This section is for some of our favourite new releases or reissues for which we've been lucky enough to have copies supplied to us by the label or the artists.
AGITATION FREE - 2nd (Remaster + Bonus Track) CD
A year later and guitarist Jorg Schwenke is replaced by Stefan Diez, the result being a much more vibrant dual guitar lead section with more edge, more bite and more power, but just as much emotional melody in there too, as the tracks become more Western and largely drop the Middle Eastern influences in favour of something that's more an instrumental missing link between Ash Ra Tempel, Grateful Dead and Wishbone Ash. Right from the beautiful but strong eight minute opener, “First Communication”, you just know that this is a step up from what came before, as those guitars just fly over some gorgeous backdrops and thoroughly crisp, crunchy and meaty mid-paced rhythms from the drums and bass, the guitars complementing each other to perfection, and the subtlest of organ undercurrent lending the air of Teutonic to the proceedings, before the track accelerates about two thirds the way through and flies heavenwards to great depth, strength and effect. Following a couple of minutes of fx-laden atmospherics, the band then climb even higher in terms of melody and structure with the timeless classic that is the soaring two-part instrumental gem of “Laila”, eight and a half minutes that move from opening crashing piano chord into the most fantastic of chiming guitars over that upfront bass, solid drums, crisp percussion and the most high-flying dual guitar leads around – quite superb, the second part inparticular containing this cyclical melody that you just want to play and play. The six and a half minute “In The Silence Of The Morning Sunrise”, starts as you might expect with silent nature sounds before a dreamy bass and melodic guitars slowly rise, organ swells up from below and drums begin a deliberately understated but slowly solid beat, the guitars weaving a web that provides bite and passion while the keyboards provide the depth. Gradually, it all unfolds as the guitars work their melodic magic, but in a strong early seventies manner, again another gem of a track. The nine minute “A Quiet Walk” starts out equally ethereal only this time instrumentally, shimmering as it goes before the guitars emerge in beautifully reflective mode, all very quiet and subtle, occasional bass hear as organ backdrop becomes even subtler. Then the percussion starts to shake, the sound wells up and becomes stronger as waves of electronics emerge, the organ resonates, the sound of angels is heard and then the sound of a gently strummed bouzouki ushers in the main body of the composition, a lone lead guitar emulating and complementing the bouzouki melody, rising above it in sharp and then treated context as the flavours all provide an expansive territory of sound, melody still firmly at the heart of things, as the two lead instruments play alongside each other over slowly rumbling drums and deep bass. The original album ends on 7 minutes of “Haunted Island”, an initial recitation of cosmic proprotions giving way to slowly chugging rhythms and waves of mellotron as the treated vocal provides the atmosphere over the majestic mellotron chording and backdrop rhythm section. About halfway through, the lead guitar soars into view and the track drives slowly forward on another sea of lead guitar melody, distant guitar undercurrent, rumbling electric bass and cliped drumming, once more, an absolute treat. For this edition, the bonus track is a previously unreleased live version of “Laila” from 1972, lasting just under 8 minutes. If anything, a more reflective album than the first with more “traditional” use of guitar, but still strong with flowing instrumental compositions which command your attention every time you play it.
AGITATION FREE – LAST Remaster + Bonus Track CD
Originally an album that only came out in France for some obscure reason that still escapes me, and I remember seeing it one day at a French record store back in the early seventies and grabbed it so fast, you'd have thought it was the Holy Grail. That, musically, it then turned out to be as good as the Holy Grail, was something astounding at the time – and, 35 years later – it still is!!
The first track of the two live tracks that begin the instrumental album is a six minute piece called “Soundpool” which begins with assorted cosmic and space fx from the shimmering guitars, spacey synths and typically seventies Krautrock electric guitar explorations and occasional drum rolls, all just stunning to hear once again. After a few minutes, it calms to a whisper, as space synths usher in an initially subtle distant guitar, a lot like Pink Floyd's “Echoes” in its sound and effect, before a ringing guitar chimes in, strengthens and then the rhythm section drive ahead as the main lead guitar takes the reigns, all done in a very “Echoes”-meets-Krautrock styled Pink Floyd-esque manner and simply superb, albeit stopping somewhat abruptly. Following this is a mammoth, near seventeen minute version of the second album's stand-out track “Laila Parts 1 & 2”, here called “Laila II”, which begins with slowly chiming, Man-Wishbone Ash like guitars over deep rivers of bass and slowly rolling drums, as the dual guitars and keys evolve, jam and break out, taking you and the track on an epic journey that sounds just fantastic, builds and layers, features tons of classic seventies Krautrock lead guitar work and is so spellbinding every time you play it, crisp, clean, sounding stunning on its remaster, and building into this epic of a track, a sort of driving Krautrock answer to Man's legendary “Spunk Rock” only a lot cleaner sounding and typically Krautrock.
The longest track on the album is the studio recorded “Looping IV”, twenty two minutes of amazing music, that starts out as this slowly building giant of a cosmic soundscape, with vast canyons of spacey fx and booming textures, as cymbals add extra texture to the space brew. Slowly the piece develops, never standing still and constantly adding subtle layers here and there to keep the whole thing moving. You are subtly aware of the added presence of treated guitars, fogbanks of synths and guitars all moving in the cosmic mist as assorted layers and textures keep you hooked. About half way through, you hear a distinct sound of deep bass twanging away at the top of the mix, as the cosmic mist dissipates a little, then gathers strength once more before sitar-like echoes of guitar make their presence felt in spacey mode as the track threatens to break out but instead just meanders and flows to spacey fulfillment and dark, eerie black-hole bliss. But out of this cauldron, does arise a single chiming guitar and distant rolling drums, giving the track a whole extra dimension, the slowly evolving electric guitar lead now moving to the front of the mix as the track gathers strength and a rhythm starts to emerge, gradually changing shape into a mix of cosmic magic and instrumental Krautrock class, the bass work as upfront as the guitar above the sea of rolling drums, waves of space synth undercurrents and distant ringing guitars and buried guitar riffing, all delivered to spellbinding effect, the track then ending as it began, in a fogbank of cosmic soundpools. Thus endeth the original album – but there's more!
A near eleven minute, previously unreleased bonus track, recorded in 1971, strangely continues the cosmic flow of the previous outing in its initial stages, only less subtle and more like early seventies Floyd soundscapes once again, in many ways a bit like a Krautrock alternate universe version of “A Saucerful Of Secrets”, mixed with Man styled guitar jamming further on, and an absolute belter of a track.
AGITATION FREE – Live 1974 (At The Cliffs Of River Rhine)- Remaster + Bonus Track CD
What makes this such a superb instrumental live album is that the playing cannot be defined – it's not rock, jazz, experimental, heavy, spacey, ambient, intense, dense, raging, overly technical, flashy or self-indulgent.
What is can be said to be, with all certainty, is a band of five musicians playing guitars-driven instrumental music that is emotive, structured, purposeful, full of depth, melodic, unafraid to wander into the cosmos for a spell before wandering back to earth with delicacy and dexterity. As seventies instrumental Krautrock goes, it is unique in that it works as much for its feel and dynamics as its sheer strength and passion of playing and tightness of band interaction. All of this is embodied in the opening thirteen minute track which starts from quiet beginnings and turns into this melting pot of twin electric guitar heat, as the leads rise up, entwine, soar out individually and climb out of sight, supported by a solid, driving rhythm section and textural electronic depth, on a piece that is truly immense, every time you play it. The eight minute “First Communication”, again starts from humble beginnings as lilting emotive bass glides above shuffling drums and crashing cymbals, as an equally gorgeous lead guitar rings out on a soaring melodic lead, gradually embellished by a slightly lower pitched second lead guitar and organ flow underneath it all, the bass as much a melodic lead as the guitars. Gradually they coalesce into the main riff and melodic structure of the track, a bit like a cross between Soft Machine's “Joy Of A Toy” and Wishbone Ash's “Phoenix” taking off towards a red hot guitars-driven finale, the whole thing simply wonderful to hear, easy to listen to and yet substantial, full of feeling and, again, something of which you'll never tire of hearing. Via a one minute electronic linking track, the band segues effortlessly into the ten minute “Laila”, originally from the second album, and here given a performance which easily eclipses even that version. The guitars go straight into the main melodic theme of the track as the band become more intense and work together to provide a surging sea of melody, rhythm, high-flying lead guitars, upfront bass and magically emotive instrumental music. The track never loses sight of its strength but does settle down into a more sedate manner at times, this dynamic working so well, as the bass maintains the rhythmic pulse and the drums and splashing cymbals provide the foundations, while the eloquent twin guitar leads continue to mesmerise and amaze throughout. The live music from this '74 concert ends with five minutes of “In The Silence Of The Morning Sunrise”, still strong but as gorgeous as the title suggests, again, firmly melodic, the combination of slowly soaring guitars and river of organ above resonant, flowing rhythmic undercurrents, a thing of beauty and enjoyment, overall, a thoroughly addictive set of instrumental music that is simply magical. There's also a bonus track in the form of the near nine minute “Big Fuzz”, a previously unreleased live track from early 1972, and, even though two years earlier, entirely in keeping with the feel, sound, structure, pace and flavour of everything that's gone before, as the guitars continue to work their magic and the band flies heavenbound above shuffling, driving drums and throbbing bass. With a superb remaster job bringing out the sound to its utmost best, this is one of the best examples of seventies instrumental Krautrock ever released.
AGITATION FREE – Fragments CD
Often hailed as one of the lost synth-based supergroups but if you listen closely you will hear an unsung group straddling the worlds of synth, prog, ethnic-electric, cosmic, West coast guitar jams, shades of early '70's Krautrock and beyond. The first three tracks are live in concert from 1974 and total 40 minutes of music between them, with some spiraling instrumental work from the musicians, giving the impression of a more guitar oriented Cosmic Jokers, a less intense Ash Ra Tempel or early jamming Grateful Dead with extra synth fills or “Set The Controls”-styled Pink Floyd – and often a hybrid of all four. But whichever way you put it, the playing is superb, and what makes them work so well is that all-important sense of feel, the fact that the band are playing with emotion and dynamics. The 18 minute “Someone's Secret” unfolds effortlessly and organically with some gloriously laid back electric guitar interplay, the omnipresent early seventies Krautrock rhythm section spurring it all along, while the addition of organ and synths fills it out. The bass work is often reminiscent of Roger Waters while the lead guitar work is pure Jerry Garcia at many points along the way. In short, a truly magical 40 minutes of classic instrumental Krautrock. “Mediterranean Flight” is a four minute studio track from 1974 built around cascading, melodic electric guitar leads as cymbals wash upon the shore, lilting bass runs gently underneath and the guitars dive and soar with relaxed underwater intensity to produce an almost improvised sounding piece. The bonus tracks, not on the original album, take the shape of a thirteen and a half minute “Crashending” recorded in 1971 with Chris Franke on drums, and this, too, is a superb instrumental
featuring some really psychedelic dual guitar work throughout, while the muscular drumming and throbbing bass work really make the track fly, the whole thing highly engaging and reminding you of something like the last section of Ash Ra Tempel's “Amboss” mixed with “Camembert Electrique”-era instrumental Gong, and the result is fantastic. Also present is a short video film of the band at work in 1972/72 as an extra slice of archival enjoyment. All in all, with a fantastic remaster job making it all sound simply awesome, a truly remarkable example of seventies instrumental Krautrock.
JIMMY AGREN - Various Phobias CD
As a musician and writer, you're actually pretty clever if you can take a genre such as rock or dance or punk and do something different with it that works. But if you can do the same thing to a genre such as blues, yer a positive genius - and this is exactly what Agren has gone and done right here.
