Exposé Online » Issue 9

Date : March 1996
Pages : 72
Summary : Progfest '95, Pekka Pohjola, Lost Vinyl update, Belle Antique label, Spotted Peccary Label, Nine Days Wonder, French TV, Deus Ex Machina, ArsNova, Clive Nolan on Arena, Jim Crichton of Saga (interview)
Items found : 211

A Circle of Women —
A Conversation with Ars Nova 1995

The scene: A poolside bar at the Figueroa Hotel in Los Angeles. The time: late night Saturday, or actually early morning Sunday. Earlier, Japanese trio Ars Nova had just given their debut performance in the United States as part of the first day’s lineup for Progfest ‘95. The entire band is here, as well as their manager Mr. Numero Ueno, a translator, and at various times different members of the Exposé staff and friends. All the while, fans who caught their show are stopping by to get CDs and posters signed, and a couple of side conversations are going on between Ueno and others.  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen, Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Kenso - Overview of Pre-1996 Releases

If Japan has the equivalent of a Happy the Man, Kenso is it. Their sound encompasses everything, from polished symphonic prog, to fusion, Canterbury, even touches of Japanese traditional music. The music is (with a couple of exceptions) entirely instrumental, melodically rich, highly spirited, and completely energized. They've been together since the late 70s, off and on, and the lineup has changed over time, but has always centered around guitarist Yoshihisa Shimizu. In addition to guitar, the lineup typically features dual keyboards, bass, and drums — and early on included a flautist as well.  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Lengthy Silence Punctuated By... —
A Profile of French TV 1996

An unlikely name for a collective of progressive musicians from Louisville, Kentucky, French TV is essentially bassist / bandleader Mike Sary and whoever he happens to be working with at any given point in time. From one album to the next, the high turnover rate in the lineup may, at first lead one to believe that French TV is more of a solo project — yet considering the time elapsed between recording of the band's four releases (nearly eight years in some cases), these are only snapshots of what has been a gradual change.  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

A Triggering Myth - Between Cages

This is the third outing for the keyboard propelled duo of Rick Eddy and Tim Drumheller, collectively known as A Triggering Myth. For anyone familiar with their previous two efforts (a self-titled...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

A Triggering Myth - Between Cages

A Triggering Myth continues to be Tim Drumheller and Rick Eddy. So says the liner notes of this, their third album. Hailing from Massachusetts, the duo also continues to make music much the same as...  » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1996-03-01)

A Triggering Myth - Between Cages

The third release from A Triggering Myth continues to showcase the talents of Tim Drumheller and Rick Eddy. Both are apparently keyboard players foremost, but between them, they manage to cover most...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Abiogenesi - Abiogenesi

It's should be pretty clear from the outside what you're in for on the inside. Front cover: is it Dracula walking away from his latest victim? Back cover: a graveyard! And inside the the booklet among...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Adiemus - Songs of Sanctuary

The first major label release from former Soft Machine keyboardists Karl Jenkins and Mike Ratledge is a vocal/orchestral work based around varying Greek entitled themes. Having been out of the...  » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Ain Soph - Special Live 1 - 3 (Ride on a Camel, Mysterious Triangle & Quicksand)

Together in one form or another since the mid-70s, Ain Soph is one of Japan's premier instrumental progressive bands, drawing their influence more from the Canterbury scene than the usual...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Aksak Maboul - Un Peu de l'Âme des Bandits

This is the second album by Aksak Maboul, a.k.a. Marc Hollander and Vincent Kenis (though the latter’s involvement on this recording is rather limited) and whoever they happen to be playing with at...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Alan Gowen / Phil Miller / Richard Sinclair / Trevor Tomkins - Before a Word Is Said

For those of you still unfamiliar with the Canterbury musical legacy, few players in this circle of friends have met with tragic outcomes, (Robert Wyatt is possibly the most famous for his fall...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Älgarnas Trädgård - Framtiden Är Ett Svävande Skepp, Förankrat I Forntiden

Swedish ensemble Älgarnas Trädgård in many ways were the Scandinavian equivalent of Pierrot Lunaire and were an incredibly unique and inventive group of musicians. Their sole album...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Altered States - Mosaic

Looking for some loud, heavy, angry, dissonant prog rock, sort of like 70s Crimson, but without all the soft parts? Well, look no more, Altered States is precisely what you need. Their music is...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Anekdoten - Nucleus

Anekdoten's eagerly anticipated sophomore effort proves to be a masterful development and refinement of their heavy and driving progressive sound. While Nucleus certainly adheres to the essence of...  » Read more
(Posted by Rob Walker 1996-03-01)

Anekdoten - Nucleus

Especially after great shows at a couple of the Monster Prog shows in the last year or so, Anekdoten's follow up to the much heralded Vemod has surely been one of the most anticipated prog...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Anekdoten - Nucleus

Anekdoten seems to be one of the most well received groups of the new "progressive" resurgence. Their debut has evidently reached the five-digit sales mark and was given wide critical acclaim on its...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Annie Haslam's Renaissance - Blessing in Disguise

Annie Haslam's third solo outing is about the best set of songs she's recorded since her last work with the band whose name is referenced in the title (though I'm not really certain...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Anthony Phillips - Anthology

The problem with any collection by an artist as diverse as one-time Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips is that, depending on the selection of material, the listener may come away with only a partial...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Anthony Phillips & Harry Williamson - Gypsy Suite

Little is known about Anthony Phillips' career between leaving Genesis and the appearance of The Geese and the Ghost. How ironic that a 1995 release would shed light on what he was up to....  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Aragon - Mouse

Every time the subject of this Australian neo-progressive three-piece comes up, someone almost immediately says something negative about singer Les Dougan, along with something mildly complementary...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Asia - Asia / Armed to the Teeth

I don't understand why I'm reviewing this in Exposé... maybe it's the Mellotron? Without being too judgemental on a genre that I inherently dislike in the first place, the 70s American hard...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Athena - Inside, the Moon

I remember the first time I heard Dream Theater. I thought, "I bet a lot of bands will go for this type of sound in the future." Just when I was beginning to think I was wrong, Athena has...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Aufklärung - De' la Tempesta... l'Oscuro Piacere

An Italian band with a German name that sings in English? Okay. Aufklärung is a five piece of bass, keys, drums and two guitars, with guest vocals handled by Chicco Grosso – if that name...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Ayuo Takahashi's Rok Grouppa - Blue Eyes, Black Hair

This is a very unusual release, at least in the context of the other material Belle Antique has to offer, and another archival one as well (most of the recordings here are from the 1989 timeframe)....

