Clive Mitten is, I guess you could say, what was called back in the day (pre internet age) eccentric raised in a musical family. Clive only discovered rock music at his boarding school. He was originally taught an appreciation and understanding of classical music forms and structures from his Grandmother. He then later graduated to being a bass player in Twelth Night and these days spends his time deconstructing and reconstructing progressive rock classics alongside transcribing old musical scores for the modern age. Clive definitely walks his own path these days, and that is good for all of us as he has turned his gaze to some of progressive rock’s finest moments and created stunning takes and remakes on the likes of King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, ELP and Rush, among others, with this remarkable 2 disc album.
Clive performs everything you will hear in what has been a very labour intensive task. Most of these tracks will be very familiar to most listeners but what you will notice afresh is the sheer brilliance and beauty of these pieces that Clive conveys and I’m sure you will gain a freshly found appreciation for these old songs. There are no vocals and everything is handled in an orchestral manner, so no wild guitars or the like. In addition, familiar passages are recorded with different instruments taking centre stage so, for example, ELP’sFanfare For The Common Man has a very layered sound and the throbbing bass of Greg Lake is replaced by a strident piano, with the synths also being replaced by the piano. Yet, even so, the piece does not entirely lose its power, it is just a little more restrained in tone. Yes, you may miss some of the synths but it is still fully recognisable, albeit in an altered form. I actually really like what Clive has done here, it is a bold reinterpretation of a very well known track, it is also abridged from its more familiar nine-plus minutes running time. The drums may be a tad pedestrian in places but it still passes muster, as does the Genesis segment that pulls together the main themes from Watcher of The Skies, Fountain Of Salmalcis, The Musical Box and Firth of Fifth together into a rather fine medley, especially the final Firth of Fifth section which is utterly sublime and highlights just how utterly graceful and gorgeous the original piece truly was. I’m sure a certain Mr Anthony Banks would approve of this very graceful and sensitive working. Purists might, I guess, take issue with the version of Firth of Fifth as it relies on orchestrations rather than the one we all know and love, the guitar solo being taken by other instruments yet, once again, within that remains the highly recognisable melody line. Again, I feel his version definitely has merit and allows for a fresh appreciation of the original track.
I think any Progressive Rock fan will find these takes interesting as they show these pieces in a different light and that is a very good thing. Okay, you miss certain little thing like the parts and power chords that Alex Lifeson plays on Cygnus X1 but does it really matter? I think not as when Rush played it live, it was always different from the recorded version. This version highlights just what incredible interaction and harmony Rush had at the time and just how much they were pushing their own boundaries, okay the drums aren’t in the Neil Peart realm, but they work well with the track as it is. The link between Cygnus X1Books I and II is interesting and totally new but is in the same spirit as the original versions. Overall this sequence works well as, again, the brilliance of the original is clear to see.
The 21st Century Schizoid Man/Starless combo really makes an impression with the piano playing the main riff and marimba also plays a striking part in the complex rhythms. The original’s almost atonal discordant sound is realised here by the use of these other instruments and their tones, especially in the part that was covered by the guitar. Although the majority of that section is overshadowed by the switch to the Starless melody, with the fabulous guitar line being covered by brass instruments. This really makes a different sound to the original version, a double bass also covering the bass lines with style and grace. I really love this version of what for me is King Crimson’s finest moment.
The albums other songs covered include Close To The Edge by Yes which is also extremely well done, as is Tarkus (again by ELP), Marillion’s Garden Party/GrendelIQ’sWidows Peak and Refugees from Van der Graaf Generator.
Taken together this album does a wonderful task of fresh revisitations of some truly classic pieces. It is a complete labour of love and a show of total commitment to making an interesting and intelligent re-reading of the seminal tracks.
An instrumental prog tour-de-force from the Greek duo
Residuos Mentales is a studio-based instrumental progressive rock project from Athens, Greece, formed by Stratos Morianos (on keyboards) and Alexandros Mantas (on guitars and flute) in 2012. A Temporary State of Blissis their second release (their debut album was ‘Introspection‘ back in 2018) and were it not for Epic Prog Rock Radio DJ Bob Prigmore giving it generous airplay towards the end of 2023 on his show, it might well have flown under my radar (as so many worthy releases on Bandcamp can do).
I am so pleased that I discovered this glorious musical endeavour, because not only has it turned out to be one of my top albums of 2023, but over the last few months it has significantly grown further in stature and regard with repeated plays. As a result, I felt that a full review was needed at the start of this year to spread the word within the prog rock community of this sparkling jewel.
This is modern instrumental progressive rock of the highest order. Influenced by the classic era bands such as ‘Camel’, ‘Yes’, ‘Genesis’, ‘Pink Floyd’, ‘Gentle Giant’ and ‘King Crimson’ – but it has a fresh, vibrant and contemporary sound which takes in heavier and prog-metal influences to create truly cinematic and panoramic soundscapes, along with Greek influences from their homeland.
There is no doubt that a lyrical content to progressive rock does provide a compositional structure which the instrumentation may not be able to do on its own. As a result, many instrumental releases can be long, drawn-out affairs which lack variety and depth once the key themes are rendered. Keeping the music complex and ever changing can avoid this, but then there is a danger of the music becoming merely technical and virtuoso grandstanding, lacking continuity and emotion. Residuous Mentales have successfully avoided both these pitfalls with A Temporary State of Bliss, producing an album full of epic themes, unexpected twists and turns, and, quality musicianship, without sacrificing the emotional heft that the music can deliver.
By 2016 Alexandros and Stratos (who is also a member of the acclaimed Greek prog band ‘Verbal Delirium’) had composed enough material for 3 full albums, but it was the more recent output that comprised their Introspection debut album. The material on A Temporary State of Bliss, pre-dates that, but has gone through significant changes in the studio, led by producers Vangelis Spanakakis and Dimitris Radis, and then revised and adjusted over the extended lockdowns of the Covid pandemic. In fact, Dimitris has contributed guitars and bass to the final album, whilst YiannisIliakis (from the Greek prog rock band ‘Ciccada’) has supplied the dynamic drums and percussion that embolden the whole album. Other guest musicians add their sparkle here and there, to create a very cohesive and exciting release.
