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 87.50 or whose high points or quality level make it remarkable enough to remain affixed in my memory.
From the Year 2021, you will find below 23 albums releases deserving, in my opinion, of the "near-masterpiece" designation.
4.5 Stars; Near-Masterpieces
(Ratings 90.0 to 86.67)
19. LEPROUS Aphelion
A new release from Scandanavia's kings of stop and go, delicate and harsh, whisper and scream.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Einar Solberg / lead vocals, synth
- Tor Oddmund Suhrke / guitar
- Robin Ognedal / guitar
- Simen Daniel Børven / bass
- Baard Kolstad / drums
With:
- Henriette Lindstad Børven / violin
- Ellen Fjærvoll Samdal / violin
- Raphael Weinroth-Browne / cello
- Karen Suhrke / cello
- Pål Gunnar Fiksdal / trumpet
1. "Running Low" (6:30) tension's running high in this one. I like the heavy use of strings--and the use of hits to the piano bed as a baseline. Interesting that as the tension mounts Einar's voice gets softer, exhibiting more frailty. The chorus, however, sucks. Great cello solo in the sixth minute. (8.75/10)
2. "Out of Here" (4:16) Einar at his best. How talented this singer is! (8.5/10)
3. "Silhouette" (3:45) a little foray into the Steven Wilson world of electronica--with, of course, the advantage of having the vocal acrobaticist, Einar Solberg. Interesting that the "real" drums happen to be great. (8.5/10)
4. "All the Moments" (6:52) a little raunch with some bayou pedal steel? Let those drums shine! Finally, a great chorus with awesome amped up walls of sound! The quiet, spacious, delicate verses feel a bit at odds with the power of the choruses. Weird song. Not sure it works. (13/15)
5. "Have You Ever?" (4:42) more noise electronica to open before odd percussives and odd synth horns begin to join. Einar enters in a gentle, soft voice. (Man! This guy is so versatile!) Middle Eastern strings join in at the end of the first verse. Interesting but somehow incomplete--underdeveloped. (8.5/10)
6. "The Silent Revelation" (5:45) unusual: this one opens as a kind of old-style rocker, but then it goes soft and sparse with typical Leprous-style overdrive choruses. Strings accompany the quiet second verse, but then band rams home the second chorus and continues to leave the instruments up to 11 despite a cool strings-accompanied vocalise section leading up to the end. (8.75/10)
7. "The Shadow Side" (4:29) a perfect balance between rock instrumentation and strings accompaniment is established from the beginning through the first chorus. Then an especially quiet, delicate second verse is followed by two heavier sections. The strings remain prominent. Nice segue into a gritty guitar solo in the fourth minute, followed by eerie strings to finish. Cool! (9/10)
8. "On Hold" (7:48) great vocal melody from the start over sparse electro-programmed tuned percussives and computer bass. A great song--truly unusual and intriguing weave--with, of course, another stupendous vocal performance by Mr. Solberg. (I find quite a little comparability with That Joe Payne.) Beautiful use of strings after the second chorus through the fifth and sixth minutes. My favorite song on the album. (14/15)
9. "Castaway Angels" (4:53) delicate acoustic guitar arpeggi with Einar's almost-whispered vocals open this one. Incredible slow build to perfect finish. The best song on the album. (10/10)
10. "Nighttime Disguise (7:04) old-style djenty Leprous returns! (And is welcomed!) I like Einar's subdued vocals in the first section. Interesting dynamic choices (plus, a return of the Einar growl), coupled with a disappointing chorus (why that kind of emotion for the words "nighttime disguise"?) (13/15)
Total Time 56:04
Creative and different, I still think Einar Solberg has one of the five best singing voices in modern prog. The band's use of strings throughout the album--as well as their increasing use of computer-enhanced programmed sounds--is a combination that I think works--and that I hope they will continue to explore. But then, anything behind the singing talents of Mr. Solberg might work. Anything.
89.60 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; another excellent album release from these prog pioneers--highly recommended for any prog lover to check out for themselves.
20. MONO Pilgrimage of the Soul
Expanding, growing, still willing to experiment, this is a 22-year old band that is setting the example for all other bands. Here they have nicely added/embellished their sound with orchestral instruments and arrangements.
- Takaakira 'Taka' Goto / guitar
- Tamaki / bass, piano
- Yoda / guitar
- Dahm / drums
With:
- Susan Voelz / violin & orchestrator
- Andra Kulans / violin
- Vannia Phillips / violin
- Emi Tanabe / violin
- Alison Chesley / cello
- Anna Steinhoff / cello
- Nora Barton / cello
- Kelsee Vandervall / cello
- Chad McCullough / trumpet & brass co-arrangement
- Liz Deitemyer / French horn
- Matthew Davis / trombone
1. "Riptide" (5:51) powerful in the best way that MONO can be. Opens with horns in the background as delicately picked electric guitar--until 1:20 when a volume 10 tsunami of sound crashes in (scaring the bejeezus outof me everytime I hear it!) The intensity is almost militaristic--but maybe stronger--like a volcanic eruption! And just as relentless! By song's end I feel beaten to a pulp! Awesome! Could be a top three song--if only for it's long-lasting effect on my nervous system. (9/10)
2. "Imperfect Things" (6:25) delicate loop of a harp-like arpeggio opens this before being joined by slow, distinct guitar and bass notes. Such a contrast to the previous song's barrage (from which I am still reeling--my nervous system still recovering from). Second slow-picked guitar and second windy-synth loop join in during the third minute. The loops build in the fourth minute until deep bass chords and disco drum play join in. Guitars return now playing full chords where they had only submitted single notes before, but the timing/pace is the same. The drummer's snare play takes us out of Disco-realm. At the five-minute mark guitars and strings enter, taking the music in a different direction--while the rhythm section remains constant. All pressure is relieved at the six-minute mark for a finish of just the loops. Nice. (8.75/10)
3. "Heaven in a Wild Flower" (7:10) sustained organ note (dyad?) with electric piano playing slowly over the top. At 1:20 far background bowed electric guitar and second hand of electric piano and bass join in. It's slow and old feeling. At 2:28 horns join in from the distant background. At 3:03 distant background electronic percussive noises, and then, at 3:40, cellos, while full brass section moves to the fore. Full strings join in the next round as horns become a little more expanded and expressive. At 5:50 things begin to break down, leaving single cello to solo over the basic foundation of electric piano chords, samples & loops. Surprised to have such little representation of the band's electric guitar-oriented sound--and no drums! (13/15)
4. "To See a World" (4:00) two arpeggiating guitars with full strings support are joined in the second minute by cymbals, snare drum and, at 1:45, finally, by the full band--bursting forth in a full rock/Post Rock wall of sound. The stark and untreated snare drum hits feel a bit incongruous with the deluge of murky treatments given all the other instruments (except, perhaps, the bass guitar). Nice, old-fashioned, orchestra-supported Mono Post Rock. (8.5/10)
5. "Innocence" (8:10) female choir chord and percussive guitar notes open this before being joined by an overture-like quick series of band + orchestra chord progressions--a pattern that is repeated over and over until 2:30 when tremolo-electric guitar seems to be trying to take us in another direction. But, no! The pattern is too strong; the rondo of power chords sustains and maintains its dominance--until 4:26 when a single drum hit signals the unleashing of a full-on Mono barrage of sound. It's wonderful! Great chord progression under the command of these masters of contrast and melody. Then, at 6:05, things fall into spacey stillness before guitar and organ notes and reverse percussives start to creep forward and populate the cosmic field. Interesting--and unusual. (13.25/15)
6. "The Auguries" (7:30) Taking on a rather cinematic musical style, the band create a kind of James Bond-like feel--even as they take it the music into new heights at the end of the second minute. The typical Mono construct of rondo cyclical approach ensues as each band member takes turns adding to or embellishing their sound and or contribution. Yoda"s searing MY BLOODY VALENTINE-like guitar play in the fifth minute is heart-wrenching, to say the least. Super powerful--and quite haunting. A top three song for me. (13.75/15)
7. "Hold Infinity in the Palm of Your Hand" (12:21) sustained oscillating Hammond organ chords to which are added bee-like horn notes (sampled?) and then xylophone arpeggi. At 3:00 gentle guitar and bass notes are entered. These are soon joined by drums. Beautiful! A heart-wrenching melody. Tremolo guitar joins the mix at the very end of the fifth minute followed buy a ramping up of the strings in background support. Around the six-minute mark we return to the bare-bones weave of the opening section--like starting over--before drums, guitars, bass, and strings rejoin--this time with more intensity and complexity. All the while, the gorgeous base melody line is held strong. At the eight-minute mark the rock elements all intensify, taking the walls of sound up a few notches, while maintaining the core. In the second half of the tenth minute, the march-time of the drum seems to spoil a bit of the integrity of the melodic and emotional impact. To bad! This had all the makings of one of Mono's finest! Despite this little hump, the final 70 seconds of entropic cacophony is awesome. My other top three song. (22.75/25)
8. "And Eternity in an Hour" (5:51) slow, hypnotic (lullaby-like) piano arpeggi--at first by one and then by two hands--are soon joined by full spectrum of orchestral strings. Beautiful minimalist chamber music! Start to finish! Wow! Who'd have thought this possible from a heavily electrified Post Rock band? A top three song. (9.5/10)
Total Time 57:18
89.54 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music and the finest Post Rock album of 2021! What a musical treat! Highly recommended!
21. FROST* Day and Age
A Return to Milliontown?
Day and Age is definitely a step away from the lean, compacted, futuristic song constructs that Jem and company presented to Prog World in 2008 with their sophomore collection of songs, the exciting-though-jarring Experiments in Mass Appeal. In 2016, principal collaborators, Jem Godfrey and John Mitchel, teamed up with Nathan King and drummer Craig Blundell to create another collection of high-powered, compressed, and highly computer-edited songs on Falling Satellites, a good though, sadly, forgettable Crossover product. Here it almost seems as if the wintery gents are trying to get back to the heavier, drawn out Neo Prog forms they initially explored with their wonderful 2006 debut, Milliontown. Jem, John, and Nathan have here added some interesting drumming collaborators to present a very atmospheric and often heavy, though also, at times, symphonic compendium of expression.
