Record Reviews
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  | ADVENT ~ CANTUS FIRMUS
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 702987024726) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1992 - 2006 Released: 2006
Every time an album like Cantus FirmusFind albums with this title by AdventFind albums by this artist lands in my lap a lot of questions pop up immediately. Since I consider myself quite knowledgeable in all matters Prog, the most intriguing one being “How came I’ve not heard about this band earlier, considering this is their 2nd album?” Mind you this happens very rarely and even more so when the album in question is as phenomenal as this one, almost unbelievably phenomenal. Let me start with a bold statement here: “This is one of the best Prog albums ever made!” I know many of my readers at this point start shrugging and say: “Here he goes again”. Let me try and explain (to the best of my ability) why I think this statement is 100 % true. Since this album was recorded in the 2000’s, the musicians had the benefit of perception of the Progressive Rock’s vast tradition accumulated during the genre’s 30+ years of history, thus being able to incorporate this insight in their creation. I emphasize the role of perception here (either conscious or subconscious) in contrast to an attempt to imitate, which of course makes all the difference. This album creates a perfect amalgam of the entire genre’s tradition up to that point (I mean the mainstream of the tradition centered on Symphonic Prog) and is in a sense a concise summary of the genre’s essence. In other words when asked (for the millionth time) “What is Prog?” I can now calmly say: “Listen to this album – everything you need to know about Prog is there.” Of course some influences on this music are immediately more obvious than others, the main one being Gentle GiantFind albums by this artist. Starting with the a cappella opening tune and the use of muliti-layered vocal harmonies throughout the album, the quirky rhythm changes and the devilishly clever concatenation of short themes into a continuous musical epic (like in the central 18+ minutes long tour de force piece here). Another thing is that in every respect (i.e. stylistically, sonically, conceptually, etc.) this album really belongs in the 1970’s. Not that is sounds dated (God forbid), but the fact that it was made in the 2000’s makes this entire venture a true miracle. Life is not fair of course, so just imagine this album released with Gentle Giant on the cover and I can assure you that it would have been considered one of the (if not the) best GG releases. Well, it has Advent on the cover, which should make no difference, but unfortunately it does. The only solace can be found in the fact that if one wishes to imagine how GG would have sounded in the 2000’s, all one has to do is to listen to this album. If you are a food connoisseur, this album is a French meal with a dash of YesFind albums by this artist as a starter, great Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist soup with main course a la Gentle Giant and a GenesisFind albums by this artist dessert. Add to this a vintage red vine full of talent, imagination, creativity and instrumental perfection and you get a perfect Prog meal called “Cantus Firmus”. A bit about Advent: They are an American quartet with a guitarist, two brothers who play keyboards and a drummer. One of the brothers is the lead vocalist and the other supplies the vocal harmonies (makes perfect sense). The double keyboards provide a rich, orchestral sound which plenty of opportunities to insert a multitude of interesting ditties, which require repetitive listening in order to be noticed and appreciated. The album includes bonus material recorded for but not included on the band’s debut release, which is every bit as strong as the rest of the album. There is no way to finish this but with another (shouted) question: “Where (and when) is the next album?!!!” Absolutely essential.
| | | CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO ~ AS IN A LAST SUPPER
ESOTERIC / MANTICORE 1010 (Barcode: 5013929381025) ~ ITALY ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 Released: 2010
Italian Prog giants Banco Del Mutuo SoccorsoFind albums by this artist were the second Italian Prog band (after PFMFind albums by this artist) signed by the Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist owned ManticoreFind albums on this label label, to promote the band in UK and US.
The band was formed in Rome in 1969 and changed its lineup several times before a stable equilibrium of talent was finally achieved. The founders, brothers Gianni NocenziFind albums by this artist and Vittorio NocenziFind albums by this artist, both keyboards players, were joined by vocalist Francesco Di GiacomoFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rodolfo MalteseFind albums by this artist, bassist Renato D`AngeloFind albums by this artist and drummer Pier Luigi CalderoniFind albums by this artist.
Following the release of three masterpiece albums in their native country, this was their second (and sadly the last) UK release and it includes violinist Angelo BraduardiFind albums by this artist in the lineup, who was also responsible for the English language version of the lyrics. The album was released simultaneously in Italy (and with lyrics in Italian) under the title "Come In Un`Ultima CenaFind albums with this title" and in UK under this title.
This is a concept album with the "Last Supper" as it center theme, which raised a certain level of controversy at the time. This is classic stuff, well known to most serious Prog fans, so there is no need to say much more, except for the fact that this album is often considered as the band´s best work. The English accent, often ridiculed by some of the less polite critics, has a charm in itself for me. A classic!
| | Updated: 17/05/2019Posted: | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO ~ BANCO
ESOTERIC / MANTICORE 1009 (Barcode: 5013929380929) ~ ITALY ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1975 Released: 2010
Italian Prog giants Banco Del Mutuo SoccorsoFind albums by this artist were the second Italian Prog band (after PFMFind albums by this artist) signed by the Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist owned ManticoreFind albums on this label label, to promote the band in UK and US.