A Temporary State of Bliss starts wonderfully with the first, and longest, of the two epics on the album, called The Stuff of Dreams. Sub-divided into seven sections, each with a distinctive musical character, this 17-minute tour-de-force is never allowed to drift along aimlessly, as many such extended instrumental tracks can do at times. It begins atmospherically enough with the soothing sound of repeating, futuristic, ‘Vangelis’-like synth patterns, supported by resonating bass synths, as a simple, melodic guitar-led pattern slowly develops. The music then builds majestically with a rich flurry of keyboards from Stratos, before the tempo quickens with strummed acoustic guitar, accompanied by soaring and exuberant, multi-layered keyboards and dynamic drumming from Yiannis.
The subsequent interplay between guitar and keyboards is a joy to behold, with soaring and sweeping electric guitar soloing and keyboards flights of fancy, but with shifts in tempo throughout. Stabs of piano, rich bass and percussive excursions maintain the variety, producing a sound at times bright and uplifting, and then dreamy and blissful – all held together with intriguing musical transitions and a myriad of twists and turns. While the influence of classic 70s prog is undoubtedly there, especially early ‘Camel’ (I also picked up hints of classic ‘Mike Oldfield’ midway amongst other musical echoes), it is all directed through a more contemporary lens, keeping the music fresh, vibrant and delightfully unpredictable.
The track takes on a much darker character later on, as some dense guitar riffing and eerie solo notes, combine with a creeping bass guitar, nervy, discordant piano and ticking percussive sounds conjuring up unsettling ‘Red’-era King Crimson atmospherics. The nightmarish trip to Hades and back is cemented by haunting vocals from Maria Tseva intertwining with dynamic synths. The manic intensity and pace build and shifts back and forth, following Dimitris’s Rush-like guitar soloing, but there is still time for Alexandros to deliver a soothing, closing Floydian guitar solo to bring us out of the darkness. The pace doesn’t drop though, and the track gallops towards a satisfying fade out with spritely drums, a repeating guitar pattern and lush piano and keyboards. Simply marvellous!
The Missing Part provides a welcome lull in the musical ensemble intensity but is equally impressive, despite it being the shortest track on the album at under 6 minutes). Stately piano from Stratos and a melodic, fluid and yearning electric guitar create real magic over the background wash of keyboards. The spirit of Andy Latimer resonates, before a beautiful, haunting trumpet solo from Vaggelis Katsarelis (written by Stratos), brings a late-night jazz feel to proceedings, as modal piano chords anchor the music firmly. However, just when you think the track has peaked, Alexandros delivers a simply stunning, melancholic and deeply personal guitar solo to melt your heart, before the pace quickens and trumpet and piano sign off this little musical gem. The song title remained the same throughout the relatively quick compositional period and refers, according to Alexandros, to the missing parts of our lives.
A Series of Self-Correcting Errors might be shorter than the opening epic by 5 minutes, but it is another stunningly diverse, ambitious and exhilarating instrumental that never rests on its thematic laurels for too long. Originally titled ‘Void, Prog and There Again’, Stratos, along with Alexandros, shaped the musical journey over nine months and the composition was driven by the need to make each specific part as interesting to listen to as possible. Their thinking was: “If this song would come on the radio, would you reach for the knob and change the station? If the answer was yes, we would scrap it and come up with something else!”
Gentle, slightly off-kilter, acoustic guitar playing is joined by a layering of electric guitar and piano, with string-like synthesisers building up tension, but nothing quite prepares you with the sudden explosion of raucous, swirling and devilish electric guitar over a bustling bass and drum rhythm (echoes of ‘Rush’ and specifically ‘La Villa Strangiato’ for sure). The music takes a smoother course temporarily, but the dynamic beat still maintains the frantic intensity, with more complex guitar and keyboard interplay, before the prog-metal power returns and the twinkling, descending piano and keyboards take us down the proverbial rabbit hole to places unknown.
The music becomes more serene and pastoral in nature for a time, flowing beautifully – propelled by dreamy synthesiser sounds and an effortlessly smooth guitar solo from Alexandros over luscious Mellotron-like chords. Things seem reconciled and at peace, but then a subtle but more menacing tones begins to pervade the soundscape and we are propelled back into full-on, dynamic and wild section full of driving drums, ethereal flute sounds (from Leonidas Sarantopoulos), powerful guitar shredding complexity from George Karayiannis, and a wickedly catchy, funky Hammond organ that ‘Keith Emerson’ would have been proud of.
After some musical stops and starts the final section is heralded by a wonderfully dark and dirty bass rhythm from Dimitris that provides the impetus for the driving beat and the subsequent urgency and cinematic sweep the track delivers, with Dimitris also behind the expansion guitar solo that closes this stunning epic.
The album closes impressively with Impending Catastrophe and takes us on a voyage from calmer waters to impending doom in only 9 minutes. It begins with tranquil, twinkling nursery-like keyboards, over lush background chords and serene flute notes, and the sense of innocent serenity is emphasised by soft acoustic guitar patterns. However, the introduction of ‘Spock’s Beard’-style keyboards, resonating guitar patterns and some punchy brass instrument programming provides a drive and sway to the music – with a darker tone set by more prog-metal guitar riffs. Suddenly, we are in a full-blown ‘proggy’ extravaganza of melodic guitar soloing and delicious flurries of keyboards to savour fully. It would have been an easy option to have prolonged this charming section further, but the track’s tempo eases, and a rich church organ sound permeates the music prior to the introduction of dreamy chiming bell notes.
There is a mid-way majestic rise in intensity followed by a galloping sense of threat, and even an interim moment of tranquillity produced by the expressive flute, melodic piano and evocative keyboard chords cannot hold back the impending catastrophe to come. Orchestral-like sounds shape the symphonic prog splendour typified by Stratos’s rich ‘Six Wives’ ‘Rick Wakeman’-like keyboards accompanying the rising drum tempo, before the final diminution and eulogy of the final church organ notes. The dramatic atmosphere seems to hang in the air as album finally closes.
Over 4 tracks, and a total running time of 44 minutes, the album is perfect for listening to in one sitting, and never feels like it overstays its welcome at any time. If intelligent and modern instrumental progressive rock appeals to you, A Temporary State of Bliss will not disappoint. Classic era prog and symphonic rock themes mingle with more contemporary influences, including touches of prog metal, jazz, Greek folk and even a hint of funk, with the music constantly weaving and displaying stylistic shifts, but without losing its dynamism, emotional content and unique identity. Highly recommended!