- Jem Godfrey / vocals, keyboards
- John Mitchell / guitars
- Nathan King / bass
With:
- Pat Mastelotto / drums
- Kaz Rodriguez / drums
- Darby Todd / drums
- Jason Isaacs / vocals
1. "Day and Age" (11:49) Despite it's driven fast pace and heavy chorus, this song owes much to Peter Gabriel--especially "Red Rain." The drumming seems pressed, the guitar work quite reminiscent of that of TOTO's great Steve Lukather, the bass like Tony Levin, and the layers of keys awesomely agreeable and not-over-produced--though often Fender Rhodes driven á la M. Gabriel. I like, and feel engaged by, the non-lead vocal, instrumental sections of this song--even the foreboding section in the ninth minute with the children's choir singing, while the main vocal sections are just okay--are greatly saved by the Phil Manzanera-like guitar work and driving bass and drum lines. (22/25)
3. "Waiting for the Lie" (4:31) opens with a jazzy piano sequence of arpeggi over which a David Gilmour-like vocal is whisper-sung. A symphonic mid-section softens for a chorus vocal and a shift into a PORCUPINE TREE-like mood as drums and bass effectively join in as Jem's vocal soars and amps into an emotional crescendo. Nice. (8.75/10)
4. "The Boy Who Stood Still" (7:33) narrated by actor Jason Isaacs (Mr. Darling/Captain Hook on 2003's Peter Pan; Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series; Hap Percy on The OA), The Boy definitely presents an interesting, intriguing story--a kind of flip-perspective take of The Invisible Man. The music is great--with Tony Levin-like bass, driving Manu Katché-like drums, and layers upon layers of keyboard and effected guitar work. M. Isaacs has an awesome voice and approach to this performance--quite powerful and effective in an Orson Wells/Jeremy Irons-like way. And the music is dynamic, exciting, providing excellent background even though it remains surprisingly busy and nuanced when M. Isaacs is speaking and also quite interesting and dynamic in its own right when it is the primary feature. My first top three song and, in my opinion, the best song on the album--and one of the best songs I've heard from 2021. (15/15)
5. "Island Life" (4:14) media samples open before Jem's PETER GABRIEL treated-raspy voice enters to introduce the song. The band jumps in with nice enthusiasm and impressive pace and skill. Nathan King really shines, for me. John Mitchell's guitar work is nicely subdued in its support role and the drumming is right in the mix. The song is apparently about nuclear weapons and radiation poisoning--delivered by an adequate vocal performance. What is surprisingly low key here, are the keyboards! (8.5/10)
6. "Skywards" (4:15) Here Jem Godfrey's vocal sounds so much like Peter Gabriel--until the chorus and stronger parts when it becomes more like THE PINEAPPLE THIEF's Bruce Soord. Great dynamics, bass presence, nuanced drumming and, of course, keyboard mastery. A top three song, to be sure, though still bringing nothing new to Prog World. (9/10)
7. "Kill the Orchestra" (9:27) solo electric piano and palintive vocal for the first two minutes, it sounds almost like a passage from a BUGGLES song. When the song kicks into drive in the third minute, Jem's voice takes on a JOHN MARTYN-like sound. Heavy Frost*/John Mitchell bridge between the first two verses of this section, it returns in the fifth minute to briefly support the chorus. Then the song shifts into a busier instrumental support to the vocals leading into another blast of the chorus before bridging into a spacious, creepy keyboard-based "What have we done?" section starting in the seventh minute and playing into 7:45 before shifting moods with thick, multi-synth chords. At 8:30 things quiet down as cymbals support some bass notes and Gilmour-ish guitar, Keyboard chord play, and (17.75/20)
8. "Repeat to Fade (6:15) bleeding straight from "Kill the Orchestra," it is obvious that this Pink Floyd/Peter Gabriel-like song is part of a two song suite. (Why were the two split apart?) The bass play sounds so TONY LEVIN-esque! And the chorus sounds so much like "We Do What We're Told (Milgrim's 37)." Another top three song for me despite it's Peter Gabriel and Frost* familiarity. (9/10)
Total Time 53:16
Total Time 53:16
Had Peter Gabriel ever continued on a trend toward heavy prog, this might have been what he sounded like. I have to say that I prefer the enthusiastic drumming of an invested Craig Blundell (a highlight of Falling Satellites) to the paid contributors here. Jem is a master of multi-layered keyboards and I love the way John Mitchell's restraint and excellently nuanced rhythm work reveal more and more with each listen, but it's Nathan King's bass playing that really keeps me coming back.
22. AGUSA En annan värld
Swedish instrumental prog rockers are back with a slightly shifted lineup and a much more focused retro Prog Folk sound.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Mikael Ödesjö / guitar
- Roman Andrén / keyboards
- Jenny Puertas / flute
- Simon Ström / bass
- Tim Wallander / drums
1. "Sagobrus" (25:01) nice, laid-back, simple Folk-Rock for the first five minutes. As a matter of fact, one might say that this song is divided equally into five perfect fifths. In the second fifth it goes CAMEL--or at least, tries to. All instrumentalists (guitar, organ, bass, drums) are competent and recorded and mixed fairly well, but nobody blows me away. The 1960s analog-like sound (and recording- ?) choices probably make this a great ride for people wanting to sit back and ride a nice, long wave of late-1960s nostalgia (there's a lot of Doors- and Procol Harum-like feel here). In the third fifth, the flute gives it a nice touch of Moody Blues, Focus, and Camel; the rhythm guitar play, bass, and saw-organ give an almost Supersister/Hatfield and the North funk. The fourth fifth takes a minute to define itself but ends up falling cleanly into a Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here despite the flute arpeggio that remains as a foundational motif throughout; the keyboard work and guitar are definitely straight out of Floyd. In the nineteenth minute we get another pseudo shift as the fuzzed-up bass leads over a weave of mathematic minimalism. By the 20-minute mark, we have moved into a fury of Camel-like tension building, somewhat crescendoing with the multiple guitar tracks merging and weaving in the 22nd-minute, giving it more of a Focus feel. The from 22:00 out is Camel flute and then Hammond taking turns leading the way over the driving theme carried by the rhythm section. Nice. (44.5/50)
2. "Uppenbarelser" (21:13) opens with some harp sounding like a nostalgic Celtic sea shanty. Plodding toms take over over the top of the the psychedelic synth work. This is giving me the feel of being on a journey--of some processional dance being led along the rocky Irish sea coast, flutist and dancers moving at a very slow and staccato pace, very sacred and yet also, at the same time, profanely fertility-oriented. Were it not for the organ, I would think this something that could totally be performed outdoors, while dancing along the coast! In the eighth minute electric guitars join in and the intensity rises, but then, at the 8-minute mark things thin out again, breaking down all the way to slow toms and bass. The organ, and then flute and electric guitar, take up the slow melody, and together build and build, with Cream/Eric Clapton-like electric wah guitar taking over the lead, all the way until the 13-minute mark when things break down for strummed acoustic guitar to take over leading the way. Jazzy drums, bass, gentle flute, and picked Spanish guitar make me think that the processional has moved south--perhaps into the Basque regions of Spain, or its Mediterranean coasts. Community building in the 16th and 17th minutes leads into another attempt at the guitarist to take us over the top. Unfortunately, chaos reigns over cohesion as the dance must become totally bacchanalian--until, that is, we again reach a resting/restarting point at 18:22. This is when we are reminded and/or restored to the original Celtic setting. It feels as if the message here is that it's sleep-time. The final two minutes are very bucolic in a kind of Anthony Phillips way.
I do love that a cohesive story seemed to unfold here. Well done! (36/40)
Total Time 46:14
I can see how other reviews call this album full of "addictive" music--especially the second track. I, for one, love the visual and visceral image of myself fully engaged in that highly enticing fertility dance. The synth, bass, and flute performances are wonderful--never overstated or bombastic. I am not, however, very impressed with either the guitarist's electric lead work nor the drummer's timing and mix/recording/engineering choices. While I love the nostalgic feel of the retro sounds and familiar styles, I am more inclined to go back to more original material. Still, a pair of nicely composed, well-collaborated prog epic tracks.
89.44 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music on the retro psych-folk-rock side of things.
23. SQUID Bright Green Field
Is this album yet another sign that there is a new movement of Krautrock-like Post-Punk Prog occurring?
- Ollie Judge / lead vocals, drums
- Louis Borlase / guitar, bass, vocals
- Anton Pearson / guitar, bass, vocals, percussion
- Laurie Nankivell / bass, brass, percussion
- Arthur Leadbetter / keyboards, strings, percussion
1. "Resolution Square (0:40)
2. "G.S.K. (3:10) part RUN-D.M.C./BEASTIE BOYS, part AMBITIOUS LOVERS/PRIMUS, part DAVID BYRNE all serves to create a quirky post-punk NuProg in the vein of black midi, FUZZ PUDDLE/FLY PAN AM/ALTO PALO/LOW. I'm really not sure if lead singer/screamer Ollie Judge is angry, excited, or just insistent on getting his point across but this music is definitely interesting and invigorating. Great foundational groove. A top three song. (9/10)
3. "Narrator feat. Martha Skye Murphy" (8:28) sounds far more 1970s punk or CAN- or NEU-like Krautrock moving into stuff like early XTC, TALKING HEADS, and THE AMBITIOUS LOVERS. Even the weird psychedelia instrumental sounds (and voices) in the music mix beneath the lead vocalist are very punk-post punk (complete with a very riské NINA HAGEN-like vocal performance from a female vocalist guest, Martha Skye Murphy--who obviously took pointers from Irene Papas' performance on Aphrodite's Child's "Infinity"). (17.5/20)
4. "Boy Racers" (7:34) steady rhythm track and almost-Reggae-like guitar weave reminds me of CAN. Even the slightly crazed vocal has a Damo Suzuki feel to it. The music drops out to leave spacey Blade Runner-like post-industrial synth sounds to play around while heavily-treated vocal epithets are interjected here and there for the next five minutes. It's like a Bar-Do for race car video game crashouts. I like it conceptually but I think it's more cinematic than proggy. (13/15)
5. "Paddling" (6:17) like something out of a long-lost KRAFTWERK album that's been picked up and embellished by a modern street rapper. In the third minute there is an excursion into some freak-out psychedelia, but then we return to music, moving quickly into a Euro-post-punk motif similar to Nena, Peter Schilling or Falco (or early Talking Heads or Blondie). Once guitars enter and synths fill the soundscape, the final 90 seconds are actually pretty cool. (8.875/10)
6. "Documentary Filmmaker" (4:55) the opening music sounds as if PHILIP GLASS and STEVE HAUSCHILDT merge forces. At the two-minute mark the music shifts, moves into second, third, and fourth gears as ever-excitable Ollie Judge catastrophizes over the top. I actually really love this one! (9.5/10)
7. "2010" (4:28) like a two-voice poetry recitation performed over some Bruce Cockburn music--until 1:35 when all hell breaks loose. The spoken poetry parts remind me of iconic British poet Ann Clark from the 1980s. Once again, I am shocked that two bands (or more?) could appear in the same music scene at the same time like Squid and black midi. (8.75/10)
8. "The Flyover" (1:10) horns and quietly spoken (recorded) words (conversation snippets). (4.4/5)
9. "Peel St." (4:52) Talking Heads + The Ambitious Lovers = black midi (and Squid). Amazing that the two bands (Squid and black midi) appeared concurrently. (9.5/10)
10. "Global Groove" (5:07) with such sedate music I find myself reminded of LAGARTIJA of all bands (Particelle)! The vocal performance(s--screamed and tape-recorded/spoken), of course, have very little to do with the Italian band, but I'm fascinated by the multiple personalities this band is able to express. (8.875/10)
11. "Pamphlets" (8:03) more post-punk CAN-like Krautrock. It surprises me how well it works. (13.125/15)
Total Time 54:44
Total Time 54:44
I'm not sure if I've been listening to manic delirium or genius. I suppose a little of both. ("A true twenty-first century sound," Bruce Cockburn inspires me me to say.) I do like this music, this album, I'm just not ready or willing to accept that this is the direction prog music might be going. The use of horns and myriad incidental-seeming sound injections is, I have to admit, pretty ingenious. Ollie Judge's vocal performances are also quite impressive: the man is certainly committed … to his messages--to his performance.
89.32 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; an excellent and very refreshing venture through a totally new sounding blend of old prog and pop music styles; totally recommended for any and all true progressive rock music lovers. It's an experience you will not soon forget.
24. A FORMAL HORSE Meat Mallet
Great Heavy Prog punk music with really weird lyrics. Is Hayley McDonnell what Deborah Harry, Lydia Lunch, Siouxsie, or even Elizabeth Fraser would have sound like had they appeared in the 2020s?
Great Heavy Prog punk music with really weird lyrics. Is Hayley McDonnell what Deborah Harry, Lydia Lunch, Siouxsie, or even Elizabeth Fraser would have sound like had they appeared in the 2020s?
