Planetarium - Infinity. 1971 Italy

Planetarium's sole album isn't the first album mentioned when talking classic Italian progressive rock, and yet it was one of the very first chronologically. Mostly an atmospheric, instrumental (with wordless voice), and "quite lovely" album as the Brits would say. It is indeed cinematic in its approach, and very lush. And yes, speaking of lush, Mellotron is all over this for fans of the tape sampler keyboard instrument. Clearly a concept album of enormous proportion going from the beginning (of everything?) to Infinity... all in about 35 minutes (hey! - not bad considering what it could have been... Yes would have done the same in 9 hours over a 12 album deluxe set...). The music has this certain "looking out over the sea" quality that Italian bands seem to inherently possess. I'm reminded of Era di Acquario in their instrumental moments, and on the rare occasion when Planetarium do rock out (in Hammond organ fueled jazzy jam mode), you'll think of Latte e Miele's Passio Secundum Mattheum when in a similar mindset in relation to their own insanely ambitious concept album.

Ownership: CD: 1990 Vinyl Magic. Jewel case with no info. Acquired new upon release. Originals are very expensive as you would imagine but not as much as some of the more known Italian progressive rock classics, only because demand isn't as high. The album is housed in a textured single sleeve cover. Not that I've ever seen one mind you. This is an album I'd never even heard of when the CD hit the market 24 years ago. Even this CD has now become scarce.

1990; 12/31/14 (new entry); 9/7/23

IQ - The Road of Bones. 2014 England

And so now we arrive at IQ's most ambitious album to date: The Road of Bones. 30+ years after debuting on the scene, IQ have remarkably not only stayed true to progressive rock (not considering the middle 80s missteps), but are the rare breed to continue to actually progress, thus living up to the genre name. Perhaps most surprising is that the lineup for The Road of Bones is a major upheaval from their last Frequency album. Whereas that album was the least looking IQ lineup, with only founding members Michael Holmes and Peter Nicholls on board, on The Road of Bones these two are rejoined by the original rhythm section of Tim Esau on bass and Paul Cook on drums. It's been over 25 years since Esau was in the band, and yet he fit like a hand in glove. And not only that, but Mark Westworth's position as keyboard maestro lasted for one album, and here he is replaced by Sphere3's Neil Durant - who to my ears is probably the best choice yet for IQ, given his preference towards analog equipment. You won't miss Martin Orford (really). The album has been presented as a single, or a double, depending on one's budget I presume. It is important to note that this isn't a one album CD, with archival bonus material filling out the second disc - or some novelty item of IQ covering classic 70s rock. No... It's a double CD filled to the brim with classic IQ music. So if you do decide to get the one CD version, you'll end up with half the album. I don't recommend that to anyone. No matter your budget, wait a bit and save up the few extra dollars, and buy the CD in its full glory. You'll want it eventually anyway. I haven't spoken yet about the music, and not sure I need to. There are 100's of reviews out there already dissecting each note, theme, lyric, and purpose. This tells me IQ is bigger than ever, and the world is a better place for thinking that way. Sure, for purists not everything is "just so", and IQ utilizes too much metal, or electronic, modern production techniques, bla blabla bla bla. And yea, Nicholls sometimes has to sing a novel, and doesn't shut his yap. But the music is absolutely identifiable as only IQ. No one else sounds like them, and their music has a depth that allows for multiple listens, and new discoveries await at every turn. I found it hard to pick a favorite song, as each one was of a high quality. In some ways, objectively speaking, this is IQ's finest hour.... err 2 hours (so yes, they have one upped Frequency). For me, my life is inextricably linked to their first two LPs, and they likely will always be my favorites. If coming at this band for the first time (is that even possible?), then start here and absorb the album in full before launching into their deep catalog. For me, IQ can do no wrong. And I hope we hear from them again in the next 5 years (or sooner, eh guys?).

Personal collection
CD: 2014 Giant Electric Pea

The 2 CD version... of course. Comes in a superb thick tri-fold digipak.