The album opens with "Smokin' France", a short piece that features this clattering percussive rhythm, sharpened lead guitar ducking and diving below the lurching beats and lightly phased vocal with its American lilt, as the track drives forward,a brief slide guitar shines through before settling to the back of the mix as the minute or so comes to an end. With a pause for breath, you're taken headlong into the strident intro to "Little Devil" which, bearing in mind the title and its coincidence, sounds uncannily like The Cult hitting the blues bottle, as the driving beats give foundation to some searing slide and electric guitar riffs and licks, the vocal soaring on top as the rhythms twist and turn, the distinct air of later period Beefheart really letting loose as the slide guitar just glows and the lurching solid beats underpin some scorching guitar riff undercurrents, the song sailing down the highway to joyous effect. "Light Show Bob" races in on interweaving strands of fiery guitar work before the massive mix settles abruptly into the song portion of the track, the vocal delivered with yearning intensity as the rhythms beef up, the guitar work lurches from staccato riffing to searing slide melodies, as the lurching pace recalls Beefheart once more but with more of a Steve Ray Vaughan tinge in there too. An incendiary if brief, guitar solo erupts from the system as the song returns and the whole thing tumbles forward to mighty effect, the blues never sounding so attacking or full of bite before, and yet with all the emotion that the best in blues has to offer, well in evidence. Stunning! "Blow Me Hard" is instant - the moment you hear that addictive mid-paced rhythm, that steaming slide guitar, the multi-tracked lead vocals, the stumbling beats and the infectious chorus, all wrapped up in this full-sounding arrangement where the electric blues is king and yet commercial potential is paramount, you can't fail but to get caught up in the splendours of what is a truly awesome track, that will be rattling around in your head for hours after, the sort of track you just never tire of hearing. "Jeff's House" is as close as Agren gets to "trad" blues, with a rolling rhythm, electrifying slide and lead guitar licks and riffs, lurching beats, and throaty vocals that just fit the bil to a tee - this is real electric blues but performed with such passion, it's absolutely amazing. "Goodnight Austin Texas" is a driving instrumental that lets Agren show off his amazing electric lead and electric slide guitar work, as solos soar and dive in and around one another over a forceful sea of rhythms and some attacking playing overall. "554023", also an instrumental, is more acoustic and brooding with a deep bass undercurrent and brush stroke drumming, almost dark in many respects and a neat change of direction but still one that keeps you hooked, as it's played with such conviction and emotion, the acoustic and electric slides almost restrained compared to what's gone before, as the whole thing oozes atmosphere for its length. Then it's into the next song which is "Waitin", introduced by this big, deliberate lurch of a rhythm section, the slide guitar gliding up and down the stumbling beats, as the song enters and Agren's vocals sound seriously impassioned over the flowing sea of electric blues. A scorching guitar break lights things up even further, with some of most direct blues-rock soloing heard on the album so far, leaving you jaw-dropped in admiration, as the song portion returns and the track swaggers to its end point. The final four tracks on the album - two songs and two instrumentals - carry over all these elements and more to make up four smoking tracks that are every bit as cohesive, consistent and solid as the rest of the album you've heard so far, with plenty of seriously exciting lead electric and slide guitar that pours out of the speakers in unstoppable and sheer emotive fashion. This is writing, playing and arranging of electric blues on a plane that 99% of the blues artists would kill to sound like for just one track, never mind a whole album. As I said, utter genius, and an album that every electric blues fan should own - now!!
BANCO DE GAIA – Memories Dreams Reflections DBLCD
Double CD of new studio tracks and live tracks, and it's got to be one of the strangest yet most fantastic CD's that Toby's released to date. For a start, the majority of the first disc – all studio tracks – consists of cover versions, while the other three tracks are newly recorded versions of older tracks. Taking the covers first, we begin with Hawkwind's “Spirit Of The Age” from the “Quark” album, and over seven and a half minutes we get this chunky downtempo slice of ambient heaven while the lyrics are actually recited by a guy who sounds like he's wandered into the studio by accident when he should be reading the evening new bulletin, but the whole thing works a treat as the shimmering synths, the crunchy, chunky, almost Latino percussive rhythms and acres of space synths and fx, all combine to provide this irresistible backing over, under and around the distant but clearly audible lyric. Up next is just under 12 minutes of seventies proggers King Crimson's track “Starless”, here staying true to the arrangement of the original, as the slowly searing heat of Fripp's guitar and mellotron are replaced by synths and guitar as Toby gives this amazing Fripp-like lead just what the song needs. The vocals are delivered with softness and emotion by female vocalist Maya Preece, while the rhythms are slowly flowing downtempo ambient-prog heaven, and you're sitting there, not only mesmerised with it all, but marvelling at the fact that no-one's thought to do this to such a great song, before now. Crimso and ambient fans will love it. But if that wasn't enough, along comes the “magnum opus” in the form of all 22 minutes of Pink Floyd's mighty track “Echoes”, and this is simply sensational. Again, staying true to the spirit, sound and feel of the original, Toby provides it with a soundscape, feel and textural quality, all his own. The guitar work is chillingly Gilmour, while the depths are huge, the flow profound,the textures heavenly and the whole sound absolutely faultless, as another slice of ambient-prog unfolds. It's the effortless way that he injects a truly timeless, classic track with flavours all his own, and managing to inject a whole new spirit into the track without once sacrificing what the track's all about. It's ambient, it's prog, it's expansive, varied, vast, floating, flowing and atmospheric, but, above all else, it's magic. Of the three ancient re-recorded tracks, “Soufie” is 8 and a half minutes of classic Banco middle east-flavoured ambient bliss, initially spacey and cosmic, but adding all manner of musical layers to become this rattling and rolling slice of chunky, driving, on fire downtempo, percussive-driven, space-synths surround, electronic melodic chilled-out ambient groove. Conversely, 7 minutes of “Tempra” starts off sounding amazingly similar to Tangerine Dream legend Edgar Froese's lengthy final track on his classic seventies album “Ages” before taking a detour via chunky beats and seriously cool grooves, into this heartwarming slice of solid yet atmospheric chill-out heaven, as all sorts of synths, percussives, fx, keys and similar, all combine to provide one of the finest tracks on the whole album. The first CD ends with five and a half minutes of “Terra Om”, as chilled-out an example of classic ambient electronics as it's possible to get. The live disc features 10 tracks ranging from 7 to 12 minutes in length, all recorded at various stages of Banco's live career to date, as it becomes one almighty monster of a track, the very epitome of what made, and still makes, early nineties ambient downtempo music, so utterly timeless. What separates Banco from the rest, is the sheer feel and arrangements of the whole, having tracks running into tracks, almost the perfect ambient megamix, as you find yourself inexorably hooked to the vast oceans of electronics, melodic synths, percussive rhythms, space synths, electronic beats, chunky backdrops and hugely expansive layers of synthesized soundscapes that soar all around the ever dependable chunky rhythms. Unfair to single out any one track, this is something you play and enjoy – for a long time to come – as one example of epic ambient genius in action. Overall, proving that Banco has lost none of his touch and that, in terms of ambient music, he's not only the godfather of it all, not only still producing music that is still completely timeless, but is actually the finest there is, when it comes to downtempo genius.
BLOW UP HOLLYWOD – Blow Up Hollywood CD
The cover is fold-out, in black and white, forbidding and foreboding yet strangely hypnotic, tells you nothing except the very basis of what you need to know yet invites you in to a world of mystery.
The same could be said of the album's musical contents!
It opens with disembodied voices as a gorgeous synthesizer/keyboard fog rolls in from the ocean in riples of shimmering beauty, to roll away again almost as swiftly. Immediately, the sound of a mournful cello is heard as an acoustic guitar strums quietly alongside. Then in comes the singer – a voice full of yearning emotion that's somehow full of satisfaction at the same time as it's inviting you to share his feelings and observations. It's a voice that's emotionally charged and yet warm, comforting and fragile as it is strong. A waft of keys and synths heralds the arrival of slowly flowing rhythm section, keys and guitars as the song strengthens its hold, tightens its grip yet becomes a thing of uplifting, mesmersing charm, gradually flowing into the hook-as-chorus, at which point you are completely taken over by everything this world has to offer on a song that's simply spellbinding, beyond ballad, above mere feelings, and instead a supreme majesty of drama, delicate intensity and hypnotic bliss. The song is called “It's Not Me” and already it's the third track on the album, but it is the point at which you fall deeply in love with the album and the thinking, arranging, playing and singing behind it. From there on in, you plunge with eager tranquility and taut emotion into a sea of songs where the greatest of feelings is provided by the sparest of playing, band-driven all the same, as they make every note count, every slice of haunting intensity from the sinewy violin/cello, through the throb of drums and distant deep bass, to the more melodic counterpoints of keyboards and occasional guitar, the instrumental passages speaking as many volumes as the songs, “Descend” leading the way into the darkness yet eerily towards the star in the horizon. “Heaven Or Hell” agains flows tenderly into existence as the warm, strong, gorgeously emotive vocal sings a song that simply can't fail to make it straight to your heart as the multi-tracked verses with deep textural backing give an added dimension to the song, the spirit so deep, the eyes so wide, the longing ever greater, on a song that is truly spellbinding as cello, acoustic guitar and deep rivers of texture make the hook achingly mesmerising and the song the sort of experience you want to have, time after time. “Beyond the Stars” opens with cascading, deliberate piano chords, deep synth bass rumble and cosmic wind as the piece lifts off in a fogbank of distant train-like electro-percussive bliss, the piano climbing above in slowly unfolding steps of splendour as the piece gathers pace and intensity to become this wondrous slice of shoegazing beauty almost like a cosmic instrumental stripped-down decelerated version of essential early Bruce Hornsby, and just awesome. “Sweetest Moment” opens with sampled preaching voice, heartbeat percussive throb, deep piano/synth chords and an almost early seventies Pink Floyd feel, before the vocal emerges with another song that's immediately got you caught in its spell as the composition echoes a male answer to emotive Tori Amos, truly spellbinding yet again, so different from anything else around, but so much finer at the same time, a song, yet again, so perfect in the context of the album and gradually rising to a peak that surveys its kingdom and finds strength, peace and purpose, once again, intense but in a wholly hypnotic manner. This segues into a huge swathe of synthesized orchestral sounding cosmic gorgeousness as the reprise of the earlier “It's Not Me” is heard in all its uplifting charm and emotive wonderment. Over a final quintet of songs and instrumental amazement, the album continues without once losing what makes it so enthralling, so hypnotic, so full of feeling and so much the sort of album you know you are going to play and play and never once tire of its undoubted charms. Possibly the most underestimated genius debut album of the last 10 years.
BLOW UP HOLLYWOD – Fake CD
Two years later, to 2004, and things have changed – for the better. The songs and playing are every bit what made them so special on the debut album, but the fragility of exploration and yearning is now replaced by this driving, dramatic sense of purpose as the songs, the singing and, above all, the playing, come crashing into the electric heavens, as, right from the start, a parallel universe Pink Floyd is heard in all its glory, the sound of electric guitar leads, textures and breaks over slowly flowing rhythm section and melodic keys, is completed by the even stronger and no less emotive lead vocal that delivers the song in all its glory, the song is “Born”, the playing incredible and the effect utterly breathtaking as this majestic epic of an opener catches you in its spotlights and keeps you there for the duration. You'd buy the album for this track alone!! The even better part, however, is that it's all just as hot as this. The weeping cellos are still present, but even these possess a greater strength, a greater depth of emotion than before, as it immediately segues its orchestral splendour into the strains of acoustic guitar, distant synths, deep bass and lilting melody that back the quietly emotive vocal of the title track as the drums come in and provide the backbone of the piece. Then, as the electric guitars break waves, the vocal lifts off and the song veers between sky and earth with incredibly ease and stunning effect, a song that is as hypnotic as it is dramatic as it is romantic, slowly building into this huge sounding epic that's truly a sight to behold and admire. A short instrumental excursion that is the calming qualities of “Just Before Dawn” leads us into the uplifting song that is “nde” with shimmering guitars, haunting rhythms and textural keys before another Floyd-like break opens the song out into dramatic prog-rock realms as the vocals strengthen, intensify and stride out, eventually dropping back to the peace of whirlpools of shimmering electric guitars, cosmic electronics, shuffling drums and yearning vocal, all arranged to perfection and a joy to hear, an experience to be had as long, loud and as often as possible. “Darkness Falls” is an instrumental interlude that features more of that emotive, warm sounding cello with distant cosmic electronics far far away, creating a mood that's endearing yet eerie at the same time, but above all, truly blissful that dies away slowly to herald the arrival of “Oceans”, a warm-sounding ballad that's not only one of the finest tracks on the album, but one of the finest songs written in the last ten years. So emotive, so full of feeling, so passionate, it is sung with yearning intensity and imploring meaning, with a stirring, slowly rising undercurrent and playing that's got that total seal of parallel universe Pink Floyd stamped right across it as this slide electric guitar break is heard in all its glory above the strong and gathering density of the rhythm section, the whole thing rising up to a crescendo before diving back down to deliver the gorgeousness of the song's final moments in the quiet calm of how it began. “Rise” is an altogether stronger slice of instrumental orchestral sounding river of dreams, full of synths and strings, spotlighted with melodic keys and rippling currents, as short as it is sweet, and drawing the listener into “White Walls”, starting with swirling clouds of electronics and echoed pulses, as the vocal emerges, softer this time, almost lazily intoned, but gradually conveying the emotive charm as the band strengthen, drums begin the drive, cellos and guitars provide the depth, texture and more strength as the vocal is almost submerged but then it does away to give the song its own breathing space as the emotionally charged calm of the vocal carries it all the way through to the end, diving between the loud and the lilting with dextrous ease. “Being There” is the sound of hope, the sound of loss and the sound of longing, all in one cello-led sea of wondrous emotion, an instrumental composition of spellbinding beauty. Finally, we hit “dmk”, as the album ends on an instrumental mix of eerie, calm, spacey, other-worldly charms with electronic textures, haunting shimmering melodic emotion and a sense of adventure, telling you that there's so much more to the universe, and yet giving you just a glimpse of its spellbinding glories, as an almost early Klaus Schulze-like piece brings the album to a calming close. Overall, this is even more essential than the first album, not a wasted second on the whole thing, played and sung and arranged to perfection and one of the most fantastic albums you'll hear - anywhere!!