Line-up / Musicians:
- Hayley McDonnell / vocals
- Benjamin Short / guitars, vocals
- Russell Mann / basses
- Mike Stringfellow / drums
1. "This One's Just a Warning" (4:47) great, throbbing prog grunge metal with occasional vocal contributions of the title phrase and a bit more. (8.75/10)
2. "You've Got a Billion and I've Got a Half" (3:53) spacious and portentous, it takes this one 80 seconds to show itself. Great melodies in the vocal. What a hilarious lyric! Could almost have come off of a UT GRET or PINGVINORKESTERN album. (8.75/10)
3. "Hong Kong" (2:29) opens with some Godzilla-like music plodding along over which multiple vocal tracks sing. At 0:55 we switch into an almost 4 A.D. sound. (4.25/5)
4. "I'm a Lasagne" (4:05) more insanely funny/clever lyrics (a play on 10CC's "Life is a Minestrone"?) over a heavier 4 A.D. montage. A little too disjointed to warrant high praise. (8.5/10)
5. "Bring a Bun" (2:10) acoustic guitar strumming and Mellotron beneath Hayley's diaphonously heart-wrenching vocal. My second top three song. (4.5/5)
6. "Someone's After My Malted Milk" (4:20) sounds like a punky rendition of a PURE REASON REVOLUTION song. More humorous lyrics delivered … beautifully. (8.75/10)
7. "Space8" (3:54) Is this what Siouxsie or Elizabeth Fraser would have sounded like in the 2020s? Incredible song. My favorite song on the album. (10/10)
8. "Heavy Hit" (2:17) simple heavy punk music with some really clever phrases in the lyrics. (4.5/5)
9. "Rose Train" (4:00) heavy punk pop in the vein of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lydia Lunch, or even Lena Lovich. Great vocal performance of amazing lyrics. (8.75/10)
10. "Let It Run" (3:06) Interesting musical hodge podge with more interesting lyrics delivered impeccably by Hayley. (8.5/10)
11. "Mr C's Two Thousand and Threes" (3:37) Hayley exhibits some vocal qualities here making her almost sound like Paula Cole, Tracy Thorn, and Alanis Morissette in an Elisabeth Fraser style (an effect that is helped by the Robin Guthrie-like music. At 1:48 when the music goes broad-spectrum heavy metal it sounds like NIGHTWISH and Black Sabbath. (8.75/10)
12. "Turkey 2000s" (4:13) One of the better songs, musically, with another superlative vocal performance of some amazing lyrics. My final top three song. (9.75/10)
Total Time 42:51
Total Time 42:51
A lot of the songs here would be rated higher if based solely on singer Hayley McDonald's delivery of the lyrics. It's the sometime simplistic music that sometimes weighs the songs down--or diminishes their overall effect. At the same time, like my colleague, The Frogressive Sock, I will find time to listen to this album for a long time to come. I am certain that the vocals and lyrics alone will continue to reveal majestic moments for years. An album that gets better the deeper you go into the playlist.
89.29 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; an excellent addition of modern prog to any music lover's album collection. Entertaining and very refreshing--one of my 10 favorite albums of 2021.
25. YOO DOO RIGHT Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose
A French Canadian band who has obviously taken inspiration from CAN but seem to be offering a "What would Can be doing today, in the 21st Century" perspective. Obviously, they think there would be elements of Kevin Shields' My Bloody Valentine sound as well as Post Rock bleeds.
1. "A Certain Sense of Disenchantment" (1:58) teasing space rock sounds and Roman gladiator beats make it sound as if I'm in for a SWANS-like listening experience--but then it ends (and bleeds over to the next song) with some KRAFTWERK-like synth sequencing. (4.25/5)
2. "1N914" (7:05) A hard-driving, metronomic Krautrock song that turns full-on Post Rock. The presence of some KEVIN SHIELDS-like guitar chord bending is awesome. One of the best songs of 2021. (14.5/15)
3. "Marché des vivants" (3:48) Great synth-oriented song. It doesn't hurt that the rhythm section provides us with a flippin' awesome groove that you can really sink your pelvis into. (9.5/10)
4. "The Moral Compass of a Self-Driving Car" (6:33) the groove of the opening of Camel's "Lunar Sea" comes to mind as well as the dramatic stylings and sounds of Post Rock of Virginian band GIFTS FROM ENOLA; there is no Krautrock here--until the three minute mark when the car takes a turn onto the Autobahn. What a smooth, sneaky, seemless switch! I welcome the KRAFTWERK and KEVIN SHIELDS sounds and stylings. (9.25/10)
5. "Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose" (6:00) a more dreamy, contemplative, mostly instrumental song (the Michael Gira-like vocals are only in the second minute) than the previous driving/dancing grooves. New Gold Dream-era SIMPLE MINDS comes strongly to mind. I love--am mesmerized by--the pitch-variant drone throughout the first three minutes. Then it turns ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF/MY BLOODY VALENTINE. (8.75/10)
6. "Join, Be Curst" (4:38) at first, this one has a punk feel (due to its shouted vocal and simple, straightforward pounding drum beat), but then at 1:43 the music switches to a kind of Latin Space sound--what Space Cowboys might sound like from Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone. (8.5/10)
7. "Presto Presto, Bella's Dream" (3:46) the first song I heard by the band and one that reminded me of the fact that I'm not a particular fan of CAN-like metronomic Krautrock. (8.25/10)
8. "Black Moth" (6:49) though there is a modern, almost BLACK MIDI, aspect to this song, it could also very well be a song straight off of a MONO, THE FUTURE KINGS OF ENGLAND, or SLEEPMAKESWAVES album. (12.75/15)
An album that starts off so strongly with its Kevin Shields-spiced version of German Post Rock but then, unfortunately, slips into more monotonous stylings of Can-like Krautrock. Admirable attempt at the melding of the two styles but, ultimately, a failure for having fallen too
89.12 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-miss to masterpiece level. Definitely a band I look forward to for future releases.
26. KONOM Konom
Retro Heavy Prog drawing comparisons from the likes of URIAH HEEP, FOREIGNER, ALLMAN BROTHERS, FATES WARNING, MYRATH, HEAD EAST and others, led by talented LOU GRAMM sound-alike vocalist Arya Bobaie.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Arya Bobaie / lead vocals
- Dan White / guitars, backing vocals
- Jonathan Worsley / keyboards, orchestration
- Benjamin Edwards / bass
- Tom Rice / drums
1. "A Welcome Change" (10:35) Reminds me of ORPHANED LAND, HEAD EAST, IQ, MYRATH, AC/DC, and THE WHO, with Sammy Hagar singing. Solid, straightforward 1980s Prog Metal--even with the jazzy piano interlude in the sixth minute. Keys and guitar doubling up on the solo in the seventh minute is pretty cool. The final two or three minutes sound like a heavier IQ. (17.5/20)
2. "Birotunda" (7:20) opens like a WOBBLER or IQ song before turning URIAH HEEP/FOREIGNER/ RUSH/OZZIE-like before the end of the first minute. (13/15)
3. "As the Waters Rise" (9:34) Reminds me of ORPHANED LAND or MYRATH with Lou Gramm singing. The most proggy song on the album, with some heavily treated vocals during the second half verses. Nice peak at 8:15 (great Eddie Vedder-like vocal performance). Great song. (19/20)
4. "The Great Harvest" (8.80) : i. Epiphany (3:54) acoustic guitar picking and dinking around with high-pitched drone in the background opens this one until the rest of the band jumps into drive at the end of the first minute. A RUSH-like heavy metal theme is quickly established--everybody firing on all cylinders in this awesome power weave until things turn down a more melody-driven street and then hit some heavier traffic. Nice guitar lead in the second half of the third minute before bass, guitar, and synth all synch together for a nice patch before RUSHing into a brick wall... (8.75/10)
5. "The Great Harvest: ii. Dilate My World (5:41) ... of piano and deep single note bass thrums over which Arya gives a great John Arch (Fates Warning) performance. Singers John Schlitt (Head East) and Queensrÿche's Geoff Tate also come to mind with this performance. Nice song; great arrangements and spacing, great guitar shredding at the end. (9.25/10)
6. "The Great Harvest: iii. Mutating Light" (2:40) racing off at high speed, we are taken into new territory before a sudden wormhole dumps us into an orb of crystalline acousticity. Nice--and quite unexpected. (4.5/5)
7. "The Great Harvest: iv. Reflections (6:50) now dumped into a spacious bass-dominated Richard Wright/Ambrosia-like soundstage before Arya joins in singing in a heart-felt plaintive performance before the metal brigade steps in at 2:15 when Arya goes Geddy-Lee-ballistic. Unfortunately, he's rather pitchy throughout this brief passage. (It's a very demanding section.) The ensuing instrumental section showcases Dan White's guitar rhythm prowess before it turns djenty. Keys are interesting beneath but perhaps a little too dominated by the guitars and bass. (More volume!) (13/15)
8. "The Great Harvest: v. Heedless Breath (5:24) starts out of the blocks sounding very much like a repeat of the heavier motif of the previous song. It remains RUSH-guitar-trio-centric for the first 90 seconds before the keyboards finally have a chance to sneak up to the front. The surprise here, to me, is that this, the album's final song, is playing out like an instrumental--but, then, at 2:22 the music downshifts into a more keyboard-washed melody over which Arya displays his full range of vocal talents (sounding, again, very much like Foreigner's Lou Gramm. I have to admit to being very much disappointed by this last song--the finale!--as it feels too by-the-numbers, too predictable and even generic. (8.5/10)
5. "The Great Harvest: ii. Dilate My World (5:41) ... of piano and deep single note bass thrums over which Arya gives a great John Arch (Fates Warning) performance. Singers John Schlitt (Head East) and Queensrÿche's Geoff Tate also come to mind with this performance. Nice song; great arrangements and spacing, great guitar shredding at the end. (9.25/10)
6. "The Great Harvest: iii. Mutating Light" (2:40) racing off at high speed, we are taken into new territory before a sudden wormhole dumps us into an orb of crystalline acousticity. Nice--and quite unexpected. (4.5/5)
7. "The Great Harvest: iv. Reflections (6:50) now dumped into a spacious bass-dominated Richard Wright/Ambrosia-like soundstage before Arya joins in singing in a heart-felt plaintive performance before the metal brigade steps in at 2:15 when Arya goes Geddy-Lee-ballistic. Unfortunately, he's rather pitchy throughout this brief passage. (It's a very demanding section.) The ensuing instrumental section showcases Dan White's guitar rhythm prowess before it turns djenty. Keys are interesting beneath but perhaps a little too dominated by the guitars and bass. (More volume!) (13/15)
8. "The Great Harvest: v. Heedless Breath (5:24) starts out of the blocks sounding very much like a repeat of the heavier motif of the previous song. It remains RUSH-guitar-trio-centric for the first 90 seconds before the keyboards finally have a chance to sneak up to the front. The surprise here, to me, is that this, the album's final song, is playing out like an instrumental--but, then, at 2:22 the music downshifts into a more keyboard-washed melody over which Arya displays his full range of vocal talents (sounding, again, very much like Foreigner's Lou Gramm. I have to admit to being very much disappointed by this last song--the finale!--as it feels too by-the-numbers, too predictable and even generic. (8.5/10)
Total Time 51:58
89.05 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection. Fans of early metal will probably find this album especially pleasing. Check it out!
27. SMALLTAPE The Hungry Heart
An artist that is new to me despite the fact that they've been around for over ten years. This is their third full studio album release--one that has been receiving quite a little attention. So, I had to check it out!
