There are a number of recent releases from the Black Widow label on our Italian page, including Wicked Minds, Areknamés, Il Bacio della Medusa, Goad, and Delirium, plus Orne on our Scandinavian page. Quantities are limited, so those who are able to buy CDs on pages other than the one you’re on now have an evolutionary advantage.
Never
Wasn’t - same ($12.99)
Never Wasn’t is a U.S. symphonic prog band made up of seasoned musicians,
debuting in 2008 with this self-titled 67-minute CD. Their primary influence is
Yes, to which they add some AOR flavoring, as the American prog bands have
always been inclined to do. Singer Ronny Lapine has a powerful
voice which is more typical of rock singers of eras past, and he is a huge Yes and Jon
Anderson fan. The best tracks here are the most Yes-like, along with the more
Tull-ish Leprechaun. If pressed for time, listen to the mp3's of the
tracks Undertow and In Tune with the Moon. Overall an excellent
progressive rock CD oriented toward the late 1970’s into the early 1980’s, and
further evidence that Yes had the greatest impact in the U.S. of any progressive
rock band. (ELP was close, but Genesis received no substantial airplay in the
U.S. until Follow You Follow Me, at which point it was too late.)
Magenta
- Metamorphosis ($13.99)
Magenta’s 2008 studio CD. (Description to be added.)
The rest of the Magenta CDs are below.
Brighteye
Brison - Believers & Deceivers ($17.99)
Brighteye Brison is a melodic Swedish symphonic progressive band that you can file alongside The Flower Kings, Carptree, Twin Age, Ageness, Spektrum, and Magic Pie. Following a 2001 demo EP and a 2003 debut CD (out-of-print), Stories (2006) has much better production and every aspect of the music is improved. Their primary influences are 1970’s Genesis and Yes, a little Beatles and possibly Kayak, and they use only vintage analog keyboards. One of their signature sounds is their harmony vocals, something of a lost art in modern rock, progressive or otherwise. This really is an outstanding sympho-prog album. Their melodic sense is excellent and their overall sound unique enough that this should have great appeal to a large segment of the prog rock audience. Read reviews here.
Believers & Deceivers (2008, 68-minutes) is
not only Brighteye Brison’s best album yet, this album alone could be used to
show why the Swedish progressive scene is the strongest in the world now. Their
sound is pure classic symphonic prog with a solid melodic foundation. The
commonality with The Flower Kings, Moon Safari, Maze of Time, etc. is
immediately obvious, and yet all these Swedish bands have a distinct sound. On Believers & Deceivers,
Yes is the major influence, and whether early Kayak is an influence or not, some
of the music certainly has that style. The Genesis and Gentle Giant passages are
easy to spot. Brighteye Brison have two keyboardists, and both stick to vintage
keyboards. Three band members sing, and the Yes-like ensemble vocals are a big
part of their sound. That is one thing the current crop of Swedish and Norwegian
prog bands embrace while the rest of the world seems to have forgotten how. An
essential CD.
Zoldar
& Clark - The Ghost of Way ($13.99)
This is a CD reissue of a very rare American progressive
rock album that had previously only been bootlegged, first as an LP, later as a
Japanese CD. No one in
this band was named Zoldar or Clark, but one member was named Jeff Cannata,
whose later work under the name Cannata can be
found here. Zoldar & Clark is in fact the Connecticut band Jasper Wrath. There are seven tracks that appeared on the LP plus four
previously-unreleased tracks, 58-minutes total. The year is not given, but these
are early-1970’s recordings. The audio quality is quite good. Some of this material went on to become Jasper Wrath and Cannata
tracks, and Jasper Wrath’s official lifespan is 1969-1976, so that bounds it.
This is outstanding symphonic prog featuring flute and keys (including
Mellotron), with lots of Yes influence but also of most of the other early-70’s
British progressive bands. Given half a chance, this would have been
an American progressive rock classic the first time around. Just the idea that
treasures like this can still be unearthed in 2008 is pretty remarkable. Digipack.
The
Gourishankar - Close Grip ($14.99)
This quartet (vocals, keyboards, guitars, drums) with the catchy name is a Russian symphonic prog band singing in English. 2nd Hands (2007, 71-minutes) is one fantastic progressive rock album. The CD begins and ends as a roller coaster ride, with The Gourishankar cramming in as many ideas as possible, the music seemingly changing style every eight bars, going from Genesis-style sympho-prog to prog-metal to classical-rock to electronic-prog to fusion-prog within the space of two minutes, then repeating. Just as you begin to wonder whether this band is capable of a cohesive composition, they settle down and do exactly that. A guest on violin and viola takes a track or two into symphonic Kansas territory; another musician guests on sax and flute. One thing The Gourishankar do really well is integrate electronics into their prog rock. OK, the vocals are often relatively low in the mix, conceding the upper hand to the instrumental content. Despite the occasional metal touches, this is predominantly classic-style symphonic prog, but not at all retro. It is played with great skill by very creative musicians who know what classical music is, know what real progressive rock is, and the 71-minutes flies by without the excitement ever waning. Needless to say, highly recommended.
After 2nd Hands became a best seller for them,
the Unicorn label decided to re-release The Gourishankar’s 2003 first CD
Close Grip. This edition adds one bonus track, a cover of Gentle Giant’s
For Nobody. (Our description to be added.)
