2025 Releases, Part 3: Other Highly Recommended Albums

  More progressive rock album releases from 2025. These are albums that are well worth your investment of time while not, in my opinion, belonging in the masterpiece discussion. Some of these releases were interesting enough to inspire me to write reviews, some only earned song ratings, many are included because they've been listened to, judged "worthy" of serving notice, but just couldn't get me excited or engaged enough to warrant the effort of a full review. I apologize. But, as I said, I chose to include them because I deem them interesting enough for you, my readers, to know about them and know that I recommend that you might listen to them yourselves in order to form your own opinions. Lord knows I am well aware that there are as many different musical preferences as there are humans; I do think that I know music that might interest others.

(albums earning ratings scores between 88.99 and 87.50)

IMAGINAERIUM Siege

The second Imaginaerium studio offering from prog veteran Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena, Shadowland) and former Swedish Soul/R&B singer Laura Piazzai. The music is quite theatric--sometimes cinematic--and always impeccibly-engineered--and never as shlocky or over-the-top bombastic as it could have been--as the corny (almost embarrassing) videos would make them seem.

Line-up / Musicians:

- Clive Nolan / vocals (7, 10), keyboards, drum recording, lead vocals (8), backing vocals (1, 3), piano (CD2-1, 8), composition, lyrics, arrangements

- Laura Piazzai / lead & backing vocals

With:

- Mirko Sangrigoli / drums, guitars (1, 3), rhythm guitar (6), acoustic guitar (7)

- Luis Nasser / bass

- Simone Milliava / guitars (2, 5, 8, 10), acoustic guitar (1, 7)

- Soheila Clifford / voices (1)

- Caron Morgan / voices (1)

- Ethan Barnett / voices (1)

- Ryan Morgan / voices (1)

- Clive Nolan / voices (1)

1. "Cry Boudica" (7:54) solid NeoProg with a very-theatric female vocal power ballad from singer Laura Piazzai. It's all well and good though there's nothing very new or exciting here until end of the sixth minute when guitarist Mirko Sangrigoli drops an excellent display of 1980s classic rock shredding. The first of a collection of songs that seem to be trying rouse the ancient battle cries residing within each of us survivors of the first millenium of the current Common Era. (13.125/15)

2. "The Final Redoubt" (4:05) just a touch too much melodrama in Laura's vocal performance over the verses, yet it serves the choruses well (the best parts of the song). (9/10)

3. "Footprints" (5:50) a four-chords-over-eight-measures foundation over which Laura (later backed by Clive and herself) gives us a "We Built This City"-like Grace Slick performance. Solid drumming and electric guitar work from Mirko Sangrigoli. Great if you're into the heavier side of Classic Rock's iconic songs. (9/10)

4. "All There Is to See" (3:15) "cello" and piano support the near-operatic/theatric voice of Laura Piazzai. The song sounds quite like something from (or belonging to) a West End or Broadway stage musical. Not unlike something Sarah Brightman or Ethel Merman would've been in. That's it! No idea what she's singing about or why the song requires this kind of power and emotion (other than to try to reach the audience members at the deepest recesses of the theater). (8.875/10)

5. "When My Eyes Are Closed" (6:29) nice surround sound spherical imagery from the engineering room. Piano and Laura in what sounds as if it could turn into one of those classic pseudo-opera arias from Sarah Brightman from a more-modern Andrew Llyod-Weber--though Laura's voice here sounds much more like  ALANNAH MYLES or Dutch band Scarlet Stories' lead singer, Lisette Van Den Berg. It's either Lloyd-Weber or 1980s popular hair band classic rock. (8.875/10)

6. "To the Victor Go the Spoils" (6:46) opens as if the band is trying to create an eerie, late-night horror/creep-show soundtrack--like Nina Hagen from "Auf'm Friedhof" from her debut album before she screams out "Kleiner Vampi". At the very end of the first minute there is a transition into much more bombastic, theatric music, which lasts a minute as Laura vocalese's Nina style before the music again drops down--this time into something more reflective of some Spanish stylings. Castanets, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA-like passage takes root in the fourth minute before giving way to another solo Spanish guitar bridge into something more mysterious. This is so cinematic! It must be built around some film or video idea with so many shifts and transitions occurring about every 20-seconds. I like it despite its rather cliché TSO bombast in the more dynamic high points and its Sergio Leone/Ennio Morricone Spaghetti Western finale. (13.5/15)

7. "Never Burn the Cakes" (4:06) this one could've been laying around on a shelf collecting dust since the 1960s! It sure sounds like it! So this is what 1960s Prog Folk would have sounded like were it to have had the production techniques & technology available in the 21st Century! Not bad but nothing ground-breaking or Earth-shattering here. (8.70/10)

8. "The Last Arrow" (5:44) Clive takes a turn at the lead vocal with his gnarly, ancient voice--here supported by an anachronistic-sounding guitar before the rest of the band (and elaborate synth strings) join in. The force and power being conveyed screams out "Viking anthem!" if anything. The lyric is just too much like a adrenaline-and-vengeance-rousing battle dirge. (8.75/10)