12/30/14 (new entry)

Skryvania - s/t. 1978 France

Complex as all-get-out symphonic progressive rock from 1970s era French teenagers. Sure, the compositions are beyond their ability; the instrumentation is cheap; the (fortunately) sparse vocals border on the atrocious, and the production isn't much better. Having said all of that, I find music like this irrésistible. The sheer audacity of these kids trying to pull this off is impressive enough. Of course they emulate their heroes Yes, King Crimson, and Genesis more than they should, but here's an album that is perfect for "relistenability". Long tracks that are very involved, twisty, crazy - and without purpose. Great stuff.

Personal collection
CD: 1990 Musea

An extremely rare album, the original run is said to be no more than 200 copies, and given the amount I've seen over the years, I would have to think that's probably true (I think these numbers are often higher than dealers like to let on - but not in this case). Musea was early to market with a CD, that comes with full historical notes (still using their old LP fonts) and bonus tracks, one of which is just as great as the album itself. This was one of Musea's earliest efforts, and already by 1990 they "did the needful" as my Indian friends like to say. I bought one immediately upon release, as the album had a great reputation even back then (and well deserved for the right type of listener).

Neo - s/t. 1980 France

The all-instrumental Neo play a style of hard hitting symphonic fusion, mixed with lighter jazz rock touches. The guitarist absolutely smokes on this record, while the saxophone provides much of the melody lines. Keyboards play a strong role in the overall atmosphere. 'Osibirsk' opens the album in pulverizing fashion. Presuming you can still sit up after that, the album has plenty more rewards, most notably the 10+ minute 'Sortie de Bain'. Neo are yet another example of the fertile French scene during this era, and will appeal to fans of Terpendre, Transit Express, Metabolisme, and Rahmann.

Personal collection
CD: 1997 Musea

Apparently the idea with the Neo album is to change the colors with each release! The colors above are true, as I've owned the last two myself (though the Omega Studio version is more pinkish than the scan above). Originals on Prodisc are pretty scarce. Omega Studio is essentially Prodisc V 2.0, and was a neat little label in the mid 80s who issued on LP a few cool items from Wapassou, WLUD, Serge Bringholf, and this album. It was this version that introduced me to the album sometime in the late 1980s. Musea completed the reissue cycle with a fine CD, with detailed historical notes, and two good bonus tracks. Given the quality of the CD, I felt no need to hold onto the LP reissue. A decision I'd still make today.

Shub Niggurath - s/t. 1985 France

When Shub Niggurath released Les Morts Vont Vite in 1986, hardcore Zeuhl fans everywhere were frothing at the mouth, dirtying their dogeared copies of Lovecraft, while frantically chanting Kobaia and envisioning a world of Magma and Univers Zero dominance. Personally, while I found the album quite good (and still do), I did feel it lacked a bit in the melody, groove, and soul departments. It was all manic depressive - all the time. And they were quite the noisy bunch if truth be told. Well a year before that, unbeknownst to but a few of the Secret Order of the Golden Fleece, there was a privately released cassette. And if you loved Les Morts Vont Vite, then this album will put you in HOG HELL. Not much variation of their classic sound, doom & gloom, and well... still a bit noisy... But, yea, that would make you happy wouldn't it?

The original had only been released as a demo cassette prior to a small tour. The tape is incredibly obscure, and I didn't even know of its existence until doing research for the CDRWL. Soleil Zeuhl's CD reissue is excellent, and would be the only copy anyone would ever need, unless they insist on a vinyl copy.

Last listen: March 5, 2018

Dies Irae - First. 1971 Germany

Dies Irae's sole album is an unusual record in that it starts off with a blues rock head fake similar to parts of Dull Knife, before launching into some creative heavy rock. I missed this originally, but I wonder if anyone else has caught a very strong semblance to one of Krautrock's most revered albums: Scorpions' debut Lonesome Crow. It's not as solid as the Brain label debut album, and does contain a couple of more straight up rockers to sit through. Makes me wonder if the Schenker boys hadn't lent an ear to First prior to waltzing into the studio for their debut album.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Pilz. Gatefold. Recent online acquisition (2024).

