Marillion ~ England

Radiation (1998)

At the bottom of this post, for the Brave album, I wrote: "I suspect later albums are going to be even of lesser interest to me, but I'll buy them as I find them in the wilds and report back."

And I have done just that, finding quite a bit of Marillion in the wilds for pennies. Some are live albums, so I just jettisoned them to the sale pile. As I write this, along with Radiation, I have three other studio titles found in the last year. When I get to them, I will report here my findings, though I suspect I won't have too much to offer for fans or curiosity seekers.

Because, as I predicted on Brave, I don't think these albums are going to do very much for me. Radiation is about as far away from my interest level as can possibly be, at least sporting a prog rock lens. It's more of an indie rock album, with some 70s classic art rock sounds. Mostly mellow and a bit of a slog to get through. Never really understood how my prog rock brethren managed to land on the sound that Marillion and others were peddling during this era. I was plugged into a different lamp it seems.

Apparently the 2013 remaster brings about a much better end product. I seriously doubt I would be swayed all that much, but who knows.

Source: 2001 Sanctuary UK (CD)

10/30/25 (review)

Fugazi (1984)

Going back to 1983: It had taken me a few listens to get into, but Script for a Jester's Tear ultimately won me over. So I was quite excited to obtain Fugazi as soon as it was released to the marketplace. I had yet to hear IQ and other bands coming from the neo prog camp - or what was starting to be referred to as the New Wave of British Progressive Rock. Therefore Marillion was my gateway drug into contemporary progressive rock. As their music went, so did my interest in it.

The opener 'Assassing' is an exhilarating piece, and had me thinking real time that this was going to be an album for the ages. But it quickly dropped off from there - at least in terms of energy level. It was something of a head fake - a distinctive turn to hard rock. Which in retrospect many of the neo prog bands were quite adept at. Ultimately I didn't even hold onto Fugazi, thinking it second rate prog for newbies, falling into that 90s crowd that turned their collective noses up at such twaddle. It wasn't until 2005 that I decided a revisit was in order. OK - now I get it.

Fugazi is a progressive rock album. There's a revelation, eh? Why I didn't have the patience for it initially is rather perplexing considering all the 70s albums I'd absorbed by then. Most of them not exactly easy listening. Perhaps because Marillion were a contemporary group - and they did after all start the album off guns-a-blazing - I guess I just wanted more of that. Rather Fugazi has all the trademarks of the neo prog genre with digital instrumentation, complex yet accessible compositions, and a Gabriel-esque vocal delivery. The reality is Marillion were a foundational group of the movement versus a follower. Major label exposure and subsequent sales totals only pushed the new genre into the limelight for the masses. It wasn't to last but the middle 80s held much promise, thanks to the efforts of Fish & Co.

For 2023, it brings in the whole 80s nostalgic pull. Of course I conveniently filter what I want from it, and I'm completely dishonest with myself on what the 80s reality truly was for me. Nothing beats rose colored glasses. You oughta buy a pair of 'em. +1 listen.

Ownership: 

1984 EMI UK (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2011.

1984 Capitol (MC). Acquired in 2026.

First copy: 1984 Capitol (LP). Acquired in 1984.

1984; 12//05; 4/23/23 (review)

Misplaced Childhood (1985)

I bought this new on LP (US version) when it first came out, as I was still quite the fan of Marillion. Real time, Script for a Jester's Tear had won me over on repeated attempts, and Fugazi on a lesser scale, so Misplaced Childhood was under evaluation from the beginning. I liked it - just enough. But ultimately it found itself on the sale pile with so many records of its ilk back in the 90s. Now for the last three years, I figured this might be an easy find on LP to try again, but no such luck. I have found it, but the dealers wanted too much, and I wasn't certain I would enjoy it, so I passed. When this CD showed up a thrift shop, I had to pull the trigger. And I'm happy to say that - perhaps no surprise - I'm getting more out of this now. Of course it's Neo Prog 101, and is just as much AOR music as it is Genesis-like prog. Whereas the latter was all I wanted back then - and certainly wouldn't complain today if it really was that way - my tolerance levels for 80s arena rock has gone up substantially. There's the combo of well written tunes and time-of-life remembrance. This is a CD that will likely be replaced with an LP, as that's where the nostalgia lies. And the UK originals are a gatefold versus the single sleeve American version. I think I'll splurge for that. We'll see (and that day arrived, locally at a record store no less, some five months later.)

Ownership: 

1985 EMI UK (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2022.

First copy: 1985 Capitol (LP). Acquired in 1985.

1985; 3/26/22 (review)

Brave (1994)

In a parallel universe, I could see myself having stuck with Marillion and been a loyal fan to this day. In the life I chose, I remained loyal to IQ instead. There were a lot of parallels between the two bands from their beginning neo prog roots to their ultimate embracing of pop rock. Of course Marillion were far more popular with the general public, so it was much harder for them to retrace their steps. Steps that IQ proudly went back on and never lost their way again. Because I ultimately dropped Marillion at the time after Misplaced Childhood, I never heard another one of their albums, only adding Clutching at Straws many years after the fact. And with Marillion what that basically means is that I have no foundation whatsoever with the "Hogarth era". Even Fish will tell you that Hogarth has done an extraordinary job with the band, and it made no sense for him to return. To be honest, this album was much better than I thought it was going to be. It's not really my kind of progressive rock, definitely forged into the 90s model of mixing in commercial sounding pop and alt rock. But there was far more 80s neo prog in here than I thought there would be. Especially in the former half of the album. I almost kept it anyway. But I have no nostalgia here as I do for other bands of the era. And that's what would have been needed for me to continue on. I suspect later albums are going to be even of lesser interest to me, but I'll buy them as I find them in the wilds and report back.

Source: 1994 IRS (CD)

3/30/22 (review)

Also own: Market Square Heroes (EP); Script for a Jester's Tear; Clutching at Straws; Afraid of Sunlight; This Strange Engine; Sounds That Can't Be Made.

3/26/22 (new entry)

Dark Angel ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Time Does Not Heal (1991)

Dark Angel were one of many metal bands I missed real time. Not sure why I didn't pick this album up at least, given that this was the one branch of metal I was still buying back then. That of technical thrash. About 15 years later, I picked up this used CD (very used it turns out, and can't even remember why I bothered to get it). My initial reaction wasn't positive, where I wrote the following notes: "An exhausting and messy thrash album with a bazillion riffs." Another decade after that, the album clicked with me in a big way. And here we are again, yet another decade on. I cannot even imagine how the vocalist could remember all the lyrics on Time Does Not Heal, they are so numerous. Genius level I would submit, though the trade off is he doesn't really sing, but rather recites in a monotonous way. He sings just as much as both guitarists fly through riff after riff. The album is famous for just that as it proclaimed rather boldly there are 246 riffs here. Is that some kind of record? Maybe, I have no idea. My initial cynical reaction was "246 riffs, and not one melody." That's true actually, which doesn't take away from my enjoyment here. It's also not very progressive really, more of a constant change of the riff, not the music or meters. Technical thrash is such a pleasure to hear when in the right mood. Especially if the production and guitar crunch is excellent, as it is here. You'd think something like Time Does Not Heal would be difficult to endure for 67 minutes. But it's not really - it flows rather nicely. And it never - I mean never - stops moving all over the place. I do think, though, taking one or two songs in a session will produce better results. These guys were insanely talented. Especially drummer Gene Hogland, who is considered an A-lister, and has participated with many collectives, just as in the jazz world. Interesting to note, despite the huge cult following the band has, this album is not considered one of their good ones even by their dedicated fans. And this was to be it for Dark Angel, until interestingly enough, last month (who knew?). Their new album has been met with serious derision. The opposite of another 80s / early 90s legend that recently reformed and I will be talking about (excitedly I hope) within the next month.

Ownership: 1991 Combat (CD). The microscopic lyrics take four pages of the foldout booklet.

5//05 (acquired); 5/22/16; 10/27/25 (review)

At one point I owned the two albums that preceded Time Does Not Heal. These are different in style and I didn't care for them. But I'm up for a revisit if and when I find them again.

