Reviews – Page 88

Review – Ghost – Meliora – by Gary Morley

This time, Gary Morley ventures across to the darker side…..

‘Mr Wallet Emptier’ has thrown me a curve ball, as our colonial cousins allegedly say. He wants me to review something contemporary. Of my choice.

I tend to buy things on gut instinct. I will follow my nose and purchase something that sounds interesting, direct from the band – I recently purchased 3 Paul Garner Band CD’s from him via a link from another FB friend who’s CD’s grace my shelves (Thanks Robert Fleming from Crowd Company for that).

So if you like good funky blues from a guitar / Hammond /drum trio, then I recommend Paul , he will exceed your expectations, several times over. You can purchase his fine CD’s from his website:

www.paul-garner.com or download via bandcamp.

But this is not the artist I’ve chosen to write about.

Blue Oyster Cult: Imaginative, thought provoking lyrics combined with a Prog / Pop/ Heavy Rock base coupled with instrumental dexterity, were one of the bands that sound tracked my life.

I first heard Don’t Fear the Reaper whilst in the Sixth Form. The album ‘Fire Of Unknown Origin’ was a college favourite. ‘Imaginos’ was the noisiest, most “Heavy” album I possessed…

Time has taken me down a road away from their bombast and we now wave at each other as we travel. Earlier this year I heard a track Cirice from a band called Ghost. It was hook ridden, a real earworm. It starts with a simple guitar motif, then cymbals and a piano…

Then the bombastic riffing a la Cult…

The inner teenager was playing air guitar along with it. The vocals are not your typical metal screamer, but a baritone voice that was questioning , pleading with us to share their experiences. The dynamics and song structure –pure BOC, all that made them what they were, has been absorbed by this bunch of Scandinavian mystery men.

They have written a proper song, with a chorus, middle eight, simple, elegant guitar solo and a big, big drum sound. My musical interest was engaged. Time to utilise a tool my teenage self could only dream about – the internet. Several clicks and a bit of research later, I find that the band are a bit of a “cult”…

They have surrounded themselves in a cloak of mystery in as much as no musicians are credited on the album, the band members are only referred to as the “faceless ones” and all wear masks on stage, except the singer, known as Papa Emeritus, of which there have already been 3. His image is that of a zombie cardinal, calling his followers to worship.

This is where the Progressive factor hits.

The band’s image is straight out of a horror fan’s psyche. The lyrics, to me are tongue in cheek, dark and ambiguous. They sing about their “Master”, and the underlying suggestion is that they are indeed talking about a fallen angel, a contrasting polar opposite to Neal Morse’s evangelical position.

Out of deference to those that take these things far more personally than me, the lyrical subject may not be to everyone’s tastes, but then “Hard Christian” rhetoric alienates as many as it delights, so approach with an open mind, this is a well crafted tuneful and accomplished collection of tunes. Yes, Tunes. That’s the thing. Beneath the imagery, the stage shows and the media baiting, it s the tunes that enable this to stand on its own merits.

Yes, their Hammer House of Horrors imagery paints a dark picture, but musically they are full of joy, bringing a guilty thrill as you listen in. Are they serious? Well, the old cliché about the Devil having all the best tunes could be wheeled out to explain the whole of this album. It’s no more likely to get me dancing around a wooded glade under a full moon than the film ‘An American Werewolf in London’ did when I was a student. It’s not scary, it’s not unpleasant, it’s just hook ridden, lyrically ambiguous rock music.

The album is chock full of songs that could have graced AOR radio in the late 70’s. There are soaring choirs layered on a rock back beat, skilful dual guitar harmony playing that reminds me of Wishbone Ash or Thin Lizzy.

Listening again, as I write this, it’s the hooks that get me, the juxtaposition of “angelic voices” as the coda of Deus In Absentia, the final track is pure Jim Steinman era Sisters of Mercy bombast.

Listen or watch the video for Circice, check them out on You Tube etc, but don’t reject them out of hand. Especially with Halloween just around the corner!

Released 21st August 2015

Buy Meliora from Kings Road

Or try this for a Halloween treat…….

New track Review – Shearwater – Quiet Americans – by Mike Sherman

Here Mike Sherman gives a quick precis of Quiet Americans, the first single from the new Shearwater album, ‘Jet Plane and Oxbow’.

This first glimpse of original Shearwater for 3 years (save for the tuneful but unspectacular A Wake For The Minotaur from ‘Fellow Travellers’) is not before time. Shearwater have been established as a force to be reckoned with – able to pull off intelligent, considered and reflective yet also catchy and accessible folk-rock with tinges of something more progressive.