This is a list of the albums that have made a big impression on me this year. They are not in any order although several marked☆ are my favourites and I will nominate one as my album of the year.
Here is the list:
1.Orion– The End Of Suffering – This came out of nowhere and it is a testament to one man’s vision and willingness to create music that he wanted to.
3. John Greenwood – Dark Blue ☆☆ This arrived, again largely unnoticed, but what a brilliant release, thoughtful, emotional and an utterly captivating listen.
14. Nick Fletcher – Quadrivium ☆☆☆ My album of the year. Fusion for today, an album forging forward and beyond while embracing the past.Unbelievably fine music that is beautifully realised.
15. Pattern Seeking Animals – Spooky Action At A Distance – Fourth excursion from some-time Spock’s Beard men along with John Boegehold and a further step forward.
16. Cyan – Pictures From The Other Side – Second album from Rob Reed’s excellent young project, with Peter Jones and Luke Machin firing on all cylinders.
20. Swan Chorus – Achilles and The Difference Engine – My favourite vocal led album of the year, especially the wonderfully poignant track Being There about Peter Sellers, a beautiful song.
It’s been a tremendously fine year for music. A post-covid boom has inspired some stalwart activities with some excellent and impressive releases, here’s to an even better 2024!
2023 has been a fantastic year for music with an absolute plethora of superb albums that I have reviewed. It’s always very difficult indeed to pick out my favourite twenty releases from such a stellar year but here are the ones that have really left a mark for me.
They are in no particular order for the first nineteen but I have debated long and hard about my number one album so read on and find out what has taken the honour for 2023…
This Winter Machine – ‘The Clockwork Man’
‘The Clockwork Man’ is modern, neo-tinged, progressive rock at its finest and most involving, perfectly created and performed by a band who have found their feet after three accomplished releases and have delivered their finest work yet. This Winter Machine now stand at the forefront of modern neo-progressive rock and can be rightly proud of a concept album that can stand the test of time with some of the best that have gone before.
One Sided Horse – ‘My Favourite City At Night In The Rain’
So, there you have it, ‘My Favourite City At Night In The Rain’ is quite possibly one of the most important albums you will listen to this year. If you want an example of why music is so wonderful and moves people in so many ways then you cannot pick a better example than this utterly triumphant work of art, Mark Whiteside and OneSided Horse please take a bow, I thank you from the bottom of my heart…
Well, what can I say, I knew that a new Hekz album would be something pretty good but I had no idea it would be this special. With ‘Terra Nova’, Hekz have given us the ultimate involving musical thrill ride and I just don’t want to get off. To tell the truth, it’s the best progressive-metal album I’ve heard in many a year and, if this is the future of the genre, I’m completely sold!
‘Threnody For A Dead Queen’ is Comedy Of Errors at their very, very best, the music builds, almost as if alive, it has moods and emotions and captivates from the very first note. This band just get better and better with each wonderful album they create and, without exception, this release is up there with the very best of the year so far. Hell, in my opinion, it is Comedy Of Errors’ best yet, their Magnum Opus if you like and you should just go out and buy it!
‘The Author and the Dreamer’ connects with you in your sub-conscious, the songwriting and performances are second to none and Zeelley Moon’s innate Englishness and idiosyncracies are what make this music so appealing and enjoyable and one of my albums of 2023. Do yourselves a favour and get your hands on it as soon as you can!
Released 20th November, 2023.
Download and streaming on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music and the usual others.
Physical Album sales available on Discogs.com or direct at zeelleymoon@yahoo.co.uk.
The Round Window – ‘Everywhere & Nowhere’
Everywhere & Nowhere’ takes everything that was great about the band’s debut and just lifts it several levels. It is lush, classy, insightful and so melodically impressive and is an album that The Round Window should be mightily proud of. Difficult second album? not for these highly accomplished musicians!
Music has the power to move you and impact on your life in a positive manner and, with ‘Himlabacken Vol. 2’, Moon Safari have delivered the most wonderfully uplifting collection of songs I have heard this year. A joyous, mood enhancing release that just makes this world we live in a better place to be, if only for a short time. Trust me, you need this album in your life!
With ‘The Cycle Undone’The Twenty Committee have not only returned triumphant, they have also delivered one of THE musical experiences of 2023. Highly emotive songwriting allied with musicianship of the utmost quality, the band’s sophomore release builds on the enormous promise of their debut all those years ago. It may be ten years after but, boy, what a way to make a comeback!
‘Cautionary Tales’ is one of the freshest sounding albums you will hear this year, it is prog-metal for the thinking music fan and has real heart and soul at its core. I for one am intrigued to see what this talented duo come up with next.
A Southern Empire record is always just more than an album release, it’s a hugely significant occasion and one that I await with bated breath. Their music has been a soundtrack of my more recent years and is very, very important to me on a musical and emotional level. ‘Another World’is an absolute masterpiece of musical theatre and, possibly, the band’s Magnum Opus, one of the best albums you will hear this or any other year, and the perfect accompaniment to my life.
It’s not often we hear a truly progressive release nowadays but, almost from out of nowhere, John Greenwood has entered the fray with one of the finest releases of 2023. The musicianship and songwriting are top notch and, like all the best albums, I find this on almost permanent rotation, it is, to put it simply, utterly superb!
There is nothing better than music that connects with you at a basic level, music that moves you and music that almost becomes part of you and Ross Wilson and Blue Rose Code create music that is all that and more. This collection of B-sides, varieties and singles is something that should be cherished and I, for one, cannot wait for 2024 and a new album from this incredible musician. Ross Wilson, my friend, I wish you peace in your heart…
There’s no weak link on this album, it just ebbs and flows beautifully, although the last three tracks go together so well. They’re possibly the best triumvirate of songs that the band have ever done back to back. With the Skallagrim series Glass Hammer proved themselves masters of the dynamic and grandiose and ‘Arise’ gives the impression that the creative skills of Steve Babb have gone into overdrive, is there a better storyteller in modern progressive music?
I chose ‘The Last Great Adventurer’ as my album of the year for 2022 and, in a fast paced world that never stands still, Galahad haven’t rested on their laurels. They have returned with ‘The Long Goodbye’, another wondrous musical journey that mesmerises and bewitches from beginning to end, and even surprises in places. Could this be another contender at the end of the year, I definitely don’t see why not!