10/27/25 (new entry)

Crosswind ~ Japan

Crosswind (1978)

Starting with an obvious funk groove, Crosswind quickly shifts into a kinetic fiery fusion with the guitar way out front. He plays in a highly melodic fashion, making these songs much better because of it. Space Circus at the time of Fantastic Arrival is a probably a good place to put your mind before setting this on the turntable. Return to Forever and Santana would appear to be references for the talented band. I'm sure Billy Cobham as well given their moniker. Keyboards are provided by a female, an unusual twist to the usual all-male groups of the genre. She brings more of an atmospheric approach rather than the chops heavy style of the guitarist. Considering the melodic approach to jazz rock, Crosswind could be considered a precursor to Kenso, minus the flute. A splendid album, and a must for fans of Japanese jazz fusion.

Ownership: 1978 Elbon (LP). With insert in Japanese.

3/14/16; 5/26/17 (acquired); 10/27/25 (review)

Crosswind would release three more studio albums and two archival live albums. I have not heard any of them, but wouldn't pass up an opportunity to do so.

10/27/25 (new entry)

2025 Prog Journal

Transatlantic - SMPTe. 2000 InsideOut (CD). Transatlantic were one of those prog supergroups that were quite popular in the late 90s and throughout the 2000 decade. This was their debut and they still get together on occasion and release new material.  I never bothered with any of these acts real time, so the thrift shop is coming in real handy to see what I missed. This collective brings key players from Dream Theater, Marillion, Spock's Beard, and The Flower Kings / Kaipa. So the band moniker is accurate. Not surprisingly the album opens up with a six part, 31 minute opus. They were absolutely going for prog street cred here. Opening impressions is that one hears retro prog, especially classic Yes, mixed in with the modern variation of said sound. Spock's Beard and The Flower Kings do seem to be the leading lights if looking for quick comparisons. Instrumentally the music is fantastic. Some of the vocals sections drag, especially when in chorus mode. The latter being the Neil Morse annoyance contribution. It would be easy to be cynical about such a release, especially coming from a hardcore underground perspective. But that's not fair at all, as these guys put together a very fine, professional release. One that clearly was carefully composed, rehearsed, and recorded. That doesn't mean this album is for me, however. There's something very contrived about it, and lacks that emotional and creative spark we get from the amateurs. But for those who are into "names", you really can't go wrong here. (10/23)

Family - Anyway. 1971 United Artists (LP). The story goes that Family weren't satisfied with their last studio album - failing to capture the band at their finest (a familiar argument). So for Anyway they split the album as half live and half studio even though it's all new material. The live side isn't recorded very well so that doesn't help. The other issue here is the tracks sort of fly by without notice. There's really not much that stands out - whether it's a memorable tune or a mind bending instrumental passage. I'm sticking Anyway in the prog section as I'm not really sure where else to put them. Maybe classic rock would have been better, though that's not their reputation. On the plus side, this album did reignite my interest in the band. I do have a couple of their albums already on CD, and now I picked up one of their recognized classics on LP. A feature may be coming soon (nope) (6/16).

*Steve Hackett - Clocks. 1979 Charisma (EP). The title track, coming from Spectral Mornings, is a super version featuring Novatron. You'll recognize many of the Genesis themes on 'Acoustic Set' utilizing only acoustic guitar and flute, and which seemingly has as much applause as music. 'Tigermoth' also comes from Spectral Mornings and is another fantastic rendition with heavy Moog, flute, and electric guitar. The last hurrah for Genesis and prog music. Have to keep this. Oh great - EP's as large as LPs and looking to downsize. (2/2)

Discus - ...Tot Licht! 2003 Gohan (CD). Collection revisit. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you combined prog metal, avant prog, and 80s Japanese symphonic prog with female vocals? Yea, I hadn't really given that one much thought either. But if I did, Discus' second album would be the answer. Discus demonstrates a complete lack of focus and decides to give you as much progressive rock ideas as they can come up with on the fly. Genre hopping within the prog world was somewhat popular in the 2000s, and Indonesia's Discus were one of the leading lights, obscure as they may have been (though they did play live in North Carolina). Interesting that they also appear to be very religious, both Christian and Muslim together. In any case, a fascinating listen, but I don't feel albums like this. A familiar theme: Appreciation doesn't always translate to excitement. This version has a six minute bonus track. (1/6)

* - keeping for the collection

2025 Funk / Soul Journal

Willie Hutch - The Mack. 1982 Motown (LP) (1973). Famous blaxploitation flick, that is considered one of the best in the genre (I haven't seen it). The music follows course, as it's mostly heavy soul funk in the Isaac Hayes / Curtis Mayfield tradition. The sound is awesome, with funky wah wah guitar, tight horn charts, bright production, and some crooning from Hutch. Back when ghetto life was depicted as charming and almost laughable. Having lived through it myself in the late 70s and early 80s - being school bussed to the Projects, not to mention working in the industrial districts of the ghetto - I can tell you it was anything but charming. I only wish I'd appreciated the music I was subjugated to at the time. I do now at least. Which gets us back to The Mack's soundtrack. Good title, but not exceptional like Shaft or Superfly. Going to let it sell, which it should do quickly. (9/4)

Strictly Taboo - Playing with Fire. 1991 private (MC). One of many obscure cassettes I've picked up in the last few years. This came from a thrift shop in Albuquerque, which is where Strictly Taboo are from. Side 1 is mostly blues rock with light funk and smooth jazz touches. Female vocals are provided by Hillary Smith and she has a great voice. The guitarist is Steven Katz who seems to be the leader. He has a nice tone and recalls Stevie Ray Vaughan in his style. Rick Allen's sax is where the smooth jazz comes in. Side 2 is mellower with more of a jazz and sophisti-pop influence, and one can hear some Sade here given Smith's vocal approach. No documentation of this existing on tape as I write this, though the CD can be found in Discogs (sold out). I found the album online, and both Katz and Smith have pages out there. RYM: 3.0 (7/29)

The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup. 1968 Uni (LP). Found this curiosity at an estate sale recently. I was unfamiliar with the band, so why not try it? The Foundations were a UK group, and on Build Me Up Buttercup, they essentially play a type of soul rock. Not really psych, and certainly not funk. A little bit like The 5th Dimension but lacking in memorable hooks. Organ is the primary instrument with a smattering of horns. The songs become increasingly annoying, perhaps because I wanted them to develop in some form or fashion. But they never do and eventually the rating begins to slip. (7/18)

*Fela Kuti - Beasts of No Nation. 1989 Shanachie (MC). Now here's an artist I'd long forgotten about. Finding this tape at a thrift shop was also quite the surprise. And adding even further to the confusion (to use a Kuti title) is the album was released on Shanachie here in the States. A label I associate with Irish folk music like Planxty and The Chieftains. And well, one more crazy part of the puzzle: There are two different distinct releases of Beasts of No Nation. This one has two tracks. The other has the title track spread across both sides, one vocal, the other instrumental. It is the latter that was reissued by Knitting Factory to modern audiences. Back to Fela Kuti. I bought one of his 2-on-1 CDs at the height of his posthumous fame in the late 90s / early 2000s. While I enjoyed it, I did decide to move it out. And I was reminded why on Beasts of No Nation. As the cover suggests, Kuti was a radical political figure, already having been jailed by this time. And he was not to be silenced. The tracks set a deep funk groove (Afrobeat) with plenty of excellent tight horn charts. And then Kuti goes on his rant. Whether everything he sings is the gospel truth or the psychotic ramblings of a lunatic, one has to endure the duration as he goes on about it forever and a day. Still, those grooves. And to find this at a thrift shop. Way too cool. (6/26).