However, after building up some serious positive momentum, in 2013 they then took the baffling decision to tail off into the murky world of the cover version. ‘Fellow Travellers’ was by no means a poor album, and indeed, will have gained the band some new… ahem… fellow travellers, but a band so capable of songwriting as interesting and inspired as they are, should surely have enough good ideas to at least have a go at an original LP every couple of years?

The band’s career peak to-date of ‘The Golden Archipelago’ still strikes me to this day as one of the most shimmeringly beautiful and consistent albums of the last decade, possessing that most wonderful quality of being very much a stronger overall album than the sum of its parts. Its follow-up, ‘Animal Life’, conversely possessed some strong moments, but lacked a cohesiveness to drive it through to the overall heights of its predecessor.

What, then, might the next effort present to us?

Quiet Americans sparkles with typical Shearwater delicately-delivered production, all the mod cons in evidence complete with bleeps and 80s-style keyboard stabs. Yet, the beautiful beating heart and characteristic melodies of a very pleasant folk tune underpin everything. It excites enough to think that it will tie together well within an album setting.

At 3 mins 33 seconds, it’s a fairly typical track-length for Shearwater, and the band tends to sway towards the use of snappier, ephemeral pieces. That said, the thorough and detail-orientated production, and use of an early-arriving chorus line still gives the impression that the album may well boast some progressive sensibilities, such as those deployed midway through ‘Animal Life’ on the stand-out track from that album, Insolence.

A promising glimpse of what is to come in early 2016 on the new album, ‘Jet Plane and Oxbow’.

‘Jet Plane and Oxbow’ will be released through Sub-Pop records on 22nd January 2016.

Pre-order Jet Plane and Oxbow direct from Sub-Pop records

Live Review – Opeth 25th Anniversary Concert – by Shawn Dudley

Shawn Dudley’s account of Opeth live at the Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles on the 24th October 2015.

Opeth concluded their month-long anniversary tour with a two city trek to the States for shows in New York and Los Angeles. Originally planned as one show, the tickets for the Los Angeles concert sold out so quickly that a second date was added for the following evening.

The elegant Orpheum Theatre (1926) is the perfect location for nearly 3 hours of Opeth, including a full performance of their classic ‘Ghost Reveries’ album, celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year.

To deafening applause the band walks onto a simple stage adorned with only a backdrop and some candelabras and immediately storms into the first three progressive metal epics that begin the album; Ghost Of Perdition, The Baying Of The Hounds and Beneath The Mire. These songs demonstrate the peak of Opeth’s blend of beauty and brutality. They attain a perfect balance; the fusion of progressive rock sophistication and precise metallic brute force. Mikael is in fine voice this evening and the 50/50 split of clean & gruff vocals in these songs are handled with equal skill.

The lineup on stage is quite different than the one from 2005, only singer/guitarist/mastermind Mikael Akerfeldt and bass player Martin Mendez remain. The ridiculously talented drummer Martin “Axe” Axenrot joined in 2006, lead guitarist Fredrick Akesson joined in 2007 and keyboardist Joakim Svalberg joined the band prior to the ‘Heritage’ tour in 2011.

The new players color and enhance the studio arrangements, there have been numerous little tweaks made to these songs and that is most evident in the keyboard parts and the more fluid approach Axe has to the drums. The more improvisational approach to their recent albums has really taken their live performances to new heights.

The hypnotic Atonement marks the first major departure from the studio version as this modal vamp has been extended to twice the album length to accommodate keyboard and guitar features. I’m really hoping they recorded one of these shows, I would love to have this arrangement in my collection.

Other highlights of the first set included the ballads Hours of Wealth and Isolation Years, which had never been performed prior to this tour. Recent reports from the London date of the tour indicate an overly rowdy crowd but that was definitely not the case in L.A. last night. The audience was respectful during the quieter parts of songs; they applauded solos and saved the hollering to the breaks between songs. During the quiet vocal & piano segment of Hours Of Wealth you could hear a pin drop in the theatre.

After taking a 20-minute break the band returned for a second set tailor-made to please both their more recent progressive rock fans and their older (though often younger) metal contingent. I’m one of those that love both eras so I’m a happy camper no matter what. There was a wide age range at the show, I saw many gray-hairs like myself mixed in with the 20-somethings and it’s great to see all these people gathered together over their mutual admiration for this band.

