Top Albums from the Year 2012, Part 2: The Near-Masterpieces

   Somewhere beneath the level of timeless masterpiece status lies a group of albums whose quality and merit deserve categorization of something like "near-masterpiece." These are albums that have either achieved a Fishermetric score of between 90.0 and 87.0 or whose high points or quality level make it remarkable enough to remain affixed in my memory.

From the Year 2012, you will find below 11 albums releases deserving, in my opinion, of the "near-masterpiece" designation.  

4.5 Stars; Near-Masterpieces

(Ratings of 89.99 to 86.67)

16. VAURA Selenelion

This is an intriguing and surprisingly easy album to access and like. Over and over I find myself being reminded of 2011's excellent album by FEN, Epoch, but also a great deal of Selenelion sounds like I'm hearing the reincarnation of one of rock's all-time greatest bands, THE CLASH. Though Mellotron Storm calls this a Metal album, I am in no way having to brace my ears (and soul) as I have had to for metal bands (even for early maudlin of the Well albums). The engaging melodies and copious and numerous special effects take all of the rough edges off of this music. The opening song, "Souvenirs" begins like something off of an early U2 album. Heck, the mostly acoustic title track hails back to some of the psychedelic folk stuff from the 60s and 70s! (remember early Moody Blues and Greg Lake's contributions to ELP everybody?) Vocalist Joshua Strawn's very laid-back, pleasant voice is so heavily reverbed that I feel like I'm listening to THE CLIENTELE! (though Strawn's vocals are much further back in the mix.) There isn't a song on the album that I don't like. I definitely think this Experimental/ Post Metal album should have the added "Psychedelic" label somewhere.

Favorite tracks: "Souvenirs" (4:43) (9/10); "En/Soph" (5:11) (9/10); "Relics" (4:49) (10/10); "The Column's Vein" (2:29) (8/10); "Vanth" (5:53) (10/10); "Selenelion" (7:03) (10/10), and; "The Zahir" (7:42) (10/10).

89.9 on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 star album that I'm going to rate up because of consistency of quality and freshness, variety, and the fact that album keeps sounding and feeling better and better with each listen. Try it! If you like Fen, The Clash, Toby Driver, and "gentle metal," you'll probably like this one.

17. MYSTERY The World Is a Game

This is a pleasant surprise--and my favorite Mystery album yet. The musicians are all clicking on the same wavelengths, the songs are sufficiently constructed to raise this band from what I call "second tier" prog into the halls of the real thing. (Obviously, M. David has learned a lot from his experiences with other bands--most notably, YES. And Nick D'Virgilio continues to only get better with the years--his intuitive skill at meshing his drumming with the musicians and ideas with which he works is IMHO unsurpassed in present-day prog. Just look at what he did for BIG BIG TRAIN!) 

     In Michele St.-Père MYSTERY have the real deal: a guitarist of the very top echelons. I cannot name four other guitarists so well in command of their craft, their skill, their sound, their connection with the music, their ability to evoke and provoke intense emotion with their "voice". Truly remarkable. And I don't know if Michele has much control of the recording/engineering of his guitar sounds but the sound captured on these albums is head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. Michele St.-Père is the full package. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Benoît David / lead vocals
- Michel St-Père / electric & acoustic guitars, keyboards, mixing & producing
- Antoine Fafard / fretted & fretless bass, acoustic guitars
- Nick D'Virgilio / drums
With:
- Marilène Provencher-Leduc / flute
- Damellia & Dahlie-Yann St-Père / children sounds

     Aside from the two wonderful intro/interlude songs (1. "A Morning Rise" [1:19] and the ominous 4. "The Unwinding of Time" [0:050]), we have here six meaty songs with mature compositional value and great sound production. This latter aspect is one reason I give this album the bump up to the 4.5 star level.

The second song, "Pride" (11:28) has a fairly simple construct and nothing terribly surprising--feeling like a cross between RUSH Signals-era and GENESIS And Then There Were Three: lots of catchy melodic hooks and some awesome drumming--though the soft section at the eight minute mark (beginning with the acoustic guitar arpeggio riff from the Midnight Cowboy theme) owes everything to maestro, JON ANDERSON (and a little of LOVERBOY). The individual performances are perfection and are especially noteworthy for the cohesive "team" feeling to it all. Still, this is one of the album's most memorable songs (from 7:10 on it is unforgettable)--and definitely a top three for me. (19/20)