The band was formed in Rome in 1969 and changed its lineup several times before a stable equilibrium of talent was finally achieved. The founders, brothers Gianni NocenziFind albums by this artist and Vittorio NocenziFind albums by this artist, both keyboards players, were joined by vocalist Francesco Di GiacomoFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rodolfo MalteseFind albums by this artist, bassist Renato D`AngeloFind albums by this artist and drummer Pier Luigi CalderoniFind albums by this artist.
Following the release of three masterpiece albums in their native country, this was their UK debut. It contains three new compositions and the rest of the material consists of re-makes of material from their earlier albums with English lyrics, written by Marva Jan MarrowFind albums by this artist, who also wrote English lyrics for PFM albums.
This is classic stuff, well known to most serious Prog fans, so there is no need to say much more, except for the fact that this album is often mistakes as a "best of" compilation, which it is not by any standard. The English accent is also often ridiculed by some of the less polite critics, which is true in some respect, but has a charm in itself for me. A classic!
| | Updated: 17/05/2019Posted: | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | CASTLE CANYON ~ GODS OF 1973
BOTTOMFEEDER 05 (Barcode: 884502065268) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 - 1974 Released: 2009
Great album by an obscure US Prog keyboards trio Castle CanyonFind albums by this artist, which was active in early 1970s but never released the material they composed and recorded at the time. As far as one can figure from the liner notes, parts of the material were recently recorded and re-recorded by the band’s leader / keyboardist Erik Ian WalkerFind albums by this artist, but basically it does not matter, as the original 1970s sound is still there. Walker, who composed all the music, is surely a gifted player and his control of the many keyboard instruments is beyond reproach. Bassist Fred ChalenorFind albums by this artist and drummer Paul EliasFind albums by this artist support the leader flawlessly and the entire effort is a heaven on earth for keyboards fans, bringing fond memories of Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, NiceFind albums by this artist and other memorable keyboards based ensembles. Considering the fact that not much of interest is happening, finding lost gems from the past is always a pleasure. Go for it!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | COVENANT ~ NATURE`S DIVINE REFLECTION
SYN-PHONIC 13 ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1992 Released: 1992
This is the only album by American Prog act CovenantFind albums by this artist, which was in fact a one-man-show of multi-instrumentalist Dave GryderFind albums by this artist, who plays drums and a plethora of keyboards, mostly vintage, including the Hammond organ and mellotron. He gets a little help on one track from guitarist / bassist Bill PohlFind albums by this artist. Of course Gryder composed all the music on this album as well, which comprises of just three tracks, two of which are lengthy (close to 20 minutes) mini-suites subdivided into sections but playing continuously.
The music is typical retro Neo-Prog, which sounds remarkably like the "real deal" and if one didn´t know better it makes an impression like it could have been recorded in the 1970s. The overall feeling is similar to the recordings by the classic keyboard dominated Prog outfits from the 1970s, like NiceFind albums by this artist, Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist and others. The compositions are somewhat sketchy, which leaves a lot space for extended improvisations, which is the main attraction of this music. The performances are quite impressive, especially in view of the fact that it is a job of one person.
In short this is primarily of interest to Hammond organ and other vintage keyboards freaks, which are quite numerous of course. A great trip down the nostalgia lane and altogether a fairly interesting little know Prog gem, which is definitely worth investigating, so check it out if you gat a chance!
| | Updated: 21/09/2021Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | CRONICO ~ DELIRIUM ROOM
NOT ON LABEL ~ MEXICO ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007
1st album by a new Mexican Prog band CronicoFind albums by this artist, which consists of four male instrumentalists and a female vocalist, something that is always welcome in Prog. The album includes four instrumental and six vocal tracks, which present two quite distinctive sides of the band. Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist pyrotechnics mostly influence the instrumental stuff, whereas the vocal tracks are closer to contemporary Prog efforts. Four of the vocal tracks have English lyrics, which is a mistake in my opinion, as the singer sounds much better in her native tongue, but obviously the group is looking for fans beyond the borders of their country. All together a most impressive debut, with plenty of splendid moments, great solos and some really excellent music. The sound quality and production are both excellent. I look forward to hear their next album.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | DIAPASÃO ~ OPUS I
MASQUE 0306 ~ BRAZIL ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2006
1st album by the Brazilian Prog band DiapasãoFind albums by this artist. Led by keyboards player Rodrigo LanaFind albums by this artist, Diapasão are a trio (keyboards, bass & drums), which immediately brings comparisons to Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, TraceFind albums by this artist, NiceFind albums by this artist and all the other keyboards trios in Prog. Lana, who composed all the music, is an accomplished player who switches with ease between the acoustic piano and the electronic instruments. His compositions sound mostly very close to classical music (especially when he plays the acoustic piano) with complex melodic themes often intertwined with each other. Apart from the regular band members several guest musicians (violins, cello) are present on a couple of tracks. All together a most impressive debut, which hopefully will see a follow up in the future. Keyboards fans and general Prog lovers will have a feast with this one.
| | | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ BLACK MOON
SONY 784868 (Barcode: 886978486820) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1991 Released: 2011
This is the 11th album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. This album marks the group´s first re-union 12 years after it disbanded for the first time. A fresh set of songs, performed with the usual skill and power, serves as an excellent reminder of the glory days in the 1970s, sounding completely relevant today, 20 years later. These musicians are still able to outplay any of the youngsters on the scene at the time, as the live album and film "Live At The Royal Albert HallFind albums with this title" proves. Definitely worth having!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ BRAIN SALAD SURGERY
SONY 783013 (Barcode: 886978301321) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2011
This is the 5th album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. The group arrived on the scene a bit later than their "accomplices" (YesFind albums by this artist, GenesisFind albums by this artist, Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and others), since keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist / bassist / lead vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were already prominent members of early / proto Prog bands before the trio combined forces and merged into this formidable ensemble. They definitely were the best fit as far as the simplistic definition of Prog is concerned (i.e. an amalgam of Rock and Classical music), allowing Emerson to fulfill his fascination / obsession with Classical music pieces and even contribute some of his own music set to a similar (i.e. classical) framework. It also allowed Lake to write some of the most memorable Rock ballads and Palmer to beat the hell out of endless drum sets, all of which seemed to delight hordes of Rock (and I mean Rock as opposed to Prog) music listeners the world over. They were all monster musicians, they were at the top of their youthful peak of creativity and they kicked ass, big time! It was great while it lasted, and it did last for about half a decade and six albums, and the legend went sour when these gentlemen failed to realize that it´s over and pressed on, seemingly endlessly, damaging the image of their glorious achievements in the process. But in retrospect, wiser and older by 40 years, I still find this music fascinating and powerful, imaginative and bold, and above all artistically sound. Considering the fact that these recordings were off the market due to some corporate music industry bullshit, it´s great to see it back on the shelves, this time released by SonyFind albums on this label Music, which hopefully will keep them alive for a while.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER
SONY 783007 (Barcode: 886978300720) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2011
This is the 1st album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. The group arrived on the scene a bit later than their "accomplices" (YesFind albums by this artist, GenesisFind albums by this artist, Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and others), since keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist / bassist / lead vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were already prominent members of early / proto Prog bands before the trio combined forces and merged into this formidable ensemble. They definitely were the best fit as far as the simplistic definition of Prog is concerned (i.e. an amalgam of Rock and Classical music), allowing Emerson to fulfill his fascination / obsession with Classical music pieces and even contribute some of his own music set to a similar (i.e. classical) framework. It also allowed Lake to write some of the most memorable Rock ballads and Palmer to beat the hell out of endless drum sets, all of which seemed to delight hordes of Rock (and I mean Rock as opposed to Prog) music listeners the world over. They were all monster musicians, they were at the top of their youthful peak of creativity and they kicked ass, big time! It was great while it lasted, and it did last for about half a decade and six albums, and the legend went sour when these gentlemen failed to realize that it´s over and pressed on, seemingly endlessly, damaging the image of their glorious achievements in the process. But in retrospect, wiser and older by 40 years, I still find this music fascinating and powerful, imaginative and bold, and above all artistically sound. Considering the fact that these recordings were off the market due to some corporate music industry bullshit, it´s great to see it back on the shelves, this time released by SonyFind albums on this label Music, which hopefully will keep them alive for a while.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER (DELUXE EDITION)
SONY 886919379723 (Barcode: 886919379723) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2012
This is the debut eponymous album by the British supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, one of the great pioneering Prog outfits, which achieved wide popularity way beyond the Prog genre, being also one of the most popular Rock bands in the 1970s. Keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, bassist / vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were superb musicians and their cooperation created some of the finest Prog moments, which are everlasting.
It would be truly superfluous to write anything more about this album, as it already is a commonly accepted masterpiece and universally acclaimed milestone of Prog in particular and Rock in general. So let´s talk about this specific new edition and its valor or lack of thereof.
