All Traps on Earth - A Drop of Light. 2018 Sweden

In 2017 when Wobbler released From Silence to Somewhere, it had all the earmarks of an album-of-the-year type recording. As I noted in my review there, that's exactly what it ended up being. And not likely to be surpassed either.

For 2018, All Traps on Earth had all the earmarks of an album-of-the-year type recording. This designation has been trumpeted by many, including by those whose opinions matter to me. And... that's what it ended up being. However, I could see this one being overtaken. But for now, it is in fact the best thing I've heard from 2018.

And why is that? Well... albums such as Drop of Light are so in-the-pocket prog, it makes one wonder why more bands don't do it. The critics of these types of albums - and you see this ALL the time - just throw out that tired trope of "it's been done before". Folks, I have bad news to break to you: everything has been done before. It's just a convenient phrase for saying "I don't like it". That's OK, you don't have to, but don't bother rationalizing it in that way. But for fans of the genre, All Traps on Earth, Wobbler, and Änglagård will always find themselves in the top spot, or close to it. The real reason you don't hear bands do this style much is because it isn't easy to accomplish at all. It's about the substance more than the style. And all us grizzled prog veterans will know instantly when someone is trying to pull the wool over our eyes (or ears). Paul Stanley of Kiss liked to recount that they received the same criticism in their line of work. He would always respond: "Yea, if it's so easy, why don't you do it then?" Well said.

Which gets us back to All Traps on Earth. No matter how hard one is going to try, it's pretty difficult not to think of this as the 4th Änglagård album. And of course that's because it has their direct lineage. Honestly I think if you paired up Johan Brand and Thomas Johnson and they started a new disco funk band named Studio 54, the end result would sound like Änglagård - in 4/4. It's like the Scorpion and the Frog parable. It's the essence of who they are. Joining Brand and Johnson is current Änglagård drummer Erik Hammarström and Brand's daughter Miranda on (wordless) vocals. Plus a host of guests, most notably Matthias Bååth and Magnus Irving Båge on flutes/recorders, with Fredrik Lindborg on various reeds. Also present is guitarist Phil Mercy, leader of the English group Thieves Kitchen, yet another band that Johnson turned into Änglagård.

The opening title track is the most dense and difficult. As a whole, All Traps on Earth are more "rehearsal intensive" than the more swinging Änglagård (who are by no means a jamming groove band either). Miranda's non-lyrical vocals are operatic, offering a dark atmosphere. It's somewhat like Shub Niggurarth in this way. On this point, there are Zeuhl references throughout the album, but in no way is this a Zeuhl album. Johan Brand is no Bernard Paganotti, two bassists performing completely different styles, each defining their niche in the progressive rock world. 'Magmatic Warning' further advertises their love for Zeuhl, and there's some cyclical grooving Fender Rhodes here that is the closest All Traps on Earth get to Magma. Toward the latter half of the song we are introduced to charted tuned percussion and flute - and this is prevalent throughout the third track 'Omen'. And what does that read like? Exactly - Dun's Eros. Wow! Almost no one these days emulating that sound (or even in those days...). So Dun mixed with Anglagard! I know, get a paramedic out here and quick... And finally that gets us to 'Bortglömda Gårdar', where they take off their mask and say "ahh let's give it up - we're Änglagård after all aren't we?"

Full hardbound books have already been written about this album, so if you need a bar by bar detail, it's probably out there. Suffice to say, if you're a fan of retro prog (i.e. 70s complex prog), then it's hard to imagine All Traps on Earth not registering in the red zone. Buy it.

Ownership: CD: 2018 AMS (Italy). A new band could do worse than signing up with BTF/AMS. Their packaging is second to none outside of Japan. The CD is housed in a delightful gatefold mini-LP with a full booklet of details and liner notes.

2/28/19 (new entry)

Node - Node Live. 2018 England

Node Live is the 3rd album from the English Berlin School masters. Interesting that the CD itself gives no indication of when and where the concert was. I don't think I've seen that oversight before. In any case the label themselves has the information, and it turns out the concert was held at the prestigious Royal College of Music in London back in 2015. Hardly Benny's Bar & Grill. Node almost never play live, and the reason is obvious - they have a massive amount of old analog electronic equipment, which happens to weigh a ton. The photos contained within the CD show Node working with about as much electronic equipment as you would see in an old 70s news clip of NASA.

This particular live engagement features the same quartet as found on Node 2. For those who have read my review there, one can clearly see I was losing my mind at just how magical a recording it is. One of the high water marks of the entire Berlin School genre. So is Node Live at that same level? No. Is  it still an excellent album? Heck yea! Like any true Berlin school artist, Node play 100% improvised. They start with an idea and roll with it. For the studio efforts they can edit and replace. Here - what you hear is what you get. In addition, the style relies heavily on the sound texture itself. And while certainly this is a professional recording in a renowned venue, one can still hear some of the hollowness within the instruments. But all the trademarks of Node are intact: Fat Moog sequences, electric guitar, early 70s synthesizer textures, mellotron, and melodic solos. For fans of the style, an easy recommendation. For those looking for further progress on Node 2, it didn't happen here. Not sure that's possible anyway.

Ownership: CD: 2018 DiN. Tri-fold digipak. Tons of photos and some other details. Just not when and where....

2/28/19 (new entry)

Evohé. 1981 France (archival)

Evohé were a band from Toulouse who were active from the mid 70s until the early 80s. Their brand of music is decidedly right at the heart of the Zeuhl movement. While Magma is credited with the creation of the genre, it wasn't until the late 70s that the followers began to accumulate. Evohé never managed to release anything in their day, and were completely forgotten until recent times. These notes apply to the LP release (CD will be under its own entry). What separates Evohé from just about every other Zeuhl band is that they are entirely instrumental. Vocals are a key ingredient to the genre, and yet they aren't completely missed here. There's quite a bit of guitar soloing which is another departure from the norm. The sound quality is good, but certainly not great and lacks the punch the genre often calls for. In listening to the album I was struggling for comparison, as they don't sound like any of the big names of the genre like Magma, Eskaton, Eider Stellaire, Zao, or Weidorje. And yet there are elements of all the above. The closest I could come to was a wordless Pseu, yet another early 80s archival release from modern times. So high praise indeed. For fans of Zeuhl, this one is an easy recommendation. If looking to venture into this peculiar alien world for the first time, don't start here.

Ownership: LP+CD: 2018 Vapeur Mauve. Oh man, what a mess. This is already the second copy I bought, and it just came out! Why you ask? Well the first one was the US press on Music Research Library. It wasn't until after I purchased the album that I realized there was a French press too. By itself, that's not a problem. But the differences are profound. The US press is a single sleeve, a different cover, with relatively lesser sound, and a single small sheet of recording info. That's it. The French press is a lavish gatefold (incidentally the logo here reminds me some of the first Vortex album) with photos and news clips within the center, the sound is slightly better - and it comes with a 45 minute CD that is entirely different than what is found on the LP proper. It has also come to light that the US issue was not authorized for an LP pressing, but rather strictly for download purposes. Like I said - a mess. I'm going to give my US brethren the benefit of the doubt, as these things can get complicated and miscommunication is common. Forgetting the legalities, the French press is far superior, and I feel duped that I was sold the US one at all. Oh well...

These notes apply to the CD only. See my review in the main entry for context on Evohé's overall sound. What we have here is a 43 minute extended version of what is found on the LP. I heard them back to back and I wasn't even sure they were the same song. I'm sure if I focused tighter, the primary themes would emerge. Or maybe they wouldn't. This is a very interesting document, because it represents a combination I hadn't heard before: Zeuhl meets free rock. Which is something of an oxymoron if you think about it. The rigid martial rhythms juxtaposed against the guitarist who is just wailing in atonal Sonny Sharrock mode here. I'm not even sure the guitarist knows what he's doing, but in some ways it doesn't matter. It's the overall sound that remains fascinating. Definitely makes a great supplement to the LP. But on its own? No.

