The stunning Il Grande Labirinto from 2003 made me a confirmed fan of this group, one of the finest retro groups making the rounds these days. La Maschera di Cera use every technique of...
» Read moreTo complement their 2006 USA Tour, Acid Mothers Temple released Power House of Holy as their tour CD. This CD contains two live tracks recorded in 2004, “Dark Stars” and...
» Read moreMakoto Kawabata and his band of madmen have been recording as Acid Mothers Temple for several years and their catalog is enormous. Many of their releases are long, unlistenable, cacophonous...
» Read moreIt’s been a few years since anything new from Panzerpappa has crossed this desk. Skillful denizens of the playful Canterbury-esque jazz-rock realm, the four-piece has undergone some changes...
» Read moreNext to Vespero, my favorite Russian band is Disen Gage. To date we have covered their 2016 to 2019 releases. Now I have the opportunity to focus on their formative years (2002 - 2006) by reviewing...
» Read moreSomebody call the men in white suits – these guys are insane. On second thought, don’t call anyone – treatment may decrease their capacity to create such marvelously...
» Read moreThe Norwegian guitarist has been a fixture on the ECM label since around 1970, and probably few have not heard at least some sampling of his work along that 35+ year trek, but probably even fewer...
» Read moreLongtime Pink Floyd Guitarist Dave Gilmour is living the perfect rock star dream. Having completed the unlikely Live 8 reunion and sidestepped label pressure to restart the band, the guitarist...
» Read moreI’ll admit to a certain amount of suspicion of artists who seem overly prolific. It’s not that I believe they’ve made a deal with Beelzebub, I just worry that they can’t...
» Read moreProgressive metal has been around long enough now that a new release has to have something different about it in order to catch my interest. Scott Mosher does a good job doing that with the first...
» Read moreThe word “sonorous” seems meant for this recording. In addition to the inherently warm and pliant voicings of the acoustic guitar and the further extension of those voicings by any...
» Read moreSince their second release Glorious Stereo (reviewed in #28), Incandescent Sky has...
» Read moreThis album may have a 2018 date on it, but it was recorded back in 2006. The David Cross Band had been touring with Peter Banks’s Harmony in Diversity, which featured Andrew Booker on drums....
» Read moreUK-based quintet The Pineapple Thief have built a healthy following for their brand of modern, indie-influenced prog rock. Their 2005 release 10 Stories Down sold 5,000 copies and...
» Read moreEach successive White Willow album finds the band further along their evolutionary path, establishing their own unique sound amid numerous Scandinavian symphonic retro-prog bands. And each new disc...
» Read moreEd Macan is a professor of music at College of the Redwoods in Eureka, California. The sprawling campus is hard to miss as one drives through Northern California on US highway 101. His idea in...
» Read moreYeah, my jaw dropped in astonishment too when I saw a new MGP disc come falling out of the package. Who woulda thunk, after all these years? But on closer examination I only saw one familiar name...
» Read moreRick Eddy and Tim Drumheller have been driving around the progressive rock block for over 15 years. By continually evolving and assimilating new influences the duo has arrived at another...
» Read moreThe translation of Grides means “To cut with a grating sound; to penetrate or pierce harshly.” That’s exactly what this classic fusion quartet was doing on the live stage...
» Read moreElton Dean’s last recording with these long-time associates results in a tour de force of elegant power and inspired interplay. Across ten evenly paced songs Dean together with musical friend...
» Read moreWith the passing of Elton Dean earlier in 2006, this late winter live performance from 2005 serves as the sole representative of one of the best reformed bands from the 70s. Fronted jointly by Dean...
» Read moreHux records, the offshoot of the extinct BBC archives label Windsong, has now branched off into re-master heaven with a series of 80s releases by ex-Focus master guitarist Jan Akkerman. With each...
» Read moreThis album is likely to split Birdsongs fans. Some might consider it a brave creative statement while others may see it as a failed experiment. I’m in the first category and in my opinion...
» Read moreIn a 1990 Wire magazine interview, Brian Eno described a work in progress involving the performance of his synthesizer compositions by the Kreisler Orchestra. This intriguing idea never...
» Read moreUnique among guitarists, Richard Leo Johnson has forged his own sound through years of self-taught study on his instrument, developing unconventional tunings, fingerpicking styles, and various...
» Read moreIt’s been six years since Iona’s last album, Open Sky, and the good news is that everything the Anglo-Irish band had working so well for them hasn’t been forgotten. Some...
» Read moreCeltic prog band Iona are back in a big way, not only with their recent studio release, The Circling Hour, but also with two new DVDs. This is a great set both for fans and those new to...
» Read moreOne can always count on Ozrics to deliver a disc full of captivating grooves, shredding guitar solos, surreal swirling psychedelic atmospheres, unusual rhythmic textures, and clever sonic gimmicks....
» Read moreKaleidoscope is an excellent second album by Karcius. It is one of those rare releases that you know is good the very first time you hear it. Karcius is a French Canadian instrumental...
» Read moreCaravan finally takes the plunge into Unplugged Greatest Hits territory, but with mixed results. New versions of ancient tracks are really no better or worse than their two decade-old predecessors,...
» Read moreXOIO is Gerald Arend's (aka Klangwelt) third CD release. Gerald plays New Agey electronic music. The majority of his music fits within the trance-techno realm making it great for the...
» Read moreThe compositional premise for The Music of Stars is not as rigorous as Cage’s Etudes Australes or as evocative as Ligeti’s Atmosphères. Pert simply...
» Read moreNeed to get rid of unwanted in-laws? Need to lose all the listeners of your radio show? Want to clear a party that's gone on too late? Enter Koenji Hyakkei, the royal family of bombast, the...