Line-up / Musicians:
- Philipp Nespital / vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, percussion, electronics
With:
- Alexandra Praet / bass, backing vocals
- Flavio De Giusti / acoustic & electric guitars, solo guitar
- Omri Abramov / tenor saxophone, EWI
- Raphael Meinhart / vibraphone
- Mark Kagan / violins
- Dorian Wetzel / viola
- Anton Peisakov / cello
- Felix Jacobs / bass
- Kelly O'Donohue / trumpet, trombone
- Marten Schröder / French horn
- Michael Zehe / backing vocals
- Scott Thomas / vocals
- Valgeir Dadi Einarsson / bass
CD 1 (41:28)
1. "The Hungry Heart" (4:51) very seductive introductory song! I love the unusual synth-wash chords used. (9.5/10)
2. "The Golden Siren" (5:30) drum machine track opens with a few reverberating guitar notes over which raspy male voice whisper-talks his thoughts. After 90 seconds more instrumentation and drums are added while voice continues talking. Then a chorus is injected into the music with some surprisingly high-pitched voices singing some rather saccharine lines about "she's everywhere I go, my golden shay". Reminds me of the music & style that the British band tinyfish made with their album releases in the Naughties. (8.5/10)
3. "Hunger" (7:20) rather cheesy and simple. Kind of like an Chroma Key or Alan Parsons Project song with some Peter Gabriel elements. (12.5/15)
4. "Our Desert" (4:08) gently picked acoustic guitar chords set up a gentle folkie vocal. This stark soundscape lasts until 1:40 when some water sounds and ghost-like background "distant" vocal sounds begin to creep in with a pulsing frequency. (8/10)
5. "One Day" (4:40) opens with a force reminding me of Bruce Swoord/The Pineapple Thief and more recent Steven Wilson songs. A decent song despite questionable sound engineering choices. (8.5/10)
6. "Burning House" (6:57) the first really proggy sounding song since the tease of the opener--it's the complex multi-rhythms of the drums that do it. The opening 2:50 remind me of something from Peter Gabriel's Passion soundtrack. The next couple of piano and sax-dominated minutes are very much like something more modern--maybe, again, Steven Wilson or Kevin Moore. A very engaging and satisfying song--and an instrumental! Perhaps the best on the song. Hearing this, I definitely think this band has potential. (14.5/15)
7. "Colors" (5:18) an excellent melodic crossover tune in the vein of LIFESIGNS or MYSTERY. (9/10)
8. "Asylum" (2:44) acoustic guitar, simple vocal, piano later. Very pretty, memorable song. (4.75/5)
CD 2 (24:02)
1. "Where We Belong" (2:47) opens with ANATHEMA chords from one of my all-time favorite Anathema songs, "Endless Ways," before going more lounge-jazz piano. Pretty. Nice use of ancillary spacey synth & guitar noises. (4.5/5)
2. "Dissolution" (21:15) Three minutes a hand-held recorder monologue from an Australian male voice expressing his morning feeling of being unsettled and his successive exploration of the basis for those feelings. This is all accompanied by the melodic, uptempo play of a somewhat-jazzy solo piano and, eventually, side voices, strings, and synths. Drums, bass, and orchestral instruments jump in in the second and third minutes as the singer enters to offer a more generalized perspective of the same disconcertment and general disenchantment with today's state of "civilization." Quite a piano-jazz-inflected musical journey. I really like the STEVE REICH-like piano and tuned percussion section that begins at the end of the eighth minute. At 9:25 the vocalist and piano recapitulate the Anathema "hold on" theme from the previous song. Nice guitar and strings work in the 12th minute. Then there is a dramatic shift into a bare-bones xylophone solo that reminds me of 1970s Gary Burton or Rainer Brüninghaus' work with Eberhard Weber. Solo electric jazz guitar takes over in the 16th minute. This is so 1970s! (Which I LOVE!) But then, because of these familiar themes, riffs, and sounds, it causes me to almost lose some of my enjoyment: I can't help but wonder if it is, in fact, original, or copied. A little Thomas Thelen sneaks into the 19th minute before Philipp returns to the "hold on" theme for the chorus in the 20th. Nice blend of rock and orchestra in the final 90 seconds. An absolutely enjoyable jazz-pop epic. (36/40)
Total Time 65:30
Though an overall very enjoyable listening experience, I wouldn't consider this a masterpiece as a whole; there are several excellent songs, however. The syncopated beat patterns of the drummer do the most to give the music a progginess, otherwise the melodies and vocals are definitely more mainstream in their melodic sensibilities and treatments.
89.04 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Crossover prog; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection.
28. GLASS KITES II
Beautifully composed, performed, and recorded atmospheric prog--of which I am reminded of the great 2016 Tony Patterson album, Equations of Meaning--one of my favorite albums of that year and one of my five or ten favorite Neo Prog albums of all-time. There's a little feel of Mice on Stilts and Midlake here as well.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Leon Feldman / vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano, synthesizer & sequencing
- Nate Drobner / bass, keyboards, synthesizer
- Curt Henderson / guitar
- Daryn Cassie / piano, Fender Rhodes
- Kyle Araki / drums
1. "Intro (Soviet)" (3:26) a soft-jazzy prog instrumental that sounds as if it could have come out of the late 1970s--like something off of a Crusaders/Joe Sample or Narada Michael Walden album of that time. Very melodic and engaging; gets its "hooks" into you. (8.75/10)
2. "In the Night" (4:21) a MIDLAKE-sounding song with MICE ON STILTS singing and feel to it. Very pleasant and soothing. (9/10)
3. "Leviathan" (8:58) Very much in the vein of BROTHER APE's 2010 masterpiece, A Rare Moment of Insight: fast paced, drum-driven, and yet very melodic and atmospheric. The synth-driven interlude from 4:30 to 5:45 is wonderful--almost BUGGLES-like! And it continues into the next section. Great stuff! Truly BROTHER APE territory. The final two minutes reminds me of a cross between Ryuichi Sakamoto's synth pop of the 80s and 90s and some of Johannes Luley's stuff. Absolutely awesome second half! (17.75/20)
4. "Ideologue" (2:47) "toy" piano sound (heavily treated) over water sounds with orchestral chords and "cello" in support. Beautiful. I could listen to a whole album of stuff like this! Synthetic strings synth play for the final minute. (9.25/10)
5. "Discworld / Projector" (10:38) heart-wrenching chords torn straight out of TONY PATTERSON's 2016 masterpiece, Equations of Meaning. The singing brings a whole different timbre to it--very pleasant. Great playful instrumental interplay beneath the calm, soothing vocal. Amazing dichotomy of presentations--that really work! GREAT first 3:35!
Not so much a fan of the TOTO "Hold the Line"-like bouncing piano motif after 3:35. Fortunately, it is muted a bit with the chorus bridge at 4:50, but then it comes back. My least favorite section of the album. Instrumental soli in the seventh and eighth minutes bring it back some dignity, then flanged nylon-string strummed guitar and voice samples with new chord progression bring it back into range of likability--still not great though. Builds and builds as it reaches the tenth minute--culminating in some great electric guitar soloing over some nice drumming. Too bad the whole song couldn't have been as strong as that opening 3:35. (17.5/20)
Total Time 30:10
Total Time 30:10
Short. But so pleasant to listen to. And there's so much interesting instrumental intricacy to pay attention to over repeated and future listens.
88.92 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a wonderful addition to any prog lover's music collection.
29. KRISTOFFER GILDENLÖW Let Me Be a Ghost
PAIN OF SALVATION founder and leader is back with another solo release--this reaching really deep into his psyche.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Kristoffer Gildenlöw / vocals, various instruments
With:
- Joris Lindner / drums (2,4,5,8,10,11), Hammond organ (2)
- Dirk Bruinenberg / drums (12)
- Erna auf der Haar / vocals (8)
- Ronja Gildenlöw / vocals (2)
- Marcel Singor / guitar solo (5)
1. "Let Me Be a Ghost - Pt. I" (3:39) spacious, tension-filled computer arpeggi over which Daniel sings in a plaintive voice--a voice that sounds as if he's at wit's end. The final minute is filled with what sounds like cave sounds and whisperings. Wow. What are we in for? (9/10)
2. "The Wind" (4:46) piano arpeggi joined by slower electric piano arpeggi. Daniel's voice joins in at 0:45--and then is seconded by himself before being joined by the ethereal, ghost-like voices of Ronja Gildenlöw and some computer-treated vocal tracks. Back to bare-bones piano and elec. piano at the end of the third minute for about 20 seconds before a full rock band and the full vocal ensemble kick in--sounding quite a lot like RESONAXIS's church-oriented prog. (8.5/10)
3. "Blame It All on Me" (4:57) sound very much like a classic LEONARD COHEN song--even down to the smokey café/lounge vocals and acoustic guitar. Part of me wants to laugh, part wants to take it like a Jacques Brel video from the 1975 film, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, only this is depressing. Daniel has done an admirable job catching a mood--a "period piece"--obviously intended to express the great mood of sarcasm of those European coffeehouse-style singers of the 50s and 60s. (8.5/10)
4. "Falling Floating Sinking" (5:02) opens with some ambient eerie electronica similar to those used by Mariusz Duda on his LUNATIC SOUL albums. When the vocal finally begins--deep into the second minute--it also sounds similar to a Mariusz--even into the chorus. At 3:28 the precarious quiet is broken wide open by some abrasive full-rock band chord play (with a bit of a Led Zeppelin feel to it), but everything calms back down for the final 25 seconds. (8.5/10)
5. "Fleeting Thought" (4:27) opens with some very familiar guitar chords/sounds from some of Daniel's classic Pain of Salvation albums of the early 21st Century. The multi-voice vocal development is also a bit reminiscent of some of those PoS songs. The bluesy chord progression and lead guitar play are, again, quite similar to 1970s LED ZEPPELIN (until Marcel Singor begins showing his modern prowess). Other than that, there is really very little development in this song. I don't like the sound effects used to create space on this one. (8.75/10)
6. "Fade Away" (5:31) Spanish guitar opens with electric and tuned percussion before another Leonard Cohen-like vocal enters. After the vocals finish around 1:30, a bluesy guitar solo ensues. There's quite a little PINK FLOYD The Wall feeling to this one. Nice tune. (8.75/10)
7. "Don't" (2:55) nylon string acoustic guitar picked and strummed over which Daniel sings in another raspy, whispery LEONARD COHEN/TOM WAITS-like performance. I really like the guitar sound and work here. I'm not sure this vocal styling has quite the effect that Daniel intends--whether or not his attempt to display his "Latin passion" is believable. Still, nice song. (8.75/10)
8. "Lean on Me" (5:09) Now here is something that sounds original! A little attempt at a Layne Staley vocal over some pizzicato-sounding solo bass picking. Nice vocal performances on the background vocal tracks by Daniel and Erna auf der Haar. A top three song for me. (9/10)
9. "Let Me Be a Ghost - Pt. II (3:43) cool instrumental that is atmospherics for the first half followed by piano arpeggi with heavy (and, later, light) electric guitar soloing over the top. Nice. (8.75/10)
10. "Still Enough" (5:16) electric piano MIDIed with tuned percussion lays down a poignant, almost eery child's lullaby over which Daniel eventually adds his deeply emotional whisper-vocal. Can a human bare his soul any more than this? Another top three song. Wow; devastatingly powerful. (9.25/10)
11. "Where I Ought to Be" (5:13) Spanish guitar and spacious background synth washes support Kristoffer's multi-track Mariusz Duda-like singing. There is, however, far more time dedicated to instrumental play here than singing; the singing just sets the scene for Kristoffer's emotion-packed expression through his multiple guitar and keyboard play. Drums join in for the final 90 seconds. Great song. Musically, probably my favorite on the album. (9.5/10)
12. "Let Me Be a Ghost - Pt. III" (3:31) the third revisitation to this plea for letting go. The spacious opening two minutes are affecting, but the full-band ramp up is really powerful. Another favorite. (9.25/10)
13. "Look at Me Now" (4:02) celestial sounds slowly moving through the soundscape, like clouds, for the first 1:25 before Kristoffer's scratchy, far-forward voice enters singing like with the poignancy and force of Leonard Cohen. (9/10)
Total Time 58:11
And incredibly deep, emotive, and stark journey into the dark night of the soul. Kristoffer's musical journey that Kristoffer takes me on reminds me of listening to cross between Leonard Cohen's deeper darkest music and Mariusz Duda's LUNATIC SOUL. The compositional and personal maturity exhibited here is extraordinary--with minimal layering or fills, a lot of stark arrangements with more tracks given to vocals than instrumentation--thus rendering greater the effectiveness on the listener's journey into darkness as despair.
88.85 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a wonderfully emotional trip into the depths of human darkness that should be a welcome addition to any prog lover's music collection.
