Category: Reviews

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.

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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.

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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.

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Focus (burningshed.com)

Review – LUNEAR – from above

Keyboardist/singer Paul J.No and vocalist/drummer Sebastien Bournier have known each other for twenty years. They’ve been playing on each others records for a long time and a few years ago they decided to write songs together. Lyrics and musical ideas were exchanged and before they knew it 8 songs were born. Both realised fairly quickly that they needed another soul to cover their weaknesses i.e. guitars, bass and mix. Luckily, Sebastien knew the perfect gem and invited his old friend Jean-Philippe Benadjer to come aboard. Jean-Philippe gladly agreed and contributed beautiful guitars and bass as well as music for two new songs, thus completing the 10 songs of the first Lunear album ‘Many Miles Away’.

Of the new album, ‘from above’, the band had this to say, “We don’t like to repeat ourselves too much and try to offer different albums each time. ‘Many miles away’ was a classic song album, ‘Curve.Axis.Symmetry’ a concept album and ‘Gostraks’ an album of covers all linked together. It was time to try something else.”

To paint the picture, ‘from above’ is four tracks, one of which is over twenty-five minutes long, that’s a prog epic if ever I heard of one and definitely right up my street so let’s delve a bit further into this intriguing band’s latest offering…

It takes confidence to open a four track album with the twenty-five minute prog epic centrepiece and this trio have plenty of that, In their eyes immediately immerses the listener in sweeping soundscapes and wistful vocals. There’s a cinematic feel to proceedings as the elegant keyboards and refined drums provide a wonderful palette of sounds on which the band can build this rather fine piece of music. One of the immediate highlights for me are the elegant and cultured vocals that run throughout the album but the skill with which Lunear build layers of lush, sophisticated and polished music has to be admired. Is it a prog epic? Well, there’s definitely touches of progressive rock to the track but it is more than just that, it’s a fine song that draws the listener into this creative trio’s musical world, a world in which you’re happy to stay and take your time, enjoying the theatre and drama on show.

Let’s see how the band follow up that brilliant track? the second song on the album is Cathedral and, once again, Lunear show just what excellent storytellers they are as a church organ opens the track, building the anticipation before a hushed piano line takes up the tale. This sublimely restrained piece of music then begins to build with a questioning guitar and more dynamic vocal to give a feel of British prog icons IQ to my ears. The cleverly constructed songs and charismatic, compelling music are a joy to listen to and are leaving a real impression on me. So let’s go is the shortest track on the album and is almost like a musical amuse bouche as the gentle, thoughtful music flows over with feelings of sepia tinged nostalgia, a time when everything was a lot less complicated. It’s a lovely, contemplative track, full of bonhomie, that really leaves its mark on you. The album closes with the melancholy wonder of The tears of nostalgia, a sorrow filled vocal and delicate acoustic guitar set the scene and tug at your heartstrings with their sparse beauty. Refined synthesisers and a pensive piano lead to a thoughtful atmosphere that just builds with a wishful yearning before the music bursts force with a powerful riff and energetic drum beat that envelopes you and engages you on a moving and impassioned musical journey. It’s a really poignant and emotive way to close out what has been a singular experience.

It’s always a joy to me to hear new music that is as profound and moving as this. With ‘From above’, Lunear have delivered an album that is, for me, an unexpected joy and a highlight in a year that has already delivered some very stellar releases indeed!

Released May 16th, 2024.

Download or stream the album here:

from above by Lunear (songwhip.com)

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from above | Lunear (bandcamp.com)

Review – Airbag – The Century of the Self

“Prepare to embark on an auditory journey like no other as Norwegian prog-rock maestros Airbag unleash their highly anticipated sixth studio album, ‘The Century Of The Self’. Showcasing their trademark fusion of mellow introspection and dynamic energy, from the mesmerising depths of Dysphoria to the haunting crescendo of Tyrants And Kings, each track captivates with irresistible vocal hooks and virtuosic lead guitar work that has become synonymous with the Airbag sound.”

