The Top Albums of the Year 2010, Part 1: The Masterpieces

My Favorite Albums of 2010

(In some semblance of order)

***Author's note:  Below you will find two different rankings for this year's albums. The first is merely a list consisting of a Top 20 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 ensuing Reviews are ordered according to my personal, more objective judgment as to their quality, that is, the "best" albums of the year. Here I have tried to order the albums reviewed according to my personal determination as to what are the "best" albums of the year from a more critical, qualitative viewpoint, that is, without as much emotional attachment as "My Favorite" albums.  

2010 offered some awesome new music from artists practicing quite a wide variety of styles. My Favorites List has albums representing no less than ten sub-genres. Another excellent year in terms of quantity and quality, I have on my List 10 "minor" masterpieces, and 11 near-masterpieces of progressive rock music. 


The Rankings
(My Favorites)

1. AMOEBA SPLIT Dance of the Goodbyes
2. FUNIN Unsound
3. CICADA Over the Sea/Under the Water
4. BROTHER APE A Rare Moment of Insight

5. DOMINA CATRINA LEE Songs from the Breastbone Drum

6. GIFTS FROM ENOLA Gifts from Enola

7. VESPERO By the Waters of Tomorrow
8. COLLAPSE UNDER THE EMPIRE The Sirens Sound
9. ATARAXIA Llyr
10. FOURTEEN TWENTY-SIX Lighttown Closure

11. MR. GIL Skellig
12. IL TEMPIO DELLE CLESSIDRE Il Tempio delle Clessidre

13. CICCADA A Child in the Mirror

14. MY EDUCATION Sunrise

15. JAGA JAZZIST One-Armed Bandit
16. MYSTERY One Among the Living
17. DUNGEN Skitt I Allt

18. T Anti-Matter Poetry

19. YUGEN  Iridule

20. UNIVERS ZERO Clivages

21. FROGG CAFÉ The Bateless Edge

22. ARANIS RoqueForte

23. ANATHEMA We’re Here Because We’re Here
24. SUNWRAE Autumn Never Fall

25. ALGERNON Ghost Surveillance
26. RATIONAL DIET On Phenomena and Existences
27. MOULETTES Moulettes

28. LUNATIC SOUL II
29. KHATSATURJAN Disconcerto Grosso
30. THE TEA CLUB Rabbit

Honorable Mentions:

STICK MEN Soup

HYPNOS 69 Legacy

ALCEST Écailles de lune

ARGOS Circles 

ELEPHANT9 Walk the Nile

The Reviews

5 star Masterpieces

(Ratings of 100 to 93.34)

None for this Year

The "Minor" Masterpieces

(Ratings 93.33 to 90.0)

***** Album of the Year for 2010! *****

1. BROTHER APE  A Rare Moment of Insight

This is the best Brother Ape album yet--and, because of its consistently high content and performances, one of my Top Ten of 2010. One thing this album has that previous Brother Ape albums perhaps lacked is GREAT production--sound is mixed VERY clearly (though the drums are often given a bit too much volume.)

1. "Juggernaut Now" (7:27) [13.5/15] and 3. "Ultramarathon" (7:49) [13.75/15] have a distinctive JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE sound and feel to them--(except for the wonderful TREVOR HORN-like voice)--which makes sense since this is a three-piece rock band with a very active drummer. The whelm of MAX BERGMAN's frenetic pace and style (sounding a lot like KEITH MOON sans cymbol mania) takes some getting used to, but once past that you have some pretty amazing songs here. Some BLUE OYSTER CULT-like guitar riffs in "Ultramarathon" give it a varied feel, while the calming vocal and wild drumming continues to provide the tension to make the glue holding the song together.

2. "Chrysalis" (5:34) slows things down a bit and presents an almost DEPECHE MODE-OCEANSIZE marriage of sound. Cool song. I love that all of this album's songs have so many subtleties to be extracted from the music with each successive listen. [8.5/10]

4. "Seabound" (6:03) has a bit of a feel as if FLEET FOXES or MOON SAFARI's vocal harmonies were singing over YES's "Turn of the Century." Very nice, quite nostalgic, song that keeps growing on me as time passes. Very nice acoustic guitar work. [10/10]

5. "Instinct" (6:52) is my favorite. It has a lot of atmospheric sounds floating behind the drums: keys, vocals, even bass are very etheric. Great vocal melody lines (and, later, harmonies) and awesome lead guitar solo around the 4:00 mark. Love the spacious outro. [15/15]

6. "Echoes of Madness" (9:06) is a great upbeat song with some very catching vocal hooks and chord progressions while constructed like a classic RUSH song. I really love the Alex Lifeson-sounding guitar sounds (the strums!) here--including the LIFESON-like solo beginning at the 4:30 mark. Great vocal performance (including the BUGGLES-like distant echo). Again, it's the little, subtle extras (the acoustic guitar work is awesome!) that make this song--and album--so amazing! [18.25/20]

