The Plastic Cloud - s/t. 1968 Canada

Kingston's The Plastic Cloud - to my ears anyway - practically define what late 1960s underground psychedelic music sounds like. Look at the cover - fast forward 45+ years - and tell me they wouldn't fit perfectly into today's hipster culture. They have a strong sense of that era's light ethereal melodies coupled with credible vocal harmonies, and yet they also possess this subversive streak that shows up primarily in their heavy use of a biting "bumblebee" sounding fuzz guitar. Tracks like 'Shadows of Your Mind', 'You Don't Care', 'Face Behind The Sun', and 'Civilization Machine' are massive in their execution, and the jams can get super intense  - especially on the longer tracks (two of which go into the 9 to 10 minute mark). Imagine The Doors going "all in", as they would in their early days, but utilizing fuzz guitar instead of electric organ. And even the "straight" psychedelic tracks are memorable such as 'Art's a Happy Man' and 'Bridge Under the Sky'. If you're a fan of the underground 60s psych movement, it's pretty hard to imagine not freaking over this masterpiece. A genre defining album if there ever was one.

Personal collection
CD: 1990 Laser's Edge (USA)
LP: 1999 Void (USA)

The original is a single sleeve cover with insert. Original copies can get way up there, and frequently sell for well over $1K. My original discovery came via a new upstart label called The Laser's Edge way back in 1990. I'd never heard of the group, and I was myself only in about Year 3 of having disposable income for buying albums when I felt like it. So I took a chance, and was rewarded in a big way from a music perspective. The CD comes with a fold out insert and replicates the original liner notes. Many years later I picked up the Void LP reissue - and it's probably superfluous to own this version given it's a straight reissue with the same original insert. But since it's such a favorite album of mine, it's nice to have a vinyl copy - especially since originals are pretty much out of reach. The Lion reissues include - according to their website - "The accompanying twenty-page booklet has all the lyrics, thanks to Don Brewer, the man who wrote them, as well as rare photos and a replica of an original press release that must be seen to be believed". And their edition of the LP is a gatefold.

Proud Peasant - Flight. 2014 USA-Texas

Proud Peasant are a symphonic progressive band from Austin, Texas, an area more known for country blues or cutting edge indie rock (it's for certain the hipster capital of Texas) - and as such the band find themselves at complete odds with their hometown brethren.  There are 3 lengthy instrumental tracks (12:28, 19:34, 13:20) on Flight, and what sounds to be mostly charted music and well rehearsed. There's a large palette of instruments on display, beyond the usual rock quartet with 70s analog keyboards. Proud Peasant's trademark sound would have to be simply described as BIG. Not in the Godspeed You Black Emperor post rock manner, as this is music that is definitely rooted in the 70s. With that era's analog instrumentation though perhaps as played and produced in the 1990s. Comparisons do not come easily, but Rainbow Theatre at the time of Fantasy of Horses is one such album. Like that album, there is a classical bent to the compositions - but wholly their own and nowhere near a cheesy "rock the classics" kind of endeavor. Given that Proud Peasant are instrumental, you also won't have to battle the pseudo operatic vocals either (though there is some acapella actually (a bit like Pulsar's Halloween), which is mixed creatively with fuzz bass and Moog synthesizer). It's hard to imagine the band being influenced by such an obscure album from Australia, as I would suspect they would react with a collective "who?" - but it's always interesting to see how disparate bands from different eras can come up with similar music conclusions (though I should reiterate the obvious - they are still very different). Perhaps another comparison, though far more superficial, would be Camel's The Snow Goose, another classical styled work with beautiful flute. They saved the best track for last, 'The Precipice', which combines the sounds above with the Scandinavian School of retro prog, especially that of early Wobbler.

Ownership: CD: 2014 Basement Avatar. Purchased new upon release. Comes in a digipak with recording details.

