I can’t believe that in all my years, although being aware of them, I had never actually listened to any music from Stackridge, the Bristol based unit whose merging together of folk, prog, music hall and vaudeville stylings had somehow completely passed me by. Unbelievable and definitely my loss. So. now I find myself rapidly playing catch up, trying to rectify that oversight, which is rewarding, if not a little futile, as Stackridge have ceased to be, well for the moment at least.
Stackridge’s history is well documented online and in the rather marvellous ‘On Track’ book by Alan Draper, which details that history album by album. It’s possibly a book that many would enjoy reading, digesting and learning all about this seldom mentioned and largely overlooked band.
This fine 4 CD set comprises the reunion albums, ‘Something For The Weekend’, the ‘Lemon’ mini album and the 2008 release ‘A Victory For Common Sense’. The set is completed by a reissue of ‘The Final Bow’, a double album recording of their final show from their home city of Bristol recorded in 2015. It also features additional bonus tracks such as the 2006 re-recording of Purple Spaceships Over Yatton, Seek and You Will Find and both songs from the rare ‘Dummies’ CD single.
Stackridge have a near 50-year history, although it is a broken, disjointed timeline with periods of several years’ inactivity between the late 1970’s and the 1990’s, after which they returned to an increased level of activity once again. This means that ‘The Final Bow’ element of this release is able to draw material from their earliest and also their latter day releases and this makes the set different to the earlier live set of ‘The Forbidden City’ from 2007, with which it shares at least 10 tracks. The addition of track from 2008’s ‘A Victory For Common Sense’ helps as several of those tracks really make an impression here. As do long term fan favourites like Syracuse the Elephant and Slark, along with Purple Spaceships Over Yatton and Do the Stanley Stanley Aviator Brass, that draws the show to a fitting, if not a little understated, finale.
What I do like, and I think will appeal to Big Big Train Passengers, is the presence of Claire Lindley who adds her violin, guitar, ukulele and voice to these recordings. They all sound wonderful and pastoral even, at various points within the albums, especially on the live tracks where her presence is keenly felt. I also like that they delve back deep into their history for versions of The Road To Venezuela and God Speed The Plough. Something About the Beatles really appeals, with its somewhat whimsical lyrics. It does remind me at times of a less manic incarnation of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band without the whirlwind of mischief that was Vivian Stanshall, Stackridge seem to share a similar musical DNA, which makes their eccentricity all the more rewarding. I really am enjoying discovering all this wonderful music many years later on.
Whilst casual listeners may not find this the best introduction to Stackridge, it does have the advantage of offering a handy bite-size introduction to the band through its latter-day recordings and the great ‘The Final Bow’ set. This is all encased in a great clamshell box with individual sleeves for the albums, although ‘A Victory For Common Sense’ gets a gatefold sleeve and ‘The Final Bow’ gets a different picture for each disc, along with picture labels of each cover. The booklet is perfunctory and actually is a little light on details, giving more of an overview of the band’s history, the pictures are good though, it must be said, I certainly found it to be a fine set one that I will definitely return to again I’m sure.
I recommend it highly and I can only comment on how much I’ve missed out on over the years of this band’s existence. Don’t be like me, investigate Stackridge for yourself, you may be as pleasantly surprised as I have been with their excellent musicianship and witty and interesting songs.
Life has been a bit up and down recently and I have really struggled to keep Progradar up and running but we are still here, a not inconsiderable thanks has to go to John Wenlock-Smith for keeping the reviews running while I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus!
Anyway, 2025 started with some fantastic promos being sent so here are just a few of them, you’ll see why I think 2025 is going to be another stellar year for the music we all love!
Ghost Of The Machine – ‘Empires Must Fall’
‘Empires Must Fall’ is the hotly anticipated second album from Yorkshire-based progressive rock band Ghost Of The Machine, releasing on 7 March 2025 through ProgRock.com’s Essentials label.
Empires Must Fall maintains Ghost Of The Machine’s trademark anthemic hooks and beefy melodic rock production (once again courtesy of Leeds producer Bob Cooper) and it also explores “denser and darker arrangements that”—singer Bramald promises—will “scratch that ‘prog’ itch while striking a careful balance between shorter, more accessible songs and those epic-length pieces that we’re known for.”
The new album tells a continuation of the story that started with the ‘Scissors’ suite on the previous album. Bramald adds, “Our first record concluded with the tyrannical Puppet King being vanquished by his final victim… she slew him with a pair of scissors! So, we wondered what the consequences of that violent but liberating final act would be. We started with a simple question: what is true justice? Is the newly crowned Empress of the Light succeeding at being a benevolent ruler, or is she becoming a tyrant herself? Can she right all the wrongs that she herself had suffered? And what will it take to finally break the cycle of violence and coercion?”