This edition comprises of two CDs and a DVD-A. The first CD is the original remastered stereo mix of the album, which was released by SonyFind albums on this label a year earlier. The second CD is a new stereo mix, called the "alternate" album, which is based on the existing master tapes. It lacks three tracks of the original album, (the master tapes of which are missing), but adds several new previously unheard pieces, which are either new tunes or alternate versions of existing tunes. The DVD-A includes the 5.1 surround sound mixes of the original album (less the missing tracks) and a hi-res stereo (what the hell is this?) version of the entire material on the second CD. Confused? I´m not surprised…
All the additional material, i.e. the second CD and the DVD-A were created by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, leader of Porcupine TreeFind albums by this artist and in recent years quite a busy "studio wizard", creating new re-mixes of many classic Rock (and Prog) masterpieces, like this one.
So what do we have here?; a superb classic album and two additional pieces of plastic containing very little new material, which should have been added as bonus tracks on the a.m. remastered edition of this album. Seriously, who listens to music in 5.1 surround sound anyway? What was the word we used to have for this kind of releases? Oh yes, rip-off!
Mr. Wilson, please leave those great classic masterpieces alone and go back to you own music, in the audio format of your choice…
| | | 2CD+DVD 3 Digipak DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ IN THE HOT SEAT
SONY 784869 (Barcode: 886978486929) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1993 Released: 2011
This is the 12th album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. This album marks the group´s first re-union 12 years after it disbanded for the first time and was the second album recorded at the time and (so far) the last studio album by the group. A fresh set of songs, performed with the usual skill and power, serves as an excellent reminder of the glory days in the 1970s, sounding completely relevant today, 20 years later!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ KING BISCUIT FLOWER HOUR
KING BISCUIT 88025 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded in 1974 and 1977 this album is considered by most ELP fans as their best live recording ever. The first disk includes a complete live set with classic ELP tunes. Solo performances are incorporated between the group performances and everybody is in perfect shape. The second disk includes the super long (over 35 minutes) version of `Karn Evil 9` and some fantastic video materials.
| | | CD 2 Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 1970
SANCTUARY 085 (Barcode: 5050749208521) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
The IOW Festival was ELP’s only second gig, which again proves that some groups can be an instant success. Their debut album was to be released only three months after this performance was recorded, but obviously they had their act together already and enough material for at least two albums. The set includes a 35+ minutes long rendition of “Pictures At The Exhibition” and the other tracks come from the debut ELP album and Emerson’s Nice heritage. The performance is truly electrifying, with the 19 years old Palmer brilliant technique and wonderful sense of rhythm in full bloom. Emerson switches between classical and jazz with ease and elegance and everybody seems to have great fun. I must be a sucker for the early days of all the big Prog bands (rather that the later days) and this is for me definitely the best live ELP recording ever, as it is void of any pomposity and artificial grandeur which would haunt the group in later days. The sound quality is surprisingly good and this is definitely an ELP album to have. As bonus, a 15 minutes interview with the band is added, which gives a lot of insight about their early days.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
SANCTUARY 0351 (Barcode: 5050749503510) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1992 Released: 2007
The Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist reunions have been quite a regular event since the group broke up originally in 1979 (or perhaps they never did?), meeting with various degrees of success. The first reunion (in 1991) resulted in recording of the Black MoonFind albums with this title album and a tour. They were all in top form, as can be witnessed by this concert at London’s famous Royal Albert Hall. The concert includes just a couple of tracks from the a.m. new album and most of the material is a selection of their previous material, which is what the crowd was really looking for. Slightly rearranged, classic ELP (and a bit of NiceFind albums by this artist) material sounds as good as ever and any ELP fan will surely find this DVD a pleasure to watch. Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist (as usual) performs some of his stage theatrics, which are always fun to watch and Karl PalmerFind albums by this artist’s virtuoso drumming is a revelation. This is classic Prog stuff and perhaps the best live ELP material available on film. 88 minutes.
