Eccentric Orbit - Creation of the Humanoids. 2014 USA-Massachusetts

10 years after their debut, Boston's Eccentric Orbit returns with another fine retro prog effort. All instrumental, the group goes through lengthy and complex tracks that never sit still too long. Great analog instrumentation such as woody bass, Mini-Moog, (faux) Mellotron, and violin make for a very pleasant listen throughout. There's no guitar but the guitar synth gives us a facsimile of the sound. About the only thing holding this back from the higher echelons is that it's not very - umm - eccentric. Rather this is a well studied release. Nothing meanders and each space has a purpose. It's not the reckless abandon of amateurs that propels the all-time greats. This is prog rock music made by prog rock fans. If I were to create a progressive rock album, it would probably come out something like this (though not near as accomplished). It's difficult to be uniquely creative this far along in the process. But if you love progressive rock from the 1970s, this is an album you're going to want to hear.

Ownership: CD: 2014 private. Colorful tri-fold digi-pak with vintage images. 

11/2/14; 9/10/23 (new entry)

Seven Impale - City of the Sun. 2014 Norway

Seven Impale's debut is a dense work recalling Van der Graaf Generator and King Crimson, with a more contemporary vocal style. A somewhat typical modern take on 70s prog rock, borderline impenetrable, but ultimately satisfying.

Ownership: LP: 2014 Karisma. Single sleeve. Limited edition of 300. Nice artwork with no other features.

5/5/22 (new entry)

Goat - Commune. 2014 Sweden

Commune is the second album from Sweden's Goat, a band I've tracked from the beginning. Like fellow countrymen Dungen, Goat is one of those bands that have inexplicably gained a relatively large following despite playing a style of music that doesn't usually garner such. There can be no doubt that Goat have tapped into the psychedelic strain that was so very prominent in the early 1970's Swedish landscape. And the country seems to have always had a predilection for mixing far away indigenous music into that unique strain. In this case for Goat, that would be the Saharan music of the Tuareg's. Apparently - unbeknownst to me - there's a subgenre that has been recently born that defines the electrified form of this music: Tishoumaren. I'm a novice on that point, but regardless, Goat has basically infused a new ingredient into an old recipe. Ignoring any cultural, spiritual, or political messaging, one can focus on the music itself. A music that is highly melodic, with tribal drumming, female chanting, and deliciously wicked fuzz guitar. The album gets stronger as it goes, and by the time we reach the summit with 'Hide From the Sun' (strange title if we're summiting, perhaps they were cave dwelling. I digress...) - you too will be having your very own spiritual moments. And for this, Goat has completely succeeded. If a title like Flasket Brinner Goes to Mali sounds enticing, then may I suggest Commune to you?

Ownership: CD: 2014 Sub Pop. Blows my mind a band like Goat would be on Sub Pop, but OK...

12/9/14; 6/27/18 (new entry)

Chickencage Experience - KamaSutra BlackBelt. 2014 Germany

Polytoxicomane Philharmonie were already an odd bunch, but their offshoot group Chickencage Experience took things to a whole new level. Their debut had me mesmerized into a trance like state, with their modern take on the female space whisperers of the early 70s Krautrock scene. For me it's one of the very best neo-Kraut albums to be heard.

So when KamaSutra BlackBelt first hit the shelves, I pounced on it like a cat with new yarn. And while it didn't have the same impact as the debut (how could it really?), I was suitably impressed, rated it a 4.0/Gnosis 11 and moved on. Strangely though, as it came up for play again, I couldn't remember a thing about it, even though it was a short 4 years ago. Hmm, strange.

Now I know why. KamaSutra BlackBelt is not really a Krautrock album at all, but rather a pure neo-psych long play. The compositions are well written, our duo of gals actually sing, and there's plenty of great retro keyboards and guitar fuzz to cuddle up with. There's a James Bond/spy flick theme throughout, so they are definitely setting the controls for the heart of the Hipster. The longer tracks are, predictably, the better ones here demonstrating some nice development within. 'Thousand Miles' and 'Still Flaky But Free' are but two great examples of this. The best is saved for last though, as they dig into their Krautrock instumental roots with the lengthy 'Whitewash'.