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Babe Ruth - Greatest Hits

First, a bit of a history lesson. British band Babe Ruth debuted in 1972, sporting an incendiary hard rock sound ignited by the forceful voice of Janita "Jennie" Haan and jamming...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Banzai - Hora Nata

This Flemish quintet have only one album to their name, the 1974 LP Hora Nata, which has become legendary among symphonic progressive collectors. The band is led by the organ playing of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Bellaphon - Delphi

Probably best known for their 1987 album, Firefly, this instrumental four-piece existed from around 1982, and co-existed with the mid-80s Ain Soph, keyboardist Mitsutaka Kaki and drummer...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Bi Kyo Ran - Go-Un

Known for years as the group that sounds more like King Crimson than King Crimson themselves, Bi Kyo Ran have reformed after many years away, in the process growing from a trio to an eight-piece of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Bi Kyo Ran - Go-Un

Bi Kyo Ran were the Japanese equivalent of mid period King Crimson from the obvious "Larks Tongues in Aspic" copy at the beginning of their self-titled debut to one of their recently...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Bi Kyo Ran - Live Vol. 2 - 3 (Who Ma & Ran)

After a three-year period (spent mostly making demos and being discovered by King Records), Suma appeared with a new band behind him. King coaxed him into the studio, and the albums Bi Kyo...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Bi Kyo Ran - Fairy Tale, Early Live Vol. 1

No more than a year after recording an album of King Crimson covers as Madoromi, it was 1978, and the band changed its name back to Bi Kyo Ran; they won first prize in a Yamaha-sponsored contest,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Birth Control - Birth Control

Birth Control have been around a long time, beginning in 1970. They produced 17 albums and, along with Amon Düül II, are one of the more prolific bands from Germany. The first Birth...

 » Read more
(Posted by Paul Earney 1996-03-01)

Black September - Black September

Black September is a four piece from Trenton led by keyboardist Michael West (of "God Sex Money" fame), the instrumentation consisting of violin, sax, and drums, with bass duties shared...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Bloque - El Hijo del Alba

Bloque were a Spanish quintet who released several albums on the Chapa label in the late 70s/early 80s of which this is their third album and arguably best. Bloque played in a pretty straight-forward...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Bondage Fruit - Bondage Fruit

Bondage Fruit were formed in 1989, and have finally released their first CD. Leader Natsuki Kido is also a member of P.O.N. (and other groups unknown outside Japan). Like other bandleaders he...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Bondage Fruit - Bondage Fruit

Having first heard about this band in the fading weeks of 1994 via a bootleg tape of one of their live shows, I was, needless to say, duly impressed, and spent most of '95 looking for a copy of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Bonfire - Bonfire Goes Bananas

This Dutch four-piece produced a spirited instrumental rock during the mid 70s, leaving one album behind as the only recorded evidence. Their sound is very progressive, constantly changing tempo...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Boud Deun - Fiction and Several Days

If it wasn't for Cuneiform you could practically count the number of truly experimental modern American progressives on one hand, which is truly disappointing. Most US groups seem to stick to...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Braindance - Fear Itself

A five-piece from New York, Braindance offer an incisive progressive rock with a metallic edge, science fiction themes and an overall dark and gothic spirit. Using acoustic and electric guitars,...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Cafewien - Terrae Motus

Cafewien, a four-piece of guitar, drums, keys and bass, with a guest player on saxes, and any way one looks at it, Terrae Motus is an impressive album of sparkling jazz-rock fusion, the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Calliope - Il Madrigale del Vento

Some are no doubt familiar with Calliope's two earlier albums La Terra dei Grandi Occhi and Città di Frontiera from '92 and '93 respectively. Those first two...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Camel - Harbour of Tears

It's hard to believe that Dust and Dreams, the album that single-handedly revived Camel, was released so long ago. The subsequent 20th anniversary double-live CD elevated the band to...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1996-03-01)

Camel - Harbour of Tears

Camel's latest album is a rather moody, somewhat slow-moving concept surrounding the events which take place in a small town on the Irish coast. Harbour of Tears is again (like...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Camel - Harbour of Tears

For anyone hoping that Camel might be turning out something a bit more uptempo, full of fire and color, after the somewhat 'gray' Dust and Dreams, I hate to be the bringer of bad...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Caravan - The Battle of Hastings

A reunion of the line-up which brought you For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night (1973) , and The Album (1880), here comes another by a group which has evolved into a well-honed...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Carl Weingarten - Redwood Melodies

For those that checked out his highly regarded Acoustic Shadow (reviewed in last issues' roundtable), this release is a completely different side of Weingarten's musical persona. It's my...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Caryn Lin - Honour the Rain

Caryn Lin is a violin player who plays on one track of the Project Lo disc. Here, on her solo album, we find overdubs of echoed pizzicato and such over which a rather spatial violin flies....

