Top Albums of the Year 2022, Part 1: The Masterpieces

 My Favorite Albums of 2022

(In some semblance of order)

***Author's note:  Below you will find two different rankings for this year's albums. 
  The first list consists of a Top Twenty albums with a following list of "Honorable Mentions." These are my favorite albums of the year, that is, the albums to which I have formed the greatest emotional attachments. 
The second list consists of The Reviews. These are ordered according to my more 'objective', yet still personal, judgment as to their quality, that is, the "best" albums of the year. Here I have tried to order the albums reviewed according to a metric determination (my own numerical rating system--which I call the "Fishscales"). These help me determine what the "best" albums of the year are from a more critical, qualitative, and quantitative viewpoint, that is, without as much emotional attachment as "My Favorite" albums. 

Despite a waning interest in remaining open to certain sub-genres of progressive rock music, and, verily, music in general, I have been able to listen to over 150 new releases from 2022 and post reviews of 61 of them.
According to my calculations, 2022 presents Prog World with two (2) "masterpieces," 23 "minor" masterpieces, and 32 other excellent "near-masterpieces"!  

The Rankings
 (My "Favorites")

1. iNFiNiEN Beyond the Veil

2. WIPPY BONSTACK 22

3. RANESTRANE Apocalypse Now

4. FIVE-STOREY ENSEMBLE Presence

5. GADADU The Weatherman Is Wrong

6. GREEN ASPHALT Green Asphalt

7. BREIDABLIK Alduorka

8. IKARUS Plasma

9. MOTORPSYCHO Ancient Astronauts

10. KLAUS SCHULZE Deus Arrakis

11. OHMA Between All Things

12. OAK The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise

13. DAVE BRONS Return to Arda 

14. WESERBERGLAND Sacrae Symphonae nr. 1

15. KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Changes

16. TOEHIDER I Have Little to No Memories of These Memories

17. ELDER Innate Passage

18. RETURNED TO THE EARTH Fall of the Watcher

19. DREADNAUGHT The Endless

20. STRANGE POP Ten Years Gone

21. TANGERINE DREAM Raum

22. BLACK MIDI Hellfire

23. GRICE Polarchoral

24. JAMBINAI Apparition

25. ALIANTE Destinazione Oblique

26. STEVE VAI Inviolate 

27. MIDLAKE For the Sake of Bethel Woods

28. BIRTH Born

29. MARILLION An Hour Before It's Dark

30. KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Ice, Death, Planets, Lungs, Mushrooms, & Lava

31. SILENT TEMPLE Faery Revolution

32. HAVEN OF ECHOES The Indifferent Stars

33. JONAS LINDBERG & THE OTHER SIDE Miles from Nowhere

34. INNER PROSPEKT Grey Origin

35. VON HERTZEN BROTHERS Red Alert in the Blue Forest

36. BEN CRAVEN Monsters from the Id

37. IN-DREAMVIEW Spires

38. BIG BIG TRAIN Welcome to the Planet

39. ALMS The Trial

40. ONSÉGAN ENSEMBLE Realms 

Honorable Mentions:

41. JUPU GROUP Umpeen Kasvoivat Polut

42. ROLAND BÜHLMANN Emnalóc

43. ARKITEKTURE Rationalis Impetus

44. THE POWER OF THREE Time Horizon

45. THE LIGHT IN THE OCEAN Deep Reef Dream

46. PURE REASON REVOLUTION Above Cirrus

47. MOON X Zap!

48. KARFAGEN Land of Green and Gold

49. GHOST TOAST Shade Without Color

50. VERBAL DELIRIUM Conundrum

Special Mention:

JAMBINAI Apparition

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Laminated Denim

SON LUX Original Soundtrack Music for the film Everything, Everywhere, All the Time 

The Reviews:

The Masterpieces

(Ratings of 100 to 93.34) 

*****Album of the Year for 2022!*****

1. WESERBERGLAND Sacrae Symphonae nr. 1

What feels like a continuation of both the sound of 2020's incredible Am Ende der Welt as well as the evolution of the Weserbergland sound and vision, we have here a headlong hypersonic immersion into a mind-blowing blending of the worlds of the acoustic and electronic--one in which acoustic instruments are merged seemlessly into one soundscape. Though prog veteran Mattias Olsson seems to have left the project that he help start back in 2015, replacement drummer Vetle Larsen is everybit as impressive (though I'm never certain which drum/percussion parts are "live" with "real" instruments and which are electronically programmed and computer generated), and one of the other founding four from Sehr Kosmisch, Ganz Progisch, White Willow/The Opium Cartel's Jacob Holm-Lupo has moved back behind the scenes into the post-production role of mastering. Joining the project here is American producer/musician from the Post Rock scene, John McEntire (Tortoise, Stereolab, Gastr Del Sol, The Sea and Cake, Dave Grubbs, Red Krayola) on the mixing board. Though founding member, guitarist Gaute Storsve, is still very much a part of the scene, the project has really evolved into the hands of multi-talented visionary Ketil Vestrum Einarsen (White Willow, Motorpsycho, Tirill, Geir Lysne, Jaga Jazzist, Wobbler, Finn Coren, Frida Ånnevik, Kaukasus, Anima Morte, Galasphere 347), who is credited with composing, programming, fxing, synthesizing, and, I'm sure, more. What a vision!

Line-up / Musicians:

- Ketil Vestrum Einarsen / synths, programming

- Gaute Storsve / guitar

- Maria Grigoryeva / violins

- Jan-Terje Augestad / saxophone

- Jørgen Mathisen / saxophone

- Ingebrikt Håker Flaten / bass

- Vetle Adrian Larsen / drums

- Filippo Tramontana / French horn

- Manuel Domeneche / oboe

1. "Sacrae Symphonia No. 1" (39:49) starts off like a rocket out of a rocket launcher and though the Magma-like bass and wild drums only enter in the seventh minute, it finally peaks in its trajectory  in the second stage, begins to lose steam and layers of support tracks from the 14th minute from which it's rather peaceful (outer-atmosphere) midflight feels almost peaceful, maybe even weightless. At the halfway mark searing, screaming cacophony (of frictional re-entry?) takes over before the full-on barrage of drums and bass et al. begin hurtling through the air again--all the while the discordant notes of orchestral instruments hold in sustained ribbons like trail kites until the 26th minute when forward motion is minuscule while a trail of echoes seems to be left to fall into the distance. At 27:37 the drums reenter, not quite as frenetically, more robotically. Perhaps this is the missile's guided cruise control as it scours the earth's surface in search of its target/final destination. By the 30-minute mark, the musical tapestry has thickened again, though both the electric and orchestral contributions all feel more copacetic and even cohesive: there is less discord and cacophony and more "sacred." (Man! is this drummer having to work hard!)

     Were I to try to convert my metaphoric imagery to fit the song's title, I might use language and terms from a vocabulary based in celestial astronomy or quantum physics, or even Biblical references: The Fall of Lucifer; a struggle against the forces of a black hole/singularity; the journey of a subatomic particle as it passes through the subspace ether of Jesus on the Cross. I do appreciate and like the subtle, gradual transition from what seems and feels like entropic dissonance to coordinated, harmonic organization. (75/80)

Total Time 39:49

How to rate--how to assign numerical value to such a work?! I don't think I'm going to. I will, however, issue my declaration of praise for this work of art in the form of five stars: I consider Sacrae Symphonia No. 1 as a masterpiece of human creativity.

2. FIVE-STOREY ENSEMBLE Presence

Another masterful release from the uber-talented avant-garde/neo chamber composer Olga Podgaiskaya and her former-Rational Diet side-kick, Vitali Appow (and others). I am informed that this music was sadly put together in absentia from the band members' beloved homeland on account of their political dissatisfaction with their country's participation in the horrific military campaign against Ukraine. This makes me sad but also huge admirer of Olga and her collaborators for their steely dedication to using music as a therapeutic outlet. 

Lineup / Musicians:

Olga Podgaiskaya - piano, organ 

Oksana Gerasimeonok - violin 

Aleksandra Chekhouskaya - violin 

Vitali Appow - bassoon, soprano saxophone

Eryk Arlou-Szymkus - double bass

Dasha Eliseeva - Flute 

Anastasia Turczaninova - violin (3) 

Dasha Kurnievskaya - violin (3) 

1. "Presence" (4:26) a slow, beautiful piano-based chamber piece with saxophone that sounds very much like AltrOck Productions stablemate Francesco Zago/Empty Days' (originally Not a Good Sign's) "Coming Back Home" from 2013. (9.5/10)

2. "Drops of Silence Through the Silence (6:57) a piano-based chamber piece with only strings accompaniment. Gorgeous! (10/10)

3. "Feuchtwanger" (3:17) a more uptempo dynamically stimulating chamber piece with strings in the lead positions. Sounds eve more classical. (8.75/10)

4. "Not Winter" (4:02) is an insistently piano-propelled piece in which swells of strings and horns Reminds me of many bleak, challenging winter scenes from film and children's stories. (9/10)

5. "Silent Zone" (7:49) a slowly plodding piano- and bowed double bass-based piece with accordion and strings accompanying while flute holds the lead (with occasional simple piano breaks). Sounds like a contemplative dance. Soprano saxophone and viola get turns taking on the lead melody in later expositions. At 5:30 we get a very slow swell of all instrumental volumes during one of the exposition passages, between the constant piano and soft (even squealy) strings foundation. Brilliant! (13.25/15)   

6. "Epitaph" (5:30) a rondo that immediately reminded me of one of my other favorite chamber prog bands, CICADA, from Taiwan. It also reminds me of foot traffic in a busy city street--one in which car traffic may take a back seat to that of pedestrian. Piano and three strings players perform this beautiful weave for the first 2:10, then Vitaly Appow's soprano sax joins and somehow the musical weave smooths and while at the same time flying forward with effortless ease and grande vitesse. (10/10)

7. "Nonna and Seven Pink Eyes" (7:05) dissonant and oddly timed solo viola notes open this one. Gentle woodwinds join in, offering comfort and peace as a grandmother would. Heart-wrenching. Accordion and organ make for more comforting support, though the organ almost makes it sound as if we've joined a funeral. Multiple strings and soprano saxophone interplay with the organ and each other in a kind of follow the leader weave. Very cool. What a beautiful, emotional, yet comforting story in the telling. (14.25/15)

An amazing album of mature and very human emotion, expressing so well the angst of our times. As much as I love the band's 2014 debut, Not That City (and 2017's Night en Face), this one may be better. 

93.44 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a true masterpiece of progressive music--my #2 Favorite Album of 2022. Thank you, Olga, for once again making me feel so proud to be a member of the human race--for reminding me of the great things our species is capable of doing/creating/expressing.

The "Minor" Masterpieces

(93.33 to 90.0)

3. TOEHIDER I Have Little to No Memories of These Memories

The soundtrack to a comic book artist's story line by Aussies Michael Mills and Andrew Saltmarsh, respectively. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Mike Mills / everything

1. "The Hoarder" (single version) (3:13) reminds me of THE PSYCHEDELIC ENSEMBLE's sound used to put together a "Bohemian Rhapsody"-inspired Queen song. (9/10)

2. "I Have Little to No Memory of These Memories" (47:47) What starts out sounding like a more-manically re-invisioned MOON SAFARI's Blomljud turns into Devy TOWNSEND's Ziltoid the Omniscient 3.0 via the instrumental sounds used by Berklee College's NATIVE CONSTRUCT on their 2015 revelatory Quiet World. Later familiar themes, styles, and sounds come in the form of early and classic RUSH, THE BUGGLES' The Age of Plastic, AC/DC, QUEEN, IRON MAIDEN, POISON, STYX, THE POLICE, BON JOVI, QUEENSRŸCHE, OPETH, ARJEN LUCASSEN, PAIN OF SALVATION, and so many more. The instrumental sounds so often bring me back to The Psychedelic Ensemble. Unfortunately, the way Mike has strung together so many seemingly unrelated musical styles into this one compact homage to musicians past reminds me of one of my most detested musical products of all-time: Edge of Sanity's (highly-acclaimed) release from 1996, Crimson.

     I do think it a bit misleading that the very-clearly delineated musical motifs aren't individuated and given separate titles as they so easily could. Heck, there's even dead-air space between many of the songs! Some of the ideas are so derivative that I can't help but think "why?" And the linking of such divergently different motifs (or what I'd call "songs") is quite a bold and, frankly, odd decision--despite the story's (supposed) continuity.

