Exposé Online » Issue 8

Date : November 1995
Pages : 60
Summary : King Crimson, Language & Culture in Music, Germanofon label, East-Bay Prog Day, North Carolina Prog Day, Magma megafeature, Christian Vander Discography, Christian Vander interview, The Zeuhl School, Eskaton, Wittox O'Hara, Eela Craig, Terraced Garden, Jad Ayache (Xaal), Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, Jesus Filardi of Galadriel
Items found : 160

A Band of Composers —
The Birdsongs of the Mesozoic Interview 1995

Birdsongs of the Mesozoic originally formed in the early 80s as a collaboration between Mission of Burma's Roger Miller and Boston composer Erik Lindgren. Though the band has undergone several personnel changes, including Miller's departure from the group, the one constant over the years has been their unique, eclectic blend of avant-garde, 20th century classical, electronic, and progressive musics. Their latest album on Cuneiform, Dancing on A'a, is their strongest one to date, full of complex, dynamic, and innovative compositions. I recently had the chance to speak with saxophonist Ken Field and guitarist Michael Bierylo.  » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

A New Generation of Spanish Music —
Jesús Filardi of Galadriel 1995

For over ten years now, Galadriel has been one of only a few active progressive rock bands from Spain. Their debut LP Muttered Promises from an Ageless Pond from 1988 caught the ear of the folks at Musea, who agreed to release it on CD, and also release their second Chasing the Dragonfly in 1992. During the period from mid-93 through mid-94, the band went through a series of personnel changes that in the end left lead vocalist and composer Jesús Filardi as the only original member. Here, Filardi talks frankly about the band, the albums, some of the changes that have taken place, and the outlook for the future.  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

A Short History of Kobaïan-Earth Relations —
Magma in the 70s

Imagine a world, many centuries into the future, when society as we know it has decayed into chaos and degradation, void of spiritual guidance. The colonization of space is well underway, and space travel has become commonplace. It is in this setting that a handful of enlightened Earth people seeking a better existence finance the construction of a private spacecraft and leave the planet in search of a new world where a new, more spiritually guided civilization can be reborn. They finally find that new home after a long and hazardous journey on the distant planet Kobaïa, where the party settles and begins anew.  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

From Coltrane to Kobaïa —
The Christian Vander Interview

The Place: The Glass Slipper, Vancouver BC
The Time: Saturday afternoon, April 22, 1995 before the Christian Vander Trio show that evening
Laurent Goldstein: Translator  » Read more
(Posted by George Allen, Robert Pearson 1995-11-01)

On the Way —
The Jad Ayache Interview

Xaal, a recent French trio (guitar, bass, drums) playing an intense music, inspired by Magma, made two discs: En Chemin / On the Way on the Progressive International label from the USA (then re-issued on the French MSI label) and another, recent, titled Seconde Ere, on Musea. Both albums feature this fusionesque zeuhl approach, with a bass playing that sometimes recalls Bernard Paganotti or Jannick Top. Xaal doesn't exist anymore, but they left two documents which are of high interest. I chatted with Jad Ayache, composer and guitar player, from his home in France. Jad was just coming back from a practice session, it was about midnight his time.  » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Once upon a Time in Linz —
The Eela Craig Story

Possibly Austria's best-known prog band (I'd be very surprised if you can name another that made more than one album), Eela Craig formed in the early 70s in Linz (about 85 miles west of Vienna). The nucleus of the band was pianist Hubert Bognermayr, bassist Gerhard Englisch, and multi-instrumentalist (flute, sax, organ, guitar) Harald Zuschrader. Over the course of the remainder of the decade, they produced four albums that are well-regarded in the progressive rock world, and (like so many bands) went on to record more pop-oriented material in the 80s and beyond.  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Out of the Shadow of Magma —
The Eskaton Story

Of all the musicians and groups most influenced by Magma and zeuhl music, Eskaton may have been the most impressive of all. While beginning their careers with strong influences by Magma in both name (Eskaton Kommandkestra) and music, the Parisian group slowly and carefully forged their own view of celestial music over three albums and a single.  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Return of the King —
King Crimson in San Francisco 1995

Man, was it hot! Saturday, the 24th of June was the hottest day of 1995 in San Francisco. As the temperature outside soared to 100 degrees, a group of us eagerly awaited outside the Warfield Theater for what, to us anyway, was the concert event of the year. It had been just over 11 years since King Crimson last performed in the Bay Area. Saturday night was the first of three consecutive sold-out performances at the Warfield. Initially, I pondered which of three shows to attend. Would the sound or performance be better the second or third night as the band and crew got used to the venue? Should I wait and go Sunday or Monday instead of Saturday? I wonder... No, it had to be the first show. I had to be there for the return of the King.  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Tending the Progressive Garden —
Carl Tafel and Terraced Garden