The clean vocal selections featured excellent performances of Eternal Rains Will Come, Cusp Of Eternity and Voice Of Treason from ‘Pale Communion’, a fiery rendition of I Feel The Dark from ‘Heritage’ and the lovely melancholy of To Rid The Disease from ‘Damnation’. The heavier tracks consisted of crowd favorites The Leper Affinity (‘Blackwater Park’), Master’s Apprentices (‘Deliverance’) and encore The Lotus Eater (‘Watershed’).

The sound in the Orpheum Theatre was excellent and the mix was just about perfect. Loud enough to be forceful without ever becoming shrill or painful, each instrument clearly defined and the drum sound was amazing. There were a couple of technical glitches with the keyboard rig and while waiting for it to be fixed Mikael said to the crowd; “Things are breaking down. You almost never see that in this day and age. Usually when you go see a band these days they sound perfect, just like the record. Wanna know why? Because they’re playing the fucking record. We don’t.”

As usual for an Opeth concert Mikael had his sarcastic comedic cap on for the duration of the night. His playful back and forth with the audience has been a staple of their shows for years, there are youtube compilations dedicated to it. My favorite bit tonight was providing a play-by-play narration while tuning his guitar.

Hearing ‘Ghost Reveries’ performed by the current lineup really made me appreciate how significant that album was in their evolution and how much Mikael had grown as a singer and songwriter. It was the direct follow-up to the mellow progressive rock album ‘Damnation’ and I think Opeth responded by delivering both their heaviest but also their most varied and accomplished record to that point.

Mikael added a full-time keyboard player to the group (Steven Wilson played keyboards on the ‘Damnation’ album) and that immediately allowed him to start more fully embracing his love of 70s progressive rock. ‘Ghost Reveries’ started them on the path that would eventually lead to ‘Heritage’ and ‘Pale Communion’ and growing acceptance in progressive rock circles. Still, Mikael is proud of the earlier metal era of Opeth (deservedly so) and that was proven yet again by the passionate performance this evening.

Many bands celebrating their 25^th anniversary are looking back at previous successes that have passed them by. In the case of Opeth, I think their peak has yet to be reached.

Setlist:

First Set: (Ghost Reveries)

Ghost Of Perdition
The Baying Of The Hounds
Beneath The Mire
Atonement
Reverie/Harlequin Forest
Hours Of Wealth
The Grand Conjuration
Isolation Years

Second Set:

Eternal Rains Will Come
Cusp Of Eternity
The Leper Affinity (followed by snippets of songs requested by the audience)
To Rid The Disease
I Feel The Dark
Voice Of Treason
Master’s Apprentices
The Lotus Eater

Review – Geof Whitely Project – Between 2 Worlds – by Progradar

You have to be wary of repetition, it can become tedious and monotonous if there is no progression or marked difference between pieces of work, after all, familiarity is supposed to breed contempt, isn’t it?

One of the most intriguing artists I have had the pleasure to listen to this year is the Geof Whitely Project. Actually a one man band, Arny Wheatley, there can be no more prolific artist operating today as he releases new albums every couple of months.

There are obvious pros and cons to doing it this way and I was left slightly underwhelmed by the last release that I reviewed, ‘Circus of Horrors’, feeling that it was too similar to recent works. Now, ever one to take criticism on board, Arny has returned with ‘Between 2 Worlds’ and I shall give it the once over to see if he has rediscovered that creative spark.

The opening track Quest has that laid back style that is the Geof Whitely Project hallmark and retains the laconic vocal delivery. There does seems to be some added zest, a more intense delivery and a lot more of the ardent guitar work that gives extra lustre to the calm and collected keyboards. No need to go back to the drawing board, just minor alterations that add up to something more profound. Long Time Gone has a lighter note to it, a more refined introduction and a more moderate delivery that reminds me a bit of Fractal Mirror. It walks a tricky line and, thankfully, never strays into the mundane and bland, retaining a sunny disposition and platonic edge. The nicely judged percussion and keyboards take you on a gentle ride into Arny’s musical mind and it is a pleasant place, although there is a hint of melancholy hidden just below the surface.

That sugar coated tone runs throughout Never Really Know but always with a hint of caution. The clever lyrics betray a slightly darker side to the music and keep your attention focused on the story, the excellent instrumental break in the centre of the track is like a well knowing nod to the 80’s. I don’t know whether it is meant to, but I am left in mind of a snowy winter’s scene that could end in either happiness or sadness. The signature keyboard introduction opens Throwing Shadows, a song with a serious and slightly darker note as it strides purposefully into your psyche. The sweetness and light is replaced by something with an altogether sinister motive, this is the Geof Whitely Project showing there is a dark side to its Moon and I think it is a clever change of direction. The slightly understated yet heavy riff adds to the mysterious air that pervades and gives added dramatic effect and gravitas.