     The music is very well-composed and "performed" despite it all having been "performed" by one lone artist on one single track. (Just kidding. We must assume that Mike used some kind of computer program to create and/or record each individual instrument's track.) The sound engineering and final mix is quite well-executed. (Again, we must assume that the engineering and mixing also occurred on a computer.) Impressive skills (at least compositionally if not instrumentally). On YouTube, most everything you find about Mike/Michael make note of his extraordinary vocal talents/abilities. I have to agree: the man is quite talented and has obviously worked hard to hone his skills; his voice (and stylistic choices) seem quite adaptable to many styles and many ways of expressing his emotions and lyrics. (89/95)

Total Time 51:00

An album that draws together many different sound themes from many bands through history (many of whom I have cited above). I highly commend the collection of styles Mike has so lovingly (and accurately) imitated in this, a composition that is very much his own. The sound and production are both excellent with clear delineation between instruments yet blended seemlessly together to make "complete"-sounding "songs" all. Also, the humorous lyrics and storyline are enjoyable (especially as they are delivered by such a gifted vocalist), even if the ideas they're based on are not so very original. As mentioned above, I am not so confident commending the musicianship of the sound we hear due to the question of how much of the instrumental performances are computer generated and how much were actually played by Mike. Also, noting how I've never been a big fan of music that strings together motifs from other historically significant (or recognizable) songs and artists, despite how serious and well done are the tributes, I am naturally inclined to want to not like these kinds of "homage" projects. Despite all of this, I cannot deny the fact that I like this album: I walk away with its sounds and ideas reverberating in my head; I find that I very much enjoy each time I return to the album. Also, I cannot, and will not, deny the genius of the man who pulled all of this together. Mike, you deserve all the accolades the critics are willing to throw your way. The bottom line: this is good music; this is an enjoyable, fun listen.

93.33 on the Fischscales = A/five stars: a masterpiece of progressive rock music; an album worthy of inclusion in any and every prog lover's music collection. I have a feeling that as this album gains traction (as more people hear it) it will eventually establish itself as one of prog's all-time classics. 

4. MOTORPSYCHO Ancient Astronauts

The Norwegian rockers are back with their 25th studio album release--this time stripped down to their original trio.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Bent Sæther / lead vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards, drums

- Hans Magnus Ryan / lead guitar, vocals, keyboards, mandolin, violin, bass

- Tomas Järmyr / drums, vocals

1. "The Ladder" (6:41) recognizable MOTORPSYCHO sound with lots of cinematic synthesizer inputs. Bent's voice (and effects on his voice) have sounded better. (8.5/10)

2. "The Flowers of Awareness" (2:14) electronic noises/sounds like something out of a film score or Tangerine Dream album. Cool! (4.5/5)

3. "Mona Lisa / Azrael" (12:15) opens very much like KING CRIMSON's "Epitaph"--even the lyrics have a content and mood similar to KC's early mystique (even if Bent Sæther's voice comes nowhere near to the power and presence of Greg Lake). Heavy use of Mellotron and tuned percussives is nice, but this is no Court of the Crimson King. Halfway through, the bass signals a transition to a more CREAM/WHO-like section of high energy and high tension over which Hans Magnus Ryan's multiply-effected lead guitar spits and squeals. It's wonderful how the bass, drums (two drummers?!), and even keys build the volume and tension beneath. Now this is great prog! A sudden lull occurs before the band reignites the ignition for a more melodic instrumental push toward the finish.

     A difficult song to rate because the second, "Azrael" section, which I adore, is so much better than the opening "Mona Lisa" half. (22/25)

4. "Chariots of the Sun - To Phaeton on the Occasion of the Sunrise (theme from an imagined movie)" (22:22) opens with a slow, contemplative progression of synth- and synth-wash supported guitar chords strummed at a steady pace toward increasing strength and volume. The sudden and unexpected change to a minor key at 3:27 is the first "misstep" for me. Thereafter, the slow addition of other instruments proceeds: acoustic steel-string guitar, cymbals, bass, and voices doing wordless vocalise. Still nice, but not as great as the opening section. At the six-minute mark the Motorpsycho guitar-based heavy prog sound kicks in as a Kosmische Musik/Krautrock-sounding theme is established and plays out for the next four minutes--two guitars interplaying within the weave--before keyboard chords initiate a searing lead guitar barrage (that reminds me so much of PINK FAIRIES and KINGSTON WALL lead guitarists, Larry Wallis and Petri Walli, respectively). Nice section if not quite living up to the expectations for peak and crescendo that I'd imagined. At 13:37 we verge onto a different lane of the same highway as roadsigns and turnoffs are considered, but then, at 14:57, we do pull off into a peaceful country road to enjoy the golden oat, rye, and wheat fields waving as we motor by. Nice. Dreamy. At 17:30 as repetitive treated electric piano chords are joined by vocalise, I find myself thinking of The Flaming Lips and even The Beach Boys! This latter impression grows even stronger as we enter the bucolic psychedelia of the happy-go-lucky chord progression of the 20th minute (a reiteration of the opening guitar play only with more effects treating the guitar sound). Awesome! This to the end. A wonderful journey. Thank you Bent, Hans, and Tomas! One of my favorite epics of 2022! (44/45)

Total Time 43:32

I certainly have to hand it to these guys: their inspiration seems to have no bounds; they are always able to come up with wonderfully creative and inventive music, year after year, album after album. Always adventurous and experimental, these musicians seem fearless! I love that about them!

92.94 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; A veritable masterpiece of progressive rock music.

5. STRANGE POP Ten Years Gone

A Pink Floyd-inspired early Steven Wilson sound-alike from Poland, Strange Pop is comprised mainly of newcomer Michał Dzidadosz with the enlisted help on several songs of members of Amarok, Seasonal, and Collage--all significant contributors to the Polish Prog scene. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Michał Dziadosz / vocals, bass, synths, rhythms, flute
With:
- Michał Wojtas (Amarok) / guitars (1,2)

- Maciej Sochoń (Seasonal) / guitars (4,5)
- Michał Kirmuć (Collage) / guitars (6)

1. "Quiet Storm" (5:48) sounds remarkably as if it were lifted (and condensed a bit) right out of Porcupine Tree's first 8-minute section of "The Sky Moves Sideways (Phase One)". Very nice, very well done, but how much credit do we give this? (9.25/10)

2. "Goodbye Song" (4:46) Again, early Porcupine Tree immediately comes to mind (though AIRBAG and even The Pineapple Thief can also be included in that reference), there is an awesome earworm chorus line and some great wailing David Gilmour/Björn Riis lead guitar soloing in the final third. It's just so comforting and enjoyable to hear some Pink Floyd soundscapes again--done really, really well. (9.25/10)

3. "Ex Oriente Lux" (5:08) great spacey atmospherics with wooden flute and flute synths. A real mood generator. Almost New Age yoga/meditation background music. Love the slow morphing synth "space  waves"! (8.75/10) 

4. "Night Trip" (5:45) simple, spacious spacey soundscape over which Michał sings in an amazingly similar Mariuz DUDA voice and style. Great floating lead guitar and dirty distortion chords from Seasonal guitarist Maciej Sochoń. A simple LUNATIC SOUL-like song that has a freshness (thanks to Maciej's guitar play) to make it all its own. (8.75/10)

5. "432 Bars (14:17) More stark space-wave sounds open this one for over four minutes. Very LUNATIC SOUL like. I like the pitch-shifting used in the main notes and waveforms; it gives the music an emotionally fragile, vulnerable quality. Maciej Sochoń guitar notes begin to join in the "empty" soundscape in the sixth minute. Early Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze are brought to mind--as well as Vangelis, Richard Wright, and Brian Eno. Quite a tribute to the progressive electronic masters that have only recently passed. Bass and simple cymbal and hi-hat play enter in the ninth minute. Amazingly, tension builds; somehow the soundscape thickens and expands as more instruments "sneak" in as if bubbling up from beneath--rising onto the stage from beneath the Earth's surface. So surprising! So effective! Genius! Wails of a "dirty" guitar sound's sustained notes rise to the fore before everything just fades back into the Earth's magma. Brilliant! Not what I was expecting! (29.5/30)

6. "All This Hope (3:38) jumps straight into a surprisingly funky synth-pop form before emptying out for the first verse. When the chorus section starts the funky jazz accompaniment returns and we're in another place and time. Nice. I like Michał breathy low-register voice. The melody lines are somehow familiar to me from other Polish prog bands but very inviting and engaging--memorable. Well conceived and executed--which helps me to excuse its simple poppiness. (8.75/10)

Total Time 39:22

92.81 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a masterpiece of atmospheric prog. Some will call this too derivative, too imitative, not original enough, because of its very familiar sound palettes, but I think there is an undeniable genius behind these repurposed and reorganized and freshly constructed soundscapes--a genius that I feel like praising and shouting the word about. The music's simplicity will also trouble some, but I will argue that it takes so much restraint and discipline (and confidence) to put out sparsely populated soundscapes like these and make them work, make them engaging, make them memorable, and, to my ears and soul, Michał Dziadosz has most definitely made a very engaging and memorable album here. I can't wait to hear more from this interesting artist in the future!

6. GADADU The Weatherman Is Wrong

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

Line-up / Musicians:

Hannah Selin - voice, viola
Nicki Adams - piano, synths
Patrick Adams - trumpet
Dan Stein - bass
Ayumi Ishito - tenor sax
Arthur Vint - drums, percussion
- Guests on track 8: Xanthoria Quartet - Abby Swidler, Kate Goddard (violins), Alexandra Jones (cello)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. iNFiNiEN Beyond the Veil

Some new music--and sounds--from these creative, even innovative, proggers from Philadelphia. 

Line-up / Musicians:

- Jordan Berger / bass, backing vocals

- Tom Cullen / drums & percussion

- Matt Hollenberg / guitars

- Chrissie Loftus / keyboards, lead & backing vocals

With:

- Liz Carlson / violins (5,7)

- Andrea Weber / cello (5,7)

- Naeemah Z. Maddox / flute (5,7)

1. "Beyond the Veil" (6:56) the familiar side of iNFiNiEN opens this one: piano, Chrissie's quirky lyrics and vocals, and the Tom and Jordan's energetic virtuosity lifting the song and melodies into another jazzier dimension. I like the clever (and quirky) inclusion of the Spanish/flamencan motifs--a bit of THE MARS VOLTA feel therein. (13/15)

2. "Mannequin Parade" (4:58) sound palette and styling a bit reminiscent of some previous sounds and textures--even something from one of their past albums. But it's so smooth, so rich and inviting, the melodies so engaging and enchanting; I feel, truly and really, as if I am being put under a spell, hypnotized. Great groove set down by rhythm masters Jordan Berger and Tom Cullen. A dreamy, top three song for me. (9.75/10)

 

3. "Wheel to Nowhere (Good Luck)" (6:27) Interesting construct--one whose stop-and-go, high-speed staccato bursts of notes, instrumental with vocals, could not be created or performed so well by many other bands than this. The jazzy psychedelia in the middle is very cool before Chrissy pulls us back into the jazz fabric she and Tom and Jordan are maintaining--but then, just as quickly, the band takes a left turn and forays into a more abrasive, almost metal (TMV) direction. (9.5/10)

4. "Our Breath" (5:50) what a vocal seductress--with an amazing lyric! So poetic it just sucks you into her spell. All the while, the band is performing a rather delicate and super-intricate weave of changing tempo music. Amazing construct! How does one visualize much less articulate this kind of music with all of its seemingly disconnected layers of activity and polyphony? More John McLaughlin-Herbie Hancock-like call-and-response machine gun conversations between guitar and piano while the rhythm section keeps it all glued with such virtuosic performances beneath (not to mention Jordan's virtuosic Jeff-Berlin-like bass play throughout). The most amazing, beautiful, jaw-dropping, yet easy to like and listen to song on the album. (10/10)

5. "Ascent" (9:11) very interesting, old-fashioned, European film noir -type soundtrack music that sounds so exotic and sophisticated as well as mysterious and obscure. I feel as if I'm watching some on-the-tail of a stakeout from some spy thriller set in the South of France or North Africa in the 1960s. Music constructed with the central participation of acoustic instruments--including flute and string quintet (two violin tracks, cello, acoustic guitar, and bass). As the song progresses, there's even a strong Jean-Luc Ponty/Mahavishnu theme/feeling being expressed. Tom Cullen and Jordan Berger are so solid, so integral, and Chrissie and Matt add so much in the way of piano, acoustic guitar and electric guitar textures and flourishes. It's awesome! (18/20)

6. "The Call" (7:18) A political critique. The song is ironically introduced with a slow, gentle musical foundation which then morphs into a pleasant Latin jazz dance form in the second minute. Probably the weakest song on the album in terms of complexity and surprises--though the music and vocal melody choices become quite interesting in the third minute and the fourth minute sees the instrumentalists exploring a variation on the famous X-Files theme. The surprises come in the lyrics. There is also present here a little similarity/familiarity to the music of CIRRUS BAY, though never as simple in musicianship or melodic structure as that of the late melody-master, Bill Gillham. 

     I'm sure this song is very important to the band. Still, it is a song so far superior to so much of the re-hash drivel coming from other bands these days. (13.5/15)

7. "Gratitude" (6:22) Chrissie shows what is so special about her: commanding, unique vocals with great background vocal arrangements. Such a great whole-band weave with some awesome lead guitar from Matt Hollenberg throughout the second half. Top notch music combined with incredible vocal arrangement makes for one amazing song! Each alone would be enough, but together! A top three song for sure. (9.5/10) 

 

8. "Prayer" (4:51) incredible instrumental (with ghostly vocalese)--so smooth and engaging. There is a bit of the drama here of a Pink Floyd/David Gilmour song with the urgence and insistence some of Steven Wilson's stronger songs. Great ender to a great album. (9.25/10) 

Total Time 51:53

92.50 on the Fishscales = A/five stars; a masterpiece of true progressive rock music; this is an album that I want to hear every day. Definitely an album in the running for 2022 Album of the Year--especially in the "favorite" category.