The album's jewel, however, IMO, is the third song, "Superstar" (6:59). A laid back tune with heart-breaking melodies much in the same vein as MOTH VELLUM. The vocals, guitar soli, drumming, bass and keyboard work are all absolutely perfect! One of my Top 10 songs for Y2K12. (15/15)

The title song, (7:57), has its gorgeous parts--including the guitars and piano--but the vocal and melody lines feel a bit too syrupy---like the group AIR SUPPLY from the 70s and 80s. Even when it hits third gear at the four minute mark it feels too much like 707, STYX or JOURNEY (three of my "second tier" "prog-wannabees"). (12.75/15)

6. "Dear Someone" (6:21) has quite an awesome beginning (even if it reminds me of one of my favorite JOHN DENVER songs), which evolves into an equally gorgeous DEF LEPPARD-like section, thanks to an awesome electric guitar sound. Great melodies throughout this one--and some really hopeful, heart-warming lyrics (I hear you, Benoit! I have children!) Incredible work sur le batterie, Sir Nick, from the fourth minute on! Love the el gtr, flute and drum interplay at the very end. (8.4/10) 

7. "Time Goes By" (6:04) has a bit more use of odd, thoughtful, melody lines woven together in an interesting and, I would guess, (for this band) risky way. The chorus melody reminds me tremendously of THE BUGGLES' "Rainbow Warrior" (or Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter"). This one never really grabs me until the last minute and a half when the drums, bass, and guitar start playing off each other in an awesome display of instrumental "inter-PLAY." I appreciate this song's 'adventurousness'. (8.66667/10) 

8. "Another Day" (19:02) qualifies as one of my favorite epics of the year (at least in the second half and for sure in the final four minutes)--mostly because I feel so strongly as if I am back listening to the best stuff from COLLAGE's Moonshine or SATELLITE's A Street Between Sunrise and Sunset. And you will find some awesome work by Nick D'Virgilio here! My final top three song. (35/40)

Total Time 59:58

The World Is a Game is not a masterpiece that propels the evolution of progressive rock forward, but it is a very solid, excellent sounding piece of prog ear candy--with some excellent group and individual performances. Definitely recommended for 'classic rock' and prog lovers.  

89.833 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. 

18. DEAD CAN DANCE Anastasia

After a 16 year break, this album is the "comeback" album for the team of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard. Though Lisa had been traveling quite a successful path as a solo artist and soundtrack composer (with award-winning contributions to Insider, Ali, Gladiator, and Whale Rider as well as lauded collaborations with Klaus Schulze). The album opens with the stunning duo of "Children of the Sun" (7:33) (15/15) (on the short list for 2012 Song of the Year) and "Anabasis" (6:50) (14.5/15), this latter song establishing a trend of Middle Eastern-influenced or -sounding songs that permeates most of the album. Nowhere is Lisa's incredible vocal talent in question, it is in the band's choices of computer-driven percussion tracks and loops or the quality of the computer-generated Middle Eastern instrumental sounds samples that sometimes bring the album's overall feel and effect "down."

3. "Agape" (6:54) total exploration of Middle Eastern sounds with Lisa's vocalise playing right into the mood (13/15)

4. "Amnesia" (6:36) a very cinematic spie movie-themed melody over which Brendan takes a turn at the lead vocal. (8.25/10)

5. "Kiko" (8:01) a long, simple, and monotonous attempt at a Middle Eastern sound. (12.5/15)

6. "Opium" (5:44) Brendan's turn. The deeper, darker sound, and percussion tracks work on this one--the strings banks from the computer keyboard, too. (8.75/10)

7. "Return of the She-King" (7:51) opens with computer-bagpipes and evolves slowly into a beautiful exposé of Celtic stylings.  (13.25/15)

8. "All in Good Time" (6:37) opens with bare bones and Brendan's heart-felt vocal. Stunning. Great melodies and textures. Almost like an old-fashioned crooner's ballad. Me like. My other top three song. (9/10)

Total Time 54:06

89.76 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of atmospheric progressive world music.

19. ANATHEMA Weather Systems

A fine Anathema production with their usual spiritual-curious orientation. The music, however, as does nearly all Anathema music for me, continues to drag on and change little, sometimes using multiple themes to try to make the songs more interesting but, in my ear, only making things busier and distracting. Still, the Cavanaugh brothers pick great chords to lock into and create very emotional and melodic vocals. Plus, the band's production acumen has only grown with time; since about 2009, Anathema albums have certainly become some of the most lush and beautiful-sounding albums out there.