» Read moreThis tight Japanese zeuhl band is led by none other than Yoshida Tatsuya (drums, keys, vocals), leader of the zeuhl punk band Ruins since the early 90s. I have to say that although Ruins invited...
» Read moreTatsuya Yoshida is one busy dude. In addition to being one half of the constantly-touring constantly-releasing Ruins, working in several collaborative musical units, being the drummer for Japanese...
» Read moreNine studio albums out and three since the big event that changed the band forever, Spock’s Beard today is a stronger entity than they have ever been before. Behind door number one is a...
» Read moreAudentity features Klaus plus Michael Shrieve (the original drummer with Santana) on percussion, Rainer Bloss (sounds and glockenspeil), and Wolfgang Tiebold (cello). The sound is clean,...
» Read morePiano tinkling in the moonlight of a muted trumpet stutter, Miles Davis' lighter moments. Very easygoing and mellow music, perhaps best served with a fine cognac and some throw pillows in front...
» Read morePure Reason Revolution is part of a new breed of British Neo-progressive acts balancing neo-folk vocal phrases with familiar engaging art rock trappings. Led by guitarist Jon Courtney and bassist...
» Read moreSo there are quite a few versions of this album in different orders and such, but really when I think of this album, I'm primarily thinking of certain songs: "Aeropause,"...
» Read moreQuebec’s Unicorn Records, founded in 1996, has been serving primarily as an outlet for Canadian prog-rock bands, though the roster has grown to include groups such as America’s Parallel...
» Read moreFrom their previous studio outings, Spaced Out is officially down to a trio now, although one wouldn’t know it from the sonic density of any of the ten cuts here, or from the seemingly full...
» Read moreIn 1974, drummer Billy Cobham took advantage of a break in activity for Mahavishnu Orchestra by putting together a band to play Montreux and other shows in Europe. His band included the musicians...
» Read moreThe history of Proto-Kaw has to be one of the greatest second-chance stories in the history of rock. The band made some demos between 1971-1973, but broke up shortly afterwards when Kerry Livgren...
» Read moreI don't think even the most rabid Strawbs fan (maybe not me, but I'm close, so I should know) would say these two albums represent the band's peak. That being said, there are still some...
» Read moreBearing an intimate and individualistic style rooted both in folk music and minimalism, Bay Area (by way of England and Hong Kong) guitarist, singer, and songwriter Peter James has appeared on the...
» Read moreHere’s one that came out of the blue. Maybe I haven’t been paying attention, or maybe the action is half a world away from me, but somewhere out there is a prog band called Deluge...
» Read moreThe two studio albums released by Hatfield and the North sit firmly in my mind as two of the highlights not just of the Canterbury scene, but of all music recorded in the 70s. They embody so many...
» Read moreThis 2-CD set is supposed to be a sequel to Martz’s original Pillory album, which I have not heard (anyone want to send me a copy?). This ambitious undertaking, split into the CDs...
» Read moreEx-Zappa sideman and painter Jasun Martz is also a semi-classical electro-acoustic composer who has been operating under your popular music radar for sometime. His initial recording, The...
» Read moreSome 28 years ago Martz released his first epic, The Pillory, to great critical acclaim, with its massed Mellotrons and dreamy atmospherics, and then he drifted off the screen for all this...
» Read moreI have heard Taproban’s previous release Ogni Pensiero Vola and also their contribution to the Spaghetti Epic compilation (reviewed in #32) and was looking forward to...
» Read moreThe second album from this Louisville, KY band, After a Lengthy Silence, was originally recorded in 1987, and has now finally been re-released on CD. French TV play a somewhat eclectic...
» Read moreGiven their influence on the genre, the Moody Blues are a great subject for progressive bands to cover and I’m surprised something like this hasn’t already been tried. But leave it to...
» Read moreMany will remember Alison’s voice from the 1972 prog-folk classic Swaddling Songs by Mellow Candle, along with keyboardist / vocalist / songwriter Clodagh Simonds. Alison then moved...
» Read moreSeven years after Blotch, Moebius released his next solo album, Nurton. On this second...
» Read moreHere's a healthy dose of psych/space/krautrock goodness for you. Escapade may not be as big a name as Ash Ra Temple or Amon Düül but they can easily be spoken of in the same breath....
» Read moreThis Argentine symphonic band made a big splash back around the turn of the decade, fronted by beautiful lead singer with golden voice, Mariela Gonzalez, leading to invitations to Baja and...
» Read moreThe good news is that Paradox Hotel includes a kick-ass prog rock instrumental, “Pioneers of Aviation,” that’s about one of the best things The Flower Kings have ever...
» Read moreThe Ministry of Inside Things is the Philadelphia-based space music duo of Chuck van Zyl (synths) and Art Cohen (guitar). Individually, both Chuck and Art have been involved in the Philadelphia...
» Read moreWhen I started getting into progressive music in my teens, this album could actually be found fairly frequently in record stores, but unfortunately it usually was found on (US) UA vinyl (the...
» Read moreIf I was to take a census of Amon Düül II fans, favorites are usually Yeti (mine), Dance of the Lemmings, or Wolf City, and then the others usually line up right after....
» Read moreAs with any neo-prog superstars poised to take over the world, again, the production here is slick and smooth. Knobs tweaked and script at the ready, this one is heading for the stratosphere, of...
» Read moreMuch ado has been stated in the jazz press regarding the bastardization of cherished jazz standards meshed with dirty old rock and roll. The unwanted outcome: jazz-rock or fusion has been both a...
» Read moreGuitarist Jakko Jakszyk has finally come into his own with his current solo recording. After stints with Level 42, Dizrhythmia, and 21st Century Schizoid Band and numerous guest spots, the...
» Read moreI suppose this fell into the progressive camp because: a) it's British and from the early 70s, b) it's folk rock; and c) there's a 21-minute title track. Let me break it to you slow:...
