Category: Reviews

Review – Orion – The Lightbringers

“Music is an outburst of the soul…” – Frederick Delius

So much truth in such a simple statement; whether sad or joyous, music comes from within the soul of its composer. It can be a long and laboured task that is ultimately triumphal and that is the case with ‘The Lightbringers’, the second full album from Orion, the musical project of the prodigiously talented Ben Jones.

In the album liner notes Ben states that this was an album he fully expected not to make, he goes on to say, “My first album, ‘The End of Suffering’, was intended to be the realisation of an ambition that was born over 20 years ago. The hope was that it would put such notions to bed, once and for all! Within a few months of releasing that first album, it had sold all around Europe, as well as going as far as Japan, North America, and even New Zealand. Needless to say, this unexpected success sparked a few ideas…”

Ben had barely played a note in the 5-6 years leading up to that first album and had largely stopped listening to anything other than background noice, he knew he could do better, meaning that he knew he should do better. He wrote the first three tracks that appeared as the ‘Passing Through’ EP in December of last year and that ultimately became the genesis for this new, full-length release.

“So who/what are The Lightbringers? The basic idea is that maybe they’re a force that’s bringing everything to the ultimate good. Whatever horrors we might be experiencing in life, perhaps they serve the purpose of this ultimate good. Maybe The Lightbringers have no concept of bad, because everything they do is in the name of the best there can ultimately be. Is all of this unlikely? Probably, but you’ve got to have something to hold on to.“

I’m just looking for the light, a beacon on the shore.

A resting place to find what’s right, and a home forever more.

The opening track The Tumult of My Heart was inspired by a book of the same name by Jason Spencer from The Prog Mind. The book is about trying to deal with religious trauma from the author’s past. An imposing wall of sound is created by the layered widescreen guitar sound and the powerful rhythm section but the vocals add some real heart and soul so it’s not just a metal track. There’s a searching passion and questioning mind at the heart of this powerfully emotive piece of music and a feeling of fragility and a soul laid bare. It’s very compelling and influential and a great start to the album. The Ghosts Among Us is a profound piece of music written about the gut wrenching experience of caring for someone with a profound disability. Whilst it’s not something Ben has had to do, it is something he’s witnessed first hand. And I myself have a real affinity with this track as I have some experience of this myself and which came all flooding back as I listened to this brilliantly written song.

This Sickness is a diatribe about the negativity of social media and, man, is this track angry! Crunching guitars in the style of ‘Train Of Thought’ era Dream Theater and drums that are hewn out of granite open this thunderously compelling track. The vocals are distinct and authoritarian and the whole song just bleeds a potent intent. This is ‘proper’ prog-metal that puts a smile on my face, and not just because of the subject matter. The musicianship is sublime and Ben just seems to be having a whale of a time, venting his frustration in the best way he knows how. It’s a riot from beginning to end and I seriously enjoyed it. As Best We Can was intended to be a stripped back acoustic track that tackles the sadness of a failed relationship. Just to be clear, this is a failed relationship, not a concluded relationship. The people in this relationship have drifted apart, but they’re still together. The song opens with a gorgeous acoustic guitar and sweeping string-like synths before Ben’s hushed vocal creates a haunting atmosphere over and above the music. This elegant musical tapestry continues, imbuing the listener with a wonderful feeling of tranquility. This is the calm before the musical storm of the powerful ending to the track where everything begins to build up to a quite inspirational conclusion.

To everything, there’s a season.

A time, and a place, and a race, under the stars.

Spark opens The Cycle of Light suite, the epic that concludes the album, Ben had hoped to write an album that was in the 45-minute region as he believes that albums today are just too damned long was already around the 25-minute mark, so an epic seemed like the perfect fit! This track is a very impressive instrumental that takes you on a quite marvellous symphonic journey through the world of The Lightbringers and one where Ben really started getting into his orchestral sample libraries, hence the ramped up presence of strings, French horns, trumpets, and god knows what else during the second half of the album. Crunching guitars, thunderous, primeval drums, sweeping strings and a serious amount of grandeur add up to a truly wondrous way to begin an epic. As previously stated, The Lightbringers was a force, or a collection of entities, that have no concept of bad. They just do what they do to bring about a final state of good. The idea of The Scattering Stars is that these forces are seemingly chaotically moving. In reality, they’re just getting into position so they might exert their influence. I love this piece of music, it opens so peacefully with a delicate piano motif and the hushed vocals along with the heavenly horns and wistful strings before breaking out into an uplifting crescendo of symphonic prog metal with as much dynamism and drama as you can handle and the repeated lyric of, “They just bring gravity…” and that’s what this song fundamentally does, it pulls you into its willing embrace. We’ve all heard of people talking about the sky falling down around them. It’s catastrophic, it’s apocalyptic…. But maybe it’s necessary. Maybe these things are here to burn down our temples so that we might build better ones. The Falling Heavens is prog metal done just right, a truly incendiary cacophony of sound where every note, every drum beat and every word has a precise edge and dynamism. It’s primeval in feel and delivery, music that is hewn out of granite with djent style guitars and a passionate vocal. It all makes for a track that you aren’t going to forget in a hurry!

But is fate what they break, for those that survive the fall?

Left to rebuild the world, in the image of us all.

Although it’s tragic, maybe a person will pass away before they get to even see what light they brought to the world. I can’t imagine that in Anne Frank’s final moments, she had any concept of what her diary would bring to the world. Perhaps The Lightbringers had bigger plans.

