Dawn - Darker. 2014 Switzerland

Dawn are a band from Switzerland who have two albums and an EP to their credit. Darker is their last full length released well over nine years ago. On Darker their music intersects retro, neo, and modern styles of prog rock. The good news - for me at least - is those designations are on a sliding scale with retro being by far the largest representative. Neo is also welcome here and they do add some of that punchiness that I enjoy from the genre. I'm not so keen on the modern branch of progressive rock, which to me sounds more like Pink Floyd styled Art Rock and misses the dynamism and edginess the classics brought forth. Elements of Genesis, Yes, late era Porcupine Tree, and Pendragon are on display here. One reviewer said it reminded them of The Flower Kings. I think it's much more vintage than that, but I can understand why someone would make the comparison. There's a lot of music to absorb on Darker and this revisit resulted in a +1. Earned its shelf space.

I recently learned the band is still active and plan on recording a new album soon. I have more data about that on Under the Radar.

Ownership: CD: 2014 The Laser's Edge. Standard jewel case with lyric booklet. Purchased new upon release. My copy is not a cutout like the Discogs stock photo.

10/4/14; 10/31/23 (new entry)

2023 Classic Rock / AOR Journal Vol. 1 - Complete

ZZ Top - Deguello. 1979 Warner Bros. This album contains a good number of their familiar radio hits. It came after a three year hiatus, and the group were energized. They changed their sound a bit to go with the times, something they truly mastered on Eliminator. I think this is a very good album, but I don't need to own it. Got this far in life without it, and it's not something I'm going to clamor to hear. Most of the tracks are played at the grocery store anyway lol. (Oct)

Sugarcane Harris - Sugarcane. 1970 Epic. Denver show find for cheap (Oct). Well regarded blues rock album, but I didn't derive much out of it. More blues than rock. I liked the opener though. This is the second album for me to try from Harris, but it's not looking like his albums are going to be my thing. (Oct)

Genesis - Abacab. 1981 Atlantic. Found this at a thrift shop this week for a buck while in the Colorado mountain interior (Aug). It was in perfect shape, so why not hear it one more time? Like just about every other dyed-in-the-wool prog fan my tolerance for pop era Genesis is pretty low. As mentioned here before, I didn't even know Genesis was a prog band until I got to college a couple of years later. I always liked the title track with its random synthesizer leads and motorik styled drums. Even though the song is the most proggy thing here, the fact remains it was the big hit from the album and it makes you wonder why they didn't reconsider their decision. The rest of the album is not so bad if taking into account the early 80s radio mindset. Some of it reminds me of Toto of all bands, especially the horn driven numbers. Taking the emotion out of it, I'm tempted to keep it. But the downsizing must continue, and as I said about a recent ZZ Top tape, I have no nostalgia here. And if I did, it would be mostly on the negative side. Glad to have reconciled with it though. 

*Malo - Evolution. 1973 Warner Bros. Finally the all elusive 3rd Malo album! At least in the wilds, this is by far the hardest title to track down. Not only that, but this is the first time for me to hear the album. And it lived up to expectation, including the cover. Just as great as the others from the original quartet of albums. For Latin rock fans, Malo are ground zero (along with brother Carlos of course). Found at a local store, and I paid close to retail for it (they usually charge less, but I had to have it). (Jul)

Saga - Behaviour. 1985 Portrait. By the time Behaviour was released I was an entrenched Saga fan. World's Apart and especially Heads or Tales were (and remain) very important albums in my collection. As mentioned many times here already, 1985 was a pivotal year for my musical development, and I consider it the time I began my deep dive into progressive rock. So when I saw the new Saga at the record store, I looked at it closely, and said no way. It just didn't feel right. 38 years later, I grabbed one for a buck at the Austin Record show to see if I had made a mistake all those years ago. Nope - it ended up sounding exactly what I thought it might sound like. My instincts proved correct. The production is completely overdone and Gilmour's keyboard tones are awful. And Negus sounds like he's drumming echoed pillows. Only Michael Sadler sounds the same, bringing his unique vocal style to what sounds like an Atari soundtrack. I found myself enjoying Side 2 more than the first - perhaps the shock factor had worn off by then. These guys could still write decent tunes even at this point, so it's a good album overall. Not enough to keep. And while I can be apologetic about it today, 38 years ago I would have abhorred it. (Jun)

