Category: Reviews

Second installment of a said trilogy by exquisite Belgian band who have quite the adventurous history already. With releases showing original material of their own exploring light and dark chamber music, to turn on a dime RIO fit for a king, these ultra-superior musicians took on a voyage of covers by well-deserved (not always famous) fellow Belgian composers and here we are on Volume II. Another supreme platter this time bringing in not only new rules but also unequal artists like Peter Vermeersch (as a composer choice) and Pierre Vervloesem on guitar (tracks 10 and 12) both of X-Legged Sally and Flat Earth Society.

Masterful Canterbury plus much more recording produced by the amazing and ever so multi-talented Lee Fletcher (adding various pipe organ, soundscapes, treatments, and arrangements). This will thrill fans from Hatfield & The North to Robert Wyatt, Carla Bley, Michael Mantler and sophisticated dinner jazz.

This is another one of those long time returns from the distant past bands. Seventeen years after their last release (Inca 1993, and first one was Spleen 1992), Syndone have their third CD and this one has some fantastic Italian progressive music on it.

Actually titled Andy John Bradford’s Oceans 5, this is a must have for fans of mid to late period Strawbs, also with a nod to the ballad oriented songs of David Gilmour/Pink Floyd. The emphasis is on The Strawbs folk rock as Oceans 5 has plenty of both good-feel toe-tapping tunes along with rich beautiful forget-me-not ballads (track 3 “Empty Hands” and track 4 “5 O’Clock Line”).

Former drummer Rodrigo Gonzalez Mera from Chili who previously played in Le Desoorden n ani (sadly now no longer together) brings us a brand new band and recording. A couple other former members also make up part of this. A wonderfully exotic and superb release it is! Precisely incorporating jazz fusion ingredients with world and today’s metal and folk all in an exquisite progressive work. Hominido glows with a winning debut.

Second album from Norway’s SOT (Salt of Tusj) brings the listener more bold, daring, and game-changing progressive music. I felt their debut was stunning and I am thrilled by this release the same or more. The guest appearances by vocal group PUST and a cello ensemble make the hybrid technical no boundary trio have great girth. For a good idea of their sound read my review of their first CD here in Prognaut (2012).

A bold and adventurous journey, Willie Oteri and company perform totally without preconceived notions, framework or discussion with this very cool set of concerts in three different locations in Germany. There is improvisation and then there is doing it spontaneous with no planning whatsoever. This off the cuff and naked on the spot playing is what Oteri and crew specialize in. Check out recordings by WD-41 for more music from Oteri and Laczko.

Salim’s description of his newest work ‘namoWoman’ says this challenges the concepts of dual sexuality, dual conceptuality and equal temperament musicality, harmoniously.

Not only is this NOT your father’s big band, but this is for avant big band and beyond fans. In fact, you can listen to it, allow it to cuddle you, nudge you, kick you, engulf your mind and sweep your feet from you like a tsunami wave.

A second solo by keyboardist for Camel/Fish and guest on many other albums, Mickey Simmonds, presents us with 67:33 minutes of outstanding music he wrote, arranged, produced, played, and sung. His debut solo ‘The Shape of Rain’ , originally released in 1996, was tremendous and unforgettable, sending new fans his direction instantly. Several years later his music will call up even more listeners, with this fantastic solo titled ‘The Seven Colours of Emptiness’.