Abel
Ganz - Shooting Albatross ($15.99)
Abel Ganz was the other Scottish neo-prog band during the 1980’s progressive revival, Pallas being the better known of the two. Abel Ganz’s singer Alan Reed became Pallas’s second singer. Abel Ganz’s 1980’s albums were initially only available on cassette before being reissued on CD by a now-defunct French label. Back from the Zone features five remastered tracks from their first three albums, finally sounding the way they should, plus one of their old tracks re-recorded in 2001, plus a new 2001 track, for a total of 65-minutes of music. This is melodic symphonic prog that ranks with Pallas, Twelfth Night, Haze, Galahad, and Castanarc. (The label didn’t spend a lot on the cover though.)
It’s been a long wait, but Abel Ganz have returned with
Shooting Albatross (2008, digipack) with co-founders Hew Montgomery (keys) and Hugh
Carter (multiple instruments) back together again. Drummer Denis Smith, who
played on The Dangers of Strangers album, is back in the fold along with
three newer members including singer Mick MacFarlane. Alan Reed contributes vocals to this CD,
while Magenta’s Chris Fry contributes some guitar solos. This is Abel Ganz’s
most mature work, and it is obvious that a lot of work went into it. There is
some of their old 1980’s Marillion-like style present, but the bulk of this
66-minute CD cannot be called neo-prog, though Abel Ganz have lost none of their
melodic sense. Starting from common ground, it is as if Pallas is now in charge
of all the pomp and bombast, while Abel Ganz have the subtlety and nuance. The
predominant vibe on this CD is laidback, and the Scottish flavors are especially
welcome. In addition to the
audio available on Abel Ganz’s myspace page (mp3 icon above), here is an mp3 of
the track Ventura.
Moon
Safari - Blomljud (2CD, $24.99)
This Swedish quintet debuted with one of the freshest, most likeable symphonic prog albums you’ll hear. The “summer” in A Doorway to Summer (2005) is apt as Moon Safari display none of the long-dark-winter Scandinavian melancholy and gloom. Instead they have a warm, Yes-like positivism, though their sound comes closer to England, Druid, or Sebastian Hardie. They have harmony vocals that sometimes reach Beach Boys level, and some Beatles flavoring (closer to Klaatu actually). They use all analog keyboards including Mellotron and lots of acoustic guitar. The openness of their sound and their outstanding melodic sense give the album a 1970’s feel and set Moon Safari apart from most of the other current prog bands. Tomas Bodin (keyboardist of The Flower Kings) guests and co-produced, and Moon Safari will almost certainly appeal to fans of The Flower Kings, though their style is distinct. Just five long tracks, one of which is 24-minutes long. Here is an mp3 from the track Dance Across the Ocean.
Despite the Swedish title, the double-CD Blomljud
(2008) is again sung entirely in English. The title apparently translates to
“sound of flowers”, and so the CD title again gives a clue to the music. Or
maybe it’s an oblique reference to The Flower Kings. The style is a continuation
of the first CD, but those wonderful harmony vocals are even more striking here,
reminiscent of Queen, Yes, The Beach Boys, and Fireballet (2nd album). It’s
almost a lost art these days. The first disc has the lighter, vocal-heavy
material, while the second disc tends to have the more energetic material, as if
the first disc was warming the listener up for the second. It is all symphonic
prog close to Yes with some Genesis influence, the latter felt particularly in
the pastoral passages. Its sunny optimism is again in stark contrast to the
prevailing mood of darkness, cynicism and metal in today’s music.
Gurth - Tormentes ($14.99)
To the list of Spanish progressive fusion bands that includes Iceberg, Secta
Sonica, Musica Urbana, Pegasus, Borne, and Guadalquivir, add Gurth from near
Barcelona. The band trace their beginnings to 1995 but didn’t record their first
demo until 2003. Tormentes (2008) is their debut CD. On this CD, Gurth
are a quintet of bass, drums, and three guitarists. One of the guitarists
actually plays guitar synth, filling the role of a keyboardist, while the other
two play both electric and acoustic. The music is 1970’s-styled, mostly
instrumental, with a small amount of vocals which we’ll guess are in Catalan. As
with the other Spanish bands mentioned, Gurth have one foot in fusion and one in
progressive rock, with similar quality and appeal.
7
Ocean - The Mysterious Race of Strange Entities ($14.99)
We’ll be the first to admit that our Belarus section is a bit thin, but as a
start, here is the 2008 debut CD from Belarus band 7 Ocean, a trio of
experienced musicians. The music is 1970’s-style keyboard-centric symphonic prog
with some influence of ELP, The Nice, Rick Wakeman, Greenslade; really an
amalgam of all the keyboard prog from that era, with an Eastern European flavor. The vocals are in what could
be Belarusian. (All those languages with Cyrillic characters sound the same if
you can’t speak any of them.) The music is relatively vocal-heavy, but as the
tracks are long -- 10 tracks totaling 80-minutes -- there is ample room for
instrumental and vocal passages to share the stage.
