Week of August 22, 2023

 Weeks like this are ones to savor and enjoy. Several made the Best list because they were strong outings. Those that didn’t make it had some incredible moments even if they didn’t reach the A list. A couple of jazz influenced numbers appeared which is great to see. Even one from an old time favorite record label, ECM.  

Best of the Week

Kavus Torabi, Richard Wileman - Heaven’s Sun

2023   2 tracks  (38:50)

Yep. Two tracks, that’s it. Both pieces feature multi-layer combinations of keyboard sounds and rhythms not unlike some of Eno’s great work (including just barely tolerable vocals Eno projected). Not one for staying on an idea very long, the songs morph and detour gently down a zig zag path. In the end, it is all very enjoyable and great music to just sit back with a glass of beer in your hand and let the days’ weary effects wash out of your fatigued body. To me, that is what makes prog music the best - long extended ideas well performed and savored into the evening.A-

They Watch Us From The Moon -

Cosmic Chronicles: Act 1, The Ascension

2023  5 tracks  (43:07)

Yes, Rush lives in the hearts of rockers all over and this space rock adventure has many of its components. A unique blend of power chords, catch melodies, and mysticism brings an intoxicating blend of music to the table. I started off with the first and last tracks (“On the Fields of the Moon” and “Return to Earth”) and both had me reaching for the volume knob to turn it up. The band is from Kansas and apparently has limited reach. Hopefully they are able to get some traction and start touring further out. A 

eMolecule - The Architect

2023  11 tracks  (1:09:54)

If Haken had a little brother, this might be it. Predominantly, that is the norm in this set, though they are capable of a couple of ballad type numbers. “Mastermind” is a singularly interesting song, weaving procession music, dramatic movie music, and hard rock that commands your attention. Many of the songs have crafty mechanisms to elevate the interest of a song from good to really good. I find myself getting into many of them. This appears to be a debut effort and I’m looking forward to what steps they take next. A

Haken - Fauna

2023  9 tracks  (1:02:11)

Brilliant song craftwork is on display. Listening to “Elephants Never Forget” is very much a Gentle Giant experience, which nobody does or has ever done. It’s fantastic. “Eyes of Ebony” is an emotional roller coaster that was dedicated to Henshall’s father who had recently passed (the ending verse is the key). There is a non-trivial sophistication to Haken’s work exhibited by most of the songs on the album, especially the odd time signatures used in the drumming and chord progressions. One of the best this year. A+

Interesting Finds

Elder - Omens

2020  5 tracks  (55:02)

I love how Elder builds a song - it always has a definitive beginning, middle, and end using similar styles to project through it all. With all five tracks at or exceeding the ten-minute mark, why not give more shape to a song? Elder has a recognizable signature which is a double-edged sword. It can appear to be ideas that are a little too similar and thus grow tiring. Sprinkle them in a playlist and that problem is solved. B 

Teramaze - Dalla Volta

2023  11 tracks  (1:01:47)

From the schools of Breaking Benjamin and Chevelle, Teramaze doesn’t make complicated songs, just straight rockers with compelling melodies and easy hooks. One of the reviews noted they have produced a lot of content, six albums in four years, to the point they are stretching new material on the thin side. Maybe, but even with bringing a couple of prior released songs with alternate takes, there is plenty to chew on. I liked the 2017 demo version of “Weight of Humanity” and “From Saviour to Assassin” because they are new to me. Of the new stuff, “Navigate In Solitude” is a fine song, utilizing Linkin Park-esque melodies and growls. There are two piano versions of songs offering a gentler kinder mix. Overall, this rocks. B+ 

Graveyard - Hisingen Blues

2011  10 tracks  (42:39)

I’m surprised there aren't more blues based rock ala Led Zeppelin in existence, but for now we have the Swedish band Graveyard. The song “No Good, Mr. Holden” clearly had LZ in mind. When mixed with a playlist of contemporary prog artists, the basic blues beat and fuzzy coarse guitars stand out as a different animal. There are a few good cuts mixed in with a number of mediocre songs, though nothing stinks. The recording has that Texas bar band feel. It’s a better singer away from The Fabulous Thunderbirds. B-  

Mystery - Redemption

2023  8 tracks  (1:14:04)

Long time proggers Mystery issues classic prog tunes with the usual assortment of extended songs, lofty melodies, and strong steady vocals all done with high engineering standards. It sounds great except it is hard to find that bit of magic that raises this kind of music to the upper echelons. Like Neal Morse, it gets ponderous at times. C

SHRVL - Limbus

2023  5 tracks  (45:41)

If the album cover looks very similar to The Ocean’s Holocene cover, it’s because this is a solo effort by their keyboardist, Peter Voightmann. In addition, it takes some of the same themes of Holcene and extends them into a deeper darker context. The final track, “Recurrence” is about half the album. It is a luscious piece of a few different movements, sort of in the style of new age music - it’s hypnotic and mind bending. B+