Let me first put in a disclaimer before you read this review, I am a huge fan of Airbag and Bjørn Riis‘ solo work but I will be as objective as I can throughout.

Right, now we’ve got that out of the way, let us begin…

‘The Century of the Self’ is an album that stands as a testament to the artistic vision and enduring creativity that Airbag bring to their music. Touching on themes such as cancel culture and the rewriting of personal histories, it is a reflection on modern society’s zeitgeist, and a poignant commentary of today’s world, which is steeped in fear and condemnation.

Those words really got me excited when I read the promo email that came from the band’s label, Karisma. I have been an admirer of the lush soundscapes created by this wonderful band since I first heard their debut album, ‘Identity’, back in 2009 and they have matured like a fine wine ever since. Their discography of five studio albums prior to this latest release has some absolute gems like ‘All Rights Removed’ and ‘Disconnected’ but every Airbag release is a superb auditory experience.

Let’s cut to the chase, ‘Century of the Self’ is another brilliant album but one that maybe has a more edgier, in your face attitude than the earlier releases. Through its five tracks we go through the whole gammut of powerful, hypnotic bass lines, powerful riffs and thunderous drumming to a lightness of touch and contemplation and everything in between. It is as complete a listening experience as you will get and will excite Airbag fans both old and new.

The slow burning, edgy Dysphoria will keep you on edge with Bjørn Riis‘ coruscating guitar lines and Kristian Hultgren’s superbly metronomic bass lines. Add in the elegant drums of Henrik Bergan Fossum and Asle Tostrup’s hypnotic vocals and we are already onto a winner, this is Airbag turned up to eleven! A standout track on a album of killer tunes, the wonderful Tyrants and Kings ebbs and flows with an elegance and precision that is a joy to hear. Riis’ guitar playing, ably assisted by Ole Michael Bjørndal, is as intense and scintillating as ever and literally stops you in your tracks and Tostrup’s haunting vocal delivery is just a delight. This is Airbag at their magnificent best and it’s a pleasure to hear them delivering songs of such calibre, even after fifteen years together. This is music that you need to listen to with no distractions to get the best from every note and the solo at the end is just about damn perfect! I spoke about a lightness of touch and contemplation earlier and that is what you get on the wistfully refined Awakening, a song that just dances lightly over your emotions and leaves a feeling of calmness and joy in your heart. Asle Tostrup delivers a near perfect vocal performance full of pathos, passion and poignancy, “Wake up and feel again…” a line that says so much. The guitar is ethereal and contemplative, breaking out into a plaintive and ardent solo that really touches your heartstrings. It’s just an exquisite and uplifting piece of music that will really leave its mark on you.

Things get a lot more primeval and edgy with Erase, the stylishly mesmerising bass line and Tostrup’s vocals spellbinding in their delivery and grabbing your attention. The restless, tense atmosphere is created by the terse drum beat and cacophonic guitar riff before the mood gets even more chaotic when Riis opens up with some dissonant and jarring licks and another superb solo that raises the roof. The album closes with the epic conclusion of Tear It Down, fourteen minutes of music that goes from serene introspective self-reflection to some of the most forceful and compelling music that the band have ever written. The track opens with a mellow, reflective vibe that sees synth lines and a ghostly guitar just wash over you, Asle’s voice a soothing presence along with the refined drum beat. Everything then opens up with dynamic and vibrant section that almost raises the hairs on your neck before we return back to the calm serenity of before, the track ebbing and flowing between the two in perfect harmony. A special shout out must be given to Simen Valldal Johannessen whose keyboards on this song are exceptional but you just need to let the music do its work and immerse yourself in the experience, the guitar solo that closes out the track, and the album, is particularly memorable

‘Century of the Self’ is a mesmerising and involving odyssey that elevates you to a musical nirvana that not many artists can create. Airbag are one of those bands that just seem to get better with age and this new release just might be their best album yet, and that’s saying something!

Released 14th June, 2024.

Buy the album from Burning Shed here:

Airbag (burningshed.com)

Or from bandcamp here:

The Century of the Self | Airbag (bandcamp.com)

Review – Returned to The Earth – Stalagmite Steeple

“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.” – Kahlil Gibran.