Taylor’s Universe - Terra Nova ($14.99)
Taylor’s Universe is a Danish band headed by Robin Taylor, who plays guitar,
grand piano, Hammond organ, and various analog synths. Joining Taylor are sax
player Karsten Vogel (Secret Oyster, Burnin’ Red Ivanhoe) and drummer Rasmus
Grosell, plus a few guests. Taylor has or had another project with almost the
same name, Taylor’s Free Universe, but that project is entirely different,
focusing on improvisation and experimental jazz. And for maximum confusion,
Taylor also releases albums under his own name that tend to be more
electronic/ambient. Terra Nova (2007) however contains classic 1970’s
style Scandinavian symphonic progressive, instrumental with some wordless
vocals. The music is keyboard-dominated, with Vogel’s melodic sax adding spice.
There is definitely appeal to fans of Secret Oyster and Canterbury music, but
while there is jazz influence here, the music is not jazz or fusion. Rather, the
music is the stately symphonic prog typical of Focus and the first generation of
Scandinavian symphonic bands. More Scandinavian
progressive CDs.
Sensitive
to Light - From the Ancient World ($15.99)
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Caamora -
She studio digipack 2CD ($18.99) see
note below
Caamora -
Walk on Water (CD-EP, $9.99)She (2008) is the huge giant epic rock opera from Caamora, the project keyboardist Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Arena, Neo) has been laboring on for two years with Polish female singer Agnieszka Swita and guests Alan Reed (Pallas), Christina Booth (Magenta), Mark Westwood (Neo), John Jowitt (IQ, Neo), Scott Higham (Pendragon), Richard West (Threshold), Hugh McDowell (ELO), and others. It’s a rock opera all right -- Nolan has made Jesus Christ Progstar for the 21st century. One can hear the seeds of Caamora in Nolan’s Strangers on a Train and Shadowland albums, but Nolan has matured as a writer in the interim. His real forte is orchestrating, where he has few peers among active progressive rock musicians. Read the excellent DPRP review for much more detail, and follow the mp3 link above to the Caamora website for more info on the She project.
She must set a record for most configurations available, as there are even more (vinyl, jewel box 2CD) than those offered here. The studio digipack 2CD contains the full studio version of She plus one bonus track that is not available on the jewel box version. Counts as 1.5 CDs for shipping. Our initial shipment from Europe sold out quickly. We won’t have the studio 2CD back in stock until we receive the U.S. release in early May. The price of the U.S. studio digipack 2CD will be about the same. That is not true of the Definitive Edition, which is going to sell for a lot more when released in the U.S. -- at the time of this writing, amazon.com’s pre-order prices are $40 for the Limited Edition and over $100 for the Definitive Edition.
The DVD contains the live premiere of She, filmed on 31 October 2007 in Poland, with almost all of the same musicians that appear on the studio recording and then some. A Making of She featurette is included as a bonus. Dolby Digital 5.1 surround audio,160-minutes, standard Amaray case.
The Limited Edition includes the same DVD plus the double-CD live version of She in a lavish digipack DVD case. Counts as 2 CDs for shipping.
The Definitive Edition is the whole shebang, a 6-disc set that includes the DVD, the 2CD studio version, the 2CD live version, and a second DVD containing interview material, six acoustic versions of songs, and ten bonus audio tracks: five from the Closer EP, three from the Walk on Water EP, and two from the Embrace EP. It comes in no-expense-spared packaging, including a large-format, 24-page full-color booklet and a half dozen color postcards you can send to your friends to let them know that you bought the expensive edition. Only 1000 copies are available worldwide. Counts as 4 CDs for shipping.
Walk on Water (2007) is a four track, 18-minute digipack CD. Two of the
four songs were originally intended to end up on She, but only one did
(though the three non-She tracks do appear on the Definitive Edition
second DVD disc.)
Quantum Fantay - From Herzberg to Living Room (2CD, $17.99)
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Jaugernaut
- Contra-Mantra ($12.99)
Jaugernaut are a U.S. band who released albums in 1980 and 1982 before
calling it a day. They return in 2008 with Contra-Mantra, a blend of
symphonic progressive (Genesis, Yes) and pomp-rock/AOR (Rush, Queen, Journey,
Styx). If you had your FM radio on in the U.S. in the late 1970’s, then you’ve
heard the pomp-rock side of this. Jaugernaut have an excellent singer, and more
than anything else it’s his lead vocals combined with the harmony backing vocals
that give this the feel of that era. No short radio-friendly songs though; the
tracks here are long, with two multi-part suites. It may be a nostalgia trip, a
guilty pleasure, or just a satisfying listen.
Thieves’ Kitchen - The Water Road
($12.99)
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Dead
Heroes Club - same ($15.99) out-of-stock
This band from Northern Ireland claim to be Ireland’s only existing
progressive rock band. This is their 2004 debut, with a new CD promised for
summer 2008. They have a very strong singer in Liam Campbell, who has somewhat
of a Peter Gabriel and Fish quality to his voice. The music is in the Marillion
vein, though at times a better reference is Abel Ganz because of the greater use
of acoustic guitar. An excellent debut in the British Isles neo-prog tradition,
emphasizing melody, strong songs and a singer who can carry them.