8. GREEN ASPHALT Green Asphalt

The realization of a 17-year practice and refinement process by Swedish musician/songwriter (and longtime member of the Gentle Giant tribute band, ON REFLECTION), Dan Bornemark. That's a long time to practice and work out all the bugs. Enough time for your children to grow up … and join the band.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Dan Bornemark / lead vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar
- Niklas Ekelund / guitar
- Björn Claeson / flute, saxophone
- Bengt Baadtoft Johnson / drums
- Hjördis Bornemark / voice, electric violin
- Helena Josefsson / voice
- Signe Bornemark / voice, keyboards

1. "The Green Asphalt" (4:03) a meek environmental commentary delivered over some wonderful Prog Folk music that is quite reminiscent of the sounds and stylings of the great GENTLE GIANT. (9/10)

2. "'Xcuse Me" (6:33) what sounds like a long lost GENTLE GIANT song that carries a very humorous lyric and vocal performance. Absolutely brilliant! Something that could very well have come from the Free Hand album. As other reviewers have mentioned, there are also prominent sounds, themes and motifs borrowed from the realms of Canterbury and "melodic" prog. (9.5/10)

3. "Walking Her Dog" (6:21) quite a nostalgic sound and feel to this one--at times reminding me of BIG BIG TRAIN and JOE COCKER, at others like THE TANGENT and IONA, others GENTLE GIANT and GRYPHON, and even Fredrik Larsson (FREDDEGREDDE) and Damon Waitkus (JACK O' THE CLOCK). It's quite a lovely, melodic, and emotional song with many unexpected stops and starts, shifts and turns, as well as many superlative contributions of individual instrumentalists. Brilliant! There are not too many people making such interesting music as this. (9.25/10)

4. "She's a Cow" (7:17) Some very engaging music over which male and female vocalists (Dan and former band-mate Helena Josefsson, respectively) take turns giving their respective perspectives (human and bovine, respectively) of a life dedicated to being a cog the domestic food industry. Completely delightful--both lyrically and as a musical listening experience. (14.5/15)

5. "Suit Yourself" (6:46) the heaviest, densest, and least melodic and least exciting song on the album is still peppered with all kinds of odd and interesting folk instruments, rock and jazz riffs and bridges, and interesting lyrics. (13/15)

6. "200 Girls" (6:05) one of those songs that begs some questions: Would this be the kind of music The Beatles would have made in the 1970s had they not broken up, and, If The Beatles and Led Zeppelin had ever collaborated would the resulting music sound something like this? (8.75/10)

7. "Time in Your Face" (10:27) such an original and excitingly theatric folk song--as if we're following a troubadour/bard through the woods as he sings his stories--or else a storytelling troupe one might encounter at the annual County Fair. Such refreshingly new constructs and arrangements. (19.25/20)

Total Time 47:32

A band I stumbled upon because the Epilptic Gibbon featured them in his Top Albums of 2022, Part 2, show (meaning he'd included this in his year-end list somewhere between the numbers of 20 through 11) and because of the Gentle Giant references. As to the latter, I definitely hear the GG style song constructs, riffs, and instrumental choices in several of the songs (but not all) and I definitely understand why EG regards this album with such high praise.

     Though these are all wonderfully unique, unusual, and refreshing compositions, I'm wondering what they would have sounded like with A) a little better sound engineering (it's not bad, just inconsistent) and B) a younger singer in the role of lead male vocalist. 

92.50 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of eclectic progressive rock music. Definitely an excellent addition to any true prog lover's music collection.

9. BLACK MIDI Hellfire

Prog's energetic young lovers of literature and music history are back with another mind-blowing entertainment offering--this one, remarkably, pushing beyond the limits of imagination that they had shredded and blown to pieces with 2021's Cavalcade.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Geordie Greep / vocals, guitars

- Seth Evans / keyboards

- Cameron Picton / bass

- Morgan Simpson / drums

- Kaidi Akinnibi / tenor saxophone

1. "Hellfire" (1:24) an intense musical (vaudevillean) encapsulation of the essence of James Joyce's Odyssey. Wow! What an intense opening! (5/5)

2. "Sugar/Tzu" (3:51) a song that definitely puts on display how serious these musicians are committed to producing really top notch, complicated music. All musicians really impress, especially Morgan Simpson--but their precision teamwork! The odd story about a boxing match somewhere in the future (2063) as observed by a midget who would then become Sun Sugar's murderer is obviously a slam about the tabloid industry as well as a satire on all that our entertainment industry gives attention to. (9.5/10)

3. "Eat Men Eat" (3:08) musical cabaret with interestingly intimate vocal delivery (uncredited but I know it's Cameron). Turns George Harrison-like in the second half of the second minute. It's so hard to find fault with this amazing music! (9.75/10)

4. "Welcome to Hell" (4:10) a little punk, a little electronica, a little King Crimson, all serving to buoy Geordie's uniquely provocative and adroit delivery of his shrewdly intelligent lyrics. A little dry and monotonous in studio, this one comes to life on stage. (8.5/10)

5. "Still" (5:46) Cameron's turn again. Singing in a gentle voice over some Country&Western styled music. As we move deeper into the song, its style becomes more akin to the old-time saloon music of the Wild West. Sax, trumpet, and upright piano give it such a shift. At 2:57 the music crescendos cacophanously before clearing out for a lone acoustic guitar. Cameron picks up his singing with a little more feeling of the forlorn as vibes, strings, flutes, bird noises and other computer keyboard generated noises fill in the background for the song's long decay. Interesting. Quick beautiful in a genre-bending, time-warping way. (9/10)

   

6. "Half Time" (0:26) channel surfing on an old radio. Radio Rahib! 

7. "The Race Is About to Begin" (7:15) So many musics! So many styles! So many tempo changes! So many clever lyrics with so many delivery styles! And then to end it all with that crooner's delivery for the final 2:50! Astounding! (14/15)

8. "Dangerous Liaisons" (4:15) gently picked electric guitar, jazz piano, jazz drumming, bossa nova bass, smooth sax accents, bowed electric guitar, and Geordie's theatric telling of a 1950s-like murder story. Seth Evan shines again with his dextrous piano play. Great story and delivery but not the most engaging music--and not very proggy (or even jazz-rock fusiony). More like retro 1950s vocal jazz with an entirely in-your-face graphic 21st Century story told over it. (8.75/10)

9. "The Defence" (2:59) thought this one starts out sounding like something off of Roddy Frame's Aztec Camers's High Land, Hard Rain from 1983) "The Bugle Sounds Again"), it becomes more something that sounds like a big band Sinatra-esque song from 70 years ago. What a lyrical message! Astounding song! Time-bending! (9.75/10)

10. "27 Questions" (5:44) time-disjointed play on some 1940s-style European music over which Geordie narrates yet another window scene of history (1943). Extraordinary work on the piano from keyboard player Seth Evan (the hardest working keyboard artist I've ever seen on a rock concert stage). In the fourth minute, the music convenes into something more stylistically resemblant to the Parisian cabaret scene of the 1940s. But then things go full in-your-face for the final 30 seconds. I feel as if Geordie is performing a finale for us, his audience, after a night-long cabaret. Extraordinary execution of a mind-numbingly complex composition but, sadly, not necessarily my favorite (as much as I like the subject matter and cabaret styles manipulated here). (8.75/10)  

Total Time 38:58

The speed with which this band blends a myriad of musical styles is astounding. To have this kind of vision, collectively, mixed with the adaptability and skill of the musicians as both individuals and a collective to execute these compositions is even more astonishing. Not even Belew-era 1980s King Crimson, Pascale Son-era Cos, Samla/Zamla Mammas Manna, Cardiacs, Farmers Market, Humble Grumble, or Abel Gilbert's Factor Burzaco have produced musics like this. 

The flow of this album--and of its stories being told--remind me more of a thematic cabaret or dinner theater performance--only with supremely talented/gifted musicians providing the music behind the story presentations. The infusion of some cabaret jazz and Country Western sounds/elements shows an interesting evolutionary path for these modern day Renaissance men. 

92.22 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; while I do not feel as engaged or attached to this album as I did to 2021's Cavalcade, I do think it a work of artistic genius whose peers or equals are few and far between. Definitely a minor masterpiece of highly adventurous and supremely impressive music. The question cannot be avoided: How proggy is this? (Answer: minimally.) But it is unquestionably progressive rock!

10. IKARUS Plasma

Vocal-centric jazz-rock combo from Switzerland. This is their fourth studio album release and second since singer Anna Hirsch replaced Stefanie Suhner after 2016's Chronosome release.

Musicians /  Lineup:

Anna Hirsch – Vocals

Andreas Lareida – Vocals

Lucca Fries – Piano

Mo Meyer – Bass

Ramón Oliveras – Drums

1. "Tritium" (7:47) muted piano strings being struck directly are joined by hand percussives and then two voices, female and male, making nasal and throat sounds with odd embouchures. Sounds a bit like North Sea Radio Orchestra. Then there is a shift in percussion instruments (with hi-hat) and vocals with Anna and Andreas taking on more primal vocal sounds and melody lines, woven within each other. In the fifth minute the music shifts beneath the vocal weave to become more 1980s PAT METHENY GROUP jazz like: piano, double bass, and drums taking much more prominent rolls. Anna and Andreas' voices begin to morph into sustained, floating melody lines for a couple of minutes before sliding back into more percussive sounds in the final minute and then finishing with a rousing jazzy weave for the finish. Very cool and unexpected! (13.5/15)

2. "Isblink (7:30) syncopated piano note is joined by Andreas before rest of band joins in, establishing a gently forward-rolling rhythm with like gentle melodies and more harmonic vocal structures. Very pretty and different than the other songs on the album. A gentler, interlude-kind of passage passes a minute or so at the end of the third minute before the vocal-less band reestablishes the baseline with muted piano and thickly warbling double bass low end up front and center. The only time on the album in which the three instrumentalists are left alone, with Anna and Andreas sitting back and observing. Simply mesmerizing! And when A & A rejoin it is so gently, as if to only embellish not to disturb or disrupt. Beautiful. At 6:30, however, the vocals move front and attention with an entirely new dual sound structure, pushing the other instruments to the back--which is how the song moves to its conclusion. My second favorite song on the album. (14.5/15)

3. "Sessapinae" (9:57) protracted jazz-rock Minimalism in the Paul Winter Consort domain with two voices substituting for instruments. Not enough change and dynamic tension or change in the first half. Great final three minutes: the vocals get very raw and primal. (17.5/20)

4. "Cocoro (6:54) opens with two vocalists playfully weaving a Bobby McFerrin-like sounds within the drums, bass, and piano lines. This is an exercise in control and rhythmic discipline--perhaps even polyphony. A shift at the end of the second minute sees the vocal weave falling into a more chord-like fullness with piano. It's pretty, kind of like a HUGO SELLES (PSYCHIC EQUALIZER) song. The interplay among the instrumentalists turns a little more staccato in the fifth minute before everyone comes back together for the harmonic convergence for the final two minutes. At the same time, I'm also reminded of the 1960s music of Burt Bacharach and Don Ellis, as well as many of the Latin American bands flooding into the American market at that time (Sergio Mendes, etc.). (13.25/15)

5. "Altaelva (7:27) piano chords and two voices open as if unsynchronized bells ringing in a bell tower. At the one-minute mark they are joined by double bass and drums. Very cool! Then, at the end of the second minute, things slow down, bowed bass and Anna moving into lower registers as piano and Andreas continue their syncopated rhythm steadfastly before returning to the full panoply in the fourth minute. The piano begins to fill out its chordal spectrum as Andreas and Anna slowly move into different variations of their deliveries. Great left-hand piano chords before backing off into muted percussive chords in the sixth minute. And then such a great finish! My favorite song on the album; simply genius. (15/15)

Total Time – 39:35

The music reminds me of Japanese Post Rock band TOE with a more Math Rock/MAGMA approach to the wordless vocals. Anna Hirsch's polished voice reminds me so much of that of singer MELODY FERRIS from Bay Area band Inner Ear Brigade. It still amazes me that I just listened to a vocally dominant album that contained absolutely no words!

92.1875 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music though closer to a masterpiece in the chamber jazz rock or jazz-rock fusion sub-genres. Ikarus are one of my favorite discoveries of 2022; can't wait to dig back into their discography. 

