GODSTICKS This Is What a Winner Looks Like
Line-up / Musicians:
- Darran Charles / guitars, vocals, keyboards
- Dan Nelson / bass
- Gavin Bushell / guitar
- Tom Price / drums
1. "If I Don't Take It All" (3:25) (8.66667/10)
2. "Eliminate and Repair" (4:52) kind of a boring song vocally but contains some great instrumental play. (8.75/10)
3. "This Is My New Normal" (3:49) the songs are getting weaker, less fresh-feeling. (8.33333/10)
4. "Devotion Made to Offend" (4:12) something a little different but still never rises above (8.75/10)
5. "Silent Saw" (3:25) Decent. Great "rap-like" third minute. (8.75/10)
6. "Throne" (4:31) the first really good djenty music is spoiled by a less-than-stellar vocal. (8.666667/10)
7. "Don't Say a Word to Me" (5:03) interesting synth opening turns old heavy metal with the joinder of the guitars. I like the style of Darran's vocal here: long sustained notes in his upper register. Weird to hear such an "old-style" guitar solo in the fourth minute. (8.75/10)
8. "Mayhem" (3:44) nice complex djent beneath Darran's vocal. Musically the most proggie song on the album, unfortunately it loses a lot from its dull/forgettable vocal. (8.66667/10)
9. "Lying" (4:01) dialing it in? There feels like zero enthusiasm behind this song--from any of the musicians! (8.33333/10)
10. "Wake Up" (5:06) a couple of interesting ideas and melodies here but once again it fails to rise above the mundane "we've heard many songs like this before." (8.666667/10)
Total Time 42:08
The music shows little fresh ideas or progression in either technical or compositional skill. As a matter of fact, I call this a real step backwards since the wonderful 2017 release, Face With Rage.
86.33333 on the Fishscales = C/three stars; fair music but not much here for the true prog lover to waste his or her time on.
Well-composed and -performed Retro Prog from Italia. The sound engineering is faulty in many places but overall it's pretty good.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Ivo Di Traglia / drums
- Pierfrancesco Di Pofi / keyboards, piano, Hammond, synth, Mellotron
- Francesco Caponera / electric guitar
- Jacopo Tuzi / bass
- Mattia Fagiolo / vocals
With:
- Peter Cornacchia / acoustic & classical guitars, mandolin
- Simone Cozzetto / electric, steel & acoustic guitars
- Andrea Ricci / electric guitar
- Vincenzo Mancini / electric guitar
- Emanuele Andolfi / electric guitar
- Pasquale Ripa / electric guitar
1. "Rise of Kassandra" (13:00) the vocalist is great when he's singing low and soft, horrible (very pitchy) when belting it out. Another guitarist who has taken up the BRIAN MAY guitar sound. Too many times I find myself doing double takes as I hear riffs that have been totally and completely lifted out of classic 1970s prog. (21.25/25)
2. "Delighted Insanity" (5:46) showing some instrumental skill, this is definitely a tighter, cleaner song than the previous rendering, it's just not very exciting or new. (Sounds a lot like Spock's Beard [over-]doing 'Classic Era' STYX.) (8.5/10)
3. "Island of Servitude" (5:11) some nice meat and sound rendering with no excitement or flair. Like eating spaghetti for the 1,234th time. (8.5/10)
4. "The Sacred Law of Retribution" (23:46) they're no Orphaned Land or Neal Morse Band, but the Christian references are not lost upon me. Most of the time on this one I find myself listening to (and enjoying) the drumming--or the chunky bass. Jesus Christ Superstar may have set the precedent but it's rarely been done as a serious entertainment very well and Ivo and company do little to change my perception of this--even with their Genesis "Firth of Fifth" homage at the end. (43/50)
Total Time 47:43
Total Time 47:43
85.52 on the Fishscales; C+/3.5 stars; a nice addition to any prog lover's music collection--especially if you're into constant direct citations from "Classic Era" prog and Classic Rock music.
TEN JINN Ardis
Pennsylvanian NeoProg band is back with an album conceptualized around Jack London's political sci-fi novel, Iron Heel.