On Reflection begins in a very subdued manner, laid back and open-hearted. A wistful, almost nostalgic note enters into the vocals, perhaps mindful of things or people lost and never recovered. Thoughtful, reflective and with a heavy dose of regret, this track really works its way under your skin and touches your heart in a forlorn manner. A really nice song but one that just leaves you feeling a little bit sad. 80’s style keyboards open Everyday my Heart and it really does feel like you’ve been transported back over three decades to a time that you may have wished you’d forgotten. It’s really a quite hopeful track and lifts the slight melancholia that had persisted from the previous track. The songwriting on this latest album has really gone up a notch, leaving little nuggets for you to find.

The next song on the album is the longest track, Compendium weighs in at just over ten minutes and begins in quite an auspicious manner. There is a feeling of depth to the song, a deep seated sense of contemplation. There is a decision to make, a life changing scenario and the deliberate and contemplative atmosphere is transferred across perfectly by the music. A comprehensive and profound musical workout for your brain that makes you think, one of the best songs I have ever heard from the Geof Whitely Project. The change from the quiet and sombre to the excellent guitar solo is brilliant and really knocks you for six, the guitar playing is quite exemplary. Title track Between 2 Worlds leaves you deep in thought with its absorbing tone, seemingly musing on life the Universe and everything. Profound lyrics and an attentive melody leave you in a speculative mood. I really enjoyed the thoughtful feel that it engendered as it left me ruminating on my whole existence, another track that seemingly has some left-field influence.

The final track on the album is Living Your Life and it has an edgy note running through it from the beginning. A quicker paced riff gives you a feel of life lived in the fast lane but with a note of caution. No-nonsense and earnest with yet more layers of 80’s keyboards, it leaves more questions than answers and brings the album to a close on a meditative and reflective note.

‘Between 2 Worlds’ is a complex and extremely interesting musical journey that showcases where the Geof Whitely Project is going musically. The last album left me feeling ever so slightly short-changed but, with this new release, my faith has been completely restored.

Due for release on 29th February 2016

Pre-order Between 2 Worlds direct from the artist

Review – Klone – Here Comes The Sun – by Mike Sherman

With his first review for Progradar, here’s Mike Sherman…

This review is, in part, an homage to the many mixed playlists available on music streaming services, as this is how I discovered this band and this album. I’ll kick things off by saying that it’s one of my favourite LPs of 2015…..

I love discovering a band who are far beyond basic composition, performance and production competencies, yet still maintain a humble presence within the information stratosphere. “Where are Klone from?” I hear you cry. “They’re from Poitiers in France!” I answer…

…and then we get on with talking about the music.

The musical stylings of Klone are ‘a bit of a lot of things, all at once’. There’s some ambience; there’s some melody; some heaviness (dare I use the word “grunge”?!?) and – thank goodness – some tinges of prog. Mix these together, usually at the same time, and we’re not far off.

‘Here Comes The Sun’ harnesses the smooth mid-range vocals of Yann Ligner to create some beautiful pieces, and now 5 LPs and 2 Eps deep into their career, Klone have become a tight band who express themselves as a collective first and foremost. This is important for me, as I infinitely prefer a strong band dynamic to one or two show-offs backed by competent “others”. There is great collective creativity in the composition; the performance, and – as I will repeatedly mention below – the production is nothing short of oh so lovely to these ears.

So, in short, I bet they listen to a lot of Gojira, Tool, Anathema and Porcupine Tree. Not much like the Beatles, despite the obvious reference in the album’s name.

The opening track Immersion brings us instant soulful melody with heaps of ambience, in the form of the kind of reverb-heavy multi-tracked lead guitars typically found in post-rock. After the intro, we’re back to the strong opening melody revisited, only this time with a tactful and pleasing use of “welcome, we are the band” drums and heavier guitar. There’s an element of “shoegazing classic” about this track, in that it has a strong melody throughout which is textured nicely with a good balance of the heavy and the ambient. This is all produced to create a finely-balanced sound that doesn’t overpower at any point, nor does it drift away into indulgent territory in its restrained 5 minutes 10 seconds length. Later riffs complement the earlier shenanigans well, and the band sound very much together in completing an interesting and dark-ambient sound. The more subtle brief saxophone burst and vocal textures are allowed to add nuance rather than to take the overall direction away from what is a solid opening track that suggests a lot of promise for the rest of the album.

