Acoustic
Asturias - Bird Eyes View ($11.99)
Latest additions are highlighted in yellow.
Quantities limited – if mailing your order, please specify alternates.
Acoustic
Asturias - Bird Eyes View ($11.99)
Asturias is a band from the first generation of
the Japanese progressive rock scene, and their two late-1980’s studio albums
are superb, in a style close to Mike Oldfield and
Camel, with beautiful melodies and atmospheres. Bird Eyes View (2005) offers five
acoustic pieces with an original line-up: piano, guitar, glockenspiel, violin,
and clarinet, plus female voice on one track. It’s absolutely exquisite, delicate
and refined music with joyful atmospheres. The musicians are skilled classical
players, and their brand of chamber music sometimes recalls Debussy’s or Satie’s most melodious
pieces, with a more modern rhythmic approach. The disc is only 25-minutes long,
hence the lower price, but there is not one boring minute among the 25.
Ain
Soph - Studio Live Tracks ’80s and ’05 ($15.99)The Japanese band Ain Soph released their first album in 1980. They had originally been a Camel and Canterbury-influenced band, but by the time of their 1992 album 5 or 9: Five Evolved from Nine, they had become a progressive fusion band, playing sophisticated, melodic instrumental jazz-rock close to Kenso, if a tad mellower. No one does this style better than the Japanese. Marine Menagerie (1991) features studio versions of some of their late-1970’s material, when their style was closer to Camel’s, along with some new tracks. These are the 2005 re-editions.
Studio Live Tracks ’80s and ’05 was recorded
live in the studio between 1985-1988, plus one new track recorded in 2005.
Including the 2005 track, there are three tracks appearing for the first time as
studio recordings, plus new versions of three songs appearing on the1986 Hat
and Field album and one from 1980’s A Story of Mysterious Forest.
These are among Ain Soph’s best compositions.
Ars
Nova - Chrysalis: Force for the Fourth ($14.99)
This Japanese female trio (keyboards/drums/vocals) has certainly been influenced by ELP, but their progressive keyboard rock is darker and more orchestral, probably closer to Italian bands such as Goblin and Il Balletto di Bronzo. Ars Nova features loads of bombastic keyboards and an aggressive energy that frankly could stand to get toned down a bit. But with their 2003 concept album Biogenesis Project, they’ve added a new dimension by employing numerous guests: Alex Brunori (ex-Leviathan) on vocals, Arjen A. Lucassen (Ayreon) on guitars, Lucio Fabbri (PFM) on violin, A. Hasegawa (Gerard) on bass, M. Goto (Gerard) on drums and guitar, Gianni Leone (Il Balletto di Bronzo) on synths and vocals, Claudio Simonetti (Daemonia, Goblin) on synths, Robert Allen as the storyteller, plus other guests. Ars Nova’s music on Biogenesis Project is more powerful than ever, with more sophisticated arrangements and sci-fi effects, and a lot more variety. The corresponding mp3 icon above links directly to a 4:17, 1.2 MB lo-fi mp3 taken from the first track of this album.
Chrysalis (2006) is not a new Ars Nova studio CD. Rather, it
contains six of the best pieces from their previous albums re-recorded live in
the studio (without audience), with the addition of a (male) guitarist who must
be the “fourth” referred to in the title. These six pieces have more power in this setting.
(As if Ars
Nova needed more power.) The corresponding mp3 icon above links directly to a 5:40, 1.9 MB lo-fi mp3 taken from the first track of this album.
Ashada - Circulation ($15.99)
A short (36:26) but great debut by a Japanese female duo of Tae (vocals,
mandolin, piano) and Midori (piano, accordion, vocals) with the assistance of
KBB members Akihisa Tsuboy (violin) and Dani (bass), plus a guitarist and a
drummer. Circulation (2006) opens with driving symphonic rock in 7/4 time
with accordion and violin in the lead, setting the stage for this
out-of-the-ordinary album. The female vocals are an important feature of
Ashada’s music. Sung in Japanese, they fall melodically and harmonically between
the Renaissance or October Project style and the unique Hatfield and the North (Northettes)
style. Circulation is an exquisite and romantic progressive rock album,
with the male musicians ensuring it is not lightweight and the women doing all
the writing and providing refinement and delicacy.