And so we come to the conclusion of this epic album with the final track and the final part of The Cycle of Life. The Lightbringers is the best track that Ben has ever written, ten minutes of pure majesty and theatre laid out before you and what this sublime album has all been leading up to. Partly written from the perspective of the enigmatic Lightbringers, it is an utterly immersive and involving piece of music with so many brilliant hooks, riffs and motifs to keep you happy for a lifetime. The catchy chorus and addictive music are on another planet and I find myself singing the classic lines, “Let The Lightbringers burn us alive, let The Lightbringers bring us to life.” in all sorts of odd places but it has just stuck with me and isn’t that the sign of excellent music and songwriting? Just go with the flow and let the music take you along on this fantastical musical journey that is ultimately uplifting and life affirming.

The best music can take you on a wondrous, fantastical journey where, for a short while, you can forget about the trials and tribulations of this planet that we inhabit and with his latest superb Orion album, ‘The Lightbringers’, Ben Jones does just that. It is a highlight of another fantastic musical year and one that I feel will be on many people’s end of year lists and it deserves to be.

Released 16th august, 2024.

Order from bandcamp here:

The Lightbringers | Orion (bandcamp.com)

Review – PALLAS: EYES IN THE NIGHT – THE RECORDINGS 1981 – 1986 – by John Wenlock-Smith

I am definitely of an age where technology is not especially my friend. I recently bought a new phone that, a month on, I am still barely scratching surface of what it can do and with music, whilst I appreciate the ease and speed of downloading, I can’t help but miss actually getting a physical copy of the music on CD and reading the credits, booklet lyrics et al. For me, at least, the CD is definitely still very much alive.

Which brings me to this set of the early EMI recordings by Scottish proggers Pallas who, at one stage, held the prog flame alive, along with Marillion, Twelfth Night, IQ and Pendgragon, all of whom initially had major label input and support. Pallas were probably the unluckiest of the bunch though as they underwent major changes and trauma’s during their tenure with EMI.

Their journey starts in this collection with ‘Arrive Alive’, a recording that was originally released independently on cassette and which, for a low key cassette release, was actually very good. It did later get a vinyl release but here it gets both an updated sound and is also accompanied with the original 7 inch single version of Arrive Alive and it’s B-side Stranger on the Edge of Time. This is vintage Pallas where you can hear their intent and their promise. Stage favourites like Arrive Alive, Heart Attack and Crown Of Thorns (my favourite Pallas track) are all here in good solid live versions and, as an opening disc, this is very strong and satisfying indeed, neo-prog seldom sounding so good. Disc 2 is a collection of tracks recorded at various BBC shows, including the Friday Rock Show recordings, it also includes Paris Is Burning and the infamous The Hammer Falls. Make you own mind up about this track but my verdict is underwhelming at best, good live tracks from the Reading Festival and the live BBC session do both impress though.

Disc 3 is their EMI debut ‘The Sentinel’, which was issued in 1984 and contained merely six tracks, bolstered here by both Eyes In The Night and Shock Treatment and other tracks which make up the bulk of the later issued InsideOut version of the album, which has all ten tracks as we get here. The album was decidedly different from what was originally envisaged which was a suite about Atlantis. The final album only had a few of those intended tracks on it, the others were lost as a result of EMI’s reluctance to issue a whole Atlantis concept piece, although segments have appeared on various other releases. Disc 4 gives us the US remix version of the original album. Again, you can make your own mind up about this, personally I think it’s okay but adds very little to what we already know.

Disc 5 gives up ‘The Wedge’ and ‘The Knightmoves’ EP, from 1986 and 1985 respectively, both of which are very good and, even though Pallas were trying for a new more commercial sound, the material is still very progressive and strong. These recordings featured their new vocalist Alan Reed who replaced Euon Lawson after the disappointing experience of ‘The Sentinel’ album and all the issues the band faced as a result. The quality of their material is seldom in question here nor are the performances. What we have with Pallas is another case of record company interference and misunderstanding of exactly what they have signed to their label. It’s happened many times over the years along with the hit single dilemma that has faced many bands over the years, with Pallas being no exception. What was worse for the band though was that EMI pulled tour support midway through ‘The Wedge’ tour, leaving the band stranded and on the verge of imploding. The fact that they survived the ordeal and decided to walk away from a major label in order to embrace being independence once more again is testament to their spirit and integrity and these valuable recordings offer ample proof of that.

Whilst this set is not cheap, it does offers a fair package to all listeners along with a Blu-Ray of a London show from ‘The Wedge’ tour, there is also a live show from Aberdeen in October 1985. In all, it’s a big yes from me and a very interesting and informative booklet completes this set to the usual Esoteric high standards.

Released 28th June, 2024.

Order from Cherry Red here:

Pallas: Eyes in the Night – The Recordings 1981 – 1986, 6CD/Blu-ray Remastered Box Set (cherryred.co.uk)

Review – Long Earth – An Ordinary Life

Progressive rock is all about progress, right? To a certain extent that is correct but not when we have progress for the sake of it and some times small changes and progressions make more of a difference than huge ones.

With their third album, ‘An Ordinary Life’, Long Earth have moved the game on from their sophomore effort ‘Once Around The Sun’, an album I greatly enjoyed, not in a big way but subtlety and this has produced a beautiful, heartwarming collection of songs that add up to one of the brightest releases of 2024 so far.