Sun - Sun-Power. 1977 Capitol (LP). When the album opened with rhythm guitar and tight horn charts, I thought I may have found my new favorite group. Especially given we have a full ten piece band here. But it quicky devolved into the typical funky soul disco of the day. Nothing really resonated with me. Sun-Power is the sophomore release from Dayton, Ohio based Sun. I was previously unfamiliar with them, but they had a nice seven album run on Capitol, no small feat. Later they added one more on the fledgling local Air City Records that also featured another Dayton area has-been: the Ohio Players. I'm up for hearing any and all, and will keep my eyes peeled, especially since many carry some value. (5/25)

Harvey Mason - Marching in the Street. 1975 Arista (LP). Mason is bumping against the perimeter of the type of music I really enjoy and keep. But the funk is too slick and friendly. I prefer a more raw sound. Mason's solo debut is better than Funk in a Mason Jar, but falls a few feet short of making the next round. (5/12)

Harvey Mason - Funk in a Mason Jar. 1977 Arista (LP). Clever title though a bit inaccurate. Light on funk and heavier on disco and smooth soul. It's not until A3 that my ears perk up. Guitarist Ray Parker brings out his inner Ernie Isley and Eddie Hazel. The album is filled with guests and this would be his sole cameo. Side 2 is better. The first two tracks have a nice smooth groove and B3 sounds more like the complex fusion of Return to Forever. Nice album but not an uncommon sound for 1977. (5/10)

Lifestyle - Katrina / Love Can Make You Cry. 1977 MCA (SP). Recently found two of these at a local thrift shop. 'Katrina' is a nice disco song with a sweet melody. The B) side is whiny soul and far away from my boundary. Got to let them both go. (2/15)

The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Freaky Styley. 1985 EMI Manhattan (MC). In the late 80s, when first hearing The Red Hot Chili Peppers, I thought they might be a band I could get into. It's still possible I might, but this is an earlier work and not considered a good one by fans of the band. It's as much rap as it is funk rock. But even the latter is lacking the groove and gravitas to pull it off. Sounds like a bunch of white junkies to me. (1/30)

* - Keeping for the collection

2025 Fusion / Jazz Journal Vol. 2

*Frank Zappa - Waka / Jawaka. 1995 Rykodisc (CD) (1972). I've debated putting up a page for Frank Zappa, but I don't think I can do the guy any justice. Everything I have to say about him, I've already documented in another journal entry for the Grand Wazoo album. As his albums roll in here, I think I'll just put them in the journals. Maybe if I compile enough of them, and have something unique to offer, I'll consolidate. In any case, Waka / Jawaka represents one of my favorite albums from Zappa. His first truly jazz rock album, 'Big Swifty' starts the opus off with a bang and never lets up. Though Zappa always had the chops of a jazz player, it's here that the music reflects this the most. It plays more like a Miles Davis album from the same era. My pick is the title track, as Zappa also had a knack for writing wonderful melodies. Of course, this being Zappa, he had to throw in a couple of goofball tracks to prove (endlessly it appears) that he was not a serious fellow all the time. Yea, we got that Frank. Would have been nice for him to show up like a professional jazz rock musician for 40 minutes just once. Oh well. I'll take the 29 and toss the 7. Strangely I have yet to find this on vinyl. When I do, I'll swap out this rather mundane CD reissue that I've owned for many years. (10/20)

*John Coltrane - A Love Supreme. 1996 Impulse (CD) (1965). About every ten years I pull this CD out of my collection for a revisit. I first picked it up at a used shop in Springfield, Illinois while there on business in early 2000. It was a transformational time for me from a career standpoint, and this album came at the perfect time in my life. From the opening notes you know it's a special album. The atmosphere is exhilarating. I'm not sure I'll be creating an artist page for Coltrane because I sense many of his works will be beyond my reach. And even this album goes beyond where I want to be, especially what would be side 2 on the LP. But A1 and A2 is just about perfect. Despite hours of digging, I have yet to luck out finding any Coltrane on LP beyond Ballads, which bizarrely I also found on reel to reel, and is the version I kept. Oh, and that collaboration with Don Cherry that I reported on a couple of years ago (and sold). If I do find A Love Supreme on vinyl, it will be my keeper forever copy, but this tri-fold digipak CD is lovely with a fine short history too. (10/6)

Lonnie Liston Smith - A Song for the Children. 1979 Columbia (LP). I know nothing about Lonnie Liston Smith's solo works, which appears to be my misfortune. Smith's background contains a brilliant resume of sitting in with many jazz A-listers throughout the 60s and early 70s before striking out on his own. And if RYM is accurate, this album seems to be the only one to avoid. Just my luck. But for 69 cents, I can't go wrong. After desecrating my stereo with TKO's Let It Roll, doesn't this sound sweet? I can guess why this album gets the cold shoulder. Disco. At least the first track (and last song as it turns out). Sounds fine to me. This is followed by a softer new age styled jazz. And then onto a jazz funk number. B3 features some beautiful electric guitar, almost Santana-ish. In reading about his more revered albums, A Song For the Children seems to be of a similar style throughout minus the opener and closer. Probably more ear friendly and less edgy. Great keys from Smith augmented by a fine cast. If this is his worst then I'm in for some good music going forward.) (9/4)

Mark Isham - Castalia. 1988 Virgin (LP). A former friend of mine was a huge fan of Mark Isham during this era, but I never derived much from his albums. Maybe now I'll have a different perspective. Nope. Isham exists in the slightly jazz, new age space. Very peaceful late night sounds, with Isham providing muted trumpet. The bass tones are warm and elongated, and the keyboards are plastic. David Torn is here on guitar but you would never know it. Fine album in the genre, but ultimately too sleepy for me. (6/20)

*Matrix - Harvest. 1981 Pablo (LP). As I stated on The 45 Revolution about their last recording from 1982, a very obscure SP: "From Appleton, Matrix had a relatively successful career, obtaining major label releases on both RCA and Warner Bros. I've heard a couple of them, but don't recall the contents and didn't keep either around." Harvest would prove to be their last LP, released under the radar on the jazz imprint Pablo. The music here is one that I've gravitated to of late, that of big band jazz rock. Similar to Buddy Rich and Maynard Ferguson. More towards the former as there aren't any one solo protagonist. The music displayed is complex yet easy on the ears. Anachronistic for 1981, though some of the tones were contemporary. Unique enough album to hold onto I think, and I'll put the 45 in there as well. (6/9)

Jan Garbarek Group - It's OK to Listen to the Gray Voice. 1985 ECM Germany (LP). A few seconds in and I instantly recognized the shimmering tones of David Torn's guitar. While that was a pleasant surprise the album remains in Music Noir mode for its entire length. More ECM Style Jazz targeted to the adults in the room. It's all well and good, but way too sleepy for me. I'd rather hear the legends from the 50s and 60s doing this kind of smoky jazz. (5/20)

Mark Colby - Serpentine Fire. 1978 Tappan Zee / Columbia (LP). Mark Colby's debut comes from a time when it seems every jazz musician, balding or not, got their 40 minutes of fame. This is the Bob James / Jay Chattaway show, bringing together all the same guys you'd here on a Maynard Ferguson album and many others. And the music is similar. To be clear, the music is very pleasant to the ear. In fact this troupe seems to be competing against the CTI guys for who can be the smoothest. Yet this isn't smooth jazz as we know the term via the Kenny G lens. With a name like Serpentine Fire, one might expect an intense fusion. But it's nothing of the sort. I think some more edge would have secured its place in the collection. (5/16)

*David Diggs - Elusion. 1978 Blue Jay (LP). Found this at a thrift shop recently and it looked intriguing. Once I saw it had value on Discogs, I added it to the stack. In hearing it for the first time, the appeal is immediate. Heavy instrumental jazz funk is the music with emphasis on biting electric guitar, electric piano, Moog synthesizer, and creative rhythms. Trumpet, sax, and flute round out the sound. Excellent production too. So who is this guy? He has a lot of solo albums and he's also part of a group called Good News. Contemporary Christian Music that would be. And some of his other works are described as Smooth Jazz. Christian Smooth Jazz is not a magnet for the buyer. But you would never know any of this after seeing and hearing Elusion. It's not message based, and the music is just as good as Donald Byrd in a similar phase. One to look for when you see a Heyseus Creesto drop at the thrift shop. (5/1)

Fuse One - Silk. 1981 CTI (LP). As soon as I saw this at a record store in their buck bin, I knew it was something I'm taking home to check out. It features an all-star cast of jazz fusion luminaries, and there are only four long tracks. Complete with an old fashioned bullet-proof gatefold cover, which had long gone the way of the dodo by 1981. The music didn't disappoint, that of a very smooth funky fusion. Silky as the title suggests. Like an updated mid 70s typical CTI release. Unfortunately it wasn't very distinctive either. This kind of music had been played out already, and this almost seems like a cash-in job for a bunch of jazzers needing some extra revenue. I admire the effort, but it's one too many for my collection at least. (4/21)

*-Keeping for the collection

2025 Hard Rock Journal Vol. 2

Jerusalem - Dancing on the Head of the Serpent. 1988 Refuge (LP) (1987). Continuing on with the Christian hard rock albums I've found recently. Sweden's Jerusalem was on their 5th album with this super great title, and even better cover art. Based on both, I thought I was in for a heavy duty metal album. Unfortunately the music sticks to standard issue 80s hard rock. The album starts like fellow countrymen Europe on The Final Countdown with brash synthesizers, and the hard rocking guitars are of a similar pitch. Nothing too heavy and very family friendly. The lyrics are once again hardcore Christian with no middle ground. There's some decent guitar work, but overall this sounds like a very average 80s hard rock album. (9/11)