Baraka - VII ($15.99)
Baraka is a Japanese guitar/bass/drums trio who
have released six previous albums dating to 1997 and who have performed live many
times. On VII (2007), Baraka play progressive hard rock,
generally melodic, with the primary influences seemingly Rush, Pink Floyd, Led
Zeppelin, Allan Holdsworth (circa Metal Fatigue), and a little King
Crimson. The musicians are technically skilled and constantly vary things to
keep it more interesting than your average power trio. The 20-minute suite Bharmad is the highlight. 56-minutes.
Discus
- ...Tot Licht! ($15.99)The second album by this Indonesian band mixes so many disparate styles that
everyone is guaranteed to find something incredible, and everyone is guaranteed
to find something that annoys them. Discus’ music combines jazz, rock,
progressive and symphonic rock, ethnic Indonesian music, and hard rock in a
musical fusion never heard before. In the same song, you’ll
think of Zappa, Dream Theater, Kansas, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Indonesian music,
King Crimson, and Debussy, all skillfully structured and played. Sax, violin,
flute, and ethnic instruments are mixed with traditional rock instruments.
Tot Licht! features more heavy passages than their first album. Complex polyphonic female and male vocal parts complete this unique album.
East
Wind Pot - same ($13.99)
East Wind Pot is a Japanese band led by the keyboardist from the band
Theta and also including woodwinds, bass and drums. Their 2006 debut is
instrumental progressive jazz-rock, no doubt influenced by Weather Report. The
music is melodic, intricate, and further evidence that the Japanese are
currently producing the best jazz-rock bands in the world.
Free
Love - Apocalypse ($14.99)Free Love is a primarily instrumental Japanese quartet (keys,
guitar, bass, drums) playing heavy psychedelic
progressive rock, influenced by Led Zeppelin (the album includes what is
supposedly a cover of Kashmir), Deep Purple, and Uriah Heep. Except for
the final track (which degenerates into noise), it's all
more progressive and spacey than that though, with keyboards playing a prominent
role. It’s fortunate the album is mostly instrumental as singer would not be our
first choice of career for Hiroaki Shibata. 61-minutes.
G.A.O.S. - same ($14.99)The music on this 2001 release dates from 1987. This is a Japanese band
playing progressive fusion in the Kenso style, simultaneously melodic and complex.
Gerard -
Power of Infinity ($15.99)This trio (keyboards/bass/drums), formed in the early 1980’s, is the oldest Japanese prog band still active. Gerard has often sounded like ELP playing hard rock, combining bombastic keyboards (sometimes employing an electric guitar sound), powerful bass occasionally used for lead lines, and a high-energy drummer. Power of Infinity (2005) features guest vocalist Alex Brunori, formerly of the band Leviathan. It’s a mix of instrumental and vocal passages, and while there is still some of their frantic style present, this is the most sensitive and lyrical they’ve sounded in ages, maybe ever. Keyboardist Toshio Egawa favors organ for the energetic bits and Mellotron for the calmer bits. This is a good one.
On The Ruins of a Glass Fortress (2000), Gerard sounds very much like
Danger Money-era UK. They even allow themselves a few peaceful moments that
contrast nicely with the power-sympho rock going on most of the time. Well-balanced and structured, these five
instrumental pieces plus two songs with a new singer (lyrics in English) are the most mature the band has composed
to date. Sighs of the Water (2002) uses guest vocalists and continues
in a similar vein.
Tadashi
Goto - Soundscape ($14.99)The short description of this CD would be ‘a one-man Kenso’. Tadashi Goto is a
Japanese musician (keyboards & guitar) with the great technical skills we’ve
come to expect from Japan, and this 2005 album is in the instrumental symphonic
jazz-rock style the Japanese excel at. It might be best to forget all your
preconceptions about one-man projects, except for one. The drums here are
programmed. However, the programming is so detailed that, if anything, Goto
needs to scale back the busy drum parts in places. So it isn’t the programming
that gives it away but rather the sterile-sounding drum samples. They sound like
the stock sounds of a drum machine, a shame when there are better-sounding drum
sample libraries available today. Aside from that, the music is sophisticated
and highly-arranged. And it gets heavy and aggressive, with distorted guitar at
times on top of all the keyboards.