7. "The Art of Letting Go" (7:23) has a very emotional presentation and vocal performance. The way it builds--from plaintive STYX-like piano & voice to full blown ROBIN TROWER-like rocker--is, to me, reminiscent of many moments of the best of LED ZEPPELIN's sounds and style(s). Amazing instrumental section beginning at 4:45, repeated again as the slowly fading outro in the last minute!  [15/15]

8. The album wraps up with the gorgeous acoustic guitar piece, "In a Rare Moment" (3:33).  It's a beautiful song quite reminiscent of something ANT PHILLIPS and MICHAEL HEDGES or ERIK SATIE might have collaborated on. [10/10]

Excellent musicianship, beautiful song constructions, tons of layers of subtle sonic atmospherics, along with the very catchy, gorgeous TREVOR HORN-like vocals make this album one of my favorite discoveries of the past year.

94.54 on the Fish scales = five stars; a masterpiece of progressive rock music receiving my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION. Bravo, Brother Ape! EVERYBODY: CHECK THIS ONE OUT! You won't be disappointed!

2. AMOEBA SPLIT -- Dance of the Goodbyes 

They're not from County Kent, they're not even English, but the Canterbury forms and sounds here, often subtle or slightly adapted, are undeniable and quite enjoyable. Someone in the band is even caring enough to provide many of the Daevid Allen pixiness with talking diatribes beneath the music and backwards or otherwise effected guitar tracks beneath the other music as Allen and Steve Hillage were fond of doing.

Line-up / Musicians:

- María Toro / vocals, flute

- Ricardo Castro Varela / Hammond, Mellotron, piano, Mini-Moog, arrangements

- Alberto Villarroya López / guitars, bass, composer

- Pablo Añón / soprano, alto & tenor saxes

- Fernando Lamas / drums

With:

- Gastón Rodríguez / guitar (3)

1. "Dedicated to us, but we weren't listening" (3:50) opening with some GONG-like effects and then adding some melodic ALLAN GOWEN- or STEVE MILLER-like keys, smooth RICHARD SINCLAIR-like bass, and PYE HASTINGS- or PHIL MILLER-like guitar and you've got yourself a melange of Canterbury Scene musicians making . . . quirky Bohemian Canterbury jazz!? (8.75/10)

2. "Perfumed garden" (9:43) opening with the breathy voice of María Toro is, I must admit, a bit of a surprise--a welcomed one, as it turns out. The closest thing I can come up with this music is today's INNER EAR BRIGADE or REGAL WORM. There is SANTANA-ness to the instrumental section in the fourth and fifth minutes, but then the music breaks down into a slow, smokey torch singer lounge jazz not unlike ANNE PIGALLE or KOOP. But the flute-led instrumental section following María's vocal is Canterbury, pure and sublime. However you categorize the music of this song, let's all agree on one thing: it's gorgeous! (19.5/20)

3. "Turbulent matrix" (10:47) the superlative music that all artists Canterbury would be making today if they were to do it all over again. This is a gorgeous piece of fun, melodic, quirky, even flawless jazz. Incredible arrangements, tight cohesion, and fantastic drumming, all built over two piano chords! (20/20)

4. "Blessed water" (12:26) opens with sensitive, plaintive solo piano before Mellotron, bass, and the delicate voice of María Toro enter, continuing the same emotive pattern and theme, the music has a bit of ANNIE HASLAM-JON CAMP RENAISSANCE feel to it, even into the slightly built up instrumental section--which quiets down for the arrival of the alto sax--who lays down a beautiful solo. María gets the next turn, this time with flute, over some psychedelic guitar play and JOHN TOUT-like piano. A slightly heavier force enters as ELIANA VALENZEULA-like vocal passage of María's plays out. There follows a nice medium-yet-insistently-paced section over which electric guitar and saxophone perform very nice solos. The bass, drums, and piano are so smooth, so together! Everybody starts pushing the intensity up one notch at a time so that in the eighth minute things are peaking just before a ninth minute lull in which María returns to a sensitive SARA ALIANI (LAGARTIJA)-like voice, but hen she finishes the band launches immediately into a full-on blues-rock exposition in support of the electric guitar. Remember THE DOORS?! Big 'tron choir supports the next section as the song plays out over the final two minutes much like CARAVAN does in the orchestra-supported second half of "L'auberge du Sanglier/A hunting we shall go/Pengola/Backwards/A hunting we shall go (reprise)." Brilliant! Brings me to tears! (24/25)

5. "Qwerty" (0:49) did we mention that María plays a mean flute? Fun uptempo Canterburified jazz. (5/5)

6. "Flight to nowhere" (23:39) (44/50)

- I. Endless magic spell -- those could be considered GONG-like sounds and effects in the opening section with a similar STEVE HILLAGE guitar effect to the lead guitar as the music falls into step, but as soon as María begins singing I am once again brought back into the realm of torch singer lounge jazz. Magic spell indeed!