Joe Satriani - Not of This Earth. 1986 Relativity (LP). I don't have much history with Satriani, having only heard his 1988 EP and 1995 self-titled album, and both of those are recent listens. His next album, Surfing With the Alien, was his big breakthrough, and I do remember it getting quite a bit of radio airplay for an instrumental rock work. But I have yet to hear the album (the CD is here patiently awaiting its turn - though perhaps an LP will arrive ahead of that moment). When I bought this album as part of a larger collection at the flea market, I just presumed it to be another Joe Satriani album. I had no idea it was his debut. Well, that captured my attention more than usual. Satriani is certainly working hard here, mixing in various styles, while showing off his considerable chops. The rhythm section, however, is mailing it in. Whether that was by design so as to not get in the way of Satriani's guitar, or just the sound of the times when rhythms were more static, it remains a bad decision. I like the tone he achieves on B2, something I would have liked to have heard more. Certainly this is a respectable debut by an artist that today is legend, but few knew who he was back then. I'm going to move it out, but glad to have heard it on a focused listen. (9/4)

TKO - Let It Roll. 1979 Infinity (LP). TKO were a band from Seattle who managed to eke out three albums back in the day before showing up at various live festivals in more modern times. Bonehead hard edged AOR rock is the order of the day, much different than the metal band they were to become (no idea if they're any good). It seems the band has talent, but they decided not to use it. All the songs are generic begging-to-be-played-on-the-radio tracks that lack any kind of creativity. Throw nine pieces of wet mud against the wall hoping something would stick. They got slop instead. Weak entry. (9/4)

*The Daniel Band - On Rock. 1982 Lamb & Lion (LP). I recently brought in a pile of Christian hard rock and metal LPs from two different thrift shop buys, all in beautiful shape. Some of them sounded pretty good on a sample, so I'll start here (actually I started with Barnabas about a month ago, but didn't pen any notes). The Daniel Band are from Toronto, and their sound here is heavy duty hard rock with a touch of pomp prog. There's nothing 80s about it. They remind me of mid to late 70s Triumph quite a bit, including the vocalist. They even look the part with long hair, beards, and bigotes. The guitar soloing is very good here, recalling many a Midwest private press. The keyboards add that late 70s AOR touch that I'm fond of. Lyrically this is a strong Christian message album, so if you can't handle that, you'll need to steer clear. They're all in with no breaks. I think church would have been packed with youths on Sundays with music like this back in the day. But noooo, we got the pipe organ, choirs, and "we're not worthy" styled hymns. Lutherans, a stoic lot they are ("Dad, can we please go home now, the Cowboys are on at noon"). The Daniel Band are way more fun. I kept one of the Barnabas albums, and I'll keep this as a good representative of Christian hard rock. (9/4)

R.I.F.F.S. - Rockin' in Free Flying Spirit. 1998 private (CD). Based on the title and booklet I presumed I might be in for a Christian metal album. The first track delivered on that premise recalling Warlock and Doro Pesch. Vocalist Marisa Austen has a powerful and beautiful voice. But they toned down considerably on the second song. By the 3rd track it seems that RIFFS are a hard rock band with AOR sensibilities. FFAOR in hipster parlance. Plenty of keyboards too. It's a diverse album and the last track even has a couple of references to progressive rock. The band were from Denver, and that's where I found this obscure CD languishing in a thrift shop. (7/29)

Y & T - Open Fire. 1985 A&M (LP). Y and T on A and M. Sounds like a first grade classroom. And musically that's a good metaphor too. I remember when Y & T originally burst onto the radio scene with Earthshaker, which was their 3rd album and the first to drop their original moniker of Yesterday and Today. I seem to recall it being quite good but not enough to pluck down $7 of my hard earned high school dollars. I recently scooped up Open Fire at an estate sale, and since I have no familiarity at all with their songs, this will be one live album I'll check out beginning to end. Like with The Firm below, the album appears to appeal to the most basic of the hard rock audience. A perennial opening act who had way more talent to display but chose the easy party route instead. (7/20)

The Firm - Means Business. 1986 Atlantic (LP). I could have sworn I'd heard the first album and not this title. But according to my journal, it was six years ago that I last had this album in my possession. It's easy to see why I forgot about it. The Firm is Jimmy Page teaming up with Paul Rodgers and sounding mysteriously like... Bad Company. About as ordinary of a hard rock album as they come, if you could even call it "hard". Seems every band in the 80s were working hard to get MTV airplay at the expense of crafting some quality music. In other words, as the band suggests, just another day at the Office. Jimmy and Paul, label execs say we need more revenue, so go get it. (6/6)

* - Keeping for the collection

2025 X-Wave Journal Vol. 2

Assassin of Silence - Phaze Shifter. 1980 Neurological (LP). With that moniker, title, and label name, I was certain this was going to be a new favorite for the collection. A Los Angeles based quartet, Assassin of Silence defy categorization and all manner of commercialization. It's song based, with one foot in the 70s and another in the upcoming 80s. As the album progressed, I hear a distinct love for David Bowie, and all his eras up to that point. Art rock, folk rock, punk, synth music, Devo, Dark Side era Pink Floyd, you name it. I appreciate the psychedelic sound of the guitar, something I wish was more utilized throughout. Assassin of Silence are to be commended for being independent. Not sure who the target audience for this album is, but if you like any of the above artists and styles, there will be certainly something here you will enjoy. (9/25)

various artists - Dark Horse Dreams. 1988 Big Ball (LP). A well done compilation of bands from here in Colorado Springs, complete with a lyric insert. The music is mostly late era New Wave, with a smattering of alt rock. The Bo'l Weevils are here, a band I thought I wrote about before, but I guess I didn't. They usually add some hard rock guitar, and they do that here too. The most interesting track is from Rich Mouser, who provides a most interesting proggy closer (the seven minute 'Last Day at the Carnival'). He provides a more straightforward cut to open the second side as well. Overall not something I need to hold onto, but if you're into local bands, this is worth seeking out. (7/17)

*Public Image Ltd. - Second Edition. 1979 Island (2xLP). I've known about PiL ever since I started collecting underground music in the middle 80s, but they were part of a different strain than I was looking for at the time. This is John Lydon's second group, his other was the Sex Pistols (there known as Johnny Rotten), a band who existed to be anti-everything including music. The latter were infamous in my day, as they spent some time in the national news for all the wrong reasons (and probably the right reasons in their minds). In any case, Second Edition is one of those albums that looks and sounds important. A double LP (originally released in the UK as a metal tin with 3 LPs) in an era when everyone was scaling back and focusing on hit records. Sure, Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd might get away with it, but no one else. As for the music, it's about as groundbreaking as it gets. Technically known as Post-Punk, a difficult to describe aesthetic, though it crosses over to areas I've long been fond of, such as motorik Krautrock. It's an easy album to listen to actually, yet it's not highly melodic nor particularly engaging from an instrumentation perspective. It's the nadir sound of London at the end of the 70s. Signs that street life there wasn't all Beatles-esque hedgerows and butterflies. (5/22)

Mi-Sex - Space Race. 1980 Epic promo (LP). I picked up three of this band's albums before we started selling at the Colorado Springs Record Show. I once had a 45 of this new wave band from New Zealand and it seemed pretty good. I checked out the latter of the three albums on a quick scan (Where Do They Go?). It's about four years later, but I heard enough to take a full listen to the other two. Space Race is Mi-Sex's second album. They are a somewhat typical synth pop band from the era, but given its early date (1980), the synthesizers are more toned down and the 70s rock element becomes more prominent. Particularly this is true with the rhythm section. This isn't a title I need to keep, but I have high hopes now for their 1979 debut which I will get to soon enough. (I heard it too, but naaa). (3/18).