Terraced Garden began in early '81 as a solo project by Toronto-born multi-instrumentalist/composer Carl Tafel. Prior to this, he was one third of a band called Cardboard Brains, for whom he played bass and sang, a "demonically heavy" outfit by Tafel's own admission, that was "too far outside for any broad acceptance." He left the band in order to concentrate on writing, playing guitar and keyboards, and developing a more expanded sound. The first recordings began in 1981, but the money quickly ran out. A year later, Tafel went back into the studio, and with the help of some other musicians, finished the recordings for the first album by the end of 1982, and it was finally released in January '83.  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

The Christian Vander Trio Live in Montreal —
July 6th, 1995

During the Montreal International Jazz Festival we had the pleasure to hear the Christian Vander Trio. Like many North American Magma amateurs, I had never seen Vander playing live before, so this was a real treat on its own. The concert was outdoors, at 10:00 pm, on one of the numerous stages of the Jazz Fest.  » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

The Zeuhl School —
The Extended Family of Magma

When considering the legacy of Magma, which continues to this day, one must recognize the huge wake they left behind: Many of France’s best musicians were once members, or associates of members, or somehow were touched by their influence. Thus, their pervasive effect on the French jazz-rock scene cannot be understated. After Magma it would never quite be quite the same again. In this piece I will attempt to cover (albeit briefly) some of the many spin-offs, feeders, side projects, and solo works by many of Vander’s former and current associates. This overview is not intended to be exhaustive and complete – instead it is intended to establish some of the relationships between certain formations and musicians who carried the zeuhl spirit forward, and give some information regarding them.  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Words from the Surrealist —
A Chat with Wittox O'Hara

What can you do with an acoustic guitar and a drum machine? Wittox O'Hara's The Surrealist is a mystifying piece of work. Lots of xylophone-sounding timbres weaving intricate lines, much like a percussion ensemble, with plentiful of odd percussion blending in with the eclectic acoustic guitar and occasional accomplice electric guitar, shaping everything together, forming an impressionist world on its own.  » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

2112 - Intro

For those who like the hard metal edge of progressive rock (Dream Theater, Asgard, Vienna and such) and those who like that style with Spanish lyrics, the debut album by this Argentine four-piece...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

A Piedi Nudi - Creazione

Ah yes, echoes of the great ones! This, A Piedi Nudi's second album (unless there are others the writer doesn't know about) is a giant step in the right direction. Having been only...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Abacus - Everything You Need

In the early seventies in Germany, there seemed to be three subsections of progressive rock: 1) the "Berlin school" of electronic space rock forming the basis for the Ohr label; 2) heavy,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Akasha - Akasha

This is a reissue of one of Norway's classics, the self-titled debut by Akasha. This is definitely one for symphonic freaks and not for the Mellotron-whiners as this album has more 'Tron...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Akritas - Akritas

One of the few Greek progressive bands that were on a fairly big label, Akritas (the English spelling) was in spirit probably closest to the rich and fertile wave of the 70s Italian scene. Close to...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Amon Düül II - Nada Moonshine #

If there was one German band that embodied the true spirit of German "space rock," it was A.D.2. They took the early vibes of Pink Floyd and carried them into a whole new dimension of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Archie Patterson 1995-11-01)

Ange - 1995 Musea Reissues

These seven titles by the legendary Ange represent part of Musea's big score from absorbing the Baillemont label late last year. Although most of these have been released on CD before — not once,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Anubian Lights - The Eternal Sky

Cleopatra has been surprising of late with their output; the Space Daze compilation and Spiral Realms releases were both pleasant surprises. Anubian Lights is another solid release. The...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Apocalypse - Perto do Amanhecer

This is the second outing for this four-piece from Brazil, their first self-titled album from the late 80s still being a vinyl-only release. Their neo-progressive sound and dramatic styling have...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Apogee - The Border of Awareness

Arne Schäfer, aka Apogee, is a German multi-instrumentalist/composer and also-member of the group Versus X, who recorded the material on this, his debut album, over a six year period beginning...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Atlas - Blå Vardag

This is one of those gems, a rare item on vinyl that is indeed a lost classic. All the elements of progressive rock greatness are here in abundance: superb musicianship, brilliant compositions,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Blast - Wire Stitched Ears

A Dutch quartet of guitar, bass, drums and woodwinds, this is Blast's second release (the first being the hopelessly obscure Puristsirup from 1993), and the first for Cuneiform. While...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Blind Owl - Debut at Dusk