Group
Therapy - Nightmare in the College ($15.99)
Group Therapy is a six-man Japanese progressive fusion band. They use soprano sax and trombone in addition to a dual
electric guitar, bass and drums lineup. One guitarist adds guitar synth. It
pretty much adheres to the unwritten rules of jazz-rock, emphasizing groove and
taking turns at soloing, though the sax and trombone introduce an RIO element
and the guitarists seem influenced by Frank Zappa. Nightmare in the College (2006) is a live album
recorded in 2004, with excellent sound. If not for the applause between songs,
you might not know it was live. Here they add a seventh musician on electric
violin.
Hal
& Ring - Alchemy ($15.99)Hal and Ring were two Tokyo-based bands operating around 1975-76. Two members
of Hal later created Shingetsu, while others played in Asturias and East Wind
Pot. This new band is a combination of five musicians from both bands: two
keyboardists, guitar, bass and drums. They recorded Alchemy in 2006, some
of the material dating to 30 years earlier. The CD contains seven instrumental tracks, an excellent
set of golden-age progressive rock influenced by just about everyone. Hal & Ring never sound too
close to any other prog band for too long. This is one of the most enjoyable
instrumental symphonic prog albums of recent years. Check below for the Ring album The Empire of Necromancers.
Interface -
Interface III ($15.99)Interface is a Japanese band heavily influenced by King Crimson, but they
cover nearly the entire range of King Crimson styles from 1969 to 2000 (the
album was recorded between 1996-2000) and still manage to add some of their own
elements. It isn’t all intense instrumentals either, as there are peaceful songs
and lots of Mellotron too. Their weakness is in the vocals, which wouldn’t be
great in any language, plus they’re in Japanese. They are sometimes more chanted
than sung. There is one song which is an exception to everything, as it sounds
like a tribute to Le Orme; it features a melodic vocal line in that style. It’s
not difficult to listen past the vocals on the rest of it though, especially
given the wealth of instrumental content, and so this is still a very good album
for the Crimson fan.
Interpose
- Indifferent ($15.99)
Interpose is one of the best Japanese
progressive bands to appear since the 1980’s (the peak years for progressive
rock in Japan). These musicians have played together at regular
intervals since the 1980’s, but they didn’t release their self-titled debut CD
until 2005. Interpose present a
very symphonic progressive jazz-rock, blending the symphonic rock of Outer
Limits and Pageant with the jazz-rock of Six-North and KBB. The music is
highlighted by the virtuosity of guitarist
Kenji Tanaka and the beautiful female vocals
(in Japanese) of Sayuri Aruga. Dani from KBB is the bassist. Indifferent
(2007) is their 2nd CD. In addition to their symphonic influences (Genesis, ELP,
Italian prog), Interpose show a strong Canterbury influence here, particularly
Hatfield and the North. As has come to be expected of the Japanese bands, the
level of musicianship is very high.
Kalo -
Spiral Dream ($15.99)
Spiral Dream (2004) is the debut by Kalo, a relative newcomer on the Japanese
progressive rock scene. Like Wappa Gappa or
Mizukagami, the band of guitarist/keyboardist Masahiro Uemura faithfully
carries on the tradition and spirit of earlier Japanese progressive rock bands such as Novela, Outer Limits, or Magdalena.
Female vocalist Miori Naritomi’s crystal-clear voice (lyrics in Japanese)
beautifully enlivens three of the twelve tracks; the album is more instrumental
than vocal. Unlike earlier Japanese symphonic bands such as Teru’s Symphonia or
Marge Litch, Kalo is not over-the-top bombastic. This is much more tasteful and
relaxed, full of romantic, classically-influenced keyboard parts, like a cross
between Camel and Vangelis. 58-minutes.
KBB -
Proof of Concept ($15.99)
KBB, a Japanese band formed in 1992 featuring an exception violinist, released their first album Lost and Found in 2000.
This first CD was in the vein of Jean-Luc Ponty, UK,
and Darryl Way’s Wolf, as KBB mixed progressive rock, some jazz-rock, and even a
bit of traditional Japanese inspiration in some of the melodies. Four Corner’s Sky
(2003) takes a big step in the direction of instrumental progressive jazz-rock.
