Tag: Ruby Dawn

John Wenlock-Smith’s review of the 2024 musical year

2024 has been quite a year hasn’t it really? From the vagaries of politics and re-emergence of Donald Trump to again become US President again, the implosion of the Tory party and the triumphant Labour landslide, to the downfall of Assad in Syria, it has all been quite eventful, all in all.

Thankfully, musically it has been a good year, especially for the likes of Taylor Swift, whose ‘Era’ tour was a huge success, the reunion dates for Oasis were another success, especially for it’s promoters, if less so for their fans who struggled to get any reasonably priced tickets. Prog thankfully doesn’t suffer in the same way and great music shows could be easily found for very reasonable prices, except maybe David Gilmour tickets, but Steve Hackett and Big Big Train shows were far more fairly priced, as their sell out statuses clearly showed.

The year has some truly fine and many very worthwhile releases and here is what really hit it off for me. As with previous years, I have a vocal winner and an instrumental winner of the year and you’ll understand why as I reveal them to you all.

There’s also a note about why each was selected as being so very good, invariably i’ll miss something that I should have included, such is often the case as its not always easy to recall timings and release dates etc., There are no live albums or ‘best of’ though, even though several of each were very good releases.

Here we go then..

20. Wedingoth – ‘Five stars (A) live’

A somewhat interesting mix of heavy metal with distinct Pink Floyd overtones, all recorded live and portraying their 2023 five star album.

19. PsychoYogi – ‘Astro Therapy Brain repair’

The 2024 quirky release from Chris Ramsing and band with more King Crimson styled jazz musings.

18. Nataraja – ‘Spirit At Play’

A one off project from Jack Jennings with Andy Edwards and John Jowitt of Frost/IQ mixing Indian classical music with synthesisers and fiery guitar a la John McLaughlin and Jimi Hendrix. A very intense listen but wonderfully conceived and delivered.

17. Infringement – ‘Black Science and White Lies’

More musings on the state of the world from the Norwegian stalwarts, full of dynamic music and strong observational lyrics.

16. Storm Deva – ‘Storm Deva’

Technically released at the back end of 2023 but gained popularity this year. Wonderful orchestral type music with fabulous vocalist/keyboardist Carollyn Eden along with sublime guitar work from Stuart Clark, some beautifully symphonic music and melodies.

15. Rick Wakeman – ‘Yessonata’

A totally solo piano album from the ex-Yes keyboard man which distils over thirty melodies from the prime era of Yes music. Have fun spotting the various melodies employed herein and, as a bonus, there is an instrumental synopsis of Rick’s ‘King Arthur’ piano suite.

14. Catalyst*R – ‘Pace Of Change’

A second album of impressive prog and electronic music from the ex Winter Machine men, check out the utterly epic Pendle Hill 1612.

13. Orion – ‘The Light Bringers’

The superb second full release from musical prodigy Ben Jones with lots of Rush overtones, especially with the spectacular artwork from Hugh Syme .

12. Kite Parade – ‘Disparity’

An album that highlights the challenges of this modern world most eloquently, there is some truly some great music on offer here.

11. The Windmill – ‘Mindscapes’

Latest release from the Norwegian retro-proggers. Just four tracks but such great tracks they are! One wonderfully long epic and the the other three being shorter, but no less impressive, pieces.

10. Age of Distraction – ‘A Game Of Whispers’

This offshoot group saw some of progressive music’s current stars (ex-This Winter Machine member John Cook, Ghost Of The Machine‘s Charlie Bramald and Mark Gatland of Hats Off Gentleman It’s Adequate to name three) band together in a new ad-hoc Project which married their progressive tendencies coupl with a harder edged sound to a fantastic impact. A second album is due in 2025 and possibly some live shows too!

9. Oddleaf – ‘Where Ideal And Denial Collide’

Surprisingly endearing and engrossing 70’s influenced Prog from new French outfit featuring the lovely Carina Taurer and colleagues.

8. Brendan Perkins – ‘Favourite Places’

A fantastic album that would most probably be of interest to Big Big Train ‘Passengers’ as the music is very expansive with very Pastoral overtones at various points. A most engrossing listen.

