Oh Sees - Smote Reverser. 2018 USA-California

Up through about 1994 or 1995, I made an earnest attempt to keep up with all new progressive rock releases. Back then, new prog albums came out in a trickle from various places around the globe. And then suddenly, progressive albums were being released from all types of labels and genres, many of them unlikely sources. It became an impossible task. So I begin to focus on what I enjoyed most in the modern era, while continuing to deep dive into the 70s and early 80s. 

Oh Sees is exactly the type of band that I've missed all these years. Originally known as Thee Oh Sees, the San Francisco based group has released close to 3 dozen albums. And I'd never even heard of them. Of course they've changed their styles over the years, and based on what I've read, perhaps their earlier work would be of less interest to me.

On a side note, one of the problems with partnering with a local "hip" record store is the constant "push" for me to use my trade credit on new albums that I otherwise wouldn't consider. Why is that a problem - isn't that a good thing? Yes... and no. The exposure is great, of course I want to hear new things. But I absolutely must downsize, and there's plenty of older albums I still want to get. Remember I prefer CDs to LPs for modern music. So here's what happens: "You should check this out". 9 times out of 10, it's stoner music. I don't really like that stuff - never have. OK, there was a Kyuss stretch in the early 90s, but otherwise... And I usually get this back "You don't like anything... you just like old stuff... like you". LOL. All true, you know. But it's not that I don't like it, it's that I can't own everything under the sun. Which gets us back to the first paragraph.

But it was hard to deny Smote Reverser, as this album contains everything I like about modern progressive. It's psychedelic influenced, and the analog instrumentation is fantastic. You'd think a band that puts out as much product as Oh Sees has, wouldn't be able to bring this kind of creativity, but they certainly do here. They do a great job of laying down a complex beat followed by a jam or other progressions. In many ways I was reminded of late 90s acts such as Mushroom or Cosmic Invention. It's definitely Krautrock influenced. So yea, Can and Neu! are in this conversation. You'll also hear some Group 1850, Hawkwind, and even a little bit of Motorhead. And for another modern comparison, maybe Titan comes to mind.

It would be easy to want to explore the band's full catalog, and maybe I will. But not all at once.

Ownership: LP: 2018 Castle Face. Acquired at What's Next here in the Springs. 2 LP set cut at 45 rpm. Single sleeve cover, with colorful inners and an insert with recording details. Has a download card too. A very nice package overall. Oh, and the cover is entirely misleading. It looks like something Celtic Frost or similar would release. Not a prog like cover, that's for sure.

Forza Elettromotrice - Mutazione. 2018 Italy

Mutazione is the second full album from the band sometimes known as FEM Prog Band. This latter moniker has all kinds of conflicting connotations in English, so it's good to see the band moving towards their actual pre-acronym name. Musically speaking, the album is a bit more subdued than its predecessor, though still very much entrenched in the Italian style. New band members Alessandro Graziano and Pietro Bertoni provide two of the more distinctive sounds of Mutazione. The former brings a strong voice and occasional violin, while the latter adds trombone to the proceedings. Anytime I hear trombone mixed into Italian prog I first think of Jumbo's Vietato, and the instrument is utilized in a similar brassy way here. Primary songwriter Alberto Citterio provides some gorgeous piano lines along with the usual synthesizer kit. Highlight songs include 'Il Cielo Di Sé' and the closer 'Se C'É Una Buona Ragione'. Overall Mutazione proves to be an excellent entry for the genre.

Ownership: CD: 2018 private. Recent online acquisition. Jewel case with booklet containing Italian lyrics and member photos. There's a scanner code to retrieve the lyrics in English (maybe other languages too), but I didn't try it. 

1/24/21 (new entry)

Superfjord - All Will Be Golden. 2018 Finland

This one took awhile to penetrate. Two full listens over 2 nights - with the always illuminating craft beer by my side - yielded nothing but confusion. OK - need to take this one to the car where I'm sober-as-a-judge and hyper critical. Most albums don't survive that. This one did. On a purely superficial level, Superfjord come across as your modern progressive rock band, demonstrating more ennui than enthusiasm. Nihilism at its finest, a philosophy I abhor. But wait, there's way more here than that. Which is why I was confused - otherwise it would have found itself at Purple Peak Records faster than a cat on a chicken bone.