What a mess, part 2. See comments in Personal Collection above for further detail. In this case, we aim our arrows at the French company. The LP+CD is perfect, so for this they are to be commended. Then one finds out they released the CD on its own - with only the elongated track. What? That makes no sense and lacks context. There's no reason they couldn't have released it all on one CD. There's plenty of time. Or even if they had to shave off a few seconds, no one would notice or miss it. 

Boy did they bungle this all up.

2/1/19

Early Times - Second Album. 1976 Japan

Generally when a band releases a title called Second Album, one presumes a first one exists. As I write this entry, that elusive first album remains undiscovered. That can mean any number of things from a lost-in-translation scenario (i.e. first album is all in Kanji with a different meaning) to some sort of silliness conducted by the group - as evidenced by the cover perhaps. Speaking of which, doesn't the album cover look like something a modern craft brewery would release on a can?

Just as wacky as the group's own provenance is that of the music itself. That which is as eclectic as one will ever hear in the mid 1970s. Opener 'Marmalade Sky' is a cool little funky horn rock number sounding like it's 1972 all over again. And the vocals are in that mumbled unintelligible English style (or perhaps Japanese, who can really tell?) similar to maybe The Far East Family Band. 'Samui Kisetsu' follows and is also seemingly from an earlier era, but more towards the hard rocking / early progressive genre. 'The Ballad of Billy' goes for the blues, but still contains some fine soloing. 'Tabi No Fukidamari' is similar but considerably more dull, and represents the sole skip over track here. 'Time Out' is the square-on prog track here, and sounds every bit like a German symphonic band circa 1976. I'm thinking SFF here and the highlight of the album for me. The lengthy closer also has some great progressions, though it's longer than it needs to be truth be told.

In the end, Early Times is an album without obvious comparison, though it by no means goes out of bounds anywhere either. A truly intriguing piece of art. One that requires repeated listens. Worthy of reissue status for certain. And what about that first album, fellas?

Not reissued in any form as I write this. And originals are hardly plentiful. It's a private press from Japan when such a thing was practically unheard of.

This was the last of The AC's submissions from early 2015. I have not heard from him since. He left as he came - shrouded in mystery. What I most appreciated about The AC was his ability to filter and discern the best of the obscurities. There's tons out there, and many aren't worthy of discussion.We didn't always agree, but we saw eye to eye on music more than most anyone else I've encountered. Hopefully he will resurface again!

In any case, here were his notes to us: "Not to be confused with the contemporaneous Early Times String Band (a Japanese 70s folk-rock ensemble that has become slightly better known due to a couple of reissue/archival releases), this incredibly obscure album was the second effort of a local Sapporo based group. Their first is so rare that, while it must exist, has apparently never been glimpsed a single time by even the most hardcore Japanese collectors after all these years. All that aside, what we have here is a very interesting anachronism that sounds more like an underground Japanese take on early 70s British proto-progressive styles than anything else. Even the Monty Python-esque cover art seems to point in that direction. It kicks off with with an extremely cool horn rock-ish affair, featuring vintage organ, electric piano, funky percussion and psych guitar backed by a female chorus to great effect. This is followed by a lengthy proto-prog style guitar/organ led jam that slowly builds in intensity, with some great soloing. The rest of the first side then kind of puts on the breaks, with a couple of slow blues rock pieces that still have a very palpable early 70s UK feel to them. The second side starts with another gradually building instrumental jam, that eventually hits an awesome groove while the soloing breaks out overhead, before slowing down again into a more pensive mood. We then reach the real climax of the album, with the nearly 13 minute long final track. Building slowly once again (a hallmark of theirs, it seems), this starts out in a jazzy/bluesy horn rock mode, then builds in intensity as the soloing picks up and the vocals join in again, ending in a long crescendo of bluesy psych guitar soloing over the horn rock/proto-prog style jamming. Great stuff, and the whole album has a very loose, underground sound and vibe that is just flat out cool."

Pan - s/t. 1970 Denmark

Pan were a band from Denmark formed by Frenchmen Robert Lelièvre, himself a refugee who skipped town to avoid military service. Once again we have an album that was considerably hyped up back in the rare LP catalogs of the day. In the late 80s and early 90s, I would read these mouthwatering reviews on what an outstanding example of European progressive and psychedelic rock this truly was. Of course the album came with a hefty price tag, and was price prohibitive for me back then (still is I think...).

When the first legit reissue hit the stands from Little Wing of Refugees in 1993 (LP), I jumped at it and paid full price. Well you know where this is going by now. Prog? Psych? Bullcrap I cried! I had similar reactions to albums by Spring (UK), Fantasy (UK), and Think (Germany). It's the Great Bilk I concluded. And subsequently sold the record back into the marketplace rather quickly. Besides it had a stupid cover not reflective of the original (LWoR did that for all their LPs, a most misguided philosophy I might add).

25+ years on from that event, the Karma CD came across the wire for a relatively good price (itself now quite rare) and I nailed it. What do we have here anyway? A sound that was quite typical in Denmark from 1969 to 1971 actually. What was known to the old-timers as "progressive", but it's hardly King Crimson and VDGG. That sound would be hard rock, and that's the genre Pan belongs too. But not of the bluesy variety, as is more commonly found, but rather a bit more rural sounding similar to Culpeper's Orchard and Day of Phoenix (two other bands I didn't think much of either 25 years ago). The hard rocking elements recall bands such as Blast Furnace. There's still remnants of a psychedelic past, especially in the guitar work and the way the songs flow. Right from the beginning the album displays this sophisticated hard rock variety with 'My Time' and 'If'. Other highlights include 'They Make Money With the Stars' (a 5:52 minute length track that is inexplicably missing from RYM's track listing to your left), 'Tristesse', and 'Lady of the Sand'. There's also a lot of references to the French here, and that makes more sense once you know Robert Lelièvre's background.

In conclusion, a very good hard rock album with touches of psych, folk, and even a dash of progressive. If you're already a fan of the Danish rock scene of 1969 to 1971, then Pan definitely will find a comfy spot in the collection.

Personal collection
CD: 2005 Karma
LP: 1993 Little Wing (Germany)

The Karma CD was the first legit CD to market and it appears the definitive choice. There does exist one other from the parent label Sonet in 2010, but it looks to be nothing more than a straight reissue with no extras. The Karma CD also includes their rare 45 also from 1970, and the music there is at the same high quality as the album proper. There are also 5 bonus tracks, one an alternate version and the other 4 sound like a different band. It's darn near country rock, a sound that inexplicably was (is?) popular in Denmark back then. Pickin' and Grinnin'!

The CD booklet has photos and copious liner notes. Unfortunately they are all in Danish so I don't understand them. Would anyone be kind enough to send over a translation, or at the every least, find these online in Danish and we can Google Translate and interpret from there? I will publish it here as well as on RYM for posterity.

Marcus - From the House of Trax. 1979 USA

You can count the number of 1960's styled psychedelic albums from 1979 on one finger, and well.... here it is. I remember reading about this album in Paul Major's Sound Effects catalogs in the late 1980s. His description of the negative blue image with Marcus chained to the Earth is what you'd expect of a literary classic, not a catalog of LP rarities. Funk, disco, punk, hard rock, and early heavy metal are what 1979 was about - not heavily phased folk rock that sounded like it had just come out of a time machine circa 1968. Just like today, there are albums that try to sound like they're from 1971. Most sound like 2014 resembling 1971. But there are a few that pull it off - that really make you think you've transported time. Marcus has done exactly that - except back in 1979 when the idea of doing this hadn't really even existed. Groundbreaking in its own way I suppose.