- II. A bleeding mind -- I don't really know where one section begins or ends but suffice it to say that a musical passage with crazed multi-languaged or clipped vocal dispersals lying beneath the music begin and continue over a span that I'm guessing might be representative of "a bleeding mind."

- III. A walk along the tightrope

- IV. Bubbles of dellirium

Total time 61:14

92.88 on the Fishscales = A/Five stars; one of the best Canterbury style albums I've ever heard or reviewed, old or new; a true masterpiece of joyful, creative, amazingly well composed, performed, and recorded music.

3. FUNIN Unsound

1. "Unsound" (6:55) is so out-of-the-ordinary in its 'world music' approach to instrumentation and voice as to defy comparisons (though Mariuz Duda's opening to LUNATIC SOUL does come to mind). Eerie and yet breathtakingly gorgeous. I love the way this builds, like a Post Rock song, then crescendos leaving behind a kind of BJÖRK/Inuit choral part and a more techno/house final 1:30. (15/15)

2. "Everythings" (5:31) outrageously gorgeous--though COLDPLAY-like poppy--from the start, this one is just so catchy and upbeat that I can't help but wonder why (or maybe that) it was a major international hit. (10/10)

3. "Wonderland" (4:01) is a wonderful pop-jazzy KOOP/BJÖRK-like paced song. (9/10)

4. "Tornado" (4:02) is even more BJÖRK-like sonically, musically and vocally. Wonderful, hip-swaying music with a gorgeous vocal arrangement. It may be very similar to the Icelandic queen's sound and style, but it is masterful and fun! (10/10)

5. "Last Day" (4:08) This song has a bit of the mysterious BARK PSYCHOSIS sound and feel to it in that it is a stripped down, very basic musical landscape over which Marit Elisabeth Svendsboe displays her remarkable vocal uniquities. (8/10)

6. "Inch of Me" (6:29) is highlighted by it's second half:  the amazing piano, double bass, strings, and, later, 'Latin dance' percussion. Almost a DIANA KRALL song, The Look of Love era. (9/10)

7. "Indestructible" (3:31) is another song completely unique to FUNIN. Part LAURIE ANDERSON, part JON HASSELL, part NORTH SEA RADIO ORCHESTRA, this is one unusual yet starkly beautiful 'folk' song. (10/10)

8. "Rocking Chair" (2:43) is another song showcasing singer Marit Elisabeth's versatility. Part BILLY HOLIDAY, part NINA HAGEN, part Gypsy or Arab folk singer, this is to be heard. (8/10)

9. "Machine" (6:57) is an amazing, edgy techno/industry song displaying some quite unusual vocal skills (or editing!) and ending with a classic piano/string quartet! (14/15)

10. "Skywalkers" (5:12) starts out a lot like COWBOY JUNKIES/LAURA NYRO before going BJÖRK Vespertine and then, with 2:20 addition of the male voice, back to a Cowboy Junkies or DUNCAN SHEIK feel. Awesomely odd and unusual! (9/10)

92.73 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music--one that is truly pushing the boundaries of music into future possibilities. 

4. GIFTS FROM ENOLA Gifts from Enola

These guys have come a long way from "From Fathoms"--and it's only been a year! The unexpected twists and turns, use of effects, and mice melodic themes make this a much more mature and adventuresome collection. One thing I don't quite understand--and this seems to happen quite a lot in this genre--is the seeming appearance of synthesizer or keyboard parts when no keyboards or keyboard players are mentioned.

Line-up / Musicians:
- Andrew Barnes / guitars
- Nathaniel Dominy / bass
- CJ DeLuca / guitar
- Jud Mason / drums

1. "Lionize" (8:23) begins with a rather straightforward Math Rock feel--very low end-dominant. A shift at the 2:15 mark travels into more Grunge-like territory--until at 2:43 the main melody themes are introduced. At 3:18 a distant high octave guitar riff is enteredbefore we return to main theme again. At 4:05 the pace drops off and the song floats into a very distorted sea of At 5:25 a lead guitar takes off and soars to goose-bumping heights! 6:30 shift to 6:45 punk/metal chops until an odd break of canned 1920s jazz floats around--as if over loudspeakers at the pavilion of the local town square. The heavily distorted bass throughout this song is just excellent. (18/20)

2. "Dime and Suture" (6:09). The shifts and changes in this song just keep you guessing--keep you interested and amazed. For some reason, the heavy guitars never seem to disturb or overwhelm the ears and the vocals screamed as if from 100 feet away are also very fresh, interesting and effective. Even the song's decay (some might say, 'demise') is fascinating and entertaining. (9.25/10)