Line-up / Musicians:
- John Strauss / lead & backing vocals, piano, keyboards
- Mark Wickliffe / drums & percussion, bass, synth, guitar, backing vocals
- Mike Matier / electric & acoustic guitars
- Matt Overholser / bass, Stick
- Matt Brown / keyboards, backing vocals
- Kenneth Francis / electric, acoustic & EBow guitars, keyboards, bass, backing vocals
With:
- Stan Whitaker / guitar solo (4)
1. "Elegy I" (1:29) computer-generated piano and strings open this with a melodic cinematic piece to set the scene. (4.25/5)
2. "Brotherhood of Man" (4:02) the musical construction, vocal talents, instrumental sound choices, and NeoProg bombast of this song are all rather simple and "borrowed," i.e. every element of this song feels old and already done. It's pretty, melodic, and proggy, to be sure, but it's just … old--sounding/feeling like the work of a regional prog cover band, not an artist who has aspirations to contribute something on an international level that might serve to progress progressive rock music. (8.4/10)
3. "Slaves of the Machine" (5:47) sounds a bit like or ICEHOUSE or SAGA with John Strauss's Michael Sadler voice. The music is solid but just there, providing nothing exceptional to distinguish itself--and the QUEEN-modeled vocals, while competently delivered, are so vanilla! Plus the aged keyboard sounds continue to grate on me. (8.5/10)
4. "Say Aye / Bishop's Vision" (6:45) Such a weird blend/phase out/phase in to two different songs. Why not just have them be separate? (12.66667/15)
5. "Elegy II" (5:49) an instrumental that shows John and his band members' true talents (despite the aged sounds coming from those keyboards) as both composers and performers (and engineers). (8.75/10)
6. "Adumbrations: Beginning of the End" (3:52) I can see why this song was released as a single: it's very poppy, reminding me quite a bit of 1974's PILOT (with the hit "Magic") or THE BAY CITY ROLLERS. (8.25/10)
7. "The Red Virgin" (7:54) again a dated, "already been done" feeling comes with every note of the first three minutes of this song--even if parts of it are blended together from multiple inspirational sources. Very nice instrumental weave in the fourth minute which, to my utter surprise (and delight) turn into a Tony Levin/King Crimson in the fifth! And then it continues on its angular, Crimsonian path--until the chorus at the very end of the sixth minute. The choral vocal melody weave and following section in the seventh minute are very likable and more original expressions. Easily my favorite three minutes of the album. (13.33333/15)
8. "Nightmare" (4:15) another instrumental, this time trying to convey in the domain of the menacing--through the use of very cinematic sounds and contrivances in order to do so. (8.66667/10)
9. "Ardis / Elegy III" (7:32) I very nice mix of excellent instrumental performances--especially from the Rick Wakeman-like keyboards, drums, and bass--but the vanilla Michael Sadler voice of John Strauss just (Or maybe it's how John's voice is engineered/effected cuz he's actually quite talented and stays on pitch incredibly well.) Plus, I have a strong aversion to the Brian May guitar sound--which is used almost exclusively in this song. (13/15)
Total Time 47:25
Overall, and continually when I listen to this album, I feel as if I'm listening to 1970s/early 1980s SAGA or even Australia's ICEHOUSE or Detroit's ART IN AMERICA. The keyboard artists, guitarists, bass/stick players, and drummers are all very skilled and talented, but the compositions often lack originality and are definitely held back by dated computer-keyboard sounds. I'll grant that the album's songwriting and musicianship is solid--and that most of it seems to gel better as the album goes on--but I just can't get past the too-familiar soundscapes and their out-dated keyboard sounds.
85.82 on the Fishscales = C+/3.5 stars; a pleasant listen of melodic SAGA-like music that might be of interest to many prog lovers. Give it a chance! You may love this!