Vocalist/guitarist/leader Marcus McDonald is an enigma, bouncing around in the beautiful environs between Kentucky and Indiana. His album was truly one of a kind from the era in which it was released. Take out the psychedelic phasing element, and I'm not sure you have much more than a straight ahead rock album with a folk bent. But with that, yea, it's a pretty cool album for certain.

Personal collection
LP: 1992 private

Date is a total guess. That's the date my database says I picked it up (though in this case that may not be entirely accurate either). It looks pretty boot-y to be honest, but Discogs is keeping it legit for now. With no date mind you. There is a legit CD and LP on World in Sound that I should look into at some point.

Last listen: Summer 2014

Sonora Sunrise - The Route Through the Canyon. 2019 Russia

In the last 25 years, we've seen Russian musicians, especially of the progressive space rock variety, exploring their vast country and the mysteries it holds within. Ole Lukkoye from the decidedly European city of Saint Petersburg pioneered this undertaking. Vespero from Astrakhan transcended the precedent set. Then the Russian born, American based label Trail Records, has taken this concept even further with two full length compilations (Tripwave) of various Russian bands performing a similar style. One of the many characteristics of this sound are exotic female voices, haunting keyboards, pounding / shifting rhythms, and fuzzed out psych guitars.

Enter Sonora Sunrise, a new band performing in the style above, that said label Trail is promoting. And this time we have a band that actually resides in the area of the world often explored. Sonora Sunrise are from the Altai region, northeast of Kazakhstan, and relatively close to both Mongolia and even the far northwestern parts of China. This is a region that is still largely unknown and misunderstood in the West.

Now comes the irony. The band moniker itself implies the southwestern deserts of the US and Mexico. And Sonora Sunrise sing (and title their songs) in English with no Cyrillic subtitles, a definite departure from the norm. But the rest of the narrative holds serve. The vocals are indeed female, and she is on about half the album and is labeled a "guest". The remainder is your standard 4 piece with guitars and keyboards. The latter, I might add, are boasted to contain Soviet era analog synthesizers. A) I didn't even realize there were Soviet era synthesizers and b) I didn't know it was a "thing". The one photo I saw looked pretty cool though.

Musically speaking, the album goes for more of the slow-burn variation of psychedelic. More haunting and brooding than jamming out. The vocals are sensuous and exotic. The lyrical themes are very consistent with the American desert, which indicates that the Altaian desert may have a similar backdrop. 'Canyon', 'Roadside Picnic', 'Ancient Stones', and 'Poison' gives one an idea. The one track where Sonora Sunrise do kick out the jams is the appropriately named 'Millions of Snakes', which to my ears recalled Titan in their prime (minus the Hammond organ). This was the highlight song for me.

If looking for comparisons, I'd offer up a more static Vespero meets The Space Spectrum, The Cosmic Dead, and even Agitation Free's 2nd album. I do think the band needs to let it loose occasionally to offset the tension that they are clearly masters at building. Most excited where they go from here.

Ownership: CD: 2019 Trail. Multi-foldout digipak.

2/22/19 (new entry)

Holocaust - The Nightcomers. 1981 Scotland

Even though Holocaust is frequently mentioned as one of the "big names" of the original NWOBHM movement, my memory says different. In 1980, age 15, heavy metal was my first foray into deep diving for music. Sure, I knew of Diamond Head, Angel Witch, Samson, Witchfinder General, Praying Mantis, Tygers of Pan Tang, not to mention the obvious Iron Maiden, Saxon, etc... But Holocaust? No. Metallica's cover of 'The Small Hours' put these guys on the larger map, but long after the initial group was dead and buried. I didn't first hear Holocaust until 1993 when I stumbled upon their live Hot Curry and Wine LP in a Wichita, Kansas record store of all places. Probably was Mark Shelton's old copy...

It wasn't until the mid 2000's that I finally picked up The Nightcomers based on positive reviews. After hearing the inauspicious opener 'Smokin' Valves', I was gearing up for an Ethel the Frog kind of disappointment. This woofer is nothing more than a 70s styled boogie rock track with distorted guitars. And then... ...then comes 'Death or Glory', a song that today is universally acclaimed as a stone classic of the NWOBHM movement. And no argument from me. It's exactly this kind of composition and riffs that makes this era of heavy metal timeless. 40 years after laying this down to wax, the music sounds as fresh and exciting as ever. What a riff, what a sound! And The Nightcomers never looks back either. Every track here is a winner. 'Heavy Metal Mania' being another very catchy number. My favorites are the more thoughtful and subtlety complex tracks like 'Mavrock' and in particular the title track. So yes, in retrospect, an absolute classic of an album. But not in their day, nope.

I haven't heard any of their reformation albums, but word around the campfire says they continued to push the boundaries of metal. Certainly sounds just up my alley.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Metal Blade (USA). Jewel case release with lyrics. Also includes their Heavy Metal Mania EP from 1980. This EP isn't near the standard of their album proper. Closer to the anthemic side of NWOBHM. Purchased in 2005.

12//05; 2/22/19 (new entry)

Eat Static - Epsylon / Lost in Time. 1995; 1993 England

Back in the early 90s, I was quite the Ozric Tentacles fanatic. It seemed they could do no wrong. When I first heard about Eat Static, I was intrigued, but given they were described more or less as a "techno" band, I steered clear. Money wasn't plentiful and needed to be allocated carefully. In 1997, a fellow collector sold to me a good number of his CDs for pennies on the dollar. Among them included Epsylon, this version being the 1995 Mammoth release that also included their 1993 EP Lost in Time.

Also in 1997, I got hitched. Me being the wise old veteran at 32, she a wide-eyed 23. Of course we dated for over a year, but there's still so much to learn about each other as all married couples understand. On one particularly memorable road trip, I pushed Epsylon into the CD player and off we went. Oh and about 15 minutes later, my beautiful young bride (still is, turns out) is having the time of her life. Dancing in the chair, banging her head, woo-hooing. Apparently... I said to myself  ...I should stock up on more of this kind of music. Odd, she didn't act that way when I played Guru Guru's UFO... Yea.

The interesting thing about Eat Static is there's no mistaking their Ozric roots. Take away the analog instrumentation and add synthetic beats, and you have Eat Static. The music isn't dull even for sit down listening. It twists and turns regularly. For my tastes music like this has a natural ceiling of about a 3.5 (Gnosis 10) with a couple of outliers. Epsylon/Lost in Time hits up against that. If for whatever reason you haven't heard much music like this, then Epsylon is as good a place to start as any. Note above story.

As for today, some 22 years later, does said wife have much interest in Eat Static? Oh hell no. However all of our nieces and nephews are very much into what is more broadly known as EDM. They're dancing their brains out. Good for them. Though... still no takers for Guru Guru. Huh? I wonder why...

Ownership: CD: 1995 Mammoth (USA). This version includes both Epsylon and Lost in Time. Part of a large collection buy in the late 90s.

GAM - GAM 1976. Germany (archival)

GAM was the group that guitarist Gunter Schickert formed after his landmark Samtvogel album from 1974. Joining him here is Axel Struck on guitars and Michael Leske on drums. The first letters of their names make up the acronym. Though the group was active throughout the late 70s, they never formally released anything in their day. It wasn't until 1986 when the budding UK research team of Alan and Steve Freeman befriended Mr. Schickert, when it was discovered that some archival tapes existed, and were worthy of release on cassette.