Next we come to the track that presented me with my first leading impression via the medium of playlist, then. Fog is one of the more progressive numbers, and it invited me in on first listen with its relaxed and smooth 7/8 verses and melodic-but-gently-powerful chorus and slightly heavier second half which hosts some serious groove and the first bit of noticeable drumming flair. Again, there is good cohesiveness to the band, with all parties combining to make a strong whole, rather than any domination of a particular instrument. It’s becoming all really rather pleasant and it’s going to get even better.

Gone Up In Flames is a catchy, almost dance-worthy (?!?!?) alternative-radio-friendly number that grabbed me from the start. Based around four chords, the rhythm guitar can be played alongside with minimum effort by those able to, and should be played in dropped-D like any self-respecting 90s grungehead would. A few nice bits of drumming thrown into the straight-4/4 mix; a solid turn of events for the bridge, and a great half-time groove in the coda. Great stuff.

The Drifter sounds very progressive, more in the vein of Fog than anything else on the album. It’s a bit of a workout for the band in terms of time signatures and textures. The rhythm section really shines, and prog fans will be happy to hear that despite some 4/4, there are plenty of other meters intermittently featured, all very smoothly connected with no jarring whatsoever. It also features two of my favourite things – vocal lines that last just that bit longer than they should probably be allowed to, and lingering guitar lines that won’t quit easily. The production is again very well-executed, and the whole thing flows very well to help what could have been one of the more challenging tracks on the album to sound relaxed and very enjoyable.

The Drifter is perfectly placed in the track order to open the way for Nebulous, which is undoubtedly the (best French accent) pièce de résistance of the album. Melancholy, moody melody with active but tactful drumming and ambient post-rock guitar stylings leading to a powerful and beautiful chorus with a titanic guitar sound that is, once again, very well-controlled in the mix so as not to overshadow the more subtle elements of the sound and the angelic vocal line. Again,there is a smoothness to Klone’s work, and the 7/8 of Nebulous fits it like a glove – no pretentiousness here, it’s just a very strong ambient rock song that completes an utterly superb run of five tracks. I’d argue that this track could probably have made an excellent album-closer.

Pic by Trash Bonbeck

Gleaming acts as a break, and to me represents where the fork in the road lay for Klone as they decided where to take the magnificence and consistency of the first five tracks and round things out. It doesn’t add a lot, but complements what went before, and acts as a distinct half-time break, as such.

The final three tracks take things in a slightly different direction, and one that I was unsure on for quite a while. Indeed, they represent the main reason I was hesitant to review the album until I’d had a good number of listens through the album. I’ve gotten used to it, but it still seems the weaker half of the album by far. The first thing that’s noticeable is that Grim Dance and album-closer The Last Experience have a slower 4/4 groove that gives the impression of something darker in atmosphere than the rest of the album.

Penultimate track Come Undone is probably my favourite of the three, and possesses an excellent intro and a livelier 6/8 swing. The Last Experience develops an increasingly tense atmosphere and ends with satisfyingly heavy riffs that punctuate that, despite this definitely being a “prog-rock” album, this band are also definitely metalheads. The repeating heavy guitar lines and descends with an almighty mess, which I like the symbolism of as it signals that the production team can now take a well-earned rest!

There’s a part of me that feels the first five (possibly six) tracks could have made a world-class EP or short LP, but the final three tracks have grown on me more with each listen, to the extent that my initial reservations have been largely quietened. It’s definitely an album split in two – that much is evident. However, the more I listen the more I find it all has its place.

I’m an album kinda guy first and foremost, but good on playlists for leading me to this discovery. Highly recommended – I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Released 6th April 2015

Buy Here Comes The Sun from Pelagic Records

About the Author – Mike Sherman

A Financial Adviser by day, a board game enthusiast and musician/composer by night. I grew up listening to a combination of Dire Straits and Steeleye Span while playing classical piano since the age of 5. After the “rebellious” stage of life as a grunge/metalhead I’m very much into a heady cocktail of prog-rock, folk and classical these days.

Review – Hillward – Flies In Amber Stones – by Stephen Bowden

This Canadian trio (David Lizotte on guitars and vocals, Jean-François Boudreault on Bass and Antoine Guertin on drums) started life as a side project of Québecois progressive power metallers Southern Cross (no, me neither). ‘Flies Trapped in Amber Stones’ is their debut album.