Before we delver further into the record, let’s have a bit of history;

Long Earth is a prog rock band from Scotland, four decades in the making. All seasoned campaigners of the Scottish music scene, they came together through a shared love of progressive music.

In 2017 Long Earth released their debut album ‘The Source’, popular with prog fans, DJs and rock writers alike, and began building a local audience at their gigs around Glasgow. ‘The Source’ was a serious statement of intent, showcasing the instrumental and songwriting prowess of the band. However, their identity was not fully formed until the arrival of Martin as the band’s new vocalist in 2018 during the writing sessions for the second album, the album that was to become the critically acclaimed ‘Once Around The Sun’.

In March 2020, Once Around the Sun was released on CD and download to critical acclaim. Widely regarded as a significant step up from its predecessor, it has received regular worldwide airplay throughout the year, and features heavily in many DJs and listeners’ “album of the year” lists.

The band line up is:

Mike Baxter – Keyboards, Martin Haggarty – Vocals, Renaldo McKim – Guitar, David McLachlan – Bass and Alex Smith – Drums.

The album opens with Fight The Hand That Bleeds You and a keyboard refrain that could be from a 1980’s Neo-Prog album, a feeling enhanced by the energetic rhythm section, Renaldo McKim’s stylish guitar playing (check out the fiery solo) and Martin Haggerty’s direct vocal delivery. It’s done with aplomb and class and has an up to date, polished edge. A high energy start to the album that makes you take notice, especially the catchy chorus. I have to be honest, while I’m as big a fan of excellent Neo-Prog done well as the next man, I was hoping for a bit more from these talented Scots (although the wonderfully nostalgic sounds from the keys of Mike Baxter are a revelation to hear). I needn’t have worried as the rest of the album is wonderfully crafted and really doesn’t sit in any one genre, although, if I had to pick one, it is definitely progressive rock oriented in flavour. The next two tracks, Morpheus and Life show us that Long Earth have not stood still since releasing ‘Once Around The Sun’. They are both deep and meaningful with gorgeously wistful vocals from Martin and a nostalgic sound that reminds me of the great songs that have graced the charts for years. Renaldo’s guitar on Morpheus just echoes in the background gracefully and the drums from Alex Smith and David McLachlan’s bass both have a cultured, jazzy feel to them. It is music for the mind and soul and, for me, that is some of the best music you can get. Thoughtful, contemplative and with a wishful yearning, Life just bleeds emotion from it’s elegant, piano led, introduction and the melancholy vocal, Martin is seriously on top form on this bewitching piece of music. An elegant musical journey that takes you through the full gamut of emotions and delivered by a group of musicians working at the height of their powers. Sand delivers a much harder, defining edge to the band’s sound with a crunching guitar intro and more forthright vocal delivery. It’s a fluid, punchy track more focused on hard rock but still with the polished feel you’d expect from Long Earth. Renaldo gets to do his best guitar hero impression with some fine riffing and a rather tasty solo and the bass and drums feel hewn from pure granite. It’s a focused and direct song that really leaves its mark and one I really enjoyed.

The longest song on the album, Shadows sees the band in storytelling mode in the best progressive fashion. There’s elements of folk rock at play here, Renaldo’s delicate guitar playing and Mike’s vocal, almost balladeering in style, give a touch of medieval to the sound. This refined piece of music draws you into its embrace with its introspective feel and, at times, pensive and sombre tone. I can believe that this track could become a staple of the band’s live set, it has that involving atmosphere that the audience could feel enveloped and included in. One of my favourites on an album full of superb tracks, The Arc sees Long Earth on their progressive, reflective path and has a feel of Talk Talk to my ears, the deliberation that goes into every word and note and Martin’s vocal has big similarities to Mark Hollis. A big claim I know but one I feel is justified on this fantastic five minutes of music and one of the best songs I’ve heard this year. Moscow is big in sound and in scope, creating a widescreen, dramatic musical experience that touches on the band’s progressive roots. Another immersive musical journey that you gladly participate in, swathes of elegant keyboards and the dynamic rhythm section lay the foundations for Martin and Renaldo to lay out the story in fine style. Symphonic prog maybe but it is just great music delivered by an exceptional band. The album closes with Empty Shore, Renaldo’s echoing guitar and Mike’s subdued keys followed by the soulful vocal of Martin Haggerty on this charismatic and impassioned track. A real slow burner of a song with a pent up, brooding tension that feels ready to erupt at any moment and one that brings proceedings to a close in a very satisfying fashion.

All great albums are the product of an intensive creative process and, in ‘An Ordinary Life’, Long Earth have given us the highly impressive fruits of their artistic labours. A wonderfully immersive musical journey that will have you coming back for more, it is a highlight of what is becoming an extraordinarily outstanding year for new music.

Released 5th July, 2024.

Order direct from the band here:

Long Earth – Music & Merchandise (longearthmusic.com)

Order from bandcamp here:

An Ordinary Life | Long Earth (bandcamp.com)

Review – Geof Whitely Project – Hard Words Break No Bones

“The Geof Whitely Project was formed in 2011, it consists of Geof Whitely and special guest Musicians, the aim of the project is to put out original material in all types of musical formats from Prog Rock-Rock-Pop-Electronic-Instrumental. All albums will contain a mix of such musical songs, theres surely one that will appeal to everyone.”

I seem to be trotting out this introduction to Arny Wheatley’s musical project quite often at the moment as he is on another productive roll, this new album ‘Hard Words Break No Bones’ coming hard on the heels of January’s release of ‘The Reckoning’ and soon to be followed by ‘Paper Tiger’. For some musicians releasing albums this close together would dilute their output and content but, for some reason, it doesn’t seem to happen with Arny and the Geof Whitely Project. Each album is consistently of good quality with great songs and musicianship.