9. "Deep" (3:07) back to the softer side of the Lloyd-Weber rock opera: an "orchestra"-supported heart-strings-pulling ballad from Laura. Well done--and goal met (pulling my heart-strings quite professionally)--but what of it? It feels as if it needs more contextual significance (as if it were really a part of a rock opera/stage musical). (9/10)

10. "Blood Moon" (5:17) Clive's old didgeridoo-like voice sounds as much like an old sea captain's as a rum-running pirate--which is probably a desirable feature considering the subject matter of this song. When it opens I find myself almost laughing but, quite surprisingly, as he and Laura work their way through this sea shanty with only drone and toms it wins the listener over--convinces me of its sincerity. The hard pagan rock fourth minute (and beyond), however, causes me to lose some of the respect gained. (How many sea shanties turn into heavy metal extravaganzas?) Nice guitar shredding from Simone Milliava (but is it wasted?) (8.875/10)

Total Time 52:33

If you watch Clive and Laura's videos I don't think you'll be able to help getting a bit creeped out by them. The music, lyrics, and production are all too schlocky and near-amateuristic for me. The metal tag given to the band is deserved only for Laura's melodramatic vocal performances, the music too often rests back in pretentious spaciousness the seems to promise big kinetic outbursts but, then, often fail to deliver (or fail to deliver up to the rest of the song's latent promise). This is melodrama with some bombast. I understand that much of what made classic prog great was the dramatic flare of the storytellers that were drawing from the traditions of the world's great epics, sagas, myths, tales, legends, that come out of humanity's deep questions, mysteries, superstitions, and archetypes--and for those who still feed off of this, you may love this album--but, for my own personal tastes and interests, I would recommend going to the "classics"--in literature, music, and other arts--before choosing this for your entertainment.   

88.82 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent collection of theatric/cinematic calls to arms/revenge. This feels like a fairly novel use of the progressive/classical rock power ballad expression--like cries from the dead (the long dead). I'm not certain of the artist's intentions with delivery of these ancient history-inspired lyrics and calls to action, but I'm sure there are plenty of prog lovers who will love both the music and the adrenaline-rousing performances.  

LARS FREDIK FRØISLIE Gamle Mester

Line-up / Musicians:

- Lars Fredrik Frøislie / Ludwig drums, Paiste cymbals, vocals, Hammond C3 with Leslie 147, Mellotron M400, Minimoog Model D, Chamberlin M-1, Hohner Clavinet D6, Yamaha CP70B, William de Blaise spinet, Arp Pro Soloist, Arp Axxe, Solina String Ensemble, Tremoloa, Rhodes mkII, Wurlitzer 200, recorder; composition, lyrics, production, mixing and cover design

With:

- Nikolai Hængsle / bass guitars (Rickenbacker 4003, Fender Precision Bass, Fender Jazz Bass, Fender Telecaster Bass)

- Ketil Einarsen / flute, recorder

1. "Demring" (5:01) an instrumental with a keyboard-centric YES-like sound palette used to construct a piece that could pass for a Wakeman-like piece that is informed by pre-20th Century classical music traditions as well as, I'm sure, some Norse folk melodies (and cheerful spirit). (I have to admit that the song's opening had me expecting a lead into something more like BOSTON's "Foreplay.") The delicate parts are my favorite despite the use of "dated" 90s electric "acoustic" piano sounds--I like the infusion of the John Tout-like Russian feel here. (9/10)

2. "Jakten På Det Kalydonske Villsvin" (10:09) a cool "little" epic that seems to bridge some of the sound produced by SEVEN IMPALE, IVAR BJØRNSON & EINAR SELVIK's Viking Prog Folk (2018's Hugsjá), and WOBBLER while presenting something that feels as if it was some relic from the 1970s that was just discovered in an old trunk hidden in a Norwegian country farmhouse. Unfortunately, this song does little to draw me in, hold my attention, or wow me: Lars' vocals and melody lines chosen for his vocals are a bit too foreign (or just plain drab and monotonous) to the way my little American brain has been conditioned. (17.5/20)

3. "Gamle Mester" (7:17) in terms of the flow of this album, this song feels immediately as if it is a more dynamic continuation of the previous song. As one lets oneself get immersed, it begins to feel and sounds like a song that was inspired by FOCUS' "Hamburger Concerto"; as masterful--and, I don't doubt, original--as this piece is I never stop hearing the Focus song at any time in Lars' song (okay, maybe for a bit during that seventh minute)--which, I have to admit, does, unfortunately, distract me. (13.375/15)

4. "Medusas Flåte" (9:08) injecting a little more guitar rock (and BLUE ÖYSTER CULT/FALCO/ SIMPLE MINDS sounds and melodies) into his mixes (despite still being generated by keyboards) sounds like it might be a good idea, but it is the more "natural" (or, perhaps more accurately, "familiar") keyboard sounds and tracks that attract my attention (despite their being "familiar" due to their presence/prevalence in the "classic" symphonic prog music created back in the 1970s). I like the prominent organ work in the song's third quarter. (17.75/20)