In effect, GAM 1976 is a rehearsal jam session, and the music is somewhat like a full band effort of Schickert's solo work. The additional guitar adds a unique call and response component, and drums are always welcome for this type of music. 'Apricot Brandy' is an extended but familiar take on Samtvogel's opening track. 'GAM Jam' is the highlight here with a killer sequence that closes off the final 3rd of the track. Clearly a fully developed composition could have emerged from this riff.

The downside of course is the rough recording quality and the lack of focus. Both of which can be forgiven since that wasn't the initial purpose. So a point-in-time Krautrock jam, that sounds a few years earlier than 1976. Not much to complain about - I'll take it.

Personal collection
MC: 1986 Auricle (UK)

According to my database, I bought this cassette straight from Ultima Thule in 1990. I have very few original cassettes, but see no need to upgrade here. The label has kept it in print on CD-R (with a different cover - second scan), which is the modern equivalent of cassettes in my mind. i.e. Disposable.

Charles Kaczynski - Lumiere de la Nuit (Light of Night). 1979 Canada

Charles Kaczynski is a fairly obscure artist who pops up now and again on the internet and then disappears. His debut album Lumière de la Nuit has long been known to collectors as a very good example of the symphonic style of progressive rock. He's basically a one man orchestra here, and the (primarily) instrumental music is beautiful and rich. Though there's a multitude of instruments played by the talented Kaczynski, violin is clearly his instrument of choice. By Side 2, the music begins to become overly familiar, and it's clear Kaczynski could have benefited from the synergy of his peers. The compositions are well written, and it's too bad this was the end of Kaczynski's progressive rock career during the classic era.

Ownership: LP: 1979 private - Light  of Night (English edition)

The LP has 2 editions, one in the native French, the other with the English title Light of Night. The CD was also originally pressed privately, and later distributed by ProgQuebec with a sticker affixed with their logo on the back of the digi-pak. As such, there is no history as per protocol for the label.

First entered into the UMR: March 4, 2010 and updated.

Quel Giorno di Uve Rosse. 1976 Italy

Back in the early 1990s, Quel Giorno Di Uve Rosse's sole album made the rounds into progressive rock collector's circles, promising two side long tracks of classic Italian bombast. Bzzt! Working hard for a good trade to obtain it, the result ended up in disappointment for moi. But I did stick with it, and over time I was satisfied enough to keep it for awhile. A few years later, opportunity struck for me to move it out, and I've never looked back (how Biblical of me...).

So what is the deal with Quel Giorno Di Uve Rosse? The album was released by PCC which stands for Pro Civitate Christiana. Yea, we're talking Catholic Church here. The music provides the background to a Biblical story (I presume) and that which features a multitude of male/female vocalists, all of them quite good I must say. There is also some male narration. It's not a stretch to compare some of Quel Giorno Di Uve Rosse to Latte E Miele's debut Passio Secundum Mattheum, an album also referencing a Biblical story with narration. The rock music displayed here though is considerably softer, pastoral, and much more in the background than the pure Italian progressive rock of Latte e Miele. Plenty of harpsichord and flute as well. So yea, it's something of an Italian holy roller kind of thing I'm sure. But classy and well done. Worth hearing in general music terms, but calling it progressive rock is clearly misleading.

Ownership: LP: 1976 PCC (Pro Civitate Christiana)
 

Traded off many years ago.

Not reissued in any format as I update this post (6/9/24)

Orpheus - s/t. 1979 Canada

Orpheus were an instrumental jazz fusion band from Canada who managed two albums in a two year time frame. On their debut, they play the familiar tropes of funk, Latin, lounge, borderline disco, and breezy fusion. Nothing outside the box, but the contents within are pleasant enough. While it seems clear this is guitarist Robert Lanter's band - and he gets in a few good licks - the star of the show appears to be bassist Chuck Quinn. He's poppin' his 4 string everywhere - and loud at that. Sometimes even a hint of fuzz. Overall if you enjoy the swinging sounds of The Love Boat era, then Orpheus will check that box for you. Good, but non distinctive. If memory serves, their sophomore effort is better. For another day.

No reissues exist.

Zthurehz. 1981 Sweden

When you see an unpronounceable band name like Zthürehz, one would presume a Zeuhl masterpiece awaits. Or perhaps some all-out complex prog like Yezda Urfa. So that's what we get here right? Oh God no... Zthürehz were a duo from Sweden who released this one album and then disappeared without a trace. Given the moniker, the album found itself on many a prog want list over the years. And in these enlightened modern times, the mask has now been removed... and it's not pretty.

The album starts off pleasantly enough with a fine instrumental. I was reminded most of fellow countrymen Isildurs Bane and their own 1981 debut Sagan om Ringen, or perhaps even a non-female-vocal Autumn Breeze. Nothing complex, but straightforward rock with a nice melodic structure. We also hear this sound coming from Germany quite a bit in the early 80s. And then... it goes into indie rock mode, not atypical of the rock scene of the era. The bookends of each side provide the interest for progressive rock fans, and the remainder might appeal to the more tolerant neo psych crowd with an early 80s fetish. The blend isn't a good one, as both styles do not mesh well. Seems one or the other will disappoint their fan base. Presuming they had any to begin with... Overall, a decent/OK album from my perspective, nothing more.

No reissues exist. Not seeing the audience for one either.

This was from the very last batch we received form The AC in early 2015. His notes: "Swedish prog obscurity that's somewhat marred by occasional incursions of early 80s new wave and even some reggae influences. Also perhaps a bit too vocal oriented, at least for my tastes. Unsurprisingly, they fare better on the longer pieces, where they're able to stretch out a little more musically. Some of that typical Scandinavian melancholy also helps the cause, but the general amateurism doesn't. Worth a listen for genre deep divers, but otherwise nothing too special."

VAK - Budo. 2018 France

On VAK's (stylized as such, though it doesn't appear to be an acronym) 2 EP compilation debut, I wrote: "VAK blossoms from the Eskaton branch of the Zeuhl tree". For VAK's formal debut Budo, it almost seems like a different band. In some ways it is, as there's been quite a bit of personnel change. I'd also mentioned Dun as a reference, and that too is missing - along with the flute that made the comparison. So from that standpoint, Budo is a bit of a disappointment, as they were onto something entirely unique prior.

Or is it a disappointment? Not for hardcore fans of Zeuhl like me. You give me 2 tracks of over 50 minutes of pure Zeuhl, I'm going nowhere. They definitely moved closer to the center of the movement, that of Magma. It's more plodding than the mothership though, and could be called "dense" at times. I was struggling with comparisons throughout my multiple listens. It doesn't have the brass or groove of a Weidorje, but it does have that type of gravitas. And it's certainly not noisy like Shub Niggurath, though again the heavy atmosphere is there. Maybe Jean-Paul Prat is the closest I can get here. So... even though they moved back to the main tree stump of Magma, I think VAK have indeed continued to create something unique.

Ingredients of their sound include the usual Rhodes, synthesizers, and pounding drums. The bass is more foundational than driving, so that's one departure from the norm. There's also wordless female vocals, not abrasive, but also not distinctive enough to move the needle. 'Hquark' does possess a few moments of that familiar Eskaton groove, so they haven't completely given up on their initial direction. And that leads us to 'Au Fond des Creuses', the "short" track at 8 minutes, where they reintroduce the guitar and flute, and brings us back to the greatness of Aedividea. So yes, a 4 star album for certain. And I'm sure future listens will reveal more.

At this point, VAK are one of the leading lights of the current Zeuhl movement, a tad behind Corima perhaps, but ahead of the rest of the pack by a good mile.

