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Being & Time - same ($11.99)
“Being & Time is a Japanese duo consisting of Fuyuhiko Tani playing guitar, guitar synths and keyboards, and Hiroshi Tsukagoshi on bass guitar... This is fusion, very much along the lines of Bruford or the first UK album, both of whom are acknowledged as influences by the band.Perhaps the oddest thing about the band is, despite sounding like two bands for whom Bill Bruford was the drummer, this band has no drummer. That’s not to say there’s no drums, but these appear to be programmed drums, though whether on a fancy drum machine or using a computer is unknown. But I must say they’re some of the best programmed drums I’ve ever heard, and if I hadn’t seen their YouTube videos of just the two of them performing, I’m not sure I would have realized this wasn’t a band with a real (and real good) drummer. While this renders their live performances (which I’ve only seen on YouTube) a bit on the flat side, it doesn’t detract from the quality of their debut CD in the least. In fact, the CD is an album of excellent instrumental fusion, and deserves the attention of anyone who likes Bruford, UK or Allan Holdsworth.” [Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock (Fred Trafton)] [+/-]
Emily Bezar - Exchange ($9.99)
Emily Bezar’s music is breathtaking, magical, and defies categorization. As Exposé magazine said, “Bezar is a genre unto herself”.Emily is a northern Californian who spent time living in Europe. It’s impossible not to think of Kate Bush when hearing Emily sing. She is a classically-trained pianist, and her virtuoso piano playing is at the center of her music along with her incredible voice, which has similarities to Kate’s but is more operatic. While Emily’s music flirts with pop, it is much more progressive and less pop-oriented than Kate’s. Emily’s 2008 album Exchange (72-minutes) is stunning, merging all aspects of her previous work into her most progressive album and perhaps the most live-sounding. On this CD, Emily again has a more than capable band with her, including saxes, trumpet, trombone, violin and cello in addition to guitar, bass and drums. There is a lot of jazz influence in the sophisticated harmonic vocabulary, but the result is closer to Hatfield and the North than jazz per se. Emotionally these songs have a depth and intimacy that reminds one of Peter Gabriel, but with feminine rather than masculine energy. Kate Bush is the better pop songstress, but Emily’s work is musically more intricate and challenging. Forget about pretenders like Tori Amos – that is pop, this is art. [+/-]
Bondar & Wise - A Live Legacy ($7.99)
This is the only existing recording of a previously-unknown American progressive duo from Michigan. Allen Bondar played Hammond B3 & C3, ARP 2600 and bass pedals, while Bob Wise played drums.The music of Bondar & Wise is instrumental and very ELP-influenced, with just as big a sound. This CD is of an early-1970s concert that was originally recorded on reel-to-reel tape. The band spent 60 hours of studio time restoring it, and the sound is now quite good. This is wild, virtuosic progressive keyboard rock that, like the hair styles pictured in the booklet, is not likely to come back. [+/-]
Jorge Campos - La Ausencia de lo Sagrado ($9.99)
Jorge Campos - Machi ($9.99)
Chilean Jorge Campos (who now resides in Canada) is probably the most important and innovative bass player in Latin America. He has been a long-time member of both Fulano and Congreso.These CDs are the 2007 reissues of his albums Machi (2000) and La Ausencia de lo Sagrado (2003). Machi has four bonus live tracks that take the total playing time up to 75-minutes, while La Ausencia de lo Sagrado has three live bonus tracks and now runs 59-minutes. Campos plays various basses but also adds numerous other instruments including electric guitar and keyboards. Three other musicians appear on Machi while a larger number of musicians appear on La Ausencia de lo Sagrado, though the lineup varies from track to track. The music is mostly instrumental and the sound palette is much closer to modern King Crimson than to the symphonic bands. Of course Fulano and Congreso are better reference points for those familiar with those two Chilean prog bands. Campos’ music is best described as a blend of ethnic fusion and progressive rock with particular emphasis on innovative bass sounds. [+/-]
Cartoon - Estribo ($11.99)
