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Gabriel Más — Hav3 a Good Trip
(Bandcamp Deep Dog Records, 2026, CD / DL)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2026-08-21

Hav3 a Good Trip Cover art

The first thing that catches the eye is the album's leetspeak title, Hav3 a Good Trip, where the number 3 stands in for the letter E. It turns out to be more than a visual gimmick. Gabriel Más is the latest chapter in the long-running creative partnership between former Gabriel Bondage founder Rex Bundy and longtime collaborator Rich Reardin, a pair whose roots stretch back to Chicago's fertile progressive underground of the 70s. For the uninitiated, Gabriel Bondage occupied a unique corner of American prog. Active from 1970 to 1984, they released two albums, Angel Dust and Another Trip to Earth, combining progressive rock, acid folk, art rock, country influences, and occasional touches of funk into a sound that often felt more British than Midwestern. Rather than attempting a reunion or a nostalgic recreation of past glories, Bundy and Reardin have chosen a different path. Hav3 a Good Trip carries that adventurous spirit forward, joined here by saxophonist Bill Wisniewski and Sheila Hay, whose voicework adds an extra layer of atmosphere to several tracks. From the outset, the album establishes its cinematic ambitions. "Dinosaur" emerges from birdsong and strange ambient noises before heavy guitar chords crash into the mix, announcing that this will be no ordinary retro-prog exercise. The surrealism continues on "Cave of the Tenderthals," where hesitant, stuttering guitar figures, thunder effects, analog synthesizers, crackling fire, and Hay's dramatic narration combine into something that feels part psychedelic audio drama and part progressive rock fever dream. More than once I was reminded of Spinal Tap's infamous "Stonehenge," though Gabriel Más approaches the concept with complete sincerity and considerably more imagination. Elsewhere, the band demonstrates an impressive ability to create expansive moods within relatively concise running times. "Self" combines harp, megaphone-treated vocals, and lush instrumental passages into a piece that feels much larger than its actual duration. "The Causeless Seed" strips things back with piano and vocals, the latter occasionally bringing Michael Moorcock's spoken-sung style to mind. "No Solid Ground" delivers some of the album's strongest symphonic prog, powered by warm analog synthesizer textures that would have sounded perfectly at home in the genre's classic era. Among the standout tracks, "Perfect Weather" lives up to its title. Built around an irresistible melody and what sounds like an electric sitar weaving through the arrangement, it's one of those rare songs that feels immediately familiar while remaining completely distinctive. "Mara," by contrast, moves into darker territory, sinister and unsettling yet utterly compelling. Then comes "TIVOY (The Immense Vastness of Yesterday)," another highlight that blends excellent saxophone work with an urban sophistication that recalls the more adventurous side of art rock without ever sounding derivative. Throughout the album, birdsong, thunder, analog keyboards, environmental sounds, and studio trickery appear and disappear like recurring characters in a dream. The result is music deeply rooted in the exploratory ethos of 70s progressive rock, yet not trapped by it. While many contemporary prog bands seem content to recycle familiar formulas, Gabriel Más continues to expand its vocabulary. Fifty years after the origins of this musical journey, Bundy and Reardin still sound driven by curiosity rather than nostalgia. Hav3 a Good Trip is not a reunion album. It is not a tribute to an earlier era. It is a continuation of an artistic vision that remains as eccentric, ambitious, and unique as ever. In a genre increasingly crowded with imitators, Gabriel Más stands apart, creating music that sounds like no one else. Other contemporary prog bands may be carrying the torch, but few burn nearly as brightly.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Gabriel Más, Gabriel Bondage

More info
http://gabrielms1.bandcamp.com/album/hav3-a-good-trip

 

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