| | | DVD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ LOVE BEACH
SONY 784866 (Barcode: 886978486622) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1978 Released: 2011
This is the 9th album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. It is also the last album recorded by the band before they decided to disband, for the first but not the last time, closing up a decade of fabulous music-making. The album is often severely criticized and listed as the worst one ever recorded by the trio, but honestly and in retrospect, it is not that much different from the band´s earlier material and although perhaps less inspired that the earlier material, still much better than what was played by their contemporaries. The album definitely deserves to be in every collection of the numerous faithful fans of the band.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
SONY 783011 (Barcode: 886978301123) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2011
This is the 3rd album (although recorded live and before the 2nd album and initially intended to be a bonus LP to be paired with the 2nd album) by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. The group arrived on the scene a bit later than their "accomplices" (YesFind albums by this artist, GenesisFind albums by this artist, Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and others), since keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist / bassist / lead vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were already prominent members of early / proto Prog bands before the trio combined forces and merged into this formidable ensemble. They definitely were the best fit as far as the simplistic definition of Prog is concerned (i.e. an amalgam of Rock and Classical music), allowing Emerson to fulfill his fascination / obsession with Classical music pieces and even contribute some of his own music set to a similar (i.e. classical) framework. It also allowed Lake to write some of the most memorable Rock ballads and Palmer to beat the hell out of endless drum sets, all of which seemed to delight hordes of Rock (and I mean Rock as opposed to Prog) music listeners the world over. They were all monster musicians, they were at the top of their youthful peak of creativity and they kicked ass, big time! It was great while it lasted, and it did last for about half a decade and six albums, and the legend went sour when these gentlemen failed to realize that it´s over and pressed on, seemingly endlessly, damaging the image of their glorious achievements in the process. But in retrospect, wiser and older by 40 years, I still find this music fascinating and powerful, imaginative and bold, and above all artistically sound. Considering the fact that these recordings were off the market due to some corporate music industry bullshit, it´s great to see it back on the shelves, this time released by SonyFind albums on this label Music, which hopefully will keep them alive for a while.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ TARKUS
SONY 783008 (Barcode: 886978300829) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2011
This is the 2nd album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. The group arrived on the scene a bit later than their "accomplices" (YesFind albums by this artist, GenesisFind albums by this artist, Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and others), since keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist / bassist / lead vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were already prominent members of early / proto Prog bands before the trio combined forces and merged into this formidable ensemble. They definitely were the best fit as far as the simplistic definition of Prog is concerned (i.e. an amalgam of Rock and Classical music), allowing Emerson to fulfill his fascination / obsession with Classical music pieces and even contribute some of his own music set to a similar (i.e. classical) framework. It also allowed Lake to write some of the most memorable Rock ballads and Palmer to beat the hell out of endless drum sets, all of which seemed to delight hordes of Rock (and I mean Rock as opposed to Prog) music listeners the world over. They were all monster musicians, they were at the top of their youthful peak of creativity and they kicked ass, big time! It was great while it lasted, and it did last for about half a decade and six albums, and the legend went sour when these gentlemen failed to realize that it´s over and pressed on, seemingly endlessly, damaging the image of their glorious achievements in the process. But in retrospect, wiser and older by 40 years, I still find this music fascinating and powerful, imaginative and bold, and above all artistically sound. Considering the fact that these recordings were off the market due to some corporate music industry bullshit, it´s great to see it back on the shelves, this time released by SonyFind albums on this label Music, which hopefully will keep them alive for a while.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ TARKUS (DELUXE EDITION)
SONY 886919379624 (Barcode: 886919379624) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2012
This is the second album by the British supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, one of the great pioneering Prog outfits, which achieved wide popularity way beyond the Prog genre, being also one of the most popular Rock bands in the 1970s. Keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, bassist / vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were superb musicians and their cooperation created some of the finest Prog moments, which are everlasting.
It would be truly superfluous to write anything more about this album, as it already is a commonly accepted masterpiece and universally acclaimed milestone of Prog in particular and Rock in general. So let´s talk about this specific new edition and its valor or lack of thereof.
This edition comprises of two CDs and a DVD-A. The first CD is the original remastered stereo mix of the album, which was released by SonyFind albums on this label a year earlier. The second CD is a new stereo mix, called the "alternate" album, which is based on the existing master tapes. It adds just three previously unheard pieces, which are two new tunes and one alternate version of an existing tune. The DVD-A includes the 5.1 surround sound mixes of the original album (with just one bonus) and a hi-res stereo (what the hell is this?) version of the entire material on the second CD. Confused? I´m not surprised…
All the additional material, i.e. the second CD and the DVD-A were created by Steven WilsonFind albums by this artist, leader of Porcupine TreeFind albums by this artist and in recent years quite a busy "studio wizard", creating new re-mixes of many classic Rock (and Prog) masterpieces, like this one.
So what do we have here?; a superb classic album and two additional pieces of plastic containing very little new material, which should have been added as bonus tracks on the a.m. remastered edition of this album. Seriously, who listens to music in 5.1 surround sound anyway? What was the word we used to have for this kind of releases? Oh yes, rip-off!