3. "Alogas" (7:37) begins with a very PREFAB SPROUT sounding jazz guitar chords over synth wind and echoed synth sputtering. A very catchy, melodic jazzy-pop theme (think XTC joined with STYLE COUNCIL) begins at the :30 mark and continues for some very enjoyable two-and-a-half minutes before a different CURE/MEET DANNY WILSON theme and pace begins. All the while the jazzy guitar chord strumming plays--until the 5:05 mark when more familiar, though somehow 80s synth glossyed, Post Rock playing style takes over to build to a typical frenzied finish. (15/15)

4. "Grime and Glass" (7:39) begins, again, with a much more industrialized "80s meet Grunge" feel to it. A lot of MY BLOODY VALENTINE twang bar guitar playing and having some surprisingly upbeat and melodic sections to it. I like the development of this song more and more as you get into it--including the (as now typical) off-beat slowed down section with the recorded voices from some television infomercial or talk show (I can't quite make out what's being said)--but the best part of the song is the 2:51 to 3:35 music motif followed by the television talk section. (13.25/15)

5. "Rearview" (7:24) begins with a persistent industrial/grunge sound to it--not unlike early NINE INCH NAILS. At 1:38 it switches gear, slows down and the guitars weave a very pretty melody--which is yielded for another grungy section at the 2:55 mark. 3:25 and we're back to slow/soft--almost like a setup for TED NUGENT or LYNYRD SKYNYRD Southern rock ballad. Low, haunting singing  enters over (or is it 'under') this, before giving way to some radio/spoken sample (computer talk--like the computer-enhanced voice of Steven Hawking) which then leads to a very mathematical section of off-tempo chords and smash-drumming whose last chords then decay and die in the 40-second glory of their instrument feedback sounds. (13.75/15)

Total time: 37:04

Again, innovative and unpredictable song construction and layering with some extremely pleasant melodies somehow woven into some very heavy Post Rock guitar/bass power chords. I don't usually like this much 'abrasive' guitar sound, but these guys are really interesting! They even had me humming along several times!

92.33 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music and a masterpiece within the Math/Post Rock genre, however, its length (37 minutes) and fact that this subgenre seems doomed to low expectations and limited potential because of its limiting styles, structures, and instrumentation leads me to reserve super high praise. Still, this is DEFINITELY a great addition to any prog lovers music collection!! Highly recommended!

5. IL TEMPIO DELLE CLESSIDRE Il Tempio delle Clessidre

Though not the world debut of the talents of keyboard wizard Elisa Montaldo, this is the first project in which Elisa is one of the band's leaders and principle songwriters. Taking their title from a song title from the "classic" 1970s album, Zarathstra by ITALIAN rockers MUSEO ROSENBACH, and then cue in the vocals of Stefano "Lupo" Galifi from that same legendary band (MUSEO ROSENBACH) and you get some idea of the musical inspiration and course planned out for their collaboration.   

Line-up / Musicians:
- Stefano "Lupo" Galifi / lead vocals
- Giulio Canepa / guitars
- Elisa Montaldo / piano, organ, keyboards, concertina, vocals, Fx
- Fabio Gremo / bass
- Paolo Tixi / drums
With:
- Antonio Fantinuoli / cello (5)
- Max Manfredi / narration (7)

1. "Verso l'Alba" (2:52) opens with some very familiar sounds from 1970s RPI music: deep organ arpeggi, synth, guitar tone and drumming style all seem to be intentionally replicating the past. (4.5/5)

2. "Insolita Parte Di Me" (7:21) layers of amazing keyboards replete with many melodic themes and motifs and some great singing. (14/15)

3. "Boccadasse" (5:21) complex heavy rock like URIAH HEEP mixed with LYNYRD SKYNYRD. with a strong vocal performance over it. (8.5/10)

4. "Le Due Metà Della Notte" (5:19) (8.75/10)

5. "La Stanza Nascosta" (5:10) piano and Lupo's solo voce until cello joins in for the second verse. What a pianist! At 3:30 arpeggiating electrified acoustic guitar joins in and then dramatic entry of spacey Mellotron chords. Wow! (9.25/10)

6. "Danza Esoterica Di Datura" (6:13) wind and footsteps in bubbling stream precede the breakout of a heavy RPI theme which then disappears as Mellotron-rich textures fill behind demonic heavily-edited voices. This is then replaced by soloing piano in the third minute, which then ends at 3:16 with the brief return of the heavy 1970s RPI theme, but then continues until 4:20 when the heavy full-band ensemble take off in a wonderful weave for the rest of the song. Wonderful song with a nightmarish, Tchaikovsky feel to it. (9.5/10)