7/23/14 (new entry)

Node - Node 2. 2014 England

The Node quartet are back after nearly 20 years (with a slight adjustment of personnel replacing Gary Stout with Hollywood composer Mel Wesson), easily at home on Ian Boddy's DiN label. The band's core premise is intact and they're still with all analog gear in tow, including a full array of fun toys like the ARP 2600, SynthiA, modified Mini-Moogs, PPG Modular, custom built synthesizers, along with well placed guitar (including some wonderful phased electric soaring over the full blast sequencers in the best Edgar Froese tradition) and other keyboards like Fender Rhodes, piano, organ, and Mellotron. The very detailed chronological Ultra-Technical Music Geek Notes (AC's trademark pending) gives us a glimpse into the world of Node. Each track has a melodic, tempo, and chord base from which to base their programming on. From there it's pure improvisation. If it works on try #1, it stays in. Otherwise they adjust a few things, and give it another whirl. It's 100% democratic and independent - 4 seasoned musicians each adding their own personality to the composition. When all is recorded, it's edited (filtered) down for the best possible listening experience.

For me, this is the most exciting Berlin School album since the heady late 90s days of Redshift. The sheer amount and variety of analog synthesizers, combined with a fully participating quartet, allows for unlimited possibilities in a genre that can easily grow stale (i.e . turn on the sequencers and beats, get a cup of coffee, then noodle for a bit). It's nigh impossible to even pick one track, as each one is brilliant, and yet very different. If you're a fan of the style, it's almost impossible to fathom not absolutely freaking over this album. It not only lives up to the promise of the debut, but exceeds it. Pure genius - a definitive statement. The bar has been reset.

Ownership: CD: 2014 DiN

7/23/14 (new entry)

Poliphony. 1973 England

Poliphony is a very nice instrumental jazz psych record. Not too far from some of the Italian film library bands like Fourth Sensation or Psycheground - or even the UK group Hungry Wolf. Some pointed fuzz guitar leads (such as the opener 'Underdog') and flute forays add gravitas. Elsewhere, there's some jazz-tone guitar and plenty of Rhodes, typical of the genre. From a psychedelic perspective, a little more fire in the belly would have lead to a better experience. On the other hand, though low-key in nature, the album progresses nicely, providing a nice soundtrack to a midday walk in the park. 

Ownership: CD: 2012 Audio Archives. Jewel case. Historical liner notes. Likely a vinyl transcription, but it's well done. Audio Archives decided to change the color from the original beige to a pinkish hue - perhaps to its advantage. 

2008 (first listen); 2/4/10 (review); 7/19/14 (update / new entry); 12/16/24 (update)

Robert Connolly - Plateau. 1978 Canada-Ontario

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: Ontario in the 1970's was an extension of the US Midwest - at least from an economic perspective. And so it comes as no surprise that the music shares similarities. We've waxed on a number of times about this most unique of American made rock music. And I'll be honest, I never viewed Connolly with this lens, until a revisit of the LP a couple of years back. Wham-bam, bullseye! Get your Ethos, Dillinger, Starcastle, and October albums out and compare.

Even though Connolly is standing next to a double neck guitar on the back cover, I believe his true passion is keyboards (and he's loaded with all the fun analog stuff like Mellotron, Mini Moog, and Hammond). The concept is pure 1970's space alien fantasy and comes complete with a goofy comic book (and any righteous CD label MUST reproduce this bad boy). For the album, Connolly put together two entirely different groups, each side represented. Side 1 mixes narration, female vocals, acoustic balladry and all out progressive rock that recalls Eloy's Power and the Passion, but truthfully better. Side 2 is where Connolly hands over the guitar duties as well as brings on a male lead singer - while he focuses entirely on the keys. No question this side is the more traditional progressive rock, though the vocals tend towards the AOR side, typical of the region. Given this new outlook, I'm appreciating Robert Connolly's album more now than ever. It's the time and place.

Ownership: LP: 1978 Tube. Single sleeve cover with a comic book, that's absolutely awesome in its goofiness. And dig that back cover with the mounds of hair and double neck! There isn't a year listed anywhere on the LP. However, the comic book is dated 1978, so that's generally the accepted release date for the album.

No reissues as of 10/6/24, and I've had it in the CDRWL since day 1 of the list. 