Osada
Vida - Three Seats Behind a Triangle ($13.99)
Three Seats Behind a Triangle is the 2006 CD by Polish progressive
rock band Osada Vida, their fourth according to the band’s bio, but the first
sung in English. This is the 2007 remastered edition on Metal Mind, which
includes two 2007 bonus tracks and comes in a jewel box. (If you’re remastering a year later,
then it probably wasn’t properly mastered the first time around.) The music is
progressive rock with a fair amount of metal. It will probably appeal to fans of
Riverside, though Osada Vida’s style is distinct enough. When Osada Vida play
progressive rock, more often than not they play real progressive rock. It’s just
that there’s metal inserted here and there when they’ve run out of ideas, or to
appease the guitarist. As such, it ranges from Satellite (though not as
polished) to Pain of Salvation on the prog spectrum. When present, the metal
drags the music’s IQ down, but with a playing time of nearly 79-minutes, there’s
more than enough quality prog to give this a recommendation. Read the reviews at
ProgArchives. Note Osada Vida have a new CD due out mid-June in Europe,
early July in the U.S.
Birds
and Buildings - Bantam to Behemoth ($11.99)
Birds and Buildings is the other band of Dan Britton of Deluge Grander (see
below). Birds and Buildings is fairly similar to Deluge Grander, and those
who’ve discovered what a great band D.G. are will be just as impressed with B&B.
Bantam to Behemoth (2008, 69-minutes) has some vocals by Britton and a
female singer on one track, but they are so buried in the mix that this still
feels like an instrumental CD. The major difference between this and Deluge
Grander is the presence of a woodwinds (sax, flute, clarinet) player in the
band. The flute tends to be used in the gentler, pastoral passages, while the
sax is used in the more energetic passages. The sax style is similar to David
Jackson or Mel Collins, ranging from melodic to frenzied. The presence of sax leads to
comparisons with King Crimson, Van der Graaf Generator, and Gong, and there is
more of a Canterbury influence here than in Deluge Grander. There are still gobs
of Mellotron strings and choir, and highly-skilled ensemble playing. The
production is a little bass-shy, but overall this is a tremendous CD in the
tradition of the complex side of British symphonic progressive.
Deluge
Grander - August in the Urals ($11.99)
Deluge Grander sprung from the ashes of Baltimore progressive band Cerebus
Effect. It was the addition of keyboardist Dan Britton that made the final
Cerebus Effect CD their most symphonic, and Deluge Grander continues in that
same direction, more symphonic and, well, grander. Britton is the
primary composer here, and he is a tremendous keyboardist. The pieces on August
in the Urals (2006) vary from long to really long, so that only five tracks
comprise the 71-minute CD. No one will be able to digest this music in one go.
It is complex symphonic prog in a 1970’s style, with some vocals but no attempts
at songs per se, as instrumental content clearly dominates. The 27-minute first
track is the closest to Cerebus Effect, the most angular and dissonant of the
pieces, though the dissonance is used more for contrast than as the sole style. The other tracks are more melodic and
symphonic. There are many possible reference points, including King Crimson,
Gentle Giant, Fireballet, Genesis, and Yes, but the music rarely suggests any
other band for long. There are times when Britton’s piano playing suggests John
Tout and Renaissance, times when his organ playing suggests Rick Wakeman, and
lots of times when he uses Mellotron strings. This album is going to turn a lot
of heads among the fan base for classic progressive rock.
Cerebus
Effect - Acts of Deception ($11.99)
That’s how this band spells their name, even though the three-headed watchdog
Cerberus appears on the traycard. Acts of Deception (2005) is the
second studio CD for this Baltimore-area instrumental band. There is a small amount of “vocals”, but it is not singing as
we understand it, and the vocals are very low in the mix. With the addition of
keyboardist Dan Britton, Acts of Deception contains a unique
blend of symphonic progressive and heavy fusion. Cerebus Effect like to play it
fast and furious and in odd time signatures. They’ve been listening to their
progressive rock, and you can catch influences of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Djam Karet, Volaré, Happy the Man, Kultivator, Van der Graaf Generator, Magma,
and Genesis, to name just a few. Actually, the Genesis and Magma occur in the
same song, which is typical of their eclecticism. The tracks that won’t allow
you to catch your breath are broken up by a few more peaceful tracks, one
suggestive of Steve Hackett’s acoustic pieces and another of Happy the Man’s
slower tracks. There are enough bands that impress with technical skills while
making for a fatiguing listen, but Cerebus Effect blend in enough structure and
symphonic textures to make this an album to return to.
Talisma - Quelque Part ($14.99)
Talisma are a Québec band that dates to 1993. It’s unclear whether all their
previous releases were merely demos; in any event, Corpus (2003) is the
first release in their trio format. Instrumental aside from two tracks with some wordless or
scat-style female vocals, this perhaps comes closest to Edhels, albeit a bit heavier in spots. The
Steve Hackett and King Crimson influences that shaped Edhels are here also,
though that only partially describes Talisma. There’s a bit of Rush in here too,
but also touches of jazz, ethnic, space, and more lyrical and delicate passages
befitting a Québec band. Both the guitarist and bassist add synth or guitar
synth, and both play 12-string at times.
Chromium (2005) is completely instrumental and takes Talisma’s innovative brand of progressive rock even further. Their musical tapestry weaves many styles together fluidly, and there isn’t anyone that they really sound like. The pieces sound structured but they evolved out of studio jams and were recorded the same day, giving the music a great energy.