Of all the neo Krautrock bands coming from Germany since the 90's, my vote goes to Polytoxicomane Philharmonie / Chickencage Experience for being the most innovative - perhaps even the best representative overall. Hopefully we haven't heard the last from them.

Personal collection
CD: 2014 Nasoni

Comes in a small wallet-sized digi-pak.

Mooch - Mrs. Silbury's Delicious Mushroom Flavoured Biscuits. 2014 England

Mooch were from the second wave of UK festival psych space rock warriors - coming around as they did in the early 1990s. As such, you'll hear a combination of Soma, Mandragora, and Ship of Fools here (among others). Nice to hear this kind of relaxing, yet kinetic style of guitar/synth fronted space rock still being played in 2014. Good stuff all around.

Ownership: LP: 2014 Cosmic Eye

8/3/16 (new entry)

The Dave Gryder Band - Midnight Fever. 2014 USA-Texas

Midnight Fever is Dave Gryder's (Blood of the Sun, Storm at Sunrise, Covenant) homage to the mid 1970s American funk scene. This album is of the hard hitting variety with gritty electric guitar, grungy Hammond, Clavinet, tight horn charts, strictly analog production, and soulful vocals. Just as in the mid 70s itself, the album borders the hard rock and funk genres perfectly. My favorite tracks also dabble in the slightly earlier era of horn rock and those include 'Reflections', 'Carousel', and 'Seaside Inn'. Dave has assembled a 9 piece band here, yet another throwback to a more creative age.

Love the period details of the cover as well, including the artwork, fonts, and back cover art of a young lady in her workout gear (complete with knee high gym socks), with headsets and vinyl spinning - as the clock strikes twelve!

If any of this review strikes a chord, then you're likely to love this album as it's even better than most of the albums it attempts to emulate.

Ownership: CD: 2014 private

4/18/15 (new entry)

Ben Bell - Patchwork Cacophony. 2014 England

In general, I'm not a fan of solo albums, but when Ben Bell asked me to give a listen to his debut work Patchwork Cacophony, something told me this might be a bit different. And sure enough, I was right (at least this time...). I knew Ben from the Fusion Orchestra reformation album (technically with an appended 2 to the moniker). He seemed like such a genuinely pleasant fellow, and his positive demeanor and overall disposition were perhaps a bit closer to my own. And it was obvious, to me at least, that he had an enormous influence over Fusion Orchestra's return success (artistically speaking of course).

Basically Ben Bell plays about 40 instruments here, and that's one reason why it works so effectively. This includes the critical ingredients such as keyboards, guitars, and drums/percussion. So instead of the usual limited palette, Bell creates a myriad of sounds via both older analog, and newer digital, instruments. In this way, Bell could be considered a modern Mike Oldfield, marrying his Hergest Ridge and Amarok eras in seamless fashion. Though perhaps Bell's work is more in line with traditional symphonic progressive, than what the mercurial Oldfield would release. The only track with vocals, 'Dawn Light', has a distinct Supertramp feel - at their most progressive. Hammond organ, acoustic piano, and sampled mellotron drive the tones, and he does an admirable job with the rhythms - and especially the additional percussion. And an occasional fuzz guitar intrusion never hurt anyone (especially me!). Of course, one can always benefit from the "creative friction" and synergy of a group effort, though admittedly the stress levels are so much calmer when it's only you that you're left  arguing with...

I had to laugh when Bell stated "As a gesture to my teenage version of myself who loved reading these lists while listening to albums, trying to spot each part like a a treasure hunt checklist:". And then he listed the instrumentation in detail. Yea, well, I also liked doing that when I was 13 too. And guess what? I still like doing that as I close in on 51...

In conclusion, a highly recommended album for symphonic progressive rock fans.

Ownership: CD: 2014 Patchwork Studios

1/26/15 (new entry)

Pocket Size - Exposed Undercurrents. 2014 Sweden

Contemporary 2014 Sweden is loaded - and I mean loaded - with rock bands emulating the sounds of the early 1970s. Most are of the US/UK hard rock variety, or they go for that "turn the amps to 11" stoner pseudo-metal sound. There are fewer bands that are making a try for the true progressive rock era sound of the early 70s era. I don't mean the all-in-proggy-prog Anglagard type either, but rather the more common sound of the day coming from Sweden like November, Saga, Flasket Brinner, and Trettioariga Kriget. There's a real psychedelic element to Pocket Size's sound as well, and that can only be considered a plus to the UTR's world.