Beatrix Players return triumphant with the mesmerising ‘Living & Alive’, a collection of songs that are bewitching and compelling and leave you in no doubt of their stature in the music industry of today. The sublime voice of Amy Birks and outstanding musicianship on show have created one of the most outstanding releases of 2023 and one that should be on your list of must buy albums, it really is that good!
One of the things I love about music is when it surprises you and this debut release from The Anchoret has been a revelation. ‘It All Began With Loneliness’ is an astonishingly good album, in fact jaw-droppingly so, and is already up there as one of my favourites of the year. As prog-metal albums go, it doesn’t get much better than this!
When you listen to as much new music as I do, it takes something truly special to stand out and ‘Mad & Killing Time’ is just that, Ebb delivering a musical highlight of the year and one that is totally unique to this incredibly talented bunch of artists. Go seek it out, you will not de disappointed in any way at all.
Riverside are a band who have always gone their own way and been proud to defy convention and after the dark melancholy and sadness of recent releases, the band have returned with a brightly shining beacon of light. ‘ID.Entity’ is a generally uplifting album that puts a huge smile on my face every time I hear it and one that, I’m sure, will still be lighting up people’s lives for years to come.
The Tangent – ‘Pyramids, Stars & Other Stories: The Tangent Live Recordings 2004-2017’
Ah, to reminisce is a joy we should always hold dear and this wonderful live release from one of the UK’s most venerated prog bands is a sentimental journey down memory lane and one that will remind you why The Tangent are held in such warm regard and also why live music is something worth cherishing and preserving. We, the fans, hold it in our hands to make sure music stays live so albums as brilliant as this can still get made!
And so it all comes down to this, the one album that just about reared its head above all others to be my favourite of 2023. It’s not a default decision, this release has really moved the game on for one of the UK’s most influential underground bands…
The Fierce And The Dead – ‘News From The Invisible World’
News From The Invisible World’– true fans will love it, there’s real maturity and creativity in this album, The Fierce And The Dead shift effortlessly between different styles to show they are no one trick ponies. You could say that this is a case of a band reinventing itself but staying close to their roots but it’s more than that, this is band raising their game to the highest level and that is really where they belong…
Thank you if you have made it this far and thank you for supporting Progradar through 2023, I don’t have a crystal ball but I’m pretty sure that 2024 is going to be another fantastic year of music so hang around for the ride, it’s going to be exciting!
Anthony Phillips is the forgotten former member of Genesis who was there at the beginning but due to his extreme fear of being on stage, quit the band after the ‘Trespass’ album, leaving the door open for a certain young Steve Hackett, whose story is widely known.
Anthony is not the first musician to quit or to struggle with stage fright as many others, like Eddie Van Halen and Ozzy Osborne have also suffered through its clutches. Andy Partridge of XTC is also a fellow sufferer, although that is more with anxiety though but still, it is similar in nature and has an a debilitating effect. Many others also are affected, more than you would imagine really. Anthony simply wasn’t able to function in this realm and he decided to leave the group he had helped found and devote himself to a more classical direction, he was also a qualified music teacher for a while and he also studied orchestration.
All of which leads me to this newly remastered and extended version of his 1990 album ‘Slow Dance’ which is heavily classically influenced and gives rein to his wonderfully inventive playing and orchestrations. There is more than a hint of 1977’s ‘The Geese And The Ghost’ album which has a similar style.
Whilst I am not a classical buff by any means, other than the basics and well known classics, I find there is much to appreciate in this fine reissue. I think of it more as a tone poem or score and as such, it is definitely a case of repeated listening to get the subtle moments of brilliance that are on display here. The main album is in 2 parts, although the extra tracks on the second CD are also interesting, mainly being edited portions of the entire main album.
I actually prefer Slow Dance Part One for some reason, I especially like the repeated gentle motif that reappears throughout the piece. This music is gentle, delicate and beautifully crafted, when you read in the accompanying booklet of the trials and tribulations that had to be stared down to enable its completion, you will, like me, no doubt be in awe of both the vision and commitment employed whilst making this album come to life. It really is a sumptuous piece of music, uplifting and life affirming in equal measure. It is a triumph of talent, perseverance and, above all, a towering testament to the grace and beauty of the music it contains.
Did I mention that it is totally instrumental? That said there is a wealth of creativity here. Slow Dance Part One is of twenty four minutes duration whilst Slow DancePart Two is twenty six and a half minutes in length and has more orchestrations, strings and synths than part one does. The synths are all very 1980’s in tone and, whilst good, sound slightly dated in parts. I also feel that part two lacks the same emotional depth as part one, although that may be my perception having heard part one more than part two.
Let’s explore each part in greater depth shall we?
Part One begins with washes of synthesisers laying down a great sound and setting the stage for a delicate acoustic guitar motif that will be repeated at frequent intervals. The synths swell again before a fingerprinted guitar line is played and the opening melody is played on synths. I really like the gentleness of this pastoral sounding section, it is very satisfying to hear such gracious and gentle tones amidst all the synthesised backing. A stronger note then ushers in an almost pizzicato played part along with woodwind and a chopsticks sounding piano section that returns to the main melody played once again. Lush strings return to the chopsticks sounding part and a clarinet leads to orchestrations. There is then a sectionis reminiscent of the main theme of ‘The Geese And The Ghost’ album as it has a similar sound to it, not identical but definitely similar in sound. We then enter a section of syncopated percussion elements which is very effective, after which we return to the main theme once again. The final section of part one is a keyboard along with a drum machine playing and whilst it doesn’t affect the quality, it does date the music to the era in which it was recorded, this piece then ends with a few more syncopated piano notes.
Part Two is decidedly different and more keyboard focused with the major portion being concerned with keyboard orchestrations, there are less guitar parts in this as a result, although this does give the whole piece room to evolve naturally, again the drum machine plays its part in keeping the pace of the piece. As we get further in a sequenced section begins with woodwind playing alongside it most effectively, the theme from part one reappearing in a slightly different form. The vast orchestrations are introduced to the sound interspersed with the sequenced section and a harder section with guitar fills is added but soon gives way to the orchestrations once again. This is where I feel the piece lacks a little focus and is merely using synthesisers to swell the sound without much substance. The sequenced part returns with string flourishes which actually sounds really good, although a bit like 1980’s Tangerine Dream in places. After this section ends we return to the main theme through sweeping strings and synth orchestrations, I’m hearing the open sweeping soundscapes of ‘Stratosfear’ by Tangerine Dream once again but this proceeds at a stately pace. It is all very epic and measured, the final section returns to little piano and keyboard runs to good effect. Part Two ends on gentle notes before fading away in the distance with a final play of the central melody.