ED ZERO Introspection / Retrospection
A Spanish (Argentine-born) artist that is new to me who has a reverential fascination with classic rock and 1970s pop sounds and forms.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Ed Zero / everything
Part 1 - Introspection (46:09)
1. "Alright It's Repeating" (5:35) sounds like second-tier hard rock from the late 1970s--early AC/DC, Golden Earring, or Head East. (8.5/10)
2. "Fragile" (5:10) Gorgeous. As if 10CC and STEVEN WILSON merged or collaborated. (9/10)
3. "Silence at Sundown" (5:03) excellent, emotional acoustic guitar work opens this one up--even when Ed turns to syncopated strumming to support his vocal track. Equally as engaging and balanced with the entry of the lush full-band instrumentation. The acoustic guitar work throughout is sublime--so perfectly conveyed and never overplayed. (8.875/10)
4. "Your Own Time" (7:44) an attempt at some prog bombast--with all the classic bells and whistles--but, alas! there is very little refreshing or exciting--except for the near-Allan Holdsworth start of the instrumental passage in the third minute. It's good but, in the end, not very refreshing. The ensuing bass and drums interplay is cool, but then the return to the opening pace reminds one of how bland and standard the foundation is--it's the solos that soar (as they should) but the three-chord rock foundation persists in weighing everything else down--plus, nothing in the realm of solos or sounds are very innovative. (12.5/15)
5. "Sailing the Vastness" (22:37) nice spacey electronica opening before turning into a CURE-meets-Angel Ontalvo Goth-Flamenco. At 2:40 flutes and vocals top the placid chorsued-guitar based Pink Floyd rock foundation. It's good though it does drag a bit. The electric guitar solo starting at 4:45 is nice. At 6:30 we move into an uptempo passage for some RUSH-like guitar and precision multi-instrumental interweaving. At the eight-minute mark we gently transition into a more quirky cabaret/theatric piano-led section reminding me a bit of PHIDEAUX--which pauses at 9:50 for a half minute before building back up for a synth-led instrumental passage before returning to the Broadway-like chorus. More soloing electric guitar throughout the 12th minute (with some nice drumming beneath) until another go at the chorus around the 13-minute mark. This is then followed by a rather stark and emotional spacious piano section over which Moog-like synth solos mournfully. The piano continues this mournful mood in the fifteenth minute until bombastic cymbal hits signal a shift into a more classic rock standard rock 4/4 motif. Ed sings forcefully in an almost Billy Joel like voice over this "Beautiful Loser" (Bob Seger) passage. At 16:45 the music shifts back to one of the previous themes for what sounds/feels like a "finish" vocal section before a very emotional electric guitar solo fills a minute between 17:30 and 18:30. A quirky staccato multi-guitar section ensues over which Ed sings in a kind of ending overture like way--as if he's summarizing the plight and fight his hero just went through. Synth solo and then a key change to help switch back to a previous motif for singing about the moral of the story. Sounds very much like SPOCK'S BEARD "The Light." (38/45)
Part 2 - Retrospection (48:00)
6. "A Whole New Beginning" (8:49) an interesting and entertaining mélange of seemingly disparate styles and moods, from heavy blues-rock to light Latin and more. (17.666667/20)
7. "Retrospection" (5:00) a very classic rock/prog-wannabe pop song (like The Atlanta Rhythm Section or mellowed out Buggles--or even Jackson Brown). Purely set up to rely on the impact of the words. (8.66667/10)
8. "Summer of Saudade" (4:56) another song that sounds and feels more like a conventional pop Indie- or techno-pop song--except mellowed out by Ed's rather smooth, Don Henley-like vocal. (8.66667/10)
9. "Imaginary World" (4:47) speaking of The Eagles, here's some acoustic guitar strumming that reminds one of BREAD or the mellower side of Bruce COCKBURN. Even when Ed's subdued voice joins in, his sensitive almost-melancholy delivery reminds me of BREAD ("Maybe I'm a Want You") or simple AMERICA. (8.3333/10)
10. "Beyond the World of Dreams" (24:28) From the opening notes here I am reminded of THE FLOWER KINGS: form and format, sounds and sound palettes, even the odd, unpredictable switches in motifs are so much like Roine Stolt's habit. The syrupy pop motif in the fifth and sixth minutes is a bit of a downshift, but then at 5:52 Ed shifts into a little more forward-moving direction with a catchy theme to help him end the schmaltz and transition into a more 1970s STYX-URIAH HEEP-like Hammond organ-led motif. The cow bell is a bit of distraction (thanks to SNL's Y2k sketch!) In the tenth minute we return to a little more prog-oriented rock with some syncopated drumming and portentous rhythm guitar play but then Ed's voice in the chorusy parts gets (too-)heavily distorted. Then there is a rather sudden and clear-cut door opening to a schmaltzy lounge piano solo to bridge us into a ominously heavy blues rock passage in the thirteenth minute. The blues guitar soloing within the left-center is pretty cool. Ed's voice joins in in the 14th minute and does well to maintain the mood until the chorus-part where all gets lost in major chord melodies that do not fit. But he chooses to return to the sinister motif for one more round before switching to an odd psuedo-Reggae rhythm after the second cheesy chorus. It's an odd (almost Genesis "A flower?"