BLOW UP HOLLYWOOD – Collections CD
Just when I thought I'd got the handle on what Blow Up Hollywood is all about, along comes a fourth album to defy that theory and absolutely blow me away. For a starts the majority of the album is instrumental, but that also means that the actual songs carry even more emotional weight when they appear and the whole arrangement of the album is nothing short of magical.
Kicking things off we get “DDK” where a lurching drum beat is overlaid with funky percussion, a rich bass undercurrent and deep textures, all topped with this stabbing, melodic, resonant, beautifully strong piano lead as it all rolls along and gradually becomes enveloped in textural, almost buzzing, strings, giving the piece a flavour of the Pacific as well as Western, just one wonderful opening track. From here, there's the calm of “JCK” where the ping of keyboard that opens it makes you think of Pink Floyd's “Echoes” but this is only for a few seconds before, with a rush of wind that's more like a gale, in comes a searing heat electric guitar lead over another strongly lurching sea of rhythms and more strings surrounding the heart of the piece as this huge tower of melodic gorgeousness, strides out with the guitar lead hotly followed by a deep piano motif and the strings. Abruptly a synthesizer lead takes over from the guitar and this massive sounding slice of of mid-paced orchestral rock – some would arguably call it “prog-rock” - just pours its heart out as it spreads its wings and flies majestically upwards in a stream of strings, synth, piano, bass, drums and distant guitar.
“Crash” starts with resonant piano and in comes this husky sounding female vocal as the mix of tension, beauty, emotion and melody is all mixed up in an air of stark fragility, the silent force of voice and piano possessing a strength that's emotionally wrung out with passion and pure love, and if you wanted a comparison, “a female answer to Peter Gabriel doing “Here Comes The Flood” with just a piano”, wouldn't be far from the truth. It's simply wonderful!! Up next is “Cello_Piano_Radio_Woodwinds”, where what you'd call a slightly unorthodox instrumental, wends its amorphous and free-form way through a maze of ripples, melodies, rhythms and textures, on what you'd call the extremely listenable and engaging side of “challenging”, a sort of “free-classical-jazz for the beginner”, nothing too extreme, but giving you a glimpse into a world that will either open or shut its doors to you.
“Slow Down” returns to earth with a rolling piano melody and more of that husky female vocalising as a brooding kind of song shines in the dark, the voice possessing a slight air of menace and mystery as well as angst and passion, the combination of piano and vocals this time embellished with violin and deep bass, as it all slides and glides with huge emotion for such a stark sea of instrumentation, that voice so full of feeling and the arrangement just matching it to perfection. By contrast, “When Its Over” opens with chunky acoustic guitars and deep bass, before the main man behind the project reveals his first vocal on the album a voice that's very similar to a more melodic answer to the lead singer of rock band Seether, a vocal that's packed with emotion and very distinctive but at the same time, warm, strong and pure of heart, the arrangement now embellished with piano and deep-in-the-mix violin and organ, the song so absolutely magical and emotive, it brings a tear to your eye, sung superbly, arranged brilliantly and, once again, you never thought you could experience so much from something so relatively simple and almost completely acoustic – genius!! “Caged” is a silently flowing slice of rhythm-less cosmic music as dark, eerie space electronics, drift and resonate, darkly textured but at the same time, strangely beautiful, a lengthy piece that would be proud to have graced an early seventies Tangerine Dream album. “Nck” is another instrumental which opens with gently rippling, strummed acoustic guitar that erupts into a massive sounding electric guitar lead and accompanying ocean of strongly lurching bass, drums and organ, to such a brilliant degree that, in a blindfold test, the only two words that would pop out of your mouth when asked who it was, would be “Pink Floyd” - it's that close and that good, the main difference being that the guitar has a bit more bite to it. “For Jessica” features piano and viola and is just gorgeous, while at the same time strong and emotive, the piano slowly choppy, again with a bit of a “Dark Side”-era Floyd touch to it, while that viola lends that sinuous air of mysterious strength which makes it a perfect accompaniment on what is a really melodic slice of strange beauty. “Kitty Kite” is another song featuring the wondrous voice of the female singer (there are no credits on the album sleeve to anyone), again husky, gorgeous, emotive and so full of feeling, the smouldering passion and deep strength of the vocal accompanied by strummed acoustic guitar, strings, keys and electronics, with a deep feeling bass river underneath. As the song expands, the vocals are occasionally multi-tracked for even more beautiful effect, the strings also enveloping the piece as the guitar and piano provide the melodic heart to the song, which is now spiralling slowly to the heavens on that majestic, warm and hugely emotional vocal, taking you with it and filling your heart with unbridled passion on what is one absolute stunner of a song, again, making acoustic into something that's so much more than you'd ever have thought possible.
“More Caged” is electronics only this time sounding massive and filling the expanse with huge waves of cosmic soundscapes that are the other side of the black hole, a world of chaos, density and blackness, the rhythm-less electronic intensity pouring down like rain with droplets made of glass.
The album ends with a song - “Sweet Memory” - the main man singing a song of great tenderness set to a rolling piano melody, a bit like a mix of that guy out of Seether and acoustic Peter Gabriel, and just one gorgeously emotive and gloriously strong sounding way to round off what's been a simply incredible album, an album with not one second wasted or out of place, produced, arranged, played and sung to perfection, and an album that should be recognised as a work of nothing less than absolute genius.
CLUES – Clues CD
I have no idea who, what or where this band is all about. OK, so I could look it up on the web but that would spoil the fun. You see, the label have supplied me with an mp3 of the album along with track titles and nothing more. So, uncoloured by any detail, all I have are 11 tracks – just the music. Trust me, that's all you need...........
The first track is “Haarp” - normally I would say something like “this sets the scene for what's to come” - but it doesn't – this album's so eclectic, it couldn't. But let me tell you that it's wonderful – starts with a gloriously high register vocal as a crash of instrumentation, primarily guitars, enters, fades, leaves the plaintively mournful vocal, that's then joined by this distant explosion of electronics that also then rumbles and fades, only for the light vocal and a pleasant guitar to stay behind before the guitar rings out in melodic fashion accompanied by this huge lurch of a drum beat as deep bass comes in, the guitars well up and the drums get heavier but rumble along nicely. This then stops abruptly to leave melodic guitars that then fire up a salvo of staccato riffing as the vastly accelerated drums crunch in, the guitars roll along and the slightly more urgent vocals carry the song along – as it all then stops – for good – and this is only the first track!! “Remember Severed Head” continues pretty well from where that left off, as the rhythm continues, this time with a more layered, less urgent, more distant vocal as the massive drum beats are accompanied by ringing guitars, eerie electronics, chiming guitars, percussion and more, the rumbling main part dropping down to a whisper before the whole thing twists and turns down a path that sounds like seventies Krautrock mixed with Sigur Ros – wild and wonderful. “Approach The Throne” starts with stuttering guitars and electronics, solid, heavy, driving, again echoed, drums as the instrumentation gathers strength and texture, weight and pace, before the soaring, multi-tracked vocals fly in and this huge molten mass of driving glory just sounds fantastic, the song floeing along to perfection on a wave of high register vocal-lite and this awesome mix of Germany's Can, Dundee's Mason and Russian cossack music just crashes into your heart and mind. “In The Dream” opens with strummed guitars, layers of spacey electronics, a higher register sea of vocals as a whole mix of out of focus, eerie, squally and strangely emotive, almost unsettling, song structure, almost sets your nerves on edge yet at the same time, absolutely hypnotizes, with tons of layers and textures into which you are suitably immersed, without any semblance of rhythm, hook, chorus or melody – yet it's a siren call to the depths of your heart. “You Have My Eyes Now” starts on a bed of droning guitars as this languid, emotive vocal enters and slowly unfolds its lyrical riches, almost sounding like a decelerated indie-rock answer to Brother Brown's ambient dance hit “Under The Water”. Guitars shimmer, percussion washes on the shore, the vocals start to lift off, then – kerboooooommmmmmm!!!!!!!!! - the band come in with an explosion of drums, guitars, bass and electronics as this slow, lumbering beast of a track lifts drives unstoppably forward in a blaze of textures, melodies, riffs and solid layers. Then it stops – to leave electronics that sound like cellos – all very Godspeed and simply wondrous. OK – there's 6 tracks to go – and they're all amazing. But, I'm gonna leave it there – I think by now you've got the flavour of this album – it's contemporary, it's different, it's superbly played and produced, sung and arranged, it's inventive yet it's utterly accessible, enjoyable and undeniably uncommercial, a completely new affair with which you can link arms and walk into the sunset together, as love takes hold. In a word, “fantastic”!!
COLOUR HAZE – All CD
It took me three months to get to play this CD – it then took me one week to play it four times in a row – it then took me over one month where the thing took over my life and I played it every two days.
Just forget all the previous albums – this is the real deal. This is where the band finally produce something that's as rooted in the seventies and as fresh sounding as it is today. The seventies part is a mix of “Dark Star” styled Grateful Dead blended with early Agitation Free and Popol Vuh. The modern side is the songwriting dynamics without the metallic weight of a band such as Kings X plus the shoegazing atmospherics of a band such as Air Formation. You put all this together in the melting pot that is this absolutely brilliant new album and you have a mix of songs, instrumentals, flowing atmospheres and a warm glow at its heart, that simply cannot fail to move you. The vocals are the sort of languid King's X style with mantra-ish harmonies of such laid back qualities, they're practically horizontal. The guitar work throughout is timeless, hypnotic, languid and mesmerising, but with a strength that sinks its hooks in and refuses to let go, so that you get the excitement of seventies innovation mixed with the passion and sonic delight of modern arrangements. From Garcia styled solo guitar as on “Zabriskie Point” to “Laila” styled Agitation Free excursions through the few song excerpts and beyond, this is an album that you just have to listen to in one sitting, and indeed, after a couple of plays, wouldn't dream of doing anything else, As I said, stunning!
DAVID CROSS BAND – Alive In The Underworld CD
First thing to say is that this is one spectacularly recorded live album, not just because the sound quality is perfect but also because it captures the band's energy and subtlety, power and passion, to equal perfection.
Not only that, but it's one of those nights where everything just comes together and a great band deliver one stellar performance.
For those not in the know, Cross used to play violin in the mid-seventies, and arguably the best ever, King Crimson line-up. Now has has his own band, a sextet with additional keys, drums, bass, guitar and vocals, and that are absolutely superb.