In the mid 1970s there was an obscure Belgian band called Womega - an LP I own and which I have written about here prior - that trail-blazed what Superfjord are doing here. Here's what I said about Womega: "In a nutshell, the album could be characterized as an all-over-the-map type release.  But - here's the interesting part - all within the confines of what normally constitutes progressive rock, rather than the usual kitchen sink mentality that represents all facets of music in general. Presented here are pomp, Canterbury, proto, symphonic, fusion, and Zappa styles." And that's what Superfjord is about. Add in post rock, space rock, and Latin fusion, and that's the sum of it.

All Will Be Golden isn't as strong as Womega, mainly because it's not as crisp and succinct. The last two tracks in particular have a great premise, but they just drag it out, verse moving it in different directions. Opener 'Cut and Paste' is the epitome song here (including the name...). Starts off in boring (very boring I might add) post rock territory with even duller vocals only to catch absolute fire about 4.5 minutes in with a brilliant guitar break, recalling Camel at their very best.

In summary, it's a frustrating listen, with some fantastic ideas. Would be great if the band could zoom in a bit more though. Seems they're not sure of their own strengths.

Former ownership: CD: 2018 Svart. Comes in a digifile sleeve.

8/6/20 (review / new entry); 4/9/24

Éléphant Tôk - Sitting with Bull. 2018 France

I'd heard about Éléphant Tôk (Elephant Tok) since they first broke onto the scene a few years ago. The reviews were mixed so I decided to take a pass. Not much has been said about the followup, and when a new copy came up for sale at a bargain price, I decided to chance it. That was a good move. Éléphant Tôk provides a unique twist on a patented formula. With the driving bass, thundering drums, and Fender Rhodes noodling, there is no question this is the music of Zeuhl. The vocals are a bit different, sometimes in chanting Kobian mode, other times a weird style of narration (and what appears to be English,  not always intelligible). I think I've even heard the word "rap" used, but I would avoid that connotation, as that's not really the spirit of the art form provided here. In any case, vocals are not predominant. Jazz rock is another element to consider here, as the music has a loose structure at times, but never wanky or out of control. The production is magnificent, and this allows the thick bass sounds to come to the fore - without a doubt a key ingredient to any Zeuhl album. In the end, one hears an interesting combination of Weidorje, Caillou, and One Shot. The latter is no accident considering former band member and drummer Daniel Jeand'heur is the driving force behind Éléphant Tôk. Worth investigating.

Ownership: CD: 2018 D3P Productions. Discogs defines the packaging as: "A gatefold folder-style mini LP sleeve with color cardboard CD sleeve in a resealable clear plastic sleeve." It's a bit unique, unlike any other CD I own.

Mantra - Próximo. 2018 Brazil

Mantra are a band from Belo Horizonte that have been kicking around for some 20+ years, and released one EP way back in 2001, one that I've never heard. Now they return with Próximo, an album that has sailed way under the radar. The music here is definitely of a retro nature, though they don't really sound like they're from the 70s. In this way they are more like the 90s progressive renaissance bands emulating the past. Also the music is of an eclectic nature, borrowing on many themes, specifically around the progressive and hard rock genres. This is by no means a "kitchen sink" album, a type of making music that I'm not very fond of. It's put together very much like the bands from 1973 would, seamlessly mixing in harder rock passages with obvious progressive rock complexities. In many ways, Mantra sound more like a 70s band from North America - except they fortunately sing in their native Portuguese. I can't think of another band from Brazil that attempted to recreate music such as this. Hopefully this is not the last we'll hear from them

Ownership: CD: 2018 private. Comes in what is known as a digifile, something like a thin mini-LP. The booklet is a nice folder poster with plenty of info.

5/11/20 (new entry)

Dave Gryder - Panacea. 2018 USA-Texas

As I've mentioned in prior reviews, Dave Gryder is an unreconstructed 1970s aficionado. All of his projects have their roots in that most crazy decade, whether it be Covenant (prog), Storm at Sunrise (proggy hard rock), Blood of the Sun (hard rock), Dave Gryder Band (jazz funk), and now just his name (jazz fusion). Panacea would also have to be considered his most obscure work to date, originally released on CD-R, and now factory pressed to CD in 2019. It appears Panacea is Gryder's homage to the 70s fusion label rosters of Inner City and CTI. It's mostly a solo effort, but given that Gryder is both a drummer and keyboardist, and that he has an arsenal of vintage keys at his disposal, it comes across more as a full band effort. In addition, there are guitar "solo" guests for 4 of the 7 tracks presented.