What we have got on this and the previous release is more of a darker, harder and edgier sound that is reflected in Arny’s increased reliance on a stand out guitar sound. It started on ‘The Reckoning’ and has become even more of an influence on this impressive new release. Flowing synthesisers and an elegant rhythm section are the foundations and key to what we expect from the Geof Whitely Project but the darkly delicious and sometimes ominous guitar now adds another layer of refinement and sophistication. Arny’s instantly recognisable vocal gives a feel almost of a narrator on each of the nine precisely nuanced tracks and the album flows superbly from beginning to end. That’s the other thing with a GWP album, it’s not one where you pick tracks for a play list, every release works best when you listen to it in order and from the start to the finish.

There are many highlights throughout but the ones that really stand out for me are the demonstratively dynamic opener Corridors of Power with its catchy vocals, rumbling synth and brooding guitar, the polished and vibrant Creatures of the Night with its charismatic synth lines and superb guitar solo, the fiery Forbidden Fruit with its resonating riff, funky rhythm section and fine vocal performance from Arny and my personal favourite, Uncertainty Rules, which opens with portentous keys and a pensive, intense guitar before expanding with a super stylish keyboard and drumbeat. To my ears it’s one of the best tracks GWP have ever done and continues to impress with it’s sombre tone and Arny’s solemn vocals, add in the brilliant guitar that closes out the track and, trust me, you are not left wanting. Pirates of the Third Reich is an utterly absorbing listen but there’s no filler on this album.

‘Hard Words Break No Bones’ is yet another winner from the Geof Whitely Project, incisive songwriting and a powerful, widescreen sound combining to deliver a rather impressive listening experience. Bring on the next chapter Arny!

Released 20th July, 2024.

The album will be available to buy on bandcamp soon:

Music | Geof Whitely Project (bandcamp.com)

Review – Marco Glühmann – A Fragile Present

Leaving the comfort zone of your own band to embark on new musical paths requires courage. Marco Glühmann, the singer of one of the most successful German Artrock bands Sylvan, should not lack this, as he is used to being in the spotlight. It is a testament to his enormous creativity that he used an extended break from his main band to try something new without the necessary compromises, guidelines and restrictions of his fellow musicians. The result is a fantastic album, full of energy and esprit, which moves somewhere between rock, artrock and sophisticated pop music. 

‘A Fragile Present’ includes a contribution from Steve Rothery, one of Marco’s musical heroes, on the first single released, My Eyes Are Wide Open as well as a ‘who’s who’ of the artrock and progressive scene, Billy Sherwood from Yes also makes a guest appearance: he contributed the choirs on Hear Our Voice in the very best Yes style. RPWL guitarist Kalle Wallner plays most of the guitars on the album and was not only involved as co-producer but also as arranger.  Sylvan guitarist Johnny Beck also contributed many parts and the rhythm section consists of drummer Tommy Eberhardt and bassist Markus Grützner (RPWL). All of this was recorded, mixed and produced by RPWL mastermind Yogi Lang at Farm Studios, who also played some keyboards.

Marco on the album title: “‘A Fragile Present’ reflects the fragility of the ‘gift of life’ or the ‘transient present’, whether in a personal or global context. It’s not a concept album, but the songs are nevertheless connected in terms of content, as this fragility and fear of loss accompanied me in the creative process.”

Being a big fan of Kalle Wallner’s gentle art of music label, I will always check out any release that I get sent and, once again, the label haven’t let me down. ‘A Fragile Present’ is a glorious and uplifting celebration of life in music form, artrock, symphonic rock, progressive rock, they are all thrown into the mix to create one of the most impressive rock oriented albums I have heard this year. Marco Glühmann has a wonderfully expressive voice, highly emotive and passionate and his use of vocal harmonies on this album is a work of genius.

Marco composed most of the songs in a very short period, although a couple of them, Reach Out and Black The Shade Out, have their roots in original songwriting sessions from 2010. What you get is a powerfully stirring release with memorable melodies and many hooks and a fierce energy that just leaves you returning for more. The album opens in fine style with a trio of superb tracks, the widescreen symphonic rock of the wonderful Hear Our Voice, a powerfully intimate piece of music which uses Marco’s lush vocals to perfect effect. The crunchingly powerful chords of Wallner’s guitar are perfect counterpoint and the choirs make the harmonies even more impressive. Edgy and hard rock oriented, Never Say Goodbye is a pulsating track that keeps you on the edge of your seat and the beautiful, wistful notes of Reach Out, with its soaring chorus showcasing Marco’s elegant voice, is simply divine.

Faceless is granite hard with a primeval, chugging riff driving things along and Marco’s vocals having a much fiercer edge to them, it’s like a cross between prime Scorpions and something a lot more industrial (Rammstein perhaps?) and I really like it. Look At Me has a more introspective and nostalgic air and, with its progressive leanings, it’s almost like a pause for breath and a reset after the exhilaration of what’s gone before, Yogi Lang adding a refined feel with his keyboards. I adore the pared back, restrained beauty of the sublime At Home, where Marco’s voice is the centrepiece and For A While is a finely constructed piece of pop music with a fragility at its core and superb harmonies that would have been at home in the charts of the late 1980’s. A tense build up then thunders into the rocking thrill ride of Black The Shade Out, a proper cut of powerful and exhilarating music that grabs hold and just wont let go. A more muted vocal this time lets the music do the majority of the talking and there’s an almost wild, unhinged feel to the track in places, a proper, earthy, rocker proving less can always be more.