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1996-03-01)

Cast - Endless Signs

Cast has carved a niche for themselves in the neo-prog scene for good reasons. Their sound is very melodic and flowing. As with almost all bands lumped into the "neo-prog" classification,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Cast - Endless Signs

The perpetually industrious Cast have done it again, with yet another release, Endless Signs. One of the big surprises of Progfest '95, Cast delighted with their strikingly...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Cast - Endless Signs

Cast has dropped five CDs in just over two years, yet much of that material was recorded in the 80s and early 90s, and not released until now. Endless Signs, however, is their latest...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Cheika Rimitti - Sidi Mansour

Cheika ("crazy") Rimitti began her musical career in about 1936. The horrors of war and the epidemics that ravaged her native region of Oran in Algeria gave the inspiration for her first...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1996-03-01)

Chris Savourey - Chris Savourey

Looks are deceiving. Sure, this leather clad biker dude on the cover, clutching a flashy black Ibanez and covered with tattoos might lead one to believe this is just some average screaming hard...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Christian Vander - Baba Yaga la Sorcière

Huh? Christian Vander's latest release on his private AKT label is a chorus of sixty-or-so children doing a twenty-four minute re-worded (in French) version of the Magma classic Mekanïk...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Cinema - The Seven Stories

Cinema are a new project that Belle Antique are promoting. The band consists of former members of Fromage, and includes two keyboardists, an operatic female vocalist, and string players performing...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Cinema Show - Dança dos Ventos

Nothing original about their name, but I was surprised by the plethora of creative compositional ideas put forth by this young Brazilian five-piece from Porto Alegre. As one might suspect, their...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Claude Lamothe - Nu

Flight after the escape. Derailment. Unconfined wildlife. Frenetic cello, rhythmic cello, unbridled cello soloing. Claude Lamothe, cellist with a classical formation, who played with the chamber...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1996-03-01)

Cliffhanger - Cold Steel

It's been a while since we've heard from SI Music, the Dutch label whose main thrust seems to range from decent neo-progressive bands on one end, to a very mainstream sounding rock on the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Collage - Changes

This Polish five piece is no doubt best known for their CD Moonshine from 1994 released on the SI label, or the LP Basnie that preceded it in 1990. Their sound is firmly in the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Courtyard Moth - Alive 'n' Gigging

Not too many groups these days play in the late 60s early 70s classic blues rock style, and fewer yet do it with an inventive outlook. Courtyard Moth are from Leicester, England and play somewhere...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Cyrille Verdeaux - Messenger of the Son

Verdeaux' name should be familiar to many, he was the main mover in the intensely symphonic seventies French band Clearlight, whose first two albums Symphony and Forever Blowing...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

D.I.M. - Natural Needs

Normally I don't go for prog-metal, but this Norwegian four piece is so far above average that I can't help get excited about their debut Natural Needs. D.I.M. (which stands for...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Dada - Dada & Castle Wall

From the ashes of Charisma, the duo of Mutsuhiko Izumi and Kenji Konishi – both on guitars and synthesizers – released two albums during its existence. Their 1978 debut, entitled...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Deborah Martin - Under the Moon

An album based on the twilight-to-dawn theme, Deborah Martin’s Under the Moon shines with an impressionistic delicacy supported by a lush backdrop of multi-synths, textural electric...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Dice - Dice, Four Riders of the Apocalypse & Live Dice

During their short career, which spans the late seventies, Swedish band Dice (never to be confused with the Swiss neo-proggers Deyss) released only one self-titled album, an excellent testament to...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Dunwich - Sul Monte e il Tuono & Il Chiarore Sorge Due Volte

Sometimes one gets totally caught off guard. I'd hadn't even heard of this excellent band before I received a promo of their latest Il Chiarore Sorge Due Volte. Further...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

England - The Last of the Jubblies

Best known for their classic Garden Shed, England will forever be remembered as one of the few "new" bands of the late 70s United Kingdom brave enough to make unadulterated,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Epica, Arpia & Hyaena - Confini, Liberazione & Scene

Pick Up Records is a relatively new Italian label, their first release (Midian's Soulinside) came at the end of 1994, and they have since released a number of releases by relatively...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Epilogue - Hide

Epilogue sounds like a combination of more accessible current neo-prog bands and mid-80s synth-rock bands. I can easily envision many of their tunes having videos on MTV back during the Adam Curry...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Errobi - Ametsaren Bidea

Another among a number of great bands from the Basque region in northern Spain, Errobi produced four albums between 1978 and 1982: Errobi, Gure Lekukotasuna, Ametsaren...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Eskaton - 4 Visions

[This review was specifically about the 1995 reissue on the Ad Perpetuam Memoriam label. - ed.]

Finally! After a long wait, the long promised CD reissue of Eskaton's cassette-only...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Everon, Wings of Steel, Dilemma & Summer Indoors - 1995 Releases

These four releases represent the more commercial side of the SI sound, and while I'm happy to report on them, they do seem at a bit of a letdown compared to other more challenging and...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Ezra - Shapes

As heavily featured as keyboards are on Shapes, It is surprising that Ezra is a three piece outfit consisting of vocals/guitar, bass, drums — and no keyboards. In fact, I'd say that the...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Fromage - Ondine

Cheese jokes aside, this band was active throughout the eighties, and released two regular albums. Their approach was symphonic, featuring guitar, bass, keys, drums and flute, and female vocals,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Fromage - Ophelia

Four years after their debut, and with an almost complete change in the lineup (only the singer / flautist and drummer from the first album remained), Fromage released their second album...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Fukkeduk - Ornithozozy

Well the name may cost this group some listeners, but I guess it could be said that anything in the Art Zoyd / Univers Zero axis may do the same anyway! Fukkeduk sure aren't shooting to be...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Galahad - Sleepers

I haven't been keeping up to date with Galahad, the last album I had heard was their first CD Nothing Is Written from more years ago than I care to remember. Based on that album I had written...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Gamelan Pacifica - Trance Gong

Based in the Seattle area, Gamelan Pacifica is a group of musicians in residence at Cornish College of the Arts. Their music – while not strictly traditional in itself – uses the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Gerard - Save Knight by the Night

Keyboardist Toshio Egawa is one of the prime movers in Japan's progressive rock scene since the late 70s – originally with the band Novela, then splitting in the early 70s to form his own...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Gift - Gift / Blue Apple

Gift is one of the second generation of German bands, which aims its sights on rock. Both albums released in the early 70s show the band's love of blistering guitar leads. "Drugs,"...