7. "Faldistorium" (6:02) bass, cymbals, and wavering synth notes open this one before 0:45 when full band presents a jazzy weave for the first motif. When the guitarist starts to solo at the end of the second minute, it sounds so 70s RPI! Mellotrons drench the soundscape over the next minute of bridges before Lupo begins whispering conspiratorially over the Hammond- and church-organ-based heavy rock foundation. Very, very cool song! (10/10)

8. "L'Attesa" (4:36) very heavy organ- and riffing electric guitar open this one before backing off into a softer concertina-based section to pave the way for Lupo's impassioned vocal. (8.5/10)

9. "Il Centro Sottile" (10:40) filled with (I think) intentional discordancies, the drums, bass, and Mellotrons bely simplicity and calm while the chords used and instruments out front display uncertainty and insecurity. Stunningly brilliance piano play in the fifth and sixth minutes before a wonderful instrumental part sets up the next vocal section. The piano and guitar chords and full bank of female background vocals give it such a classic feel. Then, all of a sudden, at the seven-minute mark we seem to switch gears and directions into a softer, more cohesive section, but the vocal and music eventually, subtly, turn back to the 8:23 an angular theme like the one used off-and-on in "Danza esoterica di datura" enters and morphs into an eerie carnival atmosphere for what appears to be the end (an extended blank section closes the song for the final minute.) Not sure of the significance of this last emptiness, but the song as a whole still packs quite a punch. Amazing! (19.5/20)

10. "Antidoto Mentale" (3:49) very melodic full-band foundation for Lupo to sing a pop power ballad-like vocal. There are even full bank of female background singers in the chorus parts! Powerful. (9/10)

Total Time: 57:23

92.27 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of retro RPI and one of the most amazing expositions of prog keyboard mastery you're likely to hear. 

6. VESPERO By the Waters of Tomorrow

Upon first listen to this album I didn't think it was as good as the three live albums I own by VESPERO: Foam, Liventure #19, and Liventure #21. But, I was wrong. Yes, I miss the wordless singing of Natalya Tujrina, otherwise this studio album is an amazing accomplishment of collaborative creativity.

1. “Daphne” (5:22) starts the album off with a fast paced jam in which the mix of synths are used very creatively and in which the drumming is mesmerizing, captivating. (9/10)

2. “Percious" (8:32) has a very slow, spacey beginning but eventually picks up. Around 4:30 it feels like the drummer gets lost!? The music slows and thins at 4:50 with only pluck-echo-guitar and cymbol play for a while. At 6:30 it picks back up with some jazziness--and with some awesome 'trumpet'-sounding violin! (18/20)

3. “Amaryllis” (7:29) starts slow but builds quickly until at 1:40 things really kick into high gear. Great searing guitar solo but, by 3:30, the band sounds a bit discombobulated. Perhaps going a bit too gang-busters. This is soon coorrected. 4:30 sees a shift to interweave of arpeggios by guitar, bass, and keyboards played against a very fast drum beat. At 6:30 there arises a discordant screaming guitar (reminds me of TODD RUNDGREN on 1973's Todd's "In and Out the Chakras We Go") (8/10)

4. “Gao Zült” (5:51) starts with drum brushes! Guitar,  synths, violin join in in a PORCUPINE TREE way and play together for a minute and a half before bass and fuzz guitar take over against new frenetic drum patterns. The drummer is going so fast with such a syncopated line while the spacey background keyboard wash tricks you into hypnotic sleep--until 3:00 when 'harmonica/accordian' sound and countrified electric guitar. Then at 4:10 a real Mexican fiesta sound/beat takes over. A real hodge-podge of interesting time signatures. Ends with Gypsy-ish violin solo playing over same Mexican rhythm. (7/10)

5. “Tall Tree” (7:31) begins with a slow, hypnotic violin. An unexpected key change at the 1:25 mark brings us into a "White Rabbit" chord progression. Here there is INCREDIBLE drumming! The guitar lead takes over at 3:38. At 5:23 there is a return to the ambience of the intro section and brief violin solo until 6:12 when an arpeggio weave paves the way for the return of the screaming electric guitar. Another key shift at 6:51 until at 7:11 the electric guitar bottoms out to fade. (10/10)

6. “Punto Fijo” (8:03) starts at a frenetic pace with a kind of "Rasta-punk" feel/beat. The guitar takes the melody, but from behind--from a floating place in the background! At 1:30 there is a long pause/interlude of synth noises, drones and echoed guitar 'Frippisms.' At 3:40 enters tympani and violin. From 4:50 wah-ed guitar strums join in until 6:00 when a GILMOUR-esque "slide" guitar solo takes over. Again: the drum playing is absolutely fascinating here! (10/10)