» Read moreFranco Battiato, as is well known, was an Italian pop singer who for a span in the 70s made a string of very experimental albums that fit in the vein of groups such as Opus Avantra or Pierrot...
» Read moreFranco Battiato, as is well known, was an Italian pop singer who for a span in the 70s made a string of very experimental albums that fit in the vein of groups such as Opus Avantra or Pierrot...
» Read moreNot to be confused with their 1985 CD with the exact same title, this DVD is the first of four that are being compiled from the shows that took place at Le Triton from May 10th to June 4th 2005....
» Read moreAfter an initial stab at a return to action with 2002's Focus 8, Thijs van Leer is back with an almost totally new lineup that's sounding better than ever. That is, if your tastes...
» Read moreLong before the British domination of all things progressive, progress was being made in the post-San Francisco underground scene in many US cities, among them Boston. The fact that producer Alan...
» Read moreLong before the British domination of all things progressive, progress was being made in the post-San Francisco underground scene in many US cities, among them Boston. The fact that producer Alan...
» Read moreGuru Guru is one of the better known Krautrock bands from the 70s. In Spring 1973 they released their fourth album Guru Guru, engineered by the legendary Conny Plank, featuring drummer...
» Read moreGuru Guru is one of the better known Krautrock bands from the 70s. In Spring 1973 they released their fourth album Guru Guru, engineered by the legendary Conny Plank, featuring drummer...
» Read moreGuru Guru is one of the better known Krautrock bands from the 70s. In Spring 1973 they released their fourth album Guru Guru, engineered by the legendary Conny Plank, featuring drummer...
» Read moreGuru Guru is one of the better known Krautrock bands from the 70s. In Spring 1973 they released their fourth album Guru Guru, engineered by the legendary Conny Plank, featuring drummer...
» Read moreGuru Guru is one of the better known Krautrock bands from the 70s. In Spring 1973 they released their fourth album Guru Guru, engineered by the legendary Conny Plank, featuring drummer...
» Read moreGuru Guru is one of the better known Krautrock bands from the 70s. In Spring 1973 they released their fourth album Guru Guru, engineered by the legendary Conny Plank, featuring drummer...
» Read moreThrough a Glass are a young (as in still in high school when this was recorded), Tennessee-based rock band. That’s rock as in two guitars, bass, drums, vocals, and lots and lots of youthful...
» Read moreXinema is a three-piece group from Sweden; the members originally played in a band called Madrigal in the mid-80s (not to be confused with the current band of the same name). Basic...
» Read moreDaniel Palomo Vinuesa is a French multi-instrumentalist (woodwinds, synths, tin whistle, and guitar) who began playing various saxophones in 1977 and gained notice from his first release Le...
» Read moreIf you like more rock with your progressive, this is the album for you. Dutch band For Absent Friends’ eighth album is 45 minutes of solidly played (dare I say it?) neo-progressive that is...
» Read moreOne of Seattle’s finest composers, Wayne Horvitz, has crafted a new ensemble album for his main quartet. Horvitz’ signature technique translates into imploring melodic constructs within...
» Read moreThis could be almost any album in a lot of respects except one – the drummer is Furio Chirico, and this is his concept album dedicated to Chirico’s son Stravos (who died in 2005). Most...
» Read moreFor those of you who miss Landberk (I know I do) I urge you to give this album a listen. Villebråd, who hail Uppsala, Sweden, have been together for three years and were formed by brothers...
» Read moreOne of the best arranged recordings from last year hails from Helsinki, Finland by Uzva, a seven-piece chamber rock act with additional orchestral instrumentation. Comparisons have been drawn to...
» Read moreThe tribal beats and pulsating electronic vibe in the opening minutes of “Black” set the stage for some amazingly incisive electric violin work as the piece slowly builds intensity...
» Read moreThe artist alone decides what music appears on their ESP Disk, and yet such is the nature of music, marketing, labels, and categorization that you and I can have fair idea what music they are going...
» Read moreIf you are easily offended, don’t appreciate sophomoric humor, are a sensitive 90s male or a socially conscious feminist, please don’t buy this CD. If you enjoy bawdy humor (okay,...
» Read moreThis tasty and rousing slice of modern Swedish trad-folk grows on the listener like a nice warm coat on a cold winter morning. This is music full of color, warmth, melody, and rich in tradition,...
» Read moreTheir third album, my first to hear. There’s a good variety of tones and influences here, not really like anything else I can think of. Some of the heavier parts remind me of the heavier...
» Read moreFrom some Wright honorable Meddle-era keyboard plonks to pretty much anyone’s arpeggiated Telecaster (here noted to be a “Rikencaster”), Brian Packham has been listening...
» Read moreSomewhere within the seven pieces that comprise Rock ‘n’ Roll Station a sadly conformist aesthetic emerges, apparently in conformity with its own tradition of non-conformity....
» Read moreThere’s Copeland’s Quiet City and some years on The Muffins’ Open City. And countless preceding and following metaphorical interpretations of the City as a force...
» Read moreAtendees of either the 2006 or 2007 Baja Prog festivals have been fortunate enough to see Lazuli do their thing live on stage. They truly are one of the most interesting groups among Musea’s...
» Read moreBennie Maupin is primarily known for his rooting bass clarinet work on Miles Davis’ Jack Johnson and Bitches Brew sessions. Later he would cement his legacy with Herbie...
» Read moreThe Tres Gone trio has been plugging away in the Portland, Oregon area for about five years, playing various local clubs, doing their own unique take on electric improvisation. In the course of...
» Read moreExperimental and Avant-Garde are words that should be used loosely for they reach far too wide. On the surface, that is evidently what we have here in this conglomeration of mainly Canadian...