For Quelque Part (2008), Talisma have
expanded to six musicians plus one guest, and while it is again mostly
instrumental, there are beautiful vocals from Florence Bélanger on two tracks.
The first track hits the listener like a blast of vintage Steve Hackett, but
even more intense. The second track features nimble playing that sounds like a
prog rock circus on speed, the third track is Crimsonoid, and it continues with
each track distinct. There is some more acoustic, Genesis-like material to
offset the intensity. At their best, Talisma feature searing electric guitar
leads at the mid-point between Hackett and Fripp over a rich symphonic backbone.
Hopefully this CD gets Talisma the attention they deserve, as they are now one
of the best (mostly-)instrumental prog bands working.
More Canadian progressive CDs.
Jeremy -
Glow in the Dark ($12.99)
American Jeremy Morris, known for his Pilgrim’s Journey and Celestial City CDs on the Kinesis label, is a busy musician who also produces vocal power pop, psychedelic rock, synth music, solo piano and acoustic guitar CDs, which means one has to be patient waiting for his progressive CDs. Glow in the Dark (2008) is one of his instrumental progressive works. Jeremy handles most of the instruments himself. Guillermo Cazenave, known for his collaborations with Anthony Phillips, guests on guitar on one track, while other musicians contribute drums, cello and violin. “Ambient progressive” might be the best term for the music here. The music tends to ebb and flow peacefully, with many short musical ideas strung together without an overarching structure. Jeremy’s trademark electric guitar leads are blended with analog synths, grand piano, acoustic guitar, bass and low-key drums. Jeremy’s electric guitar tone and style are his own, a melodic, lyrical style that is what might result from cross-pollinating Steve Hackett and Brian May (Queen). The music has a slight spaciness, an influence of Jean Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream perhaps, but this is not an electronics album, and the music is warm and symphonic. Jeremy’s Anthony Phillips and Steve Hackett influences are usually evident. The final 9-minute track Endless River feels like a continuation of Pilgrim’s Journey.
Mystery and Illusion (2008, 70-minutes) is Jeremy’s second CD for the
Russian MALS label. This is a much more psychedelic album and has vocals. Jeremy
handles vocals, guitar, bass, Mellotron, piano and synths, while Dave Dietrich
plays drums. The album begins where The Beatles left off, with fuzz-guitar
psychedelic rock, and Jeremy’s voice does have a bit of John Lennon in it.
Jeremy doesn’t just imitate The Beatles, but extrapolates where they might have
gone with this style. After several songs in this vein, Jeremy makes the album
more his own, and brings the sound into the progressive era. He uses some of the
backwards music effect and electronics that one also finds on his Kinesis-label
CDs, and after more than an hour, the album concludes with a light progressive rock
song with vocals. Click the Kinesis Label tab above for more Jeremy CDs.
Sunchild
- The Gnomon (2CD, $14.99) out-of-stock
Antony Kalugin’s franchise continues to expand rapidly, with two Karfagen CDs in
2006 and 2007, the Hoggwash CD in 2007 and now Sunchild. The Gnomon
(2008) is a double-CD on the Welsh Caerllysi Music label, at a very attractive
price considering the U.S. dollar has been in freefall. Kalugin has half the
musicians in the Ukraine on this project, which continues to develop the style
of Karfagen and Hoggwash, with vocals in English by Kalugin and several others.
This is melodic symphonic prog that draws from all eras of progressive rock and
establishes Kalugin as one of the top contemporary composers in the genre. The
2CD also includes a video of the song Wonderworld and the Making of
Sunchild video.
Hoggwash
- The Last Horizon ($13.99)
Hoggwash is the brainchild of Welsh musician Will Mackie. In order to realize
this CD, Mackie recruited Antony Kalugin, leader of the excellent Ukrainian
progressive rock band Karfagen. While Mackie
and Kalugin have co-writing credits on all tracks, the music was recorded in the
Ukraine by Kalugin with Karfagen members/collaborators and other Ukrainian
musicians. And while Karfagen is an instrumental band, Hoggwash has excellent
vocals by Kalugin. The result is a
beautiful melodic symphonic rock CD in the Genesis and Camel veins. Despite all
the input from the Ukraine, The Last Horizon (2007) sounds so British
that it serves to remind us what it is that distinguishes British prog from all
else. (It’s the melody, stupid.) 67-minutes of prog joy.
Karfagen -
The Space Between Us ($14.99) Continium (2006) is an elegant and classy album of instrumental symphonic prog from a new Ukrainian band, probably the only progressive rock band there is in the Ukraine now. Camel and Genesis sound like their strongest influences, and the standard instrumentation is augmented with flute and at times bayan (accordion), duduk (an ancient wind instrument), and wheel lira (another ancient instrument). (What do we look like, ethnomusicologists?) The bonus track is a tender song with male and female vocals in English. Keyboards have the primary role, and the emphasis throughout is on beautiful melodies and music that flows gracefully.
Karfagen wasted no time returning with a 65-minute 2nd album The Space Between Us
(2007). This album is again instrumental, though there are some wordless vocals.
They continue in the same general style, but even more original. Camel is a
reference point only to the extent that the music is usually flowing and
melodic. There is a strong classical influence, and the bayan and flute are
again welcome touches. Both albums are highly recommended to sympho lovers of the 1970’s persuasion.