30. KANT FREUD KAFKA Historias del acantilado
Catalonian Javi Herrera is back with his third Kant Freud Kafka release--this one his most polished and well--produced if most complex collection of songs.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Javi Herrera / vocals, drums & percussion, VST instruments
- Alia Herrera / vocals
- Dani Fernandez / bass
With:
- Cecilia Burguera / violin
- Mónica Cruzata / viola
- Pol Farell / cello
- Joan Flores / piano
- Miquel González / keyboards
- Joan "Nitus" Grados / electric guitars
- Laia Pujol / clarinet, bass clarinet
- Guillem Vilar / oboe, cor anglais
- Pep Espasa / flute, tenor saxophone
- Dick Them / fretless bass
- Rafael Pacha / acoustic & 12-string guitars
- Yago Pajarón / jazz guitar
1. "Voz de Metal" (10:18) While I like Javi's male tenor, his lyrics and melodies aren't really to my liking. While I hear hints at previous structural, chordal, and melodic themes, I am happy to feel that this is a song of mostly original ideas. Nice engineering and balance among the sonic landscape--though Alia's beautiful mezzo-soprano perhaps should not be allowed to overshadow Javi's voice so much when it's present. Perhaps their voices could have used a little electronic enhancements as well--to increase the proggy mystique of their story. As it stands, they're a little stark and standout-ish. (And boy does Alia have some strong pipes!) (17.5/20)
2. "Carta de Gaia" (13:05) opens with a female narration over metallic chimes percussives. Acoustic steel-stringed guitars (picked and strummed). More tuned percussion joins in beneath Alia's gorgeous singing--in her wonderful, soaring, crystal-clear upper registers. The centerpiece for the first four is by far and away Ms. Herrera. Then Javi's Moogy synth takes the lead for about a minute before Alia's voice returns. Now accompanied by the Moog and her own background vocal tracks, the song just gets better. I wish I understood the lyrics! At 8:15 the full band kicks in to give it the real prog treatment. All the while Alia's vocals remain so strong, so powerful, so moving! Electric guitar soloing in the 12th minute is primo prog--excellente--over solid, engaging music! At 12:23 we return to the opening acoustic theme--with cello to help Alia finish. Beautiful! Great prog! (23/25)
3. "Conspiranoia" (4:44) piano-based instrumental with bowed acoustic bass and buzz-saw synth and tuned metallic percussives playing the whole way. More avant jazz than the previous pieces. (8.5/10)
4. "My Baby Just Scares for Me" (8:41) Fender Rhodes, electric bass, and my favorite instrument on the planet, cor anglais share the soundsphere of this one. Then, heaven to betsies! oboe joins in to work a verse with the cor anglais! I'm in heaven! Then strings show up in the mix, thickening it considerably. Gorgeous! One of my favorite chamber pieces of the year!
At 4:25, a Spanish-feeling jazz combo joins in with piano. The music remains beautiful, then the bass and drums start to get a little showy, spicing up the music quite a bit. Multiple melody lines in the seventh minute compete a little for my attention, but still work. I'm not quite sure how the title fits, but, ... (17.75/20)
5. "El Acantilado" (15:00) Pure chamber rock--acoustic string quartet with synthesizer--for the first four minutes. Then drums and electric guitar enter the piece, with sequencer-like keyboard "bass" track to soon follow. The rock instruments have now taken over, are the dominant purveyors of the music--which remains pretty much the same (despite the drums and thumping bass). The heaviness of this progified version of the chamber music is a bit surprising, but you can tell these instrumentalists know what they're doing. At the seventh minute, the rock rhythm instruments desist while synth and harp continue weaving with synth bass chords and . This evolves into a pretty harp-dominated accompaniment for a Javi and Alia duet. Around 9:20 jazzy fretless bass joins in and then, with the next round, Fender Rhodes, drums, and jazz electric guitar. Then flute--which plays tag with the guitar for a bit before the two lovely voices team up in a round of vocalise before segueing back into their lyrical duet. In the 12th minute, the electric instruments are let loose to wreak havoc, followed by an emotional tenor sax! In the fourteenth minute the Arp synth and violin bring back some of the themes from the opening as the rest of the musicians seem to peter out and die off. (A metaphor for the Holocene Extinction? The Cliff!) (26.5/30)
Total Time 51:48
Though highlights for me are definitely the way the orchestral instruments and mezzosoprano are worked into the music, I am so very much in awe of Javi's compositional prowess and bold blending of classical, jazz, and proggy elements. His daughter, Alia, is quite a talent--as is bass master Dani Fernandez.
88.81 on the Fishscales = B+/four stars; an excellent display of classically- and jazz-based progressive rock music--of the highest caliber of compositional and performance skill. Highly recommended!
31. EMERALD DAWN To Touch the Sky
The atmospheric prog folk band from St. Ives is back with it's fourth major release--an album that shows some major steps forward in both its compositional complexity and its sound production.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Tree Stewart / vocals, keyboards, Roli Seaboard, 12-string acoustic guitar, flute
- Ally Carter / electric guitar, guitar synthesizer, tenor saxophone, keyboard
- David Greenaway / fretless & fretted basses
- Tom Jackson / drums
1. "The Awakening" (11:15) not as syrupy as past compositions, there is complexity and development here that the band has never been willing (or felt the need) to do before. There are moments I feel classical music parallels and jazzy stylistic adventures. Awesome! (17.25/20)
2. "And I Stood Transfixed" (15:07) I love the PINK FLOYD "Welcome to the Machine" feel of the opening of this one as well as the hand percussion used in place of the drums. At 2:12 it shifts in both tempo and instruments as drum kit joins in with bass, fast strummed guitar, and Dick Parry-like tenor saxophone. Then, at 3:40, everything stops while spacey synths oscillate and soft rhythm track establishes itself for Tree to sing over with her heavily-reverbed TRACY THORN-like voice. Beautiful section. Tree's flute takes over in the gorgeous seventh and eight minutes before a kind of earthquake of sound leads into an aggressive, monster-movie-like section. Ally's tenor sax goes wild over the drums. A brief section with Tree's most angelic vocalise is followed by a long passage over which Alan's guitar shreds perhaps as quickly, effectively, and emotionally as ever. My favorite Emerald Dawn song ever! (27.5/30)
3. "The Ascent" (22:17) opens with organ-synth sounds (strings and flutes) and Mellotron voices before giving way to light classical piano play of a kind of Russian theme (think John Tout/RENAISSANCE) with background synth strings and delicate cymbal improvisation. The whole song sounds as if it were recorded inside a huge cathedral space.
In the third minute, Ally Carter's distinctive electric guitar begins another searing solo but then, uncharacteristically, cuts it short at 3:00 in order to make room for a new two chord section over which Tree sings in a kind of SALLY OLDFIELD/TRACEY THORN voice. At 5:37 there is another shift--this one taking the listener down an entirely new and refreshing path--with low strings and plucked strings arpeggi flowing over the more dynamic bass and drum play. Despite the open, orchestra-like sound recording of the drums, they are rather impressive here.
At 8:30, there is another shift into a more ethereal fog of synth washes with some subtle bass and drum incidentals until a very slow pace is established--over which Ally begins soloing as if from one of the side chapels of a large cathedral. At the end of the eleventh minute, the music shifts back to a variation of the 5:37 movement. Here Ally's synthesized guitar solos sounding very much like a saxophone. The keyboard soundscapes here sound a lot like the ALAN PARSONS PROJECT in the I Robot era. At 13:55 things break down into a more simplified, spacious variation of the 3:00 motif with Tree singing again. Piano solos and synth solos exchange take turns over the paunchy bass lines and interesting drum play. There is a very COLLAGE Moonshine-like quality and feel to the sound here. The music palette stays pretty much the same for a while though there are several subtle shifts in pace and motif. At the end of the nineteenth minute, some nice orchestral-sounds (low "brass") help bring a gravity to the music indicative of the song's coming to an end--trying to make it's last impression. Tree sings the final verse and then Ally lets loose with an emotion-packed guitar solo while organ chords, bass, and vacuous drums carry the tune below up to it's protracted "orchestral" finish. Very nicely done! Another song that I can honestly say raises the band in my esteem. Finally, I can feel the way Emerald Dawn's music is informed by classical music as they have claimed. (39.5/45)
Total Time 48:39
A band that has had a very pleasing, attractive sound from its inception, but whose quality in sound production and complexity of musical arrangements has always seemed lacking. With this album, the band seems to have taken a turn toward more serious sound engineering and more seriously thought out compositions. In the past, I've complained about the simplicity of Emerald Dawn compositions as well as about the out-dated computer-generated sounds used to make their rich space music. On To Touch the Sky, the band have finally stepped up in both compositional complexity and the use of machines that can produce higher quality sounds (or they may have just found a better producer and better engineers). The changes are a definite step forward.
88.68 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a solid contribution to Prog World and an Emerald Dawn album that I can finally recommend to prog lovers everywhere.
32. JORDSJØ Pastoralia
Complex, nuanced, many-faced symphonic prog coming from Håkon Oftung and Kristian Frøland's folk/anachronistic predilections. This is the band/project's sixth full-length studio release since 2014.
- Håkon Oftung / vocals, guitars, flute, keyboards
- Kristian Frøland / drums, percussion
With:
- Håkon Knutzen / guitar (8)
- Ola Mile Bruland / spoken word & poetry (8)
- Vilde Mortensen Storesund / backing vocals
- Mats Lemjan / bass clarinet
- Christian Meaas Svendsen / double bass
- Åsa Ree / violin & vocals (3)
1. "Prolog" (2:16) solo jazz guitar joined by organ-led jazz combo before turning proggy around 0:45. Interesting for introducing the essence of the album that is to follow: a ball of confusion! (4.25/5)
2. "Skumring i Karesuando" (7:37) so many changes, styles and themes! From Keith Emerson/Änglagård to Ian Anderson to monastic chant to FOCUS, WOBBLER, and CAMEL--every 20 seconds a new and drastically different motif and style is presented and or returned to. Astonishing! And this one works! (My favorite song from Jordsjø. Ever.) (14/15)
3. "Mellom Mjødurt, Marisko og Søstermarihånd" (6:30) gently finger-picked acoustic guitar is soon joined by Mellotron strings, synth and simply effected lead guitar before shifting to strums and flute with organ background. Drums and vocals join in as organ becomes the more dominant foundational instrument. Flute solos with the vocal melodies as does choral vocalise before next verse. In the third minute, jazz guitar takes the lead before an eerie GOBLIN-like passaged of percussion and bass clarinet and other background instruments/sounds. The band then gathers up together to play out a very WOBBLER-like passage until breaking down for solo acoustic guitar work in the fifth minute. Though the lyrics are sung in Norwegian, I very much like them--they feel sacred--like something that one might have seen performed in a monastery in the 17th or 18th Century. An instrumental JETHRO TULL-like passage then begins at 5:45 and plays out till the end. With repeated listens I hear more and more similarities to the musics being published by Greek Folk Prog band, CICCADA. Another top three song. (9.25/10)
4. "Pastoralia" (6:05) sounds like a simple song composed by Christoffer Gunrup's THE AMAZING but performed by (or with) GRYPHON or acoustic GENTLE GIANT--though the melodies are more akin to those used by modern Greek prog folk band CICCADA. (8.5/10)
5. "Fuglehviskeren" (2:32) a wonderful little jazzed-up folk piece--instrumental. This one could have had the support/contribution of Markus Pajakkala's UTOPIANISTI squad. My final top three song. (4.75/5)
6. "Beitemark" (6:01) another ancient-feeling song structure performed by a wild diversity of old (1960s) and older (Renaissance troubadour) instruments and vocal styles. A bit of old WOBBLER, GHOSTS OF JUPITER, and the most recent NEEDLEPOINT in this one. (8.75/10)
7. "Vettedans" (2:02) pure GRYPHON with this one (minus vocals) with anachronistic stringed, horn, and keyboard instruments. Nice. (4.5/5)
8. "Jord III" (10:34) solo piano, as if stuck trying to figure out his melody lines, turns into a full-band song at 1:25, using one of the piano's melody lines repeatedly until a solo jazz guitar takes over early in the third minute playing a coda into a new, more fully developed full-band. The song plays out as if the composer and principal instrumentalists were trying to work out some mental mathematical issues in counterpoint and melodic inversion and manipulation; the recording of a long étude. In the eight and ninth minutes, there is a SKE-like "conversation" of a particular melody--in parts--within a group of six or seven individual musicians (using their instruments). The final minute uses an organ to finalize with a continuous chord building of swirling notes. Interesting--especially intellectually--but hardly drawing me back for more "enjoyment." (17.25/20)
Total Time 43:37
Total Time 43:37
These guys just keep getting better and better--their music and production maturing with each album release. The only thing maybe getting in their way now is their own penchant for cleverness.
88.57 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of eclectic anachronistic progressive folk rock music worthy of inclusion in any prog lover's music collection.
