2024 Prog Journal Vol. 3 - Complete

Sezione Frenante - Metafora di un Viaggio. 2014 Ma.Ra.Cash (CD). Collection revisit (Dec). Sezione Frenante are one of a handful of groups who performed live in the 70s before disbanding without any recorded output, only to reform in modern times and release one album or more. The returns are mixed on these bands, some having adapted better than others. Sezione Frenante sits in the middle of these type of groups. On the one hand they do have those impressive breaks that makes the genre so special. And it's prog rock all the way, no silly attempts at pop stardom. On the other, there's this nagging feeling they relied too heavily on modern instrumentation and production techniques. One starts to wonder "what could have been?" in their initial incarnation. As I immerse myself deeper into the contents, I hear a strain of neo prog that I hadn't noticed before. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing in my world. Fortunately they maintain the Italian language (and sung very well by newcomer Francesco Nardo) keeping it out of the Genesis clone discussion. Gosh, if I already didn't own shelves full of this kind of prog from Italy already, I'd keep this. But downsizing is in full force, and this one never resonated with me at any level except academically.

Hopo - Senti. 1992 Anthology (1982) (CD). Collection revisit (Nov). As noted on the Mo.Do. post, the amount of progressive rock albums coming from Italy were almost non existent from 1978 to 1986. Senti is one of the rare albums to get out, and you can tell there was no "movement" left in Italy for a group such as this to build and learn upon. The album opens with a synth pop number, pretty good for the style, but irrelevant to rest of the album. Otherwise it's classic Genesis styled prog with plenty of homestyle cookin' like PFM and the rest of them. Overall it's fairly simple and amateurish. One of those their heart was in the right place, but they weren't quite ready for prime time. The longest songs (2 and 6) are also the most interesting. Bonus tracks are essentially a live concert of the same music save one track called 'Mister Rock' which is about all you need to know there. No variations on a theme, and the recording isn't great to begin with. Overall a fine work, especially for its time in history, but Italy has so much more to offer.

*Pocket Size Sthlm - Immortality: Cleaning the Mirror Volume 2. 2018 Mill Hill (LP). Collection revisit (Nov). Pocket Size is a band that I got in on the ground floor with and dutifully documented their first two albums enthusiastically. A year after the release of this album, their 3rd, Peter Pedersen reached out to me direct to see if I was interested in purchasing the LP's since he was going to be in the USA. I said sure, and I ended up grabbing all three. The CDs of the first two are just small slip cases, so I included them with the LP's of the others. He was also going to send me the CD of this title, but he forgot I think. No big deal. In any case, my initial reaction to this album wasn't as positive as the other two, and I didn't take any notes. So now some five plus years later, let's dive in. The album was recorded live in 2016 in front of what sounds like four people. As with their other albums, this isn't a solo endeavor but rather a full band effort. An early 70s instrumental prog mixed some space rock jamming is what you can expect here. There's a touch of the jazz rock style as well. I think this may have been one too many cleaning the mirrors for me. Not getting the same vibe as I did out of the other two. Also not very Swedish, more generic in terms of region.

*Bo Hansson - Music Inspired By Watership Down. 1977 Sire (LP). Picked up for $5 at a record store in Albuquerque (Nov). This is one of those albums I'd heard back in college in the middle 80s, liked it, but never bought a copy for myself. I could say that about all of Hansson's catalog actually, only picking up Magician's Hat recently. Hansson's style of highly melodic organ based instrumental progressive rock has really aged well for me. Classic Mike Oldfield seems to be more of an influence than prior, especially considering the electric guitar presence, and that can only add points to the score. The guitar, incidentally, is provided by none other than Kebnekaise legend Kenny Hakansson. The album was released in Sweden as El-Ahrairah. 

MediaBanda - Dinero y Terminacion Nerviosa. 2007 private (2xCD). Collection revisit (Nov). MediaBanda's second effort (post Fulano) is an overwhelming 90 minute work filled to the brim with ideas. One has to admire the sheer will to produce such an opus. The music ostensibly belongs to the avant-prog genre with its quirky and densely written charts. High pitched female vocals, often wordless, point to the Cos / Northettes school of Canterbury. The music is mostly of a happy nature, and there's clearly a tilting towards jazz here (especially on 1.6), smoothing the clinical edges that avant-prog usually brings. With so much time at their disposal, MediaBanda gave into the temptation to experiment recklessly in the studio, providing plenty of uncomfortable listening moments (1.4, 2.6, parts of 1.6 and 2.1). Seems to be a typical reaction by avant-prog bands that sense they may be too uptight, and so they go too far the other way and completely relax any kind of musical standard. Better off just doing a heavy psych jam really. The only real curveball here is the final track which starts out in Eddie Van Halen mode before launching into a complex hard blues rock number, sounding more like Present than Miriodor. Overall, as I've mentioned many times prior, admiration is not the same thing as appreciation. I know academically this is a well crafted effort. Doesn't mean I necessarily want to hear it though.