In summary a most interesting but, possibly for most, not essential release with a great booklet explains the background to the album. I am very glad to have heard this for myself as I really enjoyed it even it lies outside of my normal listening material.
“I see you on the road, trying to find your way home and I wish you peace in your heart…”
A new (old) album from one of my favourite artists Blue Rose Code, ‘Curios 2009 – 2020’ is a collection of B-sides, rarities and singles, including several unreleased tracks. Strictly limited edition and, furthermore, only available on Bandcamp or the band’s website, its release is being used to finance the band’s sixth studio album, slated for release in May 2024.
Blue Rose Code is Edinburgh-born songwriter Ross Wilson. At the edge of contemporary alt-folk, Wilson’s music evokes a meeting of Van Morrison and a young John Martyn, both shipwrecked with a bunch of Motown records.
When I heard there was a new studio release in the offing I was straight in to order this limited edition CD, Ross is one of the best songwriters around at this moment in time and any music he writes is always something to savour and take with you for ever.
I wrote these words about Blue Rose Code’s album ‘With Healings Of The Deepest kind’;
“When it comes to music that salves the soul and gives joy to the heart, this album has few peers. An utter musical joy and one that everyone should listen to at least once, it has an honesty and innocence that is rare in the music industry these days.”
I always consider it an honour to able to review music as special as this so read on to see how I feel…
Chasing Sunlight (2016) is a single that came shortly after the release of ‘…And Lo! The Bird Is On The Wing’, the album that introduced me to Blue Rose Code, but was too late to be included on the record. It’s a wonderfully breezy and light stepping piece of music with elegant, intertwined male and female vocals and a stunning horn performance from jazz legend Colin Steele. There’s a fine acoustic guitar solo and the lap steel playing just adds to the easy going and uplifting atmosphere. Love (2009) was BRC’s first ever single and features utterly gorgeous vocals from Samantha Whates and Ross that just add to the wistful, laid back and ever so lush atmosphere created by the elegant string arrangement, what a beautiful piece of music! November’s Ghost – Live At The Queens Hall (2017) was written by Ross after the death of his grandmother and moving to London. This touching version is taken from his homecoming show at Edina’s Queens Hall in 2017. There’s a tender, loving feel to Ross’ vocal on this pared back track. Aided and abetted by some delicate guitar playing, you can feel the feeling of loss in his voice and it makes this simple piece ever so poignant. Polaris – Live At Gloworm Studios (2017), this is a haunting, dreamlike version of a favourite track from the 2017 release ‘The Waters Of Leith’. The piano and echoing strings meander mystically through your psyche, never really touching you but always leaving its mark on this meditative journey. I thought I’d heard everything that Ross could deliver since I first became a fan but (I Wish You) Peace In Your Heart (2020) is rapidly becoming one of my favourite BRC tracks. Written coming out of the pandemic, it’s a song of hope for reconnection and an embracing of human interdependence. It just sings of hope, faith and optimism in such a beautiful way. The sublime horn and Ross and Karine Polwart’s spiritual vocals, added to the graceful piano, just leave a warm feeling in your soul and a lump in your throat, an utterly stunning piece of music.
Sunday(2019) was written to be included on ‘With Healings Of The Deepest Kind’ but was released ahead of UK and Ireland tour as the album’s writing stalled. Another delightfully upbeat song akin to Chasing… there’s a wonderful feeling of belief and optimism to this graceful track and the music is just superb. Ever since I first heard the music, Blue Rose Code have had a sort of defined sound to me and Acquainted With The Night (2012) is the first piece I’ve heard where they take a major detour from that. A Robert Frost poem put to music, late in the ‘North Ten’ sessions, it has a low down, darker hue than most of Ross’s other tracks and stands out because of that, but in a very good way. The insistent guitar and Ross’ low vocals, combined with the contemplative, almost psychedelic, keyboards, give some real drama to this impressive song. Sallyann (2017) is an ode to two people who were like Ross’ surrogate parents during his tumultuous time in London. A story of two childhood sweethearts, Terry and Sally, in East London who were reunited after following their own journeys through life to spend twenty years together before Sally died of cancer in 2016 with Terry by her side. It’s a beautifully poignant piece of music that really tugs at the heartstrings with Ross’ patient vocal and some more of that gorgeous lap steel. Another memorable track with power and passion, (I Will) Lay you Down (2018) is a love song and a plea for peace and relief, written for a woman suffering with severe post-natal depression. There’s a heartfelt feel to the vocals and a peaceful air to the guitar and piano as this graceful song glides effortlessly along, highlighted by some sublime guitar playing. It’s a very compelling piece of music that builds in intensity as it continues and finishes with a profoundly moving solo. 100 Years(2019) was written for Ross’ performance at No Man’s Land at Perth Theatre, a special concert commemorating 100 years since Armistice Day and follows a young Scot who lies about his age to sign up for the Blackwatch and go to the Front to give his life. A melancholy and plaintive track that lays bare the feelings of loss and of doing your duty, it is a profound statement that bleeds a wishful yearning.
Written in a little cottage just outside Biggar, like most of ‘The Waters Of Leith’ and recorded during those sessions, Lonely (2018) shows a clear line-of-sight to where Wilson will take his music and band in the years to come. There’s a proper feeling of Americana to this song, the vocals and music having a definite country feel to them but that Scottish brogue always means it never strays completely that way. I love the harmonised female backing vocals and the stunning performance on lead guitar from a young Lyle Watt, a track I keep returning to. Now we get to THE song that defines Blue Rose Code for me, the sublime, wonderful Grateful (2015). Up until hearing the version on this release, I’d only ever heard the abridged version on ‘…And Lo!…’ or live versions and this full version, featuring Nashville Gospel legends, The McCrary Sisters, just absolutely blew me away. Written by Ross upon leaving rehab in Bournemouth, its simple message is delivered with class and the music has a laid back, jazzy refinement to it that is just brilliant. The vocals from Ross and The McCrary Sisters are just perfect and lend this sublime song all the gravitas it could ever need, just stunning! Ardroil(2012) is perhaps the most Celtic track on this collection, especially with the striking fiddle playing and subtle vocals. A little known gem, released as a b-side to Julie (from the album ‘North Ten’) all those years ago, Ardroil is an other-worldly beach in Uig, Isle of Lewis and this marvellous piece definitely has that other-worldly feel to it. Scotland Yet (2017) was written by the late, great Davy Steele and commissioned for the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Ross gives this simple tune a feel of grace and refinement, realising that it needs no embellishment and it closes out the album with pride and dignity.