Estribo (2008, 65-minutes) is Brazilian prog band Cartoon’s third album. Cartoon began singing in English on their previous album Bigorna.Whereas Bigorna sounded like the cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show staging one of Rick Wakeman’s grandiose 1970s albums, Estribo is not so crazy. Listening to this album, you’d probably never guess that Cartoon are Brazilian -- they sound British or American. Early Yes is probably their biggest influence, but Cartoon sound like they know every important style of early-to-mid 1970s rock inside and out, as they like to throw in early-70s hard rock and blues rock (almost the same thing during that era), something resembling The Eagles and on and on, not really whole songs in those styles but rather passages in an ever-changing montage. With all the different voices, the music sounds a bit rock opera-ish, really more like the vocal styles of City Boy or Supertramp, bands with more than one lead singer. While a lot of current bands stretch three ideas into an hour of music in one basic style, Cartoon seem to be overflowing with ideas, always surprising the listener, making Estribo a very enjoyable album for fans of early-70s prog. [+/-]
Castle Canyon - Gods of 1973 ($6.99)
Castle Canyon are an unknown early-1970s American instrumental progressive rock band. Two short tracks on Gods of 1973 (2009) actually were recorded in 1973-74. Four were composed in 1973-74 but not recorded until 2008, and three are new but sound consistent with the others.There is some guitar, but this is keyboard-dominated symphonic prog using vintage sounds. While ELP is the most frequently-heard influence and Trace is often a good reference point, the music ranges wider than that and is fairly original, including some excellent impressionistic soundscapes. Close your eyes and imagine it’s a lost classic from 1973, because in a way it is. [+/-]
Coincidence / Jean-Pierre Llabador - Then and Now (2CD, $12.99)
Guitarist Jean-Pierre Llabador was the leader of the French fusion band Coincidence, who released two albums: Coincidence (1976) and Clef de Ciel (1978). This 2007 2CD set contains three albums.Disc 1 contains all but one track of the two Coincidence albums, the first time on CD for either. Disc 2 contains Jean-Pierre Llabador’s 2007 solo album New Incidences. Jean-Pierre formed Coincidence with his brother, keyboardist/guitarist Jean-Claude Llabador. After recording two Coincidence albums, Jean-Claude died in an auto accident. With a melodic and dynamic approach to instrumental fusion, Coincidence was among the better European fusion bands. Composing and recording guitar instrumentals for 30 years, Jean-Pierre Llabador has released numerous albums in France and abroad. New Incidences carries on the jazz guitar instrumental sound that he so deftly explored in the 80s and 90s. Read the Gnosis2000 review of the Coincidence albums. [+/-]
Cos - The Turning Around ($7.99)
No relation to the Belgian band, this Cos is a pseudonym for Mark Costoso, who handles nearly everything himself on this 2002 CD. And as one man sounding like a full band, this ranks up there with the best of them, as there is almost nothing in the music that gives away the fact this is not a band. Costoso lists his influences as Yes, Kansas, Genesis, King Crimson, UK, Gentle Giant, and Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, but it is the Rundgren and Utopia influence that dominates this album.While some of this is very derivative of Rundgren and Utopia, consider that the other bands mentioned have been mimicked ad nauseam, whereas there have been few Utopia imitators, despite their very recognizable sound. Like a Utopia album, you get Rundgren-esque ballads, a few rockers, and a lot of proggy material incorporating strong pop songwriting. The CD is 72-minutes long so there’s room for it all. Costoso is a more than capable singer, and there are those lush, Utopia-trademark harmony vocals as well. There’s nothing second-rate about The Turning Around -- it stands up to Utopia’s records. [+/-]
John Curtis - Short Songs About Affordable Food (CD-R, $6.99)