1//92 (first listen); 12/26/10; 7/12/14 (new entry)

Cuprum - Brahma Višnu Šiva. 2014 Czech Republic

The sophomore effort Brahma Višnu Šiva shows Cuprum upping their game a bit. The flute is more present, the guitars have a louder psychedelic tone, the 70s keyboard set is full blare (Hammond, Rhodes, Moog, Mellotron). All still sung in their native, and wonderful, Czech language (can I please ask for those wishing for English to stop? My goodness, is there really no one else singing in English now?). The songwriting has seen a bump up as well, and the album engages the listener that much more. It's telling that I've seen videos of Cuprum covering Flamengo. There cannot be a better band from the old Czechoslovakia to emulate. And there's still room for improvement, as they have yet to explore the more kinetic aspects of progressive rock. For those who can't seem to get out of the 8th decade of the 20th Century (like me par example), then Cuprum is your dream band. Ground zero of the Retro Prog movement is right here. Wonderful stuff. Keep it going my friends from the East!

Ownership: CD: 2014 private

7/11/14 (new entry)

Deja-Vu - Between the Leaves. 1976 Norway (archival)

Deja-Vu features two members from the Norwegian hard progressive band Høst, and the music is very similar actually, especially at the time of Hardt mot Hardt. Perhaps more symphonic given the heavy keyboard presence (Fender Rhodes, Mini-Moog, String Ensemble, Clavinet, Mellotron), but the compositions have that relentless bass guitar induced driving flair - also recalling Trettioariga Kriget or Ruphus' works a couple of years prior to this. Hard to imagine anyone into the symphonic progressive rock sound not appreciating this album at a high level. As you listen to Deja-Vu, it becomes apparent that a modern band like Wobbler has no doubt digested this album as a matter of national pride. And it shows in their own recordings, especially their latest Yes-like offering Rites at Dawn.

Personal collection
CD: 1995 Research Records / Record Heaven (Sweden)

Supposedly a test pressing from 1976, I don't think one has ever been for sale. So a classic case of an archival tape, and my first exposure - along with just about everyone else I presume - was the Research Records CD, which I bought immediately upon release in the mid 90s. Today that CD is pretty much extinct and will probably remain a collectible unless it gets reissued again. The CD is an excellent release with liner notes, photos, and great sound.

Fire Merchants. 1989 USA

Now this is the kind of album that had quite a bit of buzz back in the day, and yet when I did research for the album, it seems to be almost an unknown. Heck, we used to play it on our radio show in the early 90s! I'm sure one day, the late 1980s and early 90s instrumental heavy fusion fad will regain its audience, but as of 2014 it's nothing but crickets out there. Since there are so few reviews, I thought I'd get something about it for potential fans.

Fire Merchants were all the rage in 1989, when long time Brand X guitarist John Goodsall teamed up with legendary drummer Chester Thompson and bassist Doug Lunn (Lunn is one of those guys who may not ring a bell, but he's on a ton of marquee name albums). The music is hard hitting guitar fronted instrumental fusion, sure to please subscribers to Guitar Player magazine, and other fans of technical 6 string playing. Brand X hadn't sounded this heavy and kinetic since the late 70s! (this was before their 90s reformation)  As was typical of the late 80s era, the compositions were short on high quality melodic composition and thematic development. Whatever was lacking in those areas were made up with technical prowess, high energy, and copious experience in the studio. After many years of mindless and slick gloss within the jazz fusion field, the return of the rough-hewn sound as provided by the likes of the Fire Merchants were much welcome back then. I predict an audience will reemerge for the style, but as of this writing, that has yet to happen.

Ownership: CD: 1989 Medusa. Jewel case.

1993 (first listen); 7/8/14 (review / new entry)

Lost Nation - Paradise Lost. 1970 USA-Michigan

Detroit's Lost Nation recalls another band from nearby Ann Arbor: SRC. Especially at the time of Traveler's Tale. There's a distinct late psych vibe here (the dreamy vocals and harmonies are a pure giveaway). The driving guitars and Hammond Organ call out Deep Purple from their late 60s era, and the music definitely carries over into progressive rock territory with their sophisticated development of composition - especially over the longer tracks of which there are a few. It's a pity Lost Nation didn't catch on, as they certainly were one of the stronger groups to emerge from the American confused year of 1970. For my tastes, the best album on the Rare Earth label.

Ownership: LP: 1970 Rare Earth. Single sleeve. Acquired via mail order (1996).