11. RETURNED TO THE EARTH Fall of the Watcher

A British band who came to my attention thanks to the glowing review of Thomas Szirmay. Comparisons to both Steven Wilson and Peter Nicholls/IQ are warranted, but I'll go further to specify 1990s PORCUPINE TREE as most familiar to the music here while the vocals, in particular, seem equally influenced/reminiscent of those of SYLVAN frontman Marco Glühmann and Michael Stipe as much as a young Peter Nicholls. The fact that the album was mastered by The Pineapple Thief's Steve Kitsch also makes sense.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Robin Peachey / vocals, guitar
- Steve Peachey / keyboards
- Paul Johnston / drums

1. "Fall of the Watcher" (9:11) long, slow-to-develop spacey intro leads into Pink Floyd/NO-MAN-like organ fill followed by guitar and then establishment of bass and drum lines. Nice! Enter the vocals of Robin Peachey. He has a very nice, slightly vulnerable sounding voice with a delivery style similar to thost of both Peter Nicholls and Steven Wilson. The chorus starts off oddly similar to that of Steven Wilson's "Time Flies", though the rest of the chorus is nothing like it. Great key change at the 4-minute mark. Interesting guitar solo at the end of the fifth minute--more like the style of DAVID GILMOUR though neither the sound or register David would use. In the sixth minute, however, the accompaniment shifts into third gear as the guitar moves more into a wonderful extended  Gilmour/Bjørn Riis-like dynamic, multi-faceted solo. Prog heaven, folks! Great bass and drums beneath! At 8:25 we are let loose--left free-falling to the surface. Not what I was expecting! But Brilliant! Great song. What an epic! Definitely a top three favorite for me. (19/20)

2. "White Room" (6:34) this song just has a great, soothing feel to it--on many levels. Hypnotic and melodic. Brilliant! And beautiful. My favorite song on the album. (10/10)

3. "Drowning" (5:36) there's a Porcupine Tree-David Sylvian feel to this song from the Richard Barbieri-Steve Jansen feel of the rich keyboards and syncopated rhythm track, Nice Peter Nicholls vocal performance. (8.75/10)

4. "Sacrificed in Vain" (10:28) opens with very static reliance on keyboard strings for backing Robin's vocal. In the second half of the second minute, drums and strumming acoustic guitar enter to move things forward--at least into second gear. The chorus that soon ensues is multi-part, the second part much better than the first. At 3:37, then, a heavier rock guitar sound, chunky bass, and power drums take over making this a very PT experience. At 5:17 the heavy motif stops and spacey synths and heavily treated "drum" track take over while electric piano chords, Robin Peachey's multi-pitched vocals sing with nice psychedelic guitar play and Steven Wilson-like solo play within and around. I love the "in all" vocal repeat in the coda that leads into the bluesy guitar solo of the ninth minute. Not a perfect or completely developed song, the choices of palette shifts and instrumental sounds are well met. (17.5/20)

5. "Lack of Information" (6:33) REM meets PORCUPINE TREE meets IQ. Another great song-- the keyboard "strings" are masterful. (9/10)

6. "April Sky" (7:21) both NO-MAN and IQ come to mind in the first minutes of this pretty song, the former for its musical palette and pace, the latter for the vocal stylings. It never ceases to amaze me how much can be created from keyboards. The Peachey brothers make quite a team. Kudos! The guitar solo in the fifth minute is pure Steven Wilson: nothing overstated or flashy, just perfectly fitting. My second favorite song. (14/15)  

Total Time 45:43

Whereas Thomas was completely wowed by the melodies, I find them a bit simplistic and underdeveloped. At the same time, I find Steve Peachey's rich yet understated keyboard work--especially the "strings" arrangements to be quite sublime--reminding me of the virtuosic work of Jørgen Grüner-Hagen on AIRBAG's debut album, Identity.

92.06 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of richly hued progressive rock music. Now one of my favorite album releases of 2022. 

12. RANESTRANE Apocalypse Now

An Italian band that has been offering their own sleek interpretations or tributes to some of the 20th Century's most iconic films. I love the use of actual clips from the film's dialogue within the songs--reminding me of French residents Hypno5e's soundtrack/accompaniment to Bolivian-born band member Emmanuel Jessua's film, Alba - Los Hombres Errantes.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Massimo Pomo / electric, acoustic & classical guitars
- Riccardo Romano / keyboards, backing vocals
- Maurizio Meo / bass, electric double bass
- Daniele Pomo / drums & percussion, lead vocals

1. "Saigon" (7:03) a very cool pulsing synth opening--sounding a bit like a helicopter whirligig in slow motion. Joined by synth and ominous guitar arpeggio at the end of the first minute, I can already tell we're in for something very special. Solo lead electric guitar ends the second minute, repeating a melody line a few times before shifting into a chorus. Very controlled and tightly accompanied--especially by some excellent drumming. Choral vocalise next before sparsity of solo piano sets up the entrance of the singer. Very nice voice--very accurate and pitch perfect. Then, at 4:15 the rest of the band joins in with some soundscape-expanding accompaniment. Great vocal performance--I can see why the instrumentalists have been instructed to hold back. Daniele Pomo's voice reminds me quite a bit of Paolo Farina, singer and composer of the HUMANA PROG material from 1975 and 2014.

     Excellent fill of the soundspace during the two minutes of wordless finale--with such beautiful drumming! (14/15)

2. "Cuore di Tenebra Pt. I" (3:58) singing about the background of some of the players ("New Orleans," "The Bronx") gorgeous strings over the second half. (8.75/10)

3. "Dossier" (1:56) like a soundtrack to an old hoofer-detective film. Jazzy. Classy. (5/5)

4. "Napalm" (20:12)  (35.5/40)
- i. "Arc Light" - solid, tension-filled high octane prog rock. Great singing--both lead and multi-voice harmonies. (8.75/10)
- ii. "Kilgore Pt. I" - Lance and Colonel Kilgore meet on the beach. Enter a beach-like theme song. Great drumming! The surrounding music is pretty good, too. (8.75/10)
- iii. "Apache" - When Daniele enters to sing at the end of the eighth minute, it's a very nice section that leads into the napalm bombing and strafing of the woods to allow the surfers time to surf and then to exit. Juxtaposed with Italian children in a school setting--perhaps during a practice air-raid response--to put things into perspective? Then we're into a hard-driving section with penetrating guitar riff on repeat until it's time for a scorching solo. I love the way the strings add so much to the rise in tension. When things break, there is a smooth driving passage over which searing electric guitar shreds. Then Daniele returns to continue to tell the story of "the hidden cries." Very powerful bombastic section comes out of this. Amazing power! (9.25/10) 
- iv. "Kilgore Pt. II" - "cause Charlie don't surf" (8.75/10)

5. "Playmate" (6:21) complete with the USO's emcee's introduction of Miss August. Bombastic RPI with 70s Hammond and 80s power chords. Solid, powerful music--great performances across the board. A little too classic rock, though I get what they're trying to do. (8.75/10)

6. "The Eden Cries" (10:37) a song that you can definitely tell is telling a serious story. I love the keys. Despite the shifting themes with different film samples, there's just a little too much Italian bombast here for my tastes--though all of it with fine instrumental performances. The final two motifs of the final two minutes are my favorites--especially the Vietnamese violin-like instrument and bamboo flute over the slow pulsing organ chords. Gorgeous! (17.5/20)
- i. The Eden Cries Pt. I
- ii. The Eden Cries Pt. II

7. "Cuore di Tenebra Pt. II" (4:33) A stunningly gorgeous song--with some surprisingly intricate and complex textures and instrument play. One of the best songs I've heard all year. My favorite song on the album. (10/10)

8. "The Horror" (16:21) Unfortunately, some of my ratings here are biased by the voice clips from the film. (28/30)
- i. "Kurtz" - the music supporting the dialogue between Willard and Kurtz is so beautiful it sounds and feels almost like a praise tribute to Kurtz. (10/10)
- ii. "Metodi Malsani" - as menacing and crazed as the Brando character the movie was trying to portray. (4.75/5)
- iii. "Falso Idolo Pt. I" - gorgeous Italian prog--with great vocals and equally gorgeous prog accompaniment. (5/5)
- iv. "Like Some Grandmother" - music to accompany Kurtz's horrific story about inoculating a village of children against polio. (4.75/5)
- v. "Solo la Verita" - powerful vocal and music as only the Italians can do. (4.5/5)
- vi. "Sacrifice" - I don't really agree with the choice of using bagpipes and military drumming for this motif--as if we're honoring a military man (with a German last name). And then the "monster" church organ to finish. (4.25/5)

9. "Un Nuovo Dio" (6:52) Another incredible song--my final top three. The uptempo second part is as powerful as the first part is beautiful. Great use of choral voices and great lead guitar work. And then there's the pulsing chord play of the final two minutes. Wow! What a finish to a great album! (14.5/15)
- i. Falso Idolo Pt. II
- ii. Cuore di Tenebra Pt. III

Total Time 77:53

Very special talent in drummer Daniele Pomo. And his excellent, powerful voice reminds me of that of HUMANA PROG singer-songwriter, Paolo Farina (a part of the MAXOPHONE scene in the 1970s).

91.61 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music filled with songs that I crave to hear every day. Definitely in the running for my favorite album of 2022.

13. WIPPY BONSTACK 22

Wow! What a songwriting tour de force!  This very busy Upstate New York-based artist, multi-instrumentalist Ben Coniguliaro, is involved in several projects all at the same time including, Sun Colored Chair, Wyxz, The Filibuster Saloon, Eyeless Owl (his older brother Quinn's solo outlet), and Matt Stober's In-Dreamview. And then there is this, his solo baby, "Wippy Bonstack," from which he's written, performed and produced one previous album, 2021's Wippy Bonstack's Dataland. And now this! Wow! I feel as if one of the Coniguliaro Brothers has just burst out his chrysalis and is now a full-fledged butterfly!

Line-up / Musicians:

- Wippy Bonstack (Ben Coniguliaro) - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, bass, vocals, piano, analog synth, vibraphone, glockenspiel, percussion
featuring:
- Elizabeth Smiland - flute
- Tyrone Williamson - trumpet on 5
- Quinn Coniguliaro - bass on 9

1. "Dancing with the Monks" (3:19) a pop-oriented song that sounds so familiar and yet is melding so many component parts from so many influences so perfectly that one cannot point to any direct influences; it's one hundred other artists and songs all synthesized into one seamless whole. (8.75/10)

2. "Ambitions" (4:08) an instrumental song that successfully puts on display some prodigious guitar-playing skills. (8.75/10)

3. "Shadow Soaked" (3:55) a delightful ear-candy pop song in which I hear quite a bit of Roddy Frame (AZTEC CAMERA) and Andy Partridge (XTC, DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR)--and not just vocally or lyrically. Incredibly intricate construction and layering--and containing one heck of an unforgettable hook in the chorus melody. I also love the exquisitely clever lyrics. Even the electric guitar solo at the end of the third minute is over-the-top impressive! This guy could be the next GREGG ALEXANDER (The New Radicals, music for the 2013 film Begin Again). (9.5/10)

4. "Going" (5:03) What?! This whispy, slowed down song is not what I've come to expect. But it speeds up with some very nice acoustic guitar work so that Ben can continue to impress with his amazing vocal deliveries. Again I am so reminded of both Andy Partridge and Roddy Frame with many elements of this song. (9.25/10)

5. "Scientific Candy" (3:20) another song that starts out as a very pleasant acoustic guitar-driven melodic ballad ramps up a bit with the addition of the rest of the rock band instruments. Ben's vocals are mixed a little bit too far in the back for my tastes.  A very pleasant, melodic song that has some similarities, according to my ears, to the music of classic rock bands like Todd Rundgren, America, and Ambrosia, that has an incredibly exhilarating chorus. (9/10)

6.  "Beautiful Stain" (4:10) opens so much like a The DECEMBERISTS song but it also reminds me a ton of Georgia guitar god Jared Leach on his 2016 one-off GHOST MEDICINE project, Discontinuance. A very solid song composition--surprisingly mature and subtly complex--containing some incredible lyrics and a(nother) great chorus--all of which means that it should/could get radio air play. It is, however, the brilliantly nuanced instrumental play in the instrumental mid-section that is deserving of attention and accolades. This guy can play! He knows his shit! (9/10)

7. "Insatiable " (4:48) more music that reminds me of the amazing vocal talents of Roddy Frame (especially in the sublime chorus sections) as well as those of jazz-pop singer-songwriter MICHAEL FRANKS and Swedish singer-songwriter Fredrik Larsson (FREDDEGREDDE). I don't much like the drum sounds here, and, again, the voice seems mixed a bit too far back in the mix, while the guitars are recorded and mixed to sublime perfection. (I really LOVE hearing guitars recorded this well! Even more so when they're played with this kind of skill.) Once again the instrumental section(s) in the middle of the song (extended nicely) are full of astonishing compositional twists and turns--handled to perfection on multiple instruments. Remarkable! (8.875/10)

8. "Collapsed Spirit" (5:11) though I never think of this song as my favorite on this lovely album, it contains the most unavoidable earworms on the album; once I've heard this song it's hours before I can get it out of my head! Melodically, it is so wonderful on so many levels. Instrumentally, there's some playing here that's on the level of GENTLE GIANT (compositionally, as well). And then there's the incredible lyric and perfect vocal performance used to delivery it. Amazing. Such an amazing progressive rock song. Kt may, in fact, be perfection. It may, in fact, be the song of the year! (10/10)

9. "Wezler's Choice" (2:55) great music with an unusual one-line vocal that is repeated intermittently throughout the song" I don't have a choice … but you do." Again the music reminds me of Jared Leach's GHOST MEDICINE. (9.25/10)

Ben "Wippy Bonstack" Coniguliaro seems to have one speed when playing, composing, practicing, performing, and singing, and that's full speed; everything about the music in these songs is fast, in hyperdrive: the guitar playing first and foremost but also the keys, bass, drums and percussion, as well as the amazing vocal deliveries of the often-complex/dense lyrics. In this latter aspect (as well as with many of his compositions) I am greatly reminded of two of my favorite songwriter-singers of all-time: Roddy Frame and Andy Partridge--(though Ben is far more fluid and melodic with his voice deliveries than Andy).