5. "De Tre Gratier" (12:27) harpsichord opening certainly propels one back a few centuries. But then full prog palette bursts forth at 1:00 to present a conglomeration of multifarious layers for the next three dynamic minutes before devolving back into a harpsichord piece over which Lars lends his gentle vocalese before a synth enters to solo like a wood nymph. At the end of the eighth minute the more bombastic motif returns with Ketil Einarsen adding his wonderful woodland flute prominently to the mix, becoming the lead and co-lead during the tenth and eleventh minutes, respectively (as I hear in my head the high-reaching voice of Andreas Wettergreen singing like he did on Wobbler's wonderful Rites at Dawn LP from 2011--which is still my favorite album from that band). At 9:20 Ketil and Lars transition into a slower pastoral motif as a bridge to the song's final motifs: first pounding militaristic rhythm then the more JETHRO TULL-like Bluesy Prog Folk stop-and-go motif--both of which Ketil continues to lead over the rest of the layers--until the final 90 seconds when Lars merges several of the previous motifs into a multi-layer weave until the delicate little dénouement of the final 10 seconds. It's empirically quite a nice composition--perfect as an example of the "prog epic" format--with lots of twists, turns, stops, rocket launches, layers and well-harmonized weaves; it just fails to win me over--fails to get my adrenaline pumping or heartstrings pulled. (22.125/25)

6. "Skumring" (3:13) solo voce of that "dated" 90s electric "acoustic" piano. Maybe Mussorgsky would've used the same equipment if he were a product of the 21st Century! The the piano is the star, I really do like the way Lars uses the timpani, cymbals and Mellotron. (9/10)

Total Time 47:15

I feel as if I'm sitting on a fence with regards to how I feel about this album. Despite well-conceived broad-scale keyboard-oriented compositions, I have to admit that retro/"classic era" imitative music like this finds itself falling on numb ears: I just don't enjoy it (anymore); it rarely feels fresh to me. While I respect Lars' careful and insightful homage to the pillars of the Ancients, it's just not where my interests or preferences lie. At the same time, I do find myself quite entertained by Lars' keyboard work--especially his performances on the various organs--and especially in the thinner, more folk/pastoral passages.

As I stated in my review of Lars' previous solo album, 2023's Fire Fortellinger: despite Lars' obvious overflow of talent, I do think he would benefit from more inputs from other collaborators (besides the wonderful Ketil Einarsen and bass wizard Nikolai Hængsle)--(especially a drummer)--if only for a broadening spectrum of ideas (and sounds). (Perhaps he's been publishing these solo albums due to his former band [Wobbler]'s sluggish output since 2020. Perhaps they've even disbanded?)  

88.75 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a masterful conveyance of expertly-conceived "retro prog" that, for whatever reason, fails to draw me in emotionally. While I applaud the music from an intellectual perspective, that isn't always enough for me.

 

LET SEE THIN Machine Called Life

A band of veteran Polish musicians return with their second prog album under the Let See Thin moniker--their first since the Pandemic.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Łukasz Woszczyński / vocals
- Przemek Kaźmierski / drums, percussion
- Michał Dziomdziora / bass
- Paweł Wężyk / keys
- Maciej Włodarczyk / guitars

1. "Story of My Life" (5:33) 1980s Roxy Music or early Simple Minds meets Steven Wilson. Great sound palette with an awesomely relentless rhythm track. (8.875/10)

2. "Divisions" (6:37) a pleasant enough start only gets better at 3:30 when the band pauses, slowly resets, and then slowly, deliberately builds a more satisfying motif--one that captures that same compelling relentlessness that the previous song benefitted from. Nice. (8.875/10)

3. "Sleeping on a Cloud" (6:46) a decent enough sound palette (which again reminds me of a 21st Century rendering of a Sparkle in the Rain-era Simple Minds song) just fails to deliver any hooks much less knock-out punches. (If the lyrics are the most important part of your offering here, I apologize for my obtuseness. (13.125/15)

4. "How" (4:50) more great modernized Simple Minds sounds, chords, and structures given enough 21st Century special effects and other tricks to make this song a rather enjoyable and even somewhat refreshing journey. Łukasz' voice is buried just perfectly within the thick walls of sound to make it palatable--the distracting effect of his accented pronunciation of the English notice hardly noticeable. Plus, they give the instrumental elements more attention (and volume) including an awesome heavily-reverbed piano beneath and in-between it all. (9/10)

5. "Would it Be?" (5:59) there's something about this song--it's heavy, modern Flock Of Seagulls sound palette, perhaps--that makes this song more engaging, interesting, and winning for me. The only weak part, in my opinion, is in the brief guitar solo in the middle of the fifth minute (the sound feels weak and ineffective in proportion to the power of the rest of the sonic field). I like the 'whisper-rap" thereafter and then the finale. I like the deep throb of the thick bass. (Is it doubled up by a synth--or MIDI-ed through a computer/synth to give it this sound?) The presence of the piano helps, as well. (9/10)

6. "Treadmill" (5:29) yet another song that feels as if it is rooted in the sounds and stylings of the 1980s techo/New Wave era of music but has been updated with heavy bass, heavy guitar semi-power chords, more broadly-amplified low-end of the drums, and a few more sound and engineering tricks and choices.  The synths, however, are derived straight from sounds that emerged with the New Wave era. Again, the piano play helps a lot. Also the "bigger than life" drums--and great melodies (softer vocal delivery). (9.125/10)