-like) until the 17-minute mark when a strummed acoustic guitar and disco rhythm section brings us back into a very Flower Kings-like passage. I haven't mentioned the lyrics which are about conquering one's (entirely unecessary) fears. They're also over-the-top trite and sappy in the way that power-of-positive-thinking aphorisms can get. At 20:24 another purely-1970s pop-derived passage over which Ed performs a decent guitar solo for over a minute. At 22:16, everything stops and the darkened stage is left with a doleful solo piano to take us out--with a very long fade out before radio-television static noises close out the song--and album. (42/50)
Total Time 94:09
1. "Alright It's Repeating" (5:35) sounds like second-tier hard rock from the late 1970s--early AC/DC, Golden Earring, or Head East. (8.5/10)
2. "Fragile" (5:10) Gorgeous. As if 10CC and STEVEN WILSON merged or collaborated. (9/10)
3. "Silence at Sundown" (5:03) excellent, emotional acoustic guitar work opens this one up--even when Ed turns to syncopated strumming to support his vocal track. Equally as engaging and balanced with the entry of the lush full-band instrumentation. The acoustic guitar work throughout is sublime--so perfectly conveyed and never overplayed. (8.875/10)
4. "Your Own Time" (7:44) an attempt at some prog bombast--with all the classic bells and whistles--but, alas! there is very little refreshing or exciting--except for the near-Allan Holdsworth start of the instrumental passage in the third minute. It's good but, in the end, not very refreshing. The ensuing bass and drums interplay is cool, but then the return to the opening pace reminds one of how bland and standard the foundation is--it's the solos that soar (as they should) but the three-chord rock foundation persists in weighing everything else down--plus, nothing in the realm of solos or sounds are very innovative. (12.5/15)
5. "Sailing the Vastness" (22:37) nice spacey electronica opening before turning into a CURE-meets-Angel Ontalvo Goth-Flamenco. At 2:40 flutes and vocals top the placid chorsued-guitar based Pink Floyd rock foundation. It's good though it does drag a bit. The electric guitar solo starting at 4:45 is nice. At 6:30 we move into an uptempo passage for some RUSH-like guitar and precision multi-instrumental interweaving. At the eight-minute mark we gently transition into a more quirky cabaret/theatric piano-led section reminding me a bit of PHIDEAUX--which pauses at 9:50 for a half minute before building back up for a synth-led instrumental passage before returning to the Broadway-like chorus. More soloing electric guitar throughout the 12th minute (with some nice drumming beneath) until another go at the chorus around the 13-minute mark. This is then followed by a rather stark and emotional spacious piano section over which Moog-like synth solos mournfully. The piano continues this mournful mood in the fifteenth minute until bombastic cymbal hits signal a shift into a more classic rock standard rock 4/4 motif. Ed sings forcefully in an almost Billy Joel like voice over this "Beautiful Loser" (Bob Seger) passage. At 16:45 the music shifts back to one of the previous themes for what sounds/feels like a "finish" vocal section before a very emotional electric guitar solo fills a minute between 17:30 and 18:30. A quirky staccato multi-guitar section ensues over which Ed sings in a kind of ending overture like way--as if he's summarizing the plight and fight his hero just went through. Synth solo and then a key change to help switch back to a previous motif for singing about the moral of the story. Sounds very much like SPOCK'S BEARD "The Light." (38/45)
Part 2 - Retrospection (48:00)
6. "A Whole New Beginning" (8:49) an interesting and entertaining mélange of seemingly disparate styles and moods, from heavy blues-rock to light Latin and more. (17.666667/20)
7. "Retrospection" (5:00) a very classic rock/prog-wannabe pop song (like The Atlanta Rhythm Section or mellowed out Buggles--or even Jackson Brown). Purely set up to rely on the impact of the words. (8.66667/10)
8. "Summer of Saudade" (4:56) another song that sounds and feels more like a conventional pop Indie- or techno-pop song--except mellowed out by Ed's rather smooth, Don Henley-like vocal. (8.66667/10)
9. "Imaginary World" (4:47) speaking of The Eagles, here's some acoustic guitar strumming that reminds one of BREAD or the mellower side of Bruce COCKBURN. Even when Ed's subdued voice joins in, his sensitive almost-melancholy delivery reminds me of BREAD ("Maybe I'm a Want You") or simple AMERICA. (8.3333/10)