P.S. One of my favorite album covers of the year. It's beautiful!
33. JAVIER MIRANDA Strange Imperfection
The Berlin School gets an upgrade.
An artist from Spain who is new to me, Javier Miranda's ingenious and cracked-glass 21st Century perspective and reinterpretation of old-school electronica sounds and styles is quite refreshing, if also a bit unsettling.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Javier Miranda / keyboards, synths, programming
1. "Opening" (2:01) lots of brilliantly treated sounds give this opener a very dystopian, futuristic, Blade Runner 2049 feel. Even the old-time upright piano that breaks up the synthesizer party in the second minute feels as if it could be old-man Deckard playing an out-of-tune piano in his antiquated hotel. (4.5/5)
2. "The Days of Our Lives" (9:40) slow, simple and melodic, this song opens with some slowly developed layers of synths that cast their beautifully hypnotic spell on us--until the three minute mark, that is, when programmed techno drums with their bullet-ripping bass pedal burst onto the scene and begin to dominate in an almost humorous A-HA-like way. When they cut out at the end of the sixth minute, we are left with what sound like the shards of a broken song as piano, guitar, organ, and other instruments repeat their little riffs as if each in their own worlds--the timing of each track seeming to drift off into differing universes and yet, somehow, still feel cohesive and whole! Fascinating! "Drums" return, Mellotron-like choral bank enters beneath soloing upper-register synth. It's cheezy, like a lot of the 80s were, but somehow, at the same time, charming. (17.5/20)
3. "Swarm Days" (9:34) manipulated and pure piano sounds play a series of arpeggi in an eerie cross between Mike Odlfield "Tubular Bells" and other horror genre theme musics that use warped and contused childhood for their themes. Children's piano joins in during the second minute only exaggerating this effect--especially as the children seem to be drifting off into different directions. The rising tension begs the question: Will they collide and conflict or will these self-isolating behaviors continue?
In the fifth minute a unified (MIDI-ed) middle-range keyboard and metallic percussive join the party, but their angular, idiosyncratic "song" seems to have a pacifying effect. In fact, the other "children" all stop (to listen?) while MIDI stumbles on. In the seventh minute, even MIDI is faded out--replaced by a bass-range synth and then, later, echoed in the background (as if from another room). Still eerie but beautiful. And cinematic. The slow-shifting two chord synth wash beneath all of this is actually quite comforting--like the calm and steady presence of older siblings or parents. (18.5/20)
4. "Interlude" (2:47) euphonium-like synth steadily pulsing away its melody line is soon joined by angular melody played by banged up/mentally unstable circus calliope. (4.25/5)
5. "Keyholder" (5:50) super-fast arpeggio sequence from some small chimes is joined by another early techno/70s drum sequence and then other synth washes and arpeggiating riffs. Sounds almost like something from an early TALKING HEADS studio session. IN the fourth minute the drums back away for a bit while some keyboard arpeggi float to the fore, but then they return in full with "heavily effected electric guitar"-like lead instrument soloing in the front and center with a few long-sustained notes. (8.5/10)
6. "State of Mind" (9:07) slowly patterned MIDI-Gamelan tubular bells are slowly joined by the rising of a series of four GENESIS-like Mellotron choral bank chords. Broken Mellotron calliope chords join in during the third minute. The "modernization" of effected Mellotron play seems such a twisted "tribute" to early KING CRIMSON and GENESIS and other bands whose music may have been dripping in 'tron.
At 4:12 the 'trons desist and a new set of sequences establish themselves in a weave before electronic bass drum steps in with a Disco beat. The weave continues to add instruments, thickening the soundscape. When "snare"and "cymbals" join in, the beat becomes more akin to the straight-time beats on Alan Parsons' I Robot album. Some shifting in the eighth minute reveal a new sound that sounds very much like the early electronic music of JEAN-MICHEL JARRE. (17.5/20)
7. "Ending" (3:19) three heavily treated piano notes, each played over four equal measures, ad infinitum, in quarter notes in a Largo 4/4 time, over which more heavily-treated shrill piano notes play. I find myself reminded of Harold Budd and Brian Eno's "Chill Air" from Plateaux of Mirror as well as both "Home" and the final song from the second disc of David Sylvian's Gone to Earth, "Upon This Earth". Nice. (8.75/10)
Total Time 42:18
While there is a definite cleverness to the creativity of Javier's music--his treatment of old, traditional synthesizer sounds is definitely 21st Century (as is his unabashed exploration of interpretations of mental illness perspectives)--is cutting edge and ingenius. There is quite a little nod to Brian Eno (and Harold Budd's) going on here--especially to his Ambient and Music For Films albums. At the same time, I'm not sure if an album of interpretations of instability, nostalgia for adolescence, and childish perspectives on the world is enough to be called dazzling much less earth-shattering. I, for one, will await Javier's magnum opus.
88.33 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--especially if you love Berlin School electronica and have been waiting to see where 21st Century artists can and will take it.
34. ARGOS The Other Life
I've always loved the quirky, upbeat, humorous, and highly melodic sounds and stylings of this band. They create a retro sound that is always difficult to pinpoint as there are usually elements of a variety of bands/artists within each and every song--part of what makes their sound and albums so intriguing.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Thomas Klarmann / bass, flute, keyboards & soundscapes, lead & backing vocals
- Robert Gozon / lead vocals & keyboards
- Ákos Bogáti-Bokor / electric & acoustic guitars, basses, keyboards, backing vocals
- Ulf Jacobs / drums & percussion, backing vocals
With:
- Stephanie Semeniuc / backing vocals
- Marek Arnold / saxophone
- Thilo Brauss / keyboards & organs
1. "Chameleon Sky" (6:31) so pretty and melodic, in the best vein of quirk-poppy XTC or Genesis. A top three song for me. (9/10)
2. "Broken Mirror" (4:14) nice song that is diminished slightly by the lifting of Genesis "Duchess" programmed drum line and a few pitchy vocal lines. (8.75/10)
3. "The Twilight Mind" (6:45) the first of several Peter Hammill-like vocal performances over some fairly simplistic classic rock music (Journey, ABACAB Genesis). (8.5/10)
4. "Johnny Head-in-Air" (5:25) straight out of early Caravan/National Health only more cohesively melodic like Brian Eno or Jethro Tull. My favorite song on the album. (9.5/10)
5. "I Carry Light" (5:46) such an unusual song--reminding me of the often dense and convoluted sound of Thomas Thelen songs. (8.5/10)
6. "The Trial of the Pyx" (7:58) with the lyrics and singing of Peter Hammill and David Bowie but the music of Styx or Toto. (13/15)
7. "Weak End" (3:10) back to a richer sound palette like the first four songs, there's an debut album Ambrosia-like innocence to this one. How?! And then they try to go Gentle Giant! (8.75/10)
8. "The Shall See Hotel" (6:23) cool, rich sound to start out this mood piece, it turns "heavy" pop rock and loses a bit of its allure. Some awesome guitar work, though, and welcome sax and vocal performances. (8.75/10)
9. "The Library of the Future" (3:26) acoustic guitar and solo voce--like a Prog Folk song. Could be a Steve Hackett solo piece. Nice. My final top three song. (9/10)
Total Time 49:38
88.16 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a truly unique and different and delightful listening experience that I think most every prog music lover would enjoy.
35. INNER PROSPEKT Canvas Two
I am of the opinion that Alessandro Di Benedetti's ideas are best realized by himself--there's something about the versions of his songs as performed and recorded by The Samurai of Prog that have lost or diminished the heart and warmth of Alessandro's work compared to when he is in total control. This album is perhaps the best example of this phenomenon yet as there are no less than four of these songs having been "gifted" for Samurai of Prog interpretation/renderings.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Alessandro Di Benedetti / keyboards, vocals, drums
- Rafael Pacha / 12-string guitar, electric guitar
- Federico Tetti and Carmine Capasso / electric guitars
- Giovanni Maucieri / drums (5)
- Giuseppe Militello / saxophone
1. "Glimpse" (3:06) several chords of piano arpeggi create a motif over which bass and cello join. After about 30 seconds, acoustic guitars and jazzy drums take over before cello, synth, and Pat Metheny-like guitar take turns soloing. Very nice melodic jazz very much in the vein of Pat Metheny's most accessible and heart-wrenching. (9.5/10)
2. "Soul of Hundred Lives" (17:46) great opening--one that really sucks the listener in. Two alternating notes from a piano, drumstick and cymbal percussion, syncopated thumping bass, drawn out notes from a plaintive oboe, joined by heart-wrenching melody notes from a cello, until everything just stops at the end of the third minute to make way for some bass riffs and slow playing Fender Rhodes chords. At 3:30, full band kicks into play, establishing a funky weave which eventually settles back for a vocal performance that sounds like something from either a Guy Manning album from the Naughties or one of FISH's more recent albums. At 7:40 we take a drastic turn into a Latin-flavored excursion into a kind of 1980s uptempo, happy-go-lucky pop jazz instrumental. At the end of the tenth minute, the music thickens and darkens a bit as an Arp-like synth solos for a bit. A pretty cool, easy listening venture into "Prog Lite" despite all of the layers and sophistication that Alessandro puts into the production and composition. As we progress through this multi-dimensional epic, I find myself reminded of (and, thus, inevitably comparing this to) Eric Blackwood and Pete Trewavas' 2013 masterful 67-minute epic, "Sillhouette" from their Edison's Children release The Final Breath Before November. There are striking similarites in vocals, engineering, production, and sound choices, though EC's syrupy chords and synth washed sounds are much more classic Neo Prog. Good song with a great opening whose bluesy end section turns me off a bit. (34.5/40)
3. "King of Spades" (6:49) beautiful string support for solo saxophone and vocal. Though the lead instruments are not quite as impressive as the support/background tapestry, it is beautiful music--very GENESIS-like from the Trick of the Tale/Wind and Wuthering era--even with the Latin-jazzy instrumental middle section. There is also a lot of similarities to some of the more melodic, romantic passages by THE FLOWER KINGS. (13.75/15)
4. "Why Me?" (8:07) picked 12-string guitars open this one before being joined by piano and synth strings. Nice! Turn GENESIS' "Ripples" and "A Trick of the Tail" into orchestrated film soundtracks and you'll be in the same ballpark as me. Alessandro's vocal has a very wonderful DAEVID ALLEN-like quality and even tongue-in-cheek feel to it. I love the Banco-like solo in the first central instrumental section, and then the awesome "violin" solo in the second. The jazz (13/15)
5. "Abby's Escape" (6:14) a quirky song trying to be laid back and edgie at the same time, is highlighted, for me, by the female background vocals and weakened by the GUY MANNING-like lead male vocal. (8.5/10)
6. "White Skies" (10:48) another excellent Neo Prog song with mythic inspiration and wonderful Tony Banks/Genesis-like instrumental arrangements beneath and between Alessandro's vocals. Alessandro's keyboard performances here are especially memorable and noteworthy--though the guitar performances are also quite nice. (17.75/20)
7. "The Knight and the Ghost" (9:26) here Alessandro seems to be trying to dig deep in order to replicate the quirky mediæval beauty of GENTLE GIANT but ends up sounding more like the simpler fair of STRAWBS or ADVENT. In the third minute, a Genesis arpeggio from a 12-string guitar leads us into a shift to a new motif--this one morphing into more of a Prog Lite construct with a Larry Coryell-like guitar tone soloing over the top. Digressing into a sensitive, contemplative acoustic palette at the end of the fifth minute, we soon return to the GG theme and style for a spell. The ensuing adult contemporary jazz section is full of interesting if fairly simple sounds, riffs, and soli. The vocal sections, unfortunately, never reach the heights of emotional expression that one might expect from this title and mood. Still, a very pleasant listen containing often beautiful moments and passages. (17.5/20)
8. "The Queen of Clubs" (bonus track) (3:11)
Total Time 65:27
88.08 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; an excellent addition of melodic Neo Prog to any prog lover's music collection. It is this reviewer's opinion that Alessandro Di Benedetti's continued commitment to delivering us beautiful jazz-tinged progressive rock should be amply rewarded and celebrated. So, check out this album! You won't be sorry!
