song--(at least for the first three minutes)! And multiple tracks used by Maynard! (9/10)
14. "(-) Ions" (4:00) explorations in sound recording and the harmonics of sheet metal manipulations and sequence of electrode sound sample. (8.5/10)
15. "Third Eye" (13:47) Heartbeat. Tape of comedian on drugs & music, weather, while drums and searing heavily distorted guitar fly around. When bass kicks in in the low end around 2:15, a song comes together within which Maynard's treated vocal joins in. Amazing amp up with scream! What a journey this fourteen minutes takes me on! What creativity and courage the band shows! And they bring it to a crescendo and finale better than any other song on the album. (28/30)
91.07 on the Fishscales = A-/five star; a minor masterpiece of hard-driving, brutally honest, syncopated and eccentric heavy prog.
4.5 Stars; Excellent Additions to Prog World
(Ratings 89.99 to 86.67)
5. PORCUPINE TREE Signify
The first more rock-oriented prog album by Steven Wilson and his new band lineup playing and performing under the name of Porcupine Tree, some parts hit home as magical while others miss the mark a bit. Great soundscapes evidencing the electronica explorations previous to this album.
Line-up / Musicians:
The first more rock-oriented prog album by Steven Wilson and his new band lineup playing and performing under the name of Porcupine Tree, some parts hit home as magical while others miss the mark a bit. Great soundscapes evidencing the electronica explorations previous to this album.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Steven Wilson / vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, samplers, tapes, organ, Mellotron, piano, drum programming, chimes, musical box, producing & mixing
- Richard Barbieri / piano, Hammond, synths (Prophet-V, Roland System 700), tapes, sequencers
- Colin Edwin / bass, double bass
- Chris Maitland / drums, cymbals, percussion, drum loops, vocals (5,7,11), keyboards (11)
With:
- Terumi / vocals (1)
1. "Bornlivedie" (1:41) (4/5)
2. "Signify" (3:26) (8.25/10)
3. "The Sleep of No Dreaming" (5:24) (8.25/10)
4. "Pagan" (1:34) (4/5)
5. "Waiting Phase One" (4:24) (9/10)
6. "Waiting Phase Two" (6:15) (8.75/10)
7. "Sever" (5:30) (8.75/10)
8. "Idiot Prayer" (7:37) (13.25/15)
9. "Every Home Is Wired" (5:08) (9.25/10)
10. "Intermediate Jesus" (7:29) (13.25/15)
11. "Light Mass Prayers" (4:28) (10/10)
12. "Dark Matter" (8:57) (20/20)
Total time 61:53
89.81 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.
1. "Bornlivedie" (1:41) (4/5)
2. "Signify" (3:26) (8.25/10)
3. "The Sleep of No Dreaming" (5:24) (8.25/10)
4. "Pagan" (1:34) (4/5)
5. "Waiting Phase One" (4:24) (9/10)
6. "Waiting Phase Two" (6:15) (8.75/10)
7. "Sever" (5:30) (8.75/10)
8. "Idiot Prayer" (7:37) (13.25/15)
9. "Every Home Is Wired" (5:08) (9.25/10)
10. "Intermediate Jesus" (7:29) (13.25/15)
11. "Light Mass Prayers" (4:28) (10/10)
12. "Dark Matter" (8:57) (20/20)
Total time 61:53
89.81 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.
6. QUIDAM Quidam
A Neo-prog or Prog Folk group and 1996 album that help push further into the public eye notice that Poland has something to contribute to the the lexicon of prog. Quidam is a contemporary of COLLAGE and, in fact, used some Collage members to help give a few songs a boost, yet the band's sound has much more of a folk flavor to it. Also, female lead singer, Emila Derkowska, is much more reminiscent of the CLARE TOREY-ANNIE HASLEM type of prog singers from the 70s than the more operatic female metal singers of the 21st century prog metal groups, thus, I would venture to categorize Quidam, like their Collage countrymates, as Neo-Prog-ites. Wonderful use of flutes, oboe, cello, and recorders with truly stellar flute-guitar interplay. The keyboards used and recording techniques often sound a bit dated.