The album opens up with an instrumental that sets the scene with that sinewy violin lead snaking its way across the band's foundations, before they press the power button and erupt into the near six minutes of “Nurse Insane”, revealing a vocalist with strength who can really deliver the goods over the surging might of the band, as they play as one tight unit, swirling, driving and flying forward in a hurricane wave of rock-prog proportions. The six and a half minute “Learning Curve” is similarly powerful only here, there's more variation and for the first time, the undeniable sounds of seventies King Crimson come sailing through the arrangement and the performance as the keys, guitar and violin whip up one monumental instrumental mid-section, the presence of the synth making it much closer to “typical seventies prog-rock” than Crimson provided. But it's a monster of a piece that, with its Wetton-esque vocal strength, is a stunner of a track. The near six minute “Are We One” starts with that wistful spacey violin as the lone vocal enters on top, full of feeling, before the band then kicks in and another slice of muscular power prog, fires up with solid bass well in evidence, a vocal that almost seems to harmonise with itself, while the drums drive it all onwards, the guitar, violin and keys providing this huge sounding undercurrent of depth, intensity and texture. With barely a pause for breath, it turns a corner to a more sedate but no less heavy, section, with lurching drums, throbbing bass, cascading violin and emotive vocals, only then to fire up once more and take off. Following this comes the first of three King Crimson cover, in this case a ten minute rendition of “Exiles”, which is every bit as good, if not better, than many a Crimso version. Once more the mixing of the violin and synths gives it more of a proggy feel, while the overall performance from band and singer, is simply outstanding. The start is a much spacier intro with violin, synth and Percy Jones-esque bass to the fore, before the band crash in and burn through a really dense and driving take on a classic Crimso track, all the depth, strength, subtlety and emotion kept firmly intact on what is, to all intents and purposes, a faithful adherence to the original structure of the track. “Tonk” is one mother of a mighty slice of rock-prog intensity, just under five minutes of surging band-driven songwriting that positively glows red hot as the band simply blow you away with a massive sounding track, again, the violin rising to lead proportions, but largely just a band on fire and loving every minute of it. The near six minutes of “I Buy Silence” begins with lone piano, shortly joined by that soaring violin as the band then erupts once more in typical Crimso fashion as a song glides in and another strong vocal is heard over the might of the band, again the Wetton-isms firmly in tow, although much more powerful with an almost rock-oriented delivery but well in tune. The piece twists and turns through piano leads, guitar riffing, and a storm of violin leads that take you from surging to spacey in a heartbeat, then fire up to blow your mind, on one of the finest numbers that King Crimson never recorded. But what King Crimson did record, was a track called “Starless”, and here, the David Cross Band, deliver a twelve and a half minute performance of the piece which stays true to everything that made the original so special. The vocals are delivered full of feeling, more melodic sounding than Wetton and more wistful but no less strong, while the band initially flow and soar with the violin well to the fore. Once the song portion is over, on a stinging cascade of guitar that's Fripp with thorns on, so begins the lengthy instrumental section, as bass throbs under the guitar, percussion is heard below that and the whole thing begins its journey, building and pushing ahead, slowly increasing the intensity before gradually breaking out into an expansive ocean of sound as the whole band plays it tight, flowing and strong, enough to please even the hardest hearted Crimso and prog-rock fan alike. But if this didn't finally break down your resistance, then a ferocious nine minute version of “21st Century Schizoid Man” will do the trick – the band lets loose this immense sounding version of the legendary track and don't put a foot wrong as the whole thing just goes nuclear, and you don't need me to tell you just how good this piece is when that spark ignites and the whole thing blows to infinity, exactly what happens here. That's the end of the concert – just under 63 minutes of excellence – but not the end of the album, as the band have provided a bonus track in the form of a brand new studio recording. A five minute track, entitled “Floodlights”, it once more shows off the might, strength and cohesion of playing that this band exudes by the shedload, here sounding like a cross between King Crimson and Kings X to a tee, on a track that's full of emotion and, the more you hear it, the closer you realise that comparison, actually is, the result being a simply stunning track and, hopefully, a portent of what's to come.
Overall, a superb, faultless album – and you can't say fairer than that!!
DEEEXPUS – Half Way Home CD
Over the past few years, several bands have made attempts on bringing the hallmarks of Classic Prog-Rock up to date – Porcupine Tree, who refused to be labelled “prog”, OSI, who went too much out on a limb for some, Spocks Beard, a great idea overdone, and so on. So, it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Deexpus – the band who've got it right on the money!
The first thing you have to say is that the albums should be stickered “Warning: Excellent Vocalist At Work”, for, in the case of Mr Tony Wright (who does the lead vocals, backing vocals, harmony vocals), the songs work from start to finish because he sings them so strongly. Then, you have the music – all the elements of what makes prog-rock so great, only updated with strength and depth, but outstanding in its emotive qualities. Synths, guitars, organ, bass, drums and an arrangement and production that's simply awesome. But, in the end, it's the songs themselves which hold your attention throughout – huge sounding works of works of flowing intricacy with warmth, dynamics and cohesion but with the word “familiarity” running through it.
The opening track, “Greed”, at seven and a half minutes, sets the scene – with shimmering guitars and solid rhythms, the track marches right into view as a Steven Wilson-styled phased vocal comes into view, the song gradually building from what's already a strong base, only then for the chorus to emerge as the keys add depth to the arrangement, drops back to the verse structure, not trying to be clever, instead using traditional song structure for maximum effect, as the whole thing drives purposefully onwards on waves of deep keys, seventies sounding synths and then a searing electric guitar break that;s totally in keeping with the flavour of the piece, as it all moves on to the song's finale – and as solid an attention-grabbing an opening track as you'll find. The six minute “Pointless Child” is even better – this time slower but no less rhythmically strong, it smoothly flows on waves of keys and synth backdrops, as the emotive vocals convey a song in tried and trusted fashion, a bit Wetton here, a bit Neal Morse there, as the guitars gather strength from behind, cymbals crash, the combined instruments build and the song, together with glorious backing harmonies, drifts into a spacious and gorgeous, almost Yes-like, mid-section, before the song returns and the structure is maintained. What is so great about this band is that they don't try to be clever or complex with their songs – they have lots of layers, lots of dynamics and a big sound, but they keep things the way you want them – a good song being a good song, and that's the bottom line. Another guitar break bursts into life as the song seems to last longer than its six minutes would suggest, in a good way, and flows to a strong finish line. “Pttee” at twelve minutes, starts like a kind of dark, menacing version of Pink Floyd's “Time”, but as guitar fx come and go, you just know that there's going to be one strong wind of contemporary prog-rock blowing through from the distance – and sure enough, with one burst of guitar chording, in it arrives, as the momentum is now firmly in classic Spocks Beard camp, the vocals finally providing the strong icing on the cake as the song lurches into life with layers of rich and biting guitars provide the main melodic and textural focus, only for the tension to be dissipated as the vocals climb, the guitars drop back, the song briefly changes shape, and then it veers between the two as you realise they've created a hook-as-chorus in a wholly original way, something to be enjoyed and admired. But the guitars refuse to be contained and, with the addition of a soaring lead guitar on top, plus deep keys below, the whole thing rises up but refuses to rock out, instead preferring to maintain its prog status and keep things layered and solid, the lengthy instrumental break owing as much to OSI and Porcupine Tree as to Steve Hackett or Lone Star, and simply superb, before the final part of the song is delivered with a mix of wide open electro-acoustic spaces and huge sounding prog-rock heaven, simply magnificent. The seven and a half minute “One Day” gives the chance for they keys to shine through a bit more as it opens with lilting piano leads over strong crunchy drumming, deep bass, flowing organ and a dream-like lead vocal that's so emotive and has an aura surrounding it that immediately endears itself to you, as the mid-paced song, slowly winds its way into your consciousness, the piano juxtaposed with distant shimmering guitar figures, as you feel and hear the song start to climb. Gradually, orchestral sounding synth rivers enter, the bass briefly gets noticed, and the slowly driving anthem just sounds fantastic, everything that a real prog-rock ballad should be but rarely achieves. Then, just to show you that they can change direction without losing sight of the song, a stronger lurching rhythm heralds the vocal going lightly phased as the momentum continues, the guitars finally emerge and a glorious lead break plays its part to perfection. The song accelerates, the vocals start to fly, the lyrics absolutely fantastic (as the whole album, I hasten to add) and the song veers between the anthemic vocals and higher flying instrumental crescendos of storming magnificence as the guitar cuts loose above the rippling, flowing keys and the, now driving, drumming and bass. Finally a huge wordless chorus spreads over the proceedings before, with a ripple of piano, it dies. “One Day” is just a minute and a half long and is simply a gorgeous piano-led instrumental, heralding the arrival of the six and a half minute “Seven Nights”, and here we really do go back to the seventies, but with a complete makeover that makes the lush harmonies, flowing organ work, high-flying choruses, strong lead vocals and expansive instrumentation, sound as much Porcupine Tree as “Relayer”-era Yes, the song's hook sinking into your head and heart and refusing to let go. Then, just to ensure that you know they can rock out, they accelerate things very suddenly and become more Lone Star than anything, with a synth break that adds to the backdrop of rhythm guitars and solid, driving rhythm section, before layers are added and the song just takes off like a rocket, in a flare of prog-rock brilliance, with another superb sounding electric guitar break providing the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle to perfection, the song's hook finally returning on top of all this strength, and you can't help but be totally enthralled and taken in by this huge sounding work of genius.
If you thought it's all been good so far, there's a final track, prog fans – and it's over seventeen minutes long!! Yes, this band can compose an epic, too, and they put into it everything that you've heard them do so well so far. In their hands, “Half Way Home”, the title track, is nothing short of amazing. All the ingredients that you could want in a stirring, strident, driving, dynamic and absolutely impassioned song-based epic slice of contemporary sounding, seventies-derived, prog, is here – strong vocals, huge choruses, uplifting harmonies, organ, synths, guitars, piano, bass, drums, guitars that surge, guitars that shimmer, guitars that shine, guitars that bite - keys that flow, synths that fill the heavens, rhythms that thunder and give tensile backing to the slower passages, but above all, an arrangement that holds your attention from start to finish as you enjoy and positively drool over one of the finest prog-rock epic tracks there's been in ages.
Overall – well, I've said it all – faultless in every way and does what it says on the tin - “prog” and “rock” in perfect harmony.
END OF LEVEL BOSS – Eklectric CD
If you've never heard of this band before, if you've never heard this band before, then this is a release that you should hear. They are a rock band, in fact a metal band, this is their third album and they're from London. They play songs – songs that have killer riffs, more twists and turns than Hampton Court Maze, rhythms so varied that if you tried to dance to any of it, you'd need hospital treatment. On top of all that they have a singer with a serious sense of angst and anger, a guy who's got a lot to get out of his system, and – hellfire!! - does he do just that. Across the ten tracks, the band riff , burn and roar with enough electricity to light up Manchester, as searing heat guitars move, snake, drive, flow and erupt with an absolute force that, while largely mid-paced, is nevertheless on fire. The rhythm section work is astounding, the bass creating this permanent undercurrent of bottom-heavy throb as the drums sound like there's an octupus playing the thing, as rhythms go all over the place, tumbling like rocks down a mountainside or hammering down like a demented blacksmith. Above all this, that singer delivers songs of totally relentless intensity, again, nothing overly fast, and you can hear every word, but the sheer emotional density that this guys injects into the songs, is positively jaw-dropping. Every so often he'll let the band rise to the surface as the wall of sound spreads its wings and flies, only then to drop back into the steaming cauldron of riffs, rhythms and solos that break off like shards of glass, as the band drive, bounce and explode. Song after song features this mix of stunningly produced intensity, superbly written and arranged variation, and an instrumental range which runs the scale as the singer runs his mouth off with conviction, passion and biting power. It's unusual, it's addictive, it's not metal as we know it and it's largely the most uncommercial slice of rock that you'll hear in a long while – all the exact reasons, along with what I've already said, as to why you should get down on this, get into its intensity and get tons of listening pleasure right back at you.
FREE SYSTEM PROJECT – Narrow Lane CD
There's a guy on one of the Tangerine Dream discussion groups on the internet who summed up this entire album, part one in particular, in just one sentence - “I don't know why they just didn't go the whole hog and call it 'Ricochet Part 3'.
After that, you don't even need a blow by blow review – that just sums up what a fantastic album this is!!
However, I will embellish it a little – there are just two tracks – part one lasting a shade under 30 minutes and part two lasting a shade under 50 minutes. To say it sounds like Tangerine Dream's “Ricochet” is like saying the Pope's a bit Catholic. Quite simply, this is glorious stuff – mellotrons, sequencers, synths – everything you could want from seventies synth is here – and it sounds stunning.
But there are those that say “well, if it's that close, why would I want it when I've got the real thing?” The answer to that is simply because, if this was “the real thing”, it would be being hailed as one of the all-time classic synth music albums of the last 40 years. So, if that's the case, then why, simply because the name of the band isn't Tangerine Dream, should you treat it with any less reverence. I have to admit that, when faced with a mood that demanded my playing of “Ricochet” or “Rubycon”, I'll now probably grab this instead – if anything simply because it's powerful, emotive, satisfying and texturally spot-on, and it lasts close on 80 minutes in one absolutely mesmerising sitting. You can't argue with that!!!