» Read moreOstensibly once a metal band, the number of unusual sonic embellishments and trickier-than-usual rhythms make T.A.O.’s music a lot more interesting than what that label might typically...
» Read moreWhile this latest offering from the Argentinean quartet (+ guests) compares favorably to their 1999 self-titled debut and its 2002 follow-up La Otra Cara, there are few real surprises...
» Read moreA fresh, youthful sound is their stock in trade, rich with melodies, hooks and energy, concise and inventive songwriting from beginning to end. Unlike many of the bands we review in...
» Read moreBandoneon playing within a jazz structure is not a new idea, as it dates back to the 50s with many French and international acts, exemplified by Django Reinhardt’s hot bands. Argentinian...
» Read moreThe Box of Frogs project reunited 3/5 of the original Yardbirds: bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, and drummer Jim McCarty. They took as their model The Traveling Willburys,...
» Read moreBeginning with a disclaimer that nearly anything even remotely related to Magma will receive an initial positive reception in this writer’s considerations, it was a delight to be assaulted by...
» Read moreJean-Luc Payssan is a familiar name to progressive rock fans as guitarist and founding member (along with brother and keyboard player Thierry) of French progressive rock outfit Minimum Vital. With...
» Read morePowerhouse drummer Bobby Previte picks up his songwriting pen again for his new all-star combo album. Tagging along again is close friend Charlie Hunter, coerced into playing Telecaster leads on...
» Read moreThe first thing that occurred to me when listening to Toccata was their similarity to Matraz. Both are relatively new progressive bands that aren’t really neo-prog; both have strong female...
» Read moreSeems like a long time since we reviewed this Armenian band’s debut live release Woden’s Eve Live; in fact it was 2002, and since then the band has been diligently working on...
» Read moreReunion incantations of classic acts have been part of the rock and roll roadmap since the 50s. Only rarely does a group eclipse the live persona of its original instance. Todd Rundgren had been...
» Read moreEtherea, his debuut album, was more than a pleasant surprise, it was a discovery of a new talent in EM in the USA. Etherea distinguished itself by soft undulations of melodic emotions or...
» Read moreBay Area musician Herbie Kritzer’s previous (and only) release was 2002’s The Tree Lizard that packed quite a little punch despite clocking in at just under a half hour....
» Read moreVeteran Brit-jazzer Ray Russell has a lengthy resumé, having played with numerous famous musicians in a sideman role. On Goodbye Svengali, a tribute to the late Gil Evans, we get to...
» Read moreMerging Turkish and Persian world music influences together is the basis for this culturally compatible musical meeting. Kalhor was acclaimed for his kamancheh playing on The Rain while...
» Read moreI suppose any instrument could lend itself to electronic music given the right attitude, but there’s something about bowed strings that makes for a particularly nice pairing. Rena Jones...
» Read moreGuitar junkies wake up! This one’s for you. I’ve had the good fortune to see this instrumental four-piece play a couple times around the Bay Area, and the varied and mesmerizing...
» Read moreTony Harn’s latest is another easy recommendation for Exposé readers of all stripes. After flirting with a group format on his last outing, the English guitarist’s...
» Read moreThis Denver based heavy instrumental rock trio offers the basic g/b/d amid heavenly levels of guitar distortion and dense angular compositions that drive hard and pummel the senses. On drums is...
» Read moreOne of the surprises of Baja 2006 was this unique French band that, frankly, I had never even heard of before. The fact that they were being promoted by Musea may bode well for future releases...
» Read moreTrust is the follow-up to 2005’s Network album and finds Saga performing with their third drummer in as many albums. This time around Brian Doerner from Helix is filling the...
» Read moreIt is indeed blood that ties the membership of this fine Wisconsin based instrumental trio together. Three siblings: Paul Kopecky, the drummer, a consummate professional who provides the framework...
» Read moreThe Elektrohasch label has been releasing some great music of late, and this latest release by Belgian four-piece Hypnos 69 is no exception to that winning streak. Instrumentation includes the...
» Read moreCertainly one of the ways for a band to achieve a distinctive sound is to feature an unconventional lineup of instruments. Imogene takes this tack by taking a typical b/d/g/k format and...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues its reissue of the Klaus Schulze back catalog with another 12 CDs. I haven’t quite figured out their rationale, but they are releasing 12 a year covering the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues its reissue of the Klaus Schulze back catalog with another 12 CDs. I haven’t quite figured out their rationale, but they are releasing 12 a year covering the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues its reissue of the Klaus Schulze back catalog with another 12 CDs. I haven’t quite figured out their rationale, but they are releasing 12 a year covering the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues its reissue of the Klaus Schulze back catalog with another 12 CDs. I haven’t quite figured out their rationale, but they are releasing 12 a year covering the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues its reissue of the Klaus Schulze back catalog with another 12 CDs. I haven’t quite figured out their rationale, but they are releasing 12 a year covering the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues its reissue of the Klaus Schulze back catalog with another 12 CDs. I haven’t quite figured out their rationale, but they are releasing 12 a year covering the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues its reissue of the Klaus Schulze back catalog with another 12 CDs. I haven’t quite figured out their rationale, but they are releasing 12 a year covering the...
» Read moreBeta-lactam Ring Records has just reissued Edward Ka-Spel’s classic second solo album from 1985, Eyes! China Doll. This reissue is its first proper CD reissue and it comes in a...
» Read moreSince forming in the early 80s, The Legendary Pink Dots have been quite prolific in their recorded output of 60+ releases. Initially they were part of the cassette culture releasing quite a few...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues reissuing the Klaus Schulze back catalog. The past twelve months have seen seven more albums released with another batch due Fall 2006. Revisited is holding true to the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues reissuing the Klaus Schulze back catalog. The past twelve months have seen seven more albums released with another batch due Fall 2006. Revisited is holding true to the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues reissuing the Klaus Schulze back catalog. The past twelve months have seen seven more albums released with another batch due Fall 2006. Revisited is holding true to the...