7. "Sailors" (5:13) this updated 1980s tune doesn't quite make it all the way out of the 20th Century: too much Mark Hollis-like isolated piano chords and choppy-dance-like rhythmic features and a-Ha-like vocals (in the chorus)--more than a deep thrumming bass, hard-rock drums, and searing rock guitar can disguise. It's not bad; I was just hoping for more--like the last three. (8.75/10)

8. "Strange Neighbourhood" (3:51) with a spacious sonic field like this one Łukasz accented English pronunciation becomes a distraction for me. For me, this is similar in effect to when a choice of sound for a synth or electric guitar feels totally incongruous (or incompatible) with the rest of the instrumental sound palette. The song passes by and all I've been able to focus on is Łukasz' accent. (8.6667/10)

Total Time 44:18

Very solid, compelling music that is incredibly well-produced that suffers a bit from Łukasz Woszczyński accented English vocals. No disrespect intended, Łukasz: since my brain does not process spoken/sung words or lyrics (in any language) I just would have been happier to have heard you singing in your native tongue. Also, I have to beg difference of opinion with those who would assign this album to the NeoProg sub-genre: I see/hear more heavy prog, which, as we know, is more typical of the popular music produced in this 21st Century from a number of Polish artists (many of whom have also been designated with the NeoProg label 

88.73 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent, eminently enjoyable album of interesting heavy progressive rock music. Check it out for yourselves: you may find yourself loving this. There's definitely consistently great atmosphere and mood here. 

MOGWAI The Bad Fire

The Glaswegians are back with their 11th studio album release. Despite one reviewer's claim that this was a greatest hits album, I have confirmed that it is, in fact, not. Like Steven Wilson, they just draw a lot from their past sounds and styles as well as a lot of history from the music of their childhoods growing up in the UK.  

Line-up / Musicians:
- Stuart Braithwaite / guitar, vocals
- Barry Burns / guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals
- Dominic Aitchison / bass
- Martin Bulloch / drums

1. "God Gets You Back" (6:40) quite a nice song that has a nice little cinematic opening before turning into something that takes us back to about 1990 when bands like Toad The Wet Sprocket, Trashcan Sinatras, The Pale Saints, Lush, Ride, Slowdive, and The Kitchens of Distinction were having their heyday. I can see why many listeners are extolling this as one of their favorite songs from the past year. It is definitely one of my favorites from this (quite unusual) album. (9/10)

2. "Hi Chaos" (5:24) sounds like good ole fashioned Post Rock with a rock construct (ABABCAB) instead of slow-build, cresecendo, dénouement. (8.75/10)

3. "What Kind of Mix is This?" (4:11) an interesting mix of individual instrument sounds that is squeezed into one more ABABCAB construct. (8.75/10)

4. "Fanzine Made Of Flesh" (4:34) some 1980s New Wave in this one makes it sound like late-1970s fledgling New Wave. Pre-New Order New Order (no: not Joy Division; Cure-ish New Order--or perhaps OMD, Modern English, or Echo & The Bunnymen). Kind of cool if this were 1979. (8.875/10)

5. "Pale Vegan Hip Pain" (4:24) this one sounds like classic early 2000s Post Rock from the likes of Mono or Red Sparowes. Decent but rather simple and unsophisticated. (8.75/10)

6. "If You Find this World Bad, You Should See Some of the Others" (7:22) and I thought the previous song was simple and unsophisticated--sounded like early MONO! Little did I know that this was coming next! Really great build up and brain-annihilating crescendo. (Those crashing cymbals are among the loudest I've ever heard.) The long aftermath is a little unusual: a bit like walking around the streets of Hiroshima a year after the bomb. (13.375/15)

7. "18 Volcanoes" (6:18) vocals! And they're pleasant, melodic, and even dream-poppy! Again: not what one might expect from a Post Rock band--more like something from RIDE,  SLOWDIVE, or even The Pale Saints. The weird guitar (or synth?) sounds are cool. A top three song for me. (8.875/10)

8. "Hammer Room" (5:16) interchangeable piano and guitar arpeggi are interwoven giving this the feel of something light and upbeat from NORTH SEA RADIO ORCHESTRA or a collaboration between 1970s Brian Eno and early XTC. Or DIF JUZ! Another top three song. (8.875/10)

9. "Lion Rumpus" (3:33) more New Age sounds and melodies driving this one despite the weird industrial screeches and gratings renting the sonic fabric in the second half. (8.75/10)

10. "Fact Boy" (7:02) floaty cutesie stuff meandering around the sonic field while a Crimsoninan Gamelan-like mathematical weave propels the cart along the ribbon of undulating highway. Nice but not enough to make me want to come back. (13.25/15)

Total Time 54:44

While I do love Mogwai's contributions to film and television soundtracks, I do not find the music of this album particularly compelling, innovative, cinematic, or impressive. It's just simpler, more accessible, more melodic, instrumental Post Rock music. A little too down and depressing for me and my tastes--and too diluted and simplistic.