*Rare Earth - Get Ready. 1987 Motown (CD) (1969). Funny about this title. I've had it on vinyl a few times, and I never felt compelled to keep it. Part of that is it's nigh impossible to find the vinyl in decent shape. When I saw this CD at a thrift shop last week, I thought to myself "you know you never see this on CD". And it was perfect mint. Sure enough, it is much more scarce in this format. I'm finally warming up to the long title track. I think the poor decision to close with the drum solo always ruined my experience. I'm not too fond of their cover selections, especially 'Tobacco Road' and 'Feelin' Alright', the latter in particular I find nauseating. Overall though I enjoyed a +1 listen. (Jun)

Billy Thorpe - Children of the Sun. 1979 Polydor. My memory stated that while the title track is awesome the remainder of the album is nothing of the sort. This copy fell to the buck bin at a local store, so I decided to hear it again after some 40+ years. That memory proved to be correct. This is 1979 pop rock with one very strange anomaly with the song 'Children of the Sun'. You'd think if an artist actually gets rewarded for being creative, he might stick with that formula. No way. Off it goes... As an aside the best use of this track IMO was used at the beginning of a season of Fargo several years ago. (May)

Kevin Ayers - Yes We Have No Mananas. 1977 ABC. Free from a local store (Apr). Ayers is considered prog royalty given his participation on the first Soft Machine album. So anytime an artist like Ayers releases a garden variety pop rock record, it has to be appended with a much more regal genre tag. "Intelligent Pop" states the radio station notes on my copy. Art rock, art pop, progressive pop. All fancy terms to obfuscate what the album really contains: Corporate approved radio friendly fare. This album is mostly worthless until the last two tracks, especially the finale, that shows Ayers still had a couple of good ideas left in the tank. Overall it rates out to about average. ABC also had Steely Dan in their ranks and they were much better at this sort of thing.

Supertramp - Crime of the Century. 1974 A&M. Estate sale find (Apr). I thought I'd heard this one recently, but it was Even in the Quietest Moments. I've reluctantly accepted Breakfast in America in recent times, but what of Crime of the Century from five years earlier? There are three major hits here including 'School', 'Bloody Well Right', and 'Dreamer'. None of which excite me too much. Supposedly the rest is labeled prog rock, but I really don't hear it. More of the same. The major exception to this is 'Rudy' by far and away my favorite track here and the only one I'd personally label as progressive. Overall a good and inoffensive record.

Steely Dan - Gaucho. 2003 MCA (SACD) (1980). I found a pile of SACD's from an estate sale recently, mostly classical, but this one and a Billy Joel release were the outliers. I can't sit still for Joel, and that CD is already sold and gone. But I held this one back (and some of the classical which my wife and I enjoy while having a late afternoon glass of wine). I've never actually heard this album, and I do like Aja. Gaucho comes across to me like a caricature of their sound. It's just way too slick. I'm amazed the original album didn't come with a tube of polish. It's not bad of course, but what pleasure can I possibly derive from it? For middle aged moms. (Apr)

Golden Earring - Eight Miles High. 2001 Red Bullet (CD). Collection revisit (Apr). For many years I had it in my head that their side long version of Eight Mile High was the best rendition out there. But not really. It meanders and features a long drum solo. 'Fraid to say but The Byrds' original is all one needs. I prefer the harder rocking tracks on the original side 1, but I didn't hear enough to keep this.

Libra - Winter Day's Nightmare. 1976 Motown. There is a store in Greenville, South Carolina that I liked. Great selection, nice owner, fair prices. But I couldn't find one thing to purchase and I really wanted to support him. So I bought this one (Mar), since I have their debut in my collection (though I recall nothing about it). And my stance has softened considerably on prog bands who were trying to stay relevant with more commercial material. And that's exactly what Winter Day's Nightmare is. However, in this case, the material is pretty weak. It's not very catchy. In fact, it's a bit irritating almost. Side 2 has some elements that raised the rating (nice guitar work for example), but not near enough to keep. How odd was it that this Italian prog band ended up on Motown anyway?