God, these guys just keep getting better! There’s a confidence about Ghost Of The Machine that oozes from every track on this complete monster of an album. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the band had been together for decades, not just a handful of years. Powerful guitars and a wonderfully fluid rhythm section add to the elegant keyboards and Charlie Bramald’s superb, distinctive vocals to deliver a real tour de force of hard rock tinged progressive rock.
Keepers Of The Light opens the album with an energetic bravado that enthuses the listener and then The Days That Never Were adds some classic hard rock vibes to the album. The two epics, Panopticon and Fall Through Time, take this impressive band to yet another level. The former is a brooding monster of a track that ebbs and flows with a quiet assurance and maturity and speaks of a group of musicians on an ever upwards trajectory and working in an almost symbiotic relationship. The latter is a true progressive masterpiece that wouldn’t be amiss on a Genesis album. The haunting brilliance of The One is a highlight and the album closes with After The War, a modern progressive take on Dire Straits‘ Brothers In Arms to my ears.
‘Empires Must Fall’ is Ghost Of The Machine oozing class, skill and confidence to deliver a truly majestic musical experience that lingers long after the last note has ended.
Dominic Sanderson is a 25-year-old Liverpool-based solo artist from Wakefield. He places his foot firmly in the progressive rock field, with current influences being Van der Graaf, King Crimson, Gentle Giant and Caravan. Having made his debut in 2020 with the ‘Discarded Memories’ EP (featured on the sampler CD of Prog Magazine #116), Sanderson released his first full-length album, ‘Impermanence’, in 2022.
‘Blazing Revelations’ was completed between January and November 2024. The album was recorded and mixed independently by Joshua Joyner in an abandoned radio station. With the snatches of time available to Sanderson and the band members, what with commitments to careers, families and social activities, ‘Blazing Revelations’ was a labour of love, slowly chipped at when time allowed. The mastering was completed by Jon Astley (The Who) at Close To The Edge Studios.
Once again, Dominic Sanderson has created something truly progressive. I was a big fan of ‘Impermanence’ and I think he has taken his skill set to another level. A masterful collection of songs that inspire and surprise at every turn. There’s touches of Canterbury, swathes of symphonic and, over all, a supreme confidence in the composition and delivery on every track of this superb release.
Dominic is obviously not one to rest on his laurels and ‘Blazing Revelations’ continues his quest to expand the progressive genre with thoughtful, intelligent and complex creations like the acid edged majesty of From The Weeping Cradle with it’s complex rhythms and the wistful, Canterbury stylings of Faithless Folly, a convoluted, labyrinthine piece of music that takes you on an other worldly adventure. Add in the acid folk leanings of A Rite Of Wrongs and we see Sanderson take an enjoyable trip into the wider sonic world.
The stand out track is the near seventeen minute journey into the unknown that is Lullaby For Broken Dream. There’s something utterly compelling about this song as it opens up like an Edgar Allan Poe story set to music with discordant jazz sections that really test his fellow musicians and edgy, contemporary prog that makes for an complex and intriguing listening experience. An utterly worthwhile expedition into the creative mind of one of British progressive rock’s rising stars. Crimson-esque guitars and swathes of 70’s keyboards abound on this stunning piece of music that will leave you breathless in admiration.
With ‘Blazing Revelations’, Sanderson has redefined what it is to be truly progressive in the modern musical world and I for one am eminently thankful that there are musicians out there who are still creating works of art like this.
Human Pyramids is a Cinematic, Orchestral Supergroup from Glasgow, Scotland.
Led by Composer/Producer Paul Russell, the new album features musicians from Axes, Suicide Bid, Scottish Ballet and Modern Studies.
Their 4th album ‘Thank You’ was recorded all over the UK and Europe. Luscious strings, rousing horns, shimmering guitars and bubbling synths. The album expands upon their trademark euphoric sound from the first 3 records which have soundtracked countless TV Shows, Documentaries and Films. The album was mastered by Alan Douches (Sufjan Stevens / Animal Collective) in New York State.
I’m a huge fan of Paul and Human Pyramids, the uplifting music is wonderful to listen to and transcends all the crap in modern life. With ‘Thank You’ Paul has carried on with his fantastic formula, delivering an experience that is sonically beautiful and joyously mesmerising.
Take strings, brass, amazing percussion and funky guitar and add in a touch of utter joy and you get something that will leave a permanent smile on your face. Listen to the audaciously wonderful Full Bloom, the staccato feather like innocence of Scattering Sunlight and the wholesome delight of Glow and tell me that I’m wrong!
This world that we live in can be a daunting and scary place so take some time out of your busy schedule and let Human Pyramids whisk you away to a world of musical wonder and delight!