» Read moreRevisited Records continues reissuing the Klaus Schulze back catalog. The past twelve months have seen seven more albums released with another batch due Fall 2006. Revisited is holding true to the...
» Read moreThese pieces originally appeared on English composer and musician N.R. Hill’s first three (now deleted) albums: Romeo & the Beast, Nails, and The Triumph of Death. With...
» Read moreThe ongoing collaboration between avant garde multi-instrumentalist Bob Drake and vocalist Susanne Lewis continues to confuse and confound. Drake and Lewis this time pull in more indie rock...
» Read moreThis doesn't come on the scene with threats to take the prog world by storm, but rather insinuates itself subtly, from the gentle cover art through the music itself, which wraps many styles and...
» Read moreFor their first international release, SimakDialog offers a live set recorded in Jakarta in April 2005. At this juncture, bandleader and keyboardist Riza Arshad is joined by a rhythm section of...
» Read moreDuring the last decade several Italian bands which hit the big time in the 70s have got back on track. Some examples are Arti & Mestieri, Museo Rosenbach, and Osanna. Others, on the contrary,...
» Read moreThis instrumental San Francisco based outfit started out life in 2000 as a guitar / bass / drums / keyboards quartet, adopting a somewhat psychedelic groove-based jamming style mixed with elements...
» Read moreOne might ask why these two discs are being addressed in the same review; it’s because both Gogglesphere and Lafcadio are essentially the same band – or that is to say they have the...
» Read moreGargamel is a sextet from Norway whose aim it is to revive complex prog rock from the past, but also to be different without modernizing the sound. Beside a core of guitar, bass, and drums, flute,...
» Read moreBeautiful music delving into mantric excesses in protracted light is a nice way to spend an afternoon. Percolating effluvial melodies encroach upon sensibilities of newfound mellifluousness setting...
» Read moreBassist Les Claypool (Primus, Oysterhead, Sausage, et al) is a busy guy these days, with his first book and feature film making news, plus recent touring with Primus keeping him occupied. Then...
» Read moreLip snack-smack chimp chimney. Purple-brown roasted retroflex. Gargled gaggle troll cushion flow tickle ping-pong lollipops. Eke a freak dash jumbo strum throe, go grab a packed Peak Freen, these...
» Read moreCanvas Solaris is another gifted prog metal trio for the Laser’s Edge offshoot label Sensory who combine the proficiency of well thought out technical chops with clever execution. The...
» Read moreWith his own studio and plenty of time on hand to play and experiment, all kinds of things can be committed to tape (or whatever medium), some fully arranged, some more like embryonic fragmentary...
» Read moreThis Idaho band has been working the jam band circuit for a few years now, and this is their fourth full-length album. They play a moderately rootsy brand of rock, comparable to Big Head Todd and...
» Read moreDon’t read too much into the Simpsons reference in the name of this group. It’s all business with these guys, being Rob Reed (keyboards) from Magenta and Steve Balsamo (vocals) and Rob...
» Read moreBewitched Revelations is the first album I am aware of from the American trio of Martin Birke, Roman Leykam, and Daniel Panasenko. It features thirteen instrumentals, mostly improvs,...
» Read moreThis is one of those discs one could play on endless repeat for days on end and just flow with it. It doesn’t demand anything from the listener, but instead slowly overtakes the psyche and...
» Read moreAtaxia offers a defining example of the way in which musical forms, and especially the way we tend to want to categorize music, continues to exhibit restlessness and the need for change....
» Read moreOh so much is expected of the electric guitar. It seems always to be trying to be something else and sound like something else. Not to belittle the new ground staked out by so many musicians, but...
» Read moreViima is a Finnish four-piece, with vocals (female), keys / drums, bass, and guitar / flute. This is classic “proggy prog” but with female Finnish vocals. Vocals from different...
» Read moreUmphrey’s McGee is still an anomaly in the jam band void left open by the disbanding of Phish. Umphrey’s fills that gap for fans largely due to their prominent self-deprecating humor...
» Read moreCenote is a welcome return to the pure vocal and natural reverb effects that The Tunnel Singer (Lee Ellen Shoemaker) employed on her earlier releases like Water Birth and...
» Read moreBinaurally Yours is the fourth release from Tungsten74. The group is a three-piece guitar / bass / drums outfit, but plenty of synth sounds abound. As opposed to all their previous...
» Read moreJanick is back... The monstrous and legendary bassist of the 1973, 1974 and 1976 Magma issues his first solo effort, after years of session-work with variety singers and composing film scores. His...
» Read moreThe ten tracks here were sourced from a September 2005 live show in Copenhagen, then processed and remixed in the studio. Taylor is of course jazz / experimental guitarist Robin Taylor, and TFU...
» Read moreWith their third album, The Tangent has consolidated tightly around writer / singer / keyboardist Andy Tillison. Fans of Roine Stolt might be disappointed to hear he’s no longer around,...
» Read moreSteve Roach’s appearance at NEARfest 2005 was a landmark event. Any live performance by Roach is a rarity, but to be exposed to such a large audience — and one largely unfamiliar with...
» Read moreSteve Roach’s appearance at NEARfest 2005 was a landmark event. Any live performance by Roach is a rarity, but to be exposed to such a large audience — and one largely unfamiliar with...
» Read moreSubtitled The Meeting of Time and Destiny, this package includes a 74 minute CD and companion DVD that feature essentially the same audio program: eight tracks mixing floating ambient...