91.53 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of sophisticated crossover prog and definitely an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection and probably an excellent addition to any general music lover's music collection.

14. STEVE VAI Inviolate

Impressive axe play, as always, with top notch support, song by song, from one of the all-time masters of la guitare électrique.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Steve Vai / all instruments

Except:

- Jeremy Colson / drums (2,3,6,7)

- Bryan Beller / bass (3)

- Terry Bozzio / drums (4)

- Vinnie Colaiuta / drums (5,9)

- Henrik Linder / bass (5)

- David Rosenthal / keyboards (5,9)

- Billy Sheehan / bass (6)

- Philip Bynoe / bass (7)

- Bob Carpenter / organ (7)

- Philip Bynoe / bass (9)

- Dave Weiner / rhythm guitar (9)

1. "Teeth of the Hydra" (5:13) This one might go to eleven. Definitely a top three song. Just great, powerful guitar notes (& chords!). A purely great song. (10/10)

2. "Zeus in Chains" (4:39) Impressive guitar and bass over so-so music. (8.5/10)

3. "Little Pretty" (6:26) a little bluesier. Some nice melody lines and bass drum "fills." Gets better as it goes. Kind of classic J-R fusion á la Al DI, JEAN-LUC, and ALLAN H. (8.75/10)

4. "Candle Power" (3:31) JAN AKKERMAN guitar play taken to another level! Man do I hear the Dutch Master in every note! (8.75/10)

5. "Apollo in Color" (4:19) nice song in which the awesome bass and drums are allowed some shine. You go, Henrik! You awesome, Vinnie! Also love the rhythm guitar (& banjo?) work. (9/10)

6. "Avalancha" (5:10) a heavy one. Jerry Colson and Steve in a race or machine gun fight. And they really send it crashing down! A top three song for me--and I don't even like metal! (9.5/10)

7. "Greenish Blues" (6:07) pure blues. Such amazing guitar sound, smooth touch, and timing. Almost makes Jeff Beck look like he's fumbling and flailing. Cool twang-bar and wah-pedal ministrations. Reminds me a lot of Jeff's "'Cause We've Ended As Lovers." only the 12.0 version. A master showing his mastery. If you ever want to play one guitar song to show the potential of guitar and the possibilities allowed by the blues, please use this one! My final top three song--and I'm not really a fan of the blues! (10/10)

8. "Knappsack" (5:19) just watching the video accompanying this song on YouTube gives you some insight into the magic that the electric guitar offers--as well as the pyrotechnical skill of one of the world's greatest masters of that instrument. I love the feeling in the final minute of blues. Am I watching a tutorial for the future of electric guitar play: "The One-Handed Method"? (8.75/10)

9. "Sandman Cloud Mist" (6:01) Steve's steady music and melody play allow Vinnie Colaiuta and bassist Philip Bynoe to really show their skills. Incredible patch of guitar wizardry from about 4:40 to 5:20! (8.75/10)

Total Time 46:45

This is one awesome collection of songs from a veteran who knows what he wants and has all the skills (and friends) to pull it off. Steve Vai. in all his glory, has enough self-confidence and grace to allow his collaborators to really shine. Mega kudos, Señor Steve!

91.11 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of guitar wizardry as composed, performed, and produced by one of the all-time masters (if not THE all-time master) of the electric guitar. 

15. KLAUS SCHULZE Deus Arrakis

The project the Maestro was working on when he died, it's nice that his team and collaborators saw it to its completion and release.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Klaus Schulze / electronics, keyboards, percussion, composer & arranger, production & mixing

With:

- Eva-Maria Kagermann / vocals

- Wolfgang Tiepold / cello

- Tom Dams / beats, loops

1. "Osiris (Parts 1-4)" (18:28) though it starts out somewhat simply, almost New Age-y in its pace and sound palette, these are definitely Klaus Schulze key changes. Even moving into the second movement we get little change or development. As a matter of fact, it might be pointed out that there is considerable simplification and reduction of inputs until the introduction of a new, buzz-saw-like synth into the sequence in the ninth minute. Then, a few new chord/key changes from the baseline synth wash occur before we enter the third phase when the chord sequences begin to rise on the pitch scale and the floating saw-synth takes on a more prominent role. We also hear the addition of an oboe-like instrument and more layered weave of sequenced sounds moving around the soundscape. Cello seems to join in as well--though the long-held notes seem more synthesized than acoustic or electrified. The final section, Part 4, is the most dramatic and dynamic one minute of the whole suite! 

     Overall, the song is pleasant but under-developed; the melodies and Schluzian key shifts alone can do nothing to make it anything special. (34.25/40)

2. "Seth (Parts 1-7)" (31:47) spacey old synths float through the airwaves for the first two minutes. The second part is just slow-moving waves of synth washes. The third and longest movement of the suite is made up of an upbeat click-and-pop rock-beat sequence with layers of other individual synths woven into the mix beneath which the synth wash chords shift, leading the music into interesting directions. There is an actual structure and repeating flow to this section which makes it feel like a song. The end of the third part finds the addition of some guitar-like sounds and other incidentals while the pace and chord-melody structure remain fairly consistent. For the fourth Part, we find all sequence and flow interrupted by the treated saw synth and cello playing within a field of space-radio noises. It's pretty cool but I don't get what it has to do with either the previous movement or the topic of Seth. Part Five is the second longest movement. It finds a 1980s synth sequence overriding and, eventually, replacing the radio-cello motif of Part 4--though the beautiful and plaintive cello does manage to remain and contribute significantly (and contrarily) to the effectiveness of this rather ambiguous motif. (Two themes being presented simultaneously, seemingly at diametrically opposed purposes, makes for an interesting if contentious listening experience.) Part 6 is, again, taking us in a different direction: this one back to gentle, slowly shifting synth washes over which some of those space radio noises flit and flash. After about a minute, the cello again joins in--this time sounding more effected by reverb, delay, sustain other engineering effects--and also supplanting the space-radio "bugs"--getting quite expressive and speedy the further we go into the movement. (It's quite exciting, this virtuous cello player!) The seventh and final movement, Part 7, is three minutes of saw synth and lower register treated-cello play.  Very pacifying--as if trying to put its listeners to bed--though the rather sudden/quick fadeout is a bit disconcerting--as well as a bit of a surprise 

     The contributions of the lovely cello certainly do make this composition more engaging and enjoyable. In fact, this piece, "Seth," feels far more symphonic in its form and intent than the opener, "Osiris." I like this one very much! (59.5/65)

3. "Der Hauch des Lebens (Parts 1-5)" (27:08) low droning note opens this before synth glass-bell-horn joins in with ethereal voices whispering around in the background. Three minutes of this Blade Runner-like soundscape changes to add more quotidian incidental sounds (like street and/or playground & circus/fair voices) while a more common organ-like synth delivers slowly morphing chords beneath. The end of Part 2 slips into a more eerie, sinister scape before the organ chords shift to a new, more ambiguously evocative progression. It's pretty but it's also cold, lonely, unsettling. Part 3 sees the appearance of a more typical KS computer sound sequenced in a way that any Berlin School devotée would, all the while the gentle "organ" synth continues providing its soothing, if sometimes disconcerting chord washes beneath. It sounds very familiar à la Laurent Schieber's SEQUENTIA LEGENDA work over the past decade.

      The longest movement of the suite, Part 3 also sees the development of more speed and dynamics as well as layering of other subtle instrumental lines into the musical weave. By the halfway point in the suite, we are feeling very much immersed in a classic Klaus Schulze piece of music--maybe even one going back to the late 1970s or early 1980s. A few sudden and usually quick "surprise" chords alert us to the "newness" of the piece, but, overall, we find ourselves feeling quite comfortable in the familiar weaves of Sancta Klaus. 

     Part 4 finds us being stripped of all worldly fabric to leave us in the heavenly, love-affirming chord progression of the synth wash chords. In fact, it's so comforting that I find myself moved to tears. Such is the power of simple chords, especially those magical major and minor seventh chords, for therein are contained the summation and spectral range of the human emotional experience. Beautiful … with just enough edge to remind us that we have not yet, in fact, left this mortal coil--that we are still committed to confronting the foils and spoils of our --which is precisely what the fifth movement does: it slowly brings us back from our heavenly, out-of-body Preview, gently depositing us back into the Earthly bodies to which we have volunteered our attention. Yes, this is the Breath of Life! And we were just taken on a guided tour down the River Styx, through Bar-do, to the Mists of Avalon, and back to Middle Earth! 

     How masterfully Klaus (and his collaborators) have engineered our conscious experience through the purposeful manipulation of sound! Ingenius! No wonder we hold the Maestro's esteem up to such lofty heights! (52/55)

Total Time 77:23

What amazes me about this album of music is the demonstration of Klaus Schulze's skill: from the Understated (and perhaps, underwhelming) simplicity of the first suite, to the complex, mutli-part story-telling of the second, to the psycho-spiritual manipulation of the third. I am so grateful for this man's contributions to my life, to my love and appreciation for the possibilities of all things musical (and emotional). Three cheers for the King. Long live the King!

91.09 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a marvelous exposition of Berlin School Electronica from the master himself--a truly wonderful addition to any and all music collections. 

16. BREIDABLIK Alduorka

A band that is progressing/improving dramatically in both its compositional "trimming of the fat" and its ability to not only imitate the old progressive electronic masters (especially "classic-era" Tangerine Dream) but take their sounds and styles and create refreshing new music that stands on its own--that sound as if they are lost pieces of the past masters themselves. Kudos to the "Bergen School" of Progressive Electronic music! This is great stuff! Eminently listenable--even addictive!

Line-up / Musicians:

- Hakon Oftung / guitars, flute

- Morten Birkeland Nielsen / synthesizers

- Trond Gjellum / drums

With:

- V'ganðr / bass

1. "Alda" (20:52) Opens with a fully-developed wonderful sequenced weave that is definitely imitative of 1970s Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream progressive electronic. The electric guitar work in the third minute is awesome and fresh. Sounds a little bit like David Torn. Different lead guitar sounds used--to great effect--in the fourth, seventh, and thirteenth minutes. The end of the opening sequential weave at the 6:00 mark is unexpected but well-coordinated and -transitioned. The new palette is much more Vangelis/space/soundtrack-like: beautiful, but, after five minutes, I'm ready for something more (or different). It's not until well into the thirteenth minute that the next, third motif begins--this one a much more guitar-centric weave with semi-military cymbal/light snare play beneath. Eventually, some of all three motifs become woven together until, at 16:00, a two-part combination of the original sequence and Vangelis chords are woven together in a stripped down fashion before searing Arp strings notes enter and the original foundational sequence returns with a progression of Mellotron male voice and horn chords joining for the 19th and 20th minutes. Finishes with about a minute of synth-treated snare/cymbal military drums till fade. Excellent composition; very engaging song. (36/40)   

2. "Orka I" (3:25) sequenced tuned percussion and impressive lead guitar play over a driving "Lunar Sea"/"Twilight Zone"-like rhythm track. (9/10)

3. "Rán" (3:56) 1970s VANGELIS synth-strings chord play. Very cool. Reminds me of how much I loved those spacey Vangelis sounds/songs. Gets a little old after two minutes, despite the addition of the Mellotron voices. (9/10)

4. "Hraznō" (7:42) synth ocean sounds over which TD/Berlin School computer synths and sequence tracks are added. Flute takes the fore/lead as the principle melody maker--though it is backed and complemented with many other synths and layers. Minute three sees a shift in which the sequence tracks get stronger and Mellotron voice sounds take the lead. In the fourth minute we drop down to bare bones before shifting completely into a new sound pallet and sequence with bent and echoed electric guitar notes now in the fore. A song that truly explores TD territory. (13.5/15)

5. "Himinglæva ok Kolga" (7:06) another wonderful TD-style & palette song that, if I might say, sounds better than the masters even in their peak years. (14/15)

6. "Orka II" (4:33) Drums. Bass line. Chordal structure. Thief! Or, perhaps, more Klaus Schulze and/or Harald Großkopf. Wonderful weave, pace, sound palette, and melodies. My favorite song on the album. (9.5/10)

Total Time 47:34

91.0 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of retro/homage progressive electronic music. 