Thumpermonkey’s guitarist/vocalist Michael Woodman returns with his first full-length solo album, slated for release on 26/04/2025. ‘Hiss of Today’ entangles restless analogue-synth entities with lo-fi motorik percussion; part 60s baroque chamber pop, part Vangelis, part Thelemic ritual viewed through a broken kaleidoscope. Label owner and Gong frontman Kavus Torabi (whom Woodman toured with after the release of his debut EP, ‘Psithurism’) also gifts his unmistakable spectral psychedelia to the single, Lychgate. The album’s inspiration comes from an uncanny discovery: William Robert Woodman, one of the founding members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, not only shared Michael’s surname but also died on the same date as Michael’s birthday. ‘Hiss of Today’ is equal parts nostalgic hauntology, tales of cursed ZX Spectrum tapes, and hallucinated 8-bit lore – expanded upon through a pre-release text adventure that fans can access from February 2025.
Photo credit Ashley Jones.
I was one of the first to hear ‘Psithurism‘ and was intrigued by Michael’s complex and intriguing music and he has returned with a full length release that improves on the promise of that EP to deliver a thought provoking and beguiling collection of songs that captivates the listener with its compelling stories impressive musicianship. Haunting and moody on tracks like The Wandering Nerve, the musical equivalent of scratching your finger nails down a blackboard and bombastic and theatrical on my personal favourite, The Button, a track that harks back to 90’s hard rock band Incubus to my ears. It is a journey through a feverish but calculating mind and one that produces something daringly different.
There’s nothing else quite like ‘Hiss Of Today’, with touches of Gong and Cardiacs in places, mingling with the cerebral style prog of Van der Graaf Generator and King Crimson, Michael Woodman has created a kaleidoscope of musical magnificence.
Dim Gray are a Norwegian band known for their cinematic, atmospheric sound that fuses rock, folk, and chamber pop. Following acclaimed debut, ‘Flown’, and the expansive, evocative soundscapes of second album, ‘Firmament’, Dim Gray are set to release their third studio album, Shards, on February 28th, 2025 on Grim Day Records.
Formed by Håkon Høiberg (guitars, vocals), Tom Ian Klungland (drums), Oskar Holldorff (vocals, keys) and former member Robin Kirknes (bass), the band added new members Kristian Kvaksrud (bass) and Milad Amouzegar (guitar, keys) in 2023. The band have established a strong live presence, as per their recent live EP, and have captivated audiences while supporting renowned acts like Marillion and Big Big Train.
Oskar adds, “Seven of the songs on Shards are about change, upheaval, severance; something shattering to pieces. Although most of these songs are sad or dramatic, some have a tinge of hopefulness to them, as sometimes the pieces of something shattered can be rearranged in different and better ways. These seven songs are bookended by two songs that deal with the opposite; a constant stasis, an unending struggle of two opposing kinds that are reflections of our personalities.”
With the breadth and ambition of the Shards album, Dim Gray are making good on not only what has come before but also setting their sights on, despite their name, a very bright future.
I’ve been on the Dim Gray journey since the start and this Norwegian band just get better and better with every album they release.
They have a very distinctive sound and this has coalesced into a more easily accessible and open set of songs on ‘Shards’. From the very first note of Defiance you are drawn into a musical cornucopia of wonder and delight. Jingling guitars, haunting piano and the distinctive, fluent vocals are hallmarks of this wonderful band’s very unique sound. The soaring choruses and dynamic strings add yet another dimension to the music and this can be heard to fantastic effect on the delightful Myopia.
Dim Gray are described as ‘evoking a blend of Radiohead’s experimental edge and Fleet Foxes’ pastoral warmth’ but, to my ears anyway, their sound has evolved to be very like the much loved Danish band, Mew, who are sadly playing their last two shows this year before disbanding. With driving, energetic songs like Murals with its superb folk style guitar, Dim Gray can forge a new path for themselves and create their own niche. The warmth and heartfelt passion of Feathers and Mooneater create a stylish juxtaposition with the wonderful Scandi pop/prog of the vibrant first single from the album, Peril, like A-ha brought bang up to date for present times, it’s uplifting, energetic and just brilliant!
Mesmerising and ethereal, Little One and Shards From a Broken Crown are perfect musical gems like atmospheric, euphonic ripples in a sonic lake but the best is saved until last with the ten minute odyssey that is Attakulla. A brooding opening gives way to Dim Gray at their magical best. Gorgeous harmonies and simply superb musicianship create an atmosphere of utter wonder that transcends mere mortality and finishes this musical creation on an incredible high.
‘Shards’ is a band operating on a higher plain. Widescreen cinematic music full of heart and soul, Dim Gray have given us the highlight of 2025 so far and it will take something quite remarkable to top it.
One of the best things about last year for me was getting out to go to more gigs than usual, several of these being in quite distant places for me. These included a couple of Sunday afternoon shows in Camden, another was in Reading and yet another was in Colchester, where I was fortunate enough to witness the first ever live performance from Essex based The Round Window, who were supporting the ever impressive EBB in a show at the Three Wise Monkeys public house.
This was a very interesting trip for me as Colchester is nearly 200 miles and several trains from Cheshire! Nonetheless, it was a trip I felt compelled to make as I had been utterly smitten by their second album ‘Everywhere And Nowhere’ which editor Martin Hutchinson had reviewed and raved about on this very site.