*Artsruni - Cruzaid. 2002 Musea (CD). Collection revisit (Oct). Right from the first few notes I was reminded of Asia Minor, a band with roots from nearby Turkey (historically speaking, probably not a welcome comparison, but if music is the language of peace, perhaps it is). Flute and guitar lead the instrumental parade, with the former providing most of the melodies. Artsruni is the last name of the guitarist, and his style pulls away from the 70s and brings in a modern sound, including pig squeals. Perhaps to its detriment. Other guideposts here would be Solaris and, of course, Camel. Fascinating booklet that details the rise of Armenia and its ties to the Crusades and Christianity. Mostly lost, no doubt, to the pagan West audience the CD was sold to. Unfortunate.

*Anacrusa - Fuerza. Rayuela (CD) (1979). Collection revisit (Oct). An unusual conclusion from this fine Argentine band. They started their career primarily as an indigenous folk troupe and eventually emigrated to France. While there, they added more rock elements to their recipe, giving them a progressive rock and world fusion flair. Fuerza takes this concept even further and adds orchestral touches. Given their highly melodic structure to begin with, along with Spanish female vocals, the album sounds more like something Burt Bacharach or Sergio Mendes might come up with. But with odd bursts of psychedelic guitar, making the music that much more intriguing. In reflection, there really isn't a comparison for Fuerza. This uniqueness makes it a collection mainstay. I did originally own the Argentina LP of this but sold it off many years ago when the CD came out. This CD is sketchy at best, but suffices for what I need from the album at this late stage.

New Triumvirat - Pompeii. 1977 Capitol (LP). From the Rocky Mountain record show for one dollar (Oct). I remember being offered this for a couple of bucks back in college in the 80s, but instincts told me to avoid. Now it's depreciated half from that large sum, and so why not try it? And my instincts proved correct - again. The first side seems like a rewrite of ELP's Trilogy with emphasis on the lesser ideas from that album. Side 2 is better and has a couple of compositions mixing in fusion to its advantage. But they are fleeting. Then there's the awful balladry, not even close to playing to their strength. I guess I'd still say it's a good album, but I don't see any reason to go past the first triumvirate of Triumvirat albums.

Jethro Tull - Songs from the Wood. 1977 Chrysalis (LP). From the Stanley record show in Denver (Oct). Still catching up on Tull albums I missed in my past. This album has a very strong reputation, and in fact RYM rates it higher than any Tull album except Thick as a Brick and Aqualung. According to the current ratings, it's only a hair better than Stand Up and Minstrel in the Gallery. I just don't hear it. To me this is very much a folk rock album with scant evidence of the prior Tull sound. It starts out fine, but there are many stretches of pure folk rock. Which by itself doesn't mean it's not of a high quality, but it certainly moves away from my interest area.

David Cross - Testing to Destruction. 1994 Red Hot (CD). Collection revisit (Oct). This CD was one of those recommendations from Audion back in the day and I probably picked it up via their Ultima Thule mail order channel as well. Every few years it floats its way to the bottom of the stack, and I hear just enough each time to keep it. Never took any notes for no good reason other than my usual laziness. Now we're eight years on from that last save listen, let's see if things improve. Cross is an interesting character in that he's most known for his violin work with King Crimson in the early to mid 1970s. Then he mostly disappears and doesn't get his solo career going until he's in his mid 40s. One that continues to this day, even though he's about 76 years old. So for a guy who was in his middle age, Testing to Destruction showed he still had a lot of energy to burn. This isn't some low key instrumental album nor is it a pathetic play for a long forgotten radio style. It's an aggressive form of jazz fusion, not too far from those groups Michael Shrieve was playing with in the 90s, especially his collaborations with Shawn Lane. Djam Karet would be another reference. There are odd vocals here and there, only to confuse things it seems. For the era in which it was released, getting anything like this from a former "Big UK prog band" member was something to celebrate. But a clean sober listen reveals not that many great ideas, and lots of experimentation looking for a trademark sound. One he could not find here. Sure it's very good, but it's not next level. Time's up for Testing to Destruction at Casa UMR. Almost made it 30 years here though.