88.41 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; a nice addition of nostalgic New-Wave-oriented Post Rock but by no means a step forward for the sub-genre. 

EKZILO Quantum Phase Transition

Releasing their only other album to some acclaim in 2020, five years later the Spanish band has had time to grow around Jose Ruiz's wonderful guitar skills into something that is garnering quite a lot of attention.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Paula Rodríguez / keyboards, vocals
- Jose Ruiz / electric & flamenco guitars
- Angel Veas / bass
- Abelix Tudela / drums

1. "Patibulum" (9:10) AISLES or LAZULI-like sophisticated and idiosyncratic smooth prog in which the band tries to "sneak" in some death metal growl passages. (17.5/20)

2. "La fábrica de barro" (6:25) Now this is more like it: the Latin/Spanish roots can really be felt in this one (as well as some Texas Southern Rock ALLMAN BROTHERS style). The use of cheesy synth-keyboard sound and some questionable effects on the other instruments almost ruins the vibe for me, but I cannot deny this as great music. A top three song, for sure. (9/10)

3. "Dunas" (9:09) a had a feeling that there was more hybridized Mexican-1980s New Wave in store for me on this album, and here it is. There are some interesting riffs and motifs off-balanced by an equal number of cheezy-simple elements. This continuous theme leads me to beleive that this band is only an album or two away from an absolute stunner: something that will make them a name to remember in modern progressive rock music. Overall, this song felt like I was caught in a perpetually repeating time loop of music inspired by STYX's Grand Illusion. (17.5/20)

4. "Brujería" (9:13) a mix of some proficient guitar-centric Classic Rock like SANTA ESMERALDA  or GHOST MEDICINE and CHROMA KEY. The solo acoustic guitar section in the seventh through ninth minutes is most excellent--and welcomed--finishing with the perfect acoustic whole band ending. Definitely my favorite song on the album. (18/20)

5. "Evolution" (18:50) a very odd collection of sounds, themes, and styles that feels poorly engineered and rather haphazardly constructed. Again, there is the rather unusual attempt to force some death metal growls into the crossover-symphonic music created and developed as the main stylistic palette. There's a lot to enjoy in this song--like the synth-led spacey instrumental passage in the tenth and eleventh minutes--and the electric guitar play in the 14th and 15th minutes, bet then the simplistic bass, drum, and non-lead guitar play and often-annoying synth solos cause me to furrow my brow. (35/40)

6. "Epílogo" (1:56) Tex-Mex distorted Southern Rock guitar plus acoustic guitar duet. Though familiar--like I've heard it before--it's definitely enjoyable. (4.5/5)

Total Time 54:43

An interesting album. It's as if Chilean band AISLES tried to try death metal--diverting so much energy and attention from their normal sound and compositional prowess to do so that they fail to go through the steps to thoroughly polish the songs that they created. In my opinion this band is being far too conservative: they seem to have the talent to do music much more complex and nuanced than this--and they definitely need more time and attention given to their "finishing" polishes. 

88.26 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; an excellent collection of diversified music all with the foundation in guitarist Jose Ruiz's excellent guitar playing. 

DJABE & STEVE HACKETT Freya - Arctic Jam

Virtuoso Hungarian jazz musicians who have chosen the commercial- and audience-friendly kind of Jazz-Rock Fusion are given an injection of proggy creativity by the all-time master of prog guitar, Steve Hackett.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Tamás Barabás / bass, vocals, guitar
- Attila Égerházi / guitar, vocals, percussion
- Péter Kaszás / lead vocals, drums
- Áron Koós-Hutás / flugelhorn, trumpet
- Zoltán Bubenyák / keyboards
And:
- Steve Hackett / guitar, vocals, harmonica

1. "In the Silence" (8:27) such wonderful bass play--here functioning as pretty much the lead melody-making instrument. Very smooth and melodic music. The song opens with water/harbor sounds while fretless bass, synth strings washes, and drums slowly enter and establish a pretty, mellow Smooth Jazz groove over/within which Tamás Barabás' remarkable bass and Attila Égerházi spacious guitar play off one another. Brief vocal introduction, bass and guitar interplay, piano solo in the third minute precede a Weather Report- and Strunz and Farah/Acoustic Alchemy/Govi-like World Music/Smooth Jazz fusion passage with flugelhorn leading the way. Bass and guitar take the next solos with synths, piano, and drums holding down the sed Maestro Steve Hackett's unquestionable presence bursts forth at 5:21. The man can still cook--can still sound fresh and innovative. Amazing. A very easy-to-listen-to, enjoyable song that brings very little new or exciting to the World Fusion or Smooth Jazz table (other than Tamás Barabás' sumptuous bass play). (17.75/20)

2. "Freya" (5:26) more Florida-easy Yacht Rock with solid performances and gentle jazz-pop sound palette and soothing APP/Ambrosia-like group/choral vocals. The highlight for me are 1) the soothing melodies, 2) the winning solos of Zoltán Bubenyák on electric piano and Áron Koós-Hutás on flugelhorn. Why Steve's (amazing) electric guitar solo in the fifth minute occupies such a muted/repressed sound I can only imagine: it's as if they made every effort to remove any and all high end from his sound--even the high-octave notes feel severely muted. (8.875/10)