The rather simple artwork on this CD almost caused us to ignore a great album. Portland, Oregon’s John Curtis has been playing keyboards since the 1970s. Lyrically this CD is in the American satirical tradition of Frank Zappa and The Tubes. Musically, Curtis must be familiar with Dave Stewart, as many of the songs sound like an American Hatfield and the North.Curtis is not kidding when he says “short songs”. There are 43 of them on this one hour CD! Curtis seems to have an endless supply of songs, if not the desire to flesh them out. He rarely repeats a verse. The longest songs get through a verse, chorus and instrumental bridge before moving on, and others are only a verse. Curtis feels that if you need to hear a verse or chorus again, play the song again! It’s not a drawback -- the song fragments are really good, and the listener has no time to get bored. There are multi-part suites that last a minute. The songs are about 90% progressive, and the rest are welcome humorous ditties. A few of the songs resemble Jadis, mostly vocally, while many have the Canterbury type harmonic vocabulary. Kevin Gilbert is another good reference, maybe Todd Rundgren as well. Radio Piece III is a good if obscure reference. With the use of real drums and a number of guest musicians assisting on guitars, vocals and more, it sounds like a full band effort, and the audio fidelity is very good. [+/-]
Din Within - Awaken the Man ($9.99)
Awaken the Man (2007) 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 to catchy melodies. Kansas is also a good reference, Rocket Scientists to some extent, and the one reviewers below a certain age may 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. [+/-]
Distinguished Panel of Experts - Trans-indulgent ($9.99)
This Distinguished Panel of Experts is an instrumental prog band formed by some familiar names from the progressive rock world: Guy LeBlanc (Nathan Mahl, Camel) on keyboards, Shawn Persinger (Boud Deun, Prester John) on guitars, Mike Sary (French TV) on bass, and Chris Vincent (French TV) on drums.This is their 2009 debut CD, which contains an amalgam of the Nathan Mahl, French TV, and Persinger’s styles, that is if one considers only Nathan Mahl’s fusion-tinged instrumental style as found on their Shadows Unbound album. Overall, the music is not as convoluted as French TV; rather it’s more of a progressive jam band album with Persinger’s guitar the main feature. Digipack. [+/-]
Sergey Dudin - Mirage ($7.99)
Sergey Dudin - Eternal Call ($7.99)
Russian guitarist Sergey Dudin has several albums to his credit; these are probably his two best. Eternal Call dates from 1999; this is the 2006 MALS label reissue with a bonus video track. This is for all intents and purposes the Russian Pink Floyd (circa Dark Side of the Moon / Wishing You Were Here), with lyrics in Russian.Assisted by a drummer and several other musicians, Dudin does his best David Gilmour impersonation, and all of the essential Pink Floyd elements are there. 62-minutes of guaranteed bliss for the Floyd fan.
Mirage dates from 1995; this is the 2007 re-edition. A bassist and drummer are listed, but at least some of the bass and drums are programmed. Whether or not the title is an intentional reference to Camel, there is some Camel influence, but the music is much closer to the progressive rock albums of Jeremy (American Jeremy Morris, who released two albums on the Kinesis label, one on MALS, and a slew of them on his own label). Dudin and Jeremy have similar lead electric guitar tones and styles -- Dudin is a bit more demonstrative, but just as lyrical -- and they both usually play over a bed of symphonic keyboards and straight-forward rhythms. The album is instrumental except for the majestic last track, which features a guest vocalist (English lyrics). Maybe not the last word in melodic guitar-centric prog instrumentals, but definitely one that hits the spot. 63-minutes. [+/-]
Dyonisos - An Incidental Collection ($9.99)
Hidden behind the Dyonisos moniker is American musician Dan Cowan, who handles all instruments and sings. An Incidental Collection (61-minutes) was recorded between 2003-2006 and released in 2007. The music is firmly in the spacey Pink Floyd style circa Dark Side of the Moon.Cowan’s Gilmour-esque lead guitar is the highlight, the keys are expertly layered and provide all the necessary textures, the songs are well-written and the production is very good. The vocals sound a bit like Camel’s vocals up through Moonmadness. The drums are programmed, but as the songs mostly stick to standard Pink Floyd tempo, the drums aren’t as important as they might be. Fans of early-to-mid 1970s Pink Floyd owe it to themselves to check out Dyonisos. [+/-]
Jimmy Hotz - Beyond the Crystal Sea (CD-R, $7.99)