17. DREADNAUGHT The Endless

Sounding like a cross between Scotland's MIDAS FALL, East Anglia's FEN, and France's ALCEST, we have a wonderful exposition of female-fronted Post Rock-infused Heavy Prog here.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Kelly Schilling / guitar, vocals

- Lauren Vieira / keyboards, vocals

- Kevin Handlon / bass

- Jordan Clancy / drums

1. "Worlds Break" (8:28) opening with Kelly Schilling singing gently in an Elizabeth Heaton (MIDA FALL) or Marjana Semkina (IAMTHEMONRING) kind of way while arpeggiating her electric guitar. Soon she is joined by Lauren Vieira in a most interesting (and haunting) harmonized vocal performance. Eventually other instrumental sounds join in until finally the full band has joined in by the end of the second minute as Kelly and Lauren continue, Kelly with her Elizabeth Heaton-like soprano and Lauren with the calming alto accents and balm, sounding like Katharine Blake and her MEDIÆVAL BÆBES--until the three-minute mark when full wall of sound crashes in, converting Kelly to a growling werewolf while Lauren continues along mellifluously, as if nothing has changed. In the sixth minute things calm down for Lauren to take the fore--she sings so beautifully! Drums and bass are quite wonderful throughout with the former really moving us along in a rather insistent Post Rock way. Kelly takes the lead again at the end of the seventh minute, her gorgeous wispy soprano contrasting with the heavy juggernaught propelling us beneath her.  Slower chord strumming over slowly descending piano arpeggi take us to the end. Brilliant! One of the most impressive songs I've heard all year! (19.5/20)  

2. "Midnight Moon" (6:42) Cocteau Twins guitars, hypnotic drumming, all supporting the wonderfully intertwining of the independent voices and lyrical messages of Kelly and Lauren--until the very end of the second minute when the beast is once again released from Kelly's mouth. Great drumming in the second half despite the fact that the rest of the music begins to show signs of fatigue. The stripped down, thinning music of the final 90 seconds is definitely new and engaging. Fascinating! (8.75/10) 

3. "The Endless" (4:39) seems to continue from the bleed over from the brooding, stark, stripped down soundscape of the end of the previous song. Kelly's lead vocal gives the first two minutes such an Elizabeth Heaton/MIDAS FALL sound and feel. The second half of the song is more of two-part a conversation among the instrumentalists: at first civilized but then loud and contentious--like an argument between the almighty Olympic gods with Zeus finally asserting his power and dominance. Cool song! Very unusual construct (which shows a bravery and confidence that I really like). (9/10)

4. "Liminal Veil" (9:07) thick, heavy Gothic prog music over which Lauren's plaintive vocal sounds a bit thin, even weak. The music shifts after her singing ends into something very haunting before Kelly takes over singing in a much more in-your-ear whisper. This band is so creative! So in-tune with one another! (17.5/20)

5. "Gears of Violent Endurance" (6:09) fast strumming distorted electric guitar is soon joined by the rest of the band to create a hard-driving, though not fast paced train for Kelly to growl over. A minute later, everybody backs down, the music thins a bit as Kelly switches into her little girl/angel voice for a bit. But then the wall of sound crashes back in as Kelly growl-screams her arrival. At the end of the fourth minute the two women singers isolate themselves for a little a cappella vocal duet reminiscent of something I've heard done by folk sirens like Mediæval Bæbes, Faun, Hands of the Heron, or Hannah and The Moulettes. Then we re-amp up into a thick soundscape as before though never as forceful or domineering while Lauren finishes the delivery of the song's lyric (in a normal, gentle voice). Again, I am once again reminded of atmospheric "shoegaze" of French metal artist Neige (ALCEST). (9/10)

6. "The Paradigm Mirror" (6:01) very gentle, delicately played guitar arpeggi, simple bass and drum play, support the angelic presentation of the the two ladies' voices. After three minutes there is a drastic shift as heavily-effected, spaced-out guitar strums and drum beats are sung over by one of the ladies using a very crazed, unstable voice similar to what ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF can churn up when the mood strikes her. This then stops and the music slowly decays and fades. (An effect that is rather new to me and one that I like very much.)  Nice theatric presentation of what feels like an archetypical story from Greek mythology. (9/10)

Total Time 41:06

90.90 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of creative progressive rock music. My favorite album of Heavy Prog from 2022. A band I've definitely got to go back to explore their past discography (four previous albums).

18. TANGERINE DREAM Raum

The last founding and continuous TD member, Edgar Froese died in 2015. (Other founding members still live but disassociated from the band long ago.) Some of his collaborators from 21st Century projects here continue to carry the torch of Edgar's ideas.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Thorsten Quaeschning / synthesizer, musical director
- Paul Frick / synthesizer
- Hoshiko Yamane / violin

1. "Continuum" (7:09) nice, catchy melodies lets me know these musicians are serious and eager about preserving the Tangerine Dream story as well as taking it forward. (13.25/15)

2. "Portico" (6:42) pleasant soundscapes and interesting music constructed in an engaging fashion. (8.75/10)

3. "In 256 Zeichen" (19:07) floating nighttime land and skyscapes develop slowly over the first of the  four sections (five minutes) of this long piece. The second section sounds like jungle forest scapes--with an almost gamelan or third world percussive sound component. The next section founds itself completely on those "third world" percussion sounds before 80s banks of Mark Isham-like synth-strings chords dart into the open fields. The final piece sees some space music devolve into entropic chaos. Cool composition. (36/40)

4. "You're Always on Time" (8:07) nice rolling synth-bass line. I like the song's spaciousness--sounds like subatomic particles moving through space. Violin is also a nice feature. It's not until the third minute that everything starts to come together. Nice finale. (13/15)

5. "Along the Canal" (5:29) a little too early-Vangelis sounding. (8.25/10)

6. "What You Should Know About Endings" (6:55) gets good in the third minute with the deep vein thrombosis, and then with the seriously moving rhythm sequence, but the song never really catches onto a melody to really bring me in. (13.25/15)

7. "Raum" (14:54) opens with some familiar DEAD CAN DANCE synth cords before sequenced rhythm track creeps into the background. Then highly distorted/degenerating synth notes try to add a melody line before disappearing. By the end of the third minute you get the feeling that something big and orchestral is brewing as many sounds and layers are slowly being introduced. A minute later it seems surprising that we are stripped down to a familiar Berlin School sequence with few embellishments, but then many incidentals are subtly snuck into the weave--some staying, many appearing and then disappearing. It's like a drive through the countryside with the numerous incidentals in the scenery passing us by. Definitely an "older" version of TD being played at here. The second half gets more aggressive though still using older sounds (instruments?) to create the tapestry--before we return to a classic spacescape in the tenth minute. This is gorgeous! Violin moves to the for and becomes quite prominent in the thirteenth minute. I really like this! Great song! Definitely my favorite on the album. (29/30)

Total Time 68:23

Even with the cheezy drum machines, two-chord synth washes, and simple synth bass, I cannot deny that there are some really engaging melodies and soundscapes here--not to mention some cool ideas--many of which apparently came from the late Edgar Froese's notebooks.

90.74 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of Progressive Electronic music. All hail Edgar Froese: the king is gone but his spirit lives on! And, with music like this, we should be glad that it does.

19. HAVEN OF ECHOES The Indifferent Stars

The recent core of FREQUENCY DRIFT are pared down to three multi-instrumentalist and genius leader Andreas Hack, harpist/keyboard player Nerissa Schwarz, and drummer Wolfgang Ostermann are joined by vocalist extraordinaire Paul Sadler, previously of the Tech/Extreme Metal band Spires to make a new band, Haven of Echoes. Welcome!

Musicians /  Lineup:

Paul Sadler - all vocals, guitars (6)

Nerissa Schwarz - electric harp, keys (3, 6)

Wolfgang Ostermann - drums 

Andreas Hack - everything else

1. "Sirensong" (6:11) What a great opening! Vocalist Paul Sadler sounds like a cross between Einar Solberg (LEPROUS), Ian Kenny (KARNIVOOL), and That Joe Payne (THE ENID, METHEXIS, JOHN HOLDEN, solo). He's extraordinary. The sound that Andreas' genius and Nerissa's electric harp bring are perfect--especially that deep bass coming from the keys. (I always loved Andreas' unusual mix of keys and Nerissa's harp presence in Frequency Drift.) And Wolfgang's drums are the perfect pacer--steady yet syncopated without being flashy or ostentatious. The cello interlude in the fourth minute is gorgeous, perfectly setting up Paul's great multi-track vocal finish. Great music, great vocal performance(s), great lyric; great song. One of my favorite songs of 2022. (9.5/10)

2. "Orator's Gift" (4:49) opens feeling quite a little like something off of PETER GABRIEL's 1988 film score masterpiece, Passion. Layers of keys gradual build upon the percussion foundation to break into the song's full form at 1:18. Paul's steady, theatric voice enters but doesn't really do anything extraordinary until it doubles up into two harmonizing tracks in the third verse and chorus. A sudden break at 3:10 leads into a passage with industrial sounds coming from both percussives and keyboards before piano and Paul's voice re-enter 20 seconds later. Beautiful music over which lies a less-than stunning vocal/lyrical layer. (8.5/10)

3. "Statis" (5:31) with piano base and syncopated drum play, this song starts out sounding almost like a continuation of the previous one. But then the vocal takes a couple turns with the keys in support to show different. This song feels much more as if a vocal exhibition with everything else serving only as minimal support as Paul's layers of vocals fly and weave in varied directions and styles. A lull in the very middle leads into some eerie keyboard sounds and cool layered/woven vocal passages. (I think I hear at least four separate and distinctive vocal lines being woven together.) The music is sparse and at times a little weak and simplistic, but I think that's to give further attention/light to Paul's vocals--which are great. Great section at the four-minute mark lead to crescendo and dénouement. (8.75/10) 

4. "Endtime" (9:03) fast--paced electronic sequence opens this before full band joins in to establish a heavier driving pace. When Paul join's in I feel as if I'm hearing Einar Solberg's most nuanced, sensitive voice--just astonishing. Very familiar melodic flow in the chorus--almost like a combination of early Pure Reason Revolution and Frequency Drift. Great multi-track vocal mix in the second verse. I love the chunky bass play and presence of strumming acoustic guitar. A quiet interlude settles in at 4:10 with harp and distant snare the lone instruments supporting Paul's ever-so sensitive voice(s). Gorgeous! My favorite passage on the album. The next motif is also awesome--very different and refreshing--almost electronic and anthemic. (18.75/20)

5. "The Lord Giveth" (6:03) eerie deep space opening shifts with the arrival of Paul's plaintive voice at the 0:30 mark. Gorgeous vocal performance--great, emotional melodic choices. (So much like the supreme talent of That Joe Payne--or Sylvan's Marco Glühmann.) Quite the bombastic finish over the final 90 seconds. Wow! (9.25/10) 

6. "Let Them In" (12:15) sounds like a more sensitive, less aggressive Frequency Drift epic. Great multi-track vocal offerings from Paul. I love the "strings." Nice guitar performances in the seventh minute but the drums and voices are even better. At 7:38 we move into a tension-filled yet more sedate section of deep synth washes and seaside sounds before piano, harp, and acoustic guitar interplay take over. Another angelic vocal weave joins in to help us float up and away--just before some power chords and drums take us into a very SYLVAN-like passage of insistent compounding and building, but the, at the very end of the eleventh minute we turn back into a more symphonic prog motif to support Paul's finish, both vocally and with his lead electric guitar.  (22/25)

90.30 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music. Let the news ring out: Andreas Hack is back with a new band and they are GOOD!

20. KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Changes

The fifth and final album release of 2022 from Australia's Kings of Joy and Creativity. Here the band resuscitates seven leftovers from previous albums--all of which happen to use the same chord progression (same key)!

Line-up / Musicians:
- Stu Mackenzie / bass, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, vocals, vocoder, Mellotron, ocarina
- Michael Cavanagh / drums & percussion, synthesizer
- Ambrose Kenny-Smith / synthesizer, acoustic guitar, percussion, keyboards, vocals
- Joey Walker / synthesizer, percussion
- Cook Craig / keyboards
- Lucas Harwood / keyboards, synthesizer, bass

1. "Change" (13:03) a very pleasant, engaging and relaxing laid-back tune with whispered choral vocals.Despite several tempo and dynamic shifts, the song feels the same from start to finish. An interesting stop-and-restart at the end of the seventh minute results in a fun JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE-sounding rap section over some 1970s Canterbury pop music. Very cool! This is a surprising section which doubles up the surprise by being one of the more charming sections of the song (and album!). At 9:40 we have yet another stop-and-restart bridge of reverbed chorus vocals over Fender Rhodes which turns into another happy-go-lucky sing-a-long vocalise section. So infectious! Then, at 11:28, everything stops again before sounding as if it's going to go Canterbury again but then, surprise, heavy drums, bass, and fuzz guitar strumming lead us through another "bup-di-da-do-be-du-do-do" section to the end. Some really great, happy and engaging parts. (23/25)

2. "Hate Dancin'" (3:16) opens with the same chords from a Fender Rhodes sounding like we're about to start hearing either Ace's "How Long" or 10CC's "I'm Not in Love"--but then the whisper "I still hate dancin'" vocals and drum entrances let us know it's something quite different--and something way more fun and upbeat. (9.25/10) 

3. "Astroturf" (7:33) now we're in the territory made familiar to me by 2020's debut release by Catalan psych pop band MAGICK BROTHER & MYSTIC SISTER. Even when the vocals enter and take over I feel as if we're in the Mediterranean--this time in Milan with THE WINSTONS. Horn hits, live flutes, and squirrely synth solo flourishes make for an even more interesting funked up tune. Fun drumming throughout but especially in the show-off section of the sixth and seventh minutes. (13.25/15)

4. "No Body" (3:42) being slowed down and spaced out gives the chords a bluesy feel. The slow, single-voice-delivered vocal does little to change the more introspective feel of this song. Has a little BEATLES feel to it--if The Beatles ever put a little more emphasis and/or faith in their instrumental sections. (8.5/10)

 
5. "Gondii" (4:56) now I feel as if I'm listening to THE BUGGLES from their 1980 debut album, The Age of Plastic. Even when the choral vocals enter and take over they're not so far from the heavily treated vocals of Trevor Horn or Vocoder Geoff Downes; the biggest difference are the live drums as opposed to the machine-driven ones Horn and Downes used to drive or support their own songs (mostly click tracks). (8.75/10)   

6. "Exploding Suns" (4:40) a very cool, very spacious down-tempo jazz feel similar to music by bands like AIR, THE FLAMING LIPS, KOOP or THE WINSTONS. I love the whispered-in-your-ear lead vocals, echoed snare hits, and delicate Fender Rhodes note fills as well as the multiple synth solos. Oddly, this is probably not my favorite song on the album but, critically, I believe it to be the most masterfully produced--it's just the coolest! (9.75/10)

7. "Short Change" (2:50) a kind of party outro for the album to end in a celebratory bang. Fun but could've been better. (4.25/5)

Total Time 40:00

90.29 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music and one feckin' happy album--something we need so much in these woeful times. 

