Arabs in Aspic - Pictures in a Dream. 2013 Norway

Robert Fripp has stated that Larks' Tongues in Aspic means: "Something precious which is stuck, but visible. Something precious which is encased in form."  So with that heady bit of insight, it's obvious to me that Arabs in Aspic means... yea, I have no idea either. [shrug]

But what is "in aspic" is the band's ability to recreate the sounds of the 1970s. Specifically the American FM sound of 1975 and '76. Despite being from Norway, Arabs in Aspic are yet another band that would fit well in my USA Midwest / Ontario Progressive Rock (1970's/early 80s) list. Sounds odd doesn't it? Well... it's not as strange as it may first appear.

In 1990, in my European backpacking days, I was on an overnight train from Oslo to Bergen. And I befriended a nice looking couple who I thought might be American. They didn't look American (jeans and white tennis shoes were still strictly the provenance of Americans in those days), but they sure did sound like it. So I ventured into conversation with them - both college kids and only a few years younger than I at the time. They went on to explain that they not only learn English, but "American English" in school. Crap - they spoke the language better than I did (do)!

So a band from Norway being able to immerse themselves completely into the American mindset isn't that far fetched at all. Note I said the FM sound of America - not just bands from the USA. To me Arabs in Aspic have carved a niche out of something very familiar - somewhere between Pink Floyd, Kansas, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and Led Zeppelin. It's a fascinating blend - like mixing a new drink with common ingredients.

Sure, you say, but most of those bands were British and they were popular everywhere, right? True. But Arabs in Aspic remind me of those US bands that tried, successfully or unsuccessfully, to copy them. A deep diver may call out other 70s Norwegian bands like Host, Aunt Mary, or Ruphus, but that's not it... I hear the music here as something created in North America - not in Europe. Even more so than Black Bonzo, who came close, but still sounded "English". Seriously.

(Of note, they threw in two tracks with Norwegian vocals, that completely changes the tone of the music. For me, I'd like to hear more of this trend.)

To approach the album properly, I would probably avoid thinking of it as "progressive rock". More like "classic rock".

Former ownership: CD: 2013 Black Widow. Jewel case. 12 page booklet with lyrics and individual band member photos.

6/28/13 (new entry); 1/10/25

Willowglass - Book of Hours. 2008 England

What do you do with a guy who is enamored with the European Medieval past of stained glass windows, Celtic crosses, and towered villages - and who has an obsession with 1970-1973 era Genesis? Someone who distills those ideas, reshapes it in his own image, and then pushes back out to the wilds for all to critique. It's easy to pan such an effort, but when it is done this well and with this kind of passion, one really does have to admire the final product. If early Genesis is your thing, and you're OK with no vocals being present in such a setting, then it's highly likely you will enjoy, or at the very least appreciate, Andrew Marshall's Willowglass. 

Ownership: CD: 2008 private. Jewel case

LP: 2018 private. 2xLP gatefold. Online acquisition (2024).

6/27/13 (first listen / review / new entry)

Netherworld - In the Following Half-Light. 1981 USA-California

Netherworld are the quintessential American band from the late 1970s and early 80s - a band that mixes complex progressive rock with FM sensibilities. Had they been from the Midwest rather than California then they would have been a perfect fit for my USA Midwest / Ontario Progressive Rock (1970's/early 80s) list. Tracks like the opener 'Too Hard to Forget' will instantly make one think of the original NWOBPR movement. By the time we get to side 2 and 'Isle of Man' all pretension of this somehow being a radio friendly album are thrown to the wind. We're in full blown Selling England era Genesis, and it only gets more progressive from there. By the time we hit the 3 part closer 'Sargasso', Netherworld are in the same off-the-rails league as Yezda Urfa, Pentwater, and Mirthrandir. And, oh by the way, it's also a mellotron feast for the analog gear heads out there. The Musea CD adds the 10 minute instrumental 'Cumulus Nimbus' that was previously on the Past-Present-Future compilation from Syn-Phonic. And word down at the soup kitchen says Netherworld has plenty more where that came from. Perhaps urban legend, perhaps absolute truth. We all live for the Queen's Court gossip don't we?