This 1980 album is one of the great unsung American progressive rock records, and somewhat legendary among those actually aware of its existence.It was originally released on vinyl but was never easy to find. (If you want an LP, you can get one now for $100 at Hotz’s website.) Hotz has been selling these for $15 on his website and at CDBaby, priced even higher on other sites, most of which don’t mention that this is a CD-R. The cover looks good, the rest of the printing is not at a professional level. The audio however sounds great -- buy this for the music, not the physical package. Hotz sings, plays guitar, and shares keyboard and bass duties with several other musicians, while still other musicians handle drums and backing vocals. The major influence here is Yes, though Hotz’s voice is in a more typical range than Jon Anderson’s. There is a good balance between keys and guitar, with some fantastic synth work. Apparently it’s a Christian album, but unless you sit down and read the lyrics (which don’t come with the CD), you’re unlikely to be aware of it. CDBaby has audio samples and more info. The good people at jimmyhotz.com will replace discs that mistrack at any time for free. [+/-]
JEBO - Sinking Without You ($9.99)
Sinking Without You (2006, digipack) is the debut CD by British quintet JEBO, who are on the melodic rock or classic rock side of progressive. Their music is built around the passionate and thoughtful songwriting of guitarist Rob Allen and the lead vocals of James Hollingsworth, both of which are first-rate.Keyboardist Nicholas O’Neill concentrates on organ and piano which, along with a fair amount of acoustic and clean guitar tones, gives JEBO an organic sound. Excellent production on this album courtesy of John Burns (Genesis) and Ben Findlay (Peter Gabriel). By “classic rock”, we don’t mean to suggest that JEBO sound like a 1970s band. Their sound is contemporary, but the lineage of all the great British rock bands can be heard on this CD. [+/-]
Jeremy - Home in the Sky ($7.99)
Jeremy - Still Waters ($7.99)
Jeremy - Salt the Planet ($7.99)
American Jeremy Morris is best known for his Pilgrim’s Journey and Celestial City CDs released during the 1990s on the Kinesis label.Home in the Sky (2005) consists of instrumental songs performed exclusively on grand piano, similar to his 2003 album Fruit Tree. It’s what you might get if you combined George Winston’s December with the keyboard works of Tony Banks and Anthony Phillips. Jeremy revisits a theme or two from Celestial City. Here are mp3 samples of the songs Bright Morning Star, Falling Tears, Home in the Sky, Mustard Seed, and Song for Peter.
Still Waters (2004) is a reflective, peaceful album consisting of instrumental songs performed exclusively on 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars. Still Waters is for fans of the acoustic work of Anthony Phillips, Gordon Giltrap, Steve Howe, Leo Kottke, and Steve Hackett. Jeremy revisits themes from his Celestial City and Pilgrim’s Journey albums. Here are mp3 samples of the songs Hour Glass, Barefoot, Over the Hills, and Still Waters.
Salt the Planet, Jeremy’s 1999 album for the now-defunct Moonchild label, is a bit of a departure from his Kinesis albums in that there is very little guitar on Salt the Planet, though there is a lot of guitar synth. This is Jeremy’s ‘heavy-synth’ style, which can be heard in spots on his Kinesis albums, and is a style he does very well. This is structured, melodic, rhythmic, rock-based synth music, not too far from the power-synth styles of Mark Shreeve and Andy Pickford. [+/-]
Jethzabel - Vision ($9.99)
2007 CD by a Dream Theater worshiping prog-metal band from Ecuador who distinguish themselves by the inclusion of a classical violinist in their lineup.
Laserdogs - Frankenclown ($5.99)
Laserdogs play a progressive rock/pop with an early 1970s sound that resembles Haze on their guitar-dominated tracks. Or think of Phil Manzanera circa Listen Now and K-Scope teaming with Todd Rundgren.Frankenclown (2005) is largely the work of Greg Lounsberry, who handles vocals, electric & acoustic guitars, bass, mandolin, and drum programming, with the assistance of a drummer. Lounsberry says that he tried to avoid any sounds or effects that occurred after 1974, using mainly tremolo, Leslie, and Echoplex. The multitracked vocal harmonies are noteworthy. There is a sense of humor in the songs, one of which is 18-minutes long. CDBaby has audio samples. [+/-]
Legacy - Where We Go ($8.99)
Legacy are a U.S. symphonic progressive band out of North Carolina with a fine 2000 debut. We’re reminded of early North Star especially in the vocal department, while instrumentally it leans more toward Yes, with lots of symphonic textures. Other good reference points might be Alaska and Glass Hammer in the same time frame.