The story behind this is that in 1987, the cassette, LP, and CD were all supposed to receive a simultaneous release. Apparently somebody dropped the ball – the LP was released, but the CD...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Bread, Love and Dreams - Amaryllis

I suppose this fell into the progressive camp because: a) it's British and from the early 70s, b) it's folk rock; and c) there's a 21-minute title track. Let me break it to you slow:...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Camel - On the Road 1982

Andy Latimer's Camel Productions have already put out two high quality live shows, one recent and one from the very early years of the band, but this is the first from the mid-period in the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Carl Weingarten - The Acoustic Shadow

For fifteen years or so, guitarist Carl Weingarten has been active, releasing several albums under his own name, and collaborating on several more with the likes of Joe Venegoni, Kit Watkins,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Carl Weingarten - The Acoustic Shadow

What a treat this is. Weingarten is perhaps best known for his skills on the dobro (acoustic slide guitar played on the lap), he has a startling depth to his musical vision as well. The entire...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Carl Weingarten - The Acoustic Shadow

The Acoustic Shadow is presented by Carl Weingarten as a sort of soundtrack to a lost story. Giving enigmatic and ambiguous track titles and utilizing everything from non-western folk...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Cast - Four Aces

This, the fourth album (obviously) from the Mexican neo-prog outfit Cast, is very much along the same lines as their previous three efforts, but with some obvious improvements. The line-up is a...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Cherry Five - Cherry Five

Keyboard fans take note. Cherry Five was a predecessor to Goblin; Claudio Simonetti (keyboards) and Massimo Morante (guitars) were later in that band. Cherry Five's sole release is a true...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Christian Décamps & Fils - Vesoul

A brand new live album by Décamps, a superb follow-up to his 1994 studio album Nu, even though only one track from that album is included in this set (and it's one of the most abrasive —...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander - A Tous les Enfants...

Packaged in a 40 page hardbound CD size book, A Tous les Enfants... is essentially a Christian Vander children's album. Playing keyboards and contributing vocals, Vander is joined by...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander - A Tous les Enfants...

A children's album from Magma founder and leader Christian Vander? Precisely. I was more than a little skeptical when I first heard about this, and was even more hesitant to buy it when I heard...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander - A Tous les Enfants...

Vander's most recent release, and perhaps the most surprising. This is music dedicated to children, and written with the child in mind. The whole package is basically a children's book,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander - Les Voyages de Christoph Colomb

This is not so much a solo album as it is a narrative with some backing music. All of the music is performed by Christian Vander on synthesizers (which were programmed accordingly by Stella...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander - Offering I - II

It had been a while since Magma left us with Merci, and this, the first true Vander solo project finally appeared in 1986. Musically, Vander began exploring some undeveloped territory, as...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander - Offering III-IV

Although this was released four years after the first Offering album, this Offering picks up right where that one left off, and is in many ways not much different at all. Only three tracks here,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander - To Love

Welcome to Christian and Stella's living room... This is positively the most minimalist of all Vander's solo efforts. Christian and spouse Stella are the only musicians featured here...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander - Wurdah Ïtah

Originally released as a film soundtrack credited solely to Christian Vander, Wurdah Ïtah was recorded by a quartet extracted from the 1974 lineup; one of the smallest incarnations of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander / Offering - A Fiièh

The third and most recent Offering album appeared in 1993, with a line-up more full than the previous two Offerings. It should be no surprise that Stella Vander, Isabelle Feullebois, Philippe...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander Trio - 65!

Don't be fooled by the title of this one. It's the second (and latest) album by the Christian Vander Trio and not a re-release of Vander out-takes from 1965 (although that in itself would...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Christian Vander Trio - Jour après Jour

Jour après Jour (Day after Day) would be Vander's first all-out pure jazz assault. The trio formation of Vander on drums, Emmanuel Borghi on piano, and Philippe Dardelle on...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Contrevent - Terre de Feu

Canadian fusion at its smokin' best, Contrevent are a five piece of drums, bass, guitar, cello, and vibraphone/keyboards. Their style is energetic and complex, yet very accessible. One might be...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Cutler/DiMuzio/Vrtacek, Church of Betty & The Code - Ponk 1995 Releases

These are three of the latest releases from the Ponk label, formerly FOT, probably best known for their series of "Passed Normal" compilations. Besides sharing a label, the only other...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Darxtar - Daybreak

This sonically rich recording strongly evokes mid-70s era Hawkwind, with an updated sound that takes advantage of 90s recording techniques. They're not nearly as strange as Hawkwind, but the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Steve Robey 1995-11-01)