1. "Sanktuarium / Sanctuary" (8:57) incredibly delicate, superlative instrumental interplay in the instrumental sections. (18.25/20)
2. "Choćbym / Even Though..." (7:05) emotional vocal and electric guitar mirroring with a "Great Gig in the Sky"-like finish. (14/15)
3. "Bajkowy / Like A Fairytale" (3:42) an upbeat jaunt with the fairies, using acoustic instruments like recorders, acoustic guitars, piano, and multiple female vocals. Drums, electric bass and electric guitar solo make it prog folk. Delightful! (9/10)
4. "Głęboka Rzeka / Deep River" (8:03) New Age keys and flute open this one before switching gears to a real rocker. (12.5/15)
5. "Nocne Widziadła / Night Visions" (7:21) over-dramatic with dated keys. Most notable for "Great Gig in the Sky"-like vocalise over the traditional instrumental section of the song. (13/15)
6. "Niespełnienie / Unfulfilled" (9:44) (17/20)
7. "Warkocze / Plaits" (4:07) Incredible vocal & melody over a rather simple, straightforward song. (9/10)
8. "Bijące Serca / Beating Hearts" (1:53) beautiful electric guitar & cello duet. Piano, too. (4.75/5)
9. "Płonę / I'm On Fire" (14:09) piano and flute duet opens the first couple minutes before screaming Mirek Gil-like guitar leads rich, polished bombast. Nice mix of delicate and heavy in the instrumental mid-section--with a very catchy melodic hook conveyed by the screaming lead guitar. (26.75/30)
88.92 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Neo Prog music and an amazing debut.
7. BONDAGE FRUIT II
Zeuhl, Japanese style. Some very aggressive, almost animalistic music.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Saga Yuki / vocals
- Kido Natsuki / guitar, organ
- Katsui Yuji / vocals, violin
- Ohtsubo Hirohiko / bass, vocals
- Takara Kuimiko / vibraphone, marimba, percussion, piano
- Okabe Youichi / percussion, trap drum
With:
- Yen Chang / vocals, arrangements
- Kido Natsuki / guitar, organ
- Katsui Yuji / vocals, violin
- Ohtsubo Hirohiko / bass, vocals
- Takara Kuimiko / vibraphone, marimba, percussion, piano
- Okabe Youichi / percussion, trap drum
With:
- Yen Chang / vocals, arrangements
1. "Mobile" (4:57) pulsing, throbbing rhythm section with busy violin and vibes and scatting female lead vocal = ZEUHL! A bit simplistic in its construction (this is no Magma), it does have the advantage of being accessible to the uninitiated listener from the get-go. I love the vocal work, both soft and full volume, in the final third--as well as the re-assessment of pace in the final 30 seconds. (8.5/10)
2. "Daichi No Ko" (7:23) punky-poppish with searing electric violin soloing in the first minute, the choral vocals (kind of call and response) throw a very catchy pop melody (almost AmerIndian) at you, carry it just the right length of time before going off into a wild animalistic frenzy in the third minute--which is then followed by an equally frenzied electric guitar solo. At the 5:00 mark there is a slowdown and shift into more sensitive, delicate passage of vocals, double bass, vibes, and multiple voices woven into a simple jazzy rhythm (the bass is actually doing a solo throughout) before a full kick back into the fast-paced melodic call-and-response movement from the opening minute (with violin seething and screeching in the background). (14/15)
3. "Caucus Race" (7:26) opens with drums and bass keyboard flying at Mach 2. Guitar, sax, and Yuki join in before giving way to marimba and male vocalist's animal noises. This is the pattern until 2:51 when everything drops back except for a super-fast rolling guitar note and accompanying bowed bass, cello and multiple violins(?) play a furious dual into a mutually satisfying group orgasm at the 5:10 mark. But does the pace let up? No! It speeds along as fast as ever until at 6:15 it stops, leaving behind one female voice to carry forward previous melody lines. Second female voice joins in and then the whole band rejoins for a frenzied animalistic finish. Another interesting and engaging song. (13.5/15)
4. "Cottleston Pie" (5:31) thought the acoustic music here sounds more SHAKTI (violin, acoustic guitar, and more traditional percussive folk instruments), the multiple vocal tracks are full-on Zeuhl. Nice performances by all! (9.25/10)