 » Read more
(Posted by Paul Earney 1996-03-01)

Glenn Branca - The Ascension

This is a long overdue re-issue of Branca's first LP, before the days of the army of guitars, but well past his punk days. On this album, Branca was joined by three other guitarists, a bassist,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dean Suzuki 1996-03-01)

Goblin - Roller

Nice to see this one reissued again, as it was only available many years ago as a very limited edition in Japan. Goblin were a group of musicians who did many horror soundtracks, the best of which,...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Golden Avant-Garde - Golden Avant-Garde

Existing from around 1986 through the early 90s, Golden Avant-Garde was formed around mainstays Chihiro Saito (bass) and Takeshi Naganuma (drums), the former having played with Katra Turana and his...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Goma - 14 Abril

Goma was a five piece in the grand Spanish tradition, mixing a hard rock sound with elements of folk, in many ways similar to bands like Triana and Bloque, but Goma came several years earlier, and...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Gong - Continental Circus

Reissued late last year without much fanfare, this was recorded by an early version of Gong circa Camembert Electrique, and was the score to the film by Jerome Lapperrousaz by the same...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Gong - The Birthday Party

Just what the world needs, another live album by Gong!?! On some terms The Birthday Party can be compared to the live albums released by their conceptually inferior contemporaries,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Henry Cow - Concerts

Another Henry Cow re-release which has much more information in the expanded liner notes which detail the proceedings. The first four tracks were taken from a 1975 BBC Peel Session and...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Henry Cow - Western Culture

Western Culture was originally released in 1978 as the final official album from Henry Cow. This single disc is separated into two 18 minute tracks: "History and Broken...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Heretic - 1984-88

Active in Kyoto from 1984 until about 1989, Heretic were a trio which consisted of Hirofumi Kawahara, Toru Ohta, and Suguru Mori, performing on synths, guitar, and cello. For this CD release Belle...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

High Wheel - 1910 & Remember the Colours

High Wheel is a relatively new German outfit with two albums solidly in the neo-progressive vein. While both are private releases, the band would fit very comfortably on the SI label as the music...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Hoenig / Göttsching - Early Water

It's truly amazing what people can pull out of the vaults that wasn't originally released in the first place. This collaboration between Ashra's Manuel Göttsching and Agitation Free's Michael Hoenig...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Honeyelk - En Quête d'un Monde Meilleur (Stoyz vi Dozévéloy Reissue)

An almost legendary album in French rock, Honeyelk's Stoyz vi Dozévéloy was originally released in a limited pressing of only 1000 copies. The band was a quintet of bass,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

However - Calling

Anyone who owned the original LP of this (on Cuneiform) and got to know it well will be initially shocked by this CD reissue. Indeed, However has taken great liberties with the reissue of this,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Hugh Hopper & Alan Gowen - Two Rainbows Daily

Another example of re-issue heaven? This album is (to my knowledge) the only bass/keyboard duet album made from a Canterbury link (Gilgamesh/Soft Machine). Originally released in the UK/USA in...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Ibis - Sun Supreme

The New Trolls Family tree is a convoluted structure – if you piece it together, it includes most of the well known Italian rock groups of the 70s whether closely or barely related. Ibis were...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Il Berlione - In 453 Minutes Infernal Cooking

There is little I can add to the other reviews regarding Il Berlione's follow-up album, In 453 Minutes Infernal Cooking. Il Berlione"s second comes across as more jazzy and zany...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Il Berlione - Il Berlione

It must have been 1991 or so when I received a tape from a friend of this group. Dutifully impressed to say the least, I couldn't believe that they had no CD releases yet. But finally, after a...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Industrial Soup - A Flagrant Display of Subtlety

From San Jose, California, Industrial Soup is a trio of keys+bass, drums, and vocals+sax, sporting a hard driving and quirky keyboard dominated sound that, together with the humorous lyrics...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Island - Pictures

This is extremely powerful music, hard driving, jagged, complex and unusual, and the overall feeling is very dark. Nothing really compares, although something like Il Baletto di Bronzo's...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Iva Bittová - Ne Nehledej

Iva is a Czech violinist/vocalist who worked with drummer Pavel Fajt on two stupendous albums (Bittova & Fajt and Svatba) before going it alone. This is her third solo work....  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Izukaitz - Izukaitz

In our last Lost Vinyl Update we covered Izukaitz' second album, Otzoa Dantzan. This is their first. Again, this was originally released on the Elkar label, which seemed to specialize...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Jade Warrior - Elements: The Island Anthology

To start off with, we have four albums on two compact discs, a wise choice in consolidating this band's major works together in one bundle for your hungry consumers. The set comprises the...  » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Jean-Luc Chevalier - Km 5 à Bangui

After a fairly long stint with Magma (from Attahk thru the Merci period), Jean-Luc Chevalier has also chosen to pursue the pure jazz avenue recently, much like many other Magma...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1996-03-01)

Jean-Pascal Boffo - Offrande

Always a surprise, each new album by Jean-Pascal Boffo is a radical departure from all those that preceded it, and his latest Offrande is no exception — this time operating within a...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Jeremy - Pilgrim's Journey

So who is this guy without a last name? Actually, Jeremy Morris (a.k.a. Jeremy) has a number of records out as a Christian folk-rock singer. This time out he's set out to convey a similar...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Jester's Crown - Above the Storm