There is nothing better than music that connects with you at a basic level, music that moves you and music that almost becomes part of you and Ross Wilson and Blue Rose Code create music that is all that and more. This collection of B-sides, varieties and singles is something that should be cherished and I, for one, cannot wait for 2024 and a new album from this incredible musician. Ross Wilson, my friend, I wish you peace in your heart…
‘Winter Crawls’ is the 13th solo album from prolific English musician, collage artist and writer Ashley Reaks. Writing and recording started in 2018 but was repeatedly interrupted and delayed by divorce, relocation, the Covid-19 pandemic and a string of chronic health conditions. ‘Winter Crawls’ is the first of Reaks’ albums to feature the polyrhythmic talents of drummer Rob Hirons, which nudges the material into a more ‘proggy’ sonic soundscape, whilst retaining the genre-hopping influences of previous albums.
Influences include Stranglers, cut and paste, Rip Rig And Panic, bebop, Captain Beefheart, collage, Magazine, post-punk, Yes, Ivor Cutler, religious imagery, The Pop Group, Gee Vaucher, psychedelia, Gabriel-era Genesis, Dada, nature books, Devo, Francis Bacon…
The players on this collection of musical curiosities and hidden gems are Reaks himself (vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards), Lucy Mizen (vocals), Nick Dunne (electric guitars, acoustic guitars and guitar solos), Joel Purnell (saxophone), Rob Hirons (drums) and Dan Mizen (percussion).
Where do we start on an album as diverse and wide ranging as this? It’s a cornucopia of musical brilliance in places and hugely disturbing (in a highly entertaining way) in others. Genre hopping with the best of them, I’m hearing psychedelic snippets of Lost Crowns, Gong, Knifeworld on one side, the Canterbury influences of Henry Fool, the sharp cutting edge of Bent Knee and even bits of Pink Floyd on the other! In some ways it just shouldn’t work but like some mad scientist, Ashley Reaks seems to be able to knit it all together perfectly to create something quite unique and, in places, utterly brilliant!
It’s very divisive, and that’s even for people that like it, and I do! There are days when I can’t go near it as it does require you to be in the exact mood to listen to it and get the most from it but, when that inspiration particle and the mood hits you, it is really rather marvellous. Nick Dunne’s guitar playing is of a seriously high calibre and he flits from intricate, fusion, left-field and straight up rock with ease and Ashley’s vocals are highly individual and distinctive in a very good way, especially when paired with the heady, delicate voice of Lucy Mizen, it’s haunting, mysterious and almost supernatural in places. One of the highlights for me is the superb saxophone of Joel Purnell, I do love a saxophone and Joel’s playing is utterly sublime, his jazz/fusion style being perfect for Ashley’s incredibly innovative and perhaps overactive mind. And we must take our hat off to Rob’s superbly intricate polyrhythmic drumming which gives a proper dynamism to the music.
The songs are as mad and brilliant as their titles, The Murmur of Things Divine, Fundamentally Christ Like (with it’s Pink FloydMoney style intro), Homesick at Home and Early Ripe Early Rotten are real standouts, magnificently over the top and proud of it but there’s no lull or drop in standards anywhere on this superb release. If I had to pick a favourite then it would probably be Homesick at Home (especially Nick’s superb solo and Joel’s uber cool sax) but that could change tomorrow when each song has its own delights to discover.
You won’t hear anything else quite like ‘Winter Crawls’, it has a mind and life of its own at times and that’s testament to the complex, inventive and ingenious imagination of Ashley Reaks. It’s not for everyone but when everything clicks and you get what he is trying to achieve, there’s some serious musical nirvana going on here and I love it!
AshFeathers is a new acoustic project by singer-songwriter Tom Slatter. A mixture of one-man-and-a-guitar acoustic songs with synths and electronic percussion, ‘World Building’ is 10 tracks about getting lost – deliberately or accidentally – in fictional worlds.
“Part of the motivation in starting AshFeathers was that I wanted to do something quite different in tone from the melodramatic, sometimes dark prog-rock I’m known for. There are still hints of the things a prog rock fan might like – one track is in 7/8 for example. But this album owes more to my love of Thom Yorke, Tori Amos and Jon Gomm and lots of other singer-songwriters,” Tom said.
“Plus, i got a new acoustic guitar, and wanted some new songs to play with it…”
Tom’s a friend (at least I think he is?) and I’ve been a fan of his music since I first heard ‘Through These Veins’ way back in early 2014, he is a musician who continuously reinvents himself and the genre he chooses to work in. His steampunk sensibilities aren’t always to everyone’s taste but, if you don’t try something different, how do you know if you’ll like it or not? His irreverent and extremely clever music suits his bandcamp site’s description of, “A latter-day Victorian street-theatre barker with a guitar promising tales of mystery, imagination, ‘orrible murders and bloody great waving tentacles”.
Well, as Tom says, he’s gone from the dark and deliciously melodramatic to the wistful and contemplative with his new AshFeathers project and it is a direction that I think suits him a lot.
The opening two tracks Nothing You Can’t Buy and Mirrorworld both have their roots in Tom’s musical past, especially the lyrical content of the former, a clever tale of an assassin who has hidden his identity and taken refuge in a bizarre city where you can buy anything – including abstract concepts like broken promises. The music has a deep down honesty amidst its wistful delivery, Tom’s new acoustic guitar proving a very canny purchase but, for me, it’s how his unique and distinctive vocal seems to marry perfectly with the music that makes this something completely different. At once both dreamlike and yet mournful and forlorn, it is stripped back and rather lovely. The latter piece, Mirrorworld, is about losing a friend or family member to online propaganda and you can feel that feeling of loss throughout the track. There’s a halting edge to the guitar and the timbre of Tom’s voice all delivered in a candid emotive and soul searching song, painful, raw emotional wounds laid bare. Cuckoo has a serious tone to the music, a slight tension in the guitar and vocals, emphasised by the electronic vibe of the synths. Sad, reflective and thoughtful, it music that tests the grey matter and makes you think and there isn’t enough of that about nowadays. Driftwood is a song that takes after it’s title, seemingly wandering aimlessly through your psyche with no distinct purpose but it does so with a grace and elegance that is just so appealing. The sublime instrumental In Between is a haunting, ethereal piece of music where Tom’s acoustic guitar plays on nostalgia and sentimentality to leave its mark on your soul, it’s calming and reflective and just a delight to listen to.