36. MISTER ROBOT Robot Dreams
Line-up / Musicians:
- Aleksei Ruzakin / all instruments
1. "Sleep (Inside a Dream) (1:20) opens with a keyboard and guitar that sound like they come straight out of a 1980s New Age album by GOBI or the Brothers Gordon. But it's nice. (4.25/5)
2. "Awakening" (7:54) Quite an impressive little multi-part mini-epic--great keyboard, guitar, and vocal work. The drums and sound engineering fall short of the standards established by the above, however; the instruments feel too starkly separated; there needs to be better blending and mixing of the sound fields of the individual instruments. A little TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA-feel in the second section. (I wonder if he knows--and likes--the loud scraping sound of his picks hitting his guitar strings with every pluck.) I LOVE that Aleksei has decided to sing in his native tongue! Probably the most mature sounding song on the album. (13.25/15)
3. "Return" (11:27) some cheesy, outdates sounds given to two-chord strumming rhythm guitars, drums, and even the vocals--though, again, I really appreciate Aleksei's voice and the fact that he has courageously chosen to sing in his native Russian. The bass lines are also rather rudimentary--and thin. The highlights are all in the individual soloing keyboards and electric guitars. (17.33/20)
4. "Eternal Procession" (5:02) a nice little filler that almost feels like an study of Mike Oldfield guitar tones and styles (which he performs and engineers wonderfully), but otherwise feels under-developed. And, wouldn't it be nice if that flute solo were an actual flute? My second favorite song on the album. (8.67/10)
5. "Landscape to Order" (9:19) multiple keyboard flutes and complex Spanish guitar play open this one before drums and jazz fretless bass enter to support Aleksei's dynamic vocal performance. His vocal style reminds me tremendously of that of Polish band Lizard's lead singer, Damian Bydlinski. Great melodies! Though the song flows very much like a pop song, it has some truly wonderful (and spacious) performances from the instrument components (though I'd throw out that fifth minute). The most polished and cohesive song on the album (despite the incongruent fifth minute)--helped by great acoustic guitar and synth play and awesome melody lines. My favorite song on the album. (18/20)
6. "A Bedtime Story" (2:43) acoustic guitars (or guitar-like instrument) layered over each other with various echo and delay effects. Begins to slip over into the realm of New Age in the second minute, but then the guitars get serious and the drums, bass, and lead electric begins to solo. Another song that sounds more like an étude than a finished composition. (4/5)
7. "Falling Asleep (Legendary Pink - CEAE)" (3:04) a song that certainly sounds dream like, but one that also suffers, as above, from poor sound engineering. Nice chord and melody choices. My third favorite song on the album. (8.75/10)
Total Time 40:49
Total Time 40:49
Compositionally, production-wise, even in terms of technical skills/prowess, this album does little to show Aleksei's progress from last year. "Awakening" and "Landscape to Order" are the best songs--for their dynamics and compositional diversities--and for the fact that they both sound the most like "finished" songs--but, still, they're a bit too messy and sadly deficient in places. Though I still love his sound, his style, his vision, I still see a LOT of room for growth. As I recommended in my review of last year's release: Aleksei, I think you'd benefit tremendously from the inputs of a professional drummer and seasoned sound engineer. Who knows, collaboration may not damage your vision (or ego) but enhance and expand it!
87.94 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a fine sophomore effort from a very talented artist from whom I still hope for GREAT things in the future. Highly recommended to all prog lovers for their own enjoyment and edification.
37. BIG BIG TRAIN Common Ground
The Train are back after cleaning house (or, more accurately, after the departure/retirement of Dave Gregory, Rachel Hall, and Danny Manners)--working on a lower budget with half the staff. Gone is founding member Andy Poole. Looking back on "the good ole days," there are plenty of draws on some old themes, sounds, and styles--more than I think I've ever heard on a BBT album.
Line-up / Musicians:
- David Longdon / lead vocals
- Gregory Spawton / bass
- Rikard Sjöblom (Beardfish, Gungfly) / guitars, keyboards, vocals
- Nick D'Virgilio / drums, vocals
With:
- Carly Bryant / keyboards, vocals
- Dave Foster / guitars
- Clare Lindley / violin, vocals
- Aidan O'Rourke / violin
- Five Piece Brass Ensemble
- David Longdon / lead vocals
- Gregory Spawton / bass
- Rikard Sjöblom (Beardfish, Gungfly) / guitars, keyboards, vocals
- Nick D'Virgilio / drums, vocals
With:
- Carly Bryant / keyboards, vocals
- Dave Foster / guitars
- Clare Lindley / violin, vocals
- Aidan O'Rourke / violin
- Five Piece Brass Ensemble
1. "The Strangest Times" (5:08) feels like a pop song from the innocent side of the 1970s--like ANDREW GOLD--though the lyrics are about the weirdness of the COVID era--as if these times bear any comparison to the Seventies! Nice guitar work. (7.75/10)
2. "All the Love We Can Give" (8:06) here's a vocal range we've never heard from David Longdon! So low! (In truth, it must be Rikard or Nick, right?) Nice keyboard work. The chorus once again brings me back to the music of the 1970s--arrangements by the likes of classic rock bands like Ambrosia, Foreigner, or Styx. The instrumental passage that we move into with the fifth minute is more like classic BBTrain--though Nick's lead vocal again brings us back into the 1970s (Styx). Way more Hammond than I'm used to. At 6:10 we even go jazzy-pop as we move back into the languid motif of the opening section--with Dave's deep voice--though the background vocals are more interesting and prominent. (12.25/15)
3. "Black with Ink" (7:24) Hammond opens this URIAH HEEP or JOURNEY-like song with multiple voices taking turns with the lead. Sounds like some anthemic collaboration between 70s superstars--or GLASS HAMMER. The instrumental passage in the fourth minute is nice. Kind of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT-like. This is followed by a protracted Rick Wakeman-YES section. When vocals return we go back to the happy-go-lucky 70s feel. The next, Mellotron-led, instrumental passage sounds more like ÄNGLAGÅRD. (12.5/15)
4. "Dandelion Clock" (4:14) opens with picked 12-string acoustic guitar before Dave's vocal introduces a kind of Skylark-era XTC-like song pastiche. I like the feel here. Even the vocal and lyrics seem to match the musical mood better than previous songs. I like this folk-pop style for this band better than their post 2010 Symphonic/Neo Prog attempts. Plus, short and sweet sometimes works best. A top three song for me. (9/10)
5. "Headwaters" (2:27) solo piano (reverbed) opens this. It's plaintive, almost lullaby-ish, though nuanced with some minor and off-setting chords. Nice ambiguity. (4.5/5)
6. "Apollo" (7:50) Wow! I absolutely love the beginning of this one! And listen to the return of the Longdon flute! And violins! All while keyboard players use quirky synth sounds more associated with Stereolab. In the third minute we shift more into straightforward prog for blistering guitar solo, horns, and a dirty Wurlitzer solo. Except for the lack of vocals, this one could've come from The Underfall Yard sessions. Great lead main melody in the main verse to dig an earworm into your brain. At the five minute mark we crescendo into another stratosphere in which spacey synths and flutes reign supreme. Nice! The antiphonal horns are also cool. And I'm so glad they choose to stay here and fade out instead of shift into some new and less majestic realm. Excellent. My favorite song on the album. (14.5/15)
7. "Common Ground" (4:54) a strong song built around more of the rock-steady BBTrain strengths. (8.75/10)
8. "Atlantic Cable" (15:06) wave sounds, contemplative piano, and pastoral flute open this one. 90 seconds in we have a Hammond organ open up the door for an entirely different palette to carry forward the key and melody in a full-band, very proggy, classic BBT fashion. Drummer Nick D'Virgilio and bassist Greg Spawton are, by now, so comfortable with one another as to be almost one an extension of the the other. In the fifth minute we move into a new section that sounds very MOSTLY AUTUMN over which Dave sings about the globally unifying event of laying of the trans-Atlantic telecommunication cable. At the end of the eighth minute we then move into a delicate piano and acoustic guitar-based section over which choral voices, Dave, and female lead vocalist trade telling the story. The upper-octave tinkling of the piano is what shines here--and the fact that the electronic elements don't take over and dominate the folk-vocal feel to the section. At 10:58, then, we burst into a full-on BBT prog instrumental run--with all instruments trading time in the limelight. If the patterns of the rhythm section didn't feel so familiar (worn out) (even during the Genesis "Supper's Ready"-like section), this might be a stupendous epic. The final 70 seconds sees the music returning to the most delicate, piano (electric)-based music with multi-voiced choral vocals worked into the mix with Dave's lead. Nice finish. Not bad! (26.25/30)
9. "Endnotes" (6:59) opens with dulcimer-sounding instrument playing solo before being joined by piano, bass, and slow, steady snare-rim hit and hi-hat notes as Dave sings in a very committed voice. I can really feel his investment into this vocal--a feeling I've rarely felt since his amazing debut with The Underfall Yard. Gorgeous music, gorgeous vocal, gorgeous incidentals contributed by numerous instruments--very provocative lyrics (reminiscent of my favorite BBT lyric of all-time: the hand-holding reference from "Winchester from St. Giles Hill"). Great use of muted (and, later, unmuted) horn section. My other top three song. (14/15)
Total Time 62:08
Total Time 62:08
A brave album. A wildly inconsistent album. An album of heart-wrenchingly beautiful highs and, unfortunately, sad and disappointing lows.
87.60 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a strong collection of songs from these transitioning veterans--an album that is definitely well worth checking out by any lover of progressive rock music--especially if you've been with Big Big Train through all of the years.
38. CAST Visegimus
Another solid release from one of the world's most prolific, creative, and accomplished symphonic rockers.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Luis Alfonso Vidales / keyboards
- Bobby Vidales / vocals
- Lupita Acuña / vocals
- Claudio Cordero / guitars
- Roberto Izzo / violin
- Carlos Humarán / bass, backing vocals
- Jose Antonio Bringas / drums, percussion
1. "Ortni" (5:31) nice instrumental (8.75/10)
2. "Black Ashes and Black Boxes" (6:18) nice piano intro and effected vocal. The rest of the band then picks up the same driving riff from the piano to build a hard-driving song from. Vocalist Bobby Vidales is so talented! I wish the music didn't sound so tired and hard-pressed. (8.67/10)
3. "The Unknown Wise Advice" (9:43) The first 4:45 sounds like an American Christian rocker. When things click into third gear and the guitars start to show it gets better. Is Cast the ghost of Neal Morse-era Spock's Beard? (16.5/20)
4. "Another Light" (3:40) More rote prog but still, it's at such a higher level than 95% of the other bands out there. A band that, when riding on fumes, still rides higher, faster, and smoother than most everybody else. (8.67/10)
5. "Manley" (5:16) a jazzy, spy-thriller soundtrack sounding song. Jose Antonio's snare sounds terrible! The complex keyboard and guitar chordal replication of an orchestral sound is excellent--were it not for those dated keyboards! (8.67/10)
6. "Location and Destination" (7:52) built around a folk dance melody, the music smooths out for the vocal section, with keys and violins providing a nice orchestral background and Lupita's background vocals supporting Bobby very nicely. These guys know each other so well! Piano and violin work shines. Relying purely on their intuitional mutual support works really well. I don't get how the final 2:30 wasn't clipped off in the editing room to be called/created as a separate song. Weird! Still, a top three song for me. (13/15)
7. "Crossing" (10:00) excellent plaintive bombastic prog opens this one--nobody does it better: that dynamic classical/theatric prog. I think I'm getting the point here that the instrumentalists had much more music created for this album than Bobby Vidales had for lyrical/story ideas: It's 3:47 before we even have a clue that there's going to be words/vocals. Again, Bobby is such a talented vocalist; too bad he couldn't come up with anything worth singing. The "harp" supported seventh minute is a real highlight for me. (17.25/20)
8. "The March" (7:21) piano and some "strings" support Bobby's vocal--perhaps his best, most sincere and heart-felt on the album. Strings become much more important as we go--as Bobby keeps singing. Great support from Lupita, and from Bobby himself, in the fourth and fifth minutes, respectively. The rock instrument presence builds but never takeover as Bobby sings start to finish with little-to-no break. Wow! (13.25/15)
9. "Contacto" (10:44) an instrumental of nice complexity and superlative performances all around (18.25/20):
- i. Primer Acto - consists of two major motifs, two different speeds and styles (one infused with Spanish guitar)
- ii. Profundi - at 6:30 we switch back into the first motif at a higher speed with very aggressive lead guitar. Beautiful ninth minute. Instrumental prog does NOT get much better than this. One of the best whole band selections you are going to hear from 2021.