Dominic Miller - Vagabond

2023  8 tracks  (32:25)

Given Miller’s history as an American born in Argentina, who studied and played in England, vagabond is apt description. The ex-Sting guitarist plays accessible jazz with a deft touch. The pianist interplay is reminiscent of the Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays days at a gentler level. The bass work is gentle and the drumming is straight from the school of Jack DeJohnette. Of course the ECM production is equally light and airy, adding greatly to the soft timbre. Lovely to listen to when a more relaxing tone is called for. B

Forgettable

Week of August 8, 2023

 I started assigning letter grades to albums a while back. To formalize their meaning, here is how I feel about each grade:

A is a truly fine album that is worthy of returning to in the future

B is a good album or has a mix of great songs with not-so-great songs

C is generally listenable, but unexceptional. It may have a good tune here or there.

D is not good, probably means not following any future (or past) efforts

F means it just plain sucks. Since pre-screening rules these out, there shouldn’t be many. 

Obviously pluses and minuses means it is close to the next letter grade. 

Best of the Week

Black Moon Circle - Leave the Ghost Behind

2023  7 tracks  (1:25:08)

Black Moon Circle hails from Trondheim Norway and plays a mean earthy style of jam rock with a little Osric Tentacles flavor thrown in. It makes for a beastly turn-it-up-to-10 performance that may find a regular part of my playlist. “Radiant Sun” clocks in at 22 minutes and it smokes. It’s a live set, probably the best quality of any live set I’ve heard. It grinds in a good way. A

Laura Loriga - Vever

2022  9 tracks  (37:04)

Possessing a gorgeous angelic voice and terrific song craftwork raises this above the regular singer-songwriter crowd. The instrumentation is a little slow and sparse, but it is presented in a way that adds a great amount of texture in tandem with Loriga’s voice. The result is a hypnotically tranquil work that doesn’t fade from song to song. Wonderful. A

Interesting Finds

The Ocean - Holocene

2023  8 tracks  (52:29)

Excellent progressive metal rock from this German band, their sixth album. Combining the guttural punch of metal with prog rock dramatics makes the whole album work. Occasionally, some of the scream vocals appear, but it is limited. The song “Unconformities”, featuring female singer Karin Park, is a standout piece. B+

M-Opus - Origins

2020  28 tracks  (2:16:49)

For instance, “A Perfect Day For Flight” is a throwback to the early days where Genesis and Yes ruled. It is well done. Then there is the odd cut called “2048 Numbers” that sounds more like a play than a song. “Midnight on the White Rose” starts off like a good well-produced prog rock number before evolving into - more dialog. So you get this blend throughout the album and its 28 tracks. The music is fine but it isn’t playlist material. It isn’t radio material. It isn’t streaming material. The only way to really enjoy it is to start at the beginning and play it until you are tired of listening to it. B for music, C- for general listening.

Creep Show - Yawning Abyss

2023  9 tracks  (41:16)

Songs about Yahtzee

Notable for its use of electronic based music in the style of mid-70’s symphonic rock with EDM rhythms. It has its moments. C

Cairo - Nemesis

2023  10 tracks  (57:49)

Nifty prog rock band from the U.K. features better than average songs and production values. It has all the features you would expect - timely song shifts, well song vocals, songs given a chance to develop - all well done. Despite that, every time I reached to click a song for future transfer to a playlist, I held back, deciding that the song didn’t quite make the cut. It was missing the ‘it’ factor. Nothing really wrong with the album as a whole, just collectively missing a little something to make it really good. B-

Rick Armstrong - Chromosphere

2023  5 tracks  (1:07:06)

A good space rock album is hard to find. This has a mashup of influences, hearing Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schultze, sometimes all at once. With only five tracks and being over an hour long, time is given to set up a theme. This a sultry style, or New Age as it was called back in the early days of electronic music. Very listenable, but be careful of being pulled into a slumber in total relaxment. B-

Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden

2023  12 tracks  (1:03:31)

From MOR hip-hop to full throated doom metal, this covers an obscene range of music. Maybe too much. That said, the first cut “Chokehold” with the special guitar treatments and dynamic power chords really demonstrates the chills they can send down your spine. Same goes for “Ascensionism” as it starts with an R&B feel before ripping into full Linkin Park mode (which, when you think about it, the rap in LP is not far off from these vocals). It is an odd mix, but one that can offer a different take on modern rock. B-  

Arjen Luccasson’s Supersonic Revolution - Golden Age of Music

2023  15 tracks  (1:07:51)

