I came across ‘Once There Was’ via a post from Don Skazin on the Prog Explorations Plus Facebook page and was suitably intrigued enough to reach out the band offering to review the album for Progradar, proof indeed that social media can make a difference. I contacted Jeff Brewer, The Far Cry’s vocalist and bassist who very kindly sent me a CD of the album to get to grips with.
The album has four songs, ranging in length from the short (by their standards at least) The Following through the longer tracks, Unholy Waters and Crossing Pangea, to the truly epic 12-part title track Once There Was. Alongside Jeff are Robert Hutchinson on drums, percussion and spoken word, Chris Dabbo on keyboards and vocals and finally Brendan Kinchla on guitars. The album is encased in a neat digipak sleeve with a booklet with full credits and lyrics.
To my ears, Unholy Waters bears a strong resemblance in sound to the legendary band U.K. Especially in both the keyboards and vocals. This is not a criticism, merely a comment that do find this track similar in style. Mind you, I like U.K. a lot, so this works for me too. Many a band wear their influences on the sleeves clearly but, when the music is as good as this, it doesn’t really matter or devalue it at all, especially as U.K. are no longer in existence as such. The song concerns itself with mysterious places like the Bermuda Triangle and the like and the lyrics reflect this very convincingly. I especially like the strong bass work from Jeff and the Holdsworth-esque guitar line from Brendan, which adds great dynamics to the very impressive sound of the album.
Crossing Pangea is an instrumental with a suitably journeying sound to it, giving the impression of movement or travelling. There are lovely fluid guitar lines running through it and the urgent rhythm section powers the track along very happily and impressively. I really do like this track as its moods are very strong and different showing that these musicians are very talented and highly competent in their playing abilities. There are some great piano and synths on this track and it rattles along through its twelve and half minute run time in some style. There’s a great bass part from Jeff on this track, really strong and when overlayed with the keyboards of Chris, it sounds really splendid. This piece is an evolutionary stroll of a track, very impressive stuff really, especially in the closing part of the song. Next is the shorter The Following which commences with a rippling piano line. The song addresses the futility of war as told in the story of blind allegiance and following such leadership. It questions why we follow such dangerous leadership into destruction and pain and it makes a strong and valid point.
The final track is the album’s multi-part title track Once There Was. This consists of twelve parts of which five are instrumental in nature.This is a very interesting song with lots happening in its various sections. The song addresses the demise of a town as it gets left behind as life changes, often in unexpected ways. There is a long keyboard based solo on The Agitation section of the track, all very ELP like in nature. The Far Cry are certainly unafraid to show their influences in such a manner. In fact, I find their approach very refreshing and I like how they pay honour to the past greats by using their sounds as a template for creating something that is their own. This is far better than the plagiarism that can be a component in many modern prog bands rather than treading the delicate balance between homage and the forging of a new path. This song was the first written for this album apparently, with parts from various members being worked on together to make this epic piece of music.
On ‘Once There Was’, I find that The Far Cry have found a balance that works in their favour, and that’s no mean feat. This is to the commendation of the band and bodes well for future releases they may make. I really think this album will appeal to many prog Fans as a band like The Far Cry are truly making new wine from old skins, as they say. So, if Neo-Prog is your bag then you must check these guys out for yourself.
Following the success of their 2023 release ‘Stockholm København’, two of Denmark’s most celebrated musicians in multi-instrumentalist Gustaf Ljunggren and drummer Emil de Waal present their fourth collaborative album.
Expanding on their growing reputation for crafting songs and sounds with masterful senses of subtlety, narrative and capacity to form meaningful connections with their collaborators and audiences alike, ‘Mikroklima’ was released on February 7th on April Records.
One element that truly sets this album apart, is the bold move of inviting a group of 12 year old school children from a music class into the studio to record alongside Gustaf and Emil. Drawing from years of experience leading music workshops with young musicians, on ‘Mikroklima’ Ljunggren and de Waal wanted to capture the sound of musicians from different generations and experiences coming together to contribute their ideas to their compositions.
I was a big fan of ‘Stockholm København’ so, now my music mojo is finally returning, I had to listen to this new release and ‘Mikroklima’ didn’t let me down. These two incredible musicians have created something organic that truly flows from track to track. Ljunggren’s elegant acoustic and electric guitar playing blends with de Waal’s sophisticated grooves creating something almost organic in nature. These two have an almost symbiotic relationship and are utterly complimentary to each other. The lush swathes of synthesisers and Rhodes piano add a spiritual feel to the proceedings and the whole album has an ethereal atmosphere.
These tracks are not just written, they are subtly crafted and created to have soul and to connect with the listener in a meaningful fashion. Listening to these amazing musicians at the height of their creative power is something quite wondrous to behold and an utter privilege. Through the mesmerising title track Mikroklima and the more strident Bolde all the way to the final two musical gems, Waaltz and Meeen, Ljunggren and de Waal take you on a mesmerising and hynoptic musical journey that sometimes challenges you but is always nothing less than captivating, enthralling and spellbinding.
It’s hard to pick one track out as a favourite as the album should really be consumed in one sitting for the full, glorious listening experience but Brud is consummate style and panache personified and as cool a jazz track as they come.
Restrained and yet bursting with spirituality and, most of all, life, ‘Mikroklima’ is more than just a collection of songs, it is a living entity that exists to bring joy to all who listen to it.
Progressive music certainly has the ability to throw you some strange or odd musical curves, take this album from French solo musician Nicholas de Renty entitled ‘Retour Au Bercail’ which translates as meaning ‘Return to The Fold’ .