7. Nick Magnus – ‘A Strange Inheritance’

An excellent nautically themed collection of songs. This one really resonated with me and I really love Nick’s compositions on this album.

6. John Holden – ‘Proximity and Chance’

Another excellent release from the Cheshire based multi instrumentalist who, again, has enlisted some A-list players to support his epic pieces. This was, for several months, my album of the year but was then overshadowed by the following releases.

5. Kyros – ‘Mannequin’

Another top notch release and a fantastic fusion of 80’s style synth-pop and progressive music. An exquisitely produced and delivered album of sheer class.

4. Stuckfish – ‘IV’

This is a major step up from this north-east quintet and is full of great songs, some of which are crying out for more live performances. Sheer class and fine quality to boot.

3. Ruby Dawn – ‘Blood On Water’

The superb second release from Carola Baer and colleagues, who have crafted an album that is partly based on Romeo and Juliet but also contemplates life and all it’s seasons and challenges.

2. Forgotten Gods – ‘Memories’

This album came from nowhere but such is its emotional depth and rawness, along with its honesty and strong lyrics, it really makes a deep and lasting impression.

1st equal…

Instrumental album – Nick Fletcher – ‘A Longing For Home’

A further ten slices of Nick’s incredibly imaginative and polished musical musings with a truly impressive European based set of musicians. An album full of powerful themes and melodies along with jaw dropping skill and improvisation.

Vocal Album – John Wilkinson – ‘Imposter Syndrome’

Highly impressive solo album from The Swan Chorus and Ellesmere vocalist in which, over eight strong tracks, John sings of how he feels a fraud as a singer but goes on to prove that he is no fraud or imposter, rather he is a genuinely talented writer and performer. This album is a remarkable achievement and is a thing of beauty, crowned by John’s warm and evocative vocals.

It has been a vintage year for releases, you’ll notice that I’ve shied away from major label albums, despite there been several great ones but it us these 20 Albums have impacted me the most through 2024.

Review – Ruby Dawn – Blood on Water – by John Wenlock-Smith

Back in 2022 I wrote an extensive review of the debut album from Ruby Dawn as I was very much taken by it, hailing it to be one of my albums of the year and recommending it very highly. Well, it’s now two years later and a lot has happened since that first review. Ruby Dawn have a new album emerging onto the prog world stage in this month and it promises to be equal, if not superior, to that stunning debut album.

So let’s dig in, as they say, and see if that album was a fluke or whether this album can create something equally as captivating as the debut proved itself to be.

Initial impressions certainly bode well as the album has a very striking cover, very Hypgnosis in style and could easily be a Pink Floyd sleeve, such it is simple elegance and it is one that definitely catches the eyes. Comprising of eleven tracks ranging from the shorter Maker of Me to the lengthier epics Chronicles of a Celestial Soul and Juliet, both over seven minutes in duration. This is an album of feelings, of impressions and one that is firmly rooted in real life experiences. Experiences that have been faced and dealt with in the past few years by Carola Baer and her supportive crew of musicians, and also her own family members.

Whilst I know some of the background to this album, I don’t feel it is for me to lay wide open the headaches behind the music, except to say that Ruby Dawn have risen above the challenges to make an album of real strength, beauty, integrity and resilience, superbly deep recording. Opening with a steady drum beat before Carola’s suitably breathy vocals arrive, Juliet kicks off the album off in style. This track has a very meaty sound to it with solid and fluid guitar work from Dave Salsbury, whose playing is on fire here. This is an exciting and satisfying opener and proves how well the band gel. It also shows just how much the band have grown and have developed their own musical style in the two years since the debut album.

It also proves that the first album was no fluke and that this album will not suffer the Second album syndrome that has affected and derailed many a group over the years. Arms Of Love is a song about realising how together we are strong, being able to cope with whatever curve balls life may throw at us and also how it is better to be loved than left out in the cold, alone. With Alice Come Home we again have a very dense sounding track with great musical support, strong bass playing from Ian Turner and more fine guitar tones and soloing from Dave Salsbury, whose fretboard must have the grooves burnt into it from it from the ferocity of his playing across the whole album!