Prism - Armageddon. 1979 Ariola. In my story about how I discovered Def Leppard, I mentioned a radio station down in San Antonio that was responsible for that. They also played a lot of cool AOR type music, and always the best tracks such as 'Last Chance' by Shooting Star. I could have sworn they also played a great song from Prism, and given that this was from 1979 and had a near 8 minute track called 'Armageddon' that this must have been it. Nada. What a pile of pop slop this album is. Almost no redeeming qualities whatsoever. This Canadian band is willing to slurp it up to get on the radio. I like me some good AOR. This is bad AOR. Probably the worst album I've endured in a year. Found this at a Denver area store and paid $5. I overpaid by $4.99. (Jan)

Kayak - Royal Bed Bouncer. 1975 Vertigo. Collection revisit (Jan). I really enjoy their first two albums but this one just doesn't register as much. Just too much pop slop here for me to dig into for the long haul. Not agreeing that the songwriting is at a higher level. Beautiful gatefold almost had me keeping it, but need to make some room here.

* - Keeping for the collection

2023 X-Wave Journal Vol. 1

Neil Young - Trans. 1982 Geffen. Cheapie found at the Denver Record Show (Oct). As I mentioned on the Harvest blurb, I really don't know Neil Young all that well. On Trans it appears Neil Young doesn't know himself very well. This was an ill advised move in an attempt to be current and relevant. Neil Young and new wave don't go together. Generally rated as one of his worst albums. I don't think it's bad, but it's not a very good example of the genre. 

*Swing Out Sister - It's Better to Travel. 1987 Mercury. One of those odd albums I picked up real time in my earliest exploration of "other styles". I really liked 'Twilight World' when I first heard it, a contemporary take on the late 60s and early 70s insouciant jazz pop motif. Something Burt Bacharach might have penned had he taken a shine to modern rock music. The rest of the album didn't follow that pattern, and as I deep dived further into prog in the middle 90s, albums like It's Better to Travel had no further purpose, so I let it go. I recently rescued a perfect mint copy out of a local brick and mortar for a buck, so let's hear it again - as the last four years have mimicked where my headspace was in the late 80s. OK - yes, this is really great throughout, with 'Twilight Zone' sounding even better than I remembered. Today they call this style Sophisti-Pop, a cousin to the Japanese Shibuya-kei. I need more of this honestly. Keeper and a half. (Oct)

*Prismatic Shapes - Through the Prism (EP). 2021 Static Blooms. Fun one here. Mrs. UMR and I were traveling in the Kansas City area a couple of weeks ago and I found brand new stock of this 4 track EP for dirt cheap. So I decided to play one of the copies. Not bad at all. The group moniker, title, and cover do not indicate that this is pure retro early 80s danceable new wave music. It's more Flock of Seagulls than The Cure that's for sure. And they're from Mexico, who I don't believe had much of a synth pop tradition 40 years ago. All good fun. Vinyl is pressed as "blood red splatter on bone". OK, sounds good to me. I'm keeping one for the memories. (Oct)

Kajagoogoo - White Feathers. 1983 EMI. This was one of those "why not?" pickups. I remember enjoying 'Too Shy' in the past, something that was generally far from my normal listening fare while in college. Overall I found this one a fun listen, but not a lot of depth for repeated listening. That wasn't its intent - more to get people on the dancefloor. Borderline novelty act here. (Jul)

Crowded House. 1986 Capitol. Also with the R.E.M. (Mar). Australian group who had a big hit with 'Don't Dream It's Over' something I even recognized from back in the day. It's a good song, and happens to be the only thing decent on Side 1. I also like B2 and B5 and that's about it. Straddles the line between the kind of early 80s new wave I enjoy and the rather bland and straightforward late 80s alt rock that I don't care for. More of the latter too. Average rating from me. 

Peter Gabriel - So. 1986 Geffen. With the R.E.M. (Mar). In recent times I've shared my thoughts about Peter Gabriel's solo albums. The first three ended up being a disappointment, in some cases being worse than I remember. Then the 4th (aka Security) resulted in a +2 listen, some of that no doubt attributed to the nostalgic factor. And now we get to the successor So. And I fear to say that my original grade of "good" remains. It's very well executed and polished. Gabriel's ability to tap into the mid 80s mindset is brilliant, and the music defines the 1986 era. As noted many times before, I was detached from my peer group by then, and the nostalgia for this time and place is not very strong, like it would have been for 1983. This wasn't an album I heard in full until 2015, so all my views on it are purely retrospective.