Nicholas performs the majority of the instruments apart from on the track Traquenard where he is joined by Anthony Malaussena who adds guitar and bass to the track, Nicholas playing drums, piano and the vocals, which are all sung in French. A lot of the other instruments are delivered via the computer, the brass and woodwind elements for example that enliven proceedings. This release is best heard in one setting, i feel, as you can then appreciate the intricacies that are built into the music especially in the title track Retour Au Bercail which has excellent brass and woodwind sections.
The album is basically the story of Nicholas’ return to the faith he grew up in but deserted in his youth. He now feels the need to address the spiritual emptiness he has been experiencing and sees a return as being in his best interests. This is bold for such a step to be considered and then taken and ultimately to be chronicled in the music he has made.
I had a translation of the lyrics so I could follow his journey, there is an understated beauty to this musician in his openness to embracing faith once again, which is to be applauded. This album will probably be passed over by many which is a shame as it is really rather good and interesting musically. I would say the singing is a little different and unusual but it is not unpleasant being strongly choral in style. I understand this might be off putting for many but I would urge you to persevere with it as it does become rather calming with a distinct spiritual tone and flavour to it.
I especially liked the opening track Luerre éternel (eternal war) which has a drum solo at both the opening section and at the 5.55 mark where Nicholas vocalises over the beat before a rippling piano and subdued brass are heard. Nicholas then really pounds the skins a for few minutes, oddly enough the dynamics of this work exceptionally well, giving the track a really strong dynamism and emphasis. The lyrics are actually more prose, being almost poetic in nature and tone, the choir like chanting is a good fit for the track which is about how we are all in a spiritual war with the forces of evil (Satan and his demonic hordes).
As I say it is an intriguing and deep concept. One with it’s spiritual overtones and concept could, I accept, be problematic for some listeners and the album is maybe not an easy listen per se. However, many a great album is equally as challenging yet critically applauded like ‘Red’ by King Crimson, which is an equally dark and intense piece of work.
I have to say that the more I listen to this album the more I have come to appreciate it’s difference, which I feel is rare in a genre where little has changed since the founding fathers’ original masterpieces were released. This album at least dares to be different in many ways and that alone is worthy of recognition. As such, I would recommend that folks with an open mind would have a listen at least as there is some great music on display here,
Definitely one for the more adventurous listener to at least have a go with, although I would say it would be more appealing if the booklet had the words translated into English so then non-French speakers couldn’t least be more understanding of the contents of the words.
This has not been an easy review as it has required the input of Anne-Claire from Bad Dog Promotions to help with the translation, which then allowed insight into the themes behind the tracks, for which I must recognise her invaluable assistance. aAs it is but I urge perseverance with this most interesting release which I actually really enjoyed, hopefully others will too.
“Learn to live with uncertainty, learn to cope with reality…” – so begins the last stanza of the last track on this, the eighth album by Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate. That’s a line that applies more than ever in these unsettling times we live in, as much as it applies to front man Malcolm Galloway’s health struggles, which involve a hereditary condition affecting connective tissue, and a degenerative macular illness. Refusing to be brought low by this, there’s a three track EP, Between The Worlds (see the Bandcamp page) that came out a month ago. It contains a blistering version of the live favourite i’mtiredandeverythinghurts from last year’s Prog For Peart festival, and its techno-punk raging at bodily frailty seems to sum up Malcolm’s frustrations perfectly.
Keeping up the duo’s love of science (of the real and fictional varieties!), the recurrent themes of The Uncertainty Principle ostensibly derive from Heisenberg’s 1927 theorem of that name, although obviously there is also a strong personal element running through it all. The Bandcamp page for the album includes a potted history of quantum theory, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from these two highly personable musicians, who have nurtured each other’s nerdy obsessions since school days.
At times, you can easily hear a lyric such as “Everything changed. Everything we thought we knew changed” and cast your thoughts to the lunatic across the pond, gleefully destroying everything our lives in the West have been built on since the end of WW2. Topical stuff, indeed. This album provides a healthy dose of musical escapism to aid the passage of the stark reality of the lyrics, always a good combination in any form of popular (ahem…) music.
Musically, the band offer up their signature combination of melody and righteous rock’n’roll anger. The blistering guitar and charging rhythms of The Ultraviolet Catastrophe being an example of all brakes off, instrumental Sturm und Drang. Following that is the wistful Copenhagen, an early album appetiser from last year, with Malcom’s voice slowly rising to full-on yearning, his instantly recognisable vocal style being one thing that makes this band stand out. Ah, yes! It is a band, and the other half of it is the irrepressible Mark Gatland whose infectious enthusiasm offsets Malcom’s angst perfectly. His bass is dextrous or thundering, or both, and is a vital part of the equation.
Can a duo be a band, you may wonder? In the words of Robert Fripp, HOGIA (unlike their music, the name is a tad unwieldy, you have to admit!) are the epitome of a “small, mobile, intelligent unit”, with the rest of the music and the drums being programmed and delivered via technical wizardry that is way beyond my ability to even begin to explain. And it works live too, so much so you forget that you can only see a guitar and a bass guitar being played in front of you. The whole is definitely “a band”.
This musical witches’ brew is in full effect on Inside The Atom, a synth-led molecular examination that whizzes around its nucleus with a gleeful freedom before being joined halfway in by some superb sky-saw guitar from Malcolm, who can play a bit, o yes!