Forget about the jester, it's not neo-prog or any other sort of music one would normally associate jesters with. JC is a very promising four-piece from the Ann Arbor, Michigan area, playing...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Jon Jenkins & Paul Lackey - Continuum

Of all the Spotted Peccary releases to date, Continuum is by far the most dense, lush, and intensely symphonic. The material seems to focus on the essence of life, self-realization, and...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Kevin Ferguson - Strad to Strat

An impressive effort, bringing the compositions of Paganini, Wieniawski, Vivaldi, Bach, Sarasate, and Rimsky-Korsakov from the realm of violins, string quartets, and orchestras to the world of the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Klimperei - Blumenfabrik

How many songs can you get on one CD? Well, the Residents did fifty on their Commercial Album, and Doctor Nerve came close to sixty on Beta 14 OK, so Klimperei with thirty-five is...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Krokodil & Düde Dürst - An Invisible World Revealed & Krokodil Solo

Krokodil is a rock band — let's make no mistake. Their strong points are the guitars and vocals. However on An Invisible World Revealed they have mixed in two tracks with a...

 » Read more
(Posted by Paul Earney 1996-03-01)

Kultivator - Barndomens Stigar

This obscure Swedish progressive quintet originally released Barndomens Stigar on the small, but very excellent Bauta label in 1981 and it has since become a highly coveted and very expensive...  » Read more
(Posted by Dean Suzuki 1996-03-01)

Lacrymosa - Bugbear

Lacrymosa is a collective of musicians loosely organized around bassist Chihiro S. (see also Golden...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Lana Lane - Love Is An Illusion

Remember an album called Passionworks by Heart? With that given as a basic reference for most of the songs on vocalist Lana Lane's album, there are some slight diversions, mostly in the...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Landberk - Dream Dance

Landberk's second CD-EP breaks no new territory, nor develops on their practically patented style, yet again delivers the goods. While I find that their music isn't as translatable live (both...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Landberk - Riktigt Äkta

Landberk's Riktigt Akta (the Swedish vocal equivalent of Lonely Land) was in many ways the precursor of the new Swedish symphonic scene and was the first of many well received bands...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Leger de Main - The Concept of Our Reality (10th Anniversary Edition)

[Note: This review was written of the original release.]

Here is an album worth getting excited about. Leger de Main, based in Ohio is simply a trio, brothers Brett and Chris Rodler...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Les Batteries - Démesure Révolutionnaire

"Les Batteries." That means "The Drums" in French, as in the drums of the French revolution. That should give one a good idea as to what this French duo is all about, and...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Light - Light

It's rejuvenating to hear a modern-sounding progressive rock band that is driven by a solid guitar player. With Light, Mario Driessen not only supplies the guitar, he also writes all the music...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Limbus 3 - Cosmic Music Experience (AKA New Atlantis)

Germany is a virtual goldmine of experimental music, and it still awes me how cutting edge some of the music was from the late 60s / early 70s. Limbus 3 were a very unusual outfit, bridging...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Lisker - Lisker

Featuring a no-keyboard lineup and two guitars, Lisker don't immediately seem likely to be a source of good olde prog. But this offbeat Basque group are not to be written off so easily. The...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Lito Vitale - Sobre Miedos, Creencias y Supersticiones

After MIA, Lito Vitale launched his solo career with Sobre Miedos, Creencias y Supersticiones, an ambitious album of powerful symphonic rock. Here, Lito plays just about everything: piano,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Madoromi - Live Vol. 4

The highly respected group Bi Kyo Ran was formed in 1974 by guitarist Kunio Suma. It was said that Bi Kyo Ran's early material resembled King Crimson, despite the fact that Suma had yet to hear...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Magical Power Mako - Music from Heaven, Trance Resonance & Lo Pop Diamonds

Mako seems to delight in perpetrating an image of mystery and enigma. With a history going back to 1975, and a load of albums, he never seems to settle into a singular style. However, along the way...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Magma - Kronicas

Not to be confused with the Kobaian ensemble led by Christian Vander, of course, this Magma was a symphonic progressive band borne out of the same Argentine music underground that produced MIA and...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Mathematicians - Irrational Numbers

Appropriately named, this all-instrumental outfit from Indianapolis plays a driving rock-fusion that is at once complex, energized, and accessible. The lineup varies from track to track, but...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Maximum Indifference - Maximum Indifference

You may recall our review of their most recent live demo a few issues back, so we welcome this CD release. Maximum Indifference is an instrumental trio of guitars+synths, bass+synths, and drums...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Michael P. Dawson - Brandnewbug Concertos

An interesting album indeed. Dawson is a Bay Area composer who originally released an earlier version of this (subtitled "Papa's Got a Brand New Bug") on cassette at the end of 1994....

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Michel Ettori - Higher Life

Some may remember Ettori's name from the lineup of the late 70s Magma spinoff Weidorje, he was the band's guitarist. He also appeared on follow-up albums by Jean-Philippe Goude and Patrick...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Miriodor - Jongleries Élastiques

For their fourth album (fifth if you count the cassette that came out between the first and second), Miriodor has again pulled out a long list of surprises. Their sound is rooted in the chamber rock...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Miriodor - Jongleries Élastiques

Anyone who's at all familiar with Miriodor will be immediately struck by the changes in this French-Canadian band. Where's all the synth, where's all the soprano sax melodies? The addition of Bernard...  » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1996-03-01)

Miriodor - Jongleries Élastiques

It has often been said that in music, the rests are just as important as the notes. Well, apparently this message never got through to Miriodor. Once they get rolling, they don't stop until the end. ...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Moonloonies - Detonator

The Moonloonies are the latest from Mystic Stones' arsenal of neo-psych electronic bands. Essentially the duo of Crum and Cozmo, the creators of the neo-psych band Shockhead, they deliver...