R.E.M. - Document. 1987 I.R.S. Estate sale find (Mar). I'm trying to force myself to listen to these 80s albums through and through. Honestly I don't like R.E.M. Never heard much from them that I even recognize much less care about. There is some synchronicity happening in that this is the first LP I've found from them in the wilds and I was in Athens, Georgia a little over two weeks ago. And would you believe I saw them live once, with Sonic Youth opening? I preferred the opening band naturally, but R.E.M. weren't bad. That was back in May of 1995 and I had not long before started a new job in Denver. This was the start of many company/partner-driven events I would be fortunate enough to go to over the years. As for this LP, yea I don't really care for it much at all. OK, I recognize two songs 'The One I Love' (just looked at the set list and they didn't even play it!) and 'It's the End of the World as We Know It' which they completed their encore with. If you hang in there with Document the last track 'Oddfellows Local 151' is quite good. But mostly this is average at best. 

* - Keeping for the collection

Window - The Empyreal Ballet. 1978 USA-California

Another CDRWL item that I recently scored an original LP of. My notes from 12 years ago stated: Window were a San Francisco / Bay Area based group, and they released this one very good progressive rock album. Honestly, I was certain I was going to find out the band were from Illinois or Missouri, because it does have that Midwest progressive rock sound, especially apparent in the vocal sections. The mix of complex progressive rock, piano jazz-rock, and AOR FM radio ambition only cements the comparison. Excellent electric / acoustic guitar work, flute, tuned percussion, with a horn section and complex rhythms is what you'll find on Empyreal Ballet.

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Last night's listen almost resulted in a +1 as it's really an exceptionally great album. Side 1 in particular is strong. I'm not sure how I managed to get through that first review without mentioning Gentle Giant as that's the most obvious influence here. Fireballet also comes to mind, in both sound and overall aesthetic. I've seen some folks go out of their way to poo-poo this release, but don't pay attention to them. For whatever reason the mere mention of horns along with melodic songwriting sends them into a rage they cannot seem to control. This is an album for hardcore prog fans. For us alone.

Ownership: LP: 1978 Cottage. Single sleeve with lyric inner bag. Recent online acquisition (2023). Not cheap by any means but I got a fair deal. 

The album remains without any kind of reissue as of 11/28/24

9/10/11 (first listen / review); 10/20/23 (update / new entry)

Bob Seger System - Ramblin' Gamblin' Man. 1969 USA-Michigan

Almost precisely two years ago I wrote the following after finding the CD in a thrift shop: "I know pretty much zilch about early Bob Seger. His later Silver Bullet albums were (and are) ubiquitous in America's radio and music culture. They now call it "Heartland" music, which is a cousin of my own Midwest reference when talking about hard rock, AOR, and prog acts from the region. Except Seger's music is based in country and blues. But this album is definitely different, as any review will indicate. Actually the title track does foreshadow his later work, as does a couple of other songs on Side 1. It's Side 2 that is fascinating starting with 'White Wall' and ending with 'Doctor Fine'. A mix of trippy and hard psychedelia, which matches the cover (an awesome one at that). Not going to hold onto this (surprisingly scarce on CD), but probably would keep the LP if I ever see it."

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So that premise was put to the test last night. As you can probably tell since I'm featuring it, the LP did take it to another level. A second listen helped as well and resulted in a +1. With a title like Ramblin' Gamblin' Man and a cover of a holy pretty blonde pledging allegiance, one could be forgiven thinking this might be a country album (though the day-glo blue on a glacier plate would be unique in that space). One look at the back cover will dispel that notion however. If it were all like the first side, the album wouldn't make the cut. The title track is OK and A3 is annoying. A2 and A4 are the highlights. Side 2 is where the money tracks are. In fact, other than the closer, this side could be considered a 60s psychedelic classic. '2+2 = ?' is exactly what collectors around the world are paying top dollar for in the 45 market. This is not the Bob Seger you know. As one RYM reviewer hilariously notes: "The psychedelic skeleton in Bob Seger's closet."

