UMR notes
December 13, 2013
December 11, 2013
September 8, 2013
September 3, 2013
Willowglass, England ***Inactive***
Retro prog
Latest: The Dream Harbour (2013)
Marshall appears to be still stirring about teasing us with new material, but nothing has surfaced in over a decade.
The Dream Harbour (2013)
As a reviewer myself, I tend to read dozens of reviews. It can be wearisome to see the same tired critiques by those who think they have something novel to say - when in fact it's the same old blather. Generally these reviews are from newbies who digest 30 albums a day via illegal download and spit out whatever is in their addled brain. They have no context or sense of history. Just bla blabla blabla. Sometimes you can tell they aren't even reviewing the correct album, but something else - probably a mislabled download or one too many bong hits. So with that in mind, I had a bit of fun with the below review, as The Dream Harbour is just the type of album that is ripe for getting picked on.
Willowglass continue to improve with each release. Now a full three piece, Willowglass is beginning to come together as a full unit rather than just a solo effort with a drummer in tow. If progressive rock is a regular part of your diet, then Willowglass are your IHOP. Good ole eggs (mellotron, organ), bacon (flute, violin), and pancakes (guitar) with syrup (soaring guitar)... and coffee (odd time signatures) is what is served at The Willowglass Cafe. Sure, you've had bacon, eggs, pancakes, and coffee a million times before. But when it's all cooked right, you walk out happy and smiling. Willowglass does that for you.
Oh, you wanted scallops with parsnip puree, l'orange spinach, and a balsamic vinegar reduction? Oh that would be the restaurant to our left called the Avant-Garde Noise Cafe!
For the first reviewer that comes here and says this has "all been done before, therefore don't waste your time" you get a gold star!
TWO stars if you look just like a Starbucks' Barista!
And THREE stars if you look like a Starbucks' Barista but have never actually had a job before!
Willowglass continue to improve with each release. Now a full three piece, Willowglass is beginning to come together as a full unit rather than just a solo effort with a drummer in tow. If progressive rock is a regular part of your diet, then Willowglass are your IHOP. Good ole eggs (mellotron, organ), bacon (flute, violin), and pancakes (guitar) with syrup (soaring guitar)... and coffee (odd time signatures) is what is served at The Willowglass Cafe. Sure, you've had bacon, eggs, pancakes, and coffee a million times before. But when it's all cooked right, you walk out happy and smiling. Willowglass does that for you.
Oh, you wanted scallops with parsnip puree, l'orange spinach, and a balsamic vinegar reduction? Oh that would be the restaurant to our left called the Avant-Garde Noise Cafe!
For the first reviewer that comes here and says this has "all been done before, therefore don't waste your time" you get a gold star!
TWO stars if you look just like a Starbucks' Barista!
And THREE stars if you look like a Starbucks' Barista but have never actually had a job before!
---9/3/13
Book of Hours (2008)
What do you do with a guy who is enamored with the European Medieval past of stained glass windows, Celtic crosses, and towered villages - and who has an obsession with 1970-1973 era Genesis? Someone who distills those ideas, reshapes it in his own image, and then pushes back out to the wilds for all to critique. It's easy to pan such an effort, but when it is done this well and with this kind of passion, one really does have to admire the final product. If early Genesis is your thing, and you're OK with no vocals being present in such a setting, then it's highly likely you will enjoy, or at the very least appreciate, Andrew Marshall's Willowglass.
---6/27/13
9/3/13 (new entry)
September 2, 2013
July 7, 2013
June 15, 2013
Temple of the Smoke, Serbia
Location: Belgrade
Overview: Temple of the Smoke are a psychedelic spacerock band who mix stoner metal motifs with that of progressive electronic music.Very unique and satisfying.
UMR notes
May 21, 2013
Setna, France ***Disbanded***
Latest album: Guérison (2013)
Guérison (2013)
For my tastes, I feel Guérison is a definite improvement on their debut, though the band still needs to take off the leash a bit. The introduction of Ratledge-styled organ, and fuzz bass, gives the band a cool Canterbury edge. Setna are definitely more of a Zeuhl band now rather than an atmospheric jazz ensemble with Magma trimmings. But they still seem to lay back all too much. Sure would like to see Setna go all-in like Corima or Koenji Hyakkei - at least on occasion. All that emotional build up needs an epic climax... a release of anger.
---5/8/13
Cycle 1 (2007)
If Zeuhl is the genre tag that must be applied, then it's Zeuhl in the same way Offering is rather than Magma. Cycle I is primarily an atmospheric jazz release with soft chanting female vocals. Electric piano, synthesizer, and saxophone are the other primary instruments of choice. Those coming to this looking for ripping Paganotti/Top-styled bass and insane martial Vander-like drumming, will surely come away disappointed. Certainly Setna sit towards the Magma side of Offering (especially as the disc spins on, and the last track features some fine Mahavishnu styled guitar from guest James McGaw), but still the metaphor holds. Ambient jazz Zeuhl.