7. “Pavane Lacryme” (4:24) is a pretty little song with treated guitars à la ROBIN GUTHRIE. Synths, violin solo and jazzy drums. (9/10)

8. “Seagulls Sing (When it Rains)” (6:47) opens with an X-Files-like modulated synth playing eerily over jazzy cymbol play and guitar and violin harmonies. The drumming--especially the cymbol play--is fascinating. A  female voice joining in at about the 2:30 mark  is a beautiful and welcome touch. Turns jazzy with nice 'flute' and, later, synth soli. That drummer! (10/10)

9. “Aurora Borealis” (9:16) opens with a great, driving ELOY/"Blade Runner Main Title"-like keyboard bass-line around which all other instruments jam (violin, synths, awesome percussion). Again, the drums and percussion (and violin) are fascinating to follow. At 8:20 a distorted guitar enters, followed by the fadeout of all other instruments. Interesting way to end a song and album! (20/20)

As I said above, it took repeated listens for this excellent album to grow into me. And boy has it! This is a masterpiece of creative, experimental jamming. Kudus to all involved. Thank you, drummer Ivan Fedotov, for an amazing ride. Sample live versions of "Tall Tree" and "Seagulls Sing (When it Rains)" here.

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

7. STICK MEN Soup

Line-up / Musicians:
- Tony Levin / Chapman Stick, vocals
- Michael Bernier / Chapman Stick, vocals, drums
- Pat Mastelotto / drums, digital devices

1. "Soup" (5:44) (8.875/10)
2. "Hands, Pt. 1" (3:06) (8.667/10)
3. "Hands, Pt. 2" (3:33) (8.75/10)
4. "Hands, Pt. 3" (2:06) (4.5/5)
5. "Inside the Red Pyramid" (4:45) (8.667/10)
6. "Fugue" (5:49) (9.25/10)
7. "Sasquatch" (5:43) (9.25/10)
8. "Scarlet Wheel" (5:19) (9.75/10)
9. "Firebird Suite, Pt. 1" (2:55) (4.125/5)
10. "Firebird Suite, Pt. 2" (4:11) (8.75/10)
11. "Firebird Suite, Pt. 3" (3:12) (8.667/10)
12. "Firebird Suite, Pt. 4" (3:03) the passage made famous by YES concerts. (8.75/10)
13. "Relentless" (6:00) (9/10)

Total Time 55:26

A real surprise! I guess I was expecting something with a harder edge; something with not much variety, melody, or accessibility; a lot of technical show and monotonous sound. But, NO!! It's not. There is plenty of melody! There is variety! There is beauty! There are plenty of interesting sounds and lyrics. And, of course, there is also the technical wizardry and compositional complexity galore one might expect from Tony Levin and ... anyone he chooses to sidle up with. 

While I love the Crimson-esque (Adrian Belew-era) sound/feel of "Soup," "Hands," "Sasquatch," "Firebird Suite," and "Relentless," (7-8/10 all) I love more the un-Crimson sound of "Inside the Red Pyramid," "Fuque," Sasquatch," "Scarlet Wheel, and "Firebird Suite" parts 3 & 4. 

Great disc! And not just for lovers of King Crimson, Tony Levin, or Chapman stick. This is a great prog album. 

91.77 on the Fishscales = A-/five stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection. It's Tony Levin, man!

8. DOMINA CATRINA LEE Songs from the Breastbone Drum

In the great tradition of OREGON, SHAKTI, RY KOODER, and PAT METHENY, Domina Catrina Lee offers up some incredible fusion of jazz and rock using her guitar and a computer program (MIDI Just Intonation) to midi perform and program a full array of instruments representative of the jazz, classical and world music traditions. This is an absolutely gorgeous, emotional, intellectual, and astounding musical accomplishment. It simply must be heard to be believed and appreciated. 

1. "Songs from the Breastbone Drum" (6:28) is a gorgeous introduction to the supreme composition and performance talents of Here using acoustic guitar, oboe, piano and drums/tabla/percussion to showcase a melodic piece of world jazz. (10/10)

2. "Fire Naked Prelude (1:20) uses acoustic guitar in two channels in a very RY COODER way. (8/10)

3. "Fire Naked Boom" (5:19) sounds like a PAT METHENY/FRANK ZAPPA/HIROMI UEHARA/JONI MITCHELL/WEATHER REPORT collaboration. Funny, loose, jazzy, displaying extraordinary instrumental skills, it works as a kind of performer's showcase. (8/10)

4. "Suite I: Ballad of the Forgotten (Threnody for Vincent Van Gogh and Nikolai Tesla)" (5:27)

is a powerful and beautiful tribute to the misunderstood. Much of the time it sounds like the instrumental first half of PAT METHENY & LYLE MAYS' classic "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls." (10/10)