Think
of Jean-Luc Ponty teaming with King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra. Some of this is
reminiscent of violin-led instrumental Caravan, while the first track includes
some of the most powerful Celtic
folk-rock ever recorded. Powerful, dynamic, and enthusiastic, violin-led instrumental progressive rock and
fusion doesn’t get much better than this.
The 72-minute Live 2004 CD captures KBB live at the
Silver Elephant club in Tokyo, with excellent sound. Two tracks are from Lost and Found,
four from Four Corner’s Sky, plus the unreleased track Inner Flames. Proof of Concept (2007) sees
the band further expanding their repertoire and demonstrating that, in the realm
of symphonic progressive jazz-rock, KBB have few peers.
Kehell - Galileo ($11.99)
SALE!1999 Japanese fusion-oriented progressive in the Kenso and Brand X veins, led
by the former guitarist of Mr. Sirius.
Kennedy! - same ($14.99)Reissue of a 1987 album by a Japanese
quartet (guitars, keys, sax, drums) playing instrumental symphonic progressive
and a very rock-based fusion. This is allegedly recorded live, though you’d
never know it as there is absolutely no crowd noise. Kennedy liked to play loud,
fast, and energetic, and were not shy about going completely over-the-top during
the solos. (At one point, as the sax spirals out of control, Godzilla apparently
attacks the band on stage.) The pieces are generally quite structured though,
with keyboards dominating; this is more accessible than it might sound. A cover of The Mahavishnu
Orchestra’s Birds of Fire is included.
Keyboards Triangle: Keyboards Trio Tribute ($14.99)On this 1999 CD, Japanese keyboard power-trios Gerard and Ars Nova perform covers of tracks by ELP, Trace, Banco, Il Balletto di Bronzo, PFM, and
Rick Wakeman.
Lu7
- Efflorescence ($15.99)
Lu7 is a Japanese instrumental
progressive jazz-rock band whose first album
Efflorescence (2002) had previously been released only on the old mp3.com. Now
it is available on CD with a 2006 bonus track. This is symphonic jazz-rock,
on average lighter than their 2nd CD L’esprit de l’exil, with sophisticated and
unconventional programmed drums/percussion. For the most part, the programmed
percussion is not intended to mimic a drummer, and it gives the music a
different feel than could be achieved with a drummer. The guitarist plays
electric guitar in the Allan Holdsworth style but also jazz-tone guitar in the
Pat Metheny style. This is what soft jazz-rock should be, and as the album
progresses, it gets more energetic and more symphonic.
Magadalena - same ($11.99)
SALE!Reissue of the 1986 sole album from this Japanese symphonic progressive band
sporting quality female vocals from Megumi Tokuhisa, who can sound a bit similar
to Kate Bush; she went on to join Teru’s Symphonia after Magdalena disbanded in
1988. This is one of the best examples of the 1980’s Japanese symphonic rock
style, simultaneously complex and accessible, powerful playing blended with
beautiful melodies.
Midas
- International Popular Album ($11.99)
SALE!Midas is a Japanese symphonic progressive band centered around keyboards and
violin. They released their first album in 1988. Their fourth album
International Popular Album (2000) is a bit different from the others
though, as it focuses on 4-5 minute keyboard-based songs with male vocals in
Japanese, lighter and easier going than usual. It seems to be more of a solo
album of the band leader with the other band members acting as session musicians.
Mizukagami
- Yugake ($15.99)
Though Mizukagami’s debut album was from 2003 and their 2nd Yugake
is from 2007, they operate in the same territory as the female-vocal Japanese symphonic
bands of the 1980’s and early 1990’s such as Pageant and Providence. Influenced
by the major British 1970’s prog bands, Mizukagami’s symphonic rock balances tension
and serenity and features female vocals in Japanese, vintage keyboards,
excellent guitar work and flute. The female vocalist is more capable during the
mellower passages where her voice can be beautiful, but is less suited to
singing with power.
Naikaku -
Shell ($15.99)
Shell (2006) is the 2nd CD for Japanese instrumental band Naikaku. On this album,
they are primarily a quartet of electric guitar, flute, bass and drums. They
often sound like Rush jamming with a flute player, with elements of jazz-rock,
King Crimson, and prog-metal included. A guest musician adds some synths and
Mellotron. If nothing else, this album is notable for having the longest song
title known to man. (You can see it by clicking the mp3 icon above.) 61-minutes.