10. "Dredging to the Higher Plane" (10:13) violin and a bailar folklorico dance motif open this before Bobby quickly joins in with one of his finest Broadway-deserving performances in a long--certainly the best of this album. But then he's gone! The pit orchestra plays themes and overtures for the next four minutes straight! When he returns it is with no where near the acrobatic show of the opening minute; more like Javert on Les Mis. Then the musicians in the pit take over again--stretching out in their race to the end. A song with tremendous potential--especially as an album ender--but fails to bring closure satisfactorily. (18/20)
Total Time 76:38
A band that creates top notch music but whose continued use of outdated 1990s computer keyboards makes me often cringe. Both their dedication and their creativity are awe-inspiring, their skills as musicians of the highest caliber; where they seem to come up short is in innovation and adoption of /adaptation to evolving technologies. Masters of melody and great performers, all, it's really hard to downgrade their wonderful music for sounding "dated" and "same ol' same ol'" or "Cast doing what Cast does" because it's at such a higher than others level.
87.50 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent addition of high quality symphonic prog rock despite sounding at times like the product of a tired A-level band. Recommended.
39. LIFESIGNS Altitude
The Lifesigns sound and song quality is now, after three albums, legendary. I'll never forget the surprise that was 2013's eponymous debut--an album that still sits on the edge for me as to whether it's a masterpiece or not. In terms of aural candy, it definitely is.
- John Young / keyboards, vocals
- Dave Bainbridge / guitar
- Jon Poole / bass, vocals
- Zoltán Csörsz / drums
With:
- Robin Boult / acoustic guitar (3)
- Peter Knight / violin (1)
- Juliet Wolff / cello (1)
- Lynsey Ward / backing vocals
1. "Altitude" (15:18) a song that gets better and better the farther you get into it, the vocals and lyrics are a bit lackluster while the bass, drums, guitar and keys are quite good. Wonderful aural scapes and an absolutely gorgeous finish. I was hoping for/perhaps expecting the amazing lead and harmony vocals from the band's debut, I'm sad to find myself a bit disappointed. But, then, the sound production value is so beautiful, so clean and multi-dimensional, I'm almost willing to let go of my disappointments. (26.5/30)
2. "Gregarious" (4:38) opens with a bouncy piano sounding a bit like Queen or Foreigner. A bit too much like the quirk of "Cold as Ice" yet weakened by the relative stuffing into the background of John's lead vocal track. I was not expecting this as his warm, intimate voice was one of the highlights of the previous albums. Really nice PINK FLOYD "Comfortably Numb"/GEORGE HARRISON "My Guitar Gently Weeps" section from Dave Bainbridge and the background chorale singers in the fourth minute till the close. (8.5/10)
3. "Ivory Tower" (7:42) Whoa! 4:25 of Steven Wilson's Hand. Cannot. Erase. crossed with Peter Gabriel's "Mercy Street." Then it kicks into part two, drive. Nice music, nice sound--except for the thinness and deeply buried effect on John's vocal track. A song of regret and envy whose lyrics are a bit too simple. (13/15)
4. "Shoreline" (7:38) a jazzy opening turns spacey before still settling into an almost Steely Dan vein. Finally, John's vocal track is brought slightly forward and given a little girth (but still not enough). Keyboards dominate, chord sequencing and background vocals are definitely in the Steely Dan house of pop jazz. Great excursion into jazz fast lane in the instrumental sixth and seventh minutes. A very solid song with excellent musicianship that seems to need a different vocal approach (or lyrical topic). (Where are Donald Fagen or James Grant when you need them.) (13.25/15)
5. "Fortitude" (10:07) nice song structure, chordal flow, and melodic trails. Again, I'm not sure what John's singing about but something here feels meatier--feels like something to which I'm more connected (which is entirely due to the magic of John's voice). Just wish his voice didn't sound so compressed. Interesting tension built from the musical drift in the seventh minute. Brilliantly brought back to warmth and trust by the following vocal and instrumental passages--the latter of which, starting at 7:30 is quite powerful. Great synth work along with deep, throbbing bass. Now this is good prog! The best song on the album! (18.75/20)
6. "Arkhangelsk" (0:57) interesting inclusion on the album--unless it's meant to be the introduction to the next song. (4/5)
7. "Last One Home" (6:14) from the opening piano and synth chords one can tell this is going to be a sad song. It sounds like a pretty blatant lift of Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"--piano, pace, and vocal melody lines. A song that seems to be about the relationship dynamics of a seaman and his distant wife while the seaman is at sea--the stereotypic idealization of the "sad" life of the sailor and the often solitary sailor's wife. Very nice bluesy guitar solo by Dave Bainbridge--for a full two minutes--in the instrumental middle. (8.5/10)
8. "Altitude (reprise)" (1:50) sounds like a new, trailing verse to STING's "An Englishman in New York." (4.25/5)
Total Time 54:24
Total Time 54:24
For whatever reason, the engineering of the vocals are not as warm and intimate as those on Lifesigns, and, thus, not as effective. (Perhaps there has, in fact, been a weakening of John's voice over the past decade?) Having that gorgeous, engaging voice so "removed" instead of "in my brain" is actually quite a disappointment. John's support crew of Jon Poole, Zoltán Csörsz, and Dave Bainbridge are definitely a winning combination--as are the other collaborator guests. As competent as Jon Poole is, there's just something so magical about the bass/stick work of Nick Beggs. My final impressions are that themusic needs to be more dynamic and John definitely has to record, engineer, and mix his wonderful voice back to the front and center of each and every song.
87.50 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice addition to any prog lover's music collection, but, if you've never heard this band's debut, you are really missing out.
40. PALE MANNEQUIN Colours of Continuity
The sophomore release from these melodic Polish rockers.
- Tomasz Izdebski / vocals, guitars
- Grzegorz Mazur / vocals, guitars
- Dariusz Goc / bass
- Jakub Łukowski / drums
1. "The Sleeper" (4:23) with a guitar sound all their own, the vocal performance is very much like countryman Mariuz Duda's style and timbre. (8.5/10)
2. "Inkblot" (5:47) a harder-edged, RIVERSIDE-like sound, this straightforward rocker has nice melodies and a very nice multi-voiced chorus. As am matter of fact, several times as my attention was distracted from listening to this song, I found myself thinking that I was, in fact, listening to Riverside when I brought my attention back! Are Poland's premier prog rockers that adored that everyone wants to emulate them or adopt their sound--or are musical equipment retail stores and studio engineers only selling/promoting the Riverside sound? (8.75/10)
3. "Scattered" (4:08) Some great music--chord progression (simple as it is), instrument/sound palette, melodic flow, and guitar soloing. Pleasing and satisfying to all prog sensibilities yet, there's nothing really new here. (8.75/10)
4. "Most Favorite Trap" (5:46) sounds like a merger of ANEKDOTEN and RIVERSIDE. Excellent shift into an excellent B Section at 1:40--but the rhythm guitar track quickly wears out its welcome--should have been let go of until the next chorus or dramatic shift. Great multi-voice chorus and electric guitar solo. The standard two-part, three-chord rock chord sequence becomes old--the switch out at 4:45 is a bit late--and then it comes back with an almost disco beat. All these elements of greatness wasted by poor choices. (8.5/10)
5. "Inertia" (8:30) this song sounds like a demo version of a VOTUM song (also country mates). Nice but could still be more developed. The rather brief guitar solo that begins in the second half of the seventh minute is pure RIVERSIDE. Nice multi-voice a cappella vocal weave to finish. A top three song for me. (17.5/20)
6. "Maniac's Mind" (5:05) great, deeply engaging soundscape and weave to open. Another beautiful example of the more atmospheric side of fellow Polish hard-rockers VOTUM--especially Harvest Moon era. Excellent controlled melodic guitar solo between the first and second verses. I love the CURE-like guitar riff and the two-voiced vocals. Another top three song. (9/10)
7. "Colours of Continuity" (10:52) slow, belaboured power prog with the band's more-accented vocalist in the lead moves through a heavier PINK FLOYD-like song until the second verse begins at 2:12 when the guitar play begins to sound more like STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. This effect backs off every time lead singer softens his voice but then returns with the more grungy vocalizations and, surprise, death metal growls. The song is now definitely feeling more like the Prog Metal bands of the late 1990s and 2000s--racing low-end rhythm guitar play like OPETH--but then things shift in a PORCUPINE TREE-like way in the seventh minute before the vocals turn more toward Then there's an interesting narrator discourse on the discriminatory effect of assigning the terms "tall" or "short" to women--brilliant for its absurdity: the comic light it shines upon humans for their nit-picky categorization and "party" loyalties. My other top three song. (17.75/20)
8. "In Mono" (6:02) a benign filler; an instrumental save for the same British narrator from above discoursing a string of fancy phrases which, in fragmented isolation, are each rendered nonsense and absurd--examples of the masturbatory proclivities of the arrogant self-possessed. Again, a brilliant illustration and indictment of the way the elite use words/language--and time--against their "inferiors." Musically, okay; conceptually brilliant. (8.75/10)
Total Time 50:33
Total Time 50:33
I LOVE the sounds created by this band--on all levels, from all instruments and voices--I just think they need better constructive criticism from experienced outside voices (producers, engineers, etc.) so that they don't overplay anything or underdevelop their compositions. More growth and maturity. There's still work to be done, boys!
87.50 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a solid sophomore effort and something well worth checking out for yourselves.
The Rankings for 2021
1. ACCORDO DEI CONTRARI UR-
2. BATTLESTATIONS Splinters, Vol. 2 - Bruise
3. CALIGONAUT Magnified As Giants
4. HANDS OF THE HERON 13 Moons
5. SHAMBLEMATHS 2
6. CICCADA Harvest
7. SUN COLORED CHAIR Seated
8. RACHEL FLOWERS Bigger on the Inside
9. NEEDLEPOINT Walking Up That Valley
10. BLACK MIDI Cavalcade
11. MONOBODY Comma
12. DAVE BAINBRIDGE To the Far Away
13. MANNA / MIRAGE Man Out of Time
14. BATTLESTATIONS Splinters, Vol. 1: Tremor
15. GIANT SKY Giant Sky
16. NODO GORDIANO H.E.X.
17. MEER Playing House
18. SKE Insolibilia
19. LEPROUS Aphelion
20. MONO Pilgrimage of the Soul
21. FROST* Day and Age
22. AGUSA En annan värld
23. SQUID Bright Green Field
24. MEER Playing House
25. A FORMAL HORSE Meat Mallet
26. YOO DOO RIGHT Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose
27. KONOM Konom
28. SMALLTAPE The Hungry Heart
29. GLASS KITES II
30. KRISTOFFER GILDENLÖW Let Me Be a Ghost
31. KANT FREUD KAFKA Historias el acantilado
32. EMERALD DAWN To Touch the Sky
33. JORDSJØ Pastoralis
34. JAVIER MIRANDA Strange Imperfection
35. ARGOS The Other Life
36. INNER PROSPEKT Canvas Two
37. MISTER ROBOT Robot Dreams
38. BIG BIG TRAIN Common Ground
39. CAST Visegimus
40. LIFESIGNS Altitude
Honorable Mentions:
PALE MANNEQUIN Colours of Continuity
SOUP Visions
DRIFTING SUN Forsaken Innocence
KAYO DOT Moss Grew on the Swords and Plowshares Alike
SYLVAN One to Zero
DIAGONAL 4
BEAUTIFUL BEDLAM Beautiful Bedlam
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