Flavio Mezzodi - Elements ($11.99)
Drummer Flavio Mezzodi was a member of the Swiss prog band Thonk, though his experience goes far beyond that. Elements (2009) is his first CD under his name, containing symphonic prog with fusion touches.Mezzodi also plays piano and synths and contributes backing vocals, while numerous other musicians appear on vocals, guitars, bass, soprano sax, and more drums. There are two songs with English-language vocals and six instrumentals. This is really brilliant. Mezzodi’s masterful drumming is something to behold. No matter how complex the drum parts become, he maintains the groove and doesn’t turn the songs into drum solos. Except for the last track that is, which is a drum and percussion workout with three drummers playing at once. The music is carefully composed and arranged, and the immaculate production makes it especially powerful. In addition to the audio, there is an 8-minute video set to a medley of the Elements songs. It’s well-known among retailers that some prog fans are incapable of buying a CD under an unknown individual’s name, even though for decades studio tracks have been recorded one part at a time, with no need now for the musicians to ever be in the same room together. If ever there was a CD that makes the stupidity of that bias evident, this is it. [+/-]
Might Could - Wood Knot ($8.99)
Might Could - All Intertwined ($7.99)
Originally formed at the University of Maryland, Might Could is an instrumental group of three crafty acoustic guitarists and a bassist, the latter being Luis Nasser of Sonus Umbra.The title of their 2005 debut CD All Intertwined (51-minutes, digipack) gives away their style, and 2007’s Wood Knot (49-minutes, digipack) is in the same style. 1980s King Crimson’s interlocking guitars style may come to mind, but Might Could’s approach is more classically-influenced, emotional, melodic and bounteous, less of a mathematical exercise and not confined to pentatonic scales. There is a rock sensibility to it even if it isn’t rock. We’re reminded of Swiss guitarist Thomas Diethelm, but since that’s probably not much help, just rest assured that this is about as exciting as acoustic guitar music gets, and a sure bet for fans of the California Guitar Trio. [+/-]
Millenium - Three Brothers’ Epilogue (CD-EP, $6.99)
Millenium is a Polish five-piece neo-progressive band singing in English, influenced mostly by Pink Floyd and Marillion. Three Brothers’ Epilogue (2008) is a 28-minute CD-EP.It includes the tracks Epilogue: Three Brothers Trilogy (15:01, new 2008 track), Dream About Aliens (8:02, 2007 full version of Talk to Aliens plus Aliens and Me), and Wake Up John! (5:04, 2007 vocal version of And the Big Dream of Mr Sunders). [+/-]
Mind Furniture - Hoop of Flame ($11.99)
Mind Furniture are a progressive rock quintet from the San Francisco bay area that share members John Mabry (vocals, guitar) and Greg Miller (drums) with the band Metaphor, and lead guitarist Christopher Scott Cooper with the band New Sun.Rounding out the band are Brett Barnett (keys, vocals) and Michael “Doc” Ray (bass). Hoop of Flame (2007) is their second album, following the self-released The End of Days (2000). Hoop of Flame consists of two long suites (23:25 and 29:40) of generally 1970s-style prog with some Marillion influence. Mind Furniture’s sound is similar to Metaphor’s but shifted slightly toward Kansas or Jethro Tull, not surprising given that Mind Furniture and Metaphor have the same singer and Hoop of Flame was recorded in the same studio using the same engineer as Metaphor’s The Sparrow and Entertaining Thanatos. Add Mind Furniture to the first tier of current U.S. progressive bands. [+/-]
Mostly Autumn - Heart Full of Sky ($11.99)
Heart Full of Sky is the 2007 Mostly Autumn studio CD. It’s never an easy task to describe a Mostly Autumn CD. Heart Full of Sky continues the darker and somewhat somber prevailing mood of Storms Over Still Water, but the music is ultimately hopeful, with an uplifting spiritual quality.The “heart” in the title is no coincidence, as the heart energy in their music is a distinguishing feature. This album benefits from some key guests, including Peter Knight (Steeleye Span) on violin, Troy Donockley (Iona) on Uilleann pipes and low whistle, and Anne-Marie Helder (ex-Karnataka) providing backing vocals. While original keyboardist Iain Jennings is gone, new member Chris Johnson makes large contributions, including several writing credits and a lead vocal. As with the previous album, there is too much depth here to make sense of it all in just a couple listens. Here are 1-minute mp3 samples of the tracks Blue Light, Dreaming, and Walk With a Storm (not the proggiest three minutes on the CD). Read reviews here. [+/-]
Nodo Gordiano - Alea ($8.99)
Alea (2005) is the second CD for this Italian prog band, released on Mellow Records. Here Nodo Gordiano is a trio, with bass player Andrea De Luca the only person in common with the lineup that recorded their 1999 debut.Alea is a collection of instrumental improvisations for synthesizers, bass and drums. The tracks are generally spacey, using electronic-sounding analog synth patches, and evolve in a linear fashion as most jams do. [+/-]
No Nation - Illumine ($9.99)