There’s examples of the band’s ear for a good pop song too. The Think Tank has Malcolm and Mark playing fast’n’syncopated with the sort of song that Matt Bellamy used to write when he was on his game. One Word That Means The World (Arkhipov) provides a history lesson, if like me you had to Google “Arkhipov”! All I will say is, it is possible none of us would be here if Vasily Arkhipov had said “Yes”, rather than “No”. “We don’t know who we are, until we are forced to decide”, as Malcolm vocalises. Decisions, decisions…
The title, and last track, is almost bluesy to begin with before becoming anthemic. These chaps meld a number of styles into a recognisable whole, and it’s just a shame that no-one seems to have heard of them outside of our small pond. Yes, they’re “prog”, but also so much more than that and deserve to be far bigger than they are…but would that destroy the magic? Uncertainty, uncertainty…
Released 4th March, 2025.
TRACKLIST
Certainty
Everything Changed
The Ultraviolet Catastrophe
Copenhagen
Cause And Effect (But Not Necessarily In That Order)
The Uncertainty Principle
Inside The Atom
The Think Tank
One Word That Means The World (Arkhipov)
Between Two Worlds
Living With Uncertainty
Total time: 62:07
MUSICIANS
Malcolm Galloway – lyrics, lead guitar, synths, mastering
Mark Gatland – bass guitar, vocal engineer, additional guitars and synths, co-producer
With:
Kathryn Thomas (flute 6, backing vocals 11, co-producer 10)
Glass Hammer’s ‘Rogue’ spins the tale of one man’s fateful, final journey. “He leaves everything he knows behind,” explains composer Steve Babb. “And thinks he’s returning to a place where he once knew happiness, but in reality, his odyssey will sweep him away to somewhere completely unexpected.”
Babb explains that the ten-song album explores themes of regret, heartache, and the mortal salience that comes with age. “Life is fleeting,” he continues. “It’s a heavy topic for an album, but the music isn’t as heavy as our last few releases. Rogue is much more like the Glass Hammer albums our fans refer to as “classic.”
That’s the PR synopsis of ‘Rogue’, the twenty-second studio release from the seminal US prog band Glass Hammer, now more of a solo project for founder Steve Babb who has collected a rather impressive band of brothers and sisters to assist him on this new release.
‘Rogue’ features performances by frequent collaborators Fred Schendel, Reese Boyd, and David Wallimann (GH guitarist 2006-2010). Vocalists Thomas Jakob (Netherlands) and Olivia Tharpe (USA) are new to the band. They’re joined by guitarist Oliver Day (UK), keyboardist Ariel Perchuk (Argentina), drummer Evgeni Obruchkov (Poland), and others.
Steve is right, after the recent powerhouse albums from Glass Hammer, ‘Rogue’ is a much more thoughtful and measured affair and a bit of a return to classic albums from the much loved band. I say a bit of a return because I think Steve continues to reinvent Glass Hammer and they are never quite the same in each iteration.
“I have had enough of winter with its gray hills and gray skies, the gray buildings and gray, downcast faces. Nothing can cheer me in this place. Even the sun has hidden its face from me, but who can blame it? Why should it waste its light upon such a dismal scene? I do not wish to sound melodramatic, but I feel I shall die a slow and meaningless death should I remain in this limbo land of drizzling rain and chill wind! I should have left years ago, but I am determined now to do just that. So southward I will flee! Back to sunshine and clean air! Back to that happy realm where I spent my youth playing in the sand and splashing in the waves. And, maybe, back to her…”
So another concept album then? Not really, ‘Rogue’ is more an album of themes and it actually works brilliantly, let’s delve a bit further…
What Ifopens the album in fine style with an early Glass Hammer vibe entwined around some definite Mike Oldfield vibes. It is tripping the musical light fantastic and is airy and uplifting with a soothing vocal. I’m getting an 80’s prog vibe from this luscious track and it leaves a great early impression of what is to come, especially impressive is the guitar from David Wallimann. That 80’s electronica vibe continues with The Road South, a gorgeous keyboard note leading us into another soaring piece of music with some rather fine guitar from Oliver Day before there’s a metamorphosis into something a bit more dramatic. The powerful vocals add definite gravitas to the song and make it another excellent piece of music. I have to say, so far, so bloody good for this new album! A strident keyboard heralds Tomorrow, Steve Babb getting his quality bass head on here, sometimes it’s easy to forget what a fantastic musician he is but the bass playing on this track is top level. Fred Schendel joins Oliver on guitar and what you get is just a joyous expression of intricate musicianship enhanced by the superb vocals of Thomas Jakob and Olivia Tharpe.
I love the opening to Pretty Ghost, fine guitar, thumping bass and swathes of glorious keyboards creating a fantastic widescreen 1980’s cinematic feel to the track. Olivia’s lush vocal carries the song on with class and lustre, possibly the finest four minutes of Babb’s career so far. Talking of 80’s, Sunshine is soaked in the nostalgia of that decade with it’s almost 8-bit keyboard intro, the wonderful lap-steel guitar from Schendel and Olivia’s solemn vocal. The measured rhythm and thoughtful, pensive tone adds a real depth of emotion to the song. I Will Follow takes me back to earlier Glass Hammer with its catchy beat and dancing melody. It’s a captivating musical journey that flies along at a serious pace and is led by the wonderful vocals. That’s always been a highlight of all that’s good about the band and they get it absolutely spot on here, not forgetting Oliver Day’s fiery guitar solo too! It’s a breezy five minutes of accomplished progressive rock that shows Steve Babb has lost none of his songwriting credentials.