5. "Gel-Celloid" (3:27) awesome JANNICK TOP-like driving music with intricate performances from the vibes, vocalists, and violin--all brought down by the fairly standard super-speed classic rock electric guitar solo. (9/10)
6. "Kodomo No Guntoi" (10:00) opens with slow-moving female choir and plodding, militaristic drums while searing electric guitars flail away here and there. In the third minute the choral voices back off and all kinds of wild, animalistic sounds are thrown into the music from all directions--including individual voices. It's a funky, pre-historic free-for-all. (Could Yoshimi P-We's OOIOO have been born from hearing this tribalistic music?) (16.5/20)
7. "Terminal Man" (15:15) churning electric guitars, vibes, violin, choral voices, chunky bass, and metallic drums open this very Zeuhlish song. After the introductory first minute, some wild male vocalist shouts us into a more MAGMA-like section. The vibes are the only thing that make it sound different from Christian Vander & Co.--until the fourth minute when a very Dick Dale-like rhythm track takes over while the lead guitar, screaming violin, and vibes express their energy in a rather anger and aggressive fashion. This must have been very therapeutic and cathartic for the band members! In the sixth minute we get a break while wailing guitar feedback is toyed with. Slow guitar arpeggi are then played, as if seeking their TOOL-like melody, before violin begins a slowly building solo. This goes on for minutes, building into a frenzy (though not as frenetic as some of the previous music on this album!), until we finish with a celebratory Zeuhl dance of some of the music from the earlier Dick Dale section. (26.5/30)
Total Time: 54:59
Powerful music with a very aggressive, often tribalistic approach to Zeuhl, though still definitely within the "rules" of Zeuhl.
Total Time: 54:59
Powerful music with a very aggressive, often tribalistic approach to Zeuhl, though still definitely within the "rules" of Zeuhl.
88.41 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near masterpiece of progressive rock music and a shining example of Zeuhl taken seriously (or is it?) by a group of very talented Japanese artists.
Other Very Good Albums
(Ratings of 85.0 to 87.66)
8. AFTER CRYING De Profundis (1996)
AFTER CRYING's 1996 releasee, De Profundis, is a monumental work of art. With it's small pieces intended to display the skill and artistry of its individual members, I am reminded of YES's Fragile. Yet, as so many reviewers have noted, there are definite signs of the influence of Robert Fripp and Keith Emerson. Most predominant, however, are the deep and rich traditions of Hungarian classical and folk music. As with many "Eastern European" music traditions, we "Westerners" sometimes have some difficulty hearing the 'beauty' or getting used to the 'melodies' of these musics. That is why repeated listening, attentive headphone listening, and background listening are all important--to, if you will, immerse oneself or imbue oneself in these sounds and textures. Such has been the educative approach which has led me to last night's 'breakthrough.' It all makes sense. It is truly beautiful, powerful, albeit, at times, complicated music. With two short songs being among the most hauntingly beautiful songs I've EVER heard, I knew I had to keep listening to the rest of this music. I now champion five songs from this album to be included among the pantheon of all-time 'classics.' The first is the first song on the album:
1. "Bevezetés" (3:39) A female choir chanting angelically from within a chapel/cathedral setting over an organ. Beautiful arrangement. (10/10)
2. "Modern Idök" (7:36) is an orchestral behemoth with very theatric male voice singing in Hungarian. A bit too operatic/classical and lacking melody in places. (12.75/15)
3. "Az üstökös" (1:43) A beautiful piano rondo. (4.5/5)