Attila Kollar - Musical Witchcraft. 1998 Periferic (CD). Collection revisit (Oct). As noted on UMR prior, I find Solaris one of the greatest of the 80s and early 90s progressive rock bands. And it was only last year that I revisited Musical Witchcraft II which enjoyed a +1 listen. So going into my revisit session with his solo debut, I figured this would be a perfunctory listen and up the rankings the album would go. But that wasn't the case. Much more sterile than his follow-up, and one can notice some of the pitfalls of Nostradamus showing up here as well (both were released near the same time). The compositions don't possess the usual magic (so to speak) that Kollar usually brings. Given that his second album was much more accomplished it appears he recognized the flaws here as well.

* - Keeping for the collection

Solaris - Marsbéli Krónikák. 1984 Hungary

If you ask a hardcore progressive rock fan what the worst decade of music was, "The 80s" is the automated response. And while I'll stand by that same position, a deep dive into the decade gives us another perspective. 1980 was in reality an extension of the 70s artistically speaking. 1981 to 1983 held plenty of wonderful privately released progressive rock gems primarily from France, Scandinavia, USA, and Germany. Not to mention the promise the original New Wave of British Progressive Rock once projected. And then from 1987 onward, we experienced the renaissance that continues to this day. But the real barren years did exist in the middle - 1984 to 1986 was a graveyard for traditional progressive rock. Fans of fringe areas - like avant prog - will counter that it may have been the golden age as bands like Univers Zero and Present were at their peak. And of course other genres, like heavy metal and various forms of electronic, were also experiencing new high water marks. But if you wanted 70's styled symphonic prog, well it was going to be tough sledding for sure.

I bring this point up in a Solaris review, because Marsbeli Kronikak is the gem in the rough - the very best symphonic prog album in that three year time frame. Isolated in still Communist Hungary may have played a role in that - not to mention a relatively more lenient regime in regards to the arts than other Iron Curtain countries at the time.

Recently I had reviewed Tako's second album, and talked about symphonic fusion - a genre that isn't recognized today, but was frequently referred to 25 years ago and beyond. And that's exactly where you'll find the music of Solaris. The primary difference here is the copious use of sequencer based electronics that lay the bedrock for the symphonic progressive music on top. Attila Kollar's flute is magnificent as ever,and he often drives the instantly-recognizable Solaris style melodies. Istvan Cziglan's hard edged guitar, and Robert Erdesz's fine synthesizer work round out the leads.

For us prog fans back in the mid 80's who were desperate for quality 70s styled progressive rock, Solaris was a godsend. In retrospect some 35 years later - they still are.

Ownership: LP: 1984 Start. Single sleeve.

CD: 1995 Gong. The CD has 2 bonus tracks, that sound a bit more modern than the album proper.

Solaris - Nostradamus. 1999 Hungary

For my tastes, Solaris' 1990 is one of the greatest post 70s progressive rock albums there is. There was a magic about it that captured my imagination greatly when first released, and it preceded even Anglagard in that this whole prog rock revival thing might be worth staying around for. Of course the debut Marsbeli Kronikak is table stakes for any 80s progressive rock collection. Then I saw Solaris live in Los Angeles and was mightily impressed.

It is with this background that I came into Nostradamus with. And while the great prognosticator had been played out already, who better than Solaris to elevate it to the highest level of art? For me, this was one of the most anticipated albums I can ever recall.

Hmm. It just didn't happen. I recall vividly my first impression. I was nonplussed. Not disappointed mind you, just not wowed as I expected to be. Of course it's often time nigh impossible to meet such a lofty, perhaps unrealistic, goal. My Gnosis grade in real time was a 10 (a 3.5 here). And into the collection it was filed after a couple of earnest attempts of "feeling it". And now, I finally have brought it back out from the vaults for a revisit. Here's where I'm going to tell you my tastes have changed, and I have a whole new appreciation for it right? Nope. It remains a 3.5.

The odd thing about Nostradamus is it sounds very much like Solaris. I wouldn't chalk it up to the sudden tragic death of guitarist Istvan Cziglan. Even more bizarre is that the opening 3 'Book of Prophecies' tracks are the weakest, which comes completely unexpected. There's a hollowness to the overall sound here. It's big and bright, and very much a product of the 90s. But it isn't exactly like 1990 was an analog dream. In fact quite the opposite. If it not for the brilliant flute work of Attila Kollar, the album wouldn't be as good as it even is. But his brilliant phasing, melodic disposition, and overall tone is hard to beat. At this point, he seems to be Solaris. And it comes as no surprise he later ventured on his own for two more albums that surpassed Nostradamus in quality.

I want to be clear here: This is not a bad album by any stretch. But the Solaris name is highly revered in the ashratom world. And this one came up short. Perhaps I should have predicted it. The protagonist would have. Or would have he?

Ownership: CD: 1999 Periferic. Jewel case purchased new upon release.