‘Stalagmite Steeple’ is the follow-up to UK Progressive Rock outfit Returned To The Earth’s critically acclaimed release ‘Fall of the Watcher’, the new album is another intriguing journey through main man Robin Peachey’s particular take on life.

Robin Peachey on the new album:
“The writing for ‘Stalagmite Steeple’ began in late 2020 during the recording of Fall Of The Watcher, my previous album. It’s been a 2 1/2 year recording process to get the album finished and I have worked again with Paul Johnston as producer/engineer/additional musician. Steve Kitch (The Pineapple Thief) has again mastered the album for me.”

There are some albums that just resonate with you from the first note and, for me, ‘Stalagmite Steeple’ is one of those such releases. It is a collection of glorious pieces of music that are more than just songs. They resonate with you on a basic level, the music is immersive, reflective and just darn beautiful! Robin’s vocals remind me of Tim Bowness, they just relax you, his delivery is so soothing and mellifluous that it transfixes and mesmerises you. There is a rhythmic, hypnotic beauty to the music that leaves you in a much better place than where you were before you heard it.

Each song is a small nugget of perfection, album opener Dark Morality came about when Robin saw a story about an elderly couple who were separated during the first Covid lockdown and unfortunately the lady passed away from natural causes. He found it incredibly sad that we couldn’t find a way to bring loved ones together in their final moments during this difficult period of our history. Robin didn’t want this event to be marked by just a single song so it formed the backdrop for the whole album. There’s a hushed reverence to the song, a veneration in the vocals that is picked up by the glorious music, music that just seems to flow serenely over your aural senses. There is a wonderfully uplifting guitar solo that sends a tingle down your spine (something that occurs frequently during the album) and you just know that this exquisite track is going to be the start of something very special. The pensive, almost melancholy opening to The Final Time has a fragile grace engendered by the strings and Robin’s almost melancholic vocal. You can almost touch the pathos and emotion in this song, it has wistful, nostalgic yearning deep at its core and an ethereal quality that makes it feel gossamer thin.

The songwriting and musicianship on this album is utterly sublime and it flows perfectly as title track Stalagmite Steeple opens with a haunting piano and synthesiser before the refined vocals begin. Peachey says of the track, “It’s a track about grief but continuing to move forward despite the pain. It’s the longest of the six tracks on the album and the idea was to write a song where it continued to evolve and change throughout and no section would repeat.” It is a perfect example of how to write progressive rock track that will live long in the memory as it builds slowly before an outpouring of emotion contained in a transcendent guitar solo that just blew me away. The track then takes on an edgy, solemn air with a repeated piano refrain backed by almost intangible strings leading Robin’s reflective vocals and then plays out to a close with a demonstrative and expressive guitar adding a steely core, a truly memorable piece of music that left me pondering life and everything else for quite a long time. You know I mentioned that Robin has a touch of the Tim Bowness about his vocals? Well that’s no more apparent than on the dreamlike wonder of Meaningless To Worth, a contemplative and reflective piece of music that would have graced any of the aforementioned musician’s recent releases. Sparse guitar tones and dreamy keyboards wash over you as Robin’s hypnotic voice draws you in to this gloriously crafted work of art, as irresistible as it is fulfilling.

This breathtaking album just keeps on giving as the sombre, dulcet tones of Die For Me begin, another plaintive, almost mournful song that steps gracefully through your life. I didn’t think that Robin’s voice could get more yearning in character but it is almost spiritual on this ever so dignified track where the subtle strings and meticulous keyboards give a rarefied air and the way the track closes out is just superlative. Unfortunately this stunning musical journey has to come to an end sometime and it does so in style with the bewitching The Raging Sea which adds passion warmth and sentiment to an already fabulous collection of songs. There’s a divine guitar solo that reaches to the heavens and the stellar musicianship we’ve come to expect. A fine way to bring things to a close and leave you with hope in your heart and a smile on your face.