Best songs:  3. The Gathering of Clouds (3:27) (10/10); 6. "The Storm Before the Calm" (9:24) (10/10); 8. "The Lost Child" (7:03) (9/10); 1. "Untouchable, Pt. 1" (6:14) (9/10); 7. "The Beginning and the End" (4:53) (9/10), and; the spiritually messaged 8. "Internal Landscapes" (8:52) (9/10).

88.89 on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 star album; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.

20. THE GATHERING Disclosure

The band has returned once again in this, the post-Anneke era, and does so with quite some success. They are refreshed and recharged, returning to exploring the edges of trip-hop, slow, subtle song and melody development, and use/experimentation with odd strange sounds. "New" vocalist, Silje Wergeland, a Norwegian late of Goth metal band OCTAVIA SPIRATI (three albums from 2001 to 2007), is by no means no slouch. In fact, one might say that Silje might just have a bit more diversity than Anneke while still possessing the tone and strengths of past Gathering vocalists. Silje's tone quality and vocal style is remarkably similar to that of Anneke's. It is not only remarkable, it's uncanny.

     I have to agree with other reviewers who have remarked that Anneke's departure may have provided the band with the kick in the butt it need to get back on track with its adventurous, experimental musical expressions. This is my favorite album of theirs since 2000's If_then_else.

Best songs:  the amazing epic (thanks, trumpet!) 4. "Heroes for Ghosts" (10:42) (10/10); the "classic" Gathering tune in the Anneke tradition (Silje's tribute to her predecessor?), 3. "Paralyzed" (5:05) (9/10); the "new" Gathering style experiment--kind of a CURE/NEW ORDER approach--introduced in the opening song, 1. "Paper Waves" (5:33) (9/10) (Does anybody else hear the vocal similarities in this song to IAMTHEMORNING's Marjana Semkina?); the first and trip-hoppy of the twins, 5. "Gemini I" (4:55) (9/10); the driving, Post Rock-updated variation on the Byrds classic, 7. "I Can See Four Miles" (9:04) (9/10), and; the gorgeous vocal-centric finale, 8. "Gemini II" (5:04) (9/10). 2. "Meltdown" (7:56) (8/10) and the piano-based, scaled down 6. "Missing Seasons" (3:26) (8/10) are also pretty damned good.

88.75 on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.

21. THINKING PLAGUE Decline and Fall

An album not far below their 1998 classic, In Extremis. Dissonance and surprise still rule the roost in TP land. Vocalist extraordinaire Elaine Di Falco has a kind of sultry smarmy Annette Peacock-Annie Haslam thing going on: crystal clarity delivered with whimsical tuning.

Five star songs:  2. "I Cannot Fly" (8:38) (10/10); 1. "Malthusian Dances" (6:43) (9/10); 4. "A Virtuous Man" (11:53) (/25); 5. "The Gyre" (4:47) (9/10), and; "Climbing the Mountain" (8:38) (9/10).

Four star song:  3. "Sleeper Cell Anthem" (6:15) (8/10).

88.33 on the Fish scales = B+/a 4.5 star album; a near-masterpiece and a great album of Avant/RIO prog.

22. GRAVENHURST The Ghost in the Daylight (2012) (Literate Prog Folk) A collection of incredibly powerful Prog Folk songs by Bristol's Nicholas John Talbot, a young man who only took his own life in December of 2014. 

1. "Circadian" (4:11) dreamy folk music (in the vein of THE CLIENTELE) that lulls you to submission while some very eerie, creepy lyrics and equally disturbing heavily-treated electric guitar leads are unleashed over you. Hypnotic. (9/10)

2. "The Prize" (6:38) starts out tame and subdued (while Nick sings) though there is a full band present (drums, bass, and multiple guitars), but then goes crazy for the final 90 seconds afterwards. (9/10)

3. "Fitzrovia" (8:08) again, masterfully tranquilizing us with some beautiful music that must be conveying some deeply disturbing message (and power). The constant clock-like finger strike of a muted guitar string is perhaps the most unsettling of all noises, despite the preponderance of multiple floaty synth creepers and ghostly washes far beneath but ubiquitous with the guitar and voice. Masterfully creepy. (13.25/15)

4. "In Miniature" (4:34) beautiful guitar picking of a steel-string guitar for a minute before Nick enters with his voice, singing in a fairly fast cadence. Warbling high-pitched synth note joins after the first verse and stays with us to the end. (8.75/10)

5. "The Carousel" (1:30) like waking up and finding yourself trapped inside a wind-up music box. 