21. ARKITEKTURE Rationalis Impetus

South Korean prog rockers SUPERSTRING lost two members--including founding member Hanjoo Lee--but have gained a new violinist--Wooah Min--and have, thus, decided to rename themselves "Arkitekture."

Line-up / Musicians:
- Sangman Kim / bass
- Yuntae Kim / drums
- Johan Ahn / organ, electric piano, piano, Mellotron, synthesizer
- Dongju Ha / alto & baritone saxophones, flute
with:
- Wooah Min / violin, viola

1. "Impetus" (9:17) the sound rendering is quite cluttered and muddy and the song construction quite simplistic and straightforward for Avant/RIO--but not unlike NIL, UNIVERSAL TOTEM ORCHESTRA, or DAAL. My favorite part is the spacious almost-classical jazz passage occupying the seventh minute before bursting out with the sax solo. (17.5/20)

2. "Abnormal Reversible Reaction" (2:55) temple with Hammond organ and baritone sax open this one before the drummer goes OTSUBO HIROHIKO (Bondage Fruit) on us and the band injects some klezmer and DON PULLEN ideas into the music. A very odd and eclectic blending of sounds and styles. I might not like this so much were it not for being a sucker for Bondage Fruit. (8.875/10) 

3. "Prayer for the Dying" (8:55) opens sounding SO MUCH like a blend of King Crimson, KBB, and Van Der Graaf Generator. Really good! An amazingly refreshing and yet familiar composition. The slightly muddled mid-range is the song's only flaw. (19.75/20)

4. "Dark Matter" (11:16) a cornucopia of prog sounds--some sounding Japanese, some sounding classic prog rock, many from the jazz-rock fusion front. Some of it just doesn't sound that good together. (Guess I'd never do well if 1970s CARAVAN, 1980s ROBERT FRIPP, 1990s COLLAGE, 2000s KBB, 2010s SEVEN IMPALE, and Woody Allen's coffeehouse Gershwin-tinged New Orleans Jazz band all got on stage together to jam.) (17.875/20)

5. "The Decay" (11:12) more Woody Allen?! Such straightforward, New Orleans-sounding marching music. But that was just the introduction: in the second minute we stop, get out of the car, and get into another, more modern (yet still classic) vehicle for some more smooth-driving jazz. Just a little too sloppy and chaotic for me. (17.5/20)

Total Time 43:35

90.28 on the Fishscales = B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of eclectic progressive rock. With a little better sound engineering, tighter performances, and more discerning compositions, this could well have been a masterpiece. 

P.S. This NOT Superstring;  with a change of lineup the band has decided to rename themselves ARKITEKTURE.

22. DAVE BRONS Return to Arda

A late-comer to the fold of 2022 releases, Guitar Idol Dave Brons offers us a collection of top-notch Celtic Prog Folk--greatly enhanced by the full support from Dave Bainbridge and his latest Open Sky Records / IONA gang.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Dave Brons / guitars, mandolin, piano, keyboards
- Daniel Day / mandolin, bass, acoustic guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, whistles
- John Biglands / drums, piano
- Dave Bainbridge / orchestration, piano
- Catherine Ashcroft / uilleann pipes, whistles
- Sally Minnear / vocals
- Dave Fitzgerald / saxophone, flute
- Frank van Essen / strings
- Ian Brons / cello
- Stephen Bradnum / French horns, trombones

1. "The Primordial Chord" (1:04) kind of weak and hokey start for such an ambitious album. (3.75/5)

2. "Song of the Sea" (5:19) beautiful atmospheric opening with sax soloing. After 75 seconds the rather distantly-placed voice of Sally Minnear enters singing in her angelic way. Tom-tom play, big bass and guitar chords, and keys join in filling in the soundscape around Sally  but then, when she stops singing, the band kicks into a nice heavy prog motif with Dave's lead guitar out front showing his stuff. With about one minute remaining, everything returns to the atmospheric aural background to the song's completion.(9/10)

3. "When Snow Thaws" (5:57) gentle pastoral Celtic song with whistles, violin, mandolins, and piano taking on the introductory work before a kind of Celtic version of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra wave of rock power unleashes itself (as well as the uilleann pipes and lead electric guitar). The uilleann pipes lead the Celtic melody-dominated fourth minute before the music returns to the gentle pastoral motifs of the opening. Solo acoustic guitar finishes it off. Beautiful! I like the pastoral stuff bookending the song the best: it's a lot like Mike Oldfield's Hergest Ridge. (9/10)

4. "Beyond Where the Waves Break" (6:00) nice synth-orchestrated and real orchestrated vehicle for a bluesy guitar solo--though it starts out with a reverbed electric piano introducing the main melody before Dave's electric guitar picks it up. HIs playing over the first half of the song is very sensitive, very spacious, which allows the nuances to really shine. At 3:25 choral voices and orchestration enter and lift the music to a heavenly, cinematic level. Gorgeous! Dave's guitar play becomes quite a bit more adventurous though retaining the thin, humble sounds he started with. Nice finish with the uillean pipes and orchestra percussion joining in. (9/10)

5. "Song of the Earth" (5:00) introduced by Sally Minnear's "soil" narration, acoustic guitar, mandolins, Irish whistle, bass, and drums then back Sally's double-voiced lead. Nice melodies and spacious musical weave. Dave's guitar comes in on fire in the third minute before relinquishing to Sally and the acoustic ensemble at the 3-minute mark. Violin, sax, and Allan Holdsworth-like lead guitar take us to the wind instrument finish. Very nice song. (9.25/10)

6. "The Call of the Mountain" (5:39) opens with some pacifying acoustic guitar work before Dave's "dirty" guitar joins in. At 1:10 the full band leaps forward with Dave and Catherine Ashcroft's uilleann pipes establishing the main melody--which feels very IONA like. Dave then takes the spotlight for a understated bluesy solo before letting the IONA theme return. Great music, great Celtic weave; it's really very much like a new IONA song. Nice Steve Vai-like shredding in the raucous final third. (9.25/10)

7. "Beren and Luthien" (4:43) gentle piano, strings, Irish whistles and uilleann pipes open this one. Could be a song of worship--or a New Age classic. Very peaceful and relaxing--and beautiful! Not even Dave's emotional electric guitar lead can disturb the mood being conveyed. (Reminds me of a New Age guitarist I was quite fond of in the late 1990s and 1990s by the name of Paul Speer--a man who worked with New Age keyboard artist David Lanz quite a lot on releases from the Narada label--particularly a song "Adagio Dolente" that I absolutely love.) (9/10)

8. "Joy Beyond the Walls of This World" (3:48) more atmospheric effected piano to gently open this one but then at 0:39 the uillean pipes, bass, guitar, and drums join in to propel the song into a Celtic rock direction, using an Irish melody line to do so. Then at 1:50 there is a shift into a more fully Celtic reel with pipes, whistles, and violin leading the way before the rock instruments join in with Dave's lead guitar joining the lead weave. Ends rather abruptly--really bleeding into the next song. (9/10)

9. "Into the Woods of Lothlorien" (2:49) more atmospheric electric piano, playing solo, beautifully, to open this one. Quite emotional and beautiful. Well done Dave, Dave, or John, whoever performed it! (5/5)

10. "The Tears of Nienna" (5:00) Steve Reichian minimalistic opening sounds nice--a bit of a change in the musical foundations. Uillean pipes join the guitar and orchestral bass and percussives. Halfway through, Sally Minnear enters with her calming voice filling the soundscape, but then we return to the minimalist opening motif for a long, slow fadeout. Gorgeous! (9.25/10)

11. "On Eagle's Wings" (5:20) a mandolin-based song over which Dave rears his axe's animal sound capabilities. It's a simple, thin support staff until the halfway point when choral vocals and full rock ensemble enter and amp things up into prog bombast. Things quite down again for the final minute. Nice. (8.75/10)

12. "Yavanna's Song" (1:39) a pretty little folk dittie with very gentle picking and blowing from the Celtic instrumentalists. (4.5/5)

13. "Beauty and Starlight" (4:21) quite a bland, standard folk song--one that sounds as if it came from or belongs in a church setting. The first song I've heard which seems to come openly from a Christian rock perspective. Still, it's quite nice--especially when Dave's lead guitar starts expressing itself and the vocals move into choral support mode. (8.75/10)

14. "Gathering in the Clouds" (5:22) another beautiful, quality merger of progressive rock with Celtic acoustic traditional instruments. Sally Minnear's artless, guileless vocalise in the final 90 seconds are priceless. (9.25/10)

15. "Last Journey Across the Sea" (2:38) a simple, beautiful, even celestial finish. The support of Catherine Ashcroft's plaintive uilleann pipes is quite Post Rock like. (4.25/5)

Total Time 64:39

Despite the fact that this collection of high-quality Celtic rock breaks no new ground, it is an excellent display of the best in musicianship and compositional maturity--very much in line with the standards set by Iona and Dave Bainbridge. I happen to find myself really tuning into Dave's acoustic guitar work (GREAT sound engineering!), Catherine Ashcroft's uilleann pipes, and Sally Minnear's vocals--perhaps the best material for and best engineering of her beautiful voice I've heard to date.

90.19 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars. While there is nothing here that is intoxicatingly new or extraordinary about this music--about this collection of beautiful songs--I'm going to welcome this one to the "masterpiece" class: Its its overall quality and consistency are undeniable.

23. VON HERTZEN BROTHERS Red Alert in the Blue Forest

Bursting forth with only their eighth studio album since 2000 and first in five years, the brothers from Finland have come up with a typically solid collection of songs.  

Line-up / Musicians:

- Mikko von Hertzen / lead vocals, guitar

- Kie von Hertzen / guitar, vocals

- Jonne von Hertzen / bass, vocals

- Robert Engstrand / keyboards

- Sami Kuoppamäki / drums

With:

- Max Lilja / cello

- Klaara Pyrhönen / violin

- Janne Toivonen / trumpet

- Tero Toivonen / French horn

- Juho Viljanen / trombone

1. "Day of Reckoning" (4:39)  rousing, well-developed song with a catchy, pertinent message.

(8.75/10)

2. "Blue Forest" (9:06) plaintive singing over matching child piano note play for the first minute of this. Bass notes are added for the multi-voice chorus in the second minute. At the end of the fourth minute we switch soundscapes and tempos as the vocalist becomes more personal, in our ear. At 5:26 the music bursts into more abrasive territory, but only briefly, as it soon turns to pop-Gregorian with more synthetic Radiohead/Flaming Lips rhythm tracks beneath. Heavy again for the eight minute in which organ and so many others pick up a new melody motif to play with. Wow! (17.5/20)

 

3. "The Promise" (5:20) interesting instrumental palette backing a not very interesting melody or structure. (8.5/10)

4. "All of a Sudden, You're Gone" (7:12) nice vocal, melody, and lytic presented by piano, cello and bass. At 2:15 a coda of full-rock instrumentation breaks in between the second and third verses. I really like this vocal! Obviously, the brothers are mourning the loss of someone(s) important to them. A top three song, for sure. (13.5/15)

5. "Peace Patrol" (10:00) okay 80s-pop first three minutes is embellished by oud-like instrument in fourth minute of intstrumental but then switches direction, completely, turning into heavier, plodding, anthemic rock that is lifted to amazing heights by one of the best sax solos you've heard in a rock song for decades! (I swear I hear a little Kingston Wall in this music!) This, then, is followed by some stellar and sustained guitar soloing in the second half. Emotional and awesome! Could've been a top three song if there weren't so many others! (18/20)

6. "Pirates of the Raseborgian" (4:57) Now this was unexpected! A sea shanty! Cute and, surprisingly, highly engaging. (9/10)

7. "Anil" (6:45) acoustic guitar picking with ethereal airy vocals makes for quite a lovely musical presentation. Great vocals, great melodies, great chorus, great lyrics! Great thickly layered instrumental finish. Another top three song. Beautiful! Comparable to some of the great folk-rock singer songwriters of the 1970s. (13.5/15)

8. "Elbowed" (5:16) heavily horn-infused rock opening thins out for the vocal presentation. Nice melodies from vocalists and the individual instruments. I hear a little Leprous/Einar Solberg in the lead vocal performance here. Also, a bit of an Andy Partridge/XTC feel. There is definitely a lot going on here! (8.75/10)

9. "Northern Lights" (7:39) embellishing the actual recorded sounds of aurora borealis with their own creative elctronicisms, the Brothers have churned out a highly enjoyable electro-pop piece which includes multiple catchy melody riffs each vying for the listeners' attention. Then add in the spacey vocal and you've got a song worthy of radio play. There's so much to this song! Thank you, Finland, for letting your talented sons share their talents with the rest of us! Reminds me very much of a great psych-rock song from the late Petri Walli (KINGSTON WALL). My favorite song on the album. (14/15)

10. "Söderskär" (3:45) nice dreamy little psych-pop dittie. Reminds me of Moon Safari, Gadi Kaplan, or Needlepoint. So polished and mature. (9/10)

11. "Disappear There" (4:52) forest fairie folk with a bit of John Martyn, Ant Phillips, and Nicholas John Talbot (Gravenhurst) infused within. Beautiful and classic! (9/10)

Total Time 69:31

My history with the Von Hertzen Brothers is that, while the music and songs often strike one upon first listen as fresh, creative, and interesting, successive visits are not always as engaging or interesting. I've had this problem with almost every Von Hertzen Brothers release, which had left me less excited for each successive release. Perhaps its due to my lack of engagement and/or interest in the lyrical messages, perhaps due to the attention the songs demand (in order to gleen the subtle complexities). At the same time, I really and truly appreciate the maturity of the VH Bros' songwriting, their intelligent and sophisticated lyrics and lyrical content, and their highly polished, "finished" song productions. I am pleased to announce that all of this has continued to improve with this album--and especially my previous malaise. I've been listening to this album almost exclusively for about a week and am enjoying the layers and subtleties I'm discovering with each and every listen. But I must issue a warning: This is NOT background music! It needs to be listened to with your fullest attention! It not only demands it, it deserves it!