Which bring us in a very meandering manner to this latest release from The Round Window, the EP ‘Fram’, which is not long enough for an album but certainly strong enough to be a stand alone release. It contains a mere three tracks, however, when the tracks are as imaginative and varied as these then you are getting some real quality music that works well as both an introduction to the band and also marks a moment in their development as the band move forward to being more active and present in the current progressive rock scene.
The three songs, The Silence, Fram and the epic sounding Hourglass are performed by the three Lock’s, Richard on vocals, Thomas on Keyboards and Jack on drums. They are very ably assisted by Robin Armstrong of Cosmagraf who adds some impressive guitar toFram and bass on The Silence, along with Gareth Cole who adds his multi-faceted guitar tones to Hourglass. In Addition, Per Malmberg adds his guitar to The Silence. The EP is also produced by Robin Armstrong via his Gravity Dreams label.
This EP works extremely well in offering a concise snapshot of a band who have upped their game significantly with new material that draws on what they have done previously and yet have somehow managed to move several steps further on in terms of their overall confidence and also in their visibility in the current scene. What has helped in this is their constant self-examination of who they are and this EP distils their hopes and dreams into just three songs that offer another side to the band with thoughtful and intelligent themes delivered with style and grace.
First (and longest track) The Silence is a song written from the viewpoint of a soldier in the First World War who is remembering past seasonal festivities at home with his family, something he is hoping can happen once more when the madness is over. The song begins with a somewhat sombre and atmospheric soundscape which is very cinematic in tone before a beat is picked up with bass and drums. A strong vocal from Richard commences with the soldier’s memories and his strong wish to be home. The song paints a wonderful picture of family life that has been interrupted by events, at which point the song changes into a darker mood. A guitar break follows before more sombre words are voiced and we can tell that things have altered somewhat for the soldier as he tells his sister that all is not as he had previously communicated. He did it to keep his hopes alive but now they have been dashed. The song ends with sounds of a family gathering and it is a very moving track all told.
Fram tells the story of Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian Explorer who sailed in the ship Fram on an unsuccessful expedition to the North Pole in 1894. Despite his failure, he was hailed as a hero on his return. The song explores his thoughts and feelings on his failure and the subsequent success of Roald Amundsen in 1911 in the very same vessel, Fram. This track is very introspective and resigned in tone, not victorious in any way and has some great and very fluid guitar lines woven throughout.
Hourglass is another somewhat introspective and inward-looking piece, although it concerns itself with looking into the future at the end of another year and hoping it will be a better one that lies ahead. It is a reflection on the passage of time as well and is another superbly composed and delivered piece of cinematic progressive music.
This is a very satisfying, impressive release from The Round Window and bodes well for their next album. I consider myself lucky enough to have caught their first show and hope to see them again soon.
I’ve had ‘Disparity’ for a while now and have only just begun to fully appreciate its subtle elegance and beauty. Andy Foster and Kite Parade have created a very modern progressive rock album of strong songs and observations of modern life.
The album begins with the track Fraternal Angels, which is very upbeat, starting out with synth soundscapes and piano before the vocals kick in with a surging drive. The song is very wide open in sound and is an excellent opener to all that is to follow afterwards. The mid section of the track is very interesting as it details the state of the world and it’s inequalities, 20% of the world having 80% of its wealth and resources. The brief Open Your Heart calls for a fair redistribution of the world’s food supplies and wealth and to be fairer to everyone. Is This All There Is ? features Christina Booth of Magenta who challenges us to do and to be more as there is more to life than what we see and experienceT he delivery of this great song is excellent. The World Is Mine is from the view of one who is in the top tier of wealth and is still not satisfied with everything,
Lynsey Ward of Exploring Birdsong is the vocalist for Broken, which has a delicate piano and some great synth sounds among its shuffling melody. The introduction of Andy Foster’s excellent saxophone solo really adds to the dynamics along with some great slide type guitar sounds towards the end. There are great dynamics between the rhythm section of Jimmy Pellagrosi (drums) and Marcin Palider (bass) with Andy laying down a great guitar line on top. This segues into Forgotten Youth, which has a chunky riff and sound to it. This is another up-tempo song with very interesting lyrics. Also worth mentioning is the terrific sound that the album possesses and that comes courtesy of Rob Aubrey, the sound being excellent and clear with great dynamics. It sounds really good to these ears, modern with a great drive and urgency when required. I also like how the songs flow into each other, creating a continuous sound cycle which captures the attention. The song has an excellent outro that is very impressive and imaginative. The use of textures and colouring make this song very grand sounding and my favourite thus far on what is a very majestic album.