Illumine is a progressive rock opera originally released in 2005 by the band, now available in this 2007 Renaissance Records edition.No Nation are three Americans augmented by many guests. Keyboardist Stevie Roseman is best known for his recordings with Journey and Neal Schon. Drummer John Hernandez has worked with Journey, Yes, Peter Gabriel, and Neal Schon. Singer Ed Ulibarri had a major label release in 1977 with the band Alexis and has been a studio musician for years. Among the guests are Jon Anderson (vocals), Mike Pinder (narration), and Ross Valory of Journey (bass), plus others on guitars, violin, and some Japanese and Chinese instruments (the kind made of wood, not Korgs and Yamahas). Vaguely in a Kansas or Americanized-Yes style, the approach is a little more streamlined but never goes too far to the ballad side before being pulled back by proggy instrumental sections. Overall it is a finely-crafted work sharing Jon Anderson’s optimistic worldview. [+/-]
Mike Oldfield - Music of the Spheres ($9.99)
One of the giants of progressive rock, Mike Oldfield’s albums now go virtually unnoticed in the U.S., an indictment of the music industry (if one was needed). Music of the Spheres (2008, super jewel box) is Oldfield’s first completely orchestral album (no synths or electric guitar).It was written by Oldfield, orchestrated and conducted by Karl Jenkins (Adiemus), and performed by the Sinfonia Sfera Orchestra (which includes a choir), with Oldfield playing classical guitar. Oldfield revisits themes from Tubular Bells on a couple songs, while others sound like an Adiemus album, but then again, Oldfield actually did the signature Adiemus style before Adiemus did. So it seems fitting that Oldfield and Jenkins have now worked together. You can find videos for most of the songs from this CD on YouTube (most are unofficial). These official videos of the premiere (Part 1, Part 2) are good starting points. [+/-]
Pale Beneath the Blue - Hologram ($4.99)
We’re aiming this CD-EP (26-minutes) squarely at Kate Bush fans. Pale Beneath the Blue is the moniker used by Rhonda Everitt (voice, piano), helped by other musicians, primarily the Human Factor production team of Blake Althen and Paula Bellenoit. Rhonda has six great songs here, with all the hallmarks of Kate Bush’s eccentric style, including the clever backing vocals.As he has shown on the Human Factor CD, Althen is quite adept at using the tools of modern music production (loops, samples, software) and making the end result not just palatable for prog fans, but full of subtle and tasteful details (such as guitar samples from Peter Maunu of Group 87 fame.) OK, the final song is targeted for radio and is danceable, but even that one’s pretty interesting with its twisting bass line. Listen first to the songs Untitled and One I Open. [+/-]
Point of View - Disillusioned ($7.99)
Point of View are an excellent Polish prog-metal quintet, and like most prog-metal bands, nothing in their sound reveals their country of origin.Disillusioned is their 2007 debut. Reviewers have mentioned Fates Warning, Queensryche, and Dream Theater. Point of View have a good keyboardist, and there are times when they sound like Satellite, and times when they sound like Satellite with metal guitar overdubbed. Read the Proggnosis review. [+/-]
Port Mahadia - Echoes in Time ($5.99)
This is the 2007 debut by a metal-ish American prog band. Damian Wilson (Landmarq, Threshold, Ayreon, Rick Wakeman, etc.) provides the bulk of the vocals, though there is quite a bit of instrumental content as well. David Ragsdale (Kansas) and Hugh McDowell (ELO) guest on violin and cello, respectively.The band describe the CD purely in terms of progressive rock, and yet there’s a lot of metal here. Ragsdale always elevates tracks he plays on; not surprisingly, the tracks on this CD featuring Ragsdale or McDowell are usually the most symphonic and refined. [+/-]
Progzy - Men Were Brave ($7.99)
Progzy is the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Alain Bergeron, who spent five years as the drummer of Nathan Mahl, recording two albums with the band.Men Were Brave (2004) is the first Progzy album, with Bergeron handling everything aside from a little rhythm guitar from Guy Leblanc: vocals, keyboards, electric guitar, bass, drums and percussion. The music is a respectable progressive rock blend that doesn’t strongly resemble any one band. As with many such solo projects, it would have benefitted from a professional singer. Bergeron is a passable vocalist, but his French-Canadian accent does show through in spots, and a little Auto-Tune would have helped. Instrumentally though this is a fine debut. [+/-]
Sonic Music - The Prisoner ($9.99)
Sonic Music is the work of Larry Benigno, formerly of the band Radio Piece III. The Prisoner (2006, 68-minutes) exceeds the work of his old band, and as a one-man project, it’s on the same level as Shaun Guerin, sounding virtually indistinguishable from a full band. It’s a very inventive symphonic prog album with excellent vocals, covering Genesis, Yes, Gentle Giant territory and a lot more.Keyboards are in the fore and are often reminiscent of Kit Watkins’ work with Happy the Man, also of Tony Banks, plus a lot of Benigno’s own style. One track is in the early Synergy style. The disc is packed with great melodies, a pop sensibility incorporated into virtuoso progressive rock. This is one of the best things 2006 gave us, and maybe the biggest surprise. Read the Progressor review.