6. "Islands" (8:07) cool techno-pop synth drone and synth drum program with organ beneath and various creepy incidentals injected over the top and into the sides. In the third minute, Nick's heavily reverbed voice joins with the "side" noises, sounding as if a ghost were permeating the walls, whispering messages, talking to itself while totally oblivious to our existence. (8.5/10)

7. "The Foundry" (4:23) a chilling indictment of the consequences of human submission and complicity. (8.75/10)

8. "Peacock" (2:44) lone steel-string guitar up close and personal. So intimate! (4.25/5)

9. "The Ghost of Saint Paul" (6:02) more intimate guitar, odd tuned percussive (guitar harmonic?) occasionally floating underneath as Nick sings about a long overdue or missing saint. High synth note begins floating in the background during the second verse and Nick begins doubling up his vocal withs some gorgeous harmonies. (8.5/10)

10. "Three Fires" (4:17) what a chilling song! Such a calm, beautiful voice telling such a disturbing story. The music is absolutely perfect for the conveyance of psychological instability--of detachment from causing harm and destruction. (9/10)

The pain of Nick's existence can be felt in every song, including some that I've posted from his back catalogue. He uses such a calm, beautiful voice to lull us into a false sense of security when, in fact, he is telling some deeply unsettling stories. The music here is absolutely perfect for the conveyance of psychological instability. (The whole album is.)

Publishing songs since 1999, here are some great ones from his backlog--which is well worth exploring:

"I Turn My Face to the Forest Floor" (4:41), "The Diver" (6:09)

88.33 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a masterpiece of mood-setting music and a near-masterpiece of Prog Folk; something everyone should hear though I suppose not everyone will want to add this to their music collection.  

23. ALIO DIE Deconsecrated and Pure

Stefano Musso, the genius behind the "Alio Die" albums, is perhaps the only Progressive Electronic artist who is sounding new, different from those that have gone before. Most everyone else sounds like they came out of the 1970s, imitating or carrying forward certain sounds and styles, only using the advantages of advances in technology for sound engineering to their advantage. Though Stefano's frequent foundational employment of zither does produce reminders of Brian Eno's third "Ambient" album--Eno's production of the recording of New York City street musician Larry Gordon or "Laraaji" and his electrified zither playing--Stefano's use of layers of synthesizers with re-engineered sounds of other instruments makes for a 'new' or expanded version of the Laraaji/Eno sound. Plus, Stefano's music seems often to be strongly steeped in overtones of the musics of various religious traditions--especially Christian and Arabic. There are many times while listening to Alio Die music that I've thought I was listening to the music inside some vast Christian cathedral (as in the first two songs here) or an Arabian mosque. Also, Stefano's openness to collaboration with other musicians has fostered an ongoing shift and variation in the sounds and styles of his musical outputs; Stefano is not afraid to grow, to take risks, to learn from others, to collaborate, to try new things, and yet Stefano's music is clearly his own--of a style that I can almost recognize immediately upon hearing it.

Five star songs: the ethereal music of the reverence of religious traditions, 1. "Layers of Faith" (15:47) (28/30); 2. "Obliterated Alcove" (12:10) sounding like a modern day Gregorian chant (25/25); the Celtic-sounding parade of joy and celebration, 3. "Peel Away This Mortal Coil" (9:22) (18/20); the wind-chime infused, Eno-esque ("Lantern Marsh"), 4. "Cerulean Façade" (10:21) (17.5/20), and; like "Peel Away...," a mélange of world sounds of celebration, 5. "De-Altered" (18:09) (27/35).

The first two songs of this album alone are worth the price of admission as they are two of my all-time favorite electronica songs.

88.08 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music and Prog Electronic music.

24. CICADA Let's Go

Taiwanese NeoClassical Chamber composer/band leader Jesy Chiang has now pumped out three stunningly gorgeous albums in three years. (If you haven't heard 2010's Over the Sea/Under the Water or 2011's Pieces you are really missing some timelessly beautiful music.) This one continues the string of superlative work though the compositions seem to have become much more piano-centric than on the previous works. In fact, there are several songs in which piano is almost the only instrument for over half of the songs' lengths. This is not meant to be a complaint; Jesy continues to present us with masterfully beautiful melodies and structures full of breathtaking use of space and charming cadence. Even the band's videos capture--even sometimes add to--the timeless GEORGE WINSTON/ERIK SATIE supra-pastoral, archetypical human soundscapes.