The band themselves seem to possess a confused identity. In effect, the group is the vision of guitarist Peter Pedersen. Depending on which site you are reading (including their own), you're likely to see the band listed as Pocket Size, Pocket Size Sthlm, or Pocket Size Stockholm. No matter, as what's most important is that Pedersen brings in no less than 9 participants for his creative work. So this isn't a solo work with a monolithic viewpoint - or worse - a sterile digital sound. Not even close. What you get here is exactly what you would expect from a studio effort circa 1972, complete with all the requisite analog instruments and a certain je ne sais quoi attitude. Hammond organ, saxophone, electric guitar with a multitude of effects, spacey vocals (much of it in glorious Swedish), theremin, vibraphone, and flute give one an idea of what to expect. Put that together with a planned structure and a few melodies, a handful of complicated breaks, and some solo sections. This was the way music was presented years ago, when the last thought on Earth was obtaining a radio hit or falling in line with whatever scene a band was perceived to be associated with. A knowledge of jazz, classical, blues, and early rock and roll was all that was needed - and a strange desire to actually progress from there. Give me more of this.

Ownership: LP: 2014 Mill Hill. Single sleeve. Acquired directly from Peter Pedersen (2019).

CD: 2014 MillHill. Slip case that I include with the LP.

11/21/14 (new entry)

Happy Family - Minimal Gods. 2014 Japan

It would be 17 years until we finally heard from Happy Family again. Their third album Minimal Gods sees Happy Family moving in new directions while maintaining their brand identity as it were. If you came to this album looking for a somewhat similar sound to their first two albums then... I have good news, you will not be disappointed. But as indicated, Happy Family have begun to tread new waters.  Most notably, an obvious modern math rock component has entered into their overall sound. Normally that's a term that is anathema to me, but in the capable hands of Happy Family, they are able to transcend the genre norms of clinical and cold precision, for something more alive and a sound that bursts from the speakers. Some would argue they always had a math rock type sound, and that may be true to some extent, though I personally heard more Present and even Canterbury if considering Happy Family's first album. What's most interesting to me is that Minimal Gods doesn't sound anything like the first two albums, and yet the music is entirely - and non mistakenly - Happy Family. There's a certain genius in being able to do that without alienating your fan base. Let's hope we don't have to await another generation to hear a 4th album.

Ownership: CD: 2014 Cuneiform (USA)

11/18/14 (new entry)

Zanov - Virtual Future. 2014 France

Welcome back Pierre Salkazanov (aka Zalkazanov)! If the digipak cover is any indication, it appears Zanov rediscovered his old analog keyboard toys and picked up right where he left off with In Course of Time. It's as if he walked into the basement, saw the massive equipment, and said "Hmmm... let's see if these things still work, shall we. Oh great - they do." This is old fashioned, all-fat-analog instrumental 70s sequencer based synthesizer heaven. Somewhere between Klaus Schulze's Timewind and Richard Pinhas' Iceland is the sound of Virtual Future. As if the Egg label is still with us, and we've been transported back 35 years. Even though there are a myriad of homegrown electronic artists today, it's refreshing to hear how the old masters used to do it. I can listen to this kind of elektronik musik all day.

CD: 2014 private

11/5/14 (new entry)