Is There Hope? is a prelude to the epic Make It Beautiful which begins with thunderous bass from Marcin which sets a strident tone for the song. The track has a great refrain that is very memorable indeed. This is a great piece of music, very hopeful and optimistic in nature, which is no bad thing! It is a plea to restore beauty to an increasingly ugly world. Yes, it might be a bit hippyish and unrealistic but one can hope that beautiful actions can happen and bring the beauty back for everyone to appreciate. All this leads into the final track, Listen To The Angels, another optimistic and hopeful song. Andy Foster might be a dreamer but he wants a better world and hopes that it will happen and, in these troubled times in which we currently live, surely that’s not a bad way to be. I for one applaud his efforts and share his hopes for a fairer future.
‘Disparity’ is a really strong album with much to commend and has some brilliant performances. It bodes very well for the future of Kite Parade, let’s us hope that it’s not too long before we see them in action once again, as they are at the vanguard of a growing wave of melodic and worthy progressive rock music.
I highly recommend this tremendous album to you all. As for me, I am going back to check out their earlier albums, ‘The Way Home’ and ‘Retro’ as they passed me by, so the time is right for me to get acquainted with them.
‘The Geof Whitely Project was formed in 2011, it consists of Geof Whitely and special guest Musicians, the aim of the project is to put out original material in all types of musical formats from Prog Rock-Rock-Pop-Electronic-Instrumental.’
So days the information on the bandcamp page but the Geof Whitely Project is much more than that, it is the brainchild and labour of love of prolific musician Arny Wheatley and is a true progressive vision. Arny releases a lot of albums and there are no massive leaps forward with each one but a steady progression of musical styles and delivery so that, while each are distinctively a GWP album, no two are the same.
This latest release, ‘Paper Tiger’ continues in a similar vein with more depth and further maturity to each track on the album. The opening two songs, Cut Against The Grain and Under The Waves are both a case in point. Like every song that the Geof Whiteley project has released, they are linked by Arny’s distinctive, monotone vocal delivery, a link back to the very first album released, but the music has added layers of sophistication and depth that delivers a very impressive sound. The edgy, synth driven Made A Promise has a funky 80’s feel to it and On The West Bank is an emotive, touching lament to a seemingly never ending conflict. The Prisoner is the Geof Whiteley Project distilled into seven minutes of excellent, hypnotic music with Arny’s vocal drawing you in to his surreal world.
There is a dark, mysterious edge to An Uneasy Presence, a track that has a real Hammer Horror feel to it, it’s deliciously enigmatic and my personal favourite, Force Of The Someone, takes an 80’s Genesis vibe and runs with it to perfection. Fans of antipodean prog band Unitopia will hear touches of that outfit in the light and airy wonder of Cracked Eyes with its masterful keyboards and synths and the laid back but very serious grooves of Vulnerable Species. The album closes with the solemn and haunting I’ve Seen A World, a very impressive piece of music with highly meaningful lyrics, mirrored by the wonderful music.
‘Paper Tiger’ is the Geof Whiteley Project’s most accomplished release yet, an album of intelligent songs that is a plea to the world and a hope that it is not already too late. Well done Arny my friend, you have truly delivered your Magnum Opus and what a wonder it is.
This is a 3 CD box set containing 35 tracks of Bill Bruford’s original music made for his own Winterfold (for his more electric driven music) and Summerfold (for his more acoustic and more improvised ideas) labels. This set is an expanded version of a set originally released in 2006 and long out of print and has been totally redesigned and reimagined for today with new artwork and sleeve notes and offering a concise overview of Bill’s career since 1977.
Unlike his earlier set, ‘Making A Song & Dance’ of 2022, this set only focuses on his own material, so nothing from Yes, U.K. or King Crimson. I feel this actually helps you recognise just how excellent Bill’s work over the past 40 years has been. The fact that Bill “retired” from music in 2009 to focus on more academic pursuits makes this collection all the more relevant now, with a semi return to activities with the Pete Roth Trio with whom he is currently active.
This collection covers those 42 years from his Bruford days through his collaborations with Patrick Moraz and Michiel Borstlap and covers 18 albums from which this set has been entirely re-designed by Bruford’s long-standing associate designer- photographer Dave McKean and overseen personally by Bill himself. The range of styles encompassed is significant from the more fusion driven sound of Bruford the band, the improvisation of Moraz and Bruford and Borstlap and Bruford to the free form jazz expression of the various incarnations of Earthworks. The list of contributors is lengthy and varied but, above it all, is the precise timekeeping of Bill Bruford holding everything together in a well ordered fashion.
Beginning with Bruford, the band Bill started after leaving U.K. in 1977, we get 4 tracks from ‘Feels Good To Me’, two apiece from ‘One Of A Kind’ and ‘Gradually Going Tornado’ and just one from ‘The Bruford Tapes’. For me, this particular period of Bill’s musical journey is one I was aware of but had not actually heard for myself. Obviously a situation I now need to rectify ASAP, as are the albums made with Patrick Moraz, which also warrant further investigation.