Mr. Wilson, please leave those great classic masterpieces alone and go back to you own music, in the audio format of your choice…
| | | 2CD+DVD 3 Digipak DVD-A Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ TRILOGY
SONY 783012 (Barcode: 886978301222) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2011
This is the 4th album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. The group arrived on the scene a bit later than their "accomplices" (YesFind albums by this artist, GenesisFind albums by this artist, Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and others), since keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist / bassist / lead vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were already prominent members of early / proto Prog bands before the trio combined forces and merged into this formidable ensemble. They definitely were the best fit as far as the simplistic definition of Prog is concerned (i.e. an amalgam of Rock and Classical music), allowing Emerson to fulfill his fascination / obsession with Classical music pieces and even contribute some of his own music set to a similar (i.e. classical) framework. It also allowed Lake to write some of the most memorable Rock ballads and Palmer to beat the hell out of endless drum sets, all of which seemed to delight hordes of Rock (and I mean Rock as opposed to Prog) music listeners the world over. They were all monster musicians, they were at the top of their youthful peak of creativity and they kicked ass, big time! It was great while it lasted, and it did last for about half a decade and six albums, and the legend went sour when these gentlemen failed to realize that it´s over and pressed on, seemingly endlessly, damaging the image of their glorious achievements in the process. But in retrospect, wiser and older by 40 years, I still find this music fascinating and powerful, imaginative and bold, and above all artistically sound. Considering the fact that these recordings were off the market due to some corporate music industry bullshit, it´s great to see it back on the shelves, this time released by SonyFind albums on this label Music, which hopefully will keep them alive for a while.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ TRILOGY (DELUXE EDITION)
SONY 888750049025 (Barcode: 888750049025) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2015
This is the fourth album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. The group arrived on the scene a bit later than their "accomplices" (YesFind albums by this artist, GenesisFind albums by this artist, Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and others), since keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist / bassist / lead vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were already prominent members of early / proto Prog bands before the trio combined forces and merged into this formidable ensemble.
They definitely were the best fit as far as the simplistic definition of Prog is concerned (i.e. an amalgam of Rock and Classical music), allowing Emerson to fulfill his fascination / obsession with Classical music pieces and even contribute some of his own music set to a similar (i.e. classical) framework. It also allowed Lake to write some of the most memorable Rock ballads and Palmer to beat the hell out of endless drum sets, all of which seemed to delight hordes of Rock (and I mean Rock as opposed to Prog) music listeners the world over.
They were all monster musicians, they were at the top of their youthful peak of creativity and they kicked ass, big time! It was great while it lasted, and it did last for about half a decade and six albums, and the legend went sour when these gentlemen failed to realize that it´s over and pressed on, seemingly endlessly, damaging the image of their glorious achievements in the process. But in retrospect, wiser and 45 years older, I still find this music fascinating and powerful, imaginative and bold, and above all artistically sound.
This Deluxe Edition spread over two CDs and a DVD-A is sadly another rip-off scheme, which basically adds nothing to the original album. The first CD is the original album; the second CD adds a single alternate version track and offers a new stereo mix of the original album, which is completely redundant. The DVD-A offers the same material in other higher resolution formats, including lossless and 5.1, in short a complete waste of time and plastic, not to mention money. God only knows why these monstrosities are being produced again and again?
| | | 2CD+DVD 3 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ WELCOME BACK, MY FRIENDS, TO THE SHOW THAT NEVER ENDS
SONY 783014 (Barcode: 886978301420) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 - 1974 Released: 2011
This is the 6th album (recorded live during the 1973/74 world tour and released originally as a 3 LPs set, a summary of the glory days and the last great one) by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. The group arrived on the scene a bit later than their "accomplices" (YesFind albums by this artist, GenesisFind albums by this artist, Jethro TullFind albums by this artist, King CrimsonFind albums by this artist and others), since keyboardist Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, guitarist / bassist / lead vocalist Greg LakeFind albums by this artist and drummer Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist were already prominent members of early / proto Prog bands before the trio combined forces and merged into this formidable ensemble. They definitely were the best fit as far as the simplistic definition of Prog is concerned (i.e. an amalgam of Rock and Classical music), allowing Emerson to fulfill his fascination / obsession with Classical music pieces and even contribute some of his own music set to a similar (i.e. classical) framework. It also allowed Lake to write some of the most memorable Rock ballads and Palmer to beat the hell out of endless drum sets, all of which seemed to delight hordes of Rock (and I mean Rock as opposed to Prog) music listeners the world over. They were all monster musicians, they were at the top of their youthful peak of creativity and they kicked ass, big time! It was great while it lasted, and it did last for about half a decade and six albums, and the legend went sour when these gentlemen failed to realize that it´s over and pressed on, seemingly endlessly, damaging the image of their glorious achievements in the process. But in retrospect, wiser and older by 40 years, I still find this music fascinating and powerful, imaginative and bold, and above all artistically sound. Considering the fact that these recordings were off the market due to some corporate music industry bullshit, it´s great to see it back on the shelves, this time released by SonyFind albums on this label Music, which hopefully will keep them alive for a while.
| | | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ WORKS LIVE
SONY 784865 (Barcode: 886978486523) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1977 Released: 2011
This is the 10th album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. It is a live recording documenting the band´s last grandeur tour with a massive symphonic orchestra and the result is quite magnificent. Originally released as a single vinyl album (in 1979 right after the group disbanded) it was later (1993) released as a double CD, presenting the full recording of the entire concert captured at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Canada. The material includes mostly music released on the "Works" album, with a few additions. This is a perfect document of Prog at its absolute peak in every sense.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ WORKS VOLUME 1
SONY 784863 (Barcode: 886978486325) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 Released: 2011
This is the 7th album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. It marks the beginning of the second phase in the group´s career, which is often dismissed as extravagant and exhibitionist by critics and fans alike, but in retrospect produced some remarkable music overall. This album, which was originally released as a double LP, spotlights the three individual musicians, giving each of them a separate vinyl side with only the last 4th side included music made by the trio. Keith EmersonFind albums by this artist, as usually obsessed with Classical music, presents his "Piano Concerto No. 1", Greg LakeFind albums by this artist the "romantic dreamer" produces several great ballads with lyrics written by ex-King CrimsonFind albums by this artist cohort Peter SinfieldFind albums by this artist and Carl PalmerFind albums by this artist comes up with more incredible drum pyrotechnics on his side. The trio side features more of the trio´s familiar mixture of Classical and Rock. Overall, excessive or not, this is still great music, any way wants to look at it (or listen to it), and the heck with the critics.
| | | CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ~ WORKS VOLUME 2
SONY 784864 (Barcode: 886978486424) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 Released: 2011
This is the 8th album by the supergroup Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which was definitely one of the most important, innovative and revolutionary groups to emerge on the Rock scene as leaders of the Progressive / Art Rock genre by the early 1970s. It marks the beginning of the second phase in the group´s career, which is often dismissed as extravagant and exhibitionist by critics and fans alike, but in retrospect produced some remarkable music overall. This album presents the "leftovers" from the 1976 sessions, which produced the massive "Works Volume 1Find albums with this title", but of course its contents has nothing to do with leftovers musically, as all of this material is still very strong. Ex-King CrimsonFind albums by this artist cohort Peter SinfieldFind albums by this artist provides the lyrics for most of the songs. Overall, excessive or not, this is still great music, any way wants to look at it (or listen to it), and the heck with the critics.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | GAWEDA / MIELCAREK / STWORZEWICZ ~ SILBERMAN AND THREE OF A PERFECT PAIR
AUDIO CAVE 2016/006 (Barcode: 5905669566131) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is the third album recorded under the "Silberman" moniker recorded by a Polish trio comprising of keyboardist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub MielcarekFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz StworzewiczFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. SilbermanFind albums by this artist), which presents six pieces, five of which are originals: one by Gaweda, two by Stworzewicz and two co-composed by all three members of the trio. The remaining tune was composed by the Italian operatic composer Umberto GiordanoFind albums by this artist. The music incorporates poetry by Polish poetess Krystyna MilobedzkaFind albums by this artist and text by British philosopher Alan Wilson WattsFind albums by this artist, narrated by Jan PeszekFind albums by this artist.
The music is a mixture of many different elements, from Classical to Avant Garde, performed by a piano trio, but having very little to do with a classic Jazz piano trio per se. There is a certain Punkish (see post-Yass) attitude, especially in the role of the drums, which obviously is more Rock than Jazz oriented. The three instruments seem to have divided the genre-related responsibilities, with piano playing the Classical parts, the bass the Avant Garde parts and the drums the Rock parts. Overall this music sounds often like Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist on acid. Add the narrated poems and you get a Psychedelic party like we used to have in the good old sixties.
But seriously this is brilliant stuff from stat to finish, perhaps somewhat hesitant and searching, but certainly defining new rules as far as cross-genre excursions are concerned. The musicianship is, as expected, simply stunning with the still very young Gaweda does things with the piano that might not be allowed in some parts of the world. Mielcarek swings his bow like the legendary Helmut NadolskiFind albums by this artist, but also keeps a steady pulse when needed. Stworzewicz beats the hell out of the drums like Animal of the Muppets, but always within the proper boundaries, and always swinging.