4. "Stalker" (12:12) is one of the album's two epics, clocking in at over 12 minutes. Beginning with a very ominous rolling bass line accompanied by sporadic percussion and percussive guitar playing and strings until 2:20 when brass and woodwinds join in. At 2:50 an electric guitar takes over, playing over a fairly standard rock beat & rhythm section until gradually joined by the brass playing a very PHILLIP GLASS-like rolling part. The 4:55 mark sees a winding down to a quiet section: bells, organ, light cymbol play, and spoken word carry on until at 6:55 when a flute takes over with an airy melody. Then, just as you're lulled to sleep, all hell breaks loose at the 7:55 mark. Very CRIMSON-esque "Red"-like until the 9:23 mark when it just as suddenly stops. Instead, a FRIPP-like guitar solo struggles within its sadness and melancholy while a distant organ and the sound of a train traveling on its tracks serves as its only background. Amazing song! (22.75/25)
5. "Stonehenge" (4:34) is a rather uninteresting cello solo not unlike some KRONOS QUARTET pieces. (7.5/10)
6. "Külvárosi éj" (3:34) is one of the most stunningly beautiful, creative instrumental pieces I've ever encountered. Floating, shifting electric guitar arpeggios over which build tympani, cello, and trumpet into a weave of such intricacy and majesty--?! My favorite song of 1996! (11/10)
7. "Manók tánca" (5:00) is a chamber music song built around a piano which later engages a drum kit. Complex and old-time jazz-classical feeling. (8.25/10)
8. "Kifulladásig" (5:18) contains an electric guitar playing in a kind of STANLEY JORDAN meets NARCISO YPES style. Not unlike something ROBERT FRIPP would do. It does have a quite beautiful mid-section sounding more like BRUCE COCKBURN beginning at the 2:00 minute mark. (8.5/10)
9. "De Profundis" (11:29) is a four part epic of almost 12 minutes. The first part has a very medieval, chamber music feel--complete with minstrel-like vocals--while later adding piano. At the 5:00 minute mark, section B slows down the piano, bassoon, flute, cello--having a very GENESIS feel to it. Section C presents a MIKE OLDFIELD sounding guitar solo until at 9:55 we have a return to the beginning format and vocal. Wonderful song! Very pastoral and accessible. (18/20)
10. "Jónás imája" (2:24) begins a series of short pieces with one longer piece (the 8 minute "Esküszegök") in the middle. Like Fragile, these pieces seem to serve mostly to showcase the individual talents or experimental song structures of the group. This one contains a male-spoken storytelling over electric bass harmonic arpeggios and clarinet and, later, synth strings. If I knew Hungarian it might be more powerful to me. (3.75/5)
11. "Elveszett város" (1:56) contains oboe playing over a chamber orchestra in another rondo form. Nice. (4.25/5)
12. "Kisrasút" (2:03) is a piano piece done in an almost DON PULLEN-plays-Ragtime fashion. (3.5/5)
13. "Esküszegök" (8:13) Very CRIMSON-esque electric rock band (over harpsichord) until the third section when brass and woodwinds are added. (12.75/15)
14. "40 masodperc" is 40 seconds of street noises and organ.
15. "A világ végén" (3:41) A female voice singing over SUPERTRAMP-like keyboard, joined later by bassoon, then flutes with synthesized strings, then oboe. (7.75/10)
Giving this innovative and very progressive yet far-from-perfect album anything less than 'masterpiece' status is really difficult for me. Kind of like getting used to GENTLE GIANT: it requires persistence and appreciation for the mathematical possibility of musical dimensions. Yet, most everyone agrees on the genius and virtuosity of GG. Were the same numbers able (or willing) to access AFTER CRYING, there might be greater appreciation for them.
87.26 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of chamber prog that, unfortunately, sometimes strays a little too far away from the proggy styles into the classical realms.
87.26 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of chamber prog that, unfortunately, sometimes strays a little too far away from the proggy styles into the classical realms.
9. PENDRAGON – The Masquerade Overture
Such better songs, such better constructs (especially with layer and sound palette), such better sound and production, even better vocals, and Nick is really coming into his own as a rising guitar master.