RPWL - The RPWL Experience
Special Ed. ($15.99)
This is the special edition of RPWL’s fifth studio album, which adds two bonus
tracks and a slipcase. RPWL continue their remarkably high level of creativity
here. RPWL are usually considered alongside Porcupine Tree and Riverside, and
while they do belong in that contemporary progressive camp, RPWL are the most
traditionally-progressive of the lot, and easily the most melodic. Unlike P.Tree
today, RPWL’s original Pink Floyd influence is still easy to hear, and their
playful Beatles side is still present in spots. Mellotron strings add to the
lush textures, while metal intrudes only infrequently. The second bonus track on
the special edition, the 7:33 Reach for the Sun, is very Genesis-like.
(For some reason, RPWL’s Genesis-influenced songs tend to end up as bonus
material -- most of the rest are on Stock.)
The rest of the RPWL CDs and lots more info here.
Kingfisher
Sky - Hallway of Dreams ($13.99)
Kingfisher Sky is a Dutch band formed by ex-Within Temptation drummer Ivar de
Graaf and classically trained vocalist Judith Rijnveld, adding two guitarists,
a bassist and keyboardist. Their debut
CD Hallway of Dreams was released in 2007; this is the 2008 U.S. edition. As the band bio says, the band’s style results from the
merger of Ivar’s progressive rock and traditional folk influences and Judith’s
classical conservatory background. Judith’s voice is certainly beautiful and is
the most important feature of the music. You can safely ignore the influences
listed in their bio and on their myspace page. This is a more progressive and
refined, less metallic take on the Within Temptation style. The bio didn’t
mention anyone’s metal influence, and yet there is metal guitar on most of the
songs, leading one to wonder whether Ivar and the legions of metal fans
understand the difference between metal and progressive rock. However, the
incongruous, generic metal riffing is not the main facet of this music, and this
is a fine symphonic album that should prove to be very popular.
More Dutch progressive CDs.
Jelly
Fiche - Tout ce que j’ai revé ($14.99)
This is the most exciting new band to come out of Québec since the golden age
of the 1970’s. Montreal’s Jelly Fiche debut with Tout ce
que j’ai rêvé (2008, 63-minutes), a concept album that takes some inspiration
from the great 70’s
Québec prog bands such as Maneige and Harmonium, but could just as easily have
come out of France. The other influences are diverse, but it is all classic
70’s-style progressive. One can hear Pink Floyd, Yes, touches of early-70’s hard
rock and, during the few occasions when the keyboardist switches to sax, Van der
Graaf Generator or Clearlight may come to mind. These are eight beautiful tracks of pure progressive
rock and French poetry, with stellar vocal melodies and harmonies. If these
songs were sung in English, the vocals would lose most of their beauty and
grace. (Also the paper the booklet is printed on smells really good, so make
sure you get a copy while they’re fresh.) C’est magnifique! Note the first mp3 icon above links directly to a single mp3,
the complete 8:43 title track. More Canadian progressive
CDs.
Din
Within - Awaken the Man ($11.99)
Released late in 2007, Awaken the Man is the 63-minute debut CD by
an American symphonic prog band that will no doubt elicit comparisons to Spock’s
Beard, mainly because that’s the easy reference these days when a variety of
British progressive rock influences are run through an American filter. It’s not
a bad reference though, as Din Within have that same huge symphonic rock sound,
technical skills and crisp production married with catchy melodies. Kansas is
also a good reference, Rocket Scientists to some extent, and the one reviewers
below a certain age will miss, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia (more so vocally and in
the ballads). In addition to the Yes and ELP influences, Din Within have more of
a Genesis influence than Spock’s Beard, while one song is quite Floydian. There
are loads of instrumental passages. Din Within’s singer is not on a par with a
Neal Morse when the lead vocals go it alone, but when backing vocals have been
added, it produces the Utopia effect of average singers combining to create
powerful ensemble vocals. Maybe the best reason to compare Din Within to Spock’s
Beard is that one gets the same feeling listening to Awaken the Man
that one got when listening to the first Spock’s Beard CD, that it will be
difficult to keep this band a secret much longer.
Spirits
Burning - Alien Injection ($16.99)
Spirits Burning is an ad hoc space rock collective led by keyboardist Don Falcone,
a member of Trap and Spaceship Eyes. At present we have a very limited number of
their 2008 Black Widow-label release Alien Injection. (Description
to be added.)
Ghost Circus - Across the Line ($12.99)
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Fish -
13th Star ($16.99)13th Star (2008) is the latest studio album from the ex-Marillion front man. It’s one of Fish’s very best albums, and a very personal one, reinforcing the notion that the best art is borne of pain. Read reviews on the official Fish site to get the whole story.
Communion is a semi-acoustic live double-CD recorded at St Mary’s Church,
Haddington on the acoustic night of Fish’s fan club convention in August 2006.
In addition to Fish’s seven-man band, there are guests Heather Findlay and
Angela Gordon from Mostly Autumn on backing vocals, flute and whistles, and
Anne-Marie Helder (ex-Karnataka) and Fish’s daughter Tara on backing vocals. The
19-track set features some songs never performed live before -- see the
track list
and reviews at Fish’s site. Note this new edition comes in a jewel box
and the cover has been changed from the original black one for no apparent
reason.