No reissues exist as I update this post (6/11/24)

1996; 7/8/14 (new entry)

Brainchild - Healing of the Lunatic Owl. 1970 England

Brainchild's Healing of the Lunatic Owl is perhaps the single best album to have emerged from the late 1960s brass rock movement that had gained immense popularity due to Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Chicago Transit Authority's chart topping hits. Brainchild definitely falls on the Chicago side of this equation from a musical perspective. I've long felt that Chicago is somewhat under-appreciated in today's world for how groundbreaking they truly were - mixing carefully crafted pop songs, with complex horn charts, and insane unhinged psychedelia. The latter two elements eventually fell off the train (so to speak), and all that most anyone remembers today is an old boring pop band for middle aged housewives - who spend all day on Facebook. The English septet Brainchild is the embodiment of everything that was good about Chicago - without any of the excess or trivial moments. Brainchild's ability to pen a beautiful pop song is jaw dropping in its execution. The horn charts are complicated, perfectly played, and yet still tuneful. There's an element of psychedelic rock, but it's not the main focus - but rather a powerful ingredient to the overall stew. There's also one other aspect to Brainchild, that most horn rock bands did not pursue back then, and that's an absolute appreciation of progressive rock. The latter element shows up repeatedly in how each composition develops - the constant changing of moods, dynamics, and meters. The title track perhaps is the best example of everything mentioned above: A stunning pop melody, great vocals, psychedelic interludes, and a progressive rock structure. Other superior tracks include 'She's Learning' which features a grungy organ, gravelly vocals, psych guitar, and an ominous brass section; 'A Time and Place', a progressive oriented track clocking in at 9 minutes, which starts with melancholy flute, before launching the Latin percussion, organ, jazz rhythm guitar, and hard hitting trumpet/trombone charts; 'Sadness of a Moment' is the kind of song that Greg Lake could have penned for King Crimson in his prime - complete with soft echoed vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute. Goosebump inducing music right here!; 'To "B"' closes the album, after a brief but beautiful flute opening, as it started with 'Autobiography' - a powerful horn rock song in the Chicago Transit Authority tradition. For me, the best horn rock album ever. Unless the style reemerges in our lifetime, it's hard to imagine anything ever besting it.

Ownership: LP: 1970 A&M. Single sleeve. Acquired online (2012). Features the rather goofy - but wonderful - cover. 

CD: 1991 Pony Canyon/A&M. As for reissues, yep - that's it - the CD from A&M's parent company in Japan. It's direct from the masters, and comes in a standard jewel case with an insert in Japanese, and nothing else. 

Esoteric has talked in the past of reissuing it, but nothing has come of it to date. It was by pure chance I received the CD in the first place. It was literally a throw-in to a larger deal I made about 20 years ago (1995). I was curious about it, but didn't have much hopes that it was anything special. Not to be too dramatic here, but it damned near changed my life! Needless to say, it remains one of my favorite albums ever. Despite this, it was this edition that continued to draw me into this album, and as such it's a Top 25 CD for me. Hopefully a specialist label will tackle this one for a better experience. The Top 25 status will remain regardless.

1995; 9/9/09 (CDRWL); 7/7/14 (new entry); 4/23/20 (update)

Tusmørke - Riset Bak Speilet. 2014 Norway

Riset Bak Speilet sees Tusmørke beginning to carve out their own identity, and the strong Jethro Tull influence of the debut has subsided significantly. Tusmørke have moved towards a distinct Scandinavian folk rock sound, with more vocals, less complexity, and Viking styled anthemic choruses. Even though the album seems to use only analog instruments, the style of music has a certain modern sheen to it - similar to some Scandinavian heavy metal bands - but minus the metal guitars (if that makes sense). It's not until we get to the title track, which happens to be almost double the longest, clocking in at nearly 15 minutes, that the familiar progressive rock of the debut returns. Here we get multiple shifts in theme, meter, and dynamics, along with more instrumental time for Hammond organ, flute, woody/fuzz bass, and Mellotron. The lyrics are in both Norwegian and English, though it's interesting to note that while they took the time to translate the Norwegian ones, they did not the English (presuming, I'm sure, no one in Norway needs them translated anyway). And just to add to the confusion, or fun as they probably would have it, 'Gamle Aker Kirke' is sung in English. OK, I give up! As for the bonus tracks, once again its curious to label them as such, as the music is exactly like the album proper. Of course, since it is being released on LP, it's fair to consider the extra tracks on the CD as bonus I suppose. In conclusion, I feel Tusmørke has stepped in a direction that's moving away from my personal interest area. As stated prior, this has more in common with folk rock than progressive rock, or even progressive folk rock. It's very lyric heavy, and as such, instrumental flights of fancy are rare. 