There’s also a tense, edgy atmosphere to One Last Hope, a staccato rhythm and coruscating guitar dominate before the sumptuous chorus gives another angle, a song of ying and yang and another fine piece of music. Life Is Much Too Short has a refined acoustic guitar backing Marco’s halting, yearning vocal on this melancholic track. There’s a rarefied, mournful, grace to the music and Kalle’s soaring solo is perfectly judged. The penultimate song on the album is the darkly moody Running Out Of Time, another track that has some stylish pop sensibilities to it. The rhythm section has a funky feel to it and the whole track just ebbs and flows superbly, Marco’s vocal used a foil to the clever music rather than the cutting edge. The album closes with the electronic grandeur of My Eyes Are Wide Open, the first single from the album and a song in which Marco sees himself and his son, “The lyric ‘Lay your head on me, oh my little boy’ still gives me goosebumps, because I imagine myself and my son here and feel the love, the shortness of the moment, but also the responsibility of ‘sending’ him into this world”. The keyboard sound is very cinematic and Marco delivers yet another sublime vocal performance, his voice, this time, the definite centrepiece of another stunning piece of music although Steve Rothery’s ever so elegant solo needs to be noted too.

‘A Fragile Present’ is an utter joy to listen to from beginning to end. The superb musicians and absorbing songwriting give us an album of utterly captivating songs and one where the memorable, engaging voice of Marco Glühmann is given free rein to take centre stage and deliver one of the best vocal performances of the year so far.

Released 14th June, 2024.

Order CD or Vinyl from Gentle Art Of Music here:

Latest Releases | Gentle Art of Music

All streaming services here:

Marco Glühmann – A Fragile Present (bfan.link)

Review – Rod While – Integrity

‘Integrity’ is the new album by Rod While. It is an instrumental album with primary instrumentation comprising guitar, synthesisers, keyboards, drums and bass. The loose album concept relates to the alarming decline in honesty and integrity amongst our political leaders in recent years and the need for some kind of hope for the future of our planet. The album spans a number of genres including prog rock, jazz fusion and electronica.

Rod While is a guitarist, songwriter and producer who has played in a variety of bands including Trekellion Skyway and Sarajevo. In 2021 he embarked on a solo career with the release of ‘Open the Cage’, an instrumental album of diverse material from progressive rock to jazz fusion to electronica and orchestral. In 2022 he released his second album of original compositions ‘Vigil’.

Rod’s ethos can be summed up in this statement, “I do not seek fame and fortune in music but have a simple desire to express myself through my music and to move others. I will never be a rock star; I will always be Rod While and my music is a kind of summation of everything I have listened to and enjoyed since I was a teenager.”

I have been an admirer of Rod’s music ever since I reviewed ‘Vigil’ and this new release sees this talented musician deliver more of his deep and immersive soundscapes. It’s cerebral music for the thinking man and there are no short term fixes or vapid earworms anywhere in sight. Sepia tinged nostalgia mixes with edgy electronica to deliver fourteen tracks and fifty five minutes of deeply engaging, mesmerising and, at times, riveting music. Rod’s musical influences are extremely wide ranging from classical to jazz to rock to electronica and you can hear that throughout this impressive, cinematic journey.

There are many highlights among the absorbing track list, the edgy, funky style of The Death of Context with it’s pulsating keyboards and sharp, stylish guitar lines, the sweeping, wistful grandeur of The Somnambulist that contains a fluid, jazzy guitar that reminded me of Martin Taylor and the industrial, energetic electronica and fuzzy guitar of Radical Lies to name but three of them.

To my ears, there are touches of a more laid back Kraftwerk in Burn Down the Blue Skies and The Fermi Paradox and Rhyme, Reason and the Apocalypse and Las Burillas lead you into a wide vista world of Jean-Michel Jarre and a night sky full of stars. One of the more left-field and intriguing pieces on the album is Survivor Elation, a moody and introspective track that has an almost alien feel to it and could be the soundtrack to a deep and thoughtful sci-fi film, it’s all very clever and mesmerising.

Once again, Rod While has that uncanny ability to draw you in to his creative universe and, with ‘Integrity’, has delivered his most absorbing and thought-provoking work yet. If you like beguiling and captivating music that asks questions of the listener then this will be right up your street.

Released 26th April, 2024.

Order from bandcamp here as a ‘name your price’ release

INTEGRITY | Rod While (bandcamp.com)

Review – Rik Loveridge – Generations

In 2021 multi-instrumentalist Rik Loveridge‘s Parkinson’s diagnosis led to him leaving The Kentish Spires. The only proper responses were a little cry and a new album. The album was released in 2023 under the pseudonym of Single Helix and called ‘Prog Gnosis’. I had the pleasure of reviewing it, coming to the following conclusion, “With his Single Helix project and this Prog Gnosis album, Rik Loveridge is baring his soul, both musically and personally and, not only is it a superb release, it is very brave of him to do so. I can highly recommend this completely uplifting album, you won’t regret it.”

Rik has returned in 2024 and released a new album, this time under his own name, called ‘Generations’ and and with a title track inspired by a poem by Hamish MacNeil (AKA Macaque);

As men forget and are forgotten
The stones remember
And wood remembers, keeps
Records in rings, and history
Sings through other things buried
In the earth.