5. ""Suite II: Scarborough Fair" (3:36) while the 'woodwind' plays the melody of the traditional English folk song, piano accompanies the emotional soloing of an acoustic guitar. Powerful. (9/10)

6. "The Story so Far" (3:43) starts with some synth wash and soft piano notes before kicking into a modern jazz combo supporting one of the best ALLAN HOLDSWORTH impersonations I've ever heard. Amazing! Simply must be heard! (8/10)

7. "The Shape Shifter Suite I: Two Spirit" (6:12) starts off like a WILL ACKERMAN/STEVE REICH song with those familiar layers of guitar arpeggios and other percussive instruments. 'Violin' takes over the lead melody for a bit, before giving way to some brilliant acoustic guitar soloing. The intricate weave of background instrumental support again makes this song sound like a long lost PAT METHENY GROUP song. But it's not: it's the work of one person! Amazing! (10/10)

8. "The Shape Shifter Suite II: Invocation" (5:43) begins more like a PAUL McCANDLESS/PAUL WINTER GROUP song before shifting to a pure JOHN McLAUGHLIN acoustic jazz piece à la 1970's My Goals Beyond. (10/10)

9. "'Even the Outsider' Suite: i) Borealis" (4:25) begins as if PAT METHENY, STEVE TIBBETTS, WILL ACKERMAN and MICHAEL HEDGES were all sitting down together to play. For two and a half minutes the instruments meander around as if searching for a common thread until an 'oboe' comes in to unite them. Solo acoustic guitar follows as support instruments keep the loose 'street jam' going in the background. Exciting tension, but no real 'show' ever seems to come out of it. (8/10)

10. "'Even the Outsider' Suite: ii) Climbing in Rainfalls" (5:16) picks up on a theme from part i and actually begins to jell into a song. Woodwinds and acoustic guitars trade lead soli as sensitive percussives, synths, and acoustic guitars provide the background matrix. A gentle, peaceful melody carries the day, though some of the background instruments seem to be trying to convey some tension and discord. Interesting song! (9/10)

11. "'Even the Outsider' Suite: iii) Even(in)g the Outside" (9:56) carries the Suite combo forward into a much more PAT METHENY realm of upbeat, positive melodies and rhythms. A very complex song filled with wonderful mood, key, and melody shifts and tons of subtleties that are delightful to discover with repeated listenings--something I highly recommend! Quite an emotional ride by this sensitive song-writer. (20/20)

12. "By Her Side" (6:28) begins with 'piano' introducing some very LYLE MAYS-like riffs. Acoustic guitar and double bass join in, eventually bringing forth a song in the vein of some of PAT METHENY's more gentle acoustic GROUP stuff--or like JOHN McLAUGHLIN's 1993 Bill Evans tribute album, Time Remembered. Virtuoso guitar playing and amazingly perfect 'piano' accompaniment. (10/10)

Each time I listen to this album I am absolutely astounded at the level of emotional subtlety conveyed through this computer-generated music! This is one of the top two or three jazz fusion albums I've heard from the 21st Century! Unfortunately you are very unlikely to hear this album as it was self-produced and has not met with enough acceptance nor reviews to catapult it into the limelight it deserves. Find Domina on the Internet and ask for her music. You won't regret it!

90.90 on the Fish scales = A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive music and one of the most amazing accomplishments of solo artistry I've ever heard!

9. CICADA Over the Sea/Under the Water

Is a young Taiwanese "ambient/neoclassical/post rock" chamber ensemble consisting of a female piano player, Jesy Chiang (the main composer), a male acoustic guitar player, and three female strings players (violin, viola, cello). They play what appears to be in the Post Rock/Math Rock style, though, in reality they are probably a little more of what might be considered "neoclassical." Absolutely beautiful, heart-wrenchingly emotional songs, beautiful compositions. Definitely one of my favorite albums and new discoveries of the year.

Album highlights: three heart-wrenchers: 4. "Farewell (in a pretentious way)" (6:00) (10/10); 5. "...Till the Day We Meet" (5:41) (9/10), and 6. "Finally...We're Still together" (3:54) (10/10)

Also great:  the unexpectedly beautiful, yet playful, 2. "Fly" (2:44) (9/10), and; the slightly country-and-classical (if that's possible)-sounding but beautifully orchestrated opener, "Over the Sea, Under the Water" (6:42) (8/10).