So the first song I hear is “The Glamattack” and I swear I’m listening to Kansas or Deep Purple. Hammond organ and lightning fast finger tapping guitar abounds. The multi-talented Dutchman from Aryeon knows how to nail it. Luccasson and his band of time travelers do complete justice to genre, but to what end? Sonically, it's great, very little lacking. The songs are spot on, the vocals are perfect, so it’s hard to be critical. I’m all for a tribute to an earlier style that is well done and with fresh material. But, been-there done-that. Still, I added a few of the cuts to my playlist which automatically makes it a better than average offering. B

The National - First Two Pages of Frankenstein

2023  11 tracks  (47:40)

Stylistically opposite from the prog metal doom music genre, The National offers a serene dream-like form of prog rock. The J.J. Cale type vocals add to the softer soundscapes. The song “The Alcott” features Taylor Swift, which the band has a connection to and has played for her performances. It does occasionally suffer from what I call the “prog rock chord progression trap” which is a music crutch using a similar series of chord changes on several tunes. It’s nice and easy to listen to until you realize you’ve heard it on the last song. Still, it’s likable enough. B-

Forgettable

August 3, 2023

 

Best of the Week

Diablo Swing Orchestra - Pacifisticuffs

2017  13 tracks  (44:25)

This album has no reason to have any success at reaching a significant audience given how the base format includes a cellist, bossa nova rhythms, a songbird of a vocalist, and a brass section along with a few assorted “normal” instruments from prog rock bands, but it works, damnit! The production is off the charts, the meshing and mixing of these disparate sounds, and flat out coolness of each song is phenomenal. They may never find a regular following, but that’s their loss. Each song is a piece of art. The closest thing I can think of is when Frank Zappa went into full tilt esoteric mode and even he wouldn’t hold a candle to the bizarro nature of DSO. Given DSO has five or six albums and have been around for 20 years suggests there is enough of a following to expect more to come. That is great news. A-

OSI - Free 

2006  20 tracks  (1:33:38)

More smart progressive electronica from this side project group. The two principals, guitarist Matheos and keyboardist Moore get help from drummer Mike Portney and bassist Vera to round out the band. Comparisons to Nine Inch Nails would be appropriate. Matheos is the vocalist and there have been criticisms on his lack of range, but I like it. Besides, the strength in the songs is how the are crafted and played in an engaging manner. I put a lot of the cuts on my playlist because they consistently deliver. A-

Interesting Finds

Queens of the Stone Age - In Times New Roman…

2023  10 tracks  (47:39)

It may have started in Seattle, but it doesn’t sound like Seattle grunge. It is about as bare bones of a rock band as you can get. Their success depends completely on how the songs can carry the vibe, sometimes yes and sometimes no. One of the more interesting cuts is “Straight Jacket Fitting” that moves through a few different ideas. Okay to mix in a few of these cuts to a playlist. B

Rishloo - Living as Ghosts With Buildings as Teeth

2014  8 tracks  (50:31)

The theatrical nature of this rock band clearly was influenced by Queen. Clearly not a copycat of Queen, they have their own style and manner closer to a hard rock genre. They are just on the edge of being really interesting. B-

Isole - Anesidora 

2023  7 tracks  (46:09)

Dark progressive doom metal from Sweden that has its moments. What it does have in its favor is the ability to integrate tuneful elements and enjoyable vocals while maintaining a dark timbre, “Twisted Games” is a fine example of this. Despite the positives, you really have to be in the mood to listen to this genre and most likely in small doses. It’s just hard on the senses. C

Sermon - Of Golden Verse

2023  10 tracks  (48:42)

Of mysterious origin, it apparently is a one-person effort helped by others, all of which want to remain anonymous. That’s crazy, because within the vast number of bands that play a dark simpler version of progressive rock, they deserve recognition. Songs like “The Distance” will make you boogie in your seat despite the dark undertones. Yes, it’s dark, but it’s an enjoyable darkness in most respects. B+ 

Bendik - No gar det over (Now it’s Over)

2014  9 tracks  (34:01)

Bendik isn’t her name, she’s Halstensen from Bergen Norway. She has a lovely voice with presentable modern rock. Normally music sung in a language other than English is difficult for me to connect to (my Anglo centric bias shines through). But her voice is the key to making it work. Probably the only thing that makes this a record unappealing is the regular 3-4 minute pop song structure. It’s too limiting to get full engagement. C

Blood Command - Praise Armageddonism

2022  10 tracks  (36:49)

If you are missing the days of high energy punk rock of the 80’s, this band from Bergen will cure your ills. How the almost 8 minute “Last Call for Heaven’s Gate” is able to keep going for the duration of the song is amazing. There are other moments, not nearly as satisfying that results in scream rock. So choosing the right song is important. C

Viagra Boys - Cave World

2022  12 tracks  (40:31)

Normally, a band with a throw away name like Viagra Boys doesn’t have much of a chance at musical satisfaction. The rock has a basic sound and rhythm that the White Stripes would embrace. The Clash comes to mind, at least the vocals and overall vibe. It’s not too shabby, but lacking killer tunes numbs the interest. C