GHOST CIRCUS – Across The Line CD
The opener illustrates that this band really knows how to arrange a slice of prog. Starting with gentle acoustic guitar it gradually builds into this blaze of epic prog with guitars and synths on fire, before dropping back to acoustic guitars, space synths and rumbling deep bass undercurrents, the perfect instrumental opener. Just as that's subsiding and you're expecting a plaintive voice to emerge, suddenly and surprisingly, the next track, “Pathway”, erupts in a flare of prog-metal with driving guitars, surging rhythms, raw vocals and a grand canyon sized sea of glorious harmony vocals, all performed with strength, depth, passion and feeling as this towering roar of a track lights up your life with unending energy. A mid-section addition of synths comes just at the right time, as the synths and guitars duel and the song continues apace to breathtaking degree, as sound a slice of prog-metal as it gets and just mindblowing. Without a break, this segues right into the swirling, soaring guitars and synths that open “Holding On” as the lead guitar spirals out of sight then back down to earth amid a synth bass undercurrent, as synth choirs enter to provide a gorgeous contrast and then take over the central musical figure completely before a burst of searing guitar heat enters, the rhythm section strides in, organ gives it a seventies sense of prog-rock heaven and the vocal, now less anguished yet just as strong, soars out to equally commanding degree, this time another sea of backing vocals and harmonies providing the extra icing on the cake as the song positively glides along in another blaze of emotional and uplifting rock-prog proportions. A red hot guitar break takes your breath away as it all powers ahead until the track breaks out into a wide open space of Steve Howe-esque guitar melody before gathering strength and returning to its epic prog-rock self, again, another absolute gem of a track. Again, without a break, it segues neatly into “To Be” via rivers of string and space synths, very much like Klaus Schulze on the “Go” project, before the drums and bass lurch forward with intent, the synths swirl to the skies and slowly a lead synth sounding more like a mellotron takes centre stage and the distinct influences of mid-seventies Genesis are heard. But then this is replaced with a Bruce Hornsby-esque piano figure as the band surge ahead at mid-paced splendour and the song is delivered with an even more emotive vocal than before, this time slower and with even more emotion to it, but the piece possessing undoubted cohesion, complexity but, above all, melodic depth and purpose that really makes it stand out as a fine prog-rock ballad of great strength. This segues into “Losing Time”, an initially brooding intro heralding the arrival of a surging electric slide guitar as the band then takes off to the heavens cascading on waves of powerful band-played instrumentation and more restrained band-backed singing, veering between the two with absolute conviction on a song that's once again, hugely emotive and yet still powerful enough to get the adrenaline flowing. To come are the surging prog-metal that is “Through The Darkness” in a hail of blazing guitars, and the album's epic closing track in the form of the 8-part “Through The Light”, as fine a piece of modern epic length prog-rock as they come. In short, one powerful gem of an album for those that like their prog deep, feeling, powerful and impassioned.
(THE) GLIMMER ROOM – I Remain CD
There are 9 tracks on here but that's irrelevant. This is a CD – no, correct that; this is a work of art – which you place in your player of choice, press “play”, lie back, close your eyes and enter a whole new world of electronic music bliss. But, before you're thinking “oh no, not another cosmic/space synth album”, let me tell you that this is a symphony of sound, but it's not orchestral, it's not classical; in fact, it's not anything other than genuinely heart-warmingly gorgeous. From its opening of almost choral synth majesty, via delicate rhythms that tread carefully so as not to break the mood, you are placed into this warm, enveloping cocoon of flowing synth splendours and multi-layered travelling, where none of the layers stand still, everything is heard, nothing is hurried, nothing is wasted. At its heart is melody, simplicity as grandeur, sensitivity as strength. More choral layers wander in and out as a deep, distant bass synth river provides far-off foundations on which the synth melodies and soundscapes weave and flow.
From nowhere, a siren call heralds the sound of monks chanting – briefly – before a mix of seventies Germanic cosmic layers and more spatially filling choral synths are layered to provide something the likes of which only Constance Demby at her most electronically spiritual could hope to rival, as this huge mesh of flowing, cosmic vastness, rises up with strength and purpose. To this are added deep bass as melody, synth melodies as glorious as the cosmic universe that surrounds and it all coalesces into this church-like synthesized slice of pure inspiration and jaw-dropping beauty, again, melodic but not “sweet”. The density subsides as glittering stars of pule-like rhythms sparkle out whereupon the lead synths weave a more icy path, only to be joined by the tinkling or electro-percussives as though heralding a sleigh ride through the tundra, and it all begins to drive forward on layers of percussive heartbeats, huge flowing synth layers and the sparkle of the melodies and rhythms. When finally, a string synth layer is added, the journey is up and running and the magical postcard picture is complete. Eventually, after a lengthy trip, the journey ends slowly, as the bass layers take over, then the chunkiness of rhythm takes up from the intensity of the synth flow as this wondrous chilled-out sea of bliss and beats
comes into play. But rather than taking an ambient path, the musician elects to stay on the overtly “synth music” trail, adding more heartfelt melodies of depth and strength, not forgetting a slowly rising, almost distant, lead synth, which, allied to all the other layers, makes for another spellbinding sea of musical excellence. Via a short linking piece we move back to choral splendour, but this time a combination of immensely beautiful, simple piano chords and a descending synth line, added to the vastness of the flowing synth backgrounds, conjure images of a more cosmic answer to the “Tropic of Capricorn” (I think) track on Edgar Froese's “Ages” album as more layers of keyboard, synths, bass and percussives all join hands and slowly rise in mystical, majestic wonder, ending the album with this huge plume of mighty multi-textured, melodic, rhythmic, strong and streaming synth music perfection. No more need be said – for this is a truly remarkable album of electronic music beauty at its finest.
JOENSUU 1685 – Joensuu 1685 CD
Three people with the surname of Joensuu who hail from Scandinavia, one sings (in perfect English), and plays guitar plus Farfisa, the other two don't sing and play bass and drums respectively. All of which begs one question – how the hell have they produced such an amazing, massive sounding, inventive and utterly phenomenal album such as this?
Considering I don't know where to start, let's be traditional and go for the opener, a three minute song called “(You Shine) Brighter Than Light”, a song which serves as an opening statement in the form of an arms-open-wide electronic/electric sermon, a call to prayer, the soaring vocal over this massive drone backdrop of Farfisa and bass, amorphous guitars and gentle percussives, as an anthem to the faithful rises from the dark and spreads its light on an unsuspecting world. As we bow our heads in supplication, from here emanates the eight minute “Nothingness” as a decelerated Krautrock-esque drum rhythm underpins all manner of eerie electronics, bass and guitars to create the warm, sharp yet intoxicating musical flow, where a guitar slowly rises to the surface and shines a gorgeous lead down on the masses, rippling and shimmering as the rhythm marches slowly forward. Then the sound of multi-tracked lead vocals provide this wondrous sea of harmonies, the whole thing absolutely spellbinding, as a psychedelic anthem of richly assembled and cavernous arrangements spreads itself over your head and heart like a heady perfume, losing you in its depths as more guitar treatments, leads and textures shoot to the surface in slow motion, the whole thing like some amazing hybrid of Can, Faust, Porcupine Tree and Pink Floyd – it's brilliance incarnate and absolute genius. All of which makes the fast driving two and a half minutes of the burning heat that is “Kill/Shot/Love” sound like some Krautrock answer to Jesus And Mary Jane, as this hardcore electro-textured slice of searing heat Kraut-punk just blasts to the surface in a blaze of glory. “Crystal Light” is up next and this lasts seven minutes, starts with more searing textures and layers from the electronics and guitars as this mighty rhythm begins from the bass and drums, a lot like the band Circle in the earlier classic days, a bit like Can with a much richer, larger soundscape, but overall simply immense. A snarling, out of focus, treated vocal giving the whole thing the feel and sound of Can playing Underworld's “Jumbo”, the Underworld comparison not that far off only with guitars and electronics, bass and drums, rather than synths and programms. “Electric Ocean Sailor” features a stark, pleading spoken word/semi-sung vocal over electronic textures, the sound of the sea, a heavenly choir and has an air of menace that stands next to its act of contrition, both unnerving yet mesmerising, until suddenly you are jolted back into reality as the band go into the classic Velvet Underground-esque eruption mode that starts the six minute “Sick City” where the massive sound of a whirlpool of guitars, textures, bass, drums and more guitars, are topped by a laconic vocal that flows hazily over the musical melting pot that surrounds, as it all blends into this mass of music and echoed vocals which is the mix of Velvet Underground and early King Black Acid reincarnated in the 21st century and absolutely amazing, no matter how many times you play it. The strains of echoed acoustic guitar textures which end the track, segue right into the two minute “Gamma-Minus Machine Mender” where they continue, only to be slowly buried by a squall of electric and electronic textures that ultimately take over in a fogbank of sound which is totally mindbending, slowly fading to nothing. Then the sound of scorching lead guitar textures ushers in a pounding drum rhythm, topped with haunting, echoed almost sixties psychedelic styled vocals that sing this classic slice of early Velvets songwriting with that massive squall of sound erupting as a mighty undercurrent below the vocals, while the drums never once take their eye of the classic Neu-styled rhythmic drive and they even add an harmonica to the accelerated finale of the song where the noise takes over and the effect is incredible – it's a thing of great beauty that blows your head off. Finally, there's “Perfect Grace” at just short of seven minutes, where the splendidly emotive, almost lazy, vocals, provide a song above the crunching drums, deep bass undertow and surrounding layers of guitar and Farfisa, once again that pleading lyric sung with such passion that you're convinced this guy's about to sell his soul to the almighty, as he observes life from a whole new perspective, while all around there's a mighty electric and electronic soundtrack to life swirling like a swollen river, as the track beefs up the textures, the whirlpool of guitars shimmers, glows and climbs, the drums roll ever forward and the whole canyon-sized soundscape roars towards an end point that you just don't want to come, so glorious is the experience. Make no mistake – this is one utterly stunning album that has no faults and deserves to be one of those “undiscovered” albums that should rightfully be hailed as a classic in whatever genre you care to place it.
KEVIN KENDLE – Light From The Pleiades CD
Subtitled “Deep Skies 3”, it's the third in his series of cosmic music albums, and this time he's inhabiting a world somewhere between the space bliss of Daveid Allen or Steve Hillage and the finest space music offerings to come out of the USA in the last 20 years. However, where Kendle scores is that he employs the techniques that made the early Tangerine Dream albums sound so good to this day, and that's the art of ensuring that everything is kept moving, that there are plenty of layers on which to focus, that nothing becomes to obtrusive or repetitive and that the soundscapes remain consistent throughout. Oddly enough, he starts with an 8 minute track which is the most rhythmic thing on the album as a lead guitar joins the sound of the synths, the synth rhythms and the assorted synth and guitar textures, to produce a track that, at first, you think is out of place in his musical world, but as you listen to it with every subsequent play, the hidden charms of the track become more obvious and you find yourself enjoying it every bit as much as what follows. For, up next, are seven and a half minutes of “Alcyone” which adds John Serrie-styled keyboard bliss to slowly flowing layers of Kevin Braheny-esque cosmic synth textures, but comes up with a result that's got more depth, more warmth and less romance than the way the Americans do it, resulting in a track that flows effortlessly along without sounding syrupy or overly classical. The seven minute “Maia” mixes synths, synth choir effects, moog and sequencers with glissando guitar and guitar treatments to produce a truly huge-sounding slice of gorgeousness that is slowly flowing and just wonderful to hear, as all the layers, textures, light rhythms that bubble up and soften down, combine with the more bass-level wanderings and truly superb space music arrangements, to come up with a slice of synths-dominated excellence that is exactly what you want from a cosmic music album, sounding of a somewhat eighties environment on the one hand, yet totally timeless, on the other. The near ten minute “Merope” is right out of a mix of Steve Hillage's “Rainbow Dome Music” and many of Thom Brennan's finest albums as the slowly solid sequencers provide an undercurrent to the soaring space synth and glissando guitar layers that glide and shine above it all to mouth-watering effect. The six and a half minute “Taygeta” continues the cohesion but also the variation, this time sounding almost “Berlin-esque” with its sequencer undercurrents and spiralling synth textures, layers and melodies that ebb and flow on top, yet maintaining the wondrous and timeless spellbinding overall musical pattern that has kept you absolutely riveted to the journey so far. At thirteen minutes, “Asterope” proves to be the most cosmic track on the album, and simply spellbinding it is, too, as the warm layers of synths and glissando guitars, fill your heart with joy and provide everything that's so good about cosmic space synth music. The album ends on the nine minute “Celaeno”, similarly multi-textured and spacey, but ending with a flourish of sequencers, melodic synths and guitar textures to provide the most melodic track on the album so far, and it's as though you've moved from a warm but uninhabited landscape, into a world where the winter is gone and spring is arriving, as the sun allows life to blossom once more and the seasonal cycle's familiarity, proves a welcome musical delight. All in all, a most joyous, emotive, deep, rich and captivating album that simply can do no wrong as a slice of multi-layered synth/guitar experience that's so much more than “just another space music album”.
LITMUS – Aurora CD
Everything changes – nothing remains the same for ever – Hawkwind have been the kings of space-rock for 40 years – finally, their reign is over – welcome, King Litmus!!
You don't believe me?
OK – listen to the opening track on this album – 11 minutes of “Beyond The Sun” which eclipses any studio track to come out of the Hawkwind stable in the last ten years. It's unbelievably awesome. The rhythm section drives things forward with purpose, vengeance and thunder. There's no pissin' about – right from the start, the track enters in hurricane force, the vocals multi-tracked for maximum textural impact as it all roars ahead. There follows an extended instrumental section with a guitar lead that goes supernova, rhythm guitar that surges ahead, synth swooshes, swoops and surges that evoke the sounds of the cosmos, in addition to mellotron textures evoking days of “Mountain Grill” and “Warrior”-era Hawkwind, not to mention a sense of dynamics that allows the track to “wind down” without losing its edge, intensity, drive or impact, only for the whole vast musical volcano to erupt once again as the whole things rises up like a rocket and tears forward to the immensity of the final part of the track. As space-rock goes, this is genius personified and is possibly one of the greatest space-rock tracks of the last 40 years.