Deus Ex Machina - De Republica

Deus Ex Machina has hit the bulls-eye with their third album. De Republica is an absolutely brilliant masterpiece of Italian progressive rock, exquisitely manifesting all the elements of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Deus Ex Machina - De Republica

An old book, dating from as far as 1800 BC, was found recently in good condition by an archeological search. A treatise superficially presented as ways to acquire power and glory over people. Some...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Deus Ex Machina - De Republica

With their first two albums, Deus Ex Machina quickly established themselves as the darlings of the Italian prog scene, blending heavy rock and complex music in a most original way. Those two...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Deus Ex Machina - De Republica

Deus Ex Machina are in my opinion the pinnacle of the 90s Italian progressive scene, an outfit continually experimenting with sound and new musical ideas. Both Gladium Caeli and their...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Deyss - Vision in the Dark

Just the mere mention of the Swiss band Deyss is enough to send many progressive fans – even hard core neo-progressive loyalists – into cringe-fits or outbursts of hysterical laughter,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Die Engel des Herrn - Live! As Hippie Punks

Some people may be familiar with the name Klaus Dinger. For the uninitiated, he was an early member of Kraftwerk, the founder of Neu! and La Düsseldorf, and current godfather of Die (b)Engel...

 » Read more
(Posted by Archie Patterson 1995-11-01)

Doctor Nerve - Skin

Are you nauseated from the seemingly endless abundance of new releases in tired old predictable styles? Do you welcome the next whiny overstylized singer fronting a band of wannabe clones like the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Doctor Nerve - Skin

Dr. Nerve's latest album features more of composer / guitarist Nick Didkovsky's uncompromisingly dense and aggresive avant-garde rock. The music on Skin swings from a somewhat...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Doctor Nerve - Skin

Well, no one could rightfully call Dr. Nerve derivative. That's for sure. Imagine really distorted heavy metal guitar, clean vibes, frenetic drums and bass, and then throw in a horn section to...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Dogma - Twin Sunrise

This brand new album by Brazilian band Dogma showcases a wider instrumentation in which Fernando Campos' acoustic guitar brings on many delicate moments, alongside compositions that are making...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Dragonfly - Dragonfly

Not to be confused with the American early-70s band of the same name, this is the long awaited reissue of the Swiss keyboard masterpiece, with a full 23 minutes of superb bonus material added....

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

East of Eden - Mercator Projected

An engaging and groundbreaking early British progressive band, East of Eden used electric violin, dual saxes, flute, recorder and bagpipe to add texture to their guitar based rock. The end product...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

El Reloj - Santos y Verdugos

Argentinian group El Reloj was one of progressive rock's best kept secrets, releasing two albums in the mid 70s, one in 1983, and now their first new album in quite some time. Their second self...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Fancyfluid - The Sheltering Sea

Not having heard Fancyfluid's second album, this – their third – is a vast improvement over their debut Weak Waving. Musically the band has come a long way, they are...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Fantasy - Vivariatum

Fantasy are probably best known for their 1973 debut, Paint a Picture, a song-orientated but strikingly beautiful and melodic classic of British progressive. More recently, Audio Archives...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Finisterre - Finisterre

The name Finisterre comes from the Latin finis terrae, the limits of the Earth. Romans used to believe that the Earth ended near Hercules' columns which we call now the Gibraltar...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Finisterre - Finisterre

How good it is to hear a new Italian band with such a solid footing in the 70s. Sure they tinker around with some neo-progressivisms (and they do that quite well also), but it's clear that this...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Finisterre - Finisterre

Finisterre is another debut from the country with more bands than fans. While many of Italy's newer outfits fall squarely in mediocrity, Finisterre looks like one of the brighter spots. The...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Frank Zappa - Civilization Phaze III

This long awaited post-mortem artifact of Zappa's work is indeed a fine addition to his catalog. The music is almost entirely realized on a Synclavier, yet this is not the sterile robot-music...

 » Read more
(Posted by Steve Robey 1995-11-01)

Gongzilla - Suffer

First of all, Gongzilla's Suffer isn't the non-stop smokin' and jammin' album some people think it is. Rather, it's well balanced, with both excellent guitar work (by...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Happy Family - Happy Family

Here it is at last, the musical equivalent of a 1001 Centigrade enema, the debut of the legendary Happy Family. This one is not for the saccharine-fluffy prog types, this is like Slayer...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Happy Family - Happy Family

The long awaited debut CD by this Japanese four-piece is finally here, and indeed it was well worth the wait. It delivers on all the promises that might be expected after hearing the various live...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Happy Family - Happy Family

Happy Family recently created a stir in the prog world without ever releasing an album. They are one of those rare few who received a great deal of hype, not by record dealers, but rather by fans....