We need more albums like this one, which throw out everything we know about music into the garbage basket and take it from there, doing exactly what the people behind the music are after: fun, adventure, exploration, innovation and above all artistry. This is what being an artist is after all…
This is definitely one of the most unique and curious Polish albums I heard in the last few years, and I have heard many of them, as my readers know. I can only recommend it wholeheartedly, hoping that it will find its way to as many open minded listeners as possible. Well done!
| | Updated: 17/06/2021Posted: 14/06/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | HEAD POP UP ~ TOKUSEN BURARI TABI
POSEIDON 002 ~ JAPAN ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2002 Released: 2002
1st album by brilliant Japanese quintet Head Pop UpFind albums by this artist, which includes two keyboard players Hiro WadaFind albums by this artist and Michi MayangayiFind albums by this artist (who also doubles on accordion), guitarist Atsushi IwasawaFind albums by this artist, bassist Teruro MikamiFind albums by this artist and drummer Hisashi AbeFind albums by this artist. Each of these players is an excellent instrumentalist and they all know their stuff, which makes this group a true marvel. The music is absolutely soaked in keyboards, moving swiftly between Prog, Fusion and Jazz, with vengeance. Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist sound like kindergarten kids compared to these guys, I kid you not. Blessed also with a keen sense for great melody and dynamic arrangements, this album is a Prog heaven and I wonder why so few people know about this album. This is an absolute must for any keyboards Prog / Fusion fan.
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  | IMMORTAL ONION ~ OCELOT OF SALVATION
REQUIEM 148 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017
This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz piano trio called Immortal OnionFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Tomir SpiolekFind albums by this artist, bassist Ziemowit KlimekFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech WarmijakFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, which are not credited on the album´s artwork.
The music is quite original and surprising, stylistically resembling the early work by the Progressive Rock legends Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, i.e. Classically influenced melodic themes featuring improvisation, odd meters and a basic Rocky attitude, emphasized by the rhythm section (electric bass and energetic drums work). But the music is diverse and offers a very interesting and pleasurable listening experience. Although only marginally Jazz related, this music, like most Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion is also of interest to most Jazz enthusiasts.
Although this album is based on the rich Progressive Rock legacy and other influences, it is not an attempt to copy or repeat these patterns but rather a courageous effort to innovate and develop. As such is deserves praise and attention as well as my worm recommendation to music lovers to seek out this little gem and give it a serious listen. Considering the young age of these musicians, one can only hope for more great music they will hopefully offer us in the future.
Overall this is an excellent debut offer which deserves to be heard. Kudos to the superb Polish label RequiemFind albums on this label Records for consistently supporting music, which does not easily fit into established categories and supporting experimentation.
| | Updated: 19/01/2018Posted: 19/01/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PFM ~ CHOCOLATE KINGS (EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC / MANTICORE 1008 (Barcode: 5013929380820) ~ ITALY ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1975 Released: 2010
Italian Prog Giants PFMFind albums by this artist (Premiata Forneria Marconi) was among the very few non-UK European Prog groups to actively pursue international exposure outside of their native country. An incidental meeting between the band and Greg LakeFind albums by this artist led to the signing of PFM to the ManticoreFind albums on this label label owned by Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which started to release the band´s albums in UK (and US) and promoted the band worldwide. This was the 4th album the band released on the label.
PFM consisted of vocalist Bernardo LanzettiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Flavio PremoliFind albums by this artist, guitarist Franco MussidaFind albums by this artist, violinist / flautist Mauro PaganiFind albums by this artist, bassist Patrick DjivasFind albums by this artist and drummer Franz Di CioccioFind albums by this artist. Among them they possessed incredible instrumental powers, compositional ability and vocal delivery and harmony, which was almost unparallel with any other Prog group at the time. Long and complex instrumental passages, performed mostly on keyboards, quiet contemplative moments and deeply melodic and harmonic compositions and arrangements turned their albums into Prog heaven.
This expanded edition adds a whole CD of previously unreleased live material as a bonus. Essential music for body and soul!
| | Updated: 16/01/2022Posted: | CD 2 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | PFM ~ JET LEG (EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC / MANTICORE 1007 (Barcode: 5013929380721) ~ ITALY ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1977 Released: 2010
Italian Prog Giants PFMFind albums by this artist (Premiata Forneria Marconi) was among the very few non-UK European Prog groups to actively pursue international exposure outside of their native country. An incidental meeting between the band and Greg LakeFind albums by this artist led to the signing of PFM to the ManticoreFind albums on this label label owned by Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which started to release the band´s albums in UK (and US) and promoted the band worldwide. This was the 5th and last album the band released on the label, which folded soon after.
PFM consisted of vocalist Bernardo LanzettiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Flavio PremoliFind albums by this artist, guitarist Franco MussidaFind albums by this artist, violinist Gregory BlochFind albums by this artist, bassist Patrick DjivasFind albums by this artist and drummer Franz Di CioccioFind albums by this artist. Among them they possessed incredible instrumental powers, compositional ability and vocal delivery and harmony, which was almost unparallel with any other Prog group at the time. Long and complex instrumental passages, performed mostly on keyboards, quiet contemplative moments and deeply melodic and harmonic compositions and arrangements turned their albums into Prog heaven.
This expanded edition adds a rare live