Ownership: CD: 2018 Soleil Zeuhl

2/16/19 (new entry)

Vespero & Ángel Ontalva - Carta Marina. 2018 Russia / Spain

Carta Marina is the instrumental collaboration album of Angel Ontalva from Spain and the Russian group Vespero. An interesting pairing, but given that both represent some of the best progressive rock music of the last 15 years, I think this is going to be great album. At least on paper.

And it came to pass that yes - it is. Angel Ontalva is the guitar player, chief composer, and defacto leader of October Equus. Their early albums were something of a psychedelic avant prog combination, a unique juxtaposition of sound. And that psychedelic effect was primarily achieved via Ontalva's heavy fuzz tone, and somewhat unhinged playing, which was the dichotomy against the rest of the band's more structured approach. Enter Vespero, arguably the best space rock band operating in the world today. What separates our friends from Astrakhan from the rest of the pack, is that Vespero is not one just to jam out, and hopefully find a groove or two to explore. But rather the group enjoys composition with their improvisation, plus they add indigenous elements for a truly exotic blend. They are at once a space rock band, yet also progressive rock, and while still paying an occasional homage to Krautrock.

So there's your ingredient label, but how does it taste? Excellent in fact. There's a bit of that "two strong leaders vying for the top position" within these songs, and it's clear the impact of each artist's unique sound. At an hour long, there's an investment of time here, especially considering the first listen doesn't reveal nearly enough. It takes a few hours worth of hearing to let it soak through. There are no obvious highlights here, yet there's nothing worthy of skip button status either. While this isn't the peak album of either camp, the results together are still undeniably great. If either band are on your radar today, then you can't go wrong here.

Ownership: CD: 2018 VMS (Russia). Digifile. VMS stands for Vespero's Mobile Studio.

2/16/19 (new entry)

McCully Workshop - Genesis. 1971 South Africa

McCully Workshop were one of the more well known bands coming out of the late 60s South African psychedelic scene. On their sophomore effort Genesis, the band adopted their psych background and combined that with the then-popular horn rock movement. It's a fascinating blend, as McCully Workshop created something wholly original within a familiar space. The McCully brothers hold down the rhythm section and lead vocals, while new guitarist Bruce Gordon provides the fiery psych toned solos. The key member here is Ian Smith who plays trumpet, flute, flugelhorn, and trombone. They multitracked his instrumental sections, so he sounds like a full horn section! I don't think I've ever heard one person contribute so much brass sounds on a record like this. And the flute sections are sublime.

The compositions are decidedly progressive rock oriented, with multiple tracks carved up in sections very much in the same spirit of the early King Crimson albums. The music itself still has its psychedelic provenance and I was most reminded of The Moody Blues, but with the songwriting of Chicago Transit Authority instead. Very much in line with some of the more progressive oriented UK horn rock bands such as Brainchild, Greatest Show on Earth, and Galliard. If any of these bands push your buttons, then Genesis is a must own.

Personal collection
CD: 2009 Fresh Music

Originals are very rare, much more so than the debut. This CD was my introduction to the album, which I purchased not long after release. It comes complete with full liner notes and masters tape sound. Fresh Music is by far and away the best reissue label from South Africa.

Franco Battiato - Clic. 1974 Italy

Clic is the 4th album from Franco Battiato, and continues to see him experimenting further afield. Battiato's albums to this point were rather odd in themselves. I find it hard to describe his music, and partially that's because I haven't taken the proper time to digest them. But the other reason is his music is somewhat disorienting. It's not really what one would call "weird" (for those of us who listen to these type of albums on a regular basis of course, not the general public). The best word for Battiato's music at this stage of the game is "alien". It's not exactly memorable in the traditional sense, but it does have sensory impact.

And Clic is just oozing with otherworldly atmosphere. It's primitive really, calling on the early classical electronic genre such as Battiato's idol Karlheinz Stockhausen. But it's not academic. The field tapes alone are really quite eerie. Some albums where I get this same vibe are Pierrot Lunaire's Gudrun, Algarnas Tradgard, and Picchio dal Pozzo's debut. And even Jumbo's Vietato... primarily because Battiato guests on that album and brings his trusty VCS3 along, the instrument responsible for much of the mystery. Overall a superb album when in the right mood. Bring an open mind - and maybe your space helmet too.

Personal collection
CD: 1998 Ricordi/BMG

My first introduction to Clic, like for many people, was the UK LP version on Island. Turns out that's a completely different album! More on that for another day (I still have that exact LP). According to my database, I first bought this CD in 2002, and that was my introduction to the proper release. I don't think I've heard it since, and I had no recollection of the contents within. Let's see if this deep dive will stick for the next listen. Hopefully not 17 years later...

The CD itself is a bare bones "straight" reissue. I thought I heard traces of vinyl sound as well.

Skeptical Eye - The Devil's Playground. 1984 Canada

(New data has emerged since I published these notes. Be sure to read the bottom section as well)

We have something interesting to talk about today. I haven't heard anything this nutty from the early 80s since Quasar Light and Rantz came wafting under my nose a few years back. It's comforting to know our friends up north were also harboring these kind of crazies too. Skeptical Eye is basically a duo of Angela Black and Christopher Flint. She's white, he's black - and they both look like they're from 1976, if one considers hair styles and overall look. We're talking bad hair for the former and dark sunglasses and fro for the other. Rounding out the duo is engineer Paul Croscup, trying his best to look like Baretta with a derby cap, and a two-sizes-too-small T-shirt that says "The Doctor of Engineering". Given that all the songwriting was done by Black and Flint, it remains unclear why he gets top billing here - perhaps he funded the record? Anyway, the whole back inner sleeve is Dork City.

What of the music you ask? Well, that's a toughie too. Take away the mid 70s synthesizer sound (yes, mid 1970s...), the rest sounds like one of those loopy US rock albums on Paramount or Buddha from 1970 (going back further we are). There is absolutely nothing 80s about this album, excepting the obvious copyright dates of 1984 splattered all over. There's no recording date, which leads me to believe this probably was recorded in 1976 (with period photos) and not released until 8 years later. So back to the music. There's some really fascinating sequences here. Lots of psychedelic, progressive, and hard rock can be found within these grooves. The musicians are slightly incompetent, but that just adds to the allure of something like this. The children's choir on the first track is really eerie, as if they kidnapped a school bus and forced them to sing. Not all of it works of course, including some woeful blues and singer-songwriter fluff.

The lyrics contain an underlying Christian tone, but not of the praise-thee-Jesus type, rather it's more of the we're-all-going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket variety (hence the chorus "we're living in the Devil's Playground"). Here are the opening lines to the first track 'Universal Call - The Message': "The world is full of corruption. And headed for total destruction". Jolly stuff, eh? These guys would have been great lyricists for a death metal band.

The rip I was sent is completely distorted, which I think might actually help the music. At some point, I'd like to hear the album as originally presented. No matter, it's going to be an odd experience. Overall this is one of those albums you can't help but pay attention to. Like a highway car crash where they're starting to pull charred bodies out of the remains. You just have to look.

Originals are rare and expensive (no surprise there). No reissues exist. Not sure it needs one honestly, but I probably would fork over for one, especially if we could get the whole story from the band.