Title track Worldbuilding is rather impressive, a song about getting lost in a fictional world, having lost hold of the thread that was supposed to guide you – Theseus – style – back to the real world. The guitar playing is intricate and precise and the vocal has a searching edge to it, it’s a serious feeling track with an eerie atmosphere that is really addictive. Another stand out track is the charismatic and engaging Every Word I Write with it’s jazzy electronic percussion and catchy chorus, “Everything I write is an ode to you..”, has Tom written a pop song? Don’t let him hear me say that! The music on My Love Is Bigger Than The Sky shimmers and shines and lights up this pensive song, it’s rapidly becoming an earworm for me with its irrepressible guitar line and that ever classy electronic percussive beat. Add in another contemplative vocal and you’ve got yet another quality track. A more upbeat track, making full use of the electronica, Map Of Scars could be straight from a recent Radiohead album, excellent musicianship and a banjo, if I’m not mistaken, giving this song a real storytelling feel and more than a little hint of prog. The album closes with the haunting brilliance of We Can Be Anyone, Tom hitting the heights with his songwriting on this dark feeling song. There’s always something positive to be found in the dark and that shines through in this pensive five minutes plus of music, Tom’s vocal leading the way.
With ‘Word Building’Tom Slatter has introduced his new AshFeathers project to the world from a pretty exalted position. The more relaxed, laid back feel, full of airiness and space really suits this talented musician and has culminated in a highly enjoyable release that I think may introduce him to a wider audience and that may go someway to helping him pay for that new acoustic guitar…
World Building will be out on January 17th 2024 at ashfeathers.bandcamp.com. If Tom can get himself sorted by then.
“Music is the moonlight in the gloomy night of life.” – John Paul Friedrich Richter
That’s a nice quote and as soon as I saw it, I knew it would be the lead line for this review for listening to this second album from Zeelley Moon, you do feel an instant affinity to the music and a feeling of warmth, light and goodwill falls over you. To put it simply, it’s bloody gorgeous…
‘Zeelley Moon is Pat Molesworth backed by his band mates, including some of the finest musicians. ‘The Author and the Dreamer’ features seven totally rocking melodic rock vocal tracks including one acoustic and one jazz-rock instrumental that bring to mind the progressive pop-rock sound of music legends Supertramp, piano rock legends like Billy Joel, Elton John with the melancholy of Pink Floyd.The album focuses perhaps slightly indulgently on a stream of consciousness and things we are troubled by or simply observing. There are often more questions than answers.’
Along with Pat (hammond organ, keyboards, arrangements, vocals), Zeelley Moon comprises Jim Kelleher (guitars, bass), Aled Peter Lloyd (drums), Sarah Mau (cello, violin), Katherine Sparks (flute), Meg Prickett (vocals) and Steve Picking (bass tracks 1 & 6).
Pat kindly sent me the wonderfully packaged CD which, in this age of digital everything, is a very nice touch. With excellent artwork complete with lyrics and intriguing photography, Zeelley Moon’s CD packaging features a hardbound book-like Digibook & CD.
Well, from the first note of opening track Main Moon Man the lush music and Pat’s earnest vocals instantly grab your attention. Yes, there is something of the piano rock vibe about it but, what I hear is a glorious meeting of English legends XTC and pastoral progressive rock luminaries Big Big Train and what a triumphant melding of sounds it is! A song about who you are but how it might take somebody telling you for you to believe it. A lovely violin and piano lead the track in before Jim’s echoing guitar heralds Pat’s vocals, the expressive bass and drums adding even more pathos to this rather impressive album opener. English Pride might be the thing relied upon as a default during a problematic period in which it wasn’t noticed but it’s ok “because everyone has problems right, and besides, we’re too proud to make a fuss and we’re alright now anyway, but thanks for trying”. This eccentric but highly intriguing songs opens with a busy piano line before a soulful guitar hits you right in the heart and then we’re off again with a wonderfully evocative guitar and piano that invoke those giants of English guitar rock XTC and just check out that fantastic Hammond organ! The lyrics and general vibe of the song (especially the flute and violin) bring to my mind the inventive songwriting of Big Big Train and just give this song a feel of nostalgia and of better times long gone, a feeling even more enhanced by the laid back instrumental part of the song. It’s a highly effective pice of music and has rapidly become one of my favourite tracks of this year. Four Walls is a short piece about breaking free from one’s own self-imposed limitations and has a real emotive feel to it. The shimmering guitar and keyboards and choir like vocals give a real dreamlike, almost surreal, feel.
Killing The Dream opens with a wistful atmosphere, yearning vocals and delicate piano and guitar that transport you in to a warm and hazy English summer where our protagonist appreciates the simpler things in life like either dropping his own children at school or observing happy children from his car while paused at a traffic light and reflects on the positive influence of the woman in his life. There’s beautifully ethereal violin that winds around the elegant guitar along with a subtle cello and the whole song has you reflecting about your own place in the world. Where the wind Blows doesn’t offer answers to the questions posed; only perhaps helps us to reflect from the options offered and takes us back to that superb XTC/Big Big Train axis, perhaps with added piano rock this time. I love the energy and almost restrained urgency that pushes this dazzling track along and Jim’s guitar playing is utterly sublime. The vocals and the way the song unfolds in its near ten minute running time does bring to mind something of the ‘piano man’ Christopher Cross and Billy Joel style but with added English peculiarity. There is something just ‘right’ about this album and the music, it is ‘proper’ music to my ears, music that Pat has worked on and deliberated over and spent many hours creating and I think it is just stunning.