Right from the crunching guitar chords that kick in near the start of the opening (title) track you know you’re listening to a band that can play their instruments more than competently, and who work together tightly. The sound is guitar driven, but the core sound is supplemented by keyboards at just the right moments to provide a richer sound palette. The short guitar solo in the second track, Alive, is placed just where you want it, and it doesn’t outstay its welcome.

So why am I not in raptures about this album? I think it may be that, in pursuit of the technical and musical competence that Hillward bring to their music, they have forgotten, or perhaps simply suppressed, their hearts and souls. The third track, One Goodbye is a quieter, more contemplative track, but it is so, so predictable. From the first listen I felt I could predict every move it made, and six or seven spins later it hasn’t yielded up any more depth or richness.

As song follows song, you realise that the band are ploughing a narrow musical furrow. Lizotte’s voice is clear and in tune, but has limited range, both in terms of octaves and emotions. I’m not sure what I should be feeling as I listen to The Missing Link, but I don’t think that the band’s intention was that I should feel that I’d heard this all already on this album, and was likely to hear it again in a few songs time.

And then there are the lyrics. The fifth track Entropy is absolved from criticism on this point, as it is a two minute instrumental which feels like some riffage that coudn’t be fitted into a proper song, but, elsewhere the lyrics are somewhat uninspiring; the songs don’t come across as being about anything important.

The longest song on the album, When it All Comes True (all six and a half minutes of it) might as well be The Missing Link or Alive all over again, here Lizotte asks “does life mean more than words do, silly words learned and repeated too? Does tragedy mean more than poetry?” Then, in Quiescence, another slower, moodier track he asks “what if we never cross the line, what if we never grow old on time, what is love if it keeps us apart?” The short instrumental that follows, Quantify the Abstract, does little to answer any of these questions, but I’m not sure that I ever cared.

Perhaps I am sounding too negative here. I certainly don’t dislike this album, and the penultimate track, Walls of Apathy, is really rather good, at least in part because it introduces another voice, that of Melanie Gagné from fellow Québecois band, Muted Screams. Gagné adds the layers of emotion and aural variety that have been lacking in the earlier tracks.

Yet Hillward are playing in the same musical territory as, say, Haken and Anekdoten, and not far from Riverside. ‘Flies in Amber Stones’, for all its undoubted strengths, offers me no reason to listen to it rather than ‘The Mountain’ or ‘Until All The Ghosts Are Gone’.

The album closes strongly with The End of Logic, and perhaps there is some good advice in the title. ‘Flies in Amber Stones’ sounds just too much as if it had been written to a formula. Hillward are technically excellent. Perhaps they just need to throw off the creative shackles they appear to be labouring under and find some ideas and emotions to invest in their song-writing and playing.

It’s not as if there isn’t precedent here. I can think of at least one other Canadian trio who followed a competent but routine debut with more than forty years of greatness…….

Released 25th September 2015

Buy Flies In amber Stones from bandcamp

About the Author – Stephen Bowden

By day Stephen toils at the bureaucratic coalface, fashioning red tape into enabling and empowering frameworks of policy and compliance. At night he sleeps fitfully, dreaming of weasels and the Forest of Broceliande.

Review – La Curva Di Lesmo – La Curva Di Lesmo – by David Elliott

A unique project from Stefano Agnini (La Coscienza Di Zeno) and Fabio Zuffanti (Finisterre, La Maschera Di Cera and others). This is a beautifully composed and produced, melodic, diverse and eclectic piece of art that consists of 3 tracks clocking in at 8:26, 17:14 & 26:24 and is as epic as you might expect. I consider it a masterpiece that I would urge any open minded prog fan to explore.

I can compare this record to Steven Wilson – ‘Hand Cannot Erase’ as both have had such a strong emotional connection with me this year that almost immediately I have become more than a little consumed by them.

A heady mix of what is great about progressive music, this album is driven by analog keyboards and Italian vocals (male and female), interwoven with ingredients from rock, symphonic, folk, classical, electronic and traditional Italian pop and, dare I say it, a little Italian ‘easy listening’ music.

This is progressive with a capital P, mad as a box of frogs one minute, dramatic yet serene the next. We have some great vocals including theatrical, but never operatic, delivery, short sections that are ‘shouty’ (sorry amateur writer here!) and at some points the sea nymphs turn up and the harpies join in – All a bit odd and eccentric at first listen. However, in the traditions of the very best music, all these disparate parts come together on each subsequent play through to form a magnificent listening experience.