» Read moreRitual’s first live document is a doozy. Whether it was the audience, the occasion, or having an explosive band like Anekdoten to share the bill with, the group (Patrik Lundtröm –...
» Read moreIt won’t take more than about twenty seconds of the first track for the listener to know they are in for an unusual treat, one which the remainder of this 60-plus minute epic bears out....
» Read moreNattefrost (AKA Bjørn Jeppesen, not to be confused with the Norwegian black metal band of the same name) is from Denmark, and the title refers to cosmic electronic music from yesteryear. The...
» Read moreGuitarist Scott McGill’s newest recording is an updated forum for recently acquired song stylings that mesh well with his acclaimed technical proficiency. Across twelve new tracks McGill...
» Read moreActors in a Play is the second release from this Dutch quintet, following 2002’s International Daylight. The lineup here is the same (though since the album was released...
» Read moreMy goodness this band has been busy. Or I should say: Rob Reed has been busy, since he’s the creative engine that runs this group. He’s had time to do all this plus the Chimpan A side...
» Read moreMy goodness this band has been busy. Or I should say: Rob Reed has been busy, since he’s the creative engine that runs this group. He’s had time to do all this plus the Chimpan A side...
» Read moreMy goodness this band has been busy. Or I should say: Rob Reed has been busy, since he’s the creative engine that runs this group. He’s had time to do all this plus the Chimpan A side...
» Read moreMy goodness this band has been busy. Or I should say: Rob Reed has been busy, since he’s the creative engine that runs this group. He’s had time to do all this plus the Chimpan A side...
» Read moreLizard is a Polish “neo” band influenced by King Crimson and UK originally. After 1996’s W Galerii Czasu and a subsequent official bootleg, they laid low for a few years...
» Read moreUp until now, most of the works we’ve reviewed by Kucharz have fallen into a few categories: those of pure floating ambient tonal color that evolve slowly in three-dimensional sound...
» Read moreOmphalos is the fourth album by Spanish band Kotebel. Their instrumentation includes drums, bass, guitar, two keyboards, vocals, and flute. Vocalist Carolina Prieto sings softly in a...
» Read moreWe are far from done with the extremes of 20th Century music. Sketch of Now explores a large number of ideas, both perceptual and conceptual, in conceiving and performing these six pieces...
» Read moreIsn’t time a subject that has fascinated and haunted mankind from the beginning? Ellis pushes through the barriers and finds endless space in a yet confined room. Isn’t this the perfect...
» Read moreThe Cheebacabra is a project driven by keyboardist and producer Cheeba, where funky grooves meet overtly synthetic melodic interplay and a cool jazz feel over a steady, mostly programmed drum beat....
» Read moreBoots loves to do albums with themes – here he has tried to capture the atmosphere of the battlefield. It’s a darker album than one is used too, but of course Boots’s optimism...
» Read moreDavid Bagsby’s latest release, Hallucinographs, is an electronic album created from just one synthesizer and a drum machine. Don’t let that fool you into thinking that means...
» Read moreThere’s no question that this electronic ensemble is one of the best exponents of original music around today. This is their third CD after several superb cassettes and is the first release...
» Read moreThis Louisville, Kentucky based ensemble (pronounced Oot-Greet) has been around about as long as I can remember. Over that long period they have gigged a lot but released only a few...
» Read moreRecorded live in September of last year at the most prestigious hall in New York, this collection of one multipart improvisation and five additional songs can be seen as a crowning statement of...
» Read morePart of the fun of listening to every new Tunnels release is listening to all the sounds, and wondering in amazement: “How does Marc Wagnon make all those sounds with only his...
» Read moreAfter tinkering with electronic sounds on their last album, Kallocain from 2004, this Swedish band has taken a bit of a turn towards a more “live” sound. Maybe it’s just...
» Read moreLegend has it that Uncle Frank once said, “Never kiss a toad from the short forest after it’s been sleeping in a jar with a rutabaga.” Well, that may or may not be true, but what...
» Read moreGary Chandler has consistently led the banner for Jadis for the past ten years, making the group a solid player in the melodic rock, neo-prog camp. The current line-up has been pretty consistent...
» Read moreNothing short of amazing transformations towards the ineluctable. You will wonder where this music has been all your life. Leaves floating upward, swirling weightless, it is the sensation of...
» Read moreThe last phase of Adrian Belew’s trilogy of contrasting approaches winds up the series on a firm up note. The Prophet Omega provides the opening rap to kick of the disc in a similar flair to...
» Read moreThe high finish that contemporary chamber and smaller scale orchestral works exude in their discipline, precision, delicacy, and complexity has typically received only a cursory and sideways glance...
» Read moreI have not heard a new release this year that evoked so many conflicting emotions. The first Advent release in a decade, Cantus Firmus is also their first output I have heard. A quartet of...
» Read moreYour Children Placate You from Premature Graves is a Dots album released in honor of their 25th anniversary. Over 25 years the band has gone through a number of changes and today the Dots...
» Read more2006 marks the 25th year of this band's existence, and this CD marks some ridiculous number of releases I won’t even speculate about. This venture finds them in a fairly calm mood, and is...
» Read moreIf you thought the weird bits of Ummagumma weren’t weird enough, have I got a band for you. We’re mostly out in Residents territory, only with a psychedelic edge, and you can...
» Read moreThere’s just something about the sound of a marimba. No matter how much it sticks to minor keys, no matter how it tries to be dissonant, it ends up sounding cheerful. I don’t know if...
» Read moreHaving seen bits of the footage floating around, I was excited to learn that Emerson Lake & Palmer’s live debut at the 1970 Isle of Wight festival was finally going to have an official...
» Read morePalace of Mirrors is Estradasphere’s fourth full-length release and first to feature the new lineup with Lee Smith on drums, Kevin Kmetz on shamisen/guitar, and Adam Stacey on...