Title track Blood on Water is a slow, brooding song with an increasing level of intensity mixed in amongst its strong power chords. I really like this track, it’s honesty and integrity shine strongly here as Carola seeks to makes sense of her world as it now is, different. This has to both be realised as such and responded to in a totally new manner. Social Disaster follows with another excellent guitar part from Dave and strong supportive bass from Ian, along with the suitably robust drumming of Adam Perry, whose sterling backbeat holds everything tightly together in a most marvellous manner. Easy Feels is a highly atmospheric track and one that would appear to deal with the difficult area of loss of control and how that affects a family unit. This has a very Dave Gilmour style guitar break at it’s heart and it certainly impresses greatly.

This is an album that was borne out of painful, heartbreaking challenges and situations encountered and having to be dealt with. This theme of overcoming adversity is woven throughout all of the songs. Yet, despite its darkness there is also a ray of hope and light that still shines through. This alone gives the album much of it’s emotional depth and rawness, along with its honesty. For that boldness alone,  I applaud this deeply rewarding and emotionally haunting album.

The centrepiece of the album for me is the sprawling epic that is Chronicles of a Celestial Soul, which elaborates on the issue of suffering and the uncertainty that goes along with it. Again, we encounter Resilience and bravery as the situation is stared down and faced and confronted with courage and commitment.

The album is a triumphant statement of intent and a testimony to not giving in, instead choosing to face things head on with a confidence that may not actually be felt, yet somehow arises to battle the situation and fight until it ends. This album is actually life affirming and is a declaration of the power and value of love, teamwork and steadfastness in the midst of adversity and the promise of hope and also the recognition that better times lie ahead. Such is the beauty of hope that a new and different dawn will rise and life will continue.

Released November 1st, 2024.

Order from bandcamp here:

https://rubydawnband.bandcamp.com/album/blood-on-water

John Wenlock-Smith’s ‘Best of 2023’

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.

The End of Suffering | Orion (bandcamp.com)

2. Tribe 3 – Self Titled- This recent release most definitely impresses with its progressive, inspired take on fusion.

CD ‘Tribe3’ | Tribe3

3. John Greenwood  – Dark Blue ☆☆ This arrived, again largely unnoticed, but what a brilliant release, thoughtful, emotional and an utterly captivating listen.

DARK BLUE | John Greenwood (bandcamp.com)

4. Material Eyes  – Inside Out excellent prog from the North East of England.

Inside Out | Materialeyes (bandcamp.com)

5. The Michael Dunn Project – Bridge Across The Years ☆ Canadian musicians superb debut release, 40 years in the making.

The Michael Dunn Project

6. The Drinking Club – Really??? ☆ Very Marillion like in places, another great release.

…really?!? | The Drinking Club (bandcamp.com)

7. Pryzme – Four Inches – Superb French band release excellent album with a fondness for Rush stylings.

Four Inches | Pryzme (bandcamp.com)

8. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate – The Light Of Ancient Mistakes ☆ Amazing next adventure for impressive North London duo.

The Light Of Ancient Mistakes | Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate (bandcamp.com)

9. Downes Braide Association – Celestial Songs ☆ Excellent new album of epics from the DBA Team.

Downes Braide Association: Celestial Songs, CD Edition – Cherry Red Records

10. Nova Cascade – The Navigator – A musical tribute to Eric Bouilette after his passing, beautifully done.

The Navigator | NOVA CASCADE (bandcamp.com)

11. Southern Empire – Another World ☆ A strong return for Australian favourites.

Another World CD – GEP

12. Ruby Dawn – Beyond Tomorrow ☆☆ A deeply emotional album from Wokingham’s finest.

Beyond Tomorrow | Ruby Dawn (bandcamp.com)

13. Tiger Moth Tales – The Turning Of The World ☆Deeply Personal album from Peter Jones, largely acoustic but very satisfying.

Tiger Moth Tales (whiteknightshop2.co.uk)

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.

ONLINE STORE | Nick Fletcher Guitar (nickfletcherguitarmusic.com)

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.