Dead or Alive - Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know. 1986 Epic (MC). Last year I bought Youthquake on vinyl and decided to keep it on a nostalgia fit. Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know (haha) is very similar in sound. High energy, good melodies, and danceable. B1 is a highlight. But Dead or Alive aren't the type of group I'm building a band page for. Instinctively I kind of know I'm only going to keep the one album, but I'll not turn down hearing any of them. (3/7)

Love and Rockets - Express. 1986 Big Time (MC). Another one of those I picked up on vinyl during the pandemic, but took my profit quickly. I wanted to hear it again before letting it loose. Very British sounding. A mix of New Wave, psych, and alt rock. Like a mix Modern English and the Beatles (a coupling I'm making often now it seems) as played by The Smiths or some such group. (2/20)

Other albums heard but not reviewed: Mi-Sex - Computer Games (3/25); OMD - Organisation (3/26); 

*-Keeping for the collection

Rainbow Serpent ~ Germany

Voyager (1996)

---Dec 2004

I reviewed Rainbow Serpent's 3rd album Mosaique awhile back and since I enjoyed that one quite a bit, I jumped at the chance to pick up three more at a great price. This is Rainbow Serpent’s second effort and pretty much like the other in the sense that it's familiar, yet very different. Seems to cover all eras of Tangerine Dream and progresses into the 90’s where they didn’t (including nods to modernism like techno). This is definitely not “The Berlin Switch” on the computer like the one man bands on Groove, but rather a well thought out ensemble effort. Nor is it retro minded like Radio Massacre International or Redshift. More forward thinking here.

---10/20/2025

As noted below, it becomes quite apparent how much I dug in for the Berlin School acts in the 2004 and 2005 time frame. The album starts off with acoustic piano and then sort of wanders into space, which considering the concept of the album, makes complete sense. Eventually the rhythms and sequencers start to roll in, and we're in familiar Tangerine Dream territory. As least if Hyperborea and Poland were the years of choice. Eventually the album moves into the 90s and becomes more beat heavy in places. This is a welcome development considering it's an accompaniment rather than a distracting feature. The album is broken into three long suites, with multiple sub-themes. The latter two offer more variance in sound.

There is something very comfortable in listening to these Berlin School albums. They bring peace and happiness to me at least. Drift off into space and let's see what doors will open this time?

Former ownership: 1996 Ardema (CD). Poster booklet with recording and instrumentation details. Acquired in 2004. Downsized in 2026.

12//04 (review); 5/4/19; 10/20/25 (update)

Pulse (2000)

---Dec 2004

The last of the batch, and the latest album I own by Rainbow Serpent. This is a definite step up from the other three. There's a real flow here between the tracks, with sequencers going everywhere and digital choral voice providing atmosphere. Plenty of Schulze style solos as well. Many ideas are employed, a great one to just have in the background while reading, researching, writing, etc.... This is really a fantastic release and a great example of modern electronic music.

---12/26/23

For those who cannot possibly get enough of the classic Tangerine Dream sound, I would suggest you add this title to your want list. A wire must have been crossed somewhere in my mind as Pulse ended up being my lowest rated album by the duo, even though I haven't heard most of the albums by them since then. At the time of purchase I was beginning to really load up on Berlin School Electronic albums from the renaissance era (late 90s / early 00s), so I was more enthusiastic on first listen. In reflection, Pulse is very much "in the pocket" for the style. I'll go for another listen soon and see where I stand at that point.

Former ownership: 2000 Manikin (CD). Booklet with instrumentation and recording details. Acquired in 2004. Downsized in 2026.

12//04 (review); 12/26/23 (update); 8/21/26
 

Futuregate (1995)

---Dec 2004

The debut album by this German group who have a unique take on the Berlin school of electronics. I’ve now heard the first three, and this one would be the most predictable of the bunch. A little tighter Tangerine Dream period here, as there isn't as much of a reach back – 1977 is about as far back as some of the sounds you’ll hear. Many early 80's references. While none of Rainbow Serpent’s albums have wowed me like Radio Massacre International or Redshift, I find these all a very pleasant listen. The next two were more varied and interesting, though I’ll score this the same for now.

---5/6/17

Rainbow Serpent were one of a handful of Berlin School revivalists from the Fatherland. They're a duo who have an arsenal of keyboards at their disposal. Mostly newer toys, not so much a vintage collection. Their blueprint for Futuregate can be found on Tangerine Dream's Tangram, and this album could represents outtakes from that session. There are worse ideas than following Tangerine Dream at the beginning of Schmoelling's career.

The cover looks like some cheap home computer printout, and one would expect this to be a CD-R. But it's a factory cut CD, and the booklet is made of the proper stock. 

Ownership: 1995 Ardema (CD). Red label. Acquired in 2004.

12//04 (review); 5/6/17 (update); 2/1/19

Also own Mosaique.

According to Discogs, Rainbow Serpent released 18 albums in total until stopping in 2010.

5/6/17 (new entry)

Sacrilege ~ England

Turn Back Trilobite (1989)

Sacrilege were such an unusual band. I bought this album upon release, as it promised a progressive doom metal, similar to Candlemass. We'll get to its contents soon enough.

A few years later (1993) I stumbled on an album in a record store called Behind the Realms of Madness by a band called Sacrilege. It was on an American label, and after hearing it, I just presumed it was a different group with a similar moniker (which was very common back then - still is really). About a decade ago (2015) I revisited that title, and it just wasn't for me. One of the very few metal albums I let go from the collection in recent times. Received a lot of money for it too, about what you would pay today for a nice copy. So what was their sound like? RYM appends the genre as Stenchcore, an extension of Crust Punk. Neither of which I'm familiar with, but one can guess that's not the music Genius Hans gravitates towards. Noisy, messy, with little to hold onto. It's a highly rated album fwiw, which says that for the genre, it's a good one.

It was only then I was informed we were talking the same group as the LP I'm revisiting now. The Behind the Realms group weren't American, but English. Turn Back Trilobite couldn't be more different than its debut. I never heard the middle album by the group, and I understand it's a thrash album (want to hear it for sure). As noted in the first paragraph, Sacrilege had pivoted to a slower, doomier style. With female vocals. And she sings, not growls. On the first listen, and on this visit, I never was blown away by the album. It doesn't have the Candlemass crunch, and the compositions don't challenge the synapses all that much. 'Born Again' Black Sabbath is another benchmark. Some of the guitar solos veer towards space rock, which is a plus. It also seems a bit lifeless. I think the production is mostly the problem. It has this hollow sound, like in a tunnel. Lynda Simpson's vocals also come with a tape hiss in places. When blocking those elements out, the music holds up well. These guys needed to go one more album, with a different producer / engineer, and I think they would have had much more impact on the worldwide stage. According to RYM and Metal Archives, it's definitely their lowest rated album. So it hasn't aged that well either.

I've had this LP forever, so I think I'll hold onto it for nostalgia reasons. Surprisingly it doesn't sell for comparatively too much (~$30), and it appears that sealed cut-outs are still available some 36 years later.

Ownership: 1989 Metal Blade (LP)

1989 (acquired); 1/16/15; 10/13/25 (review)

10/13/25 (new entry)

The Alan Parsons Project ~ England

Eye in the Sky (1982)

---June 2005

I’d have to say of all albums released in 1982, this is the one I heard the most during that year. After many years of not hearing it, I realized again just what a great album this is. The longest track in particular ‘Silence and I’, demonstrates their ability to mix soft rock and powerful orchestrated sections seamlessly. The title track is something that has been played to death, something that shouldn’t be held against the song, but it’s hard not to be critical. My favorite APP album.

---10/13/25

I refer to this album quite a bit, but haven't really documented it too much. 1982 was a very important year in my musical development (just see my Tangerine Dream epiphany), so it's only natural that some of the more mainstream albums from that year hold a special place in my heart as well. As with Canada's Saga, The Alan Parsons Project skirted the boundaries of prog rock while never being fully engaged with it. One could hear Eye in the Sky as a soft rock album with a lot of artistic trimming. In this way, they come across as a sort of English Steely Dan (B4 cements this observation). The iconic opener 'Sirius' still gets played at arena sports events. The title track is very catchy, one that you will be humming after the music stops. But what of the rest? Mostly it's just beautiful music, including the pensive 'Silence and I' and its spirited mid-section. APP tends to shine on their instrumentals, and B3 is a good example of that, despite the rather ordinary disco beat accompaniment. B1 is the only throwaway track IMO. To my ears, Eye in The Sky takes Pyramid as the blueprint (similar flow, including the melancholic closer), and improves on it. I'm not sure it's my favorite by them anymore, objectively speaking. Perhaps I Robot now holds that spot.  