» Read moreConsidering the arduous nature of free jazz, it’s always a welcome gift to hear telepathic ensembles continue on (despite lack of money or marketable fan base). The ensemble of Tippett /...
» Read moreNels Cline’s affinity for pummeling sound boundaries as well as working within jam bands and standard song structures (e.g. – Wilco) is now further realized within the works of another...
» Read moreThese seasoned players need no introduction for any chemistry coaxed from old bottles. The nucleus of this power trio of Larry Coryell (Eleventh House), Victory Bailey (Weather Report), and Lenny...
» Read moreBased in Mexico City, José Luis Fernández Ledesma’s projects appear every year or so quietly with little fanfare; he is definitely one of the most underrated artists around,...
» Read moreJ.A. Caesar – this is obviously not his real name – has been an enigmatic figure in Japanese rock and avant-garde music dating back to the early 70s. His music is impossible to...
» Read moreJ.A. Caesar – this is obviously not his real name – has been an enigmatic figure in Japanese rock and avant-garde music dating back to the early 70s. His music is impossible to...
» Read moreAnother Henry Cow re-release which has much more information in the expanded liner notes which detail the proceedings. The first four tracks were taken from a 1975 BBC Peel Session and...
» Read moreRush fans have been salivating for these early concert videos to see the light of day in DVD format for ages, so to have all three in one collection is manna from heaven. Other than a few promos,...
» Read moreAlan Davey has been a key member of Hawkwind for quite some time, playing bass, synthesizers, and writing the occasional song ("Wings" from their 1990 album Space Bandits is a...
» Read moreThe front of the package proclaims "Joe Strummer's favourite concert." Well, I'm sure it was great to be there. The Captain and his crackshot '72 touring lineup (Rockette...
» Read moreKaraindrou may be best known for her film scoring work since the early 80s in her native Greece. Elegy is a sprawling two-disc live set recorded at Megaron in Athens in March 2005; it...
» Read moreTangle Edge is the household name for one of the best improvised rock groups in the world. Born in the mists of the 80s, they survived the pushing and shoving over the years and nowadays are more...
» Read moreDennis Rea is a Seattle area guitarist who’s worked with Jeff Greinke, Bill Rieflin and may be known to some through his participation with groups Land and Stackpole. Long before he made his...
» Read moreYou Are Here is a companion soundtrack to Squonk Opera’s latest stage production, (put your hometown’s name here): The Opera and continues a string of theatrical...
» Read moreSlight changes in style between albums is common for most all groups, but Picchio dal Pozzo is not like most groups. Upon listening to their second CD after hearing the first, I did a double take...
» Read moreDon Caballero is one of those bands that is probably better off not being categorized. They’re often thrown into the post-rock or math rock bins, though if you ask me, what they play is...
» Read moreRead the credits: “All songs improvised by GMFTPO” and (especially if you’re familiar with their other recordings) you know you’re in for a trip. A strange and disturbing...
» Read moreClever britches with tap steps to replace the skittering of a drum kit flittering. High-spirited hijinx abound throughout. A sideshow demeanor springs forth for busting chuckles to as bobbling neck...
» Read moreIn the early 70s there was the legendary Krautrock band Mythos, led by multi-instrumentalist Stephan Kaske. Over the decades Kaske remained active as a musician, ultimately becoming a solo...
» Read moreNow that CBGB's has finally closed its doors in New York City, it's a good time to explore the reissued back catalog of one of the few valid early inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of...
» Read moreNow that CBGB's has finally closed its doors in New York City, it's a good time to explore the reissued back catalog of one of the few valid early inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of...
» Read moreNow that CBGB's has finally closed its doors in New York City, it's a good time to explore the reissued back catalog of one of the few valid early inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of...
» Read moreNow that CBGB's has finally closed its doors in New York City, it's a good time to explore the reissued back catalog of one of the few valid early inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of...
» Read moreNow that CBGB's has finally closed its doors in New York City, it's a good time to explore the reissued back catalog of one of the few valid early inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of...
» Read moreWhile there are numerous bands out there breaking new ground and never looking back, there are just as many others breathing new life into tried and true styles of decades long gone. For vintage...
» Read moreInstant Delivery is a concert video shot in Holland during The Flower Kings’ 2006 Paradox Hotel tour. The intent with this 2-DVD set was to present the group’s show in...
» Read moreOf all the Quebecois bands that came to prominence in the 70s, one of the most unique and universally appreciated is Maneige. During their career which spanned from around '72 through the mid...
» Read moreOf all the Quebecois bands that came to prominence in the 70s, one of the most unique and universally appreciated is Maneige. During their career which spanned from around '72 through the mid...
» Read moreIn the midst of all the noise found on the Beijing music scene, where feedback reigns and screaming is preferred to singing, there is one band that stands out from the crowd. Lonely China Day...
» Read moreAja West and company return with eight new slabs of sweet funked-up instrumental jazz, more emphasis on the latter than the former this time, apparently a tribute to the late Antonio Carlos Jobim...
» Read moreFor nearly 30 years many have kept on considering him only the man behind the powerful guitar solos of Foxtrot and The Lamb Lies down on Broadway; yet he has proved to be much...
» Read moreJohn Hackett has long been in the extended shadow of his brother Steve, who has seen high profile both in and out of Genesis. The flautist has finally stepped out on his own in both duet and full...
» Read moreThis collaborative effort is something of a minimalist supergroup; American composer Dac Crowell and Scottish composer and Suilven recordings main-mover Daniel Patrick Quinn have teamed up with...
» Read moreThe peers of drummer/composer Bill Bruford are few and far between; only Jack DeJohnette, Billy Cobham, Will Calhoun, and Claudia Quartet mastermind John Hollenbeck spring to mind as drummers who...