Ownership: LP: 1981 REM. Single sleeve. Obtained a sealed one in a trade with a friend (2017). I had it before but let it go when I obtained the CD. Glad to have it back.

CD: 2002 Musea (France). This isn't one of Musea's best reissues, missing the full biography that is normally associated with the label. But sonically it's fantastic and includes a very important bonus track as noted above.

6/26/13 (new entry)

Il Cerchio d'Oro - Dedalo e Icaro. 2013 Italy

Despite having a heritage that dates back to 1974, Il Cerchio d'Oro seem to be paying homage to the 90's Italian renaissance rather than the original 70s movement. Odd, given that many of their peers are looking back 20 years further. Il Cerchio d'Oro reminds me of bands such as Malibran, Barrock, and Nuova Era. In my estimation, certainly better than the former two but not quite up to the standard of the latter. The analog instrumentation isn't convincing, the drums are more rock oriented rather than jazz, and Dedalo e Icaro definitely has that bright, digital sound. All the same, there's no doubting that Il Cerchio d'Oro plays in the classic Italian style. The constant thematic shifts within each composition, the lengthy instrumental interludes, and the rough hewn vocals (in Italian of course) all underscore the region's characteristics. There are better albums from Italy being created now, but Il Cerchio d'Oro's sophomore release is no slouch. Conditionally recommended to fans of the style.

Former ownership: CD: 2013 Black Widow. Jewel case. Booklet has recording details, lyrics, and photos. Also has a bonus video.

6/26/13 (first listen /  review / new entry); 12/20/24

Sezon Dozhdei (Rainy Season) - Vozvrashenie (The Return). 1992 Russia

Sezon Dozhdei were definitely a product of the early 90s progressive rock scene. With just three tracks, they leave plenty of room to experiment within each composition. Keyboards are what dominate here, with waves of dense sounds that penetrate deep while sonorous guitar lines glide on top. The rhythm section keeps it all together and there are plenty of meter changes to make it interesting. Some nice flute to enjoy on the opening track as well. At times, this reminds me a bit of Djam Karet's Reflections of the Firepool.

Ownership: CD: 2001 Boheme. Jewel case with excellent liner notes in English (and Russian) and sounds fantastic.

My first copy was the LP purchased not long after release (1994). This LP is surprisingly well made (Capitalist style), and demonstrates that the last throes of the Soviet Union had been fully realized. All the same I sold the LP when the CD from Boheme first came out. 

aka Сезон Дождей - Возвращение

1994; 6/23/13 (new entry)

Klaus Schulze and Gunter Schickert - The Schulze-Schickert Session. 1975 Germany

Two legends of 1970s electronic music came together for one "living room" session, and produced the 45 minute+ piece presented here - an album that was oft-bootlegged until the Mirumir label of Russia finally settled the score in a legal manner (for those doubters that remain, the reissue received the blessing of Klaus Schulze on his own website. And the CD features unique liners from long time biographer Klaus Muller). And while the music is not exactly Timewind meets Samtvogel, the characteristics of their individual styles remain intact. Schickert is primarily on acoustic guitar, with nylon strings it appears - played in his trademark sound-on-sound style. Klaus has his usual field day with his sequencers and synthesizer solos. And so it goes for 45 minutes, a pleasant excursion into the minds of two of Berlin's finest e-musik pioneers.

While I'm not 100% certain of this (the liners do not clarify), but it seems to me the final two pieces are Schulze solo works tacked onto the end to fill the CD - perhaps from the same time frame, sans Schickert.