Ownership: LP: 1980 Capitol. Single sleeve. Love both sides of the cover. Finding this in the wilds has proven to be tough but I scored this one dirt cheap (minty too) at the Denver Record show last week (2023). This would be the last vinyl pressing before the modern era.

10/22/21 (CD 2.11); 10/20/23 (new entry)

Edgar Froese - Stuntman. 1979 Germany

Stuntman is a relatively conservative effort from Froese at a time when he was at the peak of his creativity. Mostly a synthesizer-only based work with some guitar solos to spruce it up. Gone is drummer Klaus Kruger, so the sound is sparse compared to the albums that surround it. From a melody perspective one can hear his style at the time, and elements of Force Majeure and Tangram are apparent. Overall it remains an excellent work, though it could be considered his weakest release (including Tangerine Dream) since Atem (1973) all the way to White Eagle (1982). That's a powerful statement demonstrating just how great Edgar Froese was during this ten year period.

Ownership: LP: 1984 Virgin (UK). Single sleeve with a cool cover that makes a great counterpart to Heldon's Interface. Purchased new at Metamorphosis Records in Dallas upon release.

1984; 4/6/16; 10/19/23 (new entry)

Grobschnitt - Solar Music Live. 1978 Germany

Almost 23 years ago I wrote the following for Gnosis (slightly edited): "Solar Music Live is the follow-up album to Rockpommel's Land which gives the listener a glimpse into their ever-evolving and creative live show. This is about Grobschnitt living up to its potential and doing what they do best. Taking album #2 of Ballermann as its base, this live effort adds a whole new energy to the original recording. One of the strongest recordings of its kind - the listener will be hard pressed not to be entranced by its power. Lupo's guitar here is particularly engaging and Eroc's drumming is quite powerful."

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That may very well be the last time I'd heard this album in full, which is why the record is now making its debut into the UMR. I'll also note that the track isn't just a long jam, but does feature many changes in the progressive rock tradition. Ultimately Solar Music is Grobschnitt's signature composition.

Ownership: 1978 Brain. Gatefold. Acquired at the Austin Record show way back in 1989. I'm pretty sure I got this from Rich at Rockadelic.

10/7/89; 1/17/01 (Gnosis); 10/18/23 (new entry)

2023 Prog Journal Vol. 1 - Complete

*FM - Surveillance. 1979 Passport (Canada). Nice original pressing picked up with Black Noise from Dr. Boom here in town (Oct). Musically it's very much the sound of the aforementioned Black Noise combined with City of Fear. Each album takes baby steps to more commercial realms, but they're proggers at heart, keeping the music interesting throughout. I've become a late-in-life fan of FM.

*FM - Black Noise. 1978 Visa. Got this one for a song from Dr. Boom here in town (Oct). Black Noise is an excellent example of proggy AOR music with fat sounding synthesizers, violin, and a strong rhythm section (Cameron Hawkins performs double duty on bass). Fits well in that unique Canadian niche of groups such as Saga, Dillinger, Klaatu, Avalon, etc... A couple of years ago I was pleasantly surprised by City of Fear, and so goes Black Noise. 

French TV - 10: I Forgive You For All My Unhappiness. 2010 Pretentious Dinosaur (CD). Collection revisit (Sep). My opinion of this album is pretty similar to Panzerpappa's Astromalist. I can appreciate the structure of notes and arrangement of instrumentation. But I don't necessarily "get into it". I went too far with French TV's catalog, continuing to buy without giving it much thought. They start to run together after awhile. I think they peaked during the 2000s and I probably should have stood pat at that point. 

Trace - Birds. 1996 Musea (CD) (1975). Collection revisit (Sep). This is just the kind of album that isn't making the cut for the collection. It's perfectly fine and fits the progressive rock idiom to a tee. Very much influenced by ELP's prime works, you get a pitch perfect classically influenced keyboard prog trio. I have plenty of that already and with no real nostalgia regarding this band (in fact, I avoided them in my initial foray during the middle 80s and early 90s, not sure why though) - this one can go. 

Opus Avantra - Lord Cromwell Plays Suite for Seven Vices. 1988 Suono (Japan) (1975). Collection revisit (Aug). A hodge podge of classical, experimental, and rock. Generally that's a winning combination with Italian groups, but this album seems aimless. It's not a bad listen, far from it, but nothing really sticks out. I've owned this album in one form or fashion for over 30 years, and it's not something I ever remember or can't wait to hear. 