 » Read more
(Posted by Henry Schneider 1996-03-01)

Mr. Bungle - Disco Volante

Mr Bungle? In Exposé? Aren't they the group the lead singer from Faith No More is in? Yes this is Mr. Bungle, a group radically changed from their debut several years ago and a...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

National Health - D.S. al Coda

After passing away in May of 1981, Alan Gowen's last band National Health went on to record this, their third album, comprised entirely of material Alan had put to paper but never recorded. The...

 » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1996-03-01)

Network (Conglomerate) - Precisely the Opposite of What We Now Know to Be True

This heavily Miles Davis influenced band effort is like a an extended jam between Terje Rypdal (adding in some ethereal, Bill Frisell-ish overtones) and Group 87. Or more likely a direct comparison...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Nick Riff - Cloak of Immortality

Cleveland's Nick Riff should be a familiar name to followers of the neo- psychedelic scene, from his original band The Attitude's 1986 five-song EP, to his earlier releases (Heart of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Nik Turner - Past or Future?

Hawkwind fans listen up! This is the live document from last summer’s “Space Ritual” tour. Saxophonist, vocalist and founding Hawkwind member Turner is joined by other Hawk-alumni Simon House...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Nuova Era - Il Passo del Soldato

Nuova Era are one of the few newer Italian groups performing music in the 70s style of dramatic/romantic/ symphonic rock with strong hints of Banco, PFM, Metamorfosi etc. Their second album, Dopo...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Nuova Era - Il Passo del Soldato

This album could have been reviewed as a new release back in 1976 if it was judged by the musical instruments used to make it. Nuova Era, especially in the keyboard department, sticks to the tried...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Orange Peel - Orange Peel

Another one of the bright spots on the shaky Germanofon roster, Orange Peel were a one-shot that put out a great album in 1970 and then disappeared. The music is typical of early German groups more...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Os Mundi - Latin Mass

Os Mundi were a German rock outfit that released two albums, the latter 43 Minuten was originally on the Brain 1000 series. Latin Mass was quite a different release than the...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Ozric Tentacles - Become the Other

A year had gone by without a release from the Ozrics. Some were sure they had dropped off the face of the earth. The early 90s saw OT banging 'em out like popcorn. And they had become unanimously...  » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1996-03-01)

P.L.J. Band - Armageddon

This is the second reissue for this Greek prog-psych classic, the first being a horribly scratchy vinyl transcription on the Second Battle label about six years ago. This latest is from the master...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

P.O.N. - P.O.N.

Led by drummer Masahiro Uemura, P.O.N. is a sax-drums-guitar trio that adds guests on vibes, bass, and occasional violin. Guitar duties are handled by Natsuki Kido of Bondage Fruit, for this, their...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Paragong - Live '73

From GAS (Gong Appreciation Society), the same folks that brought us Camembert Eclectique, we now have a disc featuring live recordings by this legendary 1973 Gong spinoff featuring...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Peter Hammill - The Peel Sessions

At last the quintessential cult artist has received the cherished BBC Peel sessions treatment! Peter Hammill' 25th official release (excluding recent compilations and bootlegs of note)...

 » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Philippe Lenfant de Dagobert - Suite Mégalique Apocalyptico Foulfuitique

Well, what can I say? His name sounds pompous, as does the hyperextended title of the album (and 20 minute opening track), and three guesses what the music sounds like? Imagine early Vangelis on...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Pneuma - Psychabuse

The release of Pneuma's CD represents a much-needed effort at filling the gaps in the huge hole that has opened up in Japan with this genre: that of the solo electronic / synth. artist. For...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Presence & Alembic Virtual - The Sleeper Awakes & Müsikaall

For those who enjoy a dark and sinister progressive rock fronted by female vocals – in the vein of Tale Cue, Stromboli, and the like – these two releases are essential listening. Both...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Prometheus - Prometheus

Prometheus is led by the dual guitars of Steve Ball and Sanford Ponder. Although Ponder was one of the original "Private Music" gang, don't let that fool you into thinking that this...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Quaser - Out from Quaser

The original lineup of Quaser, a trio led by (then bassist) T. Morita played throughout the late 70s, yet left behind no recorded evidence. With the help of Ain Soph guitarist Yozox, the album...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Ragnarok - Nooks

Not to be confused with the Swedish band of the same name, this Ragnarok is from New Zealand and released two albums in the mid-70s, of which Nooks is the second. Their sound was a solid...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Rattlemouth - Walking a Full Moon Dog

The Rattlemouth recipe: Take elements of European and Middle Eastern folk music, neo-classical, jazz, rock and a lot more, mix 'em all up, and play them back with an agressive four-piece lineup...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Ritual - Ritual

There's been a lot of commotion about this since its release. When I started seeing it listed on peoples' top picks of '95, I figured I better get a copy and find out what the fuss is all about. Seems...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Roedelius - Selbsportrait 6: Diary of the Unforgotten

Roedelius has been quietly producing his unmistakingly original music for a long time now. And it's high time that he be given the kudos lauded upon his parent group. Yes, I am aware that Cluster was...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Runaway Totem - Trimegisto

This was a new release on independent vinyl just two years ago, in fact we covered this in part two of our 'New Italian Rock' series in issue #3. Last year Black Widow reissued it as a CD...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Saddar Bazaar - The Conference of the Birds

An instrumental four-piece from the UK, Saddar Bazaar sports a strong ethnic flavor, featuring a variety of non-western instruments such as sitar, kubing, dholak, agoual, and tablas, as well as the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Samla Mammas Manna - Klossa Knapitatet

This album is the classic Swedish group's third album and perhaps the most impressive of the early Coste Apetrea incarnation. Samla in the early 70s were far more progressive rock/fusion...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Satori - Tick