Ownership: 

1982 Arista (LP). Foil Eye cover.

1988 Arista (CD)

1982 Arista (MC)

1982 (acquired); 6//05; 10/16/14; 10/13/25
 

Ammonia Avenue (1984)

As with Stereotomy below, I keep going back to Ammonia Avenue. Like returning to an abusive relationship. My opinion is never going to change so I need to stop wasting my time. It just baffles me how uninspired this is after the brilliant Eye in the Sky. What happened? They had two years to come up with solid material. Clearly they had great songwriters among them, so how the heck did they only manage to come up with Ammonia Avenue? It's not even an 80s thing. It's not like they tried their hand at New Wave. Maybe they should have. It's boring pop. There's no chance for a hit here because everything is DOA. All of their albums after this are just as bad. Change of drugs maybe? One of these days I'll have to hear the Alan Parsons solo albums. I don't have high hopes.

Source: 1984 Arista (LP)

1984 (first acquired); 9/6/25 (review)
 

Stereotomy (1985)

I've had this before, both on LP and CD, but why not try it again? Parsons' post Eye in the Sky albums all struggle with catchiness. While he dabbled in prog rock, his Project efforts were always more AOR oriented. So when the music fails to be memorable, then there's nothing else to hold onto. The production is way slick and they're obviously working hard for radio hits. I had this rated too low, likely a reaction real time towards my disappointment that this wasn't Eye in the Sky. This was to be the last Alan Parsons Project album for me to buy real time.

Source: 1985 Arista (LP)

1985 (first acquired); 3/21/16; 11/10/24 (review)

Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1976)

Even though I Robot was the first Alan Parsons Project album for me to own, it was music from Tales of Mystery and Imagination that I was first introduced to. The track that drew me in - and is still a favorite - was 'The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather'. It's a great tune with a memorable melody, jamming guitars, and a killer funky rhythm. The other great track that was played often on the radio was 'The Raven'. After acquiring the album I learned of the other songs. Of those, the two that captured my imagination were 'A Dream Within a Dream' - once again demonstrating an early interest in electronic styled music for moi - and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' which was an unabashed prog track with a full orchestra. I found it boring at first but I grew into it over time, especially the beautiful harpsichord segment.

Ownership: 1978 20th Century Germany (LP). Gatefold with libretto.

1978 (first acquired); 10/3/14; 11/16/23 (review)

I Robot (1977)

I Robot was one of the first five albums I ever bought. This album is further proof I was an odd kid, doing my own thing. I didn't have any friends that liked this, I just enjoyed what I heard on the radio. But even at age 12, I was drawn in by the electronics, likely a precursor to my ultimate embracing of Tangerine Dream a few years later while in high school. This is one crazy mainstream album, I'll tell you that. Take out 'Don't Let it Show' and there's arguably nothing commercial about it. Even the hit 'I Wouldn't Want to be Like You' is a pretty bizarre funk tune. But it's Side 2 where it really goes off the rails. And the older I get, the more I appreciate this album because of it. If you're like me, and "grew up" with I Robot, give it the old objective retrospective listen. There's more here than you remember. 

Ownership: 

1977 Arista Canada (LP). Textured gatefold cover.

1990's Arista (CD)

1977 (first acquired); 6//05; 10/7/14; 10/17/21 (review)

Pyramid (1978)

Alan Parsons' 3rd effort is a strange little album really. The critics panned it on release, and even today, not too many folks are singing its praises. I've even read that some listeners rank it below Eve, which is crazy in my estimation. Mostly it's an introspective melancholic work. I'm always left with a taste of sadness. The primary exception, and the album's best track IMO, is 'In the Lap of the Gods'. A fantastic instrumental, the piece is driven by choppy piano, and features some excellent rockin' orchestra and choir - more or less the ingredients of any great Parsons track. 'Hyper-Gamma-Spaces' predicts the rise of the more upbeat electronics in APP's sound, which would flower on Eye in the Sky. 'Pyramania' is a bit silly, but otherwise, I enjoy all the tracks on Pyramid. Even though these days I may hear the album once a decade, I still have it pretty much memorized, having absorbed it so much in my youth.

Ownership: 1980 Arista Germany (LP). Gatefold. I somehow managed to get to 2021 without realizing that Pyramid was ever released as a gatefold. Here in America, it was released as a single sleeve and that's the only way I've ever seen it prior.

1978 (first acquired); 2//05; 10/9/14; 4/13/21 (review)

Also own: Turn of a Friendly Card

1/16/22 (new entry)

The Tony Williams Lifetime ~ USA

Million Dollar Legs (1976)

From the first notes, one hears a more mainstream mid 70s fusion sound. Some of that can be attributed to the period synthesizers employed. Holdsworth is practically playing heavy metal on the first cut. And Williams is bashing the drums as wildly as ever. It's on A2 that the era's genre norms began to creep in. Funky r n' b with horns, strings and vocals (I mean, you can't have those). Williams was only 30 years old when this was recorded, and with already an impressive jazz resume, it's not such a stretch that he'd want to explore other avenues like his compatriot Herbie Hancock. Once past that, the album goes back to Williams' original jazz rock premise. The style brush is much larger, though the compositions don't suffer from it. It's more funky than its predecessor, and perhaps Chick Corea was an influence for Williams here. This isn't a sell out, but rather an innovative effort extending beyond the rules. It's aggregate low rating seems more like a reaction to what was expected versus what was delivered. Turns out you ordered the wrong meal, but ended up finding a new dish to savor.

Ownership: 1992 Columbia (CD) with Believe It. Booklet contains history and perspectives.

2003 (acquired); 1/7/15; 10/13/25 (review)

Believe It (1975)

This is technically the New Tony Williams Lifetime, since it's a completely different lineup. The guitarist here is Allan Holdsworth lighting it up far more than usual. He's a cruncher, not a shredder in the McLaughlin tradition. Nor is he spiritual like Santana. On Believe It, he brings a sound we start to hear more frequently in the 90s, proving his influence over many youngsters from the 70s. I'm a big fan of busy drummers, and Williams gives you a lot of bang for the buck. Bassist Tony Newton does an admirable job of keeping up. Alan Pasqua's keyboards are a complete contrast, offering up atmospheric Fender Rhodes electric piano. Though I'd probably love to hear Larry Young go wild on the Hammond, I'm quite OK with the end result. Believe It is one of the best mainstream jazz rock fusion albums on the market.

Ownership:

1975 Columbia (LP)

1992 Columbia (CD) with Million Dollar Legs. Booklet contains history and perspectives.

1991 (acquired); 2003; 1/7/15; 10/12/25 (review)
 

Ego (1971)

The negative opinions are pretty strong on this one. I can appreciate the expectation that one would have for such a talent as Tony Williams in the highly creative year of 1971. And this definitely doesn't come through as a landmark winner of the year. But is it an abject failure? No, not in my opinion anyway. There's three throwaway percussion songs, and they are all the shortest, so that helps. The remainder is a fine jazz rock effort, and it closes well with the final three compositions. Anything with Larry Young on organ is worth an ear, and he does a fine job here. Final two tracks are the highlights. Overall the tone is pretty loose and raw, which are pluses. Williams' vocals are not a highlight for sure, but we've all certainly heard worse.

Former ownership: 1999 Verve (CD). Digipak. Includes the original LP liner notes.

2000 (acquired); 3/14/15; 11/24/15 (review); 1/21/24 

Other albums I own and need to review: Emergency; Turn It Over

11/24/15 (new entry)

Gong (& related) ~ Europe

Live in Sherwood Forest '75 (2005)

As you can probably tell, just from the few snippets below, I have something of a love / hate relationship with Gong. My introduction to the band was, in fact, Flying Teapot (mid 80s while in college). I couldn't have been more mortified. That was the exact opposite of what I was looking for at the time, as I was diving deeper into the Krautrock / European psychedelic underground. As you can see from the below review, my take on that album hasn't really changed. Over the years my views have softened considerably on albums I once loathed. And I suppose that is true with Flying Teapot too, but I still hear it as stupid. Too many of my music friends like that album, so I'll just have to take the hit on that one. To me Angel's Egg isn't much better, and that's based on somewhat recent listens. You, on the other hand, yes that's the one. I had only wished that was the album I was introduced to Gong with, as I expect I would have accumulated far more than I did. As for all of those Pierre Moerlen albums, I really need to revisit those again. That was a loooong time ago.

