Best of the Week
Lazuli - 11
2023 11 tracks (54:22)
An elegant prog rock album from the French masters. They have no problem in generating interesting song vignettes for the whole album with tasteful arrangements, luscious vocals, and fabulous musicianship. I don’t speak or understand French so that part is lost on me, but music this good allows me to enjoy it. The only one I translated was the first cut that translated roughly to criss-crossing a sea of vinyl - records, I assume. I can relate to that. A
Interesting Finds
The Silos - Cuba
1986 16 tracks (1:04:11)
Reconnecting with an old friend is often beneficial, especially to find that there hasn’t been anything lost in the 37 years. In fact, it sounds just as fresh and strong as before. What may have been called alternative country at the time, if that term existed then, it really is more roots based Americana rock. It’s closer to David Lowery than Dwight Yochaim. Oddly, it’s the only album I bought by this group and it behooves me to check out a more recent release. B
Wednesday - Rat Saw God
2023 10 tracks (37:09)
Wednesday is a thrash alternative rock band fronted by singer songwriter Karly Hartzman. It’s an acquired taste due to the band sounding like The Pixies on a rough day and Karly singing like she is in a separate isolated room in a drugged voice at a disproportionate lower volume. That is until she decides to scream out as if greatly distressed. There are exceptions, like the cut “Chosen to Deserve” when both the band and Hartzman sound musical - it’s a great song. Unfortunately, nothing else approached it. D
Margo Cilker - Valley of Heart’s Delight
2023 11 tracks (37:53)
Margo Cilker could be labeled a country music singer songwriter, but that wouldn’t be complete. She really excels at Americana ballads and the arrangements stay away from country’s signature band components such as steel guitar and fiddle. Her lyrics stay away from country’s simple love-gone-bad, I-drink-too-much, and God-and-patriotism-rules quagmire. It’s more simpler things of life sung with warmth and character. No one cut stands out, they just make you at ease like a warm cup of coffee and a good book. B
Blondshell - Blondshell
2023 14 tracks (49:02)
Dynamic artist Blondshell is someone to keep an eye on. The songs pack a punch with powerful guitar and bass lines that could raise the dead. A lot of the topics involve teenage and young adult angst which is fine because the music is equally dark and raw. A few of the songs stand out and nothing is really less than average. B
Tides From Nebula - Aura
2008 9 tracks (43:42)
Spacey prog from Poland. Their signature sound is fast-picking tonal pairs and is heard on most of the songs. Comparisons to Russian Circles would not be wrong. Pretty good listening, but newer material is better developed and more interesting throughout. C
IZZ - Don’t Panic
2019 5 tracks (43:59)
Take a little Gentle Giant, ELP, and Renaissance and you have IZZ, a prog rock band from the US. This particular album was one of the most notable releases in their catalog. The music is well put together, interesting in the time and theme shifts, and sung well by the male and female leads, especially when they harmonize. What the songs mean is not clear, but I sense it has something to do with loss and remembrance of the past. B
Forgettable
Kadavar - Abra Kadavar
2013 10 tracks (48:21)
See the kitsch title. See the overly wretched long hair look. What time period does this suggest? 1970? Well, if one wasn’t surprised this was only ten years ago, the music is a dead giveaway with the revival of an old Black Sabbath sound. The restrained voices and basic strumming guitar and plodding bass certainly is all there. The only thing not there is the memorable songs that at least you were interested in hearing again. Not so great here. D-
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