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Hawkwind / Astralasia - Spirit of the Age - Solstice Remixes

"Your android replica is acting up again. That's no joke. When she comes she moans another's name." The tune "Spirit of the Age" from the Hawkwind album Quark,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Headless Household - Inside / Outside USA

A quartet from Santa Barbara, CA, Headless Household have been together for over a decade, and released their first, self titled, album in 1987. Inside / Outside USA finds them teeming up...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Iconoclasta - De Todos Uno

Iconoclasta's 1985 debut was one of the crowning achievements of Mexican progressive rock, heavily influenced by Genesis (or rather, solo Steve Hackett) and possibly some of the less angular...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Iconoclasta - De Todos Uno

In the time since their first albums in the early 80s, Iconoclasta has been gradually assimilating a greater diversity of ideas into their musical pallette. Long Mexico's premier progressive...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Iconoclasta - De Todos Uno

Iconoclasta's latest release carries on in this Mexican band's readily identifiable symphonic fusion style. A mostly instrumental album, De Todos Uno focuses strongly on the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Il Castello di Atlante - L'Ippogrifo

This is the follow-up disc to the rather well-acclaimed Sono io il signore delle terra nord. To sum up Il Castello's history, it is a band that exists since 1976 but never recorded...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Isopoda - Acrostichon

Here is another release from the post-prog period, a good band who either didn't get their album ready early enough to catch the 70s prog-wave, or refused to prostitute their ideals in favor of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

John Wetton - Battle Lines

Comes a time when folks have to decide if they want to keep following an artist after they stop making music in a particular style – in this case progressive rock. Wetton and many like him...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Kadwaladyr - The Last Hero

Kadwaladyr, one of Musea's latest discoveries, is a band from Brittany playing a distinctive blend of Celtic and French progressive music reminiscent of Malicorne without the vocals. This is a...

 » Read more
(Posted by Henry Schneider 1995-11-01)

Kansas - Freaks of Nature

Their first studio album in seven years, Freaks of Nature marks the return of Kansas. Well, actually they haven't been gone. Even though this marks the first studio release for the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Kava Kava - You Can Live Here

Blasting off with "Headset," a big bluesy rock song with brass trimmings, one might be reminded of Colosseum or other great British bands of the early 70s. Each track that follows...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

King Crimson - Thrak

First, to answer the biggest question: What do I get if I buy this album that I don't already have on Vrooom? Not much really. You get the 'single' "Dinosaur." You...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

King Crimson - Thrak

While the earlier release Vrooom was essentially a rehearsal of material destined for this album, it was also a far more condensed unit of what would be the most important tracks on the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Kingston Wall - Kingston Wall I, II & III

Kingston Wall is a Finnish power trio who seem to operate outside the normal "progressive rock" distributors, yet would certainly be a crossover group of great potential. While the band...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Landberk - Unaffected

A rendition of Van der Graaf Generator's "Afterwards" opens this concert disc recorded at the beginning of the year in Italy and Germany. This CD also constitutes the very first issue...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Magma - "Les Voix" - Concert 1992 Douarnenez

Les Voix was the debut release on Christian Vander's AKT label, created in order to make available various live Magma recordings that had been gathering dust in Vander's archives....

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - "Les Voix" - Concert 1992 Douarnenez

Not so much a true Magma album as it is a choral interpretation of some old Magma music. With no less than nine vocalists (led by Christian and Stella Vander), the choir (about half male, half...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Magma - Mekanïk Kommandöh

Recorded several months before the album Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh, but not released until 1989, Mekanïk Kommandöh is an interesting early version of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - 1001 Centigrades

Magma's second album continues in the experimental jazz-rock direction defined by the first. A few small lineup changes – the replacement of two horn players and the loss of guitarist...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Attahk

While Attahk continues in the same general musical direction set by Üdü Wüdü, the moods and emotions evoked on this album are decidedly more upbeat and...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Concert - Bobino 1981

The latest release on Vander's AKT label is a two CD set featuring live material from 1981. The band at this point was fairly versatile, with multi-keyboards and horns joining the multi-vocal,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Inédits

Released in 1977, Inédits contains live excerpts from six unreleased pieces, recorded over several years during the early to mid 70s. The recordings capture some of the Magma...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Köhntarkösz

For the recording of Köhntarkösz, the Wurdah Ïtah quartet was augmented with two keyboardists and a guitarist, giving the band a much more flexible lineup. With...

 » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Live (Hhaï)

1975 saw several personnel changes in Magma's lineup, but the instrumentation which recorded the brilliant Köhntarkösz remained virtually unchanged, only adding Didier...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Magma

Magma's earliest incarnation found its musical roots in the experimental electric jazz scene of the late 60s. Their debut double album, featuring a lineup of keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums,...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh

With the almost complete overhaul of Magma's lineup in 1972 came a similarly drastic shift in musical style and direction. Two of the group's main jazzmen, François Cahen and Jeff...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Mekanïk Zeuhl Wortz

A two CD set, this contains the second half of the concert begun on Theusz Hamtaahk. The first disc features a stunning and powerful rendition of "Mekanïk Destruktïw...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Merci

With a seven year hiatus since Magma's previous studio album, Merci finds Vander pushing a completely new sound for the band. The influence of early 80s pop music is fairly strong...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Mythes et Légendes Vol.1

Released in 1985, Mythes et Légendes, Vol. 1 is essentially a condensed overview of the Kobaïan story. It features extracts from several early compositions tracing the...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Retrospektïw I & II

The second album culled from the 1980 reunion concerts is a double, and features breathtaking performances of two of Magma's epic live pieces. The first official release of "Theusz...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Retrospektïw III

In June of 1980, various Magma alumni gathered in Paris for a series of reunion concerts. The two Retrospektïw albums that resulted present some of the best performances from those...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Théâtre du Taur - Concert 1975 - Toulouse

Recorded in Toulouse roughly three months after the concerts from which Live were taken, this two CD set was released for the first time in 1994 on Christian Vander's AKT label. The...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Theusz Hamtaahk - Premier Mouvement

This unauthorized release contains the first half of a live concert from March 1976. The band's lineup is identical to that of the Theatre du Taur show, but the performance reveals, among other...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Magma - Üdü Wüdü

Here, Christian Vander strives to incorporate the various past styles of Magma into a single composite sound. Thus, one can hear elements of the early spirited jazz-rock mingling with the...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Marathon - Sublime Dreams

Why do they do that? I hate that! On Sublime Dreams, Marathon commits the cardinal sin of having vocals in a language that they don't quite have in their grasp. The lyrics appear to...

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(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Marge Litch - The Ring of Truth & Crystal Heart in the Fountain

A Japanese symphonic band that has been active since the mid-80s, Marge Litch released their first CD, Fantasien, in 1991 after a long string of cassette-only releases. The Ring of...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight

With all of the bad things I had heard about this album before even listening to it, I was wondering if Afraid of Marillion might be a more appropriate title. I ultimately overcame my fear...

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(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Marillion - Afraid of Sunlight

After six years, Steve Hogarth's output with Marillion has reached this, their fourth album since the departure (and some would say demise) of Fish. The most immediate thing about Afraid of...

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(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Melting Euphoria - Upon the Solar Winds

In the beginning there was LSD; San Francisco responded with music. The psychedelic music of mid-late 60s San Francisco reached across the ocean to the UK, and touched bands like Pink Floyd and...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Mike Oldfield - The Songs of Distant Earth & Hibernaculum

Here is the latest release from Mike Oldfield and what an innovation it is! The Songs of Distant Earth is the first CD I've encountered that marries CD-ROM with audio CD. In addition...

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(Posted by Henry Schneider 1995-11-01)

Mind Gallery - Guilty until Proven Rich

This second offering by Mind Gallery dwells mostly in straightforward material. That is not to say it's a bad thing, or that prog amateurs' heaven is in 13/7 land exclusively. No. But when...

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(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Mirage - Live 14.12.94

Another reunion dinosaur roars back to life? Mirage has come out from the near Jurassic age, taken a single step forward and unfortunately appears to die on the spot! Whereas Camel and Caravan were...

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(Posted by Jeff Melton 1995-11-01)

Moom - Toot

Moom is a new four-piece (but who's that fifth guy in the picture?) from the UK that many might enjoy. Vital and energetic, they combine some strong elements of the Canterbury sound with the...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Musicalia - Magicorò

Once in a while comes a disc that is surprising by its nature. Magicorò is issued on the Italian Kaliphonia progressive label, but it is a gripping work of chamber music and...

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(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Nekropolis & Peter Frohmader - Live & Stringed Works

For those of you disillusioned with the lack of early Frohmader / Nekropolis reissues on CD (whatever happened to the plans on the Sensorium label?), here's the reissues of Nekropolis' live...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Niagara - S.U.B.

Niagara were an early 70s German jazz rock outfit that released three albums of heavily percussion-oriented music. In fact, on this, their second album there are often four percussionists playing...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Ñu - Cuentos de Ayer y de Hoy & A Golpe de Látigo

Question: How could you possibly dislike Spanish heavy progressive rock? Answer: You couldn't. A five-piece consisting of guitar / Mellotron, vocals / flute, bass, violin, and drums, Ñu...