This is one of those albums that seems rather irrelevant in the scheme of things. Not that it's bad, but there are tons of ambient albums even with prominent guitar that are much better. This...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Séguin - Récolte de Rêves

Quebec, 1975. Like many other places in the world, a popular trend was to get back to the earth, to get back listening to the heart in a simple way, far from the concerns of cities and the humdrum...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1996-03-01)

Shingetsu / Serenade - Shingetsu, Night Collector & Akai Me No Kagami

Shingetsu was one of the classic Japanese symphonic bands, and their self titled Shingetsu album from 1979 is highly regarded, and often compared to classic period Genesis, if only for the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Silberbart - 4 Times Sound Razing

Silberbart were a German trio in the early Guru Guru vein, a bass-drums-guitar combination with an eye for the psychedelic. If you're familiar with Guru Guru albums such as Hinten or...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Simon Says - Ceinwen

The rumors are true. It has now been mathematically proven that every person in Sweden does, in fact, own a Mellotron. They all bought them about ten to fifteen years ago from Americans who...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Simon Steensland - The Zombie Hunter

For those who know Steensland from his earlier release Lonesome Combat Ensemble on Musea, it will only take a couple minutes of this latest release to figure out that he's turned the energy...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Sixty Nine - Circle of the Crayfish & Live!

Sixty Nine were an unusual "group" being only a duo of keyboards and drums. For these limitations, Sixty Nine made a pretty big sound, a combination of influences that on the more mundane...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Skozey Fetisch - Momma: Key

Skozey Fetisch AKA Mark C. Jackman is both an experimental composer and a visual artist working with oils and canvas. Momma:Key, Jackman's debut release, contains 31 songs, most under...

 » Read more
(Posted by Henry Schneider 1996-03-01)

Smell of Incense - All Mimsy Were the Borogoves

If you want to wax nostalgic and hearken back to an era where a faction of psychedelic music was metamorphosing into progressive rock, you might want to check out Smell of Incense. This is not a...  » Read more
(Posted by Dean Suzuki 1996-03-01)

Soft Heap - A Veritable Centaur

Another Canterbury related release makes its way to the surface. This disc is mostly a posthumous release from a live set in 1982 when guitarist Mark Hewins replaced the then recently deceased Alan ...  » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Soft Machine - Live at the Paradiso 1969

Oh yeah! More gold mined from the Soft Machine treasure troves! Softs re-releases are innumerable between the UK and USA in the past two years (and will continue to be through 1996), but somehow...  » Read more
(Posted by Jeff Melton 1996-03-01)

Sophia Domancich & Simon Goubert - Treize Lunes & Couleurs de Peaux

Jazz. For some reason, this genre of music tends to send many "prog" fans screaming for cover. I've always found this strange considering a lot of jazz (especially from the 60s) was a...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Spacecraft - Paradoxe

John Livengood may be better known for his recent collaborations with Richard Pinhas, but this was his electronic duo back in the late 70s, joined by Ivan Coaquette on guitars and bass. Their...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Spirit - Feedback

There's plenty of good reasons why this is one of the last Spirit albums to receive the digital treatment. After Sardonicus (or more properly during Sardonicus), most of the original...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Steve Roach & Vidna Obmana - Well of Souls

I'm an unabashed admirer of practically everything Steve Roach does nowadays as his ambient voyages are amazingly evocative and year after year he continues to produce great music. This collaboration...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Steve Tibbetts - Steve Tibbetts

At long last! Finally the eponymous first album by Minnesota guitarist Steve Tibbetts has been reissued. Folks familiar only with his work of late may be a little surprised by the flowing acoustic...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Takami - Y. de Noir II & Yume no Kirigishi

Serenity... calm... stillness... These are the virtues most strongly imbued in the music of Takami's first recording Y. de Noir II, an album that is almost completely dominated by...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Ten Ton Tide - Ten Ton Tide

Their logo looks like the Gentle Giant guy got a hair transplant and was so happy that he shaved his beard. Pretty cool! At any rate, Ten Ton Tide's album is an interesting combination of...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

Terpandre - Terpandre

If there is one song that exemplifies the best character of the warm, romantic and melodically colorful side of French symphonic progressive rock, it has to be "Conte en Vert," the second...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

The Ancient Veil - The Ancient Veil

Imagine the following sonic configurations: voice, acoustic guitar, alto recorder, fretless bass, and tabla; accoustic guitar, soprano sax, tenor recorder, oboe, double bass, and cymbals; a full...

 » Read more
(Posted by Alain Lachapelle 1996-03-01)

The Band from Utopia - A Tribute to the Music of Frank Zappa

What we have here is basically a romp down memory lane by the members (mostly) of Frank Zappa's 1988 touring band ("Make a Jazz Noise Here", "The Best Band You've Never Seen...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

The Duringer Expeditions - Volume One

Every now and then something comes along that's so unusual or revolutionary that one has to stand up and take note. What's revolutionary about this album is not so much the music, but how...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

The Light - On a New Horizon

Firmly rooted in the more commercial prog-rock of the late seventies, this quintet from Los Angeles have captured that nice fat sound of bands like Saga, Styx, Boston and Kansas in their heyday, a...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

The Load - Load Have Mercy

The story of The Load is a familiar one. A talented and uncompromising young band records an album's worth of material, takes it to a number of different record companies, they all say they...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

The Moor - Every Pixie Sells a Story

Well, you gotta wonder about a band that (literally) pays homage to themselves in the liner notes. Hmmm...