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Fish - Sunsets on Empire ($11.99)
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Dave
Cousins - The Boy in the Sailor Suit ($14.99)
The
Strawbs - Deep Cuts ($14.99)The single CDs are the latest editions on the Strawbs’ own Witchwood Media label, which now has better distribution in the U.S. and consequently lower prices on their CDs. In their infinite wisdom, the U.S. distributor is bringing the Strawbs’ CDs over piecemeal, so this is hopefully just the first batch.
Dave Cousins’ Two Weeks Last Summer (1972) was recorded between the Strawbs’ Grave New World and Bursting at the Seams albums. Assisting Dave are Dave Lambert (who had not yet joined the Strawbs), Rick Wakeman, Roger Glover (Deep Purple), Jon Hiseman (Colosseum), and others. The album fits in well with the Strawbs’ releases, and this 2004 CD adds the track Going Home, which had been released as a single.
The Strawbs’ prime period was that of Hero and Heroine (1974) and Ghosts (1975), so Deep Cuts (1976) is from shortly after their peak, with the shift from symphonic to pop-rock on. (The story is the same for any number of progressive bands; only the album names have been changed.) Deep Cuts featured a new label, new producers and new keyboardists, and contains some classic tracks, with Simple Visions still a concert staple. One of the great LP covers too. This CD contains one bonus track.
Burning for You followed in 1977, featuring a Patrick Woodruffe cover illustration. It was the last Strawbs album to chart in the U.S. The tracks Burning For Me, Cut Like a Diamond, and Heartbreaker are standouts. One bonus track.
The Deep Cuts / Burning for You double-CD is the 1996 edition on Road Goes on Forever, which is where Witchwood were releasing Strawbs CDs prior to bringing everything in house. Both albums are here in their entirety, though not with the bonus tracks of the Witchwood editions. But it’s cheaper than buying the two separately, and as Geddy Lee once said, “Ten bucks is ten bucks, eh!” (Quantity very limited.)
Dave Cousins’ 2007 solo CD The Boy in the Sailor Suit features Chas Cronk, guitarist Miller Anderson (who was also on Two Weeks Last Summer 35 years earlier), fiddler Ian Cutler and drummer Chris Hunt, who along with a couple keyboardists and backing vocalists comprise “The Blue Angel Orchestra”. The album is more or less in the folk-rock style of the most recent Strawbs albums. The fiddle pushes the sound close to Fairport Convention, though Cousins still rocks harder at times, and between his voice and his songwriting, there’s no mistaking The Boy in the Sailor Suit for the work of anyone else.
Recorded just prior to the Strawbs reunion tour that saw them headline
NEARfest 2004, Deja Fou is not only Strawbs’ first album of all new material in a
decade, but the lineup is the classic one that recorded Hero and Heroine
and Ghosts, together for the first time in 30 years. No one seriously
expected another Hero and Heroine, but Deja Fou is quite a good
album, a lot of which sounds like it could have come from an even earlier period
in Strawbs history, particularly the acoustic tracks. With keyboardist John
Hawken living in the U.S., he contributed little to the writing and not all that
much to the playing – he added his parts from the U.S.
after receiving the tapes from the UK recording sessions. This is really a
Cousins and Lambert album. Nevertheless, there are two tracks of classic Strawbs
prog music, and the old magic frequently shines through.
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Simon
Says - Tardigrade ($12.99)
The Swedish band Simon Says began their career very influenced by 1970’s
Genesis, adopting most of the same sounds and conventions. Tardigrade (2008, 74-minutes) is
their 3rd and is on an even
grander scale than their previous CDs. This CD is in that category of “if you
are a symphonic rock fanatic and can buy only one CD this year”. Simon Says have
expanded their style well beyond the Genesis base to include influences of Yes,
UK, and early King Crimson, plus that trademark Scandinavian organ-driven
symphonic rock style. At one point they nearly launch into Holst’s Mars.
Even if they nearly quote other pieces of music here and there, they’ve got so
much good stuff crammed onto this disc that it’s still pretty amazing. One of
the few survivors of the early 1990’s Stockholm progressive scene, Simon Says
may now be the best. Note Simon Says can also be heard
on the Colossus/Musea various artists CDs
Kalevala and Odyssey. More Scandinavian
prog CDs.
Moongarden -
Songs from the Lighthouse ($12.99)
Moongarden is an Italian progressive
band led by keyboardist Cristiano Roversi and guitarist David Cremoni.
They began as a mostly Genesis-influenced band. Both Roversi and Cremoni
were also part of the very Genesis-like Submarine Silence, and Roversi’s solo
album The Park owes a large debt to Tony Banks. As Moongarden have
evolved, they’ve added other influences to make their music more contemporary.
With their 2004 CD
Round Midnight, they had achieved an intriguing blend of old-school prog with aspects of Porcupine Tree, Radiohead,
or The Amber Light. Moongarden added a new guitarist and vocalist before
recording Songs from the Lighthouse (2008, 71-minutes). The result is an
album with more energy than the previous one. It is also more lush and
symphonic, with wave after wave of Mellotron strings crashing ashore, but it
remains primarily a contemporary progressive rock record. This is close to
Porcupine Tree at their best (before their slide into metal), but more symphonic
and with more ties to classic progressive. Moongarden’s old Genesis style is
even allowed center stage on a track or two. Andy Tillison of The Tangent guests
on lead vocals on one track. All in all, this is an outstanding record that will
appeal to fans of both classic and modern British prog (which is to say there
isn’t much influence of the Italian progressive bands here).