As with all of Gryder's projects, he has a knack for distilling the best a genre has to offer, and leaves out the chaff. And Panacea is no exception. It's mostly a high energy spirited affair, with great melodies, and complex rhythms. It's not unusual for Gryder to pepper all his recordings with copious amounts of progressive rock, and Panacea is, once again, no exception. It is the keyboards, as mentioned above, that separates Panacea from the garden variety 1976 Inner City recording. There's the usual suspects: Hammond, Rhodes, Clavinet, and Mini Moog. And then there's the differentiators: Mellotron (not a common instrument in fusion, and it's all over this recording) and something he calls Keyboard Violin. In history, there is the concept of a Viola Organista and in modern times a close proximity to Leonardo Da Vinci's design is called a Wheelharp. Or it could be a synth patch. Whatever the mechanism is, one has to agree it does a very nice job of emulating the sounds of a violin. It is one of the key melody instruments used on Panacea.

If any of this reads well to you, then the album is likely to please on many levels. If it really were released in the mid 70s, the album today would be considered a classic. Definitely recommended!

CD: 2019 private. Comes in a jewel case with a single slip card detailing the instrumentation and personnel. There's an LP release as well.

12/1/19 (first listen/review/new entry)

Zior / Monument - Before My Eyes Go Blind: The Complete Recordings. 1971; 1973; 2018 England

Zior have something of an image problem. One cannot read about this band without hearing terms like "super heavy", "Black Sabbath", and "people were afraid of us". With that sort of prelude, anything that falls short of the heaviness that Black Sabbath provides is likely to disappoint. And they do... at that level.

That's not to say that Zior doesn't rock out. In fact, they can be at times like a proto Judas Priest - perhaps like Rocka Rolla, but with more urgency just as Priest would later do themselves. If it were only that, then I'd submit Zior would be held more in high esteem today. But they had that gnawing bad habit of throwing in boogie and pub rockers - crowd pleasers as it were - though to be fair that was the expectation of the time. Bands like Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, and Deep Purple were wise to steer clear of that temptation, thus adding to their reputation today.

Grapefruit's (a sublabel of Cherry Red) 4 CD collection gives the buyer everything you could possibly want from this band - and more. The debut - with the negative image cover, and yet another try for Black Sabbath fame - is the album that disappoints the most, though it's still very good in aggregate. Every Inch a Man (there's a title that doesn't play well in these feminine times) is actually their 3rd album, and not released until 1973 (Germany only), unbeknownst to the band for many years! The music here is similar to the debut, but a bit more consistent and heavy.

Monument - the second Zior effort - is the pick of the litter here. Basically the band found themselves on hard times, and the owner of the Beacon label offered them some fast cash if they would make an album the very next day. It was an above board deal, and the band delivered as promised. Since they were under contract elsewhere, the group all took on pseudonyms plus a new band moniker. The music here places the organ more up front, and the compositions (for a lack of a better term) are less commercial and heavier on the whole.

And that was pretty much it for Zior. Until 2018, when half the band reformed for a new album. Spirit of the Gods is a weird reformation album. It's not retro, but it's certainly not modern/commercial either. The album opens with a church organ, so it would seem they were going to be earnest in their attempt to recreate the past. But not really... there's quite a bit of modern electronics here, almost ambient at times. I expected the guitars to be metal, but they avoided that temptation sticking to an early 70s hard rock tone. As a 4th disc to a box set, it's an excellent addition. On its own, one should probably take a pass.

Ownership: CD: 2019 Grapefruit. The box set itself is really great. There's a full booklet with historical liner notes, original artwork, photos, posters, the whole bit. Every Inch a Man had only been reissued prior as a "gray area" pursuit, so this is the first definitive reissue of that album. Which makes sense since the original was released under the cover of darkness as well. And though Spirit of the Gods appears to have been privately released on CD, I could not find evidence of it anywhere. But as noted above, this box set would be the best way to obtain it in any case.

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)

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 two 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 eight 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: 2018 Soleil Zeuhl (CD)

2/16/19 (review)

Lumerians - Call of the Void. 2018 USA-California

I concluded the review of the Lumerians last album The High Frontier with "While none of the songs are what one would call deep, the overall portrait remains excellent". And really, Call of the Void isn't that much different, even though five years have passed. They maintain their patented early 70s Motorik meets late 60s psychedelic style, while clearly being a product of the 2010s. As with any Lumerians album, it would be easy to state this is nothing more than superficial hipster music, and is more icing than cake. But there's some actual songwriting going on here, and Call of the Void finishes stronger than it starts, especially on the superb 'Ghost Notes', a direction I'd like to see them pursue further. Overall the album is much more than background music, though if they did decide to add more twists and turns, the results would likely be mind blowing.