3. "Stone Age Tea" (6:47) funky slap bass allows synths and guitars to shine. Nice drumming clinic from Attila Égerházi. This music reminds me of someone else from the 1980s or 1990s--like Rick Braun or Boney James. I like this Smooth World Music Jazz music quite a bit. I still wonder about the sound engineering choices: so much compression! Flugelhorn, volume-pedal-controlled electric guitar, acoustic guitars provide the highlights up top while Tamás and Péter keep the low end masterfully in control. (Another masterful performance and solo from Péter.) (13.5/15)

4. "Whispers of the Woods" (8:34) Those plugged in acoustic guitars sound so much like the cabana/lounge music I was exposed to in my various vacation trips to Florida in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s and 2000s that I find myself mesmerized into reveries of those balmy breezy days and nights--which is nice--BUT this is not the kind of prog or Jazz-Rock Fusion that I hold up as the highest examples of our genre and sub-genres. It's commercial-oriented and audience-pleasing fare that sounds as if talents like those in Allan Holdsworth bands or in the SONAR variations were suddenly brainwashed into playing pacifying Easy Listening music. (17.5/20)

5. "Sliding Trees" (9:18) great music to play in the background while eating a meal in a romantic Italian restaurant. Steve Hackett's harmonica performance leaves one wondering, Why? Easy Listening Adult Contemporary Smooth Jazz at its finest, no more, no less. Refreshing, inventive prog rock? I don't think so. The rhythm track feels sequenced: generated or programmed by computer. There is little creative input much less improvisation anywhere in the song. (17.125/20)

6. "The Lost Ship" (6:07) this one sounds a bit like Bill Bruford's first couple of EARTHWORKS albums. Keyboards provide the introductory melodies before Steve Hackett's guitar steps in to expand upon them. Synth takes over in the second half of the second minute as Tamás entertains from below with his slap bass. Steve gets the next solo, spanning about 30 seconds, before Áron gets a turn to finish the fourth minute. Steve's solo gets to STEVE VAI turf in the final minute with all kinds of cool note bending and slurring and Tamás really puts on a show toward the end there. Now this is real Jazz-Rock FusionEasily my favorite song on the album. (9.125/10)

7. "A Storm is Brewing" (10:27) great music to play in the background while on a romantic winter weekend: curled up with your one true love on the couch (or on the floor on a luxuriant animal fur) in front of a fire in the stone hearth or fireplace in the cozy rustic cabin you've rented. Easy Listening Adult Contemporary Smooth Jazz at its finest, no more, no less. Refreshing, inventive prog rock? I don't think so. (17.5/20)

Total time: 53:06

The musicianship on this album is so good. They've come up with many great earworm melodies--some in the solos, some in the main motifs and coming from support instruments--to provide an overall very enjoyable listening experience (even if it is high quality Smooth Jazz) and some iconic Steve Hackett solos (How does he keep inventing new ones after 55 years?)

88.15 the Fishscales = B/four stars; a very nice, smooth, enjoyable romp through some Smooth Textured, masterfully-performed yet somewhat questionably-engineered Smooth Jazz.

IQ Dominion

British NeoProg band IQ is back with their 16th studio album release since they formed in the early 1980s. It is amazing to me that four of the band's original quintet of membership return/remain . . . after 43+ years! 

Line-up / Musicians:
- Peter Nicholls / lead & backing vocals
- Michael Holmes / guitars, producer
- Neil Durant / keyboards
- Tim Esau / bass, bass pedals
- Paul Cook / drums, percussion

1. "The Unknown Door" (22:33) herald-like horns open this one before static-treated television (or radio) clips from old WW II British broadcasts float across the background. Then Peter Nicholls enters using the same voice to perform another lyric using the exact same melodic formula he's used for 40 years. The heraldry horns continue with Neil Durant's typical synth strings chord washes for a bit before other computer-generated (or -enhanced) instruments start to come out of their enclaves. This feels like an opening scene to a Disney film--like Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King--where the villagers or jungle animals all start to appear and congregate while the protagonist introduces the audience to the feel and look (new innovative wonders of animation) of the film. Finally, at 4:40 we have full introduction and, by the middle of the sixth minute, full display of all of the personnel and tricks that the producers/artists have. The thick bass and bass pedals are cool, the Hammond and drums nice (though, of course, quite stereotypic in their "requisite" presence) and the bouncing synth chords are nice while a slightly different, slightly more engaged Peter Nicholls continues his storytelling (of the British bravery and tragedy in the Second World War). At 8:38 the band launches into a protracted heavy prog power section (action and passion, Lads!) intended, I think, to represent the courageous, unbridled energy and resolve of the oppressed Brits in the face of Hitler's war machine. The changes in instrumental sounds are effective--and would be moreso had they thought to change the sound effects on Paul Cook's drums, but, alas! they remain the same as they were throughout the first half of the song. At the end of the thirteenth minute the action/onslaught ends, leaving a quiet patch in which to look over the post-battle wreckage through the morning mist. There are those distant herald horns again (or fox hunt horns). At the 15-minute mark, enter a nice strumming, two-chord David Gilmour "Dogs"-duplicate acoustic guitar motif to create the next passage for the band to build around--and for Peter to continue his narrative--which leads up to a majestic church organ breakout that definitely conjures up the royal monarchy and all that represents. This only serves as a bridge to the next section of impassioned performances from all five of the quintet. And here we here Mike Holmes' lead guitar for what feels like the first time but then, one phrase "spoken" and it's gone: receded back into the maelstrom of thick sound. But this, too, soon ends as the simple keyboard synth "grass" supports Peter's introduction to his summation--before the "I think it's gonna work out fine" GENESIS "Supper's Ready"-like dénouement of the moralistic conclusion of his story in the final two and a half minutes. Of course the song ends with the Regina Britannia church organ, but the effect of nationalistic pride chest-puffing is somewhat diminished by the pastoral guitar, synth strings chord wash, and statement of the song's title in Peter's last pronunciations. (I'm quite surprised that the heraldic horns failed to make a final appearance!) (40.333/45)