The original LP was also my first copy, having first obtained it via mail order (1991). It wasn't really to my taste back then, and since I still had too much to acquire, I flipped it quickly for something more to my liking. Glad to have it back.

1991 (first listen); 12/27/14 (review/new entry)

IQ - Dark Matter. 2004 England

IQ were always a band of the 1980s with a compositional structure that points to the '70s. With Dark Matter they finally look backward in time and marry their instrumental side with their writing style. Martin Orford will never be accused of obsequious loyalty to the analog beasts of yore, but at least here he is willing to give the heavy wood pieces a bit more attention than prior. And even if they're not authentic 1971 ware, at least the effort was made to sound as such. As with The Seventh House, the days of penning pop hits are long in the rear view mirror. This is all-in progressive rock. Dark toned opener 'Sacred Sound' recalls the brilliant 'Widow's Peak' - but with an organ dirge in the middle. 'You Never Will' possesses some fine heavy bass and synthesizer. And 'Born Brilliant' brings back the old mid-80s IQ anthem-styled stomper. The much ballyhooed 24 minute+ 'Harvest of Souls' includes a dynamic and rocking Yes-like mid section similar to the glory days of Relayer. On initial impact, I was certain that Dark Matter was an improvement on The Seventh House, but while taking in all the IQ albums in succession, I'm more of a mind now that they are of similar quality. One represents the 80s IQ, while the other gives us a peek at a potential look back in time. Both are excellent and essential.

Ownership CD: 2004 Inside Out

12/24/14 (new entry)

IQ - Frequency. 2009 England

Vocalists and bassists come and go, but IQ stalwarts Martin Orford and Paul Cook have now exited stage left, and in their stead are Frost* drummer Andy Edwards and Darwin's Radio (and Grey Lady Down prior) keys man Mark Westworth. This leaves only guitarist Michael Holmes to have weathered the entire storm to date. And so what does Frequency sound like? IQ. In fact, it sounds like IQ in 3-D. Their brand identity has been distinctly carved out now, and this is a band who knows what that identity is. Everything is bigger, louder, and more pronounced than before. So at this point, it's about the composition, and the execution thereof.  IQ are always at their best when in foot stomping mode, and 'Ryker Skies' is this album's best representation of said sound. And 'The Province' picks up on IQ's ability to go deep into the progressive rock weeds with multiple time changes and mood changes. While the nostalgic exhilaration of Tales of the Lush Attic and The Wake inevitably take those albums higher for me personally, objectively it's hard to argue that Frequency is not their best album to date. Only in that it is their most focused, and overtly progressive rock themed album yet (well OK 'One Fatal Mistake' kind of blows, self-defining the title a bit then...). Not that the latter statement of "most progressive themed" is a virtue in of itself, but when executed by IQ... maybe it is.

Ownership: CD: 2009 Inside Out

12/22/14 (new entry)

Patrick Gauthier - Bebe Godzilla. 1981 France

Patrick Gauthier's debut solo album offers up a compendium of the French underground of the late 70's and early 80's. A who's who of French luminaries grace this once in a lifetime effort, lead by keyboardist Gauthier, including Richard Pinhas (Heldon), Christian Vander (Magma), and everyone involved with those legendary bands such as the Zeuhl supergroup Weidorje. It seems the subversive underground owned the French studios at the time. Too bad they lost control, or at least we think they did. If any band above registers a positive response, then Bébé Godzilla will do similar.

Ownership: LP: 1981 Cy. Single sleeve. Recent online acquisition (2023). This replaces the CD that made up the entry above, which was purchased back in 1995.