Panzerpappa - Astromalist. 2012 Rune Grammofon (CD). Collection revisit (Aug). Over four months ago I wrote about the demise of Koralrevens Klagesang in my collection and further stated: "I sold Farlig Vandring a few years ago. That leaves Astromalist whose judgement day awaits." And here we are on said judgement day. Track 1) demonstrates more of a Canterbury element than prior (or at least as I recall, despite Richard Sinclair being on its predecessor). 2) is on more familiar terrain. Ticks a lot of the avant prog boxes with diverse chamber music instrumentation, tightly composed charts, quirky melodies. Like Miriodor or Samla Mammas Manna. 3) rocks out, but in a sophisticated manner, recalling French TV when in that mode. Mellotron sounds are apparent in various places, though probably sampled. And so it goes, mostly similar to track 2. It's hard to root against Panzerpappa. They know their audience and they're playing directly at them. In the same way a retro prog band would target me, Panzerpappa does similar for the avant prog world. The issue I have with this album is the same I have with many of its ilk: My mind enjoys it, but I don't feel it. You kind of wish a funk band like Faze-O would have walked in for a couple of jams. My other standby rationalization is that I have enough music like this, so I don't need more. Though if I say it too much, I'll run out altogether. lol. I think Astromalist is a very good album, but yea, I don't need to keep it. It doesn't excite me. This closes out Panzerpappa for my collection. They continued on for another two albums, which I'd certainly be willing to hear if given the opportunity. 

*Lucifer's Friend -  Where the Groupies Killed the Blues. 1975 Passport (1972). Way late US issue of Lucifer's Friend's second album, Passport acquires Billingsgate and subsequently gives up on the German market. They also radically reworked the original order by placing the closing ballad as the opener, among other adjustments. That makes no sense. But whatever the case, Lucifer's Friend's sophomore effort is much different than the debut. Whereas that album is a great example of German hard rock, Where the Groupies Killed the Blues is also a very nice representation of German prog rock, with touches of the former. Neither are Krautrock in the slightest. From here they went on to classic rock, and (apparently) a bit of jazz rock, though I haven't heard Banquet yet. Strange band. And not really a good representation of the German scene of the era, though it appears American audiences appreciated them more at the time than some of the others. Acquired from Dr. Boom here in town. (Jul)

*Van der Graaf Generator - World Record. 1976 Mercury. Just acquired a stone mint original at Tiger Records this past weekend. About as loose and jammy as VDGG gets - which is to say this is still mostly charted and complex music. I really like this, more than the predecessor Still Life, though I should caveat that with the fact I haven't heard that album since the late 90s. This LP replaces the Japanese papersleeve edition which includes 2 live bonus tracks. (Jul)

Yochk'o Seffer - Delire. 1978 Mosha-Naim (1976). A very good rendition of avant prog / Zeuhl styled music. Similar to Zao, though a bit more unhinged in the jazz style, which I can appreciate more now than ever. I would have kept this even a year ago but I'll let someone else own it. (Jun)

Vangelis - Hypothesis. 1980 Affinity (Italy). Picked this up for a buck at the Austin show. I've had it before but my opinion remained unchanged on this revisit. I'll sell it again. I had a review from nearly 20 years ago and it pretty much reflects my current thoughts: "Hypothesis and The Dragon are loose jazzy rock jams from 1971 recorded prior to Vangelis' masterwork 666 with Aphrodite's Child. Vangelis treats these two recordings much in the same way as Klaus Schulze does with the Cosmic Jokers, in that he's distanced himself from them and claims they were never meant to be released to a larger audience. This argument can be further advanced by the fact that the LP's were released some seven years later. And Vangelis successfully sued to have them removed from the market. Though not in time for them to proliferate worldwide." (May)

Gryphon - Midnight Mushrumps. 1974 Transatlantic (UK). On the last day of the Austin show some dealers were essentially giving away albums. This one was $2. I can't let albums like this sit for $2 no matter my feelings about them. Been many a year since I last parted with my first copy (mid 90s). I'm not too fond of traditional English folk, even if mixed with prog rock as is the case here. Lots of recorders, krummhorns, and harmonium to frolic in the field with, and I enjoyed a +1 listen. But still not something I need to hold onto. (May)