But there's more...........
“In The Burning Light” is segued into without a pause for breath, and this erupts right from the start with surging guitars riffs, rhythms and leads, synth swoops, thunderous drums, pounding bass, lead and chorus vocals duelling away with urgency and bite as the whole thing stomps its way through a nuclear heat of urgent verse, repeated hook and vast space-rock metalscape, the band refusing to compromise to anything but the rocket powered trip upon which they've embarked, a headlong rush to the heart of a blazing sun – and it's absolutely stunning!! Even as a song it's amazing – but with its instrumental breaks, and guitars blazing the trail set against the synths and mellotron, it's just jaw-dropping, as the rhythmic propulsion energises the journey to infinity and beyond. “Eos”, as you might have expected – and perfectly placed in the context of things – is a slice of gloriously seventies-influenced cosmic music as synths, glissando, mellotron, bass and drums evoke memories of “Flying Teapot” trilogy-era Gong with added mellotron, all of which then slowly lifts off with the huge mellotron textures and subtle guitar riffing at the heart of the track as the rhythms gradually drive forward and this epic mix of classic seventies cosmic space-rock combined with classic seventies-sounding prog-rock, makes this wholly instrumental track a thing of expansive beauty and cohesive strength. Unbroken – as is the case with the album so far – it's straight into the storm of “Miles Away” as another slice of driving space-rock song and classic sounding space-rock vocals, again multi-tracked for maximum effect, roars into life, this time the song portion leading into a red hot lead guitar break over the mighty rhythmic propulsion and this huge sound of synths, guitars and mellotron, as the whole thing once again lifts off like a Saturn 5 to wondrous effect, a world where every instrument can be heard clearly and yet the sum of the parts is eclipsed by the whole as this huge comet of a track flies through the cosmos. “Stars” is another massive adrenaline-rush of a song in a decidedly classic space-rock context, while “Kings Of Infinite Space” begins wit the band chiming as one and staring at the universe in all its glory as the slowly flowing song is almost anthemic in its delivery, sung on a wave of harmonised vocals that's positively celestial in its effect yet strong as steel, cohesive, determined, full of yearning and built on purpose. Soon, the drums enter in slowly rumbling fashion, as a ringing lead guitar rises from the mix and the instrumental break, with bass and synths to the forefront, too, weaves a path to the stars, added mellotron providing extra textural depth to the mighty rhythmic river of a track. “Ma:55oN Rift” starts in celestially cosmic vein before opening out into this giant driving slice of vintage space rock that's got the lot and stands shoulder to shoulder with the opening track for sheer adrenaline-rousing, head-shaking, fist-waving enjoyment, the massive combination of verses and instrumental energy producing a blast of space-rock intensity that's out of this world. Finally, “Red Skies” sees things out in a blaze of space-rock glory with what is, quite simply, THE classic style of song in this genre, surge and dynamics coming into play as epic sounding guitar riffs combine with Hawkwind-styled vocals as the rhythms drive headlong into the stars with synth comets swooping all around and this huge amalgam of space-rock sound swirling and flowing in a galaxy-sized soundscape of epic proportions, even throwing in a touch of classic sounding seventies prog-rock into the mix that fits to perfection as a soaring lead guitar break erupts from the depths and lights things up with the power of the sun, the bass pounding away at the forefront as the band take it all to the greatest heights with depth, energy, texture, bite, and drive, the whole thing climbing higher and higher as it heads off into the cosmos on that stunning lead guitar-driven, extended instrumental break that brings the track back into the song, to end the album on a truly stunning, absolutely awesome climax. In short, space-rock perfection – quite simply, if you don't own this album, you're not a true space-rock fan.
MY SLEEPING KARMA – Satya CD
An instrumental quartet from Germany featuring electric guitar, keys, bass and drums. That they play the most gorgeous set of instrumentals which mix rock and chill-out, come across like a mix of a fuller sounding “Dark Star”-styled Grateful Dead mixed with eloquent Agitation Free and the more relaxed instrumental sides of early Wishbone Ash, all wrapped up in a gorgeous haze of psychedelic ambience, and never once losing sight of the fact that melody, as much as atmosphere and emotion, is the key to the success of the music, all serves as testimony to what a thoroughly amazing, accessible, passionate, beautiful, strong and stuff of long-lasting enjoyment, this whole album is from start to finish. You don't need to dissect it track by track to show it off to its best degree, you just need to say that once you start to play it, you'll play it to the end. With more of the magic of the old seventies Krautrock band Agitation Free as its most likely dominant feature, it's a truly remarkable, consistent, cohesive, melodic and brilliant album, one I'll be playing long and often for a long time to come.
NOSOUND - Lightdark CD
I'm about to tell you that this album sounds an awful lot like classic proggy Porcupine Tree without the rock element. Then you're going to query why you should buy something that sounds like Porcupine Tree when you've got the real thing. Then I'm going to look you straight in the eye and say, with all seriousness, "because it's a fantastic album that you'll want to play over and over and over again, that's why!!!"
But it's not a case of copying the Tree - oh no - it's a case of distilling the parts of Porcupine Tree that generally fall into the realms of atmospheric, lush, flowing, harmony-laden, layered and making you feel like you're flying - think of "Piano Lessons" slightly decelerated and without the rock idiom, think of those magical qualities a song like that possesses - OK, now you're on the right track.
This album opens with a brief instrumental intro before "Places Remained" comes ebbing onto your shore complete with that relaxed but firmly solid rhythm, the multi-layered lead and vocal harmonies, perfectly pitched to sound uncannily like Steve Wilson, with lush synthesizer textures to add to the dreamy nature of it all, and finally, out of nowhere, as gorgeous a guitar solo above the atmosphere to take out four and a half minutes of elegance and grace. Another four and a half minute track, "The Misplay", continues this feel with vocals ebbing and flowing above a backdrop of cosmic synth expanse, as the purity of the vocal immediately endears itself to you, a rippling piano lead as icing on the full-sounding, atmospheric cake, and as beautiful a track as they come, as it all slowly builds, the addition of a restrained cello providing extra depth to perfection. Then comes the fifteen minute "From Silence To Noise" - opening with an equally atmospheric drift of synths and fx before the ripple of a strummed guitar chord enters to exquisite effect, the heartfelt and yearning vocal slowly glides on top, then all of a sudden in comes this sublimely rich mellotron, slowly solid drums and deep cosmic bliss, as the vocals gather their harmonies to glorious perfection and the whole thing just spirals to breathtaking effect, as the hairs stand up on the back of your neck and a mile-wide smile - that recognition inside your heart that you are hearing superiority at work - lights up your face. Gradually but purposefully it flies, as the synth clouds gather, textural guitar is added to the mellotron, then it all drops down to a whisper, as almost flute-like distance is heard above the clouds of synthesized bliss. Then, at absolutely the perfectly right moment, a lead guitar soars from nowhere to take it all into the realms of genius, as all the elements of the track come together to produce something that is just out of this world, so amazing that you don't need to categorise or dissect it - this is musical purity of the highest order, nirvana on earth. What separates it from the real Tree is that word "rock" - this has passion, emotion, beauty, depth, strength and direction - but it doesn't rock - and in this case, that's perfect - why take the effort of powered flight when you can glide effortlessly!! The near nine minutes of "Someone Starts To Fade Away" open with cascading piano, distant cosmic synths and hushed lead vocal as mellotron adds the extra texture, lightly chiming guitar gives that necessary edge as yet another example of expansive immensity starts to open up, the beauty of purpose matched only by the elegance of execution. This time a distinctly David Gilmour-esque lead guitar emerges from nowhere and takes things onto a wholly different but totally pleasing realm as the backdrop flows like a river and the piece attains its required magical status, the guitar sending shivers down the back of your neck as it soars and climbs above the slowly flowing background of synths, mellotron, piano and guitar. "Kites", at eight and a half minutes, provides the mix of atmospheric and solid that you'd witnessed in the epic track, only here with more distinction between the two and less of a melange effect as the piece switches back and forth from drifting to driving, all the vocal and instrumental qualities we've by now come to expect, firmly in place. Finally, the album ends on the near nine minute title track to see things out with this huge-sounding mass of mellotrons, keys, lush vocal harmonies, sublime lead vocal and gorgeous electric guitar, the mix of Floyd and P Tree provided with flair, originality and heartfelt gratitude, as wondrous a closer as you'll find.
This is one of those rare albums - it doesn't put a foot wrong, there's not a second wasted and once you start to play it, you'll stay with it right to the end. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and the parts are stunning. In short, it's fantastic!
NOSOUND – A Sense Of Loss CD+DVD
Third album – onwards and upwards.............
There's no way you'd call this “prog rock” yet there's no way you'd call it anything else. Strip that term down - “progressive” and “rock”. It's progressive in that it takes 40 years of influences from bands such as Pink Floyd and Genesis to Muse and Radiohead, passed through all time frames in between, and come out with an album that's vastly superior to the sum of its influences. Yet it doesn't rock – it doesn't try to – what it does do is rise up into this vastness of exquisite beauty and fragility, of strength and delicacy, purity and passion – a crystalline entity of magical proportions.
Across 6 tracks from five to fifteen minutes long, the overriding emphasis is on the songs – sung in a typically languid style like a cross between Floyd and Radiohead – and the seamless, timeless flow of the vocals, full of depth and emotion, provides the songs with a seemingly magical quality of which you never once tire of hearing. Musically, the guitars, keys and synths, embellished with a string quartet, have this canyon-sized exotic sound to them, as sumptuous as classical rock gets, yet a thing of rare grace and pleasure – the wondrous butterfly caught under glass, destined never to die, always beautiful. You're always conscious of the huge soundscapes that appear before you, while oblivious to the individual instruments that create them. Occasionally, the electric guitar will soar into view, or the drums will create a suitably dynamic statement, but largely, the combination of wondrously produced instruments and vocals will ride the waves as a surfer in slow motion, the songs welling up and ultimately crashing on the shores of your consciousness to extraordinarily amazing effect. For this is, as I said, an entity – a new form of musical life that's come into being and is every bit as spellbinding as you'd think. Rarely has such an exotic sea of sound been quite so palatable in an overtly “progressive” setting, rarely has it created the potential to crossover to many an audience who want songs of a huge, rich sounding laid back quality. A magnificent achievement. The DVD features a 5.1 surround sound and 24 bit mixes of the album, plus video footage, picture gallery and more.
PHASED – A Sort Of Spasmic Phlegm Induced By Leaden Fumes Of Pleasure CD
In the promo blurb for this, apart from “stoner” and “spacerock”, they also describe it as “psychedelic deathrock” - now that's a new one on me – but, you know – I see what they mean!!
Welcome to a blistering stoner rock trio, acres of sludge guitar, pounding drums and disembowelling bass, monstrous riffs and searing solos, and compositions with massive instrumental presence plus precious few lyrics. Now, from that, you may think I need go further – after all, it's just another stoner rock band, isn't it?
Well, actually, no it isn't – far from it............
This band somehow inject the rolling rhythms and thick, dripping, dirty, positively ugly guitar work, with life and energy, somehow invigorating the listeners rather than bludgeoning them to death. The way the band plays as one tightly driven unit is breathtaking, while the lyrics are there for a reason – not just a vehicle for the instrumental work. Apart from two instrumentals, each track does have lyrics, and the vocals are solid, multi-tracked in the main for extra depth, and really make the stuff sound like real songs at work, “Tip Of The Sky” being a prime example of this, where a world of sludge, stoner and songwriting, collide head on to gloriously driving effect. Elsewhere, the album opens with “A Surreal Deal” which immediately sets their shop in order with a huge sounding sea of crunching drumming, deep bass and dirty guitar, driving into the song proper before taking it back to something altogether more cosmic, only to lift it all up once more with a Hawkwind-esque vocal and searing lead guitar. “The Osteopath” is even more striking with this canyon-sized guitar riff, deep thunderous bass and the ever present lurching, rolling, driving drumming. A sharper, more layered vocal intones the verses over the slowly roaring might of the instrumental trio, as swathes of riffs and rhythms scythe holes in your skull, this time dropping back down to allow the bass to come right upfront and rumble your ass off, before the whole thing takes off once more, this time amid a blaze of lead guitar on top. Following this, it's heads down for the best stoner rock trip in ages. There's a real edge to it all but nowhere along the way is melody or structure sacrificed, while the arrangements are tight, flowing and partially reminiscent of early Sabbath in the effect they outpour and have on the listener. It's a wicked ride into sludge-rock heaven.