     One more thing: Did I mention: these brothers can sing: each of the three is so solid and talented!

90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--one of the best releases I've heard from 2022 (so far)--and quite possibly in the running for Album of the Year. I'll let you know after more listens. Warning: This is not background music!  

P.S. Has anyone else ever noted the subtle presence of the "ghost of Petri Walli" in the VHB music?

24. ELDER Innate Passage

A late arrival in the musical year (released on November 25), this Berlin-based (originally formed in Boston, Mass.) ensemble celebrates their 15th year with only their seventh album release. 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Nicholas DiSalvo / guitar, vocals, keyboards
- Jack Donovan / bass
- Michael Risberg / guitar, keyboards
- Georg Edert / drums
With:
- Behrang Alavi / vocals (1,2)
- Fabio Cuomo / keyboards (5)

1. "Catastasis" (10:50) long-rising mid-to-low synth note is soon joined by arpeggiating guitar before full band kicks in at the very end of the first minute. At 1:30 there is an introduction of keyboard sounds that give the grungy baseline track some new life--a lighter, more interesting aspect--which is then culminated with a wild synth solo just before a quiet "reset" bridge before vocalist Nicholas DiSalvo's Kevin Moore-like voice enters to sing. Musical shift at 3:40 into heavier, MOTORPSYCHO-like motif allows Nicholas a chance to explore new styling and melody. I really like the instrumental passage in the middle of the fifth minute, just before the grungy MOTORPSYCHO section that follows. Then at 5:42 we emerge from another high-speed tunnel with Mellotrons and softly arpeggiated guitars and bass into a more uplifting, high-sky region--one in which the keys and guitars seem to support the skyward exploration of our eyes (and dreams). Wonderful! The eight minute turns quite NEKATR-like before the "choral" style multi-voice vocals enter singing a gently melodied passage. At 8:40 we then revert to some more guitar-oriented grunge music as the guitars solo over the top. At 9:44 we then return to a more melodic though still heavy motif over which a Richard Wright-like synth solos to the song's close. Very good song--and a great sounding start to this album. (18.5/20)

2. "Endless Return" (9:54) intricately performed music on a complexity level somewhere between those of MOTORPSYCHO and Jared Leach's GHOST MEDICINE. Not very engaging until the more melodic and smoothed out second half. Nice choral vocals. A tough song to rate since I didn't connect at all (except on a cerebral level) with the first half, but I loved the seventh and eighth minutes. (17.75/20)

3. "Coalescence" (9:47) I love the time the band takes to patiently establish the baseline fabric of the song--with great sound and balance of top-to-bottom dynamics--but when the CHROMA KEY-like vocals start at the four-minute mark it's quite a let down/disappointment. 'Trons, synths, and thickening guitar play build after first verse. Nice. Again, quite wonderful sound clarity and mix. The second verse offers very little improvement upon the first--except for the retention of the fuller soundscape. The two-part two-guitar interplay in the seventh and eighth minutes is nice but never really reaches the tension levels (and resolution) that one hopes for. Still, it's pretty. Return to vocals for the ninth minute before giving way to a synth solo. Sounds so 1975! Solid song that is actually quite enjoyable to listen to, just not worthy of superlatives. (18/20)

4. "Merged in Dreams - Ne Plus Ultra" (14:43) with this opening I feel as if I'm in STEVEN WILSON Hand. Cannot. Erase. territory. Dreamy synth lazily soloing over the top reminds me of California psych-pop band WEST INDIAN GIRL. Heavy guitar strumming and play burst onto the scene at 1:50, and then at 2:34 a more heavy fast-driving guitar riffing starts--over which Nicholas DiSalvo enters with a Bent Sæther-like vocal. The guitar-centric section that then ensues is very much like Jared Leach's wonderful 2016 release, Discontinuance, but then we back off into more CHROMA KEY-like sound space and vocals at the end of the sixth minute. It's very pretty, relaxing and engaging (with, again, nice multi-track vocal arrangements).  Very anti-climactic middle section seems to "end" with a silence starting at 10:10 filled only with a repeating, distant piano arpeggio until subtle synth layers and, eventually, electric guitar chord arpeggi begin to rejoin and re-populate the sonic field. Drums slowly re-introduce themselves until at 13:10 the full band rejoins to play a repeating five-chord progression to the song's close. Very nice but, once again, seems to be begging for more/different build and resolution. (26.5/30)

5. "The Purpose" (8:37) another long (three minute) and engaging intro. Nicholas' vocal enters and the music, for once, stays similar. Once again I feel a very strong CHROMA KEY throughout this song: chord progressions, pacing, synth-born atmospherics, and, of course, Nicholas' vocal sound. At the four-minute mark begins a dreamy space interlude of delicately played instruments, each playing stoccato notes while forming a beautiful weave. At 5:10 we return to the opening motif and the Kevin Moore-like vocal. Then, at the very end of the sixth minute, the guitars burst forth over the continued rhythm section tapestry, but then soon step back so that the many keyboard sounds and textures can step back into the weave. The final 70 seconds find the band reverting to the gorgeous space music of the middle interlude--to fade. (13.75/15)

Total Time 53:51

Elder's music has become more complex (and very similar to Motorpsycho …)  and intricate (… and Ghost Medicine) than previous albums but somehow less "complete": each song seems to fall short of perceived heights and dénouement of internal conflicts. Too bad cuz the production is excellent and the sound very welcoming. At the same time, I noticed how much I was enjoying the album with each successive listen--due, I think, to the fact that one becomes familiar with the music so easily.

90.0 on the Fishscales = A-/4.5 stars; a minor masterpiece of heavier progressive rock music--and definitely a step in the right direction for this band.

Special Mention:

JAMBINAI Apparition

Korea's gift to mankind released a 26-minute EP in November. Had this not been an EP it would have placed somewhere in my top ten.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Ilwoo Lee / guitars, piri, taepyeongso, saenghwang, vocals
- Bomi Kim / haegeum, vocals
- Eunyong Sim / geomungo, vocals
- Byenongkoo Yu / bass, chorus vocals
- Jaehyuk Choi / drums, chorus vocals
with:
swja (also known as sunwoojunga) vocals on 2

1. "Once More from That Frozen Bottom" (4:08) opening (and closing) with Eunyong Sim's geomungo plucking and strumming, this song travels a very sruprising arc--one that is more like a moebius strip (9.75/10)

2. "From the Place Been Erased" (5:27) pop icon swja (sunwoojunga)'s vocal makes this eerie song quite powerful. Nice (and surprising) match up with Jambinai. (9.5/10) 

3. "Until My Wings Turn to Ashes" (9:22) starting off very spaciously, with lots of use of the traditional acoustic Korean instruments, the song eventually weaves in a few more instruments (bass, saenghwang [reed mouth organ] and, later, drums. By the 5:15 mark the Post Rock slow build has made itself fully present as the haegeum and, by the end of the seventh minute, the fully drums, bass, and electric guitar let one know that this is which happens with an explosion of bass at 7:40. What's really cool, here, is how the bowed haegeum remains fully recognizable--how Bomi Kim remains focused yet also feels as if she is giving her all emotionally. I love this about this band and their music: the traditional acoustic instruments are not allowed to get drowned out by the electronic ones; their contributions are always integral and constant, if not fully foundational, to the soundscape. A perfect Post Rock song. (19.25/20)

 
4. "Candlelight in Colossal Darkness" (7:39) a live/in concert version of a previously unreleased tune. Piri and geomungo weave within still jungle of sparse bass and cymbal notes until the 3:00 mark when gently picked guitar takes the lead and the acoustic instruments become the sparse, metronomic support. Ilwoo Lee's piri comes back to take the lead in the fifth minute as the haegeum builds a little dynamic tension. Then, at 5:06, everybody ramps up to weave into a rock audio field for the big finish--which ends up sounding like your average Post Rock climax. (13/15)

Total Time 26:36

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

SON LUX Everything Everywhere All The Time (Original Soundtrack Music)

An amazing collection of music to companion an amazing, mind-blowing film. Credit to the Daniels for having the foresight to select this trio of diverse musicians and for the LA-based New Yorkers to create such "out of the box" music to match the film's "out of the box" thinking! Combing acoustic instrumentation with synthesized computer sounds and then sending them through the "shredding" process of leading-edge computer/editing techniques, the band create brilliant avant electro-pop.

Lineup / Musicians:

Ryan Lott

Ian Chang

Rafiq Bhatia

01. ‘This Is A Life’ (Extended) [ft. Mitski and David Byrne] (3:35)
02. ‘Wang Family Portrait’ (1:47)
03. ‘Very Busy’ (5:09)
04. ‘Vvvery Busy’ (2:06)
05. ‘What Are You Thinking About?’ 2:02)
06. ‘What A Fast Elevator!’ (2:44)
07. ‘Switch Shoes To The Wrong Feet’ (1:46)
08. ‘Nothing Could Possibly Matter More’ (2:22)
09. ‘A Choice’ (1:42)
10. ‘Chapstick’ (1:49)
11. ‘The Fanny Pack’ (1:49)
12. ‘Jobu Tupaki’ (2:03)
13. ‘The Alphaverse’ (1:53)
14. ‘The Mission’ [ft. Nina Moffitt] (2:20)
15. ‘Deirdre Fight’ (5:02)
16. ‘Waymond Cries’ (0:37)
17. ‘I Love You Kung Fu’ (1:46)
18. ‘My Life Without You’ [ft. André Benjamin] (1:33)
19. ‘The Story Of Jobu’ [ft. Nina Moffitt] (1:14)
20. ‘Rendezvous At The Premiere’ (1:25)
21. ‘It’s You… Juju Toobootie’ [ft. Chris Pattishall and Nina Moffitt] (1:12)
22. ‘Everything Bagel’ (2:18)
23. ‘You’re Living Your Worst You’ (2:27)
24. ‘The Boxcutter’ [ft. André Benjamin] (2:20)
25. ‘Send Every Available Jumper’ (2:42)
26. ‘Opera Fight’ [ft. Surrija and yMusic] (2:17)
27. ‘Dog Fight’ [ft. André Benjamin] (1:36)
28. ‘Drummer Fight’ (1:00)
29. ‘Plug Fight’ )2:34)
30. ‘Pinky Fight’ [ft. André Benjamin] (1:14)
31. ‘I Have Been Watching’ [ft. Rob Moose and Nina Moffitt] (1:38)
32. ‘Somewhere Out There In All That Noise’ (1:26)
33. ‘Jobu Sees All’ (2:05)
34. ‘The Temple’ (2:21)
35. ‘Evelyn Everywhere’ (3:28)
36. ‘Evelyn All At Once’ (2:29)
37. ‘This Is How I Fight’ (2:40)
38. ‘In Another Life’ (2:24)
39. ‘It All Just Goes Away’ (2:44)
40. ‘Clair de Lune’ (Pied au Piano) [ft. Chris Pattishall] (1:38)
41. ‘Come Recover’ (Empathy Fight) (7:13)
42. ‘Your Day Will Come’ (Empathy Fight) (3:05)
43. ‘Let Me Go’ (2:01)
44. ‘Specks of Time’ (2:49)
45. ‘This Is A Life’ [ft. Mitski and David Byrne] (2:41)
46. ‘Fence’ [ft. Moses Sumney] (3:35)
47. ‘Now We’re Cookin’’ [ft. Randy Newman] (2:14)
48. ‘Sucked Into A Bagel’ [ft. Stephanie Hsu] (2:30)
49. ‘I Love You’ (0:38)

Big Boi talks new solo album, "great" wave of hip-hop coming out of Atlanta, and Donald Trump

Description - NME sat down with the Outkast MC to discuss his new solo LP 'Boomiverse' (out June 16), as well as asking him about his collaboration with Maroon 5's Adam Levine.

0 seconds of 3 minutes, 52 secondsVolume 0%