Edition Speciale - Horizon Digital ($15.99)
Allée des Tilleuls (1976) is the CD reissue of the first Edition Speciale album.
Three bonus tracks are included which were demos for this album. Their first album is full of vocals and is surprisingly melodic, a
uniquely French style of progressive rock with fusion overtones and a slight
funk touch. Listening to this, it becomes evident where the roots of Minimum Vital’s vocal style lie. Those familiar with the later Minimum Vital albums can
use them as a reference point, though of course this album is a product of its
time and so has much more of a 70’s sound. Edition Speciale were a quartet of
keys, guitar, bass, and drums, with three members singing. The keys rely heavily
on Fender Rhodes but also include ARP Odyssey, a modular Oberheim, and organ.
Vocals are in both English and French, more so the latter.
Aliquante (1977) is the CD reissue of the second Edition Speciale album, with two bonus tracks. With this album, Edition Speciale emerged as one of the most important French jazz-rock bands, influenced both by American fusion (e.g., Return to Forever, Weather Report) and British progressive rock. The song and funk aspects of their first album have largely disappeared, with vocals used only on the 2nd half of the album. The music is more in the vein of Brand X and fellow Frenchmen Spheroe.
The CD reissue of the third Edition Speciale album
Horizon Digital (1978) adds five 1980 bonus tracks, demos for a fourth
album that was never released. Horizon Digital is in the same style as Aliquante
and is generally regarded as their best album. With the addition of
percussionist Mireille Bauer (Gong) to the lineup, Edition Speciale had two
female members, which may be unequaled by any other fusion band. Essential French fusion.
Treasure
Island ($15.99)This 2007 CD is another concept organized by the Finnish magazine Colossus
and released by Musea. This one features one 1970’s-style epic progressive track
each by Velvet Desperados (Finland), Floating State (Italy), and Nexus
(Argentina), inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s book. Each track is 23-26
minutes long. Most of the rest of the CDs in this excellent and long-running
series can be found on this page.
Barock
Project - Misteriosevoci ($15.99)
The 2007 debut CD for Italian quartet Barock Project is simply fantastic for
lovers of Italian 1970’s symphonic progressive. The music is purely 70’s styled
with vocals in Italian, dominated by a virtuoso keyboardist schooled in
classical music. It is that uniquely Italian blend of English progressive rock
(ELP foremost), classical music, and romantic Italian pop melodies. 60-minutes. Read the
Progressive World review.
Hannah - A Life in Rock Minor ($15.99)
A Life in Rock Minor is the 2008 debut CD for Spanish prog rock quintet
Hannah. It is melodic neo-prog sung in English. As with most European bands of
this generation, there is nothing in Hannah’s sound unique to their country of
origin other than an accent in the singer’s English (which is only apparent when
the vocals are exposed in the mix). It isn’t prog-metal, but the guitarist’s
style shows some metal influence, which is what distinguishes neo-prog of this
decade from neo-prog of the 1980’s. Note the first mp3 icon above leads to Hannah’s Flash-based
site. Click MEDIA, then click AUDIO. More Spanish
progressive CDs.
Farpoint - Cold Star Quiet Star ($11.99)
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IQ
- Forever Live 2-DVD ($27.99)Subtitled Live at the Stadthalle Kleve Germany June 12 1993, this 2007
NTSC, all-region double-DVD contains the same video that had previously been
released on VHS. But IQ do things right, and not only is the packaging
beautiful, they have expanded this set with a second DVD containing two
additional tracks from the concert, the Scenes from the Day documentary
(including commentary by Peter Nicholls), six more tracks videotaped in Holland
in January 1993, a photo gallery and IQ family tree. Both discs have brand new
Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo mixes, and needless to say, it looks a
lot better than the VHS did. This concert was the launch of IQ’s Ever
album, with front-man Peter Nicholls back in the fold and new bassist John
Jowitt on board. 4:3 aspect ratio, running time 202 minutes. Counts as two CDs for shipping.
See our DVDs page for the rest of IQ’s DVDs.
IQ’s CDs are here.
Invisigoth -
Narcotica ($12.99)
Alcoholocaust is the 2007 debut CD from this New York State duo, between prog-metal and art-rock. Basically it sounds like what usually results when metal-minded musicians try to be arty. Not that they don’t succeed -- there is a lot of creativity here -- just that it helps a lot to be a fan of metal in order to truly enjoy it, even when the music is not heavy. Think of a darker, more metallic Magellan.
Narcotica (2008, 70-minutes) is a big step forward. There is only a
little metal here and the music, while dark, is not relentlessly so. It’s an
impressive symphonic prog album with somewhat of a psychedelic rock opera feel.
There is a wealth of detail in the music, layer upon layer it. The lack of a
human drummer sometimes holds the music back just a little, but also gives it a
modern feel, and this is definitely a modern progressive record. Magellan having
an hallucination may be the best reference.
Little King -
Legacy of Fools ($14.99)