---11/25/24

Not too much to add to the above. Track 5 is definitely the highlight and almost good enough to consider a higher rating. I'm hearing the last two bonus tracks better this time, more instrumentally progressive oriented, and that's 20 minutes total. Combining these three is 35 minutes of high quality material, which has improved my rating by +1.

Ownership: CD: 2014 Svart. Jewel case. Thick booklet that doesn't fit the case.

Former ownership: LP: 2014 Svart. Gatefold. Purchased this later because it was cheap. But it doesn't have the bonus tracks, so there wasn't much reason to keep it.

7/6/14 (first listen / review / new entry); 11/25/24

Maxophone - s/t. 1975 Italy

Late to the game, Maxophone's album missed the heyday of the Italian progressive rock movement by about two years. To add more doubt, Produttori Associati was a pop label that hadn't shown much interest in progressive rock, having only released the very obscure jazz rock Duello Madre album prior. Despite these setbacks, Maxophone's sole album is a fastball-down-the-middle for the style. Everything is here: Complex compositions, memorable melodies, dizzying meters, large symphonic sound, a myriad of analog keyboards (incl. Hammond organ, piano), biting electric guitar leads, soft acoustic guitar soundscapes, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French Horn, tuned percussion, and fantastic vocals in Italian. If you're a fan of the style, then it's hard to imagine Maxophone not satisfying on many levels. As is usually the case, be careful not to judge based on the English language version. Hear it in Italian, as it was originally intended, and then draw your conclusion. The 1977 45 single (added as a bonus to later reissues) is geared more towards orchestrated pop, and it clearly shows Maxophone had walked away from progressive rock by then, as just about everyone else in Italy had during those days.

Personal collection
CD: 2005 Arcangelo (Japan)

The original album is housed in a splendid gatefold cover. True Italian originals are scarce and in demand, like all original progressive rock albums from there. Watch out for German originals on the same label. Some dealers like to sneak those in as originals - which they are - but still not quite the same (though I might add - would still make a great addition to the collection - and costs about 33% of the real thing). You can distinguish by the catalog number, and that the label is orange instead of the original black (the original is the first photo). The English version was released in America on the California based PAUSA (Produttori Associati USA) label (second scan). Like most folks here in the States, this was my introduction to the album. Like most Italian albums, hearing the English language version is going to be an inferior experience. And as such, I wasn't overly impressed, but kept it around long enough to replace it with the first CD to hit the market which was the Japanese Crime version. Now I could hear the album as it was originally intended in glorious Italian, and the album jumped a couple of points as a result. I eventually replaced that version with the first Japanese mini-LP that replicates the original down to the last detail (including a rare sticker). Maybe one day I'll get the Italian original, but it's not of the highest priority right now.

IQ - Tales from the Lush Attic. 1983 England

Hard to imagine now, but at one time IQ was a boon for the progressive rock starved fan in the early 1980s. Believe it or not, 1983 was an exciting time for traditional progressive rock music. England was experiencing a renaissance in creativity after a few years' dearth of interesting new progressive rock. Heavily inspired by the classic progressive rock works of Genesis, bands like Marillion, Pendragon, Pallas, Twelfth Night, Haze, and.... yes IQ, were blazing a new trail for a younger generation looking for more challenging music than the radio and TV was affording at that time. Decidedly noncommercial for their day, these bands were raising the spirit of Gabriel-era Genesis from the virtual dead. Best of all, it was an updated sound with modern equipment, cleaner tones, and a more aggressive rock approach (no doubt influenced by the contemporary punk and metal movements) combined with the challenging compositional style of Genesis albums like Foxtrot and Trick of the Tail.

It was during this period that I personally became involved with the progressive rock scene. I still remember a review of Twelfth Night showing up in the metal magazine Kerrang claiming "Bring out the Mini-Moogs boys, the Progressives are back!" And they were, even if it was just for a short period - in its original form anyway. Of all of the bands from that era, IQ were quite possibly the most accomplished, at least from an exploratory progressive rock mindset.