With that intro out of the way, let's tackle this CD. This was part of a collection buy last year that had nada prog albums, so a real outlier in the stack. This live concert comes at probably my favorite stage of Gong, as they were transforming into a serious jazz rock band. So what we have here is the confluence of three great albums: You, Steve Hillage's Fish Rising (his best IMO), and Shamal, an album I own and enjoy but remains undocumented. As such, the live recording comes across as unique, with some spirited performances and welcome deviations from the studio versions.

Ownership: 2005 MLP (CD). Booklet with two historical essays and many archival photos. Acquired in 2025.

10/8/25 (review)
 

Flying Teapot (1973) 

This album is as goofy and stupid as I remember. They achieved their goal of sounding like a bunch of potheads. It's not a total loss, and there are moments of lucidity interspersed on the title track and 'Zero the Hero'. Tim Blake's short electronic contribution predicts his Crystal Machine album. But the rest you can have. I remain unconvinced this is a masterpiece. I'll take You from this era.

Source: 2019 Charly (CD)

First copy: 1978 Virgin (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 1986.

1986 (first acquired); 7/8/24 (review)
 

You (1974)

By far and away my favorite of the Pothead Pixie era of the band. The album that Ozric Tentacles ingested whole, and distilled from there. For like 100 albums. One of those permanent 4 star albums.

Ownership: 1977 Virgin (LP). Acquired in 2000.

2000; 2/3/23 (review)

Pierre Moerlen's Gong - Leave it Open (1981)

Late in the game fusion album from one of the big names of the genre. Given the date, and other intangibles, I just presumed this would be yet another American styled fuzak album that dominated the record bins of the day. So I never bothered to hear it until now. This is anything but fuzak. Leave it Open is a very fine jazz rock album, like the kind you might hear in France during this era, with some superb gritty guitar leads from Bon Lozaga. Moerlen's tuned percussion is integral to the music, and doesn't sound gimmicky, which it often can. And you can almost never go wrong when Charlie Mariano is present on saxophone. Best of all, the songwriting is stellar, and the 17 minute track is never boring, nor does it sound like a bunch of ideas pasted together. There's a moment at the 12 to 13 minute mark that sent my hair on end. The only track here that sounded like I first expected is 'It's About Time' with its predictable funky business. And even at that, it's fairly well done and better than average. But the rest is excellent throughout. A major surprise for me. 

Interesting to note that this album was never released in the States.

Ownership: 1981 Arista Germany (LP). Acquired in 2024.

First copy: 2006 BMG / Arista Japan (CD). Acquired in 2016. Replaced in 2024.

8/11/16 (review)

Also own: Camembert Electrique; Shamal

Once owned and have since sold: Angel's Egg; Expresso II; Downwind; Time is the Key

8/11/16 (new entry)

Cassle ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Cassle (1980-1983 / 2011)

---12/9/14

Archival NWOBHM-styled recordings from the early 1980s. The original EP has some inspired, almost progressive rock influenced (long tracks and keyboards will have that effect), early heavy metal sounds. Good stuff from a band that could have made the big time with the right breaks. An all too common tale from that era.

---10/6/25

The above is accurate, but I need to provide more context. The band only released one track in their lifetime, that of 'Midnight Fantasy' (1983). The quality is demo-like, so you'll have to adjust your ears a bit before taking this in. The next three tracks are from the same session, and have the same sound quality. These were released for the first time in 1997 from an unauthorized issue. One that the band, according to the CD liner notes, were more than fine with as it increased their exposure. The music here is at the crossroads of hard rock and early heavy metal with proggy overtones. Like a 1979 private release. There's piano, hard guitars, and dramatic vocals. Were this a cassette, it would be an instant classic, because music like this was released that way back then. So hearing it on CD sounds strange, but it just requires an adjustment as I noted above. Track 10 is the original 1980 recording of 'Midnight Fantasy' when they were teenagers known as Miraaj (guess they like unique spellings). Track 5 is the only recording from 1982 and is essentially a piano ballad. The other five cuts are studio and live recordings from 1983. These are of bootleg quality and portray the band more in a proggy hard rock / AOR light. As the music rolls on, one can hear Rush as a major influence on the group. It's a pity this was all that could be rescued, as it's clear that Cassle had talent to burn. They likely would have turned into a band like Queensryche had they managed to secure a major label deal, which they apparently were close to. It was the 80s after all.

Ownership: 2011 Shadow Kingdom (CD). Liner notes, lyrics, and photos. Acquired in 2014.

11/26/11; 12/9/14 (review); 10/6/25 (update / new entry)

2025 Revisits of prior UMR entries Vol. 3

I'm making revisits a priority, as I'd like to enjoy and appreciate the collection I took the time to build. In some cases, I'm weeding out as well. As a reminder, these links are going to newly created band pages.

Twink - Think Pink

Klan - Mrowisko

Nova Express - Once in the Blue Moon

Nebelnest - Nova Express

Kikagaku Moyo

Lost Nation - Paradise Lost

Quarks - Elemental

Obskuria - Discovery of Obskuria

Dreadnaught - Have a Drink With Dreadnaught

Alphataurus - AttosecondO

EGBA ~ Sweden

Jungle-Jam (1976)

---Mar 2006

They don’t play drums like this anymore! And that’s a shame, because this guy propels what could’ve been a garden variety US sounding jazz fusion album. But this being Sweden and all, we have that unique flavor that comes from not seeing the sun four months of the year. Seven piece group lets it all hang out on these ten energetic compositions. Wah-wah and flute groovers too! For my dead president, better than the more recognized Swedish group Kornet. Naturally no CD exists as is typical for the more jazz influenced bands of the progressive era. Somewhere between Return to Forever and an instrumental Mandrill.

---10/6/25

And here we are almost 20 years later, and the reissue situation remains the same. For whatever reason, interest in jazz oriented CDs is pretty much nil. Even marquee artists like Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock don't command more than a couple of bucks in the used market.

No matter as the LP remains cheap, and this is only my second listen to mine. Sax and trumpet are the primary solo instruments, with electric piano, clavinet, guitar, and flute as the secondary supplements. In my original review I was implying, but did not explicitly state, the funk element that is fairly prevalent. It was less to my taste back then and I enjoy that sound more today. Perhaps not a fair assessment, but I tend to appreciate more the American bands that incorporate the style. It's more cultural than imitation that is to say. The fiery fusion bits, however, seem more native to Europe. And there's plenty of that here too. EGBA have a global focus and you'll hear African and Latin influences as well. These latter styles were quite prevalent in Sweden during the 70s.

While it remains true that Jungle-Jam doesn't break any new ground, it is a very well executed album. A nice way to spend close to 50 minutes with.

Ownership: 1976 Sonet (LP). Acquired in 2006.

3//06 (review); 10/6/25 (update)
 

EGBA (1974)

EGBA were a Swedish jazz / rock group with emphasis on the former. Nice flute, electric / acoustic piano, and jazz-tone guitar - all within the confines of tightly arranged compositions. Some African influences foreshadow what Archimedes Badkar would eventually come to on Tre. Longest track contains a funk rave-up with fiery solos from sax, guitar, and electric piano. This copy includes a live cut with a distinctly Latin jazz vibe with quite a bit of solo percussion. 

Recently learned that EGBA is an acronym meaning Electronic Groove & Beat Academy.

Source: cd-r

2006 (review); 8/4/19 (update)

No reissues for either as of 10/6/25. EGBA went on to release seven more albums through the 80s, and one additional album in 2004. If I find them, I'll be sure to check them out.

8/4/19 (new entry)

Morte Macabre ~ Sweden

Symphonic Holocaust (1998)

Here's another one of those albums I bought upon release and haven't heard it since, some 26+ years later. Remarkably, though, I had a short real time review. So let's start there.

---Jan 1999

This is as good as everyone says. Call it Landoten or Anekberg - but this is a perfect amalgamation of the two groups: The melancholy of Landberk's first album mixed with the heaviness of Anekdoten. All instrumental remakes of cult horror films + a 17 minute original song. The album is loaded with mellotron.

---9/29/25

The "everyone" above is likely to have been rec.music.progressive, a chat board filled with prog rock enthusiasts (and haters it seemed) during the late 90s and early 00s (next gen of alt.music.progressive). One that I spent way too much time on, though eventually drifted away when career demands didn't allow for much free time. At some point I remember trying to keep some journals like UMR going, for the readership there. Fortunately I captured these on my hard drive and transferred them from one laptop to another over the years. Today, all my reviews are easily searchable on my hard drive.