10. "Beyond the World of Dreams" (24:28) From the opening notes here I am reminded of THE FLOWER KINGS: form and format, sounds and sound palettes, even the odd, unpredictable switches in motifs are so much like Roine Stolt's habit. The syrupy pop motif in the fifth and sixth minutes is a bit of a downshift, but then at 5:52 Ed shifts into a little more forward-moving direction with a catchy theme to help him end the schmaltz and transition into a more 1970s STYX-URIAH HEEP-like Hammond organ-led motif. The cow bell is a bit of distraction (thanks to SNL's Y2k sketch!) In the tenth minute we return to a little more prog-oriented rock with some syncopated drumming and portentous rhythm guitar play but then Ed's voice in the chorusy parts gets (too-)heavily distorted. Then there is a rather sudden and clear-cut door opening to a schmaltzy lounge piano solo to bridge us into a ominously heavy blues rock passage in the thirteenth minute. The blues guitar soloing within the left-center is pretty cool. Ed's voice joins in in the 14th minute and does well to maintain the mood until the chorus-part where all gets lost in major chord melodies that do not fit. But he chooses to return to the sinister motif for one more round before switching to an odd psuedo-Reggae rhythm after the second cheesy chorus. It's an odd (almost Genesis "A flower?"-like) until the 17-minute mark when a strummed acoustic guitar and disco rhythm section brings us back into a very Flower Kings-like passage. I haven't mentioned the lyrics which are about conquering one's (entirely unecessary) fears. They're also over-the-top trite and sappy in the way that power-of-positive-thinking aphorisms can get. At 20:24 another purely-1970s pop-derived passage over which Ed performs a decent guitar solo for over a minute. At 22:16, everything stops and the darkened stage is left with a doleful solo piano to take us out--with a very long fade out before radio-television static noises close out the song--and album. (42/50)
Total Time 94:09
While I admire the talent (and courage) necessary to pull together such disparate sounds and styles and sequence them into a convincingly-related flow--into one long suite--I am not as convinced of the overall songwriting skill of this artist--or of the completeness of his finished product; that is, I think the additional inputs of other collaborating artists would help provide the skill sets necessary from the instrumentalists in order to "fill" the soundscapes with more nuanced incidentals. I think there needs to be more than just Ed's ideas and renderings in order to bring these compositions to the next level. In the end, this is, to me, just nice pop- and album-oriented rock bordering on Prog Lite--which makes it arguable as to whether or not it belongs in Prog World.
85.37 on the Fishscales = C/three stars; a nice addition to any retro-rock-loving music lover's album collection. The album provides pleasant listening but there are many areas of Ed's production and skill levels that I hope to see improvement upon in the future--especially opening up to collaboration and engineering/production inputs.
ATON FIVE Aton Five
A new heavy prog band from Russia that seems quite inspired by both Rush and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra phenomenon.
- Alexander Seleznev / guitars, keyboards, voice (5)
- Anton Ablov / organ, synth, piano
- Mikhail Zenkov / bass
- Roman Makushev / drums
With:
- Matthew Borun / organ & piano solos & strings arrangement (4)
1. "Alienation" (8:32) this soulless totally familiar heavy prog-by-the-numbers doesn't sound very alien to me. (17/20)
2. "Naked Void" (8:32) competent heavy prog, performed by proficient musicians, recorded with very good sound engineering, that, unfortunately, brings nothing new to the prog lexicon that I can hear. (17.75/20)
3. "Clepsydra" (3:23) is this supposed to be a reference to the excellent Swiss prog band, a Greek water clock, or the deeper meaning, "water thief"? Nice sonic field textures and melodic weave. (8.875/10)
4. "Danse Macabre" (8:00) Ooo! Some angular metal! I like the start of this one as it feels emotion-driven and creative. Unfortunately, after the first 45 seconds it begins to sound too derivative/imitative of RUSH. Despite some impressive play from all band members, the song never quite lifts itself into the realm of anything new or ground-breaking; just solid, competently played heavy prog. (13/15)
5. "Lethe" (22:01) feels like such an incomplete, under-developed piece: the instrumental performances are replete with mistakes, the weaves are simplistic, even rudimentary--they seem underdeveloped and left to chance in a one-take type of recording scenario--which makes me think the band members either very lazy, very disorganized and uncommitted to their musical project, and/or quite pressed for studio (and/or practice) time. Don't get me wrong: there are some nice ideas here, some nice solos, and great sound, but everything just sounds so ... soulless. (37/45)
Total Time 50:28
An album that I found impressive for its sound and competent musicianship but also found sorely lacking in creativity.
85.11 on the Fishscales = C/three stars; a collection of good heavy prog songs that deserves independent attention from the individual prog lover.