I had to laugh at the opening track. That's a West Texas phrase right there. As I've mentioned in a few places, I spent my college years in Lubbock. Now Texas Tech was one of those universities Playboy would hang out at looking for beauties, as the region is well known - and deservedly so - for having an abundance of gorgeous ladies. Many from the farms and ranches nearby. So way back in 1984 or so, we were at the dorm cafeteria, enjoying the company of one such beautiful lass. Being the dorks I'm sure we were, we all had to say something (likely very stupid) to try to gain her attention. At some point we crossed the threshold (of course we did - morons). So this tall, beautiful, and classy blonde stands up, and elegantly looks at us and states very politely "Fuck All Y'All'. Boom.

Ownership: CD: 2018 Fuzz Club

11/4/18 (new entry)

Scherzoo - Scherzoo 04. 2018 France

When it was announced that Scherzoo 04 was to be a departure from their recent avant prog past, and rather more toward a traditional Canterbury sound, I pounced on the new album first chance. With a quartet that consists of two musicians focused solely on electric piano, organ, and mellotron, I had envisioned a Soft Machine II meets 'Nine Feet Underground' Caravan meets In The Court of the Crimson King. Fuzz organ, gymnastic meters, and lush mellotron. Bzzt. Nope. OK, time to get another beer and try this again...

So what do we have here then? Is it Canterbury at all? Yes, yes it is. The electric piano is the dominant instrument (both keyboardists are credited with it as primary), and the organ plays a key role in the melody lines. Mellotron is definitely relegated to cameo status. The music is quite pleasant, with excellent songwriting, and fine melodies. Most of the tones are played straight, so there's no raucous fuzz solos, or crazy time changes, though it's far from static. Every track is excellent in its own right, though there are no standouts either. It does take a couple of listens to penetrate through, so it takes patience to appreciate for certain. Something akin to Gilgamesh, but more exciting than that may imply.

Scherzoo - and band leader Francois Thollot - are tough to figure out. Thollot has a history that includes Heldon like fierce guitar/electronics, Zeuhl, avant prog, and now Canterbury. Would be most interesting to hear a combination of all the above. And I'm more than fine leaving the squonking sax of album #2 out of the picture, as they have done here.

Ownership: CD: 2018 Soleil Zeuhl

10/26/18 (new entry)

Blå Lotus - Tube Alloys. 2018 Sweden

Blå Lotus are a new trio from Sweden who play music in a decidedly retro prog style. There are no guitars, so it's the Hammond organ that does all the heavy lifting. Blå Lotus have successfully tapped into the 1970 UK mindset that produced bands like Atomic Rooster, Aardvark, and of course first album ELP. I also detect a distinct Swedish take on the sound ala Bo Hansson or even the debut by Solar Plexus. If looking for modern references, probably Italy's Areknames comes the closest. I quite like the progressions here, and as such hear unique sounds within a familiar context. This contains some of the best old school organ based prog I've heard in years.

The full album is available on Bandcamp as I write this. I suspect it's a bit lo-fi compared to the official release. The band has been signed to Melodic Revolution Records (USA), but no word of them releasing this on CD. The vinyl - as mentioned in a few places - actually didn't get released as the band couldn't raise enough money via crowd-funding to support. Better they release it on CD anyway...

Of Petra - So Onto Itself. 2018 England

Of Petra is currently an unsigned band from London, England and So Onto Itself is their second album. The band themselves list Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock as influences, so its something of the "usual suspects". However, as is usually the case, a band like Of Petra finds their own voice within these parameters. The music is instrumental, slight jazzy - even funky - but with a strong psychedelic streak. This is most notable with guitarist Cyril Meleiro's decidedly acidic tone. I feel he does a fantastic job throughout the album, giving it the rough-hewn sound the band needs. There's a distinct UK festival styled neo psych here, though not near as slick and synthesized as say Ozric Tentacles, but more toward some rundown club in East London. The heavy use of samples recalls the 90s UK group Ship of Fools. The instrumental psychedelic nature of the music also points me to fellow countrymen Lunar Dunes. Of the big name artists the band lists, I would say Led Zeppelin is the least influential, and Pink Floyd and early 70s Miles (minus the trumpet of course) is the most.

Bandcamp

10/18/18 (new entry)