Hominido - Estirpe Litica. 2014 Chile

Hominido was formed from the ashes of Le Desooorden, the fine Chilean group that we've featured in the past. Hominido features the rhythm section of the prior group, along with a new guitarist, and guests on violin and trumpet (also former Le Desooorden alumni). Most importantly they've recruited a female vocalist, thus giving the band its most distinctive quality from their previous endeavor. And I appreciate that she sings in her native Spanish. Hominido follows a similar path of crafting music that is highly creative, with a strong penchant for mixing of genres - but with a modern progressive sound, most notable in the extensive use of metal guitar. Perhaps most impressive is Hominido's dedication to diversity. On "Estirpe Litica" one will encounter the sounds of India ('Shalagram Shila'); Arabia ('Simun'); instrumental jazz/metal fusion ('Eterno Retorno'); ambient tropical ('Mi  Roca Interna'); progressive rock (title track); and atmospheric lounge ('Salar'). I was less impressed by the more straight-up prog metal like 'Cabeza de Piedra', 'Insano Devenir', and 'Adoquines Queretanos'. I had secretly hoped that 'Magma' would be Zeuhl influenced, but no such luck, though it's a fine neo psychedelic track in its own right, so yet one more style emerges.

For those who enjoy high minded concept albums, Hominido states that "Estirpe Litica" is a: "Conceptual album shows, through music, the ancestral relationship of humans with stones, narrating the changes that this causes them to be used in countless everyday situations related to the construction of homes, temples, worship elements tools, defense of rivers, major roads pavement ancient, aqueducts, etc." 

Overall Hominido has carried on the Le Desooorden legacy quite well. Those looking for adventurous progressive rock music and who tend to favor genre cutting, will find much to enjoy here. Recommended.

Ownership: CD: 2014 private

9/3/14 (new entry)

Proud Peasant - Flight. 2014 USA-Texas

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

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

7/23/14 (new entry)

Node - Node 2. 2014 England

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

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

Ownership: CD: 2014 DiN

7/23/14 (new entry)

Cuprum - Brahma Višnu Šiva. 2014 Czech Republic

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

Ownership: CD: 2014 private

7/11/14 (new entry)

Fjodor - St. Anthony's Fire. 2014 Croatia

Fjodor are yet another great new discovery from Cosmic Eye. Like most on the label, Fjodor's focus is on instrumental space rock. Whereas a band like The Space Spectrum prefer to soak in the static intensity of psychedelia, Fjodor are much more kinetic. Great attention is applied to moving the instrumental jams forward, with frequent shifts in time and dynamics, so that the listen becomes a journey to another land rather than just staying home and meditating. As with most space rock bands, the guitarist gets the lion's share of the attention, and he owns up to his responsibility with an electric performance. Synthesizers also play a prominent role, and get more to do than tweet-tweet-tweet thus giving the band two strong protagonists. Meanwhile the rhythm section proves more than apt at keeping it all within the rails, and moving the proceedings forward in an exciting way. If looking for comparisons, certainly the 90s school of Hillage-era Gong (Ozric Tentacles et al) would have to be in the conversation, though Fjodor seem more willing to absorb the late 60s approach of Pink Floyd as well. It's progressive space rock, and certainly one of my personal favorite sub-genres. Let's hope they don't stop here!

Once again, I would like to reprint my friend Spyros' review (and he is part of the Cosmic Eye team, but also a fan of the genre, so this goes far beyond a hype sheet comment): "FJODOR are an instrumental progressive space rock band from Croatia influenced by balkan & oriental roots music, krautrock, fusion, electronic space rock and the Floydian progressive take on classic psychedelia. "St. Anthony's Fire" is their 3rd album and can be most likely described as a conceptual 46 minutes piece of pure instrumental progressive rock, mixed with heavy psychedelic guitar riffs and space synthesizer vibes that colour the music with that particular jam groove of the late 80s free festival bands. The album starts in a melodic contemplative mood and then bass starts to build up and the synths really swirl and float in and out of the mix till the guitar bursts in an Ozric Tentacles meets early Eloy style. From then onwards, the piece is intensified with a spaced-out energy enrichened by jazz rock twists and psychedelic guitar freak-outs.

"St. Anthony's Fire" is a heavy record, but in the way Eloy's "Floating" is heavy, or in the way Vespero's "Subkraut: U-Boats Willkommen Hier" is heavy. It's that patient, smoke-clogged, spaced out vibe, that gradually builds to a crescendo of an erupting riffy, psychedelic stomp wrapped in grunge and gristle to just climax in an intense heavy -yet precise- spacerock maelstrom. It's like floating on a tsunami; the wave that crosses the bridge and breaks the boundaries."

Ah yes, Vespero is an excellent comparison as well - another band operating between traditional progressive and space rock. 