Outer
Limits - Stromatolite ($15.99)This should be the progressive musical event of 2007: the return of Outer Limits. This Japanese
symphonic prog band is probably the most famous and
influential of the 1980s Japanese progressive trend, as they succeeded in
developing an original style while many others were just
imitating the British and Italian 1970’s bands. The lineup is the original one
except for a new bass player. Outer Limits’ style is dominated by soaring violin parts
and symphonic keyboards, coming closest to UK, with aspects of King Crimson,
Yes, and PFM, among others. Their male vocals are respectable -- one can easily
understand the English. They sometimes sound a bit John Wetton-ish. After nearly
two decades, it’s really exciting to once again hear the incredible violinist Takashi Kawaguchi,
seemingly able to play anything: soft, wild, lyrical, quiet, tortured or
enthusiastic. It’s not a typical comeback album: these compositions are among
their best ever, inspired and faithful to Outer Limits’ style. Yes, this album
is on the same level as 1985’s Misty Moon, but it doesn’t simply retread
the same ground -- there is a definite progression. An album to get excited
about!
Pageant - La Mosaique de la Reverie ($15.99)La Mosaique de la Reverie is the 1986 debut by an
excellent Japanese symphonic progressive band in the Genesis and Yes veins, with
elements of early-1980’s Rush, featuring a classically-trained female
vocalist with a great voice. Of the many 1980’s Japanese sympho-prog bands
with female vocals, Pageant was probably the best.
Pale Acute Moon - Newtopia ($11.99)
SALE!CD reissue of a Japanese symphonic progressive rock album from 1985. Pale Acute Moon has female
vocals and is comparable to Teru’s Symphonia, Marge Litch, Starless, and similar 1980’s Japanese bands.
They’re more tasteful and closer to Renaissance than the others in that
bunch. Eight bonus tracks are included; these are in the style of David Sylvian.
Ring - The Empire of Necromancers ($15.99)Ring is one of the oldest Japanese progressive bands. This 2006 release
contains a 1975 live-in-the-studio recording by Ring, followed by two tracks by
the related band Kokubo Synthesizer Works recorded in 1977-78 with drum tracks
added in 2006. Both bands are primarily instrumental, using a standard keys,
guitars, bass & drums lineup. There are some male vocals in Japanese, though the
reverb Ring used on the vocals was probably never intended to be used on vocals.
Ring strikes us as being very close to certain spacey French progressive bands
of the same period, especially Pulsar, as Ring was also influenced by the
earlier, psychedelic Pink Floyd. Kokubo Synthesizer Works moves the style
forward a few years, bursting out into energetic passages that remind us of the
French band Tiemko, who KSW predates by many years. This is probably not for
those who were born too late for the first generation of progressive rock bands,
but for those who grew up with unusual sounds being coaxed out of organs, this
is a valuable find.
Round
House - 3-D ($15.99)
The Japanese progressive band Round House has existed since 1975, though they
released only two studio albums and one live album prior to 3-D (2006).
Here Round House is a trio (guitars/bass/keyboards) whose instrumental music is
somewhat similar to Kenso or Side Steps, a blend of
progressive rock and fusion. Round House is more on the progressive rock side
though, with many songs suggestive of Camel. It’s
a lively, flowing, very melodic music, and as is the case with Japanese
progressive bands, you’re almost guaranteed a high level of musicianship. The
drums on 3-D are programmed, but done so well that it detracts very
little. You don’t make music this complex by just setting and forgetting a drum
machine. 57-minutes.
|
  |
Side Steps - Alive
II ($15.99) SALE!
Side Steps - Out and Out ($15.99)
This Japanese instrumental progressive jazz-rock band was formed in 1990 by its four current members (guitars/bass/keys/drums) and has released nine albums. We’ve said it elsewhere but it bears repeating: Japan is producing the best fusion bands in the world. Comparable to Kenso and Brand X, Side Steps play adrenaline-pumping melodic fusion with symphonic keyboards, blazing keyboard solos, soaring electric guitar lines with great tone, a top-notch rhythm section, and great production. They’re not quite as progressive as Kenso but they come close. These long, complex instrumental pieces are not demonstrative but rather make use of refined melodies and frequent rhythm and mood changes.