For points of reference, and I don’t want to do a track by track review or to describe the album in too much detail not wishing to spoil the experience for any prospective listener, I am reminded of the following bands: Big Big Train, early IQ – Great analog keys and guitar solos, Quasar – melody, Montefeltro – Romantic Italian prog approach, The Snow Goose – The atmosphere, ACT – stylistically, not sound, and Vulgar Unicorn – The eclectic structures.

I don’t understand Italian enough (if at all) to do it any justice, and I have always considered music to have an ability to stir an emotional response regardless of lyrics; the voice is another ‘instrument’ after all.

For me ‘La Curva Di Lesmo’ is about passion, emotion and melody and it ticks all my boxes. Language provides mystery and atmosphere and I am a little frightened to understand the meaning further in case it lessens the experience.

This is a passion play that I recommend all to embrace and hope you love it as much as I do – A current and future classic album.

Released 15th October 2015

Buy La Curva Di Lesmo from bandcamp

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About the Author – David Elliott

David Elliott is no relation to any other David Elliott, living or dead, and should not to be confused with any animals, journalists or other prog celebrities.

Having had his ears opened by Genesis when an impressionable youth, his musical journey has expanded to include modern jazz fusion and electronic music but especially progressive rock in all its forms. Favourite artists are Jadis, Pat Metheny, Steven Wilson, Nemo and many, many others that are yet to be discovered – The next one is often the best!

Ambition: Italian prog reviewer in residence.

Hobbies: Needle work, welding, cat herding and beetle battling.

Occupation: Health and Safety Manager (see the above nonsense!!)

Review – Gekko Projekt – Reya of Titan – by Rob fisher

After his great review of Seven Steps to the Green Door, this time Rob Fisher passes his practiced ears over ‘Reya of Titan’ by Gekko Projekt.

The art of good storytelling is notoriously difficult. Telling a story in, and through, music raises that bar even higher. And when the music is prog and the story is a work of science fiction it would appear the odds of success become almost impossible. Yet this is exactly what ‘Reya of Titan’, the second release from Californian based band Gekko Projekt, attempts to do – and does so with no small degree of style and panache.

The key is to understand exactly what this project is and consequently what it is you are listening to. Is it a concept album? Is it a rock and/or space opera? Actually, it really doesn’t matter, it’s a story and one which has been carefully considered, lovingly crafted and then beautifully expressed through a mesmerising array of diverse musical styles, changing rhythms and exciting musicianship.

This is dramatic storytelling at its very best where language and music come together to create a thoroughly enjoyable performance. If you want to call it anything, dramatic musical theatre would be perfect and certainly something you would want to go and hear from start to finish.

Indeed, this is exactly how you need to approach the album. The tale of Reya Jones requires a certain degree of concentration and, just like picking up a book, skipping a chapter here and there won’t work. There is important world-building taking place in each track and dipping in to odd tracks means you will literally lose the plot.

A careful glance at the 13 track titles confirms this: there is a well planned logical progression to the performance which drives the plot from Reya’s initial leaving earth behind and going on to do asteroid mining, the accident which forces her into a spacesuit and consequent abandonment for 24 years on Titan, the arrival of help and the promise of rescue,which she eventually rejects, and, in light of which, she stays and becomes Titan’s Queen.

Some tracks are even crossed referenced inside each other (for example, the Snow White reference reappears in North of Titan). The lyrics have been constructed with care and attention to detail so as to take us on the journey with Reya and, in the process, they make it easy for us to be fellow companions on the voyage.

However, the lyrics are only one element of the journey. The tremendously skilfull and, at times, deeply emotional music brings the story to life and envelops us in grand musical flourishes, changing tempo’s and alternating rhythms. The instruments playfully interweave with, and skilfully play off, each other, working in tandem with melodic and soulful vocals to paint vivid and provocative moments in Reya’s journey.

Each instrument gives off a bewildering range of tones and sounds, testament indeed to inventive and hugely talented musical accomplishment. Even more than this, each track itself is a unique musical style, giving you something different as it drives the story forward. It is a remarkable achievement and the band rightly deserve high praise for what they have achieved in creating this wonderful and insightful performance piece.

The absolutely beauty of ‘Reya of Titan’ is that, in the end, it gives you absolutely no choice but to get caught up in and carried away by the often scintillating musicianship on offer.

Peter Matuchniak (Mach One, Evolve IV) on guitars is a revelation throughout; 3 minutes into Snow White is the most delicious riff which will blow you away, unexpected as it is uplifting. Rick Meadows on bass (WZMG, Coot) is spellbinding; Frienda is an absolute joy, the jazzy lilting bass driving the music.