So it is really the Earthworks era that this review will concentrate upon, an era that is all instrumental jazz, mainly propelled by Bill on acoustic rather than electric drums, although it did introduce the concept of chordal drums (A hybrid of half keyboard and half drums) which afforded Bill a new dimension in which to explore new rhythmic possibilities and sensibilities, which he does to stunning effect on both Pilgrim’s Way and Stromboli Kicks, which both feature this style of playing. Bill’s playing uses a random collage of micro percussion taken from 82 samples of little blocks, bells, finger samples and others all played live in the context of the track. This is certainly unusual and somehow sounds intriguing and very impressive. The sound is most definitely unusual but an effective marriage of both chordal and electronic drums.
We then have a couple of tracks from the David Torn produced ‘All Heaven Breaks Loose’, which features the processed sound of Iain Bellamy’s tenor horn. This was Earthworks really throwing away any rulebook and improvising freely and to fine effect. Again we hear Bill’s masterful stewardship and timekeeping even with free improvisation. Both Temple Of The Winds and Candles Still Flicker In Romania’s Dark benefit from this freedom. Nerve from ‘Stamping Ground’ follows and here we find Earthworks in full on improvisation mode again to fine effect. This is exciting and unrestrained stuff, albeit tempered with the tight controls of Bill’s timekeeping and vision. This is followed by the simply gorgeous acoustic beauty of two tracks from ‘If Summer Had It’s Ghosts’ in the form of the title track and Thistledown, both very gentle, quietly melodious and beautiful, another one to search out for myself I feel. The disc ends with 2 tracks from ‘Apart And Yet Again’ which saw the introduction of Earthworks mark II, which was more acoustically propelled with a new cast of musicians to push Bill’s envelope, as it were.
CD3 continues the Earthworks journey, apart from a few tracks from the collaboration with Dutch keyboardist Michiel Borstlap, in which the duo play completely spontaneously without any prearrangements. This makes for some very interesting music in which both musicians really listen to each other and respond accordingly. It is very exciting stuff as you hear their interactions play out, this would fool most people as there is no road map for where the music goes, it is all brilliantly intuitive. A sole track from ‘A Coat Of Many Colours’ sees Bill in connection with fellow drummer Chad Wackerman and Luis Conte on congas, focusing on the pitch of the various drums in a unique sounding track. The remaining tracks show Earthworks mostly in live performances from various different concerts
Above all this set accentuates the sheer brilliance and dedication to his craft that marks Bill Bruford to be a doctor of rhythm and rightfully so too as his work on these discs encompasses a huge array of both styles and settings. This is not always a straightforward listen as you need to get into the groove and begin to appreciate the subtleties on offer within these tracks but it is definitely worth it as there is very much to enjoy and appreciate herein.
The Cyan release, ‘The Guardians’, comprises a mere three tracks, namely The Guardians Of Your Destiny, a 26 minute epic that has been resurrected from Cyan’s reimagining of the original 1994 album, reworked and extended from its original 12 minute run time with new parts and solo’s from all and sundry, All Around The World, that was used as the Progaid single in 2005 and there’s also an instrumental entitled Cyan. Both the first two tracks were on the original album ‘Pictures From The Other Side’, however, due to excessive running length and so as not to distract from what they had already worked on and re-recorded, they were left off.
The whole EP lasts for approximately 38 minutes in all and, whilst not a full album, it certainly is a hefty slice of Cyan music to savour and enjoy. Once again, the band comprises of Robert Reed on keyboards, Dan Nelson on bass, Peter Jones on vocals and various wind instruments and the guitar work comes from Luke Machin who never fails to impress with his fleet fingered flights of delight. They are also joined by the angelic voice of Angharad Brinn, whose ethereal vocals are highly impressive sounding and work well in tandem with Peter Jones.
The EP starts with the epic The Guardians Of Your Destiny. This begins with Angharad’s voice soaring over a wash of keyboard sounds and some muted percussion before Luke Machin lets fly with a soaring guitar line which is then superseded by Rob’s organ sounds. Luke takes over once again before Peter Jones sings the opening verse. As an opening section this is pretty epic with lots happening and it all sounds wonderful too. This leads to delicate short acoustic guitar section before Rob allows his keyboards free rein in an explosive set of runs. There is then a part with dual vocals from Peter and Angharad that shows the beauty of their two voices. A brief but soaring guitar solo from Luke intercedes before we return to more duo vocals and acoustic guitar interludes, along with a glorious synth solo from Rob and guitar break from Luke.
Rob’s organ sounds return before Angharad sings the refrain We Are The Mighty Ones that occurs at several points during the song, acting as a way marker in moving the song along and holding the sections together as one complete piece. The sounds are very Genesis like in tone and I feel it gives a point of reference in Rob’s musical development and plays as a tribute to the mastery of Tony Banks. The song draws towards it conclusion with another Luke Machin solo and more keyboard solo’s from Rob. Mention must also be made of the stellar Bass work from Dan Nelson who is there at every turn adding depth and Solidity. The track ends in a triumphant burst of impassioned vocals from Peter Jones before a return to the chorus of We Are The Mighty Ones and a final guitar fill from Luke.