      
2. "One of Us" (3:10) nice Paul McCartney-like acoustic guitar play opens this, setting down the balnket over which Peter Nicholls will sing his "Blackbird" like vocal. Too bad for the entry of the synth wash chords at the one-minute mark: the guitar and voice duet was fully sufficient. Nice work Mike and Peter! More of this! (8.875/10) 

3. "No Dominion" (6:25) bombast and the familiar instrumental sound palette we all know and, supposedly, love from 1976-77 GENESIS albums, A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering. while Peter Nicholls sings about something in the same monotone and ploddingly-pace vocal delivery as . . . always! The ending of the song is quite odd as instead of a buildup to a long instrumental passage with its crescendo and (more) bombast--as it definitely feels as if its going--it just fades out. Mid-phrase. As if the engineer, producer, or band said, "No! No! Enough of this!" and then slid down the volume paddles on the console of the soundboard! Since I don't hear lyrics (they're just another instrument in a song's weave), I can't comment or critique the song based on message, but in terms of exciting, refreshing, or innovative music? There is none here. (8.6667/10)

4. "Far from Here" (12:44) a construct that very quickly lost my attention--receded into the background as "another one of those." The sonic landscape is too thick and murky, the drumming too proscribed and rote, the main chord progressions too homogenous, and the few solos or individual performance breakouts too mashed up within the confines of the wall of sounds' overall murk. And Peter Nicholls melody choices are too borrowed (I hear so much of Jon Anderson's Yes vocal melodies in this song). Even the plaintive piano-based finale is just . . . dull. There is nothing I can store or retrieve from this song for future recalll--nothing that even remotely draws to want to try to do so. Before I can even ruminate if I could do this better--what changes I might make--I have to back up and realize that I would never even deign to give my time such a project. (21/25)

5. "Never Land" (8:16) I like the simplicity and near-spaciousness of the opening four minutes of this. Then the shit flies: watered down post-Hackett Genesis, gnarled and scuffed by distortion, overly-thick synth walls, and unnecessary bombast. At the same time, I do find myself, for some as-yet undetermined reason, inexplicably sympathetic to this one: the overall effect of the simplistic, straightforward "pop" chord progressions has an endearing emotional effect on me--one that is quite reminiscent of the way PREFAB SPROUT's "Desire As" has always held me under its spell. Thus, despite my inclination to negate this as a standout representative of progressive rock music, I like it! It makes me feel good! (18/20)     

Total Time 53:08

Several reviewers have been commenting on the "new" sound or "reinvention" of IQ for this album, but I hear none of this; Dominion is nothing but more of the same solid, well-engineered NeoProg that the band have been turning out over the last fifteen years. I am so glad the band chose to not publish a two album release--with their now-usual "Bonus Disc" of unfinished, unpolished, second-rate cast-offs. 53 minutes of my time spent with this stuff is quite enough; in the past (and with many of today's NeoProg, RetroProg, and "Symphonic" bands [I'm referring to bands like The Flower Kings, Glass Hammer, Antony Kalugin, and Transatlantic here--not to mention all the "all-star" albums coming from Italian artists]), I've dreaded having to wade through the muck and dross of 70 to 140 minutes of music--especially when it never really presents anything new or exciting, so, thank you, IQ, for that small mercy. Despite its merciful length of 53 minutes, I had to spend some time with this album in order to accurately and record my sincere reactions and form my opinions. The problem with me reviewing any IQ release is the fact that I am disenchanted with the repetitious to the brink of monotony presentation of the same limited sound palette over the band's 43 years and, worse, the total and invariable predictability of Peter Nicholls' singing. The lyrics may change but the melodies and presentation is the same, nearly exactly the same, in every single song he's ever participated on. In the end, I do not hear any deviation from the band's formulae. (And I admit: Why should they? It has worked for a long time; the band has a very loyal and enthusiastic following. I am just not one of them.)

88.07 on the Fishscales = B/four stars; another solid and fairly consistent display of NeoProg mastery from one of the sub-genres' oldest and most consistent artists. 