“Composed, performed, and produced by Connecticut piano tuner Larry Benigno, The Prisoner is an epic, old-school prog rock treat. Soaring, virtuosic synth work is everywhere on this disc, courtesy of Larry’s Minimoog, Moog Sonic Six, and Prophet-5. Unlike certain proggers though, the man behind Sonic Music always plays in service of the song, choosing tasteful licks and atmospherics over gratuitous wankage. Such musical maturity is also readily apparent in Larry’s songwriting and harmonic choices.” [Keyboard] [+/-]
Stencil Forest - Opening Act ($8.99)
Stencil Forest is an American progressive band originally from Indiana and now in Colorado. They have an tremendous singer in Doug Andersen, whose voice is similar to Barry Palmer (Triumvirat). Opening Act was originally released on LP in 1983, then remixed and remastered in 2004 for this CD. It is instantly-likeable symphonic progressive with some pomp rock and AOR, suggesting Starcastle, Kansas, and early Ambrosia. Two bonus tracks (only one is listed).
Svann - Granica Czerni i Bieli ($8.99)
Svann is a Polish progressive rock bandformed by ex-Abraxas members, with a very good female singer named Anja who apparently also sings for a gothic rock band and owns the title “The Queen of Polish Gothic Rock”.This 2003 album, whose title translates as The Boundary of Black and White, reminds us a bit of the Czech band Stromboli, but Svann are at once more progressive, more symphonic, and more contemporary. Svann play modern progressive rock, more linear and urban (as opposed to pastoral) than classic prog, but still very romantic, ambitious, and texturally rich. Gabriel-esque atmospheres and rhythms, some creative use of percussion loops, and a few heavy passages characterize their music. 64-minutes, vocals in Polish. [+/-]
Torman Maxt - The Problem of Pain: Part 1 ($7.99)
The Problem of Pain: Part 1 (2007) is the third CD by this U.S. band, consisting of five suites. Torman Maxt were initially influenced by Rush circa 2112, but like Rush themselves, they refined their music into a more sophisticated progressive rock.Though Rush remains the dominant influence, Torman Maxt diverged from Rush, adding some Yes influence and making good use of acoustic guitar. The vocals are in the mid-to-high range, with a passing resemblance to Geddy Lee. The vibe is positive, and the musicianship is sensitive rather than technical. Though the arrangements are complex, there is plenty of melody. [+/-]
Various Artists - A Reflection ($7.99)
Subtitled Music Inspired By and In Tribute to Gentle Giant, A Reflection (2008, 77-minutes) is the fifth in a series that began in 2004. Musicians from around the globe, all members of the On Reflection Gentle Giant mailing list, created original music inspired by Gentle Giant.The degree of GG influence varies, and the music does extend beyond the GG universe, but GG were nothing if not eclectic. It all remains within the progressive rock universe though, it’s all quite professional, and the amount of creativity and talent showcased here exceeds all expectations. It was professionally mastered. This isn’t just for Gentle Giant fans then but for most prog rock fans, an excellent prog album that stands on its own. Alan Kinsman, who wrote liner notes for some of the Gentle Giant CDs, wrote the liner notes for A Reflection. “It is not very hard for good musicians to copy others, but to learn from them, then convert this knowledge and experience to create something as unique and innovative as this work, that’s a different story.”[+/-]
David Wallimann - Deep Inside the Mind ($7.99)
David Wallimann became Glass Hammer’s guitarist in 2005. However, he was born and raised in France, the son of a French father and an American mother, and the musicians on his 2006 debut CD Deep Inside the Mind appear to all be French.They contribute guitar, bass and drums, while Wallimann handles lead guitar, synths, and vocals. This is a concept album with heavy Christian content. Musically, this is no ordinary guitarist album. While there is a strong Steve Vai-style hard rock element, this is much more progressive and much more arty than most guitarist CDs. The album is mostly instrumental; the storyline is executed with spoken word, often of a dramatic nature, a bit reminiscent of Utopia’s Singring and the Glass Guitar from the Ra album what with the occasional helium voices. Regardless of how one feels about the narrative, this is musically very creative, a unique blend of progressive and guitar rock. [+/-]