Machiavel. 1994 Spalax (CD) (1976). Most of these weed out revisits are "fence items" that require a tough decision on whether to keep or not, but in the case of Machiavel, the latest listen resulted in a -1. It's for certain gone now. But what happened? Primarily it's the vocals. As you can probably tell by reading this blog, I'm very tolerant of vocals (outside of death metal grunting and growling). I don't mind crazy affectations, screaming, bizarre foreign adaptations, etc... But if you sing out of tune, monotone, and flat - and the music relies on you to propel it further, yea that's going to be a problem. Some bands have similar bad vocals, but when the music is 80% or more of the overall product, I can look the other way. I just talked about that on the first two Alquin albums for example. On the other hand, Machiavel's music is very good, though nothing exhilarating or head turning. Kind of a standard issue European mid 70s prog sound. Which in my book is A-OK, but not enough to save it. I have their second Jester on LP, so we'll see how that fares whenever I get to it. (May)

Tempus Fugit - Tales From a Forgotten World. 1997 PC Melody (CD). Collection revisit (Apr). Bought this when it was released and it represents the kind of international progressive rock being released during the era. Though coming from Brazil, Tempus Fugit could have been from anywhere, though they sound more French or German in approach. Their use of English is passable but not stellar, and there's a lot of music to digest. It's a very well done album, better than average for certain. It's a mix of classic big-name 70s UK prog mixed with neo tendencies, especially noted in the synth and guitar work. 

London Underground. 2000 Record Heaven (CD). Collection revisit (Jan). Italian group who goes hard for the 1970 UK psych-into-prog sound. Which on paper sounds fantastic. And this isn't a poor facsimile at all, but lacks any highs. Love the cover, really encapsulates the era perfectly.

*Stencil Forest - The Abyss. 2005 private (CD). Collection revisit (Jun 2022). Second album from Stencil Forest, some 23 years later. Though relocating from Ft. Wayne, Indiana to nearby Denver, the band hasn't changed their sound much. If you miss the proggy AOR days of 1978 to 1980, then Stencil Forest is here to remedy that. The album features eight short radio friendly songs sandwiched between two lengthy prog suites, including the 24 minute closer. As noted on the Opening Act review, I have a very good friend who is related to the band, and that group member sent me the CD back when it was released. No chance for objective analysis from me. I do really enjoy the music here, though I prefer the debut by some measure.

The return of Under the Radar Music!

Just a reminder that Under the Radar music is in full swing. I've updated and/or added 81 different band entries so far this year. I'm sitting on a list of ~336 groups that I need to check out (for real), but that will be slow going given all the other music projects I have going on at the moment. I also have stacks of CDs here that have yet to be heard. 

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It's back. I've got a renewed enthusiasm for all things new. But this time, it won't be limited by physical media. That's what this site is for! :-) If I own the LP or CD, the review will still go here and cross-posted there.

It's been 3 full years since I last updated the site. But I have added some new bands and updated a few others with a new format. More details can be found on Under the Radar Music

Mar de Robles - MdR. 2003 Chile

In the early 2000s there were a number of exciting bands coming from the southern cone of South America. One of the best of those groups was Chile's Mar de Robles. Their debut is an amalgamation of various complex progressive rock forms to make for a fascinating listen. Right from the get go, after the theme setting sound collage, Mar De Robles introduces us to a half a dozen different types of prog within the opening seconds. Imagine a cross between Bubu and a Spanish singing Deus Ex Machina. This is dense, busy, but ultimately warm music. The woodwinds of flute and sax make the difference here. The guitar is a mix of heavy psychedelic, melodic progressive, and occasional metal. Other guideposts include the indigenous sounds of Los Jaivas, the next generation of that sound as represented by Flor de Loto, and even the obscure American group Atavism of Twilight, considering the flute lead. An excellent album throughout that landed a +1 listen for me last night.

Ownership: CD: 2003 Mylodon. Jewel case release with fold out booklet. Purchased in 2005. This remains the only pressing of the album.