We rub our lives against them
In ignorance, unpick the fabric
Of the past one kicked stone, one
Dug ditch at a time. The broken
Threads of lives fray like nerves, unravel,
Reach out to touch and teach us,
Our ancestors, generation upon generation.

The mighty works of the Celts and Brittons,
The Romans, Saxons, Normans, all their
Oxymandian constructions still speak from
Open graves, murmur beneath the weight
Of new vitality, wait to be heard again, while

My sons’ bones and their grandsons’ bones
Will join my bones and my grandfather’s father’s. The dust will be richer, but
The memories will be gone. 

Rik was assisted by various musicians including Nick Fletcher (John Hackett Band), Sam Loveridge-Miller and his 1 yr old granddaughter Willow Loveridge.
 


‘Generations’ is a relatively short album by today’s standards at thirty eight minutes long and consists of nine short tracks (plus an instrumental of the title track) that sit perfectly well together. There’s a delightful flow to the album with a perfectly judged melting pot of musical genres being exposed by a quite wonderful musician. Obviously, with Rik’s roots from being a member of The Kentish Spires, there is a more than a touch of folk to things but it is blended perfectly to create something a bit more eclectic and that appeals to a wider audience. A totally relaxing musical experience is delivered on tracks such as the elegant opener Awaken and the almost radio friendly pop feel of Didn’t mean it, a song that has a real feel of the legendary Joe Jackson to my ears with the gorgeous swirling Hammond organ and perfectly judged vocals. Rik has a penchant for delivering tightly constructed tracks with superlative musicianship on show and that is completely evident here, the delightful guitar at the end, with its fluid jazz tones, is an added delight. Exposure II with its world music vibe and fiery psychedelic guitar fills is another insightful piece of music that has more of an edge than the opening two tracks and its coruscating, harsher tone really appeals to these ears!

Forever Young has a psychedelic, funky and totally 70’s atmosphere right from the get go and is another fantastic track that hits the sweet spot, just check out the guitar playing and tell me it doesn’t put a smile on your face. Title track Generations takes electronica as its core theme and strides confidently onto the scene with the refined voice over taking centre stage; “The soil waits to welcome. Reach out to touch and teach us, Our ancestors, generation upon generation.” It’s a striking and confident piece of music that really makes its mark. A more laid back and relaxed Talking Heads? Well, if such a thing could exist, it does on Earth Reborn, a swirling, cultured track that is another stand out on an album full of confident, literate and accomplished music.

Wistful and sepia tinged, Lazy day does exactly what it says on the tin with its full on 70’s psychedelic nostalgia washing over you in waves of comforting sound. Rik’s echoing vocal, the hypnotic keyboards and flashes of strident guitar all combine to deliver a mind expanding experience (without the need for anything illegal!). Post Truth State is just superb songwriting, there’s no other way to put it. An incisive five minutes of music that brings images of XTC to my mind with its sharp, shrewd lyrics and a guitar sound that Dave Gregory would be might proud of. For me, it is the highlight of the album among some rather special tracks. The album proper closes with the dark and moody Road Dreamer where the sublime 80’s infused keyboards are front and centre before a calming acoustic guitar takes over and we are gifted a mightily impressive instrumental piece that has a true widescreen cinematic feel to it. If you’re lucky enough to hear the instrumental version of Generations then that is an added bonus and fits perfectly with the rest of the album.

Rik Loveridge has taken us on a quite moving and immersive musical journey with the rich and deeply engaging ‘Generations’ and should you choose to join him, you will be richly rewarded.

Released 1st January, 2024.

Order from bandcamp here:

Generations | Rik Loveridge (bandcamp.com)

Review – Mandoki Soulmates – A Memory Of Our Future – by John Wenlock-Smith

The name Leslie Mandoki may not be familiar to most prog fans but bear with me for his music is something slightly different. Leslie Mandoki’s was born in then communist Hungary in Budapest in 1953, he became fascinated by English Progressive Rock music from the likes of Gentle Giant and, especially, Jethro Tull. Leslie was part of the Student Uprising and was imprisoned on 17 occasions, after which he and some friends decided to escape the country and seek a new life in the west.

Upon arrival in the west Leslie joined the German group Dschinghis Khan who were a six piece outfit formed to compete at the 1979  Eurovision Song Contest, coming 4th. In 1992 Leslie decided to to start his own group, Mandoki Soulmates, where his would fuse his love of progressive rock with jazz music. To this end, he used his record producer contacts to assemble some ‘A’ list musicians to help him realise his vision.

The original incarnation of Soulmates featured such talented artists as Ian Anderson, Jack Bruce and Al Di Moela and Leslie has continued for over 25 years to attract serious talent for his albums, like Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Greg Lake and John Helliwell, amongst others.

This latest album continues in the same manner, although this time it was recorded using Leslie’s own old analogue equipment and released primarily on vinyl for optimum sound quality. It was also recorded with the musicians being present and not through file sharing, this gives the music a definite presence and warmth, allowing for some great interactions amongst the musicians.

The album begins with the track Blood In The Water, which features Ian Anderson’s flute very much to the forefront.It is an excellent track and Anderson’s flute really makes an impact. Enigma Of Reason is another great track, which does have more than a whiff of Toto to it. Leslie’s vocals are excellent here and the guitar of Al Di Moela adds great colour to the track, as do the wonderful brass parts, making this a track that certainly impresses and stays with you. The Wanderer puts me in mind of Annie’s Song by John Denver as it has a similar sound and the oboe plays a similar melody, rather unusual but effective nonetheless. This is a gentle track with good sentiments and lyrics, it is actually a nice touch and makes a positive impression when listening.