2/4/95; 2013; 12/21/14 (new entry); 1/27/23 (LP acquire); 4/16/23

Radio Massacre International - Frozen North. 1995 England

It all starts here for Radio Massacre International (RMI). That most creative English band that almost single-handedly brought back the Berlin School trio format back to prominence. All three perform on a raft full of analog keyboard equipment (yes, of course, mellotron, Moog's, etc...), while one doubles up on electric guitar. Sound familiar? Sure it does. So if you're looking for about 20 more quality albums from the glory days of Tangerine Dream's "Virgin Baumann years", well do I have good news for you! Not that RMI was content to just sit in that same zone, as many of their albums followed other trends of German Kosmische, but primarily RMI were all about sequencer and atmospheric mid to late 70s Tangerine Dream. And the double CD Frozen North is the perfect place to start (if you can find it that is - I bought mine not long from its release date). We are talking 2 hours and 15 minutes of Encore meets Rubycon era Tangerine Dream. Not a mere copy, but yet a completely unique take on a classic sound. To say it is essential for fans of Berlin School elektronik music would almost be understating the matter.

Ownership: CD: 1995 Centaur

12/21/14 (new entry)

IQ - The Seventh House. 2000 England

And now we get to The Seventh House, which is of course, their 7th studio album. If Ever and Subterranea represent the two albums that IQ should have released for major label Mercury, then The Seventh House seems to be the album that would have come after The Wake - had they stayed in the underground that is. The tight and compact structures, combined with the anthems of The Wake and Tales From the Lush Attic, have returned on The Seventh House. Generally registered - or derided depending on one's perspective - as IQ's decent, but not great album, between their late 90s two CD epic Subterranea and their 70's throwback masterpiece Dark Matter - I personally find that The Seventh House is more a return to form to the IQ I love. While there's no 'Widow's Peak' hair raising moments, IQ have clearly shed their commercial desires here, with perhaps the exception of 'Shooting Angels', and even that track isn't too overt in its desire to attract mass audiences. I think it is on this album, more so than the last two works, where IQ realized that they are stars in their own world - but have no chance for world domination. If they did have that chance, then that ship sailed long ago. They made their try.... and failed. Sorry chaps. Now it's time to get serious about this progressive rock thing... yea, that's right, the style of music they originally made a go at some 15+ years prior. And very successfully. To my ears, it's amazing how much the 2000 release The Seventh House sounds like something from 1986... a year I could go a whole lifetime without acknowledging again, and yet they make me pine for it as if in a fit of nostalgia. I honestly mean this when I say: Only IQ could pull something like that off. With The Seventh House, IQ are back on track and ready to wow their old-found progressive rock audience.

Ownership: CD: 2005 Inside Ou. Standard jewel case issue with a nice layout including lyrics and photos. 

12/20/14 (new entry); 9/26/22

IQ - Subterranea. 1997 England

The two-CD follow-up Subterranea has always been tough for me to penetrate ever since its release in 1997 and my immediate subsequent purchase.  I know some folks don't want to hear this, but yea, it's definitely IQ's version of Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. As with that work, this album focuses on a concept album with specific focus on heavy lyrical content while the instrumentation and complex arrangements (if they are complex at all) take a back seat. Subterranea is one hour and 42 minutes in duration. I'd say that's about one hour too long. For an album that features 19 tracks, it's amazing not one of them really stands out in an extraordinary way. Subterranea is one of those albums that I really want to like, since it's obviously very popular with fans of the band - and I am too a fan of the band - and yet this one is lost on me. On this last listen, I was bound and determined I would get everything out of it as possible. I sat there, headphones on, dedicated to hearing the entire album in one sitting listening to every note, without distraction. But I just couldn't find any major redeeming qualities. There was no 'Enemy Smacks' or 'Widow's Peak' or 'Fading Senses' or any of the other great tracks from the first two albums and Ever. I have to say there is a lot of down time with Subterranea. Long stretches of vocals and boom-boom-bash drumming over a wall of keyboards and guitar choruses - like any respected pop band would do. They just couldn't let go of those commercial aspirations, even a decade later. If nothing else, if you start with Disc 2, you are likely to have a better experience. Yes, the 20 minute track 'The Narrow Margin' is really the best thing here, and even it doesn't really get cooking until the halfway mark. It's not a bad album mind you, not at all in fact, but it's definitely their weakest studio release beyond those two albums that I hope need not name. They were to improve from here though - dramatically so.