STEVEN WILSON The Overview

Mr. Wilson's 2025 offering shows his return to science and space perspective themes as well as a return to the kind of music he was making in the early years of his Porcupine Tree infancy: the Pink Floyd and Beatles-inspired stuff before his collaborators became as important to the music as his own ideas and inputs.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Steven Wilson / vocals, guitars, keyboards, sampler, bass, percussion, programming
With:
- Adam Holzman / keyboards
- Randy McStine / guitars, b vox
- Craig Blundell / drums
- Willow Beggs / vocals
- Andy Partridge / lyricist (1)

1. "Objects Outlive Us" (23:17) (44.25/50):
- "No Monkey's Paw" (1:59) - opens with electronica vocal, sounding like Steven's attempt at a James Blake song. Not bad! (4.375/5)
- "The Buddha of the Modern Age" (2:26) - Paul McCartney-sounding piano, cymbal play, chant-proclamation vocals delivered at first via solo voce but then with banked full "world" choir. (4.375/5)
- "Objects: Meanwhile" (6:31) - harkening back to Steven's "current events" perspective songs with acoustic guitar strumming, piano chord hits, big synth and guitar chords and Steven's astute and poetic observational commentary over the top. Randy McStine's microtonal guitar play in the instrumental section, pedal steel guitar beneath the second verse. Macho-bass leads the way into a heavier motif in the second half of the instrumental passage. Then strumming acoustic guitars, synth and piano inputs resurface for Steven to continue his observational rant. (8.875/10)
- "The Cicerones / Ark" (3:42) - a mathematical weave of arpeggiating piano and guitar guitar chords peppered with bouncy synth and distorted electric guitar flourishes leads into this slow build motif over which Steven & Co. chant a list with repetitious urgency. (8.75/10)
- "Cosmic Sons of Toil" (3:00) - continue the bouncy (fast-oscillating volume control) synth chords only add chunky jazz bass, sophisticated syncopated drumming, complex chord progressions, and solos from rhythm guitar (Steven), lead guitar (Randy), keyboard (Adam), and some pretty awesome bass and drum play. This is pretty fresh: not unlike the genius Steven was trying to express on Grace for Drowning. (8.875/10)
- "No Ghost on the Moor / Heat Death of the Universe" (6:00) - opens with deep space synth before Steven (or some other male voice) joins in with a high falsetto voice at 0:30. Steven's normal voice (sounding a lot like Steve Hogarth) proceeds over "Sky Moves Sideways" echo snare beat and synth washes. Randy McStine microtonal infinity guitar solo in the third minute is interesting and unusual. Pink Floyd/Radiohead "Subterranean Homesick Alien" sound and chord palette rises to dominate the fifth minute as Randy's guitar goes Frippertronic. I like it. (But then, I loved "Sky" and "Homesick Alien.") (9/10)

2. "The Overview" (18:27) :
- "Perspective" - trip-hoppy instrumental space music with astronomy science facts & distances being recited over the top. Steven is using a lot of very familiar sounds, chords, and chord progressions (from his own previous works). 
- "A Beautiful Infinity I" - strumming acoustic guitars with Steven singing over the voice. Again, so much of this we've heard before in Steven's previous works; the effects, the voice styling, the guitars, the Pink Floyd chords, the Beatles/XTC sound effects and engineering techniques. 
- "Borrowed Atoms" - 
- "A Beautiful Infinity II" - Some of this even goes back as far as "The Sky Moves Sideways" and "Every Home Is Wired" and "Stars Die." 
- "Infinity Measured in Moments" - the coolest movement of the suite with its syncopated rhythm pattern, layered synths, guitars, and choral vocals. There feels some originality in this mélange. I love the presence/use of ukelele/mandolin and banjo!
- "Permanence" - space ambient synth chords that sound like the sexy love music Vangelis put in his Blade Runner soundtrack. Even the love-time sax is fitting. Just waiting for Barry White's voice to enter to narrate the foreplay.

     There is so much that I love about this song--just as there is so much that I love about everything Steven did in the 1990s and his more recent solo discography--yet there are elements of everything that rub me a little the wrong way: much of which results in my disappointing reaction of "I've heard this before" or "he's used this before." (35.5/40)

Total Time 41:44

My single most dominant "complaint" about the music on this album is how cut-and-paste patchworked it is with so much of Steven's past sounds, riffs, "tricks," and styles. Otherwise, this is another brilliant "time capsule" of art. My second much smaller "complaint" is that the perspectives offered here on The Overview are not as obvious as they were on Fear of a Blank Planet or Hand. Cannot. Erase. --two albums that I consider among the best representatives of 21st Century "first world" Homo sapiens sapiens. Perhaps Steven's perspectives are a bit more subjective and isolated than before and, thus, sometimes tough to interpret.

87.50 on the Fishscales = B-/3.5 stars; despite the rather low rating, I still greatly admire this album as a wonderful representative of the genius of the one and only Steven Wilson. I'll rate it up to four stars as it is an excellent exhibition of progressive rock music that most every prog lover will enjoy and despite the over-familiarity of a lot of its ideas and sounds for we who know Steven's discography fairly well.