The Big Quit is very jazzy in places, which gives the fusion players in the band room to shine, as Leslie bemoans that “We’ve got Zoom, we’ve got Skype, we’ve got everything but real life”, as the song calls out on the quitting culture ,how folks give up rather than pushing on through. This is all relayed with some nifty acoustic guitar runs from Al, great horns from Randy Brecker and Leslie’s propulsive drumming. A really strong track indeed. Devil’s Encyclopaedia again features Ian Anderson and his dextrous flute playing. The song is a call for people like us to seek reality and to stand against brutality. It’s a strongly political track as, indeed, is much of the album, although the music in which it is enveloped makes it more palatable I feel. A Memory Of My Future is a slightly wistful number in its opening part, although, at the two minute mark, there are strong touches of Al Di Moela’s solo albums in the guitar playing and it sounds really impressive. This is an interesting, almost autobiographical track.

I have to say that the more I hear of this album, the more I find to appreciate and also to enjoy. I feel this mixture of progressive elements with jazz fusion has much appeal. While the lack of blistering electric guitar solos may be problematic for some, there are some excellent musical passages here and a lot to enjoy, Age Of Thought does have a great Mike Stern blowout that kind of redresses the balance somewhat.

I think fans of Steely Dan and Toto will definitely like this interesting album as it has an excellent cast of musicians who all respond very positively to the direction and leadership of Leslie Mandoki. This is a most satisfying album and one that warrants frequent replays to get the most out of it. I recommended it highly, why not give it a listen and see what you think. I personally enjoyed it as a slow burning, groove led, album of great depth and integrity.

Released 10th May, 2024

Order the album here:

A Memory Of Our Future (lnk.to)

Review – Nine Stones Close – Diurnal

Nine Stones Close was conceived in 2008 as a solo project by Adrian Jones, the first CD, ‘St Lo’, was independently released in the Netherlands. Adrian received critical acclaim and visibility which inspired him the 2010 follow up ‘Traces’. The project grew into a band for when Adrian joined up with Brendan Eyre, Marc Atkinson and Neil Quarrell. 2012’s ‘One Eye on the Sunrise’ saw a further evolution of the band with returning members Atkinson and Eyre now joined by Peter Vink on bass and Pieter van Hoorn on drums.

In 2016 ‘Leaves’ featured a new line up; Adrian Jones and Pieter van Hoorn were joined by vocalist Adrian (Aio) O’Shaughnessy, Christiaan Bruin on keyboards and Peter Groen on bass. This album saw yet another evolution in the band’s sound, putting a new twist on an already unique and distinctive sound. In 2024, after a forced hiatus, the band has further evolved along with the music. Adrian Jones is joined by returning members Brendan Eyre, Adrian (Aio) O’Shaughnessy and Christian Bruin, alongside an energetic and skillful new rhythm section, Lars Spijkervet on drums and Joachim van Praag on bass.

A hugely inspired, creative and productive period of writing and recording led to the completion of two new albums, ‘Diurnal’ and ‘Adventures In Anhedonia’, both scheduled to be released in 2024.

‘Diurnal’ reflects on the arc of a day, and some of the internal dilemmas we all deal with from time to time. The album takes you from the uplifting dawn of a new day full of hope and beauty, through the high and lows of events and thoughts as the day’s events unfold, and finally to the moments of reflection as the sun sets at the end of the day.

If there is one phrase I could use to describe ‘Diurnal’ it would be emotively powerful, from the first notes of Birds, Insects and Kites you get a reflective feel but, as this intelligent instrumental builds, Adrian’s thunderous, bluesy guitar takes centre stage and it erupts into something much more primeval, aided and abetted with skill by the dynamic rhythm section. It is one hell of a powerful way to open an album and will have you awake and attentive, ready for the feast of music that is to come. The Veil is a short, connecting, instrumental piece that leaves a ghostly feeling of Scandinavian noir to my ears, all mysterious and questioning and sets the scene perfectly for the first track released from the album, the moody and pensive Ghosted. It’s a cultured piece of music that wouldn’t be out of place on a Pink Floyd album as Adrian Jones channels his inner Gilmour. Adrian O’Shaughnessy’s smoky hued, measured vocals are perfect for the mellow and undemanding mood that this über-stylish song invokes. The keyboards, drums and bass wash reflectively over you as Jones’ fine guitar playing just adds additional class to what is a really good track indeed.

This fine album, a refined melting pot of progressive rock, hard rock and metal, continues with the primeval brilliance of Angel of Flies, a track so heavy that it must have been hewn straight out of granite. Another song that builds up suspensefully before a grating, edgy guitar line and sumptuous bass break out, adding to the nervous anticipation. O’Shaughnessy’s voice just adds to the heaviness and has, to my ears anyway, a touch of Glenn Hughes at the height of his vocal powers and gives the track a subtle feel of early Led Zep in places (well, Led Zep on steroids maybe!), a feel that is enhanced by Jones’ outstanding guitar playing. There’s a real quality to the music, impressive songwriting and impeccable musicianship (a nod to the highly effective new rhythm section here) that just draws you in to the band’s immersive musical world. In Remembrance is another connective piece that just slows the heart rate down with its melancholy fragility, leaving you ready for the epic brilliance of Frustration-Sedation, at just under twelve minutes, a powerful, compelling and potent musical journey that hits you with its sonic magnitude from the first note. It’s a sinuous piece of music that ebbs and flows from a slow burning, pulsating rhythm, through moments of reflection to a soaring musical grandeur. A majestic soundscape of crushing guitars, thunderous drums and potent bass lines, all coordinated perfectly by O’Shaughnessy’s fine vocal performance.