This was from the last batch The AC turned in from early 2015. His original notes: "Bizarre homemade Christian prog/psych anachronism out of Belleville, Ontario. You know when a Christian-themed LP has track titles like "Tortured From Inside" that it's probably something beyond the ordinary, and that's certainly the case here. Psych guitar and organ, ineptly performed prog breaks, off key male and female vocals (including a children's choir section that seems to have been done by a group of random local school kids who couldn't sing at all) weird and disturbing sound effects, spacey Pink Floydian sections, and even a weepy ballad and terrible blues rock jam. Yet, it all flows together somehow as a cohesive concept work. I think. I don't really want to know, to be honest. A few keyboard tones aside, the whole thing sounds like it was recorded about a decade earlier. And as far as the amateurism level is concerned, I'll paraphrase myself from the Rhea review I did here a few years back: To put it in Canadian progressive terms, these guys make VIIth Temple sound like Rush in comparison. Very rare, but perhaps that's for the best? Completely demented."

------

May 26, 2019 update: We've recently heard from someone very close to these recordings, and some interesting data has emerged. As it turns out, yes, this recording was from the 1982 to 1984 time frame. Hard to imagine, but it's not the first "out if its time" album we've reported on either. We've also learned that Angela was a Catholic girl, a couple of years removed from high school, thus the Christian overtones. Also "I believe your review wondered why the sound engineer was credited so prominently...it was his house and his equipment and there was some sort of weird dynamic/power struggle going on...but mostly because it was his house, his stuff." The children's choir, that we had some fun with above, were aged 11 to 15. No prep work or rehearsals occurred. Just sing this! Really the backstory is only adding to the allure here...

Rejoice. 1997 Germany

In today's world, many a budding group releases their demo - or perhaps a fully produced and realized album - on a website such as bandcamp. Often times this can result in a broader release as some enterprising LP or CD label will hear it, and then will sign a contract to release the album in physical form. In the 1990s, this was also done, but via the "demo tape" (not in the 70s sense of the word). So bands had to target their (small grassroots) labels rather than have it the other way around. Enter Mauro Moroni and his Mellow label. He was a pioneer in this process, and managed to release on CD many such endeavors from around the world, which otherwise may never had reached anyone's ears beyond the group themselves. Of these groups, Rejoice has to be one of the label's big winners.

Rejoice were a German band with quite a heritage, which we will cover here in a minute. Their brand of instrumental music is a familiar one for fans of German prog rock - that of the keyboard/drums duo. Bands such as Twogether, Sixty Nine, Minus Two, and Magma are but a few examples of this. In addition to that, the keyboardist also doubles on guitar, which takes the music closer to SFF realms. And the sound is decidedly retro, with mostly analog equipment. So if 6 long tracks of primo instrumental prog rock - that sounds like it was from 1976 - sounds alluring, then this one-off from Rejoice is a must pickup.

So who is this mythical keyboard guy? None other than Martin Ziegler. Who you ask? Well, he was the ivory tickler on that most anachronistic second Moira album from 1984, aka Reise Nacht Ixtlan - an album that still is shrouded in mystery even though I was asking the hard questions about it all the way back to 2001. And then we learn the drummer is Rudi Leichtle. Who you ask? Well... he was the drummer on that most surprising album Dryve by The Perotic Theatre, it too a pseudo-retro prog album that I have a review up for already. So there it is, two obscuro artists releasing an obscuro album. Imagine that? Some people are destined that way. But one day they will be rediscovered properly. Don't miss this one.

Ownership: CD: 1997 Mellow. Fine new album jewel case layout with original photographs. Purchased online new upon release.

Rollsplytt - Flappergranny. 1982 Germany

Rollsplytt were a band from Germany that remains a complete unknown as I write this. They released this one album, with the intriguing name of Flappergranny (what can that possibly even mean?*) back in 1982. And it sounds every bit of its era. To my ears at least, Rollsplytt has their heart in the SynthPop movement, but didn't realize that they needed a vocalist, and maybe a few catchy tunes to work with. They are rhythmically uninteresting, but the instrumentation on top is really quite accomplished. Primarily keyboards, guitars, and a smattering of reeds which conjure up some splendid melodies. In this way I was most reminded of fellow countrymen Rousseau, minus the obvious affection for progressive rock. But Rollsplytt managed to accomplish a similar sound on what seems like an accident. This is a good one that needed a few more ideas and instrumentation to flesh out these tracks a bit. Well worth your time to investigate.

Interesting enough the The AC also referenced "synth-pop" below. Definitely something different here for sure.

*- So let's take a stab at this. My grandmother was a professional Vaudeville musician, and she was also known as a "Flapper Girl", which was a term/style for liberated women in post World War I. In looking at that cover, perhaps that's the reference - an older woman who did not let go of that era. But I don't think "Flappergranny" is the name for that...

Originals are fairly pricey and it's never been reissued in any format. Not sure it deserves one either, but I would pick one up if done correctly/legally.

This was from the last batch sent in from The AC in early 2015. His original notes to us were: "All instrumental prog/fusion with a distinctly early 80s sound, but not in the way that you might expect. It's as if a 1982 British synth-pop band decided to take a break between albums and do a prog side project or something. The copious synths, sax/flute, as well as the guitar and bass lines just have that certain sound, as do the very "bouncy" (for lack of a better word) and straight forward rhythms that propel this lengthy (almost 50 minutes) and well-produced album along. There are some definite fusion touches (mostly of the Weather Report variety), but I'd label it more as "funky synth-driven instrumental prog" than full-fledged jazz-rock, if that makes any sense. It's quite consistent, and has some real period charm, which won me over in the end."

Gilgamesh - Arriving Twice. 1975 England (archival)

When I first picked up the LP of In the Land of Grey and Pink by Caravan at the tender age of 19, I had become an instant Canterbury fan. One that carries to this day. Throughout the remainder of the 1980s I bought everything I could that was related to the genre. Of all the major bands from the scene, Gilgamesh was decidedly my least favorite. I just couldn't understand the allure here.

In 2000, even though I'd already waved off the first 2 studio albums, Cuneiform released Arriving Twice. This CD promised to be for Canterbury fans who didn't like Gilgamesh. It was rawer, more rocked out. I bit that bait hard - and found myself flopping in the boat barely breathing, getting prepared to become suppertime. To me, it was the same ole Gilgamesh. What is with this band and why does everyone say they are so great? I don't get it I plea'd! ...Sold.

Well it's 18+ years later, and I haven't heard Gilgamesh since then. Here comes the ever present cheap CD copy wafting by. "Try me again?" it flirts. Yes, CDs and LPs talk to me. I was just explaining that to some nice lady in a white coat the other day. "Yea, sure, OK why not?" I replied.

After hearing the opener 'With Lady and Friend" I'm saying to myself what the hell Tomas, that's exactly what I love about Canterbury! Fuzz organ and raw guitar, just as it is written in the Bible. But it was fleeting and the 18 minute 'You're Disguised' pops in and then I started to hear the Gilgamesh I was more familiar with. But.... I like it now. And why is that? Well it's true that Gilgamesh aren't my favorite sort of Canterbury. They are very much coming from the improvisational jazz wing of the school, and they don't always rock out as I would prefer. But if taking Gilgamesh as a jazz rock fusion band, rather than pure Canterbury, the contents are easier to digest. I've said it many times, but setting expectations is a dangerous thing to do. When I was younger and money more scarce, each dollar had to count. I didn't want mediocre, I wanted greatness every time! The problem there is I was bringing my filter, rather than letting the music come to me.

There's close to an hour of material here, almost all of it very good. Much of the contents are variations of what showed up on the debut album with a few unreleased tracks thrown in at the end. Obviously at some point I need to revisit their two albums again as well. Enjoyable on the whole for certain.

Personal collection
CD: 2000 Cuneiform (USA)

Fantastic archival issue with full liner notes giving the complete musical history of Alan Gowen and the genesis of Gilgamesh, covering the years of 1966 to 1974. Excellent sound as well for this sort of thing.