All Around The World is a pretty straightforward listen that has more epic guitar from Luke Machin, who never fails to impress with his fluid playing. I’ve known Luke for over 15 years and have seen his confidence and abilities grow over that time and he always plays what is needed at the time. He is one of prog’s most versatile players, as his soon to be released solo album will invariably attest. The song then enters a longer keyboard part to finish. This excellent EP finishes with he instrumental track Cyan, which is really 2 instrumentals they used to play in the 1980’s that have been fused together with a few new parts added. This gives room for all to take their turn in the spotlight with Luke, Rob and Peter all taking the spotlight, Peter by means of his saxophone, Luke with his guitar and Rob embellishing everything with his sensitive and keen keyboard solos, sounds and textures.
Whilst this may be a shorter EP, it certainly is not without its merits and is a joy to hear these musicians cutting loose as they do in Cyan. ‘The Guardians’ is an excellent addition to the Cyan canon and will fit well alongside ‘Pictures From The Other Side’ to complete the full picture that album represents.
UK Progressive Rock group Frost* is pleased to share a new stand-alone single titled “Western Atmosphere.” This song was originally featured as a Japanese-only bonus track on the album ‘Life in the Wires,’ and sees band leader Jem Godfrey joined by Randy McStine (Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree – live guitarist), Mike Keneally (Devin Townsend) & Nick D’Virgilio (Big Big Train).
Godfrey says this about the track: “I sometimes wonder what would have happened had I stayed in bed 10 minutes longer than I did on Monday 11th of January 2010. Perhaps my life would have gone in a completely different direction and Frost* would have ended up with the lineup of myself on keys, vocals and bass, Mike Keneally on guitar, Nick D’Virgilio on drums and Randy McStine on guitar and vocals. We’ll never know, I guess.”
“It’s actually a continuation from Day and Age” explains Godfrey, “the first track on the new album starts with the end of the last track from that album “Repeat to Fade,” where the static comes up and a voice says “Can you hear me?”. I remember putting that in when we did Day and Age as a possible little hook for the future; a character somewhere out there in Day and Age land trying to be heard. What does he want to say? Can anybody hear him? Day and Age kind of sets up the world that this character lives in and Life In The Wires tells his story”.
The story revolves around the main character Naio, an aimless kid heading for a meaningless future in an A.I. run world. He hears an old DJ talking on the ancient AM radio his mother once gave him and decides to trace the source of the signal and find “Livewire” to see if there’s a better future out there. However, the All Seeing Eye is less than impressed at this bid for independent thought and fights back. Soon Naio finds himself pursued across the country by an outraged mob as he tries to locate the home of Livewire and his freedom. Tune in at www.lifeinthewires.com and see if you can hear Livewire on the radio.
Helping create this parallel world are the “classic” Frost* lineup of guitarist John Mitchell, bassist Nathan King, and returning drummer Craig Blundell.
Fans of the band’s masterful debut album Milliontown (2006) will enjoy the band revisiting the style that made that debut album one of the most successful prog rock albums of the last 20 years, a fact that was not lost on Godfrey as he was writing this new record.
“With Day and Age, we made it a very specific point: we’re not doing any solos, we’ll do clever arrangements. And we enjoyed that discipline, but this time I thought it might be good to row back on that position a bit. Plus, I wanted to have a little bit of a nod to Milliontown with this album, because it’s been nearly 20 years since Milliontown came out and I’m still proud of it. The 15-minute title track has a few of those Milliontown moments in it which were great fun to do again.”
Frost* released their critically acclaimed double concept album ‘Life In The Wires’ last October. The album received rave reviews from press and fans alike, ending up on many end-of-year Best-Of lists and winning Album of the Year in The Prog Report Awards.
If, like me, you enjoy symphonic prog, then you will find much to enjoy in this shorter album from Norway’s TheWindmill. With definite touches and traces of Wish You Were Here in the long first track Fear, ‘Mindscapes’ has as good an opening segment as I’ve heard on many an album. This release also contains three shorter tracks, all of which show a different facet of the band
The vocalist Erik Borgen has a wonderful, if somewhat unusual voice, it reminds me in places of Roine Stolt of The Flower Kings. Also memorable here is the saxophone of Morton L. Clason which adds something of great depth to all the keyboards and clout of the rest of the band. Fear has a great soundscape and some dynamic passages, along with a great organ solo. It’s also, despite being nearly twenty-three minutes in length, a very endearing track with lots happening during its duration. In fact, the more I’ve heard it the better it gets for me, as it reveals deeper, hidden complexities which, when all taken together, forms a most impressive piece. The song is in three distinct sections, Fear, Back Against The Wall and Amnesia, the middle section has a great urgency and wonderful interplay between the flute and the rest of the band, it also benefits from a strong chorus and refrain.
