Category: Lee Henderson

How Far To Hitchin is a debut project by British composer/vocalist/illustrator/producer Paul Dews. Fellow musicians are E.P. Dulsaw (acoustic & electric guitars, ukulele) Saul Pewd (keyboards), Wes Padpu (bass), and Ade W. Puls (flute, drum programming, percussion). This has a lot of styles but is interwoven with progressive and art rock. ‘Easy Targets’ instantly reminded me of some of Peter Hammill’s solo work (or even VDGG) only not near so depressing or doomsday oriented. But listening to song after song, the comparisons got wider and more diverse. Touches of Steve Hackett’s more acoustic work also quickly came to mind.

If ever any set of compositions deserved to be the definition of beautiful, it is ‘Parting Is’ by long time guitarist (multi-instrumentalist) and composer Jon Durant. Jon describes this as his most personal solo (and this is all done by him and him alone) yet. He lists his chosen instruments on each song and they include ‘cloud guitar’, electric 12 string guitar, fretless guitar, fretless bass, and electric guitar. The arrangements are paramount.

OTEME’s (Observatory of Emerged Lands) third jewel (translated to English ‘The Body in the Dream’) brings yet more of this unique blend of avant RIO elements and progressive pop. ‘Il Corpo Nel Sogno’  continues in the supreme stirring together or alternating simple Canterbury vocal pop gems with avant garde brilliant chamber orchestra, even bigger, better, and with more shine than ever.

An impeccable acoustic guitar album for folk/world music lovers who are fans of greats like Gordon Giltrap, John Renbourn, Paul Brett, Bert Jansch and the general ilk. While the bulk of the recording is Piirainen playing a gorgeous custom made Modern elite jumbo guitar by Anders Liljeström, there is occasional accompaniment by Venla Ilona Blom (beatbox), Maija Kauhanen (kantele and percussion) and Petteri Sariola (acoustic guitar). Subtitled ‘Nordic Guitar Music’, the compositions are written from J-P’s various moments of joy and sorrow in his life. He follows his own path and throughout the disc, are introspective, perky and sombre storytelling tunes. The whole affair is fully captivating with a very intimate feel, as if the musicians are right there live, in your living room.

Presented to you is a 11 song (47+ minutes) 2017 solo that is mixed, mastered, produced, and composed (with exception to trk 7 ‘Red and Orange’ by Jan Hammer, and trk 8 ‘Faces in Reflection’ by George Duke) by masterful guitarist Johannes Luley. With a fairly long career beginning with the electronic synth-pop outfit Few Boys (they only released a single ‘Secret Times’ 1985) he quickly made his way to a far more progressive rock world with two bands (Moth Vellum and Perfect Beings). He also has a previous solo ‘Tales From Sheepfather’s Grove’, but all former projects are different than his newest adventure ‘Qitara’.

Led by Alan Charles, this is a double CD that is the result of the debut release of the band not being able to properly complete their intended project from 1992. The composing of material actually began in 1987. Remakes of songs from that single disc version, with additions for the two disc set, brings Existence to the most accomplished and refined they have ever sounded. While in the progressive genre, it has a strong traditional folk presence at the beginning, with plenty of violin and rock energy. It is what I would classify as progressive folk rock, with fusion of theatre, ballad rock and even classical. The recording is a concept work and the vocals/lyrics tell a story throughout the compositions. The two sides are divided into two subtitles, CD 1: Fragile Whisperings Of Innocence (which has 7 songs) and CD 2: Silent Screams In Violence (which has 6 songs).

This is the latest release from Jens Lueck featuring his partner Isgaard on vocals, Jan Petersen – Electric Guitars, Ingo Salzmann – Electric Guitars, Dieter Koch – Acoustic Guitars, additional Electric Guitars, Volker Kuinke – Recorders, Katja Flintsch – Violine, Viola, Annika Stolze – Cello also with John Turner (voice on ‘The Call’), Kai Ritter – voice, Ekiss Giloc – bass, and everything else by Jens Lueck – drums, keyboards, bass, programing, vocals, all compositions, (except main theme melody line for the character of the female protagonist, written by his daughter Marie-Jean Lueck), arrangements, production, recording, mix, and mastering – whew!

Owner and manager of the terrific British pop music indy label Pink Hedgehog Records, multi-talented musician Simon Felton releases his 5th solo ‘Topsy Turvy’. As well as doing wonderful solos, Simon is also founder/frontman singer and bass player for Garfield’s Birthday. On this 2017 recording, which is a completion to his ‘therapeutic/confessional collection’, he writes and executes his finest material ever. The first track ‘The Ghost of Christmas Past’, grabs your heart and ears instantly. A mellow semi haunting pop gem, which is followed by ‘Lost and Found’ (trk 2), that reminds me of Peter Lacey’s (another Pink Hedgehog label diamond) jolly sunshine pop, fully adorned with contrast between Beach Boys/Stackridge and a bit of humor. ‘Out of Time’ (trk 3) takes a turn to a heavyheartedness that could be compared to a Korgis hit. Just beautiful.

With the fourth Protocol release, Simon takes a world tour on nine compositions totaling just under an hour. He wrote and produced all of the pieces, many sounding like they could be a lost Allan Holdsworth release. Bringing us a four piece power house, band members are Ernest Tibbs (bass), Greg Howe (guitars), Dennis Hamm (keys), and of course the ever so talented Simon Phillips (drums/percussion).

A prime all instrumental (with exception of mnemonic syllable of tabla) release from multi talented Al Swainger (all compositions, photography, artwork, sleeve design, bass, keyboards, voice, drum programming and production). If his name looks familiar, he has been a long time free lance jazz musician going from commercial, now to a much more expanded and sometimes experimental fusion of sorts. He has also been on previous recordings including Snow Giants ‘Un’ (05Ric, & Mike Outram) and Grice ‘Alexandrine’  to list a couple.  He also has former Pointless Beauty releases you may very well want to check out.