Now we get to the business end of the album with one of my personal favourites, The Wonder Of It All. An intro that could have come straight from an 80’s sci-fi movie leads into some rather fine guitar from Atillio Calabrese before the elegant vocals begin, accompanied by excellent, polished keyboards. It is a really sumptuous and astute piece of music that draws you in to its dignified grasp. When I was talking to Steve about the track he said that, the more he worked on it, the more it reminded him of a Genesis song. I like the fact that it almost leans away from being ‘prog’ and does feel like it’s right on the edge of Genesis’‘Invisible Touch’ era while still retaining the intricate sensibilities of progressive rock. It’s just a brilliant song no matter how you dissect it! One Last Sunrise is a charming respite from the rest of the album. It still has an 80’s electronica vibe with its layers of chiming keyboards but there’s also a lightness of being to its charismatic and engaging soul.
Steve tells me he was going for an Ozric Tentacles vibe with the utterly brilliant Terminal Lucidity. It was also an attempt to do something like the last song on ‘Arise’, just not quite as long. Well, to my ears, he got it spot on, this piece of music is just fabulous and has a real 80’s electronica vibe before bursting out into something more dynamic, maybe even Krautrock and definitely heading up the Tangerine Dream alley with its expansive, intricate melodies and distorted keyboard notes. It’s almost likeSteve was composing a theme for an epic sci-fi film and got lost in his own thoughts, just magnificent. The guitar and synth solos from Reese Boyd and Ariel Perchuk just add to the majesty. Steve comes out of his reverie, the track becoming almost symphonic in nature and ending with a feel not dissimilar to an overture, theatrical and gloriously pompous like the best overtures always are. I have a funny feeling that Steve really had some fun when writing this grandiose ending and it just made me smile.
All good things must come to an end and, as if in perfect synergy, this outstanding album closes with the track All Good Things. A confident musical procession and a testament to our character and his epic life’s journey of ultimate highs and deep lows. It is a powerful piece of music that leaves questions in your mind, all correlated by Ariel Perchuk’s questing synth solos and Oliver Day’s mastery on the guitar. As this imposing and dynamic song and album come to an end, you are left with a feeling of fulfilment and of a cycle completed.
With an opening worthy of a Mike Oldfield classic, hints of the legendary Kansas & Genesis and a wonderful overlying 80’s electronica vibe, Steve Babb goes all ‘Rogue’ with us on this new and surprising release from Glass Hammer. Following a more mellow progression, one of the most creative minds in modern music returns with a measured, considerate and ultimately rewarding journey and shows what it truly means to be progressive.
It almost seems that in the 1970’s you couldn’t move for supergroups, that strange scenario where bands split, only to re-emerge in a new combination of musicians. Some of these were very successful, like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, others less so, where the combination was just to volatile to exist peacefully enough to make their mark, like Beck, Bogart & Appice or Rough Diamond, for example. Punk might have brought the demise of many such groups but it didn’t kill them off completely, as bands like Asia can attest.
Sharks were one of those groups that should have been far bigger than they were, somehow they never quite made the grade despite having a very strong line up of Steve ‘Snips’ Parsons on vocals, Andy Fraser of Free on bass and Chris Spedding on guitar, along with Marty Simon on drums. Their debut album ‘First Water’ was released in 1973 on the Island label to much hype that unfortunately did not translate into many real sales.For the second album, ‘Jab It In Yore Eye’, Andy Fraser was replaced with Buster Cherry Jones. It was released in 1974 to a world that wasn’t very bothered. The band toured the USA to good audiences but, again, without more sales. Upon their return, they recorded a third album, ‘Car Crash Tapes’, produced by John Entwistle of the Who, but Island weren’t satisfied with the results and opted not to release it, this caused the band to split up and go their own ways. Spedding did some solo and Guitar Graffiti albums and he was also one of The Wombles, the one with the flying V guitar. Snip joined the Baker Gurvitz Army and Buster Cherry Jones returned to the US and started a new band with Donald and Ralph Kinsey called White Lightning, who released an album for Island records in 1975.
This set comprises of the first two releases, along with that third, unreleased, album ‘Car Crash Tapes’. It also includes live tracks recorded in Providence, Rhode Island in 1974, one of which features Leslie West of Mountain on Guitar. So that’s the back story but what’s the music like? Well, if like me, you were too young to remember them (I was 14 at the time), let’s have a listen through and I’ll tell you what I think.
The debut ‘Fresh Water’ emerged in 1973 after Fraser had left Free after their ‘FreeAt Last’ album of 1972, wasting little time in joining forces with Chris Spedding to form Sharks, who were signed to Island Records, with whom Fraser’s previous band Free had resided. Steve ‘Snips’ Parsons was spotted by Chris Blackwell and, after a successful audition, was offered the role of singer in Sharks, who Blackwell was managing at the time, having cut his teeth in the North East around the Hull and Humberside area.
The band travelled around in a customised PontiacLle Mans that they affectionately called The Shark Mobile, due to a fin on the roof and teeth on the grill which made an impact. A lot of their interesting history is detailed and recounted in the album booklet along with some great historical photographs of the band. They crashed the car into a tree in the north of England whilst on tour, with Andy Fraser injuring his arm. After this he though heavily about his options and decided to leave whilst he had the chance as he saw the crash as being a bad omen.
‘First Water’ is not a bad album in many respects, with a mixture of classic sounding rock and some sweet guitar work from Spedding. A lot of the tracks are slow burners, meaning that it takes time to really get into them fully, Follow Me being a prime example of this, with a strident piano from Fraser holding the song together and an ascending riff from Spedding that is fairly dramatic. I really like this track, it’s somewhat understated but could have been great live with its decent guitar break and fill section. Ol’ Jelly Roll has more piano and a initially delicate vocal from Snips which channels his inner Joe Cocker in the gritty vocals. This one has a touch of Free about it, especially in how it builds in intensity. Brown Eyed Boy is a RollingStones like romp with great dynamics to its swagger and Snakes And Swallowtails is another slow builder with Fraser’s bass at the forefront to good effect. I like this track with its understated playing that suggests the song is going to explode into something special, and it finally does, sounding tremendous, if not a bit short, when it could have been allowed to run on a lot more.