Steps on Edge is their fourth, initially released in 1994 and re-released in 2003. The musicians look so young in the 1993 photos in the booklet, you would never expect this level of compositional ability, let alone technical skill. Points of View is their 2001 release, while Out and Out is from 1997. Verge of Reality (2005) is another great one, very melodic and high-energy, blurring the distinction between progressive rock and jazz-rock. Often Side Steps sound like a cross between Kenso and early Camel on this one.
Alive II (2007, 69-minutes) features eight
tracks recorded live on three separate dates in 2006 and 2007. This is the best
way to hear Side Steps. Their energy level live is incredible and the sound is
studio quality. There are only about eight people in the audience and they’re
kept from going near any microphones, so audience noise never intrudes. Kenso
better start looking over their shoulders. (After clicking the mp3 icon above,
you may need to click on “discography”. Stay on the Japanese site; at the time
of this writing, the mp3 clips do not appear on the English site.)
Social Tension - It Reminds Me of Macbethia ($15.99)Social Tension is a Japanese ELP and UK-style trio that released two great albums: Macbethia
in 1989 and It Reminds Me of Those Days in 1990. This CD comprises all of
Macbethia and a large portion of It Reminds Me of Those Days. The
music is mostly instrumental, with some decent vocals in Japanese. If
you like bands such as Ars Nova or Gerard, this is better.
Starless - Song of Silence/Wish ($15.99)Reissue of a 1992 album plus a 1992 EP from this Japanese symphonic prog band with female vocals.
Starless is similar to the other
Japanese prog bands with female singers of that era such as Teru’s Symphonia, Marge
Litch, etc., but Starless are not so over-the-top as those
bands and so may be a better place to start for the uninitiated.
Strings Arguments - The Encounter ($11.99) SALE!Strings Arguments is three members of the Japanese band Six North (guitar,
bass, drums), the violin player of the band KBB, and guitarist Hirofumi Okamoto.
The Encounter was recorded live in 2002. This is instrumental fusion
firmly in the Mahavishnu Orchestra style, a mix of improvised and composed music. 70-minutes.
Teru’s Symphonia - Clockworked Earth ($11.99) SALE!This is the 1993 album by a long-lived Japanese symphonic
progressive band, very symphonic, with
rock guitar and female vocals in Japanese. The singer has an excellent voice; if
the Japanese lyrics are a stumbling block for you, don’t worry as there’s plenty
of instrumental work. It’s larger-than-life orchestral bombast, loveably
over-the-top, a guilty pleasure for the symphonic prog fan.
Wappa
Gappa - Gappa ($15.99)
SALE!The golden age of progressive rock in Japan occurred during the 1980’s, when
prog rock was at its nadir in the west. Most of the Japanese symphonic bands
then died out in the 1990’s as the west was experiencing a renaissance in the
genre, but they are starting to come back. Wappa Gappa is one of the Japanese bands continuing the style of Outer Limits,
Mr. Sirius, Pageant, and Providence. Their first Japanese release was in 1996,
followed by A Myth in 1998 and Gappa in 2004. Wappa Gappa have
a female singer with a beautiful, operatic voice. The lyrics are in Japanese
with English translations in the booklet. The vocals function more as a lead
instrument than as a singer of songs, so the fact the lyrics are in Japanese is
less important than it might be. Wappa Gappa play the Japanese symphonic rock
style but are not over-the-top like Teru’s Symphonia or Marge Litch.
Gappa (69-minutes) and A Myth (61-minutes) present a very
sophisticated and energetic progressive rock.
Zettaimu - Miroque ($15.99)Zettaimu is a Japanese quartet led by guitarist
Hisashi Furue, who is attracted to British progressive and psychedelic rock as much as he is to
traditional Japanese music and rhythms. The band has three earlier albums dating
back to 1989. The star of Miroque (2007) is female vocalist Kanako, who
like many Japanese female vocalists is a great admirer of Kate Bush. Musically
it’s mostly guitar, bass and drums. There is some use of keyboards, but this is
not symphonic rock, as the tonal palette is more limited. This does however give
the music more openness and space for Kanako’s voice. These nine tracks achieve
a certain stylistic consistency, particularly through dark atmospheres, the best
tracks being the more ethereal and surreal ones.
Read a review here.