Tales From the Lush Attic is IQ's debut (on LP, there was a demo cassette prior), released on a small private label and in very minute quantities. The album, however, had gained the attention of the heavy metal media (of all people) and quickly sold out to an audience yearning for something a little different and more challenging, thus leading to a much larger repress. IQ's well-deserved positive reputation had begun. Opening with the 21-minute 'The Last Human Gateway', IQ laid down the gauntlet that they were serious about this progressive rock thing, despite in appearance looking like a typical MTV synth-pop act. No group in their right mind did side long epics in 1983, lest they be panned by the lemming-like music press as the worst album since the ghastly Tales From Topographic Oceans. This track had all the right ingredients: Organ, mellotron, synthesizers, crazy rhythms, Hackett-esque guitar, and possibly best of all, a very talented and dramatic singer in Peter Nicholls. He even wore face paint for crying out loud! Continuing on, 'Awake and Nervous' is a more commercial sounding track in the rare case that any reviewer had actually made it through the opener and its short followup. This is followed by the hilariously titled 'My Baby Treats Me Right Cos I'm the Hard Lovin Man All Night Long' which is, appropriately enough for the setting, a classical solo piano piece. The closer, 'The Enemy Smacks' is IQ's finest moment here. A combination of aggressive hard rock with symphonic progressive which happens to contain their most complex metronomic moments as a bonus. Very powerful - and perhaps just the right punch to score with the younger fans it so coveted - and represented themselves. A brilliant debut.

Ownership: LP: 1984 The Classic One Shoe Record Label. Single sleeve. Acquired at Virgin Records in London (1984), as there was no chance of getting this back home in the States - or at least that I was aware of at the time. Interestingly enough, the album had already been repressed a few times by then. My copy has the more familiar brown border verse the original blue. Real originals are numbered and scarce. Of course given the time and place, I would never sell my treasured copy. 

CD: 1988 MSI. Jewel case.

8/16/84 (first listen); 2/7/01 (review); 7/4/14 (update / new entry); 1/5/24

Mar-Vista - Visions of Sodal Ye. 1976 France

Mar-Vista are the duo of Jean Skowron and Claude Cuvelier. According to the liner notes their influences were a bit more esoteric than the usual suspects and include Terry Riley, Balinese music, Klaus Schulze, Neu!, Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel, "and the glorious Popol Vuh" as they state. Each side of the album is composed by one of the gentlemen. Side 2's 'Sodal Ye' is Cuvelier's contribution. It's a long electronic piece, in the German spatial tradition. It's well done, and fans of the style (including me) will enjoy it. The real revelation here, though, is Skowron's 5 part 'Vision'. He plays a myriad of instruments including electric and acoustic guitar, synthesizers, electric piano, percussion, organ in addition to taking on the vocal duties. Cuvelier I presume adds in his bank of analog keys as well. The music reminds me of other murky progressive folk albums coming from France, with lots of wild fuzz guitar, haunting acoustic passages, bizarre electronics, mournful vocals, and a wealth of other ideas. This side is a real revelation, and I think fans of the progressive, yet very psychedelic, folk rock underground will eat this up! The two bonus tracks are also excellent. 'Synthetik Way' is another lengthy electronic piece recalling Frenchman Claude Perraudin or the Italian Eletriktus. And 'Crash '73' is a full-on progressive jazz rock number that conjures up bands such as 1970 era Soft Machine (this may have come from an earlier incarnation of the group when they were a larger ensemble - though it's unclear).

Sadly we learn from the liner notes that Skowron is no longer with us. However to finish on a positive note, Cuvelier is back and recording a new album.

Personal collection
CD: 2014 Strawberry Rain (as Visions...)

The one and only species captured in the wilds, at least with visual evidence, is the first photograph. Le Kiosque d'Orphee is not a label so much as it is a custom record pressing plant. So it's like the American labels such as RPC or Rite Records, and everything on the label is likely to be obscure, and in some cases, extinct. The CD comes in a fine digi-pak (second scan), with liner notes that fill in the story of how the album came about. The CD also features two excellent and relevant bonus tracks. Though the CD is entitled Visions..., and the LP cover above says nothing more than Visions, the liner notes clearly attribute the title to Visions of Sodal Ye.