Ownership: CD: 2013 Mirumir (Russia)

6/22/13 (new entry)

Mosaic - Miniatures. 1995 Italy

Progressive rock for the short-attention-span listener. Mosaic is the brainchild of former Arti + Mestieri keyboardist Beppe Crovella, who was all over the place in the 1990s. And just like the composer himself, this unusual album from his project Mosaic is "all over the place". To Crovella's credit, these aren't 40 sketches of music similar to a TV/Film library album. They are fully composed pieces - a beginning, middle, and end - with the majority of the tracks between 1 and 2 minutes each. Problem is, obviously enough, there's little continuity between the tracks themselves and the album lacks cohesiveness. That is the purpose of the album, but one has to question whether the premise is the best of ideas? Hard to knock it really, given the artist's intention, and I'll grade it a relatively high rating considering everything. But the concept will not allow personal growth with the album, and it cannot possibly go higher. File under: Interesting.

Mellotron seems to be the dominant instrument. Now whether it's authentic or sampled, is entirely another question. I'm guessing the latter, but as of this writing, Planet Mellotron hasn't weighed in on it.

CD: 1995 Vinyl Magic

1995; 6/13/13 (new entry)

Sunscape. 1999 Italy

Here's another installment of  the 90's Italian progressive renaissance. This one comes from the tail end of the decade, and is geared more towards space rock. Mellow turned up all sorts of interesting acts in the 90s, and their catalog is a good place to start if looking for other such gems (we have a few already listed here on UMR). But do your homework first, not everything is up to par on the label.

Though originally marketed as an Ozric Tentacles styled group, Sunscape were more tuned into both the modern space rock scene, as well as the original 1970s cosmic Krautrock movement. Perhaps the only other band from Italy similar to Sunscape during this era were the unorganized and unpredictable band Mary Newsletter. I also hear elements of Porcupine Tree, Groovector (Finland), and a bit of the aforementioned Ozric. The guitarist dominates and is supplemented nicely by modern synthesizers, flute, hand percussion, didgeridoo, and occasional voice (both male and female). A promising debut from a band who disappeared all too quickly. Hopefully they will reform for an encore.

Ownership: CD: 1999 Mellow

6/9/13 (new entry)

Tale Cue - Voices Beyond My Curtain. 1991 Italy

Tale Cue were of the earliest bands to participate in the Italian progressive rock renaissance. For the era and location, they were wired closest to Ezra Winston. That is to say, a strong neo progressive sound with English vocals. So early in fact, it's quite apparent Tale Cue were pre-Google Translate as well. I haven't the slightest idea what Voices Beyond My Curtain, Prisoner of Cutting Light, and Flying to Fade can possibly mean. No matter though, as I probably wouldn't understand the Italian variations either, though I would have preferred the local language had been applied. Still it's apparent Tale Cue have quite an imagination, and the six lengthy tracks here allow them to expand those ideas in unique ways. This is definitely a guitar based album, and the instrument dominates along with the shrill female vocals - vocals that somehow fit the music perfectly.

As stated by other reviewers, it is a tragedy the band stopped after this one fine effort.

Ownership: CD: 1991 Musea. Jewel case.

1992 (first listen); 6/8/13 (review / new entry)

New List: USA Midwest / Ontario Progressive Rock of the 1970s and early 80s

Took me awhile to get this one all together, but I finally published it on Saturday. As you all know from my CDRWL blog, I constantly refer to this unique progressive rock genre. So I finally put a small article around it and published it in RYM. You can read my thoughts and who I can consider participants of the scene here.

Thanks for reading!

The Cosmic Dead - The Exalted King. 2012 Scotland

The Cosmic Dead are a Scottish quartet who've been around a couple of years, and whose raison d'etre is improvised space rock. The Cosmic Dead are yet another one of these new bands who seem to be content to issue their albums via download, along with the archaic cassette format (which, to be fair, does allow for 90 and 120 minute albums). They have 6 albums to date but only two are on the more durable and desirable formats like the LP and CD. 

The Exalted King is a sprawling 2 LP set of droning keys, echoed guitars, and pounding rhythms. Hawkwind and the more cosmic moments of Amon Duul II are the obvious comparisons. This is music to turn the lights off, sit back / lay down, and take in the aural kaleidoscope provided. Wake up, turn the vinyl over, and repeat. By the end of Side 4 you're ready for a blissful sleep.

Ownership: LP: 2013 Cosmic Eye (Greece). 2xLP Gatefold.

6/1/13 (new entry)