CD: 2005 Inside Out

12/17/14 (new entry)

Klockwerk Orange - Abrakadabra + Live at Stadtsaal Innsbruck. 1975 Austria (archival)

Klockwerk Orange were a band from Austria who released one extremely rare progressive album, and disappeared until recent times. Abrakadabra contains three long tracks that are quite Teutonic sounding, reminding me of similar era German groups such as Pancake, Madison Dyke and Minotaurus. The unique element at play here is the copious use of trumpet. So you get a little Tijuana Brass with your ELP. Gotta hear 'Tijuana Taxi' collide with 'Manticore'! A good one.

Concerning the archival Live at Stadtsaal Innsbruck - The first three tracks are new compositions not found on the actual LP, and demonstrates that Klockwerk Orange were rapidly becoming more ambitious as song composers. They also introduce an earlier progressive sound, as would be found on Pink Floyd's Meddle perhaps. The highlight track is 'Vlad Zeppesch', surely a tale about Dracula, which contains many twists and turns in an almost Italian progressive rock style. Only downfall is of course the sound quality, which is of high bootleg standard. But it's good enough, and we'll take what we can get. One can only wish they had the time to lay these tracks down in a studio. Or that they reform ala Necronomicon and Alphataurus, and finish the job they started nearly 40 years ago.

Personal collection
LP+CD: 2013 Digatone

As long as I've been collecting, Klockwerk's Orange sole album has always been rare and expensive, frequently changing hands for over $800 (or more). The double LP above is housed in a lavish gatefold and comes highly recommended.

The LP has 5 bonus tracks and the attached CD contains 3 of them. The double Japanese CD set on Belle Antique has all 5 bonus tracks as well. These additional songs are sometimes known as Live at Stadtsaal Innsbruck (see notes above).

Trance Lucid - Palace of Ether. 2013 USA

Palace of Ether is a very unique instrumental work that sounds like a jazzy neo-psych cocktail album. This isn't challenging fusion with complicated meters or an album filled with fiery buzz-saw psychedelic solos. The music creates a calm mood to soothe the soul, thus befitting the name of Trance Lucid. I haven't really heard anything quite like it, but it fits comfortably within a handful of genres I do listen to often*. Definitely a cool niche Dave Halverson and band have going here.

*I've read reviews that inevitably compare it to post rock, and that's probably fair, but to me Trance Lucid points to an earlier era. Palace of Ether comes off as authentic late 60s cool jazz, played with rock instruments, rather than a 2000 facsimile of it. I'll let the genre warriors fight over that, but wanted to express my own feelings about it.

Ownership: CD: 2013 private

12/16/14 (new entry)

IQ - Ever. 1993 England

By 1993, progressive rock had found its roots again, and with new-on-the-scene bands like Anglagard and Anekdoten blowing everyone away with their modern take on 1972, a group like IQ didn't seem to have an audience anymore, especially after such a long silence and having released two commercially oriented, and arguably failed, albums. The logical choice would've been for them to join what was now known as the Neo Prog movement, which already had quite a large niche audience itself. Bands such as Marillion and Pendragon were enjoying a cult-like status and they had many emulators. Peter Nicholls was back at the microphone, with Jadis' John Jowitt now on bass, but could IQ regain their fans? Ever was the result. This is the album, of course in retrospect, they should have released for Polygram. Picking up right where The Wake leaves off, with the near 11 minute opening 'The Darkest Hour', IQ climbed back on that tightrope of balancing complex progressive rock with a more poppy approach. There are plenty of quirks and complicated meters to please the more discerning listener, while still delivering accessible melodies and structures for the more commercial oriented. The opener is followed by the two-part 'Fading Senses', which is as good a track as IQ had ever recorded up this point (other than 'Widow's Peak' of course). A multi-segmented piece with some stunning atmospheric keyboard work, impassioned vocals, and driving electric guitar. The 14 minute+ 'Further Away' brings back the epic opus, with all its sections/meter changes/dynamics/climaxes - and demonstrates that IQ are ready and willing to sign back up for all-in progressive rock. They hadn't quite given up their pop aspirations, as can be heard on 'Out of Nowhere' and 'Came Down' (good examples of commercial rock, however). With Ever, IQ were back in the saddle. And they never strayed again. In fact, they would turn the dial even more towards complex progressive rock, while moving further away from any thoughts of commercial stardom. Except perhaps one last look back.......... said Lot's wife.