Okay, take a deep breath and then belt out the lowest note you possibly can. That...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Grimes 1996-03-01)

The Third and the Mortal - Tears Laid in Earth

This new Norwegian band are already eliciting comparisons to White Willow, but that is actually a somewhat superficial comparison used for lack of a better one. The Third and the Mortal bridge the...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Tiemko - Clone

Sadly no longer together, Tiemko were perhaps the most consistently inventive and musicianly of the new wave of French prog on Musea. After two uneven but promising albums, the promise was at last...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ohman 1996-03-01)

Tiemko - Clone

Tiemko are a French trio (here with guests) who have been around since the late 80s. The present offering is their fourth album, and it's been at least several years since their last release...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Tipographica - The Man Who Does Not Nod

Although this fabulous Japanese quintet made a big splash with their self-titled debut last year, that album was actually recorded in 1992. This new release, a collection of seven live performances,...  » Read more
(Posted by Dan Casey 1996-03-01)

Tipographica - The Man Who Does Not Nod

After Tipographica's amazing 1994 debut, the big question was: could these guys pull it off live? Well, here's the living proof. Actually, Tipographica has been together since around 1989, gigging...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Tisaris - Once Humanity...

Tisaris' debut, What's Beyond? from 1992, showed them to be a very capable band, but for the most part playing an embarrassingly commercial type of sound, hardly worthy of being...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Trem do Futuro - Trem do Futuro

Trem do Futuro ("Future Train") is a young six-piece from Brazil that shows a lot of promise on this, their debut album. A standard four-piece of guitar / keyboards / bass / drums is...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Trembling Strain - Anthem to Raise the Dead

Hiroyuki Shimada, a.k.a. Pneuma, now reappears in the 90s in completely different guise. He now fronts Trembling Strain,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Urban Sax - Urban Sax à Jakarta

For those unfamiliar with Urban Sax, check out the reviews of their earlier albums in issue #5 for all the background information. This four-track mini-CD (eighteen minutes total) captures a live...  » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - 70's West Japanese Rock Scene

Apart from the Tokyo scene in the 70s, there were many progressive bands operating in the Kansai region, outside of Tokyo and in the west of Japan, in places like Osaka, Kyoto, and elsewhere....

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - A Saucerful of Pink

With all of these recent tribute releases, there seem to be three types of covers: those which stay true to the original (or at least attempt to), those who take the original concept and try to...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Eyewitness - A Tribute to VdGG

This one made it in just under the wire, finding release in the fading days of December. The fact that (at least in the USA) Van der Graaf Generator is not the household word that, say Genesis,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Lost Years in Labyrinth

This album was just what the doctor ordered back in 1991. Finally someone saw fit to start focusing on other styles besides the symphonic rock that the eighties were glutted with. Featured here are...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Lost Years in Labyrinth II

Unlike volume one, there is no theme governing this one other than the fact that all the groups record for Belle Antique. They have intended it as a sort of beginner's guide. All the songs are...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike Ezzo 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Pick & Mix

Whether it's Delerium, Musea, Cuneiform, SI, Kinesis, or whatever label, a sampler CD is probably the best way to get familiar with a lot of new artists in short order. Typically, these CDs are...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Progfest '94: Variety Arts Center - Los Angeles

When it finally appeared at Progfest '95, the ink was still drying on the booklet of this two-CD retrospective of the show a year before. Each of the nine featured bands (Halloween, Kalaban,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Space Daze

This is the compilation/companion to the Cleopatra book of the same name. In my opinion, this (and the music herein) speaks for Space Rock a lot more effectively than the book, as when it comes to...

 » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Supper's Ready

Yet another tribute to the late, once great Genesis, this time by the crew at Magna Carta records. This single CD is an excellent production, though the choice of material often leaves something to...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Tales from Yesterday

With the blessing of original artwork by Roger Dean and performances included by three Yes alumni, this one contains a little bit of everything – some of the more 'faithful' covers,...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - The Moon Revisited

Let me start off by saying that if I never heard Dark Side of the Moon again in my life, that would be perfectly fine by me. This totally commercial piece of flashy overproduction, posters...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - The River of Constant Change - A Tribute to Genesis

There’s no disputing the pervasive influence of Genesis on much of the progressive rock of today, and this two-disc set is the first of two tributes paying homage to them. This one features...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Tokyo Symphonic Syndrome

The Japanese symphonic rock scene didn't really pick up steam until the mid-80s, at least as far as record releases were concerned. Numerous bands existed prior to that time but were generally...

 » Read more
(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Unsettled Scores

How often is it that one can find a double-CD set where every song is a winner? Most various artist sets will typically have some good, and some not-so-hot stuff, but this long awaited compilation...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Unsettled Scores

Five good reasons to buy Unsettled Scores. 1) Doctor Zero, a combination of Univers Zero and Doctor Nerve musicians and their version of "Onde Crepseculaire." Originally penned...

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(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Various Artists - Unsettled Scores

Various artists compilations don't get much better than this. From what started as a joke four years ago, comes the long-awaited double disc release of Cuneiform artists covering other...

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(Posted by Dan Casey 1996-03-01)

Via Lumini - What Have We Done About Us?

Singer and producer João Kurk is listed in the credits simply as a 'Special Guest,' while the five instrumentalists (B3+piano+synth, guitars, drums, bass, and flute) comprise the...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Volapük - Le Feu du Tigre (Tiger Fire)

Guigou Chenevier was the drummer and a founding member of that wild and crazy French trio Etron Fou Leloublan, who released six albums between '76 and '86. Volapük is his latest band,...

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(Posted by Peter Thelen 1996-03-01)

Xhol Caravan - Electrip

Amongst the annals of the most psychedelic German rock of the early 70s stand out the legendary Xhol, a band that remains one of the most challenging that that country had to offer. Initially a band...  » Read more
(Posted by Mike McLatchey 1996-03-01)

Zou - Bouzillator

Zou, not to be confused with Zao, nor with an earlier Zou, is another excellent French jazz-rock band on Musea Parallele, Musea's side label for bands stylistically different from their...

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(Posted by Henry Schneider 1996-03-01)