Wejah - Springtime ($9.99)
Brazilian progressive rock band Wejah were last heard from in 1996 with their Senda CD on the now defunct Progressive Rock Worldwide label.Their first album was released in 1988, so one has to be patient with this band. Springtime (2007) is their third, and whereas Senda was instrumental, Springtime has vocals in English, though the vocals still take a backseat to the instruments. The music is not neo at all. It is flowing in the way Camel’s music is, but Wejah have a more open, less symphonic sound, slightly more jazzy and spacey, and less polished in the production department. Not that Wejah play much actual jazz, but their guitarist favors a ringing, jazz tone, occasionally adding a little crunch. Keyboards are present but it’s the guitar that defines Wejah’s sound. [+/-]
Greg Wollan - Deep Calls 2 Deep ($8.99)
It’s always a pleasure to come across an unknown progressive rock artist. Deep Calls 2 Deep (2007, 68-minutes) is actually the sixth CD for American Greg Wollan. His five earlier CDs stretching back to 1997 sometimes flirted with progressive rock, but Deep Calls 2 Deep is a full-fledged melodic prog rock work.Wollan always had a passion for 1970s progressive rock and grew up playing it. Guitar is his primary instrument, and he lists his guitar influences as Andy Latimer, Steve Hackett, George Harrison, Mark Knopfler, and David Gilmour. Wollan plays several instruments and sings, but the album has a full-band sound, as a number of other musicians contribute bass, drums, keyboards, vocals, violin and flute. The style on Deep Calls 2 Deep is often reminiscent of Yes and Kansas, with a bit of Genesis or Pink Floyd here, Gentle Giant or Jethro Tull there, and a mellower vibe on average. It is not derivative however, and as with the music of Kevin Gilbert, Todd Rundgren, and similar prog-minded individuals, a singer-songwriter influence can sometimes be heard at the music’s core. While modern rock, prog included, often seems aimed at angst-filled, disaffected youth, Wollan’s music is intelligent, majestic, and heartfelt, with Yes-like beauty and hope. Note the disc is a CD-R. [+/-]
Being & Time - same ($11.99)
Emily Bezar - Exchange ($9.99)
Bondar & Wise - A Live Legacy ($7.99)
Jorge Campos - La Ausencia de lo Sagrado ($9.99)
Cartoon - Estribo ($11.99)
Castle Canyon - Gods of 1973 ($6.99)
Coincidence / Jean-Pierre Llabador - Then and Now (2CD, $12.99)
Cos - The Turning Around ($7.99)
John Curtis - Short Songs About Affordable Food (CD-R, $6.99)
Din Within - Awaken the Man ($9.99)
Distinguished Panel of Experts - Trans-indulgent ($9.99)
Sergey Dudin - Mirage ($7.99)
Dyonisos - An Incidental Collection ($9.99)
Jimmy Hotz - Beyond the Crystal Sea (CD-R, $7.99)
JEBO - Sinking Without You ($9.99)
Jeremy - Home in the Sky ($7.99)
Jethzabel - Vision ($9.99)
Laserdogs - Frankenclown ($5.99)
Legacy - Where We Go ($8.99)
Flavio Mezzodi - Elements ($11.99)
Might Could - Wood Knot ($8.99)
Millenium - Three Brothers’ Epilogue (CD-EP, $6.99)
Mind Furniture - Hoop of Flame ($11.99)
Mostly Autumn - Heart Full of Sky ($11.99)
Nodo Gordiano - Alea ($8.99)
No Nation - Illumine ($9.99)
Mike Oldfield - Music of the Spheres ($9.99)
Pale Beneath the Blue - Hologram ($4.99)
Point of View - Disillusioned ($7.99)
Port Mahadia - Echoes in Time ($5.99)
Progzy - Men Were Brave ($7.99)
Sonic Music - The Prisoner ($9.99)
Stencil Forest - Opening Act ($8.99)
Svann - Granica Czerni i Bieli ($8.99)
Torman Maxt - The Problem of Pain: Part 1 ($7.99)
Various Artists - A Reflection ($7.99)
David Wallimann - Deep Inside the Mind ($7.99)
Wejah - Springtime ($9.99)
Greg Wollan - Deep Calls 2 Deep ($8.99)