Spooky Action at a Distance (lnk.to)

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.

tigermothhosting.co.uk/CYANCD2023/

17. The Emerald Dawn  – In Time ☆ – Beautiful album themed around time and memories and how we perceive them.

In Time | The Emerald Dawn (bandcamp.com)

18. Dave Foster Band – Glimmer ☆ The year’s ‘grower’ album that just gets better with every listen.

Glimmer | The Dave Foster Band (bandcamp.com)

19. Damanek – Making Shore – A splendidly exciting album from the early part of the year, epic, melodious and really strong.

Damanek – Making Shore – GEP

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.

Achilles and the Difference Engine | Swan Chorus (bandcamp.com)

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!

John Wenlock-Smith.

Review – Ruby Dawn – Beyond Tomorrow – by John Wenlock-Smith

This review of ‘Beyond Tomorrow’ by Ruby Dawn will be slightly different from usual and, rather than describing the music, instead I will comment on the feelings this music evokes whilst listening to it. 

First, a look at he history of the group. Formed in 2019 by Carola Bear, at that time a mainstream Teacher who wanted to express lyrics she had written herself musically. To that end, she searched out musicians who could help turn that vision into a reality and she found musicians who would support her in that vision, these being Dave Salsbury on guitars, Ian Turner on bass and vocals and Adam J Perry on drums. Together they worked on their own songs and attracting the interest of Ireland’s Progressive Ears label) who support lots of upcoming prog bands and artists), they ultimately secured a deal.  

The album is very much an expansive and immersive one that uses a plethora of soundscapes and timbres to present something quite unique. You can hear elements of music like Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree, along with a more ambient style of musical voicing. This excellent sounding release marries feeling, strong musicianship and a slightly different vocal phrasing to good effect. The music has a lot of extremely fluid and powerful guitar work from Dave Salsbury who plays up a storm here and it is very pleasing to hear his skilful playing.

I’ve spent a few weeks with this album, really waiting for it to sink in fully and now I think it is definitely beginning to click with me. This is a grower that warrants time and, possibly, the use of headphones to really allow the music to seep into your mind fully. However, when that moment happens, it is very powerful stuff indeed. I am reminded of Steve Hogarth’s unusual vocal stylings at times along with the modern Marillion sound, the inclusion of an ambient sound is also very satisfying as it allows the quirkiness of the group to come through well. 

I am really enjoying this music as it has much to commend it, anyone who is prepared for something different will find much to appreciate and to enjoy within its grooves. The album rocks and also shimmers excellently, it evokes feelings of both frustration with how the world is but also offers a hope for better times, of awareness, acceptance and understanding for each other. This is a good thing, music should have meaning and should help instruct as well as entertain. Progressive music should question, encourage debate and thought. It can be a force for change, I feel this album has that potential to do just that, challenging attitudes and perspectives and showing a different way in which to be and to live.

This music brings out those feelings in me and inspires me to be a part of a world that is prepared to engage, to accept others where they are in their lives and to be there when they need support. I think this is something we can all do, be the change rather than being the problem. Allow this music to guide you in such unfamiliar settings and benefit from the satisfaction and fulfilment that can come as a result.

These may be heady thoughts but, somehow, I find this music very inspiring to hear and I appreciate it’s sheer existence. It makes you feel better for hearing it, it is not especially upbeat lyrically, rather it is sincere, which is highly acceptable to these ears. Here are a band who are pushing forward, making music of worth for the open minded and that is totally acceptable to me. 

There is, among its twelve tracks, some blistering, scorching guitar work and a highly dynamic rhythm section. Add in the fluid keyboards of Carola and her excellent vocals and it all combines to make a great melting pot of ideas and influences to create something both different and yet familiar sounding.  

Heartily recommended, this music should be available from your Doctor as it is good for your heart, soul and well being. This album can be a balm for your troubled or bruised spirit, it is that special. I urge you to get involved with the marvellous music, let it influence your worldview, it is that good! Highly Recommended indeed!

Released 20th April, 2023.

Order from bandcamp here:

Beyond Tomorrow | Ruby Dawn (bandcamp.com)