Minoru Muraoka and New Dimension Group - Lupus. 1974 Japan

Minoru Muraoka is a famous shakuhachi (a type of bamboo flute) player in his native Japan. In modern times, a couple of his 1970 albums had found fame with the DJ beatdigger crowd (Bamboo, Osorezan). I haven't heard either, but judging by what I've read, they contain the usual mix of cover tunes and originals mixed with traditional indigenous music. For Lupus, Minoru Muraoka (technically this was released with his New Dimension group) takes the entire concept to its experimental conclusion.

When hearing Lupus, the two terms that came to mind were New Age and psychedelic freakout. Now there's something you probably hadn't thought of before. Of course the former is something of a response to radicalism in music. But in its earliest days, before it had become strictly the music of bored housewives at the spa, New Age promised a cultural and generational mix of sounds. And you get that with Minoru Muraoka almost by default. But what of this freakout aspect? Well consider that most of the instruments here are wired up to some sort of wah wah pedal, and the music takes on a trance like status. There's only the electric bass that represents the West, but it's a key performer driving the music in multiple exciting ways. A very unique blend, one that I hadn't heard prior to this album.

The second side more or less drops any kind of rock elements, though still is quite fascinating. The opening track with the theatrical female voice recalls J. A. Seazer, whereas the other 2 settle things down with some meditative classical Japanese music.

Muraoka was already 50 years old at the time of this release, meaning he was already a suffering young man during the terrors of World War II. Clearly an enlightened soul, though it's not likely he was into rock so much as he enjoyed the sounds that were emanating from his beloved instruments of old.

So there you have it, a New Age psych freakout for side 1, and a more traditional side 2. Perhaps most interesting is that it was recorded live in front of what is likely to have been an older crowd, who responded quite enthusiastically to the entire affair. Historically speaking, Lupus was way ahead of its time. Worth checking out.

Like most Japanese music from the early 70s that mixed with rock and jazz, Lupus is painfully obscure and rare. These are albums that are still being discovered even within Japan itself. No reissues exist. This would be one worth pursuing, as even though it's not a stone classic, it is entirely unique and satisfying.

This was from the last batch sent in from The AC back in early 2015. His original notes to us were: "Shakuhachi master and band leader Muraoka recorded scores of records over the years, covering all kinds of ground, with a focus on integrating the traditional Japanese shakuchachi flute into modern western-style music. His most interesting period (from a rock/jazz listener's perspective) unsurprisingly coincided with the experimental New Rock boom in Japan circa the early/mid 70s. His most well-known works are from earlier on in this timeframe, when he released albums like "Osorezan" and "Bamboo", which have long been popular with the rare groove/DJ crowd. But after this he developed a darker, more experimental streak, releasing a string of albums with his New Dimension Group where he started to twist and mutate traditional Japanese music to his own ends, leading to fascinating efforts such as "Jigen" (1972) and "So" (1973). However, these were still probably too traditional to catch the ear of many prog/psych listeners. This all changed in 1974, when he unleashed "Lupus", a live concert hall recording (as many of his works were) that takes his earlier concepts and finally goes off the deep end with them. The eponymous side-long first track is an immense piece of hybrid far eastern psych/prog/jazz-rock which, aside from the hypnotically pulsing electric bass, amazingly consists of nothing but traditional Japanese instruments and drums, although you'd scarcely know it. Everything is put through the fuzz/wah blender, creating sounds and textures more reminiscent of electric organ and fuzzed out guitars. It starts out tranquilly, but then builds and builds in intensity, climaxing in a totally frenzied freakout conclusion that will leave your brain in a puddle-like state. Awe inspiring. The second side is unfortunately much more traditional, consisting of three shorter pieces, although the quality is still high. But that first side... Wow. Deserves to be much more well known."

Kings' Boards. 1990 Japan

Recorded and released in the heyday of the Japanese progressive rock movement, Kings' Boards pulls together 5 ivory ticklers and pairs them with a hodgepodge of rhythm sections, for what can only be considered an instrumental progressive rock extravaganza. In many quarters, you will see this album released as the band Kings' Boards, but I don't think that's correct. It's a compilation very much in spirit to those on Musea or Colossus. That is to say, all new material recorded for the sole purpose of this one album.

The liner notes are telling if you're still unsure what you are getting into here. Instead of favorite Playmate, each one is asked to choose a favorite keyboardist. Keith Emerson wins with 2, and Tony Banks and Vangelis each got one vote. Only Motoi Sakuraba went outside the box and chose Japanese jazz pianist Kei Akagi.

As for the music, the main draw here is Naomi Miura, who was with the cutesy semi-prog band Rosalia at the time (who only managed an EP in their day). This is anything but cute, and the music has a distinct dark edge with lots of mellotron, Mini Moog, and wedgy twisted fuzzy organ. She is in fact predicting the rise of Ars Nova 2 years ahead of time.

The other track I quite like comes from Shigetomo Hashimoto, who was with a band called Ashule. I vaguely recall that name from back then, and RYM shows 2 unrated releases. If I recall correctly they were tape traded pretty heavily but never managed to release anything formally.

Of course the Motoi Sakuraba track that opens the disc is fantastic, but it was also released on his own debut Gikyokuonsou (which we've reviewed prior), and this now becomes redundant. But if you don't have that already, then you're in for a treat.

The last 2 tracks are good not great. Manabu Kokado is from White Fang, a band who also only managed one release (Crimson Waves). I never did hear it, but if memory serves they mixed glam metal with extended prog rock compositions - it wasn't such a bizarre concept in those days as it may sound now. The last one comes from Social Tension's Kodomo Endo, and his contribution here is a long way (unfortunately) from his Hammond fueled band.

One of the unique twists here is the mix of the rhythm sections. Mostly they were provided from members of Social Tension and White Fang, as well as the very obscure act Seilane, who I know nothing about.

CD: 1990 Made in Japan

I bought this CD not long after release. There isn't actually a copyright date anywhere, including the obi, which is highly unusual. The recording took place in the summer of 1990. My database shows I bought it in late 1991. So it's in that window for certain. The prevailing ruling is 1990, so we'll go with that.

Even though this CD is now quite rare, it's not super expensive like many from this time and place. Worth seeking out for hardcore keyboard gear heads.

Architectural Metaphor - Odysseum Galacti. 1988 / 1994 USA-Massachusetts

The early 90s were an exciting time for us fans of unhinged space rock. After years of dormancy, the style was beginning a new renaissance, and bands were coming from all corners of the Earth to display their unique talents. Enter Boston's Architectural Metaphor, a band that continues to operate today in one form or fashion.

I had purchased this CD not long after it first became available, on the promises of a modern Ash Ra Tempel and the like. As was often the case back then, disappointment ensued, as this is quite a ways from the original cosmic Krautrock sound. Dutifully I picked up their second album Creature of the Velvet Void some three years later, and filed both away. At some point not long after that, while doing some weeding out of the collection, Odysseum Galacti came up as a candidate, listened - and decided to sell. Gone. And that was my Architectural Metaphor story...

...Until three years ago when the aforementioned Creature of the Velvet Void was rediscovered hiding deep in my collection. I was mightily impressed, and grateful I'd kept it (notes under that entry). In addition I re-added the band to my ever growing want list for the off chance a bargain copy of any of their other CDs would waft under my nose. And that day has come.