1. "The Masquerade Overture" (3:03) impressive with "church organ" and operatic choir! (9.5/10)
2. "As Good As Gold" (7:15) (13/15)
3. "Paintbox" (8:39) (18.5/20)
4. "The Pursuit Of Excellence" (2:37) a stolen Irish melody. (4/5)
5. “Guardian Of My Soul” (12:41) (20.5/25)
6. “The Shadow” (9:55) (16.75/20)
7. “Masters Of Illusion” (12:51) (22/25)
2. "As Good As Gold" (7:15) (13/15)
3. "Paintbox" (8:39) (18.5/20)
4. "The Pursuit Of Excellence" (2:37) a stolen Irish melody. (4/5)
5. “Guardian Of My Soul” (12:41) (20.5/25)
6. “The Shadow” (9:55) (16.75/20)
7. “Masters Of Illusion” (12:51) (22/25)
86.87 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; Pendragon's ascendant moment: when they finally assert their presence among the top tier of the Neo Prog movement.
Other Highly Recommended Prog Albums
(Other albums recommended by prog lovers)
CARDIACS Sing to God
Line-up / Musicians:
- Tim Smith / vocals, guitar, keyboards, string quartet arrangements
- Jon Poole / guitar, keyboards, vocals, string quartet arrangements
- Jim Smith / bass, vocals
- Bob Leith / drums, vocals
With:
- Claire Lemmon / backing vocals
- Sarah Smith / saxophones, vocals
- Mark Barratt / trumpets
- Natalie Box / violins, flute
- Chris Brierly / string quartet member
- Catherine Morgan / string quartet member
- Mark Pharoah / string quartet member
- Robert Woollard / string quartet member
- David Murder / orchestral arranger & conductor (1.4,1.10)
CD 1 - Part One (43:01) :
1. Eden on the Air (2:21)
2. Eat It Up Worms Hero (2:33)
3. Dog Like Sparky (4:53)
4. Fiery Gun Hand (5:13)
5. Insect Hoofs on Lassie (3:00)
6. Fairy Mary Mag (3:44)
7. Bellyeye (4:09)
8. A Horse's Tail (3:47)
9. Manhoo (4:59)
10. Wireless (8:22)
CD 2 - Part Two (45:47) :
1. Dirty Boy (8:54)
2. Billion (0:41)
3. Odd Even (3:18)
4. Bell Stinks (1:19)
5. Bell Clinks (2:54)
6. Flap Off You Beak (3:44)
7. Quiet as a Mouse (1:28)
8. Angleworm Angel (2:24)
9. Red Fire Coming Out from His Gills (2:14)
10. No Gold (3:31)
11. Nurses Whispering Verses (9:53)
12. Foundling (5:27)
Total Time 88:48
CAMEL Harbour of Tears
Line-up / Musicians:
- Andrew Latimer / vocals, guitars, flutes, keyboards, penny whistle, producer
- Colin Bass / bass guitar, backing vocals
- Mickey Simmonds / keyboards
With:
- David Patton / lead vocals (5), bass
- Mae Mckenna / a capella vocal (1)
- Chris Now / Hammond (7), editing & mastering
- Neil Panton / oboe, soprano saxophone, harmonium
- John Burton / French horn
- Barry Phillips / cello
- Karen Bentley / violin
- Anita Stoneham / violin
- John Xepoleas / drums
1. Irish Air (0:57)
2. Irish Air (instrumental Reprise) (1:57)
3. Harbour Of Tears (3:13)
4. Cobh (0:51)
5. Send Home The Slates (4:23)
6. Under The Moon (1:16)
7. Watching The Bobbins (7:14)
8. Generations (1:02)
9. Eyes Of Ireland (3:09)