I really like this track, it has grown on me considerably as I have become more familiar with it. A good guitar break helps move the track along before an extended keyboard solo is introduced to the proceedings. Thereafter a flute solo plays as the songs moves into its second section and this is a well orchestrated part with good keyboards and more flute stylings, all of which add to the overall feel and impression the track is seeking to create. And create it well it does too, as this song really does make a favourable impression and impact.
Calton Hill is a tribute to the band’s good friend Brian McNeil who was based in, or certainly very well acquainted with, the city of Edinburgh. The song is about walking around the city and the delights of Calton Hill which offers a good view of the city and is adorned with monuments and is a very pleasant area to explore. I know, I did it over 30 years ago and long to revisit once again. The shorter and more delicate sounding I Still Care seems to be about a loved one who is not around any more but, even so, he still cares about her. It’s a wistful rather than cloying song, it is very tender and heartfelt though. The final track Nothing In Return is a bit of a different beast though, as it has a heavier sound with a degree of crunching guitar, almost like Grunge Prog! The presence of the flute is clearly heard and felt and this actually really works with this song because the contrast with the guitar is distinct and the flute brings a degree of lightness to proceedings. A wild synth solo is played with increasing urgency and power which makes an definite impact. The track then heads out in a romping/rollicking section, all synths and guitar riffs in tandem and unison. The impressively solid bass of Arnfinn Isaksen is felt here and his weight adds much to the dynamics at play here. This song may be brief but it is certainly powerful and impactful.
‘Mindscapes’ may be relatively short for an album of this genre but it is definitely a triumphant one for The Windmill, coming six years after their ‘Tribus’ release of 2018 and shows this fine Norwegian outfit have much to offer still. I heartily recommend this for its versatile musicianship and its complex layers and soundscapes, it’s a very enjoyable listen indeed.
Rick Wakeman will, I’m sure, be known to many of you as he was the keyboard player during the golden era of Yes in the 1970’s, where his talents added significant input to the albums ‘Fragile’, ‘Close To The Edge’ and ‘Tales From Topographic Oceans’ before leaving the group and rejoining for ‘Going For The One’ and ‘Tormato’ after Patrick Moraz had left the band, in part due to the “enormous psychological pressures within the group”.
‘Yessonata’ is the much requested Yes highlights segment of his two shows at the London Palladium in 2023, where he performed his early solo albums in full on the first night. The second evening was a set of classic Yes material along with a performance of ‘Journey To The Centre Of The Earth’. `In among all this was a newly composed ‘Yes Suite’ in three parts, The Meeting, Wondrous Stories and South Side Of The Sky. Also included were versions of Roundabout,And You And I and Starship Trooper /Wurm. This was very warmly received, so much so that fans started to ask where they could get this, other than the 4CD live album where it was included on disc 3. This showed Rick that there was a demand for a recording of that to be made available so, in 2024, Rick set about pulling the three parts together, adding a few more bits and creating his own Yes Sonata, hence the album title.
This new release was a bit too short so Rick also produced a piano variation of the ‘The Myths and Legends of King Arthur…’ album and is entitled The King Arthur Piano Suite. This album, whilst short, is excellently conceived, produced and delivered by Rick using a sole Steinway Model D Concert Grand Piano.
The music is truly sensational but the real fun is in recognising which pieces Rick is playing from which albums. The press release cites ‘more than 30 musical fragments’ but I don’t know the Yes back catalogue that well to recognise them all. Google search would give more insights but for me just hearing Rick perform this piece of work at his age is remarkable, as he still has great dexterity and ability. I grew up as a teenager being introduced to Rick’s music through my brother’s friend who had ‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’ album and my brother’s copy of ‘Yessongs’, which included Rick’s brilliant solo parts. I was totally mesmerised by his skills, this was further enhanced by a live Rick Wakeman DVD that I acquired in the 2000’s which included his hilarious Nursery RhymeConcerto which is brilliant, extremely funny and superbly delivered. Rick is not only a classically trained pianist but also a fine raconteur with his off kilter sense of humour being well known to all.
A clip of that concerto is here:
In this piece Rick shows his tremendous talents, dismissing it as a simple little thing before then firing off a staggering piano motif or run that repeats throughout the track.
That same skill is on offer on this album of two tracks, ingenuity coupled with complexity and a confident delivery. It’s actually a rather fine collection of piano motifs compiled together to create a concerto that does as it says, it conveys the melodic sensibilities of the Yes canon in one single piano interpretation. It is an easy listen but also offers the listener the challenge of identifying the particular melodies that are so eloquently delivered. The King Arthur Piano Suite is similar in style and concept, again this is impeccably performed and distils the essence of the near 40 minute album to a mere 20 minute piano improvisation whilst still maintaining the feel of the original album.
The cover art from Roger Dean is equally as impressive and conveys the Yes connection through the images. With a sound that is clear and crisp, all in all this is a highly impressive concept and a unique album in which you can appreciate the music of Yes in a unique and possibly simpler manner than the albums.