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(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Organisation & Kraftwerk - Tone Float, Kraftwerk 1 & 2, Ralf & Florian

Kraftwerk, like many of the long running German outfits, was a completely different creature at its inception then after they rose to popularity. These albums, including the pre-Kraftwerk...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Pentacle - Le Clef des Songes

This reissue is a long time coming for Musea, as this nifty piece of French history has only seen one Japanese LP reissue since its Arcane release in 1975 (that is barring a French reissue). This...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Phish - A Live One

Ask any Phish fan and they'll tell you that the band's natural habitat is most definitely on stage, in front of a live audience. So after five studio albums, Phish finally present a...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Picchio dal Pozzo - Picchio dal Pozzo & Abbiamo Tutti i Suoi Problemi

Slight changes in style between albums is common for most all groups, but Picchio dal Pozzo is not like most groups. Upon listening to their second CD after hearing the first, I did a double take...

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(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways & Moonloop EP

Having defined themselves as the modern standard bearers of the Pink Floyd sound – a title rightfully deserved (save the Roger Waters psychosis), they have set about further refining that...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways & Moonloop EP

Their third full album, The Sky Moves Sideways is Porcupine Tree's strongest release yet. Featuring three long 17-18 minutes tracks, the album flows effortlessly from laid back...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Project Lo - Dabblings in Darkness

An acoustic guitar, a soprano saxophone on a backdrop where a fretless bass harmonizes and slides smoothly over percussion while synthesizer chords wash away is an appropriate description for this...

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(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Quest - Opposite Sides of the Picket Fence

Quest is a new five-piece from Cleveland, Ohio, whose sound will immediately remind one of Rush. Lead vocalist Allen McKenzie sounds amazingly like Geddy Lee, and the music bears many similarities...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Ragnarök - Ragnarök

Unlike a lot of prog-rock groups who try to impress the listener with lots of flashy solos, using overdubs and multiple keyboards like so much musical spackle, the Swedish group Ragnarök...

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(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Revival - Revival

Note: When this review was written in 1995, the information accompanying the CD included a number of inaccuracies which have since been revealed. See notes within the text for...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Richard Bone - X Considers Y, Ambiento & Vox Orbita

Although Richard Bone may be best known for his forays into the alternative techno-pop realms in the mid 80s, his work of late, while still being very electronic based and often poppy, has been far...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Robert Berry - Pilgrimage to a Point

Robert Berry has been making music around the San Francisco Bay Area for about 20 years now – maybe longer. Probably his only national attention came during the late 80s when he teamed up...

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(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Ruins - Hyderomastgroningem

With this album, this Japanese duo provides a pithy follow-up to their 1993 album Graviyaunausch. Ruins comes back in full force with 20 new compositions clocking in at nearly 70 minutes....

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(Posted by Steve Robey 1995-11-01)

Saga - Generation 13

There's so many good things about this album that I don't know where to begin. It marks a giant step forward for Saga – a 25-track, 69-minute concept album that includes some of the...

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(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Satin Whale - Desert Places & Lost Mankind

For the latter part of their career, Satin Whale were a commercially oriented rock group who's music fell way outside of much of the more progressive German rock of the era. However, their...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Siamese Stepbrothers - Siamese Stepbrothers

An unlikely amalgam of musicians, The Siamese Stepbrothers carry forward a spirit of improvisation that seems to cross all time and musical boundaries. Bits of rock, jazz, psych, and other forms...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Sithonia - Spettacolo Annullato

Sithonia is a rather new band on the Italian scene. Spettacolo Annullato is their second album, followed by the live Folla di Passaggio recorded during the first part of a Caravan...

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(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Socrates - Phos

This is the third (apparently) and best-known release by this obscure (outside Greece, anyway) Greek band. This album was made famous by guest-keyboardist Vangelis. And while it's true that...

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(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Spiral Realms - Trip to G9

Simon House is an esteemed musician in my opinion, continually inventive and quite diverse, being the violin / keys player for the classic '69-'70 period High Tide, a short stint with Third...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Spock's Beard - The Light

Spock's Beard is a new American group that even before the release of this album has been slated to play at Progfest '95. The band is a quartet led by keys/vocalist Neal Morse and also...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Squonk Opera - Howandever

Ready for something different and very original? First off, forget the Squonk, it's not a reference – these guys sound nothing like Genesis! In fact they are a totally new six-piece from...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Surprise - Assault on Merryland

Surprise was an American symphonic rock band with influences ranging from Yes to Kansas to Deep Purple. As with many US progressives, Surprise were fairly commercially oriented at times –...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Tangle Edge - In Search of a New Dawn