7//05; 10/9/23 (new entry)

Helmet of Gnats - High Street. 2010 USA-Connecticut

For Helmet of Gnats second album I wrote: "Their stock and trade is retro jazz rock/fusion, with Hammond B3 and electric guitar leading the way. Melody is front and center so this isn't a chops fest, just the way I prefer it. At times it sounds like Niacin with some spruced up psychedelic guitar leading the solo parade. That reads like a great combination to me! If your tastes in fusion run towards the early 70s side of the continuum then Timeslip will most certainly satisfy."

And that most certainly applies here too. The concept is about the band members' childhood home street. There is something special about that experience and connection with the past. I have a very good friend from my old neighborhood (lived right across the street) and we've been friends for well over 50 years. We both are blessed with excellent memory capability so we can each recreate moments going back to our earliest school days of the early 70s.

This connection comes through in the music of Helmet of Gnats. As for style, I'm reminded of what Mandrill said about their music: "We were too prog for funk, and too funk for prog". Replace funk with fusion and you could make that same argument here.

Ownership: CD: 2010 Ambient. Digipak. Sent to me by guitarist Chris Fox upon release.

2010; 9/26/23 (new entry)

Anti-Depressive Delivery - Feel. Melt. Release. Escape. 2004 Norway

On my first listen nine years ago I wrote: "To my ears, most of Anti-Depressive Delivery's debut sounds like progressive metal. I hear it more in the way the tracks are composed, with that clear post 90s vocal harmony sound, and we're never too far away from some heavy riffage. The differentiators here are the sole use of 70s analog keyboards, especially Hammond organ, but also Mini Moog and Mellotron. That's not a common recipe, and the overall mix works well. The one track that breaks from the metal standard is the 15 minute plus closer 'Bones & Money', which is a spot on classic Kansas styled number. As good as anything Livgren and the boys ever came up with. Solid album from Norway, with enough distinction to warrant investigation."

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Last night's +1 listen confirms the above. The album takes a bit to get its sea legs, but about halfway through the 70s progressive quotient begins to outshine the 90s tendencies.

Ownership: CD: 2004 The Laser's Edge. Jewel case release with lyrics and top obi/ad strip.

7/9/14 (RYM); 10/7/23 (new entry)

Flash. 1972 England

Well known band formed by Peter Banks after leaving Yes. While there are many similarities, I find the music here to be more rocking, primarily because it is indeed guitar based. I've always enjoyed Peter Banks output, and Flash's debut is no exception. I also like Colin Carter's voice which is certainly a departure from the ethereal Jon Anderson. I prefer Flash's debut to The Yes Album as I think it features stronger material. A3 and B1 are fantastic and I like the mood of the closer too. I would even argue that Flash gives Fragile a run for its money. Few will agree with me on these points, but I call 'em as I hear 'em. But of course Flash didn't have the ingredients to pop out a Close to the Edge either.

Ownership: LP: 1972 Sovereign (UK). Gatefold with the famous panties cover, which hasn't aged well with public opinion. Got this original dirt cheap online a few years ago (2017). 

CD: 2009 Esoteric. Jewel case with extensive history and one bonus track from a single. 

SP: 1972 Capitol. Small Beginnings / Mourning Haze. From a store in Denver for 50 cents (2024).

My first copy was the US Capitol press that I found at Lipps Records in Lubbock while in college (1985). I talk about this record store in the Caravan For Girls review.

1//85 (first listen); 11//10; 9/27/23 (new entry)

Kaseke - Poletus + Sonum (EP). 1983; 1981 Estonia

Kaseke were a band that straddled the line between instrumental progressive rock and jazz fusion with sparse vocals. The CD combines all of their output, though in reverse order. Personally I think the stronger - or at least more consistent - material is on the EP, so I would have started chronologically. Mostly Kaseke will remind the listener of the lighter Scandinavian progressive rock acts like early Ragnarok, Dice, Atlas, and Finnforest. The production and some of the instrumentation is Soviet style so brace yourself for that. There's some really strong songwriting on these. I'm particularly fond of B3. And the EP features flute, which adds more spice to the stew.

Ownership: CD: 2000 Boheme (Russia). Jewel case release with a nice history in English. I originally started with the Melodiya LP (1996), but sold it off once the CD came out. To no regret.

1996; 2000; 9/25/23 (new entry)