---5/18/13
5/21/13 (new entry)
May 18, 2013
May 17, 2013
Mantric Muse, Denmark
Location: Copenhagen
Overview: Mantric Muse are bread and butter Hillage-era Gong styled progressive rock. For fans of early Ozric Tentacles and Quantum Fantay.
UMR notes
April 29, 2013
Walrus, Sweden
Overview: Walrus mixes retro progressive with classic Krautrock sounds.
UMR notes
April 28, 2013
Kama Loka, Sweden
Location: Stockholm
Overview: Kama Loka brings back the classic psychedelic progressive rock of early 1970s Sweden.
UMR notes
February 20, 2013
Kharmina Buranna, Peru
Location: Lima?
Overview: Though from Peru, Kharmina Buranna remind me quite a bit of the 1970s Argentine progressive rock scene. They squarely fit the "retro prog" category and play a direct mix of early 70s styled blues rock mixed with classic era Yes, and a dose of 70s Italian progressive rock.
UMR notes
February 11, 2013
Montibus Communitas, Peru
Overview: Though a 6 piece ensemble, who play a myriad of acoustic and electric instruments, the band seem more like a free folk collective than a rock band per se. Montibus Communitas' music is about cycles, trances, and meditation. Deeply ritualistic.
UMR notes
February 4, 2013
Psycho Praxis, Italy
Location: Brescia (east of Milan)
Overview: Psycho Praxis are a retro prog Italian band heavily influenced by the early 1970s UK scene.
UMR notes
January 19, 2013
My Brother the Wind, Sweden
Location: Stockholm and Gothenburg
Overview: Formed by guitarists Mathias Danielson (Gösta Berlings Saga, Makajodama) and Nicklas Barker (Anekdoten), My Brother the Wind (named after an obscure Sun Ra album from 1970) exists as the musician's vehicle for improvised space rock.
UMR notes
January 3, 2013
Ornithos, Italy
Location: Umbria
Overview: Ornithos are a sextet that is culled from the excellent ensemble Il Bacio delle Medusa. Like many new progressive bands from Italy, Ornithos looks back to the classic 1973 era for inspiration.
UMR notes
January 2, 2013
Sithonia, Italy ***Inactive***
Facebook
La Soluzione Semplice (2011)
La Soluzione Semplice (2011)
It's a rare case indeed when a band that possesses a full 6 piece membership reforms after 13 years with all attendees still accounted for and present. Perhaps even more surprising is that it sounds like Sithonia picked right up where Confine left off, especially from a compositional standpoint. And, best of all, this time the band showed up with some old-fashioned analog gear, allowing Sithonia to showcase their immense songwriting talents with the proper (or preferred I should say) instrumentation. So I had asked the question in my Spettacolo Annullato review what that album would've sounded like with a less tinny and digital sound. And we get our partial answer here. It's different material, but the style is similar, and thus I think we know that the album in question would benefit with the addition of organ and mellotron, as presented here. Not to mention the fatter production.
All the trademark sounds of Sithonia are present: Great songwriting, an impassioned vocal performance (appropriately done in Italian), and excellent instrumental work which also now benefits from a larger palette of sounds to choose from.
In short, La Soluzione Semplice is Sithonia's best album to date. Quite a remarkable achievement for a band that was gathering mothballs for over a decade. Let's hope they continue this reunion with another effort!
All the trademark sounds of Sithonia are present: Great songwriting, an impassioned vocal performance (appropriately done in Italian), and excellent instrumental work which also now benefits from a larger palette of sounds to choose from.
In short, La Soluzione Semplice is Sithonia's best album to date. Quite a remarkable achievement for a band that was gathering mothballs for over a decade. Let's hope they continue this reunion with another effort!
---1/2/13
Confine (1995)
On the Spettacolo Annullato review, I mentioned that it would be interesting to hear that album with a more modern (and analog) recording. In some ways Confine is that album. Not quite what I would expect from a band today, but at least this effort from 1995 has more heft than its predecessor. Especially surrounding the guitar sound, which when in riffing mode, at least gives off a whiff of true heavy metal. Make no mistake, Sithonia aren't a progressive metal band, but at least if they're going to use a heavier tone, give it a little muscle - and they did. The keyboards are still digital, but are somehow mixed a little further back and the sound is a bit better as a result. On the down side, I don't think Giovannini's vocal performance is as inspired as on Spettacolo Annullato, and the compositions aren't as memorable or as deep. Perhaps they're letting the production be the star, like we see in the movie industry (who needs plot when we have special effects). However, there is no question they manage to capture the spirit of the best themes from their past. On the whole, Confine is a very good album.