Poison in my Tea is what you suspect when something just doesn’t taste right. You can sense it but you can’t quite figure out what it is. The news, popular opinion, big businesses all have an influence, sometimes helped along by an interest or just human nature and our need to be in a tribe. A musical rant with lost of humour and plenty of tongue in cheek, the vocals very reminiscent of Glenn Tilbrook, in fact the song has definite hints of Squeeze in the guitar and the keyboards/piano, that English idiosyncracy coming to the fore once again and making for a highly entertaining and satisfying song. So Many Words are spoken, sometimes wisely, but patterns of behaviour persist and maybe you’re going around in circles. Pursuing one area of excellence in your life is a nice distraction but for how long? A beautifully written and performed song where Pat joins forces with the stirring vocals of Meg Prickett to give a deeply touching song that is enhanced by the stylish and soulful guitar from Jim and Pat’s stellar keyboards. The chic rhythm section adds a real jazz influence to this sharp, polished track and closes the album on a composed and assured note.
I just love music that moves me and affects me on an emotional level. ‘The Author and the Dreamer’ connects with you in your sub-conscious, the songwriting and performances are second to none and Zeelley Moon’s innate Englishness and idiosyncracies are what make this music so appealing and enjoyable and one of my albums of 2023. Do yourselves a favour and get your hands on it as soon as you can!
Released 20th November, 2023.
Download and streaming on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music and the usual others.
Physical Album sales available on Discogs.com or direct at zeelleymoon@yahoo.co.uk.
GIANTSKY – ‘Giant Sky II’ is unusual for me in that it is well outside of any comfort zone that I occupy. This album, though it interests me, it’s a challenge and that makes it worthy of my time and effort, it’s good to be challenged musically at times and who knows what you may discover on the way…
So that is the attitude in which I approached this album, knowing absolutely nothing about the project except the blurb that says it is a amalgam of musical styles and influences including Nick Drake, Mogwai, shoegaze (whatever that means?) and, last but not least, the Blade Runner soundtrack, well that certainly piqued my interest as I consider Blade Runner and its soundtrack to be utter masterpieces.
Looking at a dictionary definition of ‘shoegaze’ in music it is revealed to be ‘A style of rock music in which the distinctions between separate instruments and vocals are blurred’, this term apparently came from bands who had that sound in part because they were looking down at effects pedals used in making it, which helps a little I guess.
Let’s get down to the main event; GIANTSKY are from Norway, main man ErlendViken is the songwriter for Soup and this is a collaboration with the Trondheim Symphonic Orchestra, Combos, WZRD, Motorpsycho, Hanne Mjøen and more.
So what is all the fuss about or is it just hyperbole, does this have any musical merit or is it just tosh? Read on to find out…
The album opens, as does almost every progressive influenced or affiliated album nowadays, with Origin Of Species, an instrumental with a growling synth and almost Close Encounters Of The Third Kind notes that shimmer in the sound before a broader sweep of orchestrations is introduced. It’s all very effective and fairly traditional in tone, which cannot be said of the next track, Imposter, which begins with an acoustic guitar chugging with an echoed,reverbed vocal and the introduction of a fine female vocal. A distorted, fuzzy guitar then briefly enters the fray before disappearing, the female voice returning before a guitar and synth solo appears and the guitar solo plays out for the remainder of the track. Speak Through Walls opens with gentle acoustic guitar and a delicate female vocal once more, The track has some fine piano lines and also some lovely orchestral events (initially the flute) which sound really grand. A deep synth bass is added to the sound palette and the tinkling piano evokes Blade Runner, as does the sequence where an effect laden guitar plays with good use of tremolo effects. The latter part of the song is very busy and intense in sound, almost bordering on distortion, but it’s still a highly effective track nonetheless.
Space Farrier opens with piano and synths before an electronic drumbeat is added, all very 1980’s in tone, making it very intriguing. The songs then gains in intensity and the drums become more intense than before. This track is instrumental throughout its duration with great effects in the middle section, all very over the top and Hawkwind like in parts before the tinkling piano returns to tame the sound somewhat. A heavier synth bass is added to the mix most effectively as the track draws to a close ,with more tinkling piano. A very impressive track that segues into The Present with engagingly gentle guitar and keyboard washes which create big open sounds that compliment the narrative from Eckhart Tolle. To The Pensieveis far more moody and downbeat in tone and amidst it all are lots of chattering synths and a graceful piano along with more tremelo guitar lines. It is actually rather sweet and gentle, I really like this track as it has a great atmosphere to its sound. The song wells in the middle part, growing in intensity as it builds up in power before returning to the gentle sound once again with more flute and woodwinds playing. A couple of shorter tracks follow, namely Dispatch Of Species and Curbing Lights, the former is an atmospheric instrumental with a drone type melody and what sounds like a pipe organ, especially in the bottom end. Curbing Lights is a more sprightly number with synth and what sounds like Theramin effects and a busy drum pattern playing around everything in what is almost a wall of sound, it is very effective indeed.
The album’s longest track I Am The Night opens pretty gently with more piano and a good bass line sitting alongside the acoustic guitar. An electric guitar line then plays joined by ethereal vocals before a strong bass motif is played and a flute joins in. This is superbly constructed and performed, a double bass drum rhythm and then a decidedly more aggressive section begins with increasing sound and intensity. There are some impressive guitar lines added within the overall sound and, as such, are perhaps a little buried in the mix by all that is happening around it. It is definitely an interesting track but one that is maybe too busy at times, which stops it being the best track on the album, just my opinion though! Birds With Borders opens with a lovely folk section and more fine vocals. This initially gentle song builds in its intensity, creating its own unique voice in the journey and it certainly makes a mark, as do the excellent orchestrations that form part of its sound. Tables Turn is a harder sounding track with great effects and excellent male and female vocals, almost heading into atmospheric ambient territory. The penultimate track is King In Yellow and it’s very interesting with lots going on and lots of orchestral embellishments along with a slow burning, almost sedate, rhythm section and lots of effects. There’s a sustained, almost Mike Oldfield-like biting guitar line within the mix as it powers onwards. It may only be a short track but, for me, it’s a great one that really connects.The album closes with Seeds which has another gentle opening, with duetting vocals, a sturdy piano motif and swirling sounds. It’s pretty lush overall with fine synth lines, all heavily modulated which sound really effective as they build and climb well, taking the song forward. A great guitar line is played as the song begins to wind down. This track is well delivered and epic in tone and it sounds really good, especially on headphones, as the song and album end on long sustained tones.
I really can’t quite make up my mind about this album, it certainly is very interesting, immersive and sounds fantastic in parts. However, I personally found it overlong and at times difficult to really get into, perhaps I need to hear the first album and then this one played one after the other. There’s no denying the musicianship and songwriting skills on show but I would suggest that you listen first before investing, it’s your choice.