Drivin’ Sideways is more standard rock fare that doesn’t really go anywhere, despite good performances from Snips and Fraser and some almost countrified guitar fills from Spedding. But, despite its initial opening, I actually do like this track and it definitely grows on you. Steal Away sounds like a more mellow Free song, very subdued but actually rather good. Doctor Love is certainly of its time, especially in the lyrics. The track has a sinewy guitar line running through that sounds not unlike Paul Kossoff, which is a nice touch. The final song of the debut is Broke A Feeling, which is a fairly muscular sounding track with some good guitar fills which, along with the bass and the piano of Nick Judd, make a good sound. It’s all a little loose and all the better for that really. The mid section where Spedding lets rip is especially strong making for a strong finish to an album that had much promise that somehow the band were unable to capitalise on fully.
Sophomore album ‘Jab It In Yore Eye’ continues in a similar style and tone to the debut, although it seems a bit more focused somehow. The playing is more concise and impactful, it would seem that the departure of Fraser and the addition of Buster Cherry Jones was good for the band, allowing Snips’ songwriting abilities to be more widely seen, he writes or co writes seven of the album’s ten tracks. Baby Shine A Light is a great song with some excellent guitar work from Spedding, whose playing is subtle and yet exciting on this track. Sun Beat Down has a muscular sound to it, being quite a strident song yet somewhat understated and never actually exploding into life. It’s a bit of promise unfulfilled here despite some good guitar fills. Rain Or Shine is an acoustic song that lacks something, whereas Kung Fu is far better with its chopsticks type piano and some sweet guitar lines from Spedding which enliven proceedings. The Japanese words don’t really add much but Speeding’s playing in the mix does add some excitement to this track. Sophistication is next, a track in which The Clash were instrumental with their Should I Stay Or Should I Go track, you can see that in its stop start riff. Cocaine Blues follows and is a more restrained track. Revolution Of The Heart opens gently with acoustic guitar and then settles into a more rock like groove. This is another slow burning track that gradually increases in its intensity to become something really fine over its six minute duration. With Chris Speeding’s understated guitar lines really hitting the mark, this track never explodes as such but the intensity and build both make a real impact.
The third album, ‘Car Crash Tapes’, is not as good as the first two and you can see why Island rejected it. The live tracks are taken from a bootleg recording that have been cleaned up for this set. Again, these are of their time but are a nice addition to what is another fine set from the ever-reliable Cherry Red /Esoteric label and the booklet is of the usual very high standard.
In conclusion, this won’t be to everyone’s taste but it shows that some quality music was being made in the days before punk. How this band failed to achieve major success is one of Rock’s more tragic tales.
Rising stars Tribe3 released their self-titled debut album in October 2023, and since then the Bridgend-based three-piece have been raising their profile, storming the concert and festival circuits with their superb musicianship and immersive and impactful style of prog. Guitarist Chris Jones (guitars) and Steve Hughes (bass, bass pedals and keyboards) had previously collaborated as the instrumental fusion band EleKtriK, and with the addition of Jonathan Kinsey on drums – and subsequently vocals and keys – they rebranded as the more prog-centric Tribe3.
Their debut album revealed the band to be mature and experienced musicians. Despite nods to established Prog bands such as Yes, Genesis, Rush and Marillion, along with elements from their fusion experience, Tribe3 was already evolving its own distinctive voice. How does the new album, ‘Life Amongst Strangers‘, measure up to its predecessor?
Although each song stands alone, there is a loosely overarching theme of communication, and what can happen when it breaks down. Throughout the album we hear an increased confidence and cohesion in the songs and performances, and a quality of musicianship that triumphantly surpasses the promise of their debut.
The impressive four-part opening track, Voyager, is epic in both style and scope, paying homage to the Voyager interplanetary space programme. Voyager 1 and 2 were launched in 1977 to observe Jupiter, Saturn and the outer planets and have now passed out of the solar system into the vastness of interstellar space. Voyager 1 is currently the furthest manmade object from Earth.
Atmospheric electronica and an impetuous flurry of synths evoke the mystery and excitement of space travel. Solo piano introduces a 5-note pattern of rising fourths that underpins this first section, and Jonathan’s vocals radiate a sense of awe and wonder. An instrumental interlude, The Depth and the Wonder, opens with ambient synths portraying the unnerving calm of vast, empty distances, followed by a heroic fanfare from drums, cymbals and brass suggesting the grandeur of space and the pioneering spirit of space exploration, real and fictional. In Surfing the Maelstrom, distorted choral vocals and agitated drums lead to the brave but desperate cry of Alea Jacta Est as the probe crosses the border of the solar system to explore uncharted territories. In a moving conclusion that recalls H era Marillion, Jon’s exquisite high register vocals float above bleak piano and a shimmering cloud of synths as Voyager proceeds on its lonely odyssey.
Falls Like Rainis a chillingly powerful indictment of the relentless advance of the powerful, mercilessly crushing all who stand in their way. The track is dominated by the grandiose five-chord motif that opens proceedings and a choral refrain ‘Healthy, wealthy, makes a man wise’ that sounds like a malignant parody of an advertising jingle or the hysterical slogan from a political rally. The instrumental soundscape contrasts bright, metallic guitar and synths with the deep rumbling of bass pedals, while Jonathan’s mighty drums relentlessly pound out a brutal military march. By contrast the chorus, Should we let it go, poignantly embodies the anguished despair and powerlessness of the individual fighting to stand up to the forces of oppression. The track delivers its message with unnerving eloquence but its earworm melodies make for an addictively exciting and enjoyable listen.