DREAM THE ELECTRIC SLEEP American Mystic
Line-up / Musicians:
- Matt Page / lead vocals, guitar, keyboard
- Chris Tackett / bass, keyboard, backing vocals
- Joey Waters / drums, backing vocals
1. "And the Buried Rise" (0:43) a brief choir album intro turns heavy halfway through. (4.333/5)
2. "Beyond Repair" (5:21) full on U2-
(/10)
3. "Forged in the Furnace" (3:32) (/10)
4. "After the Fallout" (6:02) (/10)
5. "The Lessons They Bring" (9:21) (/20)
6. "American Mystic" (4:04) (/10)
7. "Steal the Love" (6:42) (/10)
8. "Love Letters" (4:21) (/10)
9. "Lay Down the Cross" (6:02) (/10)
Total Time 46:08
2. "Beyond Repair" (5:21) full on U2-
(/10)
3. "Forged in the Furnace" (3:32) (/10)
4. "After the Fallout" (6:02) (/10)
5. "The Lessons They Bring" (9:21) (/20)
6. "American Mystic" (4:04) (/10)
7. "Steal the Love" (6:42) (/10)
8. "Love Letters" (4:21) (/10)
9. "Lay Down the Cross" (6:02) (/10)
Total Time 46:08
There is an "old" classic era sound and feel to this--kind of as if 1980s U2 and DEF LEPPARD or BON JOVI had united and tried to perform a live concert of original compositions together. The music is okay--it's interesting and refreshing despite its retro sound--but once again I am left feeling as if I'm "on the outside looking in" for the importance of the lyrics/verbal messages of these songs. My apologies to the band for my disability, but, then, here I am. I am an authentic audience member.
on the Fishscales = C/three stars;
RYUICHI SAKAMOTO 12 (2023)
Published in January of the year that the Maestro died, this was Ryuichi's last album.
1. "20210310" (6:54) (/15)
2. "20211130" (5:23) (/10)
3. "20211201" (5:33) (/10)
4. "20220123" (8:41) (/20)
5. "20220202" (6:23) (/10)
6. "20220207" (7:02) (/15)
7. "20220214" (9:10) (/20)
8. "20220302 - sarabande" (3:11) (/10)
9. "20220302" (2:53) (/10)
10. "20220307" (2:32) (/5)
11. "20220404" (2:27) (/5)
12. "20220304" (1:09) (/5)
A big disappointment to me as the music here sounds to me like weaker, under-developed/unpolished attempts to replicate Harold Budd and Brian Eno's work from 1980's Ambient 2: Plateaux of Mirror.
MOON SAFARI Himlabacken Vol. 2
Only the popular Swedish band's fifth studio album release since 2004.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Petter Sandström / lead & backing vocals, acoustic guitar
- Simon Åkesson / lead & backing vocals, piano, organ, Moog
- Pontus Åkesson / lead & backing vocals, electric & acoustic guitars
- Sebastian Åkesson / backing vocals, assorted keyboards, percussion
- Johan Westerlund / lead & backing vocals, bass
- Mikael Israelsson / drums & percussion, backing vocals
With:
- Jamison Smeltz / saxophone (8)
1. "198X (Heaven Hill)" (3:55) (/10)
2. "Between the Devil and Me" (10:38) (/20)
3. "Emma, Come On" (3:19) (/10)
4. "A Lifetime to Learn How to Love" (8:28) (/20)
5. "Beyond the Blue" (2:12) (/5)
6. "Blood Moon" (5:44) (/10)
7. "Teen Angel Meets the Apocalypse" (21:04) (/40)
8. "Forever, for You" (10:09) (/20)
9. "Epilog" (3:22) (/10)
Total Time 68:51
With each and every attempt to listen to this album I find myself so repelled by the overly familiar, overly saccharine, overly non-progressive foundational aspects of the music (every song!) that I have to abort. I try again and the same response. The thought of having to listen to 70 minutes of this drivel leaves me depressed and angry: "How will I be able to reclaim my wasted time?" And this is even before trying to pull together words for a respectable review. In the end I have decided that I cannot do it; I am not willing to subject myself to the abuse. The rating and 100 words of contempt will have to suffice. To summarize: This is Moon Safari sounding exactly like Moon Safari: stuck inside some kind of time and dimensional warp in which they think this is best product that they can produce. Sorry to disagree. They are very respectable musicians, but their music feels to me like that of the Beach Boys and I've never liked/enjoyed the Beach Boys; I respect them, but I listening to their music is an unnecessary and unwanted exercise in exposure therapy.