10. Running From Paradise (5:21)
11. End Of The Day (2:29)
12. Coming Of Age (7:22)
13. The Hour Candle (A Song For My Father) (23:00) *
Total Time: 62:14
* Includes:
0:00 to 6:24 the main song
6:24 to 8:04 a reprise of Irish Air
8:08 to 23:00 the sound of waves
SPOCK'S BEARD Beware of Darkness
- Neal Morse / lead vocals, piano, synths, acoustic & electric guitars, bouzouki, co-producer
- Alan Morse / guitar, cello, vocals
- Ryo Okumoto / Hammond, Mellotron
- Dave Meros / basses (fuzz, wash, fretless)
- Nick D'Virgilio / drums, percussions, vocals
With:
- Molly Pasutti / backing vocals (1)
- Wanda Houston / backing vocals (1)
- Kevin Gilbert / Fx
1. Beware of Darkness (5:41)
2. Thoughts (7:10)
3. The Doorway (11:27)
4. Chatauqua (2:49)
5. Walking on the Wind (9:06)
6. Waste Away (5:26)
7. "Time Has Come" (16:33) (26.25/30)
Total Time 58:12
THERION Theli
- Christofer Johnsson / vocals (2,4,8), guitar, keyboards, producer
- Jonas Mellberg / electric (lead 8,9) & acoustic (9) guitars, keyboards
- Lars Rosenberg / bass
- Piotr Wawrzeniuk / drums, vocals (2-4,6,8)
With:
- Dan Swanö / vocals (3,6)
- Anja Krenz / solo soprano (9)
- Axel Pätz / solo bass, baritone (9)
- Jan Peter Genkel / grand piano, keyboards, programming, mixing, co-producer
- Gottfried Koch / keyboards, programming, co-producer
1. Preludium (1:43)
2. To Mega Therion (6:33)
3. Cults of the Shadow (5:13)
4. In the Desert of Set (5:27)
5. Interludium (1:47)
6. Nightside of Eden (7:29)
7. Opus Eclipse (3:40)
8. Invocation of Naamah (5:30)
9. The Siren of the Woods (9:53)
10. Grand Finale / Postludium (4:04)
Total Time 51:19
Albums on the Fringe of Prog World
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL Walking Wounded
Truly one of my favorite albums of the 1990s, I still feel the power and freshness of this music today. The incoporation (perhaps usurpation would be more accurate) of trip-hop, house, and other DJ-centric techniques throughout this album is simply mind blowing to me considering where the band came from. Kudos for Ben for being on the hunt for constant growth and experimentation (and to Tracey for tagging along. Obviously, her work with Massive Attack helped pave the way.)
1. "Before Today" (4:20) (/10)
2. "Wrong" (4:36) (/10)
3. "Single" (4:39) (/10)
4. "The Heart Remains a Child" (3:49) (/10)
5. "Walking Wounded" (6:06) (/10)
6. "Flipside" (4:34) (/10)
7. "Big Deal" (4:30) (/10)
8. "Mirrorball" (3:27) (/10)
9. "Good Cop Bad Cop" (4:56) (/10)
10. "Wrong" (Todd Terry Remix) (4:43) (/10)
11. "Walking Wounded" (Omnii Trio Remix) (6:43) (/10)
STEREOLAB Emperor's Tomato Ketchup
A very highly praised album by these pop/Post Rock/MathRock pioneers, representing a major leap forward in the band's evolution--thanks to the inputs and influence of TORTOISE mastermind's JOHN McENTIRE and his Chicago production team.