In perfect contrast, The Last Encore is a rose-tinted retelling of the final scene of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Wistful flute and a carillon of synths establish a nostalgic atmosphere in a lilting waltz rhythm, suggesting that we are witnessing the tragedy at one remove, sat comfortably among the audience as the tragedy unfolds onstage. The track overflows with gloriously memorable melodies, and Jonathan’s vocals are sweet, lyrical and caressingly warm. The orchestration is ravishing, alternating rich symphonic swathes of sound with rippling arpeggios on keyboards and a tender flute solo. Moments of tension are provided by dissonant stabs from guitar and keyboards and Steve’s restlessly prowling bass line, but the rapturous chorus breaks through like sunshine after a storm. The soaring finale resounds with bittersweet “happy ever after” vibes as Jonathan sings ecstatically:
Wondrous times we can relive through moments
Holding hands we move onward.
Proceedings close with a yearningly emotional guitar solo from Chris which tugs at the heartstrings and finally fades into a wistful farewell from solo piano. After this, surely there cannot be a dry eye in the house!
Requiem for a Friend is a brief but moving keyboard solo written in memory of music journalist Jez Rowden. Jez was one of the first to promote and encourage Tribe3 when they first started out and remained a staunch supporter until tragically he passed away suddenly in March 2024. The music has an ethereal, timeless quality and a sense of vast, reverberant spaces. It segues into Life Amongst Strangers,coming to rest on a joyously serene chord before the full band bursts in with the song proper. The sound is bright, extrovert and upbeat, with a nod towards Moving Pictures-era Rush while also recalling Andy Foster’s Kite Parade. Spirited performances from each band member create a vibrantly animated texture, suggesting the myriad lives that stream past our eyes every day. The verses, with their jazzy rhythms, jaunty backing chorus and delightfully funky bass line, testify to Chris and Steve’s fusion background. The wistful harmonies of the chorus create a more pensive mood, reflecting the sense of alienation in the lyrics:
Living life amongst strangers
Too many places that I can’t reach
All unknown to me, how do they live their lives?
The darker lyrics of the second versemake the upbeat perkiness of the music feel hollow and sinister. At 7:30 the smooth synth-dominated texture is rudely interrupted by Chris’s strident and bluesy guitar but the introspective mood returns with Jon’s spine-tingling vocals supported only by a hazy wash of keyboards. The final chorus restores the upbeat mood, now overlaid with a poignant sense of longing. In the magical coda, ethereal falsetto vocals float over instrumentals that twinkle and shimmer like the countless stars that we see every night but can never reach.
The lyrics to The Front Line invoke the hopelessness of war, and the tragic waste of life it brings. While the images of trench warfare suggest World War I, the horror is universal. The track is unified by recurring patterns in the instrumentals, such as the haunting guitar motif which bookends the track, ringing out like distantly tolling bells, and a cool instrumental groove with a trippy keyboard loop, jazzy guitar and prominent bass line. To my ear this light, jazzy music feels quite disconnected to the dark lyrics, perhaps depicting the ‘numb and quiet’ minds of the soldiers awaiting the call to go over the top. After the doomed soldier asks ‘Will I escape?’ the dreamlike atmosphere becomes darker and more urgent. Chris’s guitar soars and spirals in anguished agitation, then over a stark background of gunfire from the drums Jon makes dramatic use of spoken vocals. The thrilling instrumental section that follows stunningly showcases the musicians’ tight rapport as they navigate rhythmic and textural complexities with assurance and panache. The dramatic conclusion is truly masterful. Jon’s impassioned vocals perfectly express the bitter desperation of the lyrics, the ‘blood red garden’ suggesting not only the blood of the dying soldier but also the iconic image of the poppy fields on the Somme:
I see my dreams before my helpless sight
Flashing by so quickly, film underscored
Where I lie will others see?
Someone yelling out and floundering – overwrought
Those misguided never grieve
For in my blood red garden, silent I will leave
With its moving journey from mysteriously atmosphericopening to triumphantly soaring conclusion, Evening Tidecloses the album on a grandiose blaze of proggy glory. It is a poignant love song from the Earth to the Moon, with the bittersweet twist that the Moon is gradually drifting away from the Earth. The track has an epically cinematic sweep, with Steve and Jon’s keyboards transporting us effortlessly from one lush, symphonic soundscape to the next. Jon’s warm, thoughtfully nuanced vocals and Chris’s eloquently emotive guitar perfectly convey the sense of devotion and yearning expressed in the lyrics, while drums and bass intensify the atmosphere and bind the whole sonic canvas together. I’m reminded of Dawn Treader, the heart-warming final track from the band’s debut album, but the overwhelming musical and emotional impact of this song shows just how much further still Tribe3 have travelled.
Tribe3 are a force to be reckoned with, a fresh and exciting voice in the world of prog. Rich in expressive melodies, intricate rhythmic subtleties and sweeping, evocative soundscapes, ‘Life Amongst Strangers’ promises to be one of this year’s most significant and enjoyable releases. Listen to it. Immerse yourself in it. Introduce it to your friends. Music like this makes the world a better place.