on the Fishscales = C/three stars;
ROZ VITALIS Quia Nesciunt Quid Faciunt
Line-up / Musicians:
- Ruslan Kirillov / bass guitar except [8], [9]
- Vladislav Korotkikh / low whistle [2], [4], flutes
- Ivan Rozmainsky / harpsichord, grand piano [4], synths except [3], [10], metallophone [6], conception
- Vladimir Semenov / Tyan-Shansky / acoustic and electric guitars
- Evgeny Trefilov / drums, synth piano [3], [10], other keyboards, mixing, mastering, production
with thanks to:
- Alexey Gorshkov / trumpets
- Serghei Liubcenco / guitars [8], [9], rubab [8], doira [8]
- Igor Luniov / ukulele [8], [9], slide guitar [9]
- Max Lokosov / bass guitar [8], [9]
- Leonid Perevalov / clarinet [8], bass clarinet [9]
1. "Bait of Success" (5:55) the opening motif was so cheezy and hokey that I nearly skipped the song. The slowed down middle section is somewhat better but sometimes I really think a group of teenagers could play, record, and engineer the music on these Roz Vitalis albums to a better end form than Ivan publishes them in. (8.3333/10)
2. "Daybreaking" (6:29) a saccharinely beautiful opening turns two chord rock at the end of the second minute before collapsing into some kind of multi-continental mish-mash in the third. (8.5/10)
3. "Fountain" (1:28) solo piano played delicately with feeling and poignancy. Probably the best song on the album. (4.25/5)
4. "Se Camminiamo Nella Luce" (LP Version) (5:49) a song that plods when it feels that the band should be able to easily step up at least double time (and when they do, what was the purpose of those first three minutes: respect for the dead?!) The bass is mixed so incongruously with the rest of the band. The Mike. Oldfield organ is my favorite (next to Vlad Korotkikh's trumpet play, of course). (8.375/10)
5. "Premonition" (9:07) Was Ivan/the band in so much of a hurry to publish an album before the end of the year that they never tested these songs on anybody before they pushed "go"? It's an engineering mess! The weave of separate and innocuous melodies emanating from multiple in the fifth and sixth minutes is so messy and contradictory. The song should be called "Tower of Babel." (16.75/20)
6. "Walking" (5:19) bluesy R&B/jazz? Why not: Ivan's tried it before. 1970s Bob James with Eric Gale on guitar, Hubert Laws on flute, and Ruslan Kirillov on distorted, mushy bass. Bob can't resist, of course, to show off his chops on his newest instrumental purchase: a harpsichord. Then the band jumps back on board to … who? what? Who's the leader here? (8.5/10)
7. "Wides" (6:24) an attempt at some cinematic music in which the inability of the individual band members to stay in sync with one another is intentional (to evoke the sense of tension and disharmony on the movie screen). Unbelievable! Are they even in the same universe? This is a song that my brothers (and daughters) and I could pick and play infinitely better than this crew! (Not that we'd want to, though.) Maybe there is a limit to how much ethanol a Russian can imbibe while still maintaining functionality.(6.5/10)
8. "The Man Whose Wings Were Cut Off" (LP Version) (7:48) Now here's something that is syncopated and yet everyone seems capable of staying together with. There must have been magic in the vodka during this recording session. Around the four minute mark I start to hear the VESPERO influence. Not quite as tight or smooth as their country mates, but a fairly decent product. (12.75/15)
9. "Beautifulness" (LP Version) (4:06) an odd mish-mash that sounds as if it could be a soundtrack to a Russian puppetry performance. I hear some skill in both the composition and performances but, once again, it just feels unfinished/unplished. (8.666667/10)
10. "Nocturne" (1:23) solo piano piece to wrap things up. Too bad they couldn't find a real piano anywhere. Guess the computerized one had to do. (Expedience, mates!) (4/5)
Total Time 53:48
Ivan and company obviously have skills--and I understand Ivan's desire and inclination to display his versions of blending world styles and sounds, but I don't know who his test audience members are because, in my opinion, his blends only work about one in five times; the rest of the times are awkward, sometimes conflicting or contradictory, and never mixed into a "polished" version. It is SO FRUSTRATING because I know these guys have talent and I like a lot of Ivan's ideas, they just rarely feel fully worked out much less finished. Alexey Gorshkov is the album's only saving grace for me. And, occasionally, Vlad Korotkikh's flute.
Were I a professional musician with any sense of pride whatsoever, I would never have published these songs in the states of partial-completion that they're in. It is, to my mind, disgraceful.
83..93 on the. Fishscales = C-/three stars; the worst album rating I've had to hand out in over a decade! It's so flawed and unpolished but, okay, listen to it for yourselves if you must!
JAVIER MIRANDA Departures
Though this is Javier's fifth studio album release, this is only my second encounter with a Javier Miranda product. Based on my favorable review and impression of one of his previous albums, 2021's Strange Imperfection and the raving reviews this album is currently receiving, I've decided to give it a listen.