---10/12/11
Spettacolo Annullato (1992)
Spettacolo Annullato is Sithonia's sophomore effort and is a huge leap in quality from their good-not-great debut.
In some ways, the band succeeds despite itself. The guitarist plays in that annoying pseudo-metal riffing style, stopping just short of actually being balls-out metal (which would be far more preferable actually), with plenty of pig squeal guitar leads to send everyone racing from the room covering their ears. Worse are the digital keyboards, a set of plastic wonders that A Flock of Seagulls most assuredly would enjoy playing.
With that bit of grime out of the way, let's focus on why the album works. Primarily it's the compositions themselves, which are incredibly well thought-out while constantly on the move, in that classic early 1970's Italian style. There is quite a bit of thematic development as driven by the fantastic acoustic piano work, and the melodies are in your mind long after the music has stopped. With the right editing, and other factors, some of these songs could have been major label radio hits. But perhaps best of all is new vocalist Marco Giovannini's performance. What an outstanding impassioned display he gives here - some of the finest from the Italian progressive rock scene.
I rarely vote for re-recordings, but I would love to hear Sithonia record this album with a instrument setup of all analog gear and perhaps a bit more crispness during the recording. It should prove to be a masterpiece.
In some ways, the band succeeds despite itself. The guitarist plays in that annoying pseudo-metal riffing style, stopping just short of actually being balls-out metal (which would be far more preferable actually), with plenty of pig squeal guitar leads to send everyone racing from the room covering their ears. Worse are the digital keyboards, a set of plastic wonders that A Flock of Seagulls most assuredly would enjoy playing.
With that bit of grime out of the way, let's focus on why the album works. Primarily it's the compositions themselves, which are incredibly well thought-out while constantly on the move, in that classic early 1970's Italian style. There is quite a bit of thematic development as driven by the fantastic acoustic piano work, and the melodies are in your mind long after the music has stopped. With the right editing, and other factors, some of these songs could have been major label radio hits. But perhaps best of all is new vocalist Marco Giovannini's performance. What an outstanding impassioned display he gives here - some of the finest from the Italian progressive rock scene.
I rarely vote for re-recordings, but I would love to hear Sithonia record this album with a instrument setup of all analog gear and perhaps a bit more crispness during the recording. It should prove to be a masterpiece.
---10/9/11
Other albums heard: Lungo il Sentiero di Pietra (1989); Hotel Brun (1998)
1/2/13 (new entry)
November 20, 2012
Klotet, Sweden
Location: Uppsala
October 27, 2012
Tanger, Argentina ***INACTIVE***
Progressive rock; Space rock
Latest release: Mundos Paralelos (2008)
---UMR notes
Mundos Paralelos (2008)
With Mundos Parelelos, Tanger finally carries the same lineup forward. Not surprisingly, the sound doesn't evolve much. Though it's clear that Tanger are beginning to slow down as rockers, and the flute becomes even more of the focus. At this point, Tanger are starting to resemble more the Catalonian group Gotic more than Humus and King Crimson, though that's overstating it somewhat.
Ciudad (2006)
Once again Tanger changes the lineup on Ciudad, this time replacing the guitarist and the drummer. And as per protocol, not much changes regarding the music. The psychedelic aura is perhaps slightly more toned down, and melodic interplay is more championed. At this point, Tanger are sounding more like an updated version of the obscure 1970s Chilean group Blops at the time of Locomotora.
La Otra Cara (2002)
Very little changes from their debut on Tanger's sophomore effort La Otra Cara, perhaps only scaling back the excess slightly, with only one of the (again) 12 songs exceeding the 5 minute mark. It is interesting to note that Tanger did swap out flautists, and yet you wouldn't notice unless you had a scorecard. Tanger seems to be modular when it comes to the individual's participation.
Tanger (1999)
Tanger's debut is quite startling, and was quite a revelation for me in 1999. The sound is right from the Mexican school of neo psychedelic space rock as championed by Loch Ness, Humus and Frolic Froth. A thick, wedgy and very psychedelic guitar sound permeates. Muddy bass and thunderous drums takes you through the wilderness of the Andes, and images of Krautrock legends such as UFO era Guru Guru are not far away. The angular nature of the compositions call out another obvious influence: King Crimson at the time of Larks' Tongues in Aspic. But that only tells half the story: Tanger's ace-in-the-hole is the contrasting instrument amongst the fray - that of the flute. So in the end you get 12 individual tracks of an all-instrumental psychedelic version of the Beauty and the Beast. Beautiful and melodic flute lines are offset by evil and mean fuzz guitar licks. Colucci himself is probably the least intrusive of the band members, primarily staying in the background, content on keeping the proceedings grounded with his steady hand on the bass. And this is the formula Tanger takes forward to the future.
10/27/12 (new entry)
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