It's great to finally see this album on CD, the vinyl debut of the underappreciated Tangle Edge. While the band's sound has changed considerably since it came out in 1989, adding sax and...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Tetragon - Nature

Here is one of those albums revered by collectors, with a pricetag on the original vinyl to match — only 400 copies of this baby were pressed in '71. Yet it's only a fraction of what an earlier...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus - The Gift of Tears & Le Liturgie pour le Fin du Temp

RAIJ are a mysterious ensemble of musicians whose music is genuinely unclassifiable. Operating somewhere near the 4AD / Dead Can Dance axis, the music by this fascinating combo is transfixing,...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

The Spacious Mind - Organic Mind Solution

The Spacious Mind is a contemporary Swedish band that wants nothing more, nothing less, than the opportunity to blow your mind with their authentic psychedelic rock. Layers of guitars echo in the...

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(Posted by Steve Robey 1995-11-01)

Tideline - Siren Song

Where is the audience for an album of commercial pop variety songs with unusual arrangements, and an occasional mildly avant-garde pop surprise thrown into the stew? I cringed when I first heard...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Tiles - Tiles

That just has to be Max Bacon on vocals! It must be – you know that singer guy from GTR, the most progressive rock band that Steve Howe and Steve Hackett were ever in? If I had to pick out...

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(Posted by Mike Grimes 1995-11-01)

Tim Story - In Another Country

Story, probably better known for his more recent work on Windham Hill and Hearts of Space, released his first two albums on cassette in the early 80s. This, his second, finally received an LP...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Trace - Trace

Frankly, it's amazing that this album (and the two Trace albums that followed) has eluded reissue so long! A super-group of sorts, their albums sold quite well and the first two were even...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Tristan Park - At the End of the Day

Hailing from the New England area, this six piece band is pushing for the arena rock sound that the late 70s and early 80s bands like Kansas and Rush made famous. Not exactly neo-prog, not exactly...

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(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)

Univeria Zekt - The Unnamables

A Magma album in disguise, The Unnamables was designed to ease listeners into the musical world of Magma. Recorded by essentially the same lineup as on 1001 Centigrades, the album...

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(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Various Artists - Patch Work Music

A collective of French electronic musicians, Patch Work Music offers a sampling of the music of five of France's finest. Three tracks by Christian Gérard, two each by Olivier...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Vulgar Unicorn - Under the Umbrella

The trumpet, saxophone, and strings add a nice coloration to what is basically a guitar-oriented music, with plenty of riffs in the vein of Hawkwind and the like. Vocal themes are easy-going: this...

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(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1995-11-01)

Wilde Flowers - Tales of Canterbury: The Wilde Flowers Story - Brian's Tale

For those of you still uninitiated, Canterbury was a place in the UK where a music scene originated in the 60s (complementary to that of San Francisco Haight-Ashbury). Several known European groups...

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(Posted by Jeff Melton 1995-11-01)

Wind - Morning

Somewhere between their debut, Seasons, and this album, Wind seem to have gone through an abrupt and drastic personality change. That album was quintessential German heavy rock with an...

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(Posted by Mike Ohman 1995-11-01)

Xaal - Seconde Ere

Finally, the long overdue second Xaal disc that almost never materialized, and were it not for the persistence of Bernard Gueffier and others at Musea, it could have remained in the vaults forever....

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Ynos - Chill out Sector

Creating floating formless sound sculptures that aggregate and dissolve, referentially in the early Tangerine Dream style, albeit on more modern digital style equipment, Ynos is apparently two...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Yochk'o Seffer / Neffesh Music - Ghilgoul

For those who read Exposé, sax genius Yochk'o Seffer should be well known. Practically the John Coltrane of French fusion and new music, Seffer's touch has graced many classics from early...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1995-11-01)

Zao - Osiris

Zao's second album was recorded in 1974, and originally released on Richard Pinhas' startup Disjuncta label. Despite the minimal resources available to Pinhas, Osiris fared well, surpassing...  » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1995-11-01)

Zero Gravity - Space Does Not Care

Zero Gravity is the vehicle of one Len del Rio, a recent associate from the Nik Turner camp. Del Rio programs a variety of synths, sequencers, drum machines, samples, and other electronics, while...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

Ziff - Stories

This is the first release I've heard on Musea's new side-label Angular Records, so it's too soon to predict what the 'sound' of the label will be, but for this release at least,...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1995-11-01)

ZNR - Barricade 3

Made up of the duo team Joseph Racaille and Hector Zazou, ZNR were pushing the fringe with this release in '77. Even by today's standards, this music is very avant garde. The formula is...

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(Posted by Dan Casey 1995-11-01)