» Read moreLed Zeppelin’s “Battle of Evermore”; Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan”; Heart’s “Soul of the Sea”; Uriah Heep’s “The Wizard.”...
» Read moreDutch proggers Ice are a spin-off from the outfit Maryson who released a couple albums guided by the writings and keyboards of W.J. Maryson (aka Wim Stolk). The good news is that if you liked what...
» Read moreAlways a beacon of unpredictability, Robert Rich has trained this writer’s ears to expect something unexpected with each new release. This time out it’s a bed of pulsating modular...
» Read moreThis is a live recording from the Japanese band Free Love, taped during their concert in Sapporo in 2005. Free Love are Hiroaki Shibata (vocals and guitar), Hiroki Matsui (organ and synth), Yuji...
» Read moreThese two surprising releases come to us by way of Poland, both prominently featuring violinist, vocalist and songwriter Tylda Ciołkosz, who is also a member of the more keyboard oriented group...
» Read moreBeginning with its first year of operations, Garden of Delights has released a yearly limited edition Psychedelic Underground sampler containing the best track from each of their 9...
» Read moreMcLatchey's Top Tier #17
Before Kayo Dot there was Maudlin of the Well, a group that in comparison was much more inside. This is a good example of how favorites don't have to be...
» Read morePlaturno is a young Chilean progressive rock trio of guitars, keyboards, and drums. Núcleos is their 2006 debut release of 11 mostly instrumental songs. Each song is different, but has a...
» Read moreMcLatchey's Top Tier #2
Here is the second album by Amon Duul II, Yeti. First, this is as flawless a double album as you can find. Second this is a very heavy record, I'm...
» Read moreThis archival collection presents the music of 24 Finnish bands, most unknown to Western ears. Disc One contains 19 psychedelic/progressive rock songs and Disc Two contains ten experimental/avant...
» Read moreTime’s Forgotten is a new progressive band from San Jose, Costa Rica. Formed in 2004, the band consists of Juan Pablo Calvo (keyboards, samples, background vocals, programming), Jorge Sobrado...
» Read moreMy Sleeping Karma are four guys living in the middle of Germany hard at work crafting and playing minimal retro-psychedelic music that can easily stand up to Harmonia’s Krautrock masterpieces...
» Read moreSaturnia has been around since the late 90s, and Muzak is the latest release from this little known Portuguese psych-prog band. Saturnia is essentially multi-instrumentalist Luis Simões...
» Read moreThe ØSC web site states “totally improvised space rock!” That was quite evident on their debut release reviewed in Issue #34. A lot of “water has passed under the bridge” since then (10...
» Read moreAdiB is an Italian quartet (bass, keyboards, guitars, and drums) formerly known as Assolo di Bongo who released their first album in 2001. Their new album, Spinning Like a Top, contains...
» Read more
2021-01-18
Asia Minor Third Album on the Way –
On January 29, AMS records will be releasing the long-awaited third album by classic Turkish-French band Asia Minor. Released last year in Japan, this will be the widespread debut of Points of Liberation. The album features original members Setrak Bakirel (vocals, guitar) and Eril Tekeli (flute, guitar). »
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2020-12-09
Harold Budd RIP –
Harold Budd, one of pre-eminent American composers of avant-garde and minimalism, has died of complications from the coronavirus. Budd came to prominence in the 70s, championed by Brian Eno on his Obscure Records label, with music that blended academic minimalism with electric jazz and electronic music. Much of Budd's best known work was done in collaboration with other artists, including Eno, Daniel Lanois, Robin Guthrie, Andy Partridge, John Foxx, Jah Wobble, and many others. »
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2020-11-20
25 Views of Worthing Finally Gets Released –
A while ago, we wrote about the discovery of a "long lost" Canterbury-style gem by a band called 25 Views of Worthing. And now we're pleased to find out that Wind Waker Records has released their music on an LP. »
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2020-10-14
Audion Is Back in Business –
Our esteemed colleague Alan Freeman has restarted Audion Magazine after a seven year hiatus. The new incarnation is available online on their Bandcamp site. Audion's history goes back to 1984, and included 58 issues up to 2013. Issue #59 is available now, and #60 is in the works. »
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2020-10-06
Romantic Warriors IV – Krautrock (Part 2) Is in the Works –
Zeitgeist Media, the people who have brought us the great series of documentary films chronicling the history of progressive rock, are working on the second installment of their examination of German music. Krautrock 2 will focus on artists from Münich such as Guru Guru, Amon Düül II, Xhol Caravan, Kraan, Witthüser & Westrupp, and Popol Vuh. »
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Christian Décamps & Fils - Vesoul – A brand new live album by Décamps, a superb follow-up to his 1994 studio album Nu, even though only one track from that album is included in this set (and it's one of the most abrasive — "Sur les... (1995) » Read more
Relayer - A Grander Vision – Walking a fine line between progressive and straight ahead rock, Relayer flirts with both these styles but never strays too far toward the progressive side of the spectrum. Vocalist John Sahagian... (1996) » Read more
Bobby Previte - The Coalition of the Willing – Powerhouse drummer Bobby Previte picks up his songwriting pen again for his new all-star combo album. Tagging along again is close friend Charlie Hunter, coerced into playing Telecaster leads on this... (2007) » Read more
Banda Elástica - Catálogo de Tiraderos – Banda Elástica seem to have been working largely in a genre of their own making down in Mexico; only the short-lived Nazca was anywhere close to what this band was doing. I say "was"... (1999) » Read more
Metaphor - Starfooted – Metaphor used to be an early-Genesis cover band, and they wear it on their sleeves. Occasionally the influence breeds near-plagiarism, while mostly it is a springboard for a more modern style, one... (2000) » Read more