“On their fourth album, The Weever Sands take their listeners to the gentle, soothing, and peaceful side of the ocean. The magnificent title track follows the beautiful Moonfish on a day’s journey from the sunlit surface to the deep waters and back again, starting by daybreak until the soft whale song lays him to sleep. The main track is framed by two tracks that act like siblings, drawing their inspiration from literature and flowing like crystal-clear rivers to the sea. Combining elements of Folk, Prog, Minimal, Ambient, and classical music and dealing with the issue of inner peace and self-love, The Weever Sands provide a listening experience full of elegant tunes, delicate and fragile acoustic fabrics, friendly and sometimes dreamy moods, a grain of humour, and high-class virtuosity.”
There is nothing quite like Jens-Peter Gaul and The Weever Sands, a complex and highly imaginative musical collective that deliver music similar to Mike Oldfield but Oldfield on a day when his mind is a bit skew whiff and not quite in touch with reality. It is utterly joyous and occasionally chaotic stuff with amazing musical guests like Les Penning, Terry Oldfield, Armin Rave, Geo Schaller, Jan Christiana and Dyanne Potter collaborating on this imaginative and completely left-field release.
Oh, I Said, And Turned Vanilla (River I) is a mind-bending musical trip of acid folk and rap that just draws you in and refuses to let go, captivating and downright barmy, I loved every minute of it!
Moonfish (Opah) is supposed to be following the magnificent eponymous fish on a meandering journey from the surface of the sea to depths and back again. Well, if this piece of music is anything to go on, he has a pretty good day! It’s uplifting and joyous and mad as a box of frogs. The great thing about music like this is that it is addictive and you literally cannot stop yourself listening to it. My commute to work is about thirty minutes and I spent a few days replaying this enchanting and madcap piece of musical joy on my drive to and from work and, do you know what, it made those journeys fly by. It’s music to lose yourself in and music that makes your life a better place and I applaud Jens and all his fellow musicians for having the foresight and bravery to create it.
Oh, I Said, And Blushed Like An Idiot (River II), like its bookend companion, compliments the title track with some fine, mainly instrumental music. It’s like someone set Morse Code to a soundtrack and it really, really shouldn’t work but, thankfully, in this crazy world that we live in, it does and it works brilliantly. It’s running time is just under nine minutes but it just flies by like a flash and then, almost unbelievably, all I want to do is go back and listen again!
The Weever Sands return with another journey through the looking glass. Music created as art and not easily accessible but, if you get it, you are privy to a most enlightening experience and one like no other. If it doesn’t resonate with you then I feel truly sorry for you as you are missing out on a most magical musical masterpiece.
The acclaimed Swedish progressive rock band Karmakanic is back with their highly anticipated sixth studio album, ‘Transmutation’. Produced by the band’s founder and visionary leader Jonas Reingold, The album has been mixed by five-time Grammy Award winner Chris Lord-Alge, renowned for his work with legends such as Muse, Tina Turner, and Bruce Springsteen.
For this album, Jonas Reingold has assembled a Dream Team of internationally renowned musicians, including Simon Phillips, Steve Hackett, Nick D’Virgilio, John Mitchell, Andy Tillison, Craig Blundell, Randy McStine, Amanda Lehmann, Rob Townsend, Roger King and Luke Machin, to name just a few!
Jonas Reingold comments:
“With ‘Transmutation’, I wanted to create not just music but an experience – the best progressive rock album in modern time, a place where the listener can dream, reflect, and be carried away by the sound. Listen to all these wonderful musicians in a high fidelity environment. Working with these extraordinary musicians has made this album truly special to me.”
Lofty ambitions from the renowned bass player and all round stellar musician, can this new release from one of my favourite modern day progressive units live up to them, let’s see shall we?
It’s been a long time since the release of Karmakanic’s previous album, the rather excellent ‘Dot’, back in 2016 and Jonas has been a very busy man in that time, being the ‘go-to’ bass player for not just progressive rock acts. Thankfully for us, Jonas has found the time to create another profound collection of songs under the Karmakanic banner and I consider myself to be a lucky soul bringing you the fruits of his labours here in this review.
I have always been huge fan of Karmakanic, their wonderful joie de vivre and the hope and joy in their uplifting songs is just amazing to hear and always lifts my mood. Send A Message From The Heart from 2008’s ‘Who’s The Boss In The Factory’ and Higher Ground & Steer By The Stars from the aforementioned ‘Dot’ are just a few examples of the inspiring music that Jonas and the band can create and gives him a lot to live up to.
Album opener Brace For Impact is a powerful instrumental introduction to the new release with some fiery, edgy guitar from Jonas, thunderous drums from Simon Phillips and Andy Tillison’s distinctive keyboards all combining to deliver a profound statement of intent. I braced myself for the next track, the utterly captivating End Of The Road, possible the best Karmakanic track yet delivered to an expectant audience, it really is that good! A spellbinding introduction leads to one of John Mitchell’s finest vocal performances, ably assisted by the lush tones of Randy McStine. Gorgeous musical themes abound, Luke Machin delivers some elegant guitar lines and solos along with exquisite acoustic guitar from Jan-Olof Jonsson and you are welcomed into a wide ranging vista of bewitching charm. Don’t be surprised if the repeat button on your remote gets a lot of work with this track, it is just brilliant. Cosmic Love has more than a feel of the 80’s about it with the fine keyboards of Jonas and John’s urgent voice driving things along. Some excellent slap bass straight out of that decade will put a smile on your face as, in tandem with more dynamic drumming from Craig Blundell, he ups the ante. Randy adds great backing to John and the requisite guitar lines to create another great track.