Golden Hour is a blues-tinged ninety seconds of wistful nostalgia that leads into the album closing Dusk, a more introspective and insightful track that has me in the Mojave Desert at night, back against a Joshua tree and looking up at the impossible clarity of the sky and the brightness of the stars and contemplating my place in the universe. A sultry, bluesy guitar and a yearning, wistful vocal are the core of this song, a nostalgic, almost melancholy piece of music with a marvellously expansive soundscape and a mighty fine way to bring things to a close.

‘Diurnal’ has to be one of the most imposing and impressive releases I’ve heard this year. Nine Stones Close have returned with a new line-up and firing on all cylinders and have created what, to me, is their finest album yet. A wonderfully direct, dynamic and energetic listen from beginning to end and one that will be on many best of the year lists come December 2024, I highly recommend it.

Released 11th July, 2024.

Order from bandcamp here:

Diurnal | Nine Stones Close (bandcamp.com)

Review – Focus – Focus 12 – by John Wenlock-Smith

Focus need little or no introduction to most folks, I would imagine. Although most of that Knowledge will be a familiarity with either Hocus Pocus, Sylvia or House Of The King, all of which come from their heyday in the early 1970’s, some 50 plus years ago. Well, Focus are still very much an ongoing concern with Thijs Van Leer at the helm and still very active for a 75 year old man, Pierre Van Der Linden is actually 78 and still a very powerful drummer.

This album is unsurprisingly Focus’s 12th official studio album, although there have been a few more recent live releases like ‘Live At The Robin’, ‘Live In Europe’, from around 2010, and the excellent ‘Live in Rio’ which had a bonus album of the Focus numbered tracks Focus 1 to Focus 11, entitled ‘Completely Focused’ and was a great addition to their catalogue.

Which brings us back to this new album from the Dutch veterans and possibly Holland’s most legendary band. ‘Focus 12’ is an album of ten tracks mostly written by Thijs Van Leer but produced by the younger guard of band members Udo Panakeet (bass) and Menno Gootljes (guitar), who also contribute two compositions on the album. This fresh perspective is all part of keeping the music fresh and exciting. However I’m not entirely convinced that this works the way it should or could have, let’s listen and I’ll try to explain my feelings about this album more fully.

The album begins with Fjord Focus, which I guess is not about the long standing production model of vehicle. Well it certainly is a sprightly little number and one that sets you up for what is to follow. Which, in this case, is Focus 13, this is the latest in the continuing series of numbered instrumental tracks. Again, this is certainly pleasant enough but initially fails to really ignite and capture the listener. There’s a nice guitar tone and lines but, thankfully, the latter part of the track gains in both pace and intensity which really redeems things. Bela opens with a graceful piano melody which really shines but is then overtaken by a highly mixed guitar line from Menno that ties into the piano melody, Thijs then switching to Hammond organ to provide a counterpoint melody. This track is good, if a tad pedestrian in its pacing, it has a really great sound though.

Meta Indefinita has some great tones including a plucked bass part playing harmonics, some dirty growling guitar parts and the percolating percussion of Pierre Van Der Linden. I suspect this is the totally improvised track on the album, as it seems to fit the bill. Thijs Van Leer’s flute floats over the top of it all and Menno adds more countrified licks, which is a good touch and works well, it’s pretty good, all told, and definitely shows good intentions. All Aboard is an even tempo piece with a good bass line from Udo and some fine, fluid guitar from Menno which morphs into a harder section that closes the track out. Born To Be You is a brief piano vignette that, while pleasant enough, adds little to what has gone before, even when the rest of the band join in. Nura is initially pedestrian until around the ninety second mark when it comes alive with real power and energy to become something a little more special and interesting.

Bowie fares a lot better as it is a bit more interesting, Whether it is a tribute to David Bowie or something entirely different is really not clear as the bulk of the track is a long solo piano piece from Thijs, it is beautifully performed though, it must be said. Quite why Focus have chosen this approach is slightly baffling to me as many folks will not listen long enough to enjoy the changes of pacing. The penultimate track, Positano, is another case in point, the initial part leading you into a false sense of security with mainly gentle guitar lines and piano before, around the two minute mark, everything changes for the better as a crashing guitar riff enters the fray, bass and drums pile in as does Thijs’ flute. Again, it’s all very good indeed but a bit late in the day, I expect excitement nearer the start of the track. Gaia is the album’s final track and this starts with a sultry organ part and some great ensemble playing with little guitar fills from Menno being added. It is not until halfway through that the track gains any urgency or even intensity as, until then, it has been very pedestrian. Menno adds some almost country style guitar fills which enlivens things a little but it’s all a little to late to save the track for me.

Now I must say that I am working from a download and the final album may flow a lot better. I guess I won’t know till I get my own CD and see for myself but, based on this, I’m sad to say that this album fails to capture the imagination fully and is not really up to the stands one expects of a band like Focus. The cover from Roger Dean is, of course, splendid but I just wanted more from this album somehow…

Released 5th July, 2024.

Order from Burning Shed here:

Focus (burningshed.com)