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

10. CICCADA A Child in the Mirror

It's been quite a struggle trying to hear and/or acquire a copy of this album or its music. But, the persistently high ratings and reviews lead me to persevere--and I am very glad I did. My first listen was appreciative ("a lot of JETHRO TULL riffs," I remember thinking), but I knew this child in the mirror was no simple kid, so I took my time, let it percolate, let the music get familiar, before trying to comment on it. I immediately knew we had a collection of very intricately constructed songs performed by very skilled "classical" chamber musicians. Repeated listens caught me thinking of WOBBLER, THIEVES KITCHEN, ALAN STIVELL, and even a little bit of NIL, GENTLE GIANT, THE CHIEFTANS, HAPPY THE MAN, GRYPHON, DIXIE DREGS and even some Southern or Country Rock. Such an odd yet intriguing mix, no? I only hope/wish that this album gets the listens and attention I believe it deserves.

1. "A Child in the Mirror" (4:38) is another instrumental, here mixing Renaissance instruments/styles with TULL's Thick as a Brick/Passion Play era sounds/styles (and riffs!), yet also contains some kind of indescribable YES-like quality to it. I absolutely love the acoustic guitars and recorders in this song. (9/10)

2. "Isabella Sunset" (6:09) starts with piano and violin before drums, bass, flute and electric guitar join in--Baroque to rock in an instant! The vocal melody and lyric very much has the same feel as that of NIL or THIEVES' KITCHEN where the female singing is really just another instrument in the (very complicated) weave--here a beautifully trained operatic folk singer--often even mimicking the melody line of another instrument. A pretty song with, again, some very intricate songwriting construction. I hope the group continues to explore more multi-voice harmonic weaves as there are near the end of this one as I much prefer this kind of vocal weave to those barbershop quartet/Beach Boys-like ones of MOON SAFARI. Great outro. (8.75/10)

3. "Ena Pedi Ston Kathrefti" (6:01) is a beautiful jazz-folk song sung in Greek that has a melody that wiggles its way into your brain and won't let go. Beautiful folk vocal over jazzy, almost avant garde music. (9/10)

4. "A Storyteller's Dream" (7:09) is a beautiful song--yet another (mostly) instrumental--with a very strong grounding in folk traditions--not unlike THE PENTANGLE or ALTAN. For me, probably the album's most emotive song. I love the organ solo with strumming acoustic guitars and mellotron mid-song which builds into quite a jam! 10/10 IMHO, stands shoulder-to-shoulder with any of the all-time great prog-instrumentals. (15/15)

5. "Raindrops" (4:16) has a very pastoral, folk feel to it, with flute, acoustic guitar, bassoon, electric piano (?) and voice constantly weaving in and out of each other's melody lines. (8.5/10)

6. "An Endless Sea" (5:28) is a piano and acoustic guitar song that opens like a RENAISSANCE song from the 70s. When Evangelia's vocal enters it is only briefly before a shift in the song dynamics takes it into a little heavier, more insistent rock domain. At 1:50 everything calms down and returns to the folk-rock base that it opened to. Beautiful flute play (in lieu of a vocal for the second verse)! Interesting song bouncing back and forth--almost like a conversation being held between the folk and rock elements of the band. (8.75/10)

7. "Epirus--A Mountain Song" (4:58) begins with piano, clarinet and voice setting an almost chamber music-like scene. They are later joined and embellished by acoustic guitars, drums, electric bass, and electric guitar in a kind of IONA-like slightly amped up rock version of a folk song. I like the male background vocals on this one. More of this in the future would be nice. Pretty song. (9/10)

8. "Elisabeth" (7:09) is another instrumental tune that begins like an acoustic folk song before turning classical chamber music--perhaps even Renaissance music. Surprisingly, it goes to heavy rock power chords near the two minute mark, then digresses back to its pastoral yet intricate and sophisticated acoustic weave. Back and forth several more times--which, surprisingly, works really well--kind of like AFTER CRYING or some YES and KING CRIMSON. Some nice segues and added instruments (cello, organ) spice it up and keep it from getting too repetitive, predictable or boring. Halfway through, the back beat falls into a very standard Country and Western beat--which again works! (13/15)

9. "I Stigmi--The Moment" (3:14) is a very classy folk-jazz-classical chamber piece with keys, electric guitar, and woodwinds noodling around over a standard C&W bass & drums back beat. The guitar picking even seems to come right out of Nashville. I love the fact that Evangelia Kozoni's vocals are being sung in her native Greek. (9/10)

10. "A Garden of Delights" (8:24) has a very Greek JETHRO TULL beginning to it. The near-operatic vocals of Evangelia Kozoni change this--as does the very catchy chorus, giving the song much more of its own identity. Music and lyric/vocal together lead us on a journey quite like a classic Greek play--full of many twists and turns, trying to get us to see sense and joy against the backdrop of a very arduous life of pain and struggle. Quite a journey! Quite a powerful, convoluted song! A true example of what I'd call classic progressive rock. (13.5/15)

90.0 on the Fish scales = A-/4.5 stars. It is, IMHO, a near-masterpiece of  progressive rock music--and a wonderful debut. This is a sound I hope to hear a lot more of in the future.