I don’t know if it is just me but John Mitchell’s vocals seem to be at their finest at the moment and he goes on to showcase his excellent voice on the stunning We Got The World In Our Hands, a song that shouts Karmakanic more than any other on the album. The music literally has you walking on air and feeling the world is a happy place and if you can go through the eight minutes of this track without singing the chorus, you have a lot more restraint than me! A four strong guitar line up of John, Jonas, Randy and Krister Jonsson imbue the song with sophisticated layers and Simon Phillips is once again on top form with the drum kit. It’s another superb track but it’s the vocals that really stand out for me, just dazzlingly sublime. An edgy atmosphere arrives with the opening to All That Glitters Is Not Gold, an almost folky feel brought on by flute and accordion to this cautionary tale. Jonas’ songwriting seems to just get better and better and is brought to life by this supreme collection of highly talented musicians. John’s vocal has a catch to it, a sombre feel if you like and the music a little haunting edge, along with some fine lead guitar, all strident and dominating, from Kristen again. If it could be said that Karmakanic have a dark side, it is let loose on this deliciously dark feeling piece. A big nod must go to Rob Townsend and his ever impressive saxophone playing.
A measured guitar and keyboards add to John’s precise vocal delivery to give a cautionary feel to Gotta Lose This Ball And Chain, a harder edged piece of music that shows a more measured and considered side to the band. Sven Cirnski layers his sophisticated guitar over Tomas Bodin’s keys and the fabulous rhythm section of Jonas and Simon and Krister gets to fire off a suitably impressive guitar solo. A catchy chorus and the fine musicianship give subtle polish to the track and it is wonderful to hear Göran Edman’s stylishly theatrical vocals at the end. And so to the final, and title, track, Transmutation, Jonas and Karmakanic have always been known for delivering superb and engrossing epic tracks on their albums (Dot and Send A Message From The Heart being prime examples) and Jonas does not let us down here with a twenty-three minute musical tour-de-force. The song ebbs and flows perfectly with some utterly mesmerising musicianship from the assembled cast of legendary progressive musicians, Steve Hackett, Andy Tillison, Krister Johnson, Roger King, Rob Townsend, Jan-Olof Jonsson, Nick D’Virgilio, the list goes on and every single one of them seems just happy to be there and be involved in this amazing musical project. Thunderous guitar and drums, elegant keyboards and Hammond organ, brilliant saxophone and John Mitchell and Amanda Lehmann laying down exquisitely graceful vocals, this track literally has it all and showcases the musician’s ability to blend complex musical arrangements with superb musicianship and emotional depth. I couldn’t think of a finer way to close an album.
‘Transmutation’ takes all the best elements of ‘Who’s The Boss In The Factory’ and ‘Dot’ to create an utterly engaging listen with all the hallmarks of what makes Karmakanic such a celebrated outfit. Consistently brilliant from the first note to the last, Jonas Reingold and his FC Barcelona of progressive all stars have delivered a musical experience to transcend most others.
‘Black Science and White Lies’ is the third album from Infringement after ‘Alienism’ (2019) and ‘Transition’ (2017) The album follows a man’s journey through faith, his identity and, eventually, his redemption.
Infringement are Stig André Clason (guitar), Kristoffer Utby (drums), and Hans Andreas Brandal (vocals). Keyboardist Bård Thorstensen joined the band for their live performances and soon became a permanent member. Their latest addition, to complete the permanent line-up, is Emil Olsen on bass. Brandal has a somewhat theatrical style of singing that works well on this fine two track (in multiple parts) album of two pieces, White Lies and Black Science.
Together these two tracks comprise the entire 43-minute duration of the album, an unusual and somewhat intense sounding album that mixes narrative and some fiercely strident and hard-hitting music. I recommend that you have the CD booklet at hand so you can follow the narrative more easily, as it is can be a bit obscure otherwise. Even so, it’s not easy to follow what’s going on. I found it better to just go with the flow and listen to it as a complete piece of a journey. On White Lies, the acoustic guitar, keyboards and piano work very well ,acting as a counterpoint to the despair of the vocals, as does the guitar break at the end of the track that gives such great dynamics to the piece.
I actually find strong connections in this piece to the parable of the prodigal son, where a son leaves home and eventually realises he was better off at home. This theme is especially apparent White Lies pt. 3 – Apostasy which is backed with a very muscular beat and a thrust of energy and power. There is great use of the Hammond organ throughout this section with some sinewy snaking guitar lines and power chords giving the track its impetus and drive. The following section sees the return to the fold as it were as he seeks reconnection to his family. Again this is all very much theatrical in tone and actually works well like that.
After this we move to the second, five piece, suite of Black Science, which is slightly longer in length. This piece opens with good interplay between the organ and the rhythm section with powerful drums from Kristoffer Utby and strong parts from bassist Emil Olsen alongside Stig André Clason‘s subtle guitar playing. The sound is complex and constantly changing in both style and tempo, there is more than a whiff of both Gentle Giant and King Crimson in this track as it evolves steadily, the piano from Bård Thorstensen is really fine and offers a good balance to the intensity of the other sections of the track.
I will admit to not having a clue as to what this track is about, although it seems to be about a state of evolution. The organ is very prevalent during the Crimson Skies segment of the track as are the epic tones of Redemption, along with more fine guitar work from Stig André Clason, whose playing is never less than stellar, his last solo concluding the track and album in style.
‘Black Science and White Lies’ is a very interesting and somewhat intense listen, as it will demand much concentration in order to fully grasp the concepts it contains. It is worth the effort though as Infringement reward you with some excellent musical passages and performances with some great sections and playing. I really wouldn’t mind delving further into previous albums from the band to get a grip of what they are all about.
The booklet for the album gives a lot more information and is a recommended aid to getting the best from the music of the album.