Vance Gloster (score for ‘The First Time’, WZMG, Coot) on keyboards lays down so many rich textures which permeate through each and every song. The synthesizer work soars above, and lends a clarion call, to the story whilst the Hammond growls away as the foundations which under-pin everything else.

Alan Smith on drums is the focal point of everything, orchestrating the movement and momentum of the story’s plot, astounding on Jovian Belt and 24 years of Solitude. And JoJo Razor (Jo Blackwood Martin – known for her work on The After Hours Electric Prog Jam on Cruise to the Edge 2014 and 2015) brings dramatic force and emotional depth to the vocals; Grains of Sand is a delight, her voice conveying the sense of being lost, the promise of redemption, of hope, of despair. What a performance!

‘Reya of Titan’ is not without weaknesses. The mix, in places, is unfortunately uneven with the drums, at points, being too prominent and the keyboards, at times, being a little too overwhelming and domineering. What would also have helped is some kind of insert which could have outlined the plot in advance of listening to it and a lyrics sheet so the story could be shared as we listened. But these, ultimately, cannot and must not be allowed to detract from what is a superbly creative, musically inventive and thoroughly enjoyable 50 minutes of excellent dramatic storytelling.

Released 20th June 2015

Buy Reya of Titan from Melodic Revolution Records

Riverside Live at Islington Assembly Hall – 20th October 2015 – by Aidan Campbell

Providing the first live guest review is Aidan Campbell. Not a bad gig either, Riverside live at the Islington Assembly Hall…..

This will be the third time I have seen the Polish prog-rock band live and, for some reason, this will be the third time they are in playing in a venue in the North London borough of Islington. I saw them in 2013 and 2014 at the Academy but this time they are at the Assembly Hall, a venue just up the road and about 10 minute walk from Angel tube station.

The band come on stage around 9pm and launch straight into Lost, the opening song from their new album ‘Love, Fear and The Time Machine’.

Consisting of vocalist and bassist Mariusz Duda, keyboardist Michal Lapaj and founder members Piotr Grudziński on guitar and Piotr Kozieradzki on drums, the quartet are on fine form tonight. The undoubted star of the show, however is Michal, using a Korg Kronos for piano, he creates some wonderful, delicate passages on We Got Used to Us and some mighty Hammond organ on songs such as Hyperactive and The Depth of Self-Delusion.

It is when he gets onto the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 that the real magic happens. The pulsating arpeggios adding a futuristic element to the Riverside sound, a song like the superb 9 minute Egoist Hedonist would sound totally different without Michal doing what he does with that synth.

Song wise the highlight for me, probably, is Escalator Shrine. Divided into 3 parts with a mid-tempo first section, a fast heavy second section, with some excellent Hammond organ playing from Michal (he is a fan of the late Jon Lord), and a slow mellow third section. As the 13 minute track finishes the crowd of 500 give it the biggest cheer of the evening.

Riverside only played 3 songs from the new album but that is not too much of an issue when you have so many great songs in their back catalogue and only 2 hours to play them!

The band end their set with Found, the closing song from the new album and a sister song to Lost, which, together, bookend a very fine album and one of my favourites of the year. They finished at 10:50pm after playing for just short of 2 hours, everyone going home happy after a great show. I even managed to make it back to King’s Cross in time for the 11:30 train back to Peterborough!

Review – Corvus Stone – Unscrewed – by Progradar

So I’ve let the lunatics take over the asylum for the last few reviews (I jest, they are all going to be worthy additions to the website) but it’s time I stopped shirking and took the Captain’s chair back…..

“There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.” – Oscar Levant.

After listening to the latest release from multi-national conglomerate Corvus Stone, I wouldn’t be surprised is that was the band’s mantra!

This is music that makes you smile, yes you could say they have poked too many badgers with sharp sticks but, I appreciate the sheer unbridled joy that is at the heart of their flippant and humorous output.

That’s not to say that they do not produce some excellent music, these guys are all great musicians at heart but they don’t take themselves too seriously. The band understand that a touch of madness can make something much more rich and varied.

A bit of background from the band’s website…….

“A band comprised of individuals, all with their own unique styles and approaches. You want predictability & an obvious theme on an album, you will not find it here (Or will you?). If you enjoyed radio stations like the ones that existed in the good old days (anything and everything), you will enjoy what you find here! They really do mix it up.

If you want to like what you hear in the first 30 seconds, again… look elsewhere but if you want music to grow on you as you get to know it, Corvus Stone’s music does exactly that. There is melodic content 100% of the time in everything they do. Sometimes there is singing, sometimes not.“

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