I cannot recommend this music any more highly. This music makes me feel proud that I am human--it reaffirms for me the amazing creative potential of this often misguided, thoughtless, and destructive species. Try sampling a few of the album's songs here performed live by Jesy and her friends: "Here We Are!" (3:12) "Boom Boom" (2:19); "Sunshine Smile" (4:17), and video presentation of the album version of "Floating over the Street" (4:52).

on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music.

25. ARANIS Made in Belgium

I love Aranis. To me they represent the bravest of artists--being all acoustic, they have no space for mistakes, no means to cover up or hide behind effects or treatments; they represent the possibilities of intelligent, virtuosic music without electricity. Mega kudos!

     I love this album--getting to know and re-know composers of modern chamber music (Belgian, all). Where this album suffers is the same place that all Aranis albums thus far have suffered: the songs, musics are lacking melodic "hooks" to lure the listener in and make them feel welcome, secure, at home. The pieces composed by WIM MERTENS ("Gentlemen of Leisure" and "Salernes") are the most melodic, mostly due to the smooth, minimalist style that Mertens wrote, so the Avant/RIO-shy listener might want to start there, but eventually all the songs grow on you. Aside from the two Mertens pieces, my favorites have become the gentle and folksy #5. "Where's Grommit?" (10/10) by Arne Van Dongen, the high-spirited "Bulgarian Flying Spirit Dances 2" (9/10) by UNIVERS ZERO/PRESENT/ ART ZOYD's Daniel Denis, the circular and percussive #6. "Le Mar t'Eau" (9/10) by Geert Waegerman, the intricately layered yet smooth #8. "L1" (9/10) by Joris Vanvinckenroye, the Gothic KARDA ESTRA-like #2. "Le Feu" (9/10) by Wouter Vandenabeele, and the Bond movie soundtrack-like #3. "Inara" (9/10) by Ward De Vleeschhouwer.

87.5 on the Fish scales = B+/4.5 stars; a near masterpiece. As much as I believe in Aranis and their magical mission, I'm holding out for their next album of original songs. These serious virtuosos are so close to breaking through!

26. MANTRIC MUSE Mantric Muse

Proof that at least one band out there was inspired enough to copy OZRIC TENTACLES. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Magnus Hannibal / guitar, synth
- Michael Kroglund / bass
- Søren Hvilsby / drums, e-drums

1. "Nanoid (7:28) (13.125/15)
2. "Sindbad Søfareren (7:52) (13.125/15)
3. "Cinope (7:42) (13.125/15)
4. "Sfunx" (10:27) (17.75/20)
5. Azur (7:24) (13.25/15)
6. Gnoxience (4:34) (8.75/10)
7. "Deep Sea Cheops" (10:19) (17.25/20)

Total Time: 55:40

These guys are like a clone--so close to the OT sound palette, style, and production that it's as if they're vying for the title of who can sound more Ozric-like!

87:50 on the Fishcales = B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--especially if you're a fan of Ozric Tentacles music.

The Rankings
(My Metrics)

1. KOTEBEL Concerto for Piano and Electric Ensemble

2. BIG BIG TRAIN English Electric, Part 1

3. ÄNGLAGÅRD Viljans Ôga

4. METHEXIS The Fall of Bliss

5. THE TEA CLUB Quickly, Quickly, Quickly 

6. VIOLETA DI OUTONO Espectro

7. IAMTHEMORNING ~

8. BATTLESTATIONS In a Cold Embrace

9. L'ESTATE DI SAN MARTINO Talsette di Marsantino

10. MOULETTES The Bear's Revenge

11. SYLVAN Sceneries

12. I AND THOU Speak 

13. NINE STONES CLOSE One Eye on the Sunrise

14. SWANS The Seer

15. MAGMA Felicité Thosz

16. MOTORPSYCHO The Death Defying Unicorn

17. VAURA Selenelion

18. MYSTERY The World Is a Game 

19. DEAD CAN DANCE Anastasia

20. ANATHEMA Weather Systems

21. THE GATHERING Disclosure

22. THINKING PLAGUE Decline and Fall

23. GRAVENHURST The Ghost in Daylight

24. ALIO DIE Deconsecrated and Pure

25. CICADA Let's Go

26. ARANIS Made in Belgium

27. MANTRIC MUSE Mantric Muse

28. DAAL Dodecahedron

29. NEEDLEPOINT Outside the Screen

30. JENSEN CODE The True Colors of Mars 2

Honorable Mentions:

3RDEGREE The Long Division

EKOS Luz eterna

ROZ VITALIS Patience of Hope

DEAN WATSON Imposing Elements
SANGUINE HUM Diving Bell

TO-MERA Exile

DISTORTED HARMONY Utopia