Ownership: LP: 2014 Cosmic Eye (Greece). Single sleeve. A very nice gift from the label.

6/23/14 (first listen / review / new entry)

The Space Spectrum - The Red Eyed Queen. 2014 Germany

Another great find from our Greek friends Cosmic Eye, The Space Spectrum are amongst the new crop of instrumental German bands following in the footsteps of the 70's Kosmiche Kouriers. Like most modern bands, The Space Spectrum are more about the hypnotic experience of the overall psychedelic sound. Guitars and 70's era synthesizers provide the leads while the rhythm section keeps the steady - at times pounding - beat. This is not about jazzy improvisation, wild solos, and constant shifts in time. This is music that takes awhile to cook, turning ever so slowly over an intense fire underneath. Psychedelic to the extreme, but never unpleasant or atonal. Similar to Scotland's The Cosmic Dead, though less metronomic and more spacious. A very fine debut.

For my tastes, I would like to see the band explore more options within the context of a composition. While it makes for a great opening move, I feel the chosen style inhibits growth. Let's see where they go from here. I feel the band has enormous potential.

I would also like to paste in here our friend Spyros' comments about the album (who is a member of the Cosmic Eye team), because I found them very insightful (especially calling out the landmark year of 1989 - Ozric Tentacles, Tangle Edge, Djam Karet, etc...): "There are two major trends in space rock since 1989. First is that much of it has turned simpler and heavier, oriented towards pulsating stoner music. Second is that part of it has gotten trippier by expanding considerably the psychedelic /jam side of the genre since the 70s, though at root very little of it diverges that fundamentally from what  Hawkwind/Gong/Ash Ra Tempel  etc. were doing in the era.

SPACE SPECTRUM sit definitely in the second category. They are a relatively new band from Germany that had at their earlier stage a substantial output on Bandcamp as a one-man project behind guitarist Nico Seel. At their current stage, "The Red Eyed Queen" is their first album as a real 4-piece band and we are proud to be the label that releases this milestone to their career.

The record features SPACE SPECTRUM on a mammoth trip rock opus that spans both sides of the vinyl. By listening to the band channeling their awesome mind melting spaced out tones into a cohesive ensemble, one can’t deny the influence of the early 70s acid rock vibe. There are the obvious nods to the kraut gods, zoned in on the more jam aspects of cosmic kraut bliss and taking the music way out there into Ash Ra Temple-sque jamming blow out territory. Over a magic carpet of spacious keyboards and below the bass rumble of the spaceship, the guitar wanders in real outer cosmos, transporting us through the heavenly constellation. The result is a full-out attack on the trippier aspect of space rock, a bit brutal in his modern approach (under a creeping Cosmic Dead influence) but also very far-out, when moving to outer dimensions.

SPACE SPECTRUM took creatively the floating aspects of the 70s space rock formula and adopted it to rock styles that occurred in the 90s and onward. "The Red Eyed Queen" is a true cosmic winner and is not to be missed!"

Ownership: LP: 2014 Cosmic Eye (Greece). The album is housed in a thick single sleeve cover with an informational inner sleeve. Fantastic job as always from Cosmic Eye!

6/21/14 (new entry)

Polska Radio One - Cosmos Inside. 2014 Russia

Polska Radio One are a fantastic band from Yekaterinburg, in Central Russia, relatively not far from Kazakhstan. Though thousands of miles away, Polska Radio One clearly have their musical hearts tuned into the late 80s and early 90s UK scene - specifically the Festival Psych and Neo-Psych sounds of the era. More to the point where modern bands were emulating the cosmic psychedelic sounds of Pink Floyd and their 60s brethren, rather than the actual 60s sound itself. That is - the concentrate version! And perhaps we're all the better for the focus applied.

At the start I was reminded of Soma, then Sun Dial at their most psychedelic (Other Way Out), and onto the most trippy post festival sounds of the Ship of Fools. Wonderful echoplex'd guitar, ancient organ, phased vocals, and just a general otherworldly atmosphere that is at once disorienting and yet exhilarating.

Ownership: CD: 2014 Trail (USA)

3/15/14 (new entry)