So what of Odysseum Galacti and did I let a monstrously great album slip through my fingers in a fit of housekeeping? Well... no. I can understand why I let this one fly. However, my lower rating was considerably off, probably a rationalization of my actions back then. So let's get to the music here (that would be good of you, Genius Hans). The majority of the album was actually recorded in 1988. It's pretty sludgy stuff when one considers the fuzzy guitars and synthesizers and not-so-great production. Then there's the small matter that most of the percussion is of the drum-machine variety. Eck. Still, not all is lost here, and some of these tracks jam rather nicely, especially the final two 'Anu' and 'We've Come For Your Children'. If looking for comparisons here, I'd say Milwaukee's F/i would be a good starting point. The best is saved for last though, as the two live tracks are both from 1994, and the pared down trio has improved leaps and bounds, and real drums are now in play. Deb Young is gaining confidence behind the kit, and her space whisperer voice is becoming more crucial to their sound. One can easily see why their sophomore effort was so much better. 

Ownership: CD: 1994 ArcMet. Jewel case. Booklet with recording details and photos.

1994 (first listen); 2/15/19 (review / new entry); 10/21/24

Fractals. 1986 England

Fractals were an obscure fusion band from the Oxford area who released this one album, and even today, almost nothing is known about them. What we do know is the rhythm section is none other than the same duo that performed on Red, one of my all-time favorite instrumental 80s prog albums. However, without the fiery guitar of Dennis Fitzgibbons or the fascinating New Wave sounding synthesizers, the rhythm section is left to support a rather mundane instrumental jazz fusion album. The sound is purely 1986 with warm bass tones and extremely lightweight amplified guitar. The album has absolutely zero edge. The compositions are a mix of the trite and the complex, and if there were some rock elements added, the album most assuredly would have been better received by the underground. But as it stands, this one is strictly for middle 80s fusion heads. File under average.

Discogs shows the guitarist as Paul Reynolds, he of A Flock of Seagulls fame. I suspect that to be an error (easy to do on Discogs), as it's a common name, and to the best of my knowledge, the hairdresser-lead synthpop guitarist never ventured much beyond AFOS. If someone knows different, I'd be most interested to hear the story.

No reissues exist.

This was from the last batch sent to us by The AC in early 2015. His original notes to us: "Obscure little instrumental jazz-rock/fusion offering from the lean years of the genre. The main hook here is that the rhythm section consists of Jerry Soffe and Frank Hockney, formerly of cult favorites Red. Like other releases of its ilk from the mid 80s, there is no attempt whatsoever to hide its all-digital "modernness" (ironically now much more dated than the earlier analog tones), but if you can get past that it's actually a solid album. Sedate jazzy pieces alternate with more driving, progressive-minded tunes, which keeps things interesting. Hard to track down, as it seems this was only distributed in their local Oxford area during the band's relatively brief existence,  but worth a look for hardcore genre fans."

Malady - Toinen Toista. 2018 Finland

Toinen Toista is the sophomore album from Malady, and is largely an extension of the debut. As I stated on the notes for that debut, Malady is a band that have truly captured the sound and essence of the early 1970s. And they are defiantly Finnish at that, so the country's own progressive rock heritage is brought to the fore. Like their ancestors, Malady are not in a hurry to prove a point, but rather they invite you into their world, with strange shapes, dynamics, and colors.

The opening title track tells the whole story of the album in musical terms, so if that's not going to draw you in, might as well skip this title and head to the next one in your stack. 'Laulu Sisaruksille' is the now-requisite short introspective number with shards of mellotron and classical stringed instruments. 'Tiedon Kehtolaulu' is the highlight for me, providing a potential soundtrack to your dream vacation touring the countryside of Finland. It also underscores how much Malady should add flute as a permanent instrument. While listening to this track, you will see images of a pretty girl with long auburn hair and slanted eyes. I actually saw her come out of my CD player. Neat huh? 

'Etsijän Elinehto' is a very good track, but ultimately faceless in comparison. The 23 minute 'Nurja Puoli' almost takes us to the next level, with some stunning guitar melodies weaved into the multi-part harmonic track segments. Oddly I was reminded of Trettioariga Kriget's 'Krigssang' side-longer. I say almost, because the last 6 minutes or so took away the full enjoyment for me, with chorus' sounding like Pink Floyd through a - oh nooooooooooo - Radiohead filter. They tipped their hand that they have indeed experienced the 90s. But hey, Radiohead has the greatest album of all time according to RYM. It just boggles the mind really. Tragedy of the commons indeed. Oh well, we won't let one singular lapse in judgment spoil all the fun. Still a great track as well as an overall excellent retro prog album.

Ownership: CD: 2018 Svart. Jewel case with an 8 page booklet. Has photos and lyrics, the latter not going to be much help if you don't speak the local language.

2/7/19 (new entry)

November - 2:a November. 1971 Sweden

November's second album is very much a continuation of their debut. Gone is the occasional flute, and added is some sparse piano and organ provided by the producer. But otherwise this is straight-up power trio hard rock of the bluesy variety. Not as heavy as Black Sabbath nor as energetic as live Cream or Led Zeppelin, but well within those confines - with Swedish vocals. For fans of the language in song (like myself) this creates a bit of positive separation for November.

Historically, the band got caught in the web of the "Progg" movement in Sweden, who were basically far leftist, Communists in Sweden who expected blind loyalty to the cause. November wanted nothing to do with it, and were far more interested in just playing music. Especially "heavy and fast" as the band recollects. Like a lot of such movements, they ended up being more damaging than helpful, and the band were able to squeeze out one more (great) album before splintering into other excellent - and more progressive - outfits such as Saga and Energy.

Ownership: LP: 1971 Sonet. Inexplicably I didn't own this title until recently, including the relatively easy to find CD. When a NM copy was floated my way online (not cheap), I had to splurge (2019). Comes in a beautiful gatefold cover. 

2/7/19 (new entry)

Skeptic Sense - Presence of Mind +++. 1994 Germany

Skeptic Sense were a band from Ravensburg in southern Germany who released this one incredibly obscure CD and then disappeared without a trace. The story is a familiar one. The label they signed with goes into bankruptcy right at the point of release. No promotion, no wholesale, no reviews, no anything. Even for fans of the style, there would have been little chance to know about this release unless you were tied to the band in some way. It wasn't until years later, the album was rediscovered by deep divers.

Skeptic Sense is a bullseye for the technical thrash metal genre. Imagine Watchtower's Energetic Disassembly and Sieges Even's Life Cycles thrown into a blender. Mix. Pour into a baking dish and let dry. Then cut that up, toss it onto the floor, and then randomly put it back together. That's the sound of Presence of Mind. It's not easy to keep up, and for certain you will have no idea where the music is going. It's 60 minutes of music packed into 33. But the music is definitely heavy, and they do manage to hit a groove here and there, so it's not entirely disjointed liked a spliced tape or something. The tracks do seem composed, perhaps even charted, and the vocals are of the high pitched ball squeezer variety. Fair warning.

These kind of albums grow with age, and multiple listens reveal more each and every time. Well worth ownership status.

Mind Versus Soul contains the entire 1994 Presence of Mind album noted above + the Harmony of Souls (1991) and Demonstration I (1990) cassette tape releases.

The music on the earlier cassettes is, not surprisingly, very similar to the Presence of Mind album. Perhaps a bit more straightforward with less variation among the instrumentation, and a bit heavier/rawer. It's likely these earlier albums are easier to digest for more traditional heavy metal fans, but still quite challenging. Even though all the tracks save 'Last Moments' (from Demonstration) found their way onto the later CD, there's enough variation among them to appreciate each version. For example 'Norm Always Wins' is on all 3, and yet it's hard to recognize. Of course music like this is hard to recognize from the get. We're miles from verse-chorus-verse-solo-chorus sequences here.

All in all a great anthology, and for fans of technical thrash, this is a must find.

Personal collection
CD: 2016 Divebomb (USA)

The booklet is loaded with historical liners (extracted via interview with the band), photos, newspaper articles, and lyrics.