Those monikers like Landoten and Anekberg were being thrown around at the time. The album had a stellar reputation right off the bat, as many fans were looking for that old analog sound that the two bands brought forth, along with the almighty Anglagard.

Despite the heavy presence of mellotron, the album does not come off as a retro prog release. Though the majority of the album are covers of horror soundtracks, I'm not familiar with any of them, so it all sounds fresh to me. The short 'Threats of Stark Reality' is also a unique track. Though the liner notes name check Museo Rosenbach, Goblin, Celeste, and Gracious, none of these groups' efforts will leap to mind. Starless / Red era King Crimson may come closest but only in the darkest instrumental mid sections of their lengthy tracks. The music remains dirgey, slow, and atmospheric throughout. Only on the lengthy original closer does Morte Macabre pick up the pace, about midway through.

This proved to be the only album created by this collaboration. It stands unique in my collection, though I understand a few other groups took on a similar premise afterward.

Ownership: 1998 Mellotronen (CD). Booklet with recording details and an enthusiastic review.

1//99 (acquired / notes); 9/29/25 (review / new entry)

Heir Apparent ~ USA ~ Seattle, Washington

Graceful Inheritance (1986)

Heir Apparent were one of many great bands buried on the French cult label Black Dragon, a label I was keeping a close eye on given that's where Manilla Road resided. Despite this, I completely forgot about the name Heir Apparent until recent times, if I knew them at all. I don't recall seeing their album in the college record store bins nor seeing writeups in the metal mags I followed at the time. Even if I did flip the record over at some point, I doubt I would have given it much thought, seeing 13 (?!) tracks and short time durations. The longest song here is 5:06, so it doesn't appear they were stretching the boundaries of heavy metal, which is what I would have been looking for.

And now that I'm hearing the album for the first time, I can attest to that last statement. Not groundbreaking at all. That said, I find the music on Heir Apparent's debut very pleasing. It doesn't take long to figure out that the band bears close resemblance to that of same era Queensryche. That's not a coincidence given they often interacted with each other and both were from Seattle. Long before the nihilistic grunge movement was to take over, bands all over the US were more influenced by the fantasy driven NWOBHM groups of the era. Right from the off, you are greeted by Paul Davidson's high pitched yet soothing voice. Sounding every bit like Geoff Tate in his prime without the histrionics. Guitarist Terry Gorle brings a lot of the 70s decade with him, especially in his use of the wah wah pedal on his solos. His tone isn't particularly heavy for the era, so the band relies on melodicism. And it's here that Heir Apparent shines greatest, as it's apparent (had to do it) they spent quite a bit of time both writing and arranging these songs, including the instrumentals.

The greatest part about discovering albums like Graceful Inheritance is that I know I missed tons of excellent metal albums from the mid to late 80s and early 90s. I didn't have much money in college, and once I was released (haha - yea, released) I was way deep into putting paychecks to global prog albums.

Ownership: 1986 Black Dragon (LP). Lyric inner bag.

Also own and need to review their follow up One Small Voice.

9/27/25 (acquired / review)

Release Music Orchestra ~ Germany

Vlotho 1977 (2022)

Release Music Orchestra is one of the very few bands where I've documented my collection in full. For those that I own more than three albums that is to say. Vlotho 1977 is a newish archival document that just arrived here for the first time. Might as well keep the momentum and get right to it.

Let's start with my thoughts from the Umsonst und Draussen festival album itself: "Release Music Orchestra is a relative big name, and this is their first appearance for the free concerts (on LP - they were there for the '76 festival too). Only Kraan is missing at this point! Here, they offer a slow and atmospheric jazz piece." That piece is 'Sonntag' and is track 5 here.

As with the Bremen 1978 show, Release Music Orchestra is far more attuned on Vlotho 1977 to the original premise of the band than what showed up on their later albums. As for the material, only half of the songs appeared on their studio albums, and all of them have been extended considerably from the originals: 'Sundance' (from Get the Ball), 'Torso Im Summerwind' (Garuda), and 'Up By The Riverside' (Beyond the Limit, which hadn't been released by the time of this concert). And the aforementioned 'Sonntag' was released as is on the Vlotho 1977 compilation. The opening new song 'Rico' sets the tone, and pace, with some frenetic drumming before launching into the patented RMO jazz fusion sound. This song was also on the Brain Festival 1977 album, but this version is different.

The extended sections generally allow for more soloing, mostly from saxophonist Gunther Reger, which can get a bit pitchy at times. I found Rurup's keyboard and synthesizer solos more pleasing. Wolfgang Thierfeldt's drumming is quite energetic, and I suspect he met his calorie burn goal for the day.

The final track is a 16 minute jam titled, appropriately enough, 'Free and Outdoors 77', which is the English translation of Umsonst und Draussen. Bassist Frank Fischer shines the brightest here. In conclusion, a very fine archival document from a band that has still been neglected in the reissue market all these years later.

Ownership: 2022 Garden of Delights (CD). Booklet with historical liner notes and photos. Acquired in 2025.

9/25/25 (review) 

Life (1974)

I've recently written about the second and third RMO releases, but what about their debut? It's different in that it's a live effort, something the band states it wanted to do to capture their energy ("tension and electricity" as they put it). Coming fresh off their former work, under the Tomorrow's Gift moniker, Life has a similar jazz focus, but is geared more towards the upcoming fusion movement. Given the lack of any memorable melodies, I find Life harder to get into than their next two albums, which puts me in the minority camp. However, a couple of repeated listens convinced me Life is at the same level, just a less immediate sound.

Ownership: 1974 Brain (LP). Gatefold cover with full recording details in the center (in both German and English). Life is generally considered the first album on the green label that does not have the word Metronome underneath. However it does still have the word on the cover, and this would be the last album to feature that. Acquired in 1998.

1998; 6/17/21 (review)

Get the Ball (1976)

On RYM, they have a feature called "Discussion" that is embedded within each album's page. It will show if that specific album has been referenced directly (via link) in a specific thread by one of the contributors. What's most interesting about Release Music Orchestra's third album Get The Ball, is the title of the three threads it has been mentioned as a part of (as I write these notes): 1) "Funky Krautrock"; 2) "Synth-Oriented Krautrock"; 3)"Gimme More Jazz Fusion Like..." That folks, is my review of the album right there.

RMO is clearly moving away from their Canterburyish sophomore release Garuda, and heading more into the trendy funky fusion waters of the era. On paper, that sounds like a potential disaster, but in the hands of the veteran RMO, it all comes together nicely. Some fantastic Rhodes and synthesizer work can be heard, and the rhythm section is always on point and edgy. The female vocals only add to the vibe. A very consistent album, where every track could be considered excellent.

Ownership: 1976 Brain (LP). Acquired in 2018.

2010; 9/21/18 (review)

Garuda (1975)

Release Music Orchestra is Tomorrow's Gift version 3.0 and Garuda is their second album under this moniker. By this time, the band are a well oiled machine, and they mix expert musicianship with strong melodies and complex compositions. The title track is sit-up-and-pay-attention worthy, and is a strong Canterbury styled tune similar to Hatfield and the North at their peak. When Release Music Orchestra catch a groove, the results are divine. There are five fully realized compositions on Garuda, and five "Zwischenspiel's", which translates to interludes. Each member gets a short 30 seconds to a minute to improvise. While not exactly on the same level of Yes' Fragile, I do prefer the efficiency. Of these, I thoroughly enjoyed Manfred Rurup's (keyboards) and Margit Haberland's (vocal) contributions. Overall I'd submit that Release Music Orchestra are a bit more jazzy than other German followers of the Canterbury sound such as Brainstorm and Tortilla Flat, but they would still have to be considered pioneers in the upcoming Kraut Fusion movement that was to dominate the landscape in the next few years.

Ownership: 1975 Brain (LP). Acquired in 1999.

1997; 1999; 7/11/18 (review)

Bremen 1978 (2004)

Live recording from their Beyond the Limit years. Way more stretched out and improvisational than the album proper. Takes a bit to get going, but once they catch the groove, they zone out into an earlier and more pure era of music. No more sunny skies, fake smiles, and bad teeth. This is Kraut Fusion for the Umsonst und Draussen set.

Ownership: 2004 Garden of Delights (CD). Booklet with historical liners. Acquired in 2017.

8/6/17 (review)

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None of the RMO albums have been reissued as I update this post (4/28/26).

8/6/17 (new entry)