Ownership: CD: 1993 Giant Electric Pea

12/14/14

IQ - The Wake. 1985 England

There was heavy anticipation for IQ's second album and they delivered in grand fashion. No sophomore slump can be found on The Wake. There can be no doubt that the heavier moments from their debut were better received by a live audience, and IQ began to move away from some of the subtle brilliance of Tales From the Lush Attic and more towards aggressive anthem rock structures. The title track itself is proof that IQ could pack a wallop, and still be interesting to progressive rock listeners, while the opener 'Outer Limits' is a great mix of progressive and accessible rock (listen to those synthesizer solos alone!). The analog keyboards from the past were starting to get minimized (except for the glorious mellotron) and traded in for modern, cutting edge synthesizers, and samplers. While in today's world, old vintage equipment is highly revered, the 1985 mindset was much more anxious to ditch the heavy, clumsy, and unpredictable hardware, for more sleek - easy to tote - and cleaner sounding instruments. Even for dyed-in-the-wool hardcore mellotron addicts, The Wake is not to be missed. Side 2's opener 'Widow's Peak' is IQ in all its glory. From powerful head banging anthems and atmospheric flute, to guitar loops meshed with anguished vocals - the track delivers on a number of fronts. The 6 and a half minute mark of 'Widow's Peak' delivers one of the most powerful musical statements in my entire collection! 'The Thousand Days' demonstrates their move to commercialism, while not abandoning their progressive integrity, and it all fits the era in which it was released so perfectly. Overall, The Wake was a bold move forward to a larger audience while not compromising their overall creativity. In conclusion it is indeed another classic. The band seemingly could do no wrong. IQ were on the tightrope of accessible progressive music, balancing everything perfectly here.

It was a rope, though, that they were to fall off - oh so very off - shortly thereafter.

Ownership: LP: 1985 Sahara. Single sleeve. Acquired new upon release at University Records in Lubbock

CD: 1994 Giant Electric Pea

1985; 12/12/14 (new entry)

Altona. 1975 Germany

Altona play a tight, energetic styled jazz rock, similar to other Kraut fusion bands such as Moira, Missus Beastly, and Release Music Orchestra. The vocals are gruff in that bluesy way, more akin to what you would hear in the early 1970s from similar genre bands operating in Germany and England. An excellent addition to the collection, if 70s jazz rock with vocals is your fancy.

Ownership: LP: 1975 RCA. Single sleeve. Recent online acquisition (2023). The cover features an interesting contemporary single sleeve cover with manikins mocking American bus tourists (stereotyping of course) visiting the Hamburg section/town of... Altona. I first bought this album in 1991 at a record show in Dallas, but I wasn't as keen on the German jazz fusion sound as I am today. I sold that LP well over 20 years ago, though this one would definitely be an upgrade to that first copy.

CD: 2000 Disconforme (Andorra). The CD itself comes from a vinyl transfer, and could benefit from a new remaster. The liner notes appear to be translations of German newspaper articles that were added. Overall, the reissue will suffice, though I may pickup an original again if I run into one at a reasonable price (mission accomplished - probably will be sold soon).

12/9/14 (new entry); 1/24/23 (LP reacquired)