PREMONITION 13 – 13 CD
Born from jamming, featuring two guitarists, as diverse influences as seventies prog and nineties stoner rock, this quartet led by ex-Spirit Cravan/ The Obsessed guitarist Scott Weinrich, have come up with a debut album that stands alone as something rooted in the past that sounds completely fresh in the modern world. It opens with the 9 minute “Beauty” in a cloud of guitars that soon erupts into this barrage of slow-baked stoner rock riffing as the drums crunch with authority, the bass rumbles like an earthquake and the two guitars weave, scythe and resonate, the vocals pouring out on top until the whole thing abruptly stops and the sound of cosmic music is heard as it all drops back to this Robert Fripp-like sea of electric guitar sustain, very spacey and yet intense. Slowly the drums lead it all upwards as the guitar spirals in a sea of searing bliss, the drums boom out slowly and then this red hot electrc lead takes the reigns before a monster mid-paced riff heralds the return of the song, this time the scenery slightly changed as it all resonates, shimmers and riffs in solid, deliberate fashion, almost bluesy as the stoner comes alive and the whole thing drives to yet another cosmic interlude and the whole effect is absolutely fantastic. “Hard To Say” is a 3 minute powerhouse of driving riffs, powerful rhythms and hollered vocals with added electric guitar breaks as the mighty rockin' rampage continues unabated. The 6 minute “Clay Pigeons” provides another song where the rock-meets-stoner is brought to life in a blaze of electrifying guitar work, riffs, breaks and leads flying along in huge tidal waves of sound, propelled by the ever present solid bass and drum crunch. “Senses” gives us a three and a half minute break from the intensity as the slow-paced song is delivered with gravelly vocals, slowly lurching rhythms and the restraint of guitar chords before the guitar growls, phases, spirals and ultimately solos, the whole thing incredibly strong and solid for what's essentially a slice of stoner AOR. “Prelude” is a minute and a half peaceful instrumental intro to the six and a half minute “La Hechicera De La Jeringa” that sees the band initially delivering some restrained muscle in the form of a stoner rock slice of roaring metal with all guitars blazing, riffing and crashing, mid-paced at most, over the crunchy lurch of drums and deep, deep bass, the vocals driving the song with powerful effect, the song never changing its pace or power yet holding you absolutely transfixed by its mix of magic and muscle.
“Deranged Rock 'N' Roller” is a rip-roaring slice of rock that has Black Sabbath-meets-Molly Hatchet written all over it, while the four minute “Modern Man” is initially sedate then catches fire in a forest of heated fuzzed-up guitar riffs as another forceful and powerful slice of songwriting, this time even with a commercial chorus and hook set over the stun guitars and hammer-down-in-slow-motion drums, making for the most catchy song on the album so far. The album ends with the 6 minute “Peyote Road” which surprisingly is still huge and towering slice of prog-metal-stoner, and where you'd think it would start slowly, gather pace and erupt, instead it remains solid, mid-paced and mesmerising throughout, the song soaring out over the expansive and powerful backdrop of the riffs, leads, rhythms and textures. All in all, an absolute gem of a debut.
RARE BLEND – Sessions CD
American instrumental band who specialise in that long forgotten art known as “jazz-rock”. Theirs is a world of instrumental virtuosity dominated by guitar and synths/keys. This is a CD album featuring previously unreleased live tracks performed live, in the studio and specially recorded for film use. What actually makes these guys stand out from the rest can be summed up in one word - “feel”. Throughout a wide-ranging album of varying paces, intensity and dynamics, the one thing you get from the soloists, is a sense of emotion, that there is a human heart beating behind the arrangements, Just take the opener “Hipster Spinster” for example – apart from the obvious fact that these guys are rubbish when it comes to track titles, what you get is a track with melody running right through it, with strong work from the crisp, clear and solid rhythm section and electric guitar work that hits the spot in its blend of fiery and warm, while the synth work provides both textural embellishment as well as a brief addition to the solo space. On “March To Orion”, the rhythms are choppier, as the bass runs up and down the range with dexterity, and the synth unleashes this series of ebbing and flowing orchestral-like chords that echo vintage Keith Emerson, as the bass stays upfront, the guitar then cuts through and this fuzzy heated guitar gives way to a scything high-register electric lead as the drums and bass slow right down, to allow the guitar work to breathe, climb and, ultimately, soar into your heart. After this, completing the live side of things, a couple of 7 and 8 minute jams reveal even more variation but lose none of the cohesion that makes the band such a standout in this field, once again preferring dynamics, building arrangements and a gradually intensifying strength, to provide tracks that sound composed, structured and the sort of thing that you can listen to over and over again. The six studio tracks and 24 minutes of music are recorded at Odyssey Studios, and here the band settle down into a calmer, more jazz-infused groove. The first up is “Hide And Seek” and this is sublime – slow paced with echoes of seventies Jeff Beck and nods towards the best of the Kraut fusion bands with some beautiful guitar work along the way, the upfront bass perfect in the slowness, while the added bongos give an almost classic Santana feel on what is four minutes of superior playing, proving that jazz-rock doesn't have to be fast to be good. Again, there's some fantastic guitar work going on here, sharp, flowing, crystalline, chiming and heated, with solos, riffs and leads of great stature, while the synths and keys dual along beside. The bass and drums are varied and not in anyway one dimensional or wooden, superbly produced to make the whole thing move in a way that's got real swing and passion to it. The final four tracks and nearly 22 minutes of music are all based around film soundtrack work and here, the synths and keys move towards a more major role, particularly in the ten minute “Zhadum” which is real epic “Ben Hur” stuff, with huge chords, plenty of thick orchestral synths although, as the rhythm section starts to propel the piece along, the duelling between the Emerson-like synths and Beck-like guitar really moves up a notch – forget the film, just listen to the soundtrack!! After this, the three other shorter tracks, carry on the work as heard on the rest of the album. Overall, a more than palatable feast of fusion, presenting the best of what makes really good, solid, absorbing instrumental jazz-rock, so good to listen to and enjoy when it's done with this much passion and attention to effect.
REDSHIFT – VIII: Toll CD
James Goddard, Julian and Mark Shreeve recorded live in impeccable quality in the Netherlands in 2004. What you have to love about this band, and obviously main man Shreeve, is that they tore up the “Berlin School” rulebook a long time ago. Of the five tracks – although they all flow into one another to create one long 64 minute track – three are epics and two are cosmic pieces, linking the epics. On the epics, all three revolve around extensive use of sequencers. Now, it's fair to say, that no other musician around, manages to inject such feeling, such emotion, into the sue of sequencers for they are, by their very nature, unmoving beasts. Yet Mark Shreeve, through insanely clever use of dynamics, not to mention a depth and resonance that gives their use an immense sounding feel to them, manages to make sequencer drive electronic music sound positively human. Above, beyond and below all that, the band create soundscapes and melodic-based structures and improvs, that also have great depth and vastness to them. But what that has by the truckload, is darkness – a whacking great sense of impending doom, a kind of bleakness that goes on forever but which, in the traditions of the finest horror movies, you can't avert your gaze even though it's positively scary. The first track uses electric piano to give a partial added textural quality to it, while the last uses treated electric guitar for a similar purpose. There's nothing here that “sounds like Tangerine Dream” - in fact, Mark Shreeve would probably be mortified, if it did – since this band has evolved well beyond that in the way they play, the thinking behind it and the ultimate desire to turn space into darkness, and a synth voyage to the stars, into one that invades Hades instead. Even the rhythm-free tracks are huge whirlpools of bottomless electronic depths as opposed to “yer twee cosmic bits” that all the other copycat bands are so prone to doing.
You might get “Tangerine Dream part 108” out of many other bands that use sequencers and are stuck in the seventies, but here you get something far more enjoyable – originality!!
REDSHIFT – IX:Last CD
Recorded live in the UK, in impeccable quality, in 2006, and now featuring Julian and Mark Shreeve, plus Ian Boddy – a mouth-watering supergroup, you might think- and you'd be right – but I'd like to bet for none of the reasons that you're thinking right now. For what this six-track, 65 minute album represents is a meeting between a musician – Boddy – who goes cold at the merest hint of melody and what might constitute a tune – and another musician – Mark Shreeve – who likes things structured and purposeful, hard and rocking – with Julain Shreeve caught between the two like a rabbit in the headlights. The best bit about all this is that it created a performance that's absolutely remarkable and highly addictive. There are tons and tons of soundscapes, textures, full-sounding space trips, dark sounding electronic depths and, nearly every time that Mark Shreeve fires up the sequencers, Boddy makes sure that they only go so far and the first sign that they might be leading to any hint of “Berlin” or anything that you'd expect to find above a solid sequencer line, he's there – twisting the whole direction of the track into something much more “out there”. It's riveting stuff as you hear, not tension, but a meeting of minds, a realisation that perhaps there really are worthwhile unexplored regions of the electronic galaxy still left to chart. I'd like to bet the Freeman Brothers (Audio magazine) would have a wry smile listening to this album (they, too, seek innovation in electronic music rather than anything overtly copyist). For all its length, it's a magnificent voyage and a really unique journey – nothing is as you think it will be, while everything is utterly spellbinding. The multi-synths textures, the cosmic voyages, the twists and turns into sounds rather than structures, the ultra-speed sequencer use on the opening track “Tormentor” and, still, hulking great slabs of blackness and formlessness to provide a seriously dark side of the moog, which puts the likes of Schulze and Namlook into the oblivion out of which this is heading.
RED SHIFT – Turning Towards Us CD
A brand new studio album from Mark Shreeve – and if anyone else is playing on it, he doesn't let slip, as the sleeve is what you'd call “minimal” on the information front. The album opens with the thirteen minute “The Love Of Nature”, a calming sea of undulating, cosmic sequencers and warmly flowing synth undercurrents which flow above, around and behind the gently bobbing rhythmic boat. There follows just under three minutes of what sounds like a gentle mellotron piece, before the thirteen minute “Clan” lets loose an altogether harder set of rhythms as clattering electro-percussive sequencers and crunching electro-percussive drums, swirl and thunder as the approaching storm clouds of thickly cosmic synths steer closer into view, the impending sonic storm drawing ever closer. Then, the storm erupts as the sound of a frazzled, fuzzed electric guitar tears through the mix and climbs higher and higher above the sea of rhythms and out of sight, leaving in its wake, ringing bell-like synth tones and the ever present clattering rhythmic foundations, before suddenly reappearing once again as it dives back down to earth with a solid sonic vengeance. This then develops into a more upfront, traditional, solid squencer rhythm and soon, with a touch of sheer magic, is overlaid with this supremely rich mellotron layer, the two combined sounding just awesome. As the sequencers slowly mutate into pure “Berlin” school, this searing guitar soars over the top in a more discordant manner to give the track the necessary edge and bite as the sequencers rumble and roll ever onwards, slowly changing shape and texture as they travel, the guitar textures entering and disappearing as the track flies by. Another three minutes of warm, cosmic calm unfolds before the album sails into the near twenty three minute title track. It's success lies in its simplicity. Over the length of the track, it flows from space music through sequencer-driven strength through mellotron-rich density to end as it began with cosmic bliss. Far from sounding like every other such piece around, there's a quite natural flow to it all, and you get the feeling that this was a track lovingly created and played without any attention as to whether or not it sounded like anyone else – and the result, is that it doesn't. It manages to avoid all the obvious comparisons while still possessing all the appeal which you'd expect a full-sounding, warmly textured, well constructed epic such as this, to have. As an album. It's mix of restraint, subtlety, underlying strength, cliché avoidance sheer emotive enjoyment of music produced with care and feeling, is what makes it a standout album in a vastly overcrowded field.
RPWL – The RPWL Experience
That's about right – the title, that is!! Because this is certainly an experience – especially so, for the fans who have stayed with them on the journey so far, since this is a whole new ball game. With Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree before them, it becomes increasingly obvious that if you're a wide-eyed prog band with visions of space and all things psychedelic, that, at the point when you've tripped out to the nth degree, explored every avenue of the cosmos possible, journeyed to the heights – when you've achieved all that and explored the limitless boundaries it all has to offer, there's one inevitability – you fall back to earth – and fight back!! The Floyd found the past, or more specifically, Waters' past. Porcupine Tree found heavy metal. This lot have found themselves – and they like what they see – but will you?
You should – you really should – since this is one quality album with a capital “Q”.