Line-up / Musicians:
- Javier Miranda / all music, keyboards, synths, programming
1. "Everything" (11:03) a repeat loop of two quick-arpeggiated chords from a piano over which various strange, unsettling 21st Century almost-industrial sounds are mixed, all the while the original piano loop is slowly fading into the background is not quite enough, in my humble opinion, to warrant a whole eleven minute song; perhaps as an exploration, but not for publication and a demand of consumer compensation. (15/20)
2. "In Transit" (9:00) another two-chord repetition ad infinitum. There is a mood, an emotional provocation going on here, I'm just not sure what it is (supposed to be). (16.75/20)
3. "The Descent" (11:04) another (basically) two-chord keyboard repetition over which some post-apocalyptic horror sounds are woven cannot assuage my frustration and disappointment. (17/20)
4. "Resurrection" (13:07) are the dissonant oscillations of a flange effects box really what Javier thinks the "in-between"/Bar-Do sounds/feels like? Then bring into the mix the fact that he uses the sound of some preset rhythm track from a cheesy Casiotone-like drum machine to represent the gradual rise of the resurrecting being is comical, even farcical! I do appreciate, however, the gradual and variable speeds Javier uses to represent the dys- (or a-)temporal "processs" that resurrection might require. (21.5/25)
Total Time 44:14
Total Time 44:14
I'm disappointed with Javier's regression. A pre-occupation with two-chord baseline formats is not enough without further threads in the weave, without ample development over the top.
82.65 on the Fishscales = C/three stars; a rather disappointing and unsatisfying offering to the lexicon of Progressive Electronic music. Unfortunately, it is my opinion that the four songs here are not representative of anything of long-lasting interest to the music world.
SOURCECODEX When Time Is But a Dim Memory . . .
Space ambient music of the Vangelis kind.
1. "Obsidian Tower in the Jungle" (11:23)
2. "Unseen Things at the Edge of the Universe" (12:18)
3. "Ancient Universe Echoes" (14:33)
4. "Unknown Stars" (7:55)
5. "When Time is but a Dim Memory … " (14:43)
6. "Cryosleep Fever Dream" (9:01)
Total time:
Despite lacking any kind of rhythm programming or instrumentation (even sequencers), this is some very nice, evocative music--especially for creativity or meditation.
on the Fishscales = C/three stars;
POH HOCK Gallimaufry
Though only a 20-minute EP, Poh Hock's music is from the school of Berklee School of Music's NATIVE CONSTRUCT (2015's minor masterpiece Quiet World) with his latest set of compositions blending cinematic big band and pop with jagged metal sounds and constructs in the same way that his predecessor had done. (Quiet World's vocalist, Robert Edens, even makes an appearance here as vocalist and production assistant on "Fragile Space.")
Lineup / Musicians:
- Poh Hock (Guitars and other instruments, composition, arrangements, and production) - Zak Baskin (Bass)- Joey Ferretti (Drums and Percussion)
With:
- Noah Calvaresi (Tenor and Alto Sax on "foreword.")
- Josh Faia (Trumpets on "foreword.")
- CHYLD (Sound Design on "Another One Of Those Times")
- Debo Ray (Vocals on "Another One of Those Times")
- Shilpa Satish (Vocals on "I Don't")
- Robert Edens (Vocals, Lyrics, Synth and Additional Production on "Fragile Space")
- Jenntheredman (Keys on "L.A.S")
- Debo Ray (Vocals on "Another One of Those Times")
- Shilpa Satish (Vocals on "I Don't")
- Robert Edens (Vocals, Lyrics, Synth and Additional Production on "Fragile Space")
- Jenntheredman (Keys on "L.A.S")
1. "forword." (0:58) (/5)
2. "Another One of Those Times" (featuring – Debo Ray) (3:32) (/10)
3. "I Don't" (3:38) (/10)
4. "Fragile Space" (featuring – Robert Edens) (4:15) (/10)
5. "L.A.S" (7:38) (/15)
2. "Another One of Those Times" (featuring – Debo Ray) (3:32) (/10)
3. "I Don't" (3:38) (/10)
4. "Fragile Space" (featuring – Robert Edens) (4:15) (/10)
5. "L.A.S" (7:38) (/15)
A 2023 release that deserves some attention for its compositional prowess as well as for its theatric prog metal sound and stylings.
on the Fishscales = C/three stars;
CONFUSION FIELD Atom Child
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