1. "Metronomic Underground" (7:55) funk and Hammond! Building layers slowly, carefully, this is a textbook illustration of a Post Rock/Math Rock song but with vocals. Not so very exciting, it's more like a band's study in and display of discipline. So clean and solid! (13.25/15)
2. "Cybele's Reverie" (4:43) introducing the sound the band would perfect on Dots and Loops, melody and weave. Nice use of Motown-like "strings." (9/10)
3. "Percolator" (3:47) more fresh introduction of sounds and stylings that will be perfected on their next album, the bouncing Farfisa and running bass line provides perfect backdrop for vocals (in French) and other instruments' additions. Slightly monotonous. (8.75/10)
4. "Les Yper-Sound" (4:03) or perhaps a blend of older British and French sounds and styles with a social-political message. (8.25/10)
5. "Spark Plug" (2:29) a sparky little modern dittie for the deliverance of another politically-weighted message. (8.75/10)
6. "Olv 26" (5:42) Interesting OMD-like sound palette over which the French vocal is a little pitchy. Becomes a little more CURE-like with the addition of percussive guitar mid-way. (8.25/10)
7. "The Noise of Carpet" (3:05) another 80s-like (even 70s punk in its simplicity and political lyrics) sounding song. This one feels a bit immature, not fully formed; it doesn't quite stand up to the quality and sophistication of the opening three songs. (8/10)
8. "Tomorrow Is Already Here" (4:56) Americana guitar and bass are joined by Hammond in a Math Rock weave. Drums and cymbals join in to set the stage for Mary Hanson's lead vocal. More social-political commentary. Sounds a bit like JANE SIBERRY. Nice Post Rock build and crescendo. (8.25/10)
9. "Emperor Tomato Ketchup" (4:36) CLASH-like "London Calling" opening groove with all kinds of squishy computer-synth noises spilling out over the sound scape. Great bass play. Vocals don't start until the third minute! Beautiful soprano vocal from Mary in French--adds so much to the stark foundational weave. (8.5/10)
10. "Monstre Sacre" (3:44) opens with some very proggy chords and sounds, slow and spaciously woven with Lætitia's gorgeous vocal front and forward enunciating the English words so clearly.Very cool song! A top three for me. (9/10)
11. "Motoroller Scalatron" (3:49) synth spits open this one before rhythm guitar, bass, and drums enter to provide very basic bubble-gum pop sound & structure. The multi-voice vocal harmonize the simple lyrics to make it interesting ("built on love … words") Cute pronunciation of "responsible" in second half. (8/10)
12. "Slow Fast Hazel" (3:53) another cool song that previews that which will be perfected on Dots and Loops. My other top three and my favorite song on the album. (10/10)
13. "Anonymous Collective" (4:32) opens with a darkness that feels more like something from Dutch band THE GATHERING. Lætitia's very deep voice enters at 0:30 singing as if from a closet in the background. When she switches to an upper octave, her voice becomes a little pitchy. The music is getting a little monotonous just when she quits and allows for the simple, sparse inputs of other instruments. Not my favorite song by them: too simple. (7.75/10)
One of the standout features of this collection of songs is the perfection of the weaves. Another is interesting social-political commentary.
85.74 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a solid contribution to the progression of pop-fusion music that demonstrates the band's willingness and interest in growing, evolving. Still, this is very much a transitional album as there are songs that find them caught in "old" patterns while, at the same time, there are songs that demonstrate new, fresh sounds and stylings. Dots and Loops will show the band's full metamorphosis and maturity.
JAMIROQUAI Travelling Without Moving
The band's third studio album release, this is the one that clicked for me--seeming to go beyond one song eyebrow archers ("When You Gonna Learn") or two-song foot thumpers ("Space Cowboy" and "Light Years"). This album felt solid all the way through--which is the way I liked to play it--and still do.
Graduate of Boston's Berklee College of Music and the Secret World Live tour with Peter Gabriel, Paula's rise to recognition took two albums, but this, her sophomore effort, leaves no doubt that this woman is a force of nature both as a vocalist/musician and as a songwriter. Though the big hit, "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" remains indelibly pressed into everyone's brain, I found songs like "Mississippi" far more compelling for their "proggy" uniquities. A solid album from start to finish.
A highly-acclaimed indie pop record that pushed all kinds of buttons both lyrically and musically, it deserves some credit for pushing the envelope and thus, "progressing" pop and radio music boundaries.
FIONA APPLE Tidal
The debut releease from the fringe pop genius, there were all sorts of waves created by Fiona's arrival. Favorite songs: "Shadowboxer," "The First Taste," and "Slow Like Honey."
KULA SHAKER K
I'll never forget hearing this album for the first time. While shopping in a Tower Records, they played the entire CD over their sound system and, even though I was not really interested in shopping or buying, I pretended I was so I could hear the whole album. The mixture of proggy rock music with Indian/Raga-influenced sounds and lyrics really captivated me. Though the eventual possession of the album cooled my appetite, I'll never forget how "fresh" that music sounded. I was extremely pleased to see Kula keyboardist Jay Darlington re-appear in the past decade on a Canterbury revival band, MAGIC BUS, though he has now left.
Favorite songs: "Govinda," "Sleeping Jiva," and "Tattva."
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