Robin Peachey and Returned To The Earth may not be well known to most people out there but, with the utterly magnificent, transcendental brilliance of ‘Stalagmite Steeple’ they deserve to be up there in the higher pantheon of progressive rock. You will not hear many better albums of any genre this year and I implore you to seek it out and add it to your own music collection, you will never ever regret doing so!

Released 14th June, 2024.

Order the CD from GEP here:

Returned To The Earth – Stalagmite Steeple – GEP

Review – Kaipa – Sommargryningsljus – by John Wenlock-Smith

‘Sommargryningsljus’ is the 15th, and latest, from Swedish outfit Kaipa who have been in existence for over 50 years. Whilst they may now have been active for all 50 of those years, when they do regroup and re-emerge, they offer something new and fresh. This new album is a step further for the band after the excellent ‘Urskog’ from 2022, which I reviewed favourably for Progradar, being captivated by its lush symphonic textures and sounds. ‘Sommarskymningsljus’ continues this in a similar vein and sounds really lush, fans of Swedish symphonic prog will find much to appreciate here.

The album begins gently with Sommarskymningsljus, the beautifully clear and expressive voice of Aleena Gibson rising over an expressive melody from Hans Lundin, it is an engaging number that leads us into the equally captivating epic Seven Birds, which builds in a very satisfying way. Layers of sound make for an interesting track with excellent vocals from Aleena again, the mid section has a fine, lengthy keyboard excursion leading into a brief but exciting guitar break from Per Nilsson. A second longer solo occurs later in the song, where Per and Hans play in tandem delivering a great sounding track. Like Thousand Dawns is greatly enlivened by the excellent bass playing from Jonas Reingold, who is very busy on this, track adding foundation and definitions to the track. The song has another stellar vocal from Aleena Gibson, whose powerful vocal is actually a thing of beauty here. The mid part of the track has a twisting, turning part which, again, gives bassist Jonas a chance to impress and he does admirably, leaving room for a few short but dynamic guitar fills from Per Nilsson. It’s another epic song from Kaipa, proving, once again, that their brand and style of progressive rock is both worthwhile and entertaining.

It’s worth pointing out that of the albums 9 tracks, Six are over nine minutes in duration. This means this is an album that will require your involvement and an investment of your time that you will not regret one bit, for this album is full of superb tracks with some excellent extended musical passages featuring the expressive and poignant violin of Elin Rubinsztein and the recorders and whistles of Frederick Lindquist and it greatly benefits from these guest appearances.

Chased by Wolves And Burned By The Sun is another lengthy track with more great violin parts, giving a slight tone of Kansas to proceedings (no bad thing to these ears!) and another chance for some muscular bass lines from Jonas whilst Per provides the insistent riff that underpins the song. I really like the dynamics of this track as it uses the counterpoint of the instruments to really allow the track to evolve and shine, it really is utterly engrossing. Spiderweb Train dates from the 1990’s, as does second track Seven Birds, Hans had to do some extensive reworking of these songs to bring them into today’s age. Spiderweb Train is  the albums longest track at over fifteen and a half minutes. This means it has lot of room for improvisation and for the various parts to emerge. There’s an almost Gothic tone in places and parts that really makes it an interesting and exciting track.

This is followed by the album’s last long track, Songs In Our Hands at just shy of Thirteen minutes, before the shorter title piece Sommargryningsljus. The former track features some very impressive vocals from both Patrick Lindqvist and Aleena Gibson, along with some great synth lines from Hans Lundin, another excellent track from the band. The album closes with a longer take of Sommargryningsljus, allowing the full version of the song to be heard as it was originally envisaged.

The album takes us on an interesting journey through the dark and the early hours before dawn with dawn finally emerging and the darkness falling away. The first two tracks representing Twilight and the last two representing Dawn. As always the artwork is excellent and definitely fits the theme of the album well.

Overall, this is another excellent album from Kaipa who are now a studio band only as they have finished with live performances now. Fans of symphonic progressive music will find much to enjoy herein, it is a wonderful release that is most definitely worthy of investigation.

Released 28th June, 2024.

Pre-order the album here:

Sommargryningsljus (lnk.to)