Forget whether it's prog rock or rock prog or prog or rock – stuff like that just goes out of the window when you get something as amazing as this album. It opens with the near ten minute “Silenced” that is one gigantic epic of a track, enveloping you in layers of emotion, passion, power, strength, grace and absolute magic not to mention a spine-tingling arrangement, wide-eyed delivery, dynamic playing, truly sung vocals with meaningful lyrics – christ, it's all here and it's all good. The guitars and synths shine, but in a tight, controlled and thoroughly tight manner, with not a note out of place, while the rhythm section lay down foundations that are simply sublime. That this is followed by four minutes of the best song that Porcupine Tree never recorded will tell you just how stunning this album this is. It's got a hook that makes “Piano Lessons” look difficult, a flow that is absolutely glorious, a full sound that covers you in warmth, an adrenaline rising build of an arrangement and feeling much longer than its four minute running time, in the best possible way. Seven minutes of “Where Can I Go” put you in seventh heaven as the lurching stridenmt rhythmic propulsion introduces a vocal that sails out of the speakers, underpinned by a sea of chiming guitars, with an almost classic Beatles feel to it, as sixties meet contemporary in a blaze of epic sounding prog-goes-nostalgic songwriting. The whole thing just cruises effortlessly on this impassioned open-top drive which allows you to take in the full majesty of the surroundings, harmony vocals that lift you up, guitars that take you off, synths that sweep you away and heartfelt lyrics which are sung to perfection. In short, this is a song which can't fail to move you in the best possible way, a song that is huge and yet somehow emotionally fragile at the same time, but filled with an inner strength and a flame that refuses to die. The six minute “Masters Of War” starts with a decidedly “Lapse/Division”-era Pink Floyd styled arrangement with lush synths, deeply warm and emotive Gilmour-esque vocals, spacious synths, and bursts of searing guitar that are punctuated with power and yet filled with passion, the song slowly flowing forwards with more hypnotic lyrics which take you into their world in the best possible way, once again, the vocals sung perfectly, and the whole thing as perfect a Floyd-styled slice of angst and strength as it's possible to have but the originality taking nothing away from the fact that this is yet another gem of a track. A stunning guitar break puts the icing on the cake as you sit there open-mouthed at the sheer brilliance of it all – and you're less than halfway through the album!!
The fact that the 5th track is a five and a half minute slice of driving magic called “This Is Not A Prog Song” signals that this band has both humour and a point to make. In this case, the point is that a prog band can record a song that is totally commercial and yet serious listening at the same time, this one having choruses that lift you up and take you off above arrangements that exude the joy of delivery, the lyrics actually about the band's music and even name-checking Pink Floyd along the way, but in a way you'll just have to hear to find out. With a razor sharp guitar break during the flying song, this is simply a dream, and never has this style of music sounded so commercial and yet so accessible and long-lasting enjoyable at the same time – it's genius!!
That's half way – there are 5 tracks to go and every one of them is brilliant – I'm not going to go into any more detail as this review's already long enough and if you've not yet got the fact that this is one absolute 100% gem of an album by this point, then you're either ignorant or dead! Essential listening for anyone into great songs, great arrangements, great vocals and superb production with enough invention and enjoyment to make this album occupy a place on your favourites list for years to come.
TOUCH STONE – Discordant Dreams CD
The last thing that this album could be said to be, is discordant. What is actually is, consists of a band with male and female vocalists performing a set of 9 songs, one instrumental and an intro that is every bit the epitome of a mix of Blue Murder, Lone Star and Spocks Beard with touches of Heart and Renaissance in there too. The songs are, in the main, powerful, well sung with the two vocalists sharing lead duties, harmonising, singing together and more as the two voices complement each other perfectly. Above, around and below this, the band provide a constantly engaging river of powerful prog-rock proportions, and it's all as though seventies prog-metal was being brought right up to date without the thirty five year gap ever having existed. That said, the arrangements range from delightful to headbanging, from piano and space synth-driven splendours to all-out prog-rock attack. The songs are deliberately kept to a mid-length to allow them to shine without ever overstaying their welcome, choruses and hooks not only plentiful but also sounding quite natural too. Song after well played, arranged, produced and sung song, simply glow with wonders and it's quite simply a magnificent and magical album of surging contemporary prog-rock songwriting that's classy and classic enough to appeal to anyone who wants their prog with healthy doses of rock but a sense of dynamics which makes it stand out above the crowd and a shared vocal performance that's completely successful.
CARL WEINGARTEN – Lost In The Air CD
In truth, it's one of the most beautiful acoustic guitar instrumental albums around. An over-the-top statement? Not once you've heard it, no!! For the whole of this album is played live in various studio and venue settings by a master of the dobro, slide and acoustic guitar who just makes that guitar sing. I've yet to hear any guitarist who could inject so much feel into not only his playing, but what he plays. You can't put it into words – it's just magical, in sound, feel and effect. A track such as “Western Overnight”, with added depth from legendary bassist Michael Manring, is simple to hear, beautiful to enjoy and a marvel to behold. Slowly unfolding, it carries more riches than a king's ransom, and the way it slides and glides has you falling deeply under its spell, the first, and every time, you hear it. The opener, “Maybe Sunday”, lasts under two minutes, yet the joy it brings in its soaring sea of melodic rippling magic, is simply breathtaking. “Hey Leo” is a kind of slightly fractured take on the Kottke magic, while “Pick It Up” strums away to its hearts content, soaring and diving to wondrously emotive effect as the rippling and purposeful pace is an absolute joy to hear. This is the key with the whole album – it's like falling in love – you feel the music to the depth of your heart, wanting nothing more once it's over than to repeat the experience once again. A work of absolute genius, this is surely one of the top 5 acoustic guitar albums ever made – and that's no word of a lie!!
CARL WEINGARTEN & WALTER WHITNEY – Dreaming In Colours: Expanded Edition CD
Effectively 12 paintings in sound as electric and acoustic slide guitars, delay, keyboards, fx, synths, percussion and processing are all combined in these two musicians' hearts and minds to create exquisite instrumental compositions of truly wondrous proportions. The first couple of tracks work by creating either a cosmic electronic (in the case of “Mermaid”) or more rhythmic sequenced/percussive rhythm (“Pipe Winds”) over which the sliding, gliding electric guitar layers from Weingarten soar and shine to heartfelt effect. “Pathways” opens with a lone hi-flying guitar figure that both cosmic and almost symphonic, even for a lone guitar, as distant swathes of synth fog bubble up. Then in comes this Tangerine Dream-like sequencer rhythm, over which more synth layers, echoed piano and further synth layers, textural and melodic, all combine to make for a track that could easily have been an outtake from Vangelis' “Blade Runner” soundtrack. The title track is right out of the Fripp and Eno “No Pussyfooting” style of things and is absolutely gorgeous while “Rainsong”, the first of four previously unreleased tracks presented here, starts with storm effects as a shimmering electronic world unfolds amid distant percussives and gull-like fx, sort of cross between early cosmic T Dream and “Echoes”-era Floyd, but all seriously cosmic and strangely serene as layer flows over layer. “Ritual” has a deep, bass rhythm from the synths that resonates and booms, while an assortment of shimmering electronics, deep bass, flowing synths and textural backdrops serve as a foil to the glare of electric guitar work that leads the way and shines like a star in a universe of darkness, this spiralling searing lone guitar figure, a world unto itself. “Maiden Flight” does what it suggests and flies into being with a seriously strong melodic majesty from the lone string synth motif that's flowing ever forward, as a guitar at the same pitch and tone joins the slowly moving might of the amorhous, veering on melodic, primarily synths and treated guitars, but the effect is amazing. “Painted Lake” shimmers, ripples, hisses, bubbles up and glides as a gentle sea of synths, piano chords, fx, sustained guitar and cymbals, all wash on the shore with wave-like motion as the whole thing produces an air of enormous calm in the listener, the primarily cosmic flow, varied, multi-textured and supremely assembled. “Obsession” once again shimmers and soars on waves and towers of Fripp-like guitar excursions, throbbing synth undercurrents, spiralling space synths and gloriously textural synth/guitar soundscapes, a slowly moving rhythm giving the track more motion than most of what's gone before.”In The Sun” is barely two minutes of crisp acoustic guitar melodies and space synths that bubble up and soar like delicate comets. “New Colors”, at 6 minutes, the longest track on the album, adds sax to the cosmic synths and textural guitars, once again coming across like some lost track from “Bladerunner” or even hints of “DSOTM”-era Floyd, with sax well to the fore. The album ends with nearly 6 minutes of slowly moving sequenced synth rhythms, echoed bass synths, and masses of soaring melodic synth layers over which that high-flying, spiralling cosmic guitar sustain rings out to great effect. Overall, a predominantly cosmic music affair, busier than most of its European counterparts, free of cliches, more vari-textured and a work to be enjoyed time after time, for years to come.
STEVEN WILSON – Insurgentes CD
If you have a musician, singer, writer and producer who is so talented that he can exist in multiple disguises across the musical worlds of prog-rock, psychedelic, Euro-rock, electronic and avant-garde and produce albums of the highest quality and enjoyment by each of those disguises, then you know you are dealing with someone who is as musically legendary as Frank Zappa.
But, if you then allow that musician to create a solo album where he blends all of those elements together, if anything substituting a touch of classical where the avant-garde should be, and then manage to achieve a work that can only be described as truly outstanding in every last detail, then you have a musician who is, quite simply, beyond legendary.
“Harmony Karine” opens the album with rippling guitars, distant synths and dramatic drums before the unmistakable wistfulness of Wilson's vocal just sails into view, only then for the whole musical canvas to erupt in a blaze of progressive glory amid a hail of expansive almost mellotron-like backdrops, before dropping back down to earth once more, a skilfully delivered song with soaring vocals that rises and dives as good as any Porcupine Tree track but infused with such an expansive canvas, as a searing lead guitar is added to the magnificence, as the track then subsides, lifts, twists, turns and drives, as good as opener as you'll find on any modern prog-rock album, only this is way beyond prog-rock – it's in a category all its own.
“Abandoner” opens with crunchy fx, distant electronic mist and an even more wistful vocal as wooden block-like percussion cracks away underneath. Delicate acoustic guitar, distant organ, strains of Floyd-like slide guitar and all manner of guitar and keyboard subtleties are added to the frame as the whole thing moves slowly forward in a magical blend of romance and substance only this time infused with a sense of darkness as the vocals fall away to leave the shimmering and beating heart of synths, guitars and percussion to roll forward, mutating into something extraordinarily charming, only for the whole mood to be shattered by this massive thunder roar of electronics and guitars that fills the entire musical spectrum before stopping to equally shattering degree and ending on a series of electronic clipped notes as it segues right into “Salvaging” which adds prominent bass guitar to the driving expanse of keys, synths and guitars as a more Gilmour-esque lead vocal cruises above the now powerful onslaught of riffing guitars, soaring lead synths and that massive sounding juggernaut of a rhythmic undercurrent, as the menacing mix of psych, space, prog and rock all collide head on to create this monster, only once again for it all to drop suddenly and leave this sea of real mellotrons, rippling keys and orchestral-sounding bliss, the nearest he's ever got to sounding like “Foxtrot”-era Genesis mixed with classical elegance and simply THE most gorgeous, heartwarming musical finale that you'll have heard in aeons – only it isn't a finale – the mood is shattered once more as this beast of electronic grandeur rises from the depths in a hail of keys, synths, fx, piano, drums, bass to provide this enormous soundscape of epic and deathly proportions – and THAT'S the finale – amazing stuff, indeed!
“Veneo Para Las Hadas” starts with slowly flowing warm cosmic synth bliss, gorgeous piano chords and shimmering spacey and spacious guitars as the wistful yearning of the lead vocal flows in as naturally, the whole thing pure and deep, shining like a diamond, more emotion in so few chords than most musicians achieve in a whole album, a mix once more of elegance, feeling, warmth and beauty, a simply wondrous slowly moving spacescape with purpose and structure, and an equally expansive yet closer to the heart vocal perofrmance, on yet another slice of Wilson magic. “Twilight Within The Courts Of The Sun” starts with rolling drums, a stinging slice of lone lead jazz-rock guitar chording, deep bass and guitar background as it all tumbles forward, gradually coalesces as wah wah guitar enters, the lead guitar takes on positively Brand X proportions before then going into this wild solo more worthy of Fripp at his most fiery mixed with Mclaughlin at his most dextrous, all the time the background becoming ever busier until the whole lot erupts into a storm of prog-fusion riffing and seriously roaring rock – then it stops – abruptly. A whispered vocal enters over the backdrop of drums and shades of Matt Johnson at The The's finest most menacing hour
that was “Infected” album comes eerily into play before that, too, erupts, then that drops away to leave rippling keys and guitars over a sea of synth-based undercurrents and the ever rolling drums, as this gradually gathers pace, adds a lyrical and solid lead piano to the fray and it all moves forward in finest seventies prog-rock fashion before fading on rolling piano chords.
By now you've got the message – this is one amazing album. There are a further five tracks after this, some of which are even better than what's come before, none of which are any less so, all of which are the epitome of everything that makes an album into something that you'll play and play and play for years to come without ever once tiring of hearing it, an album that WILL one day be assigned the moniker of “legendary”, an artist the likes of which we should all be privileged to have in our midst.
Welcome to the amazing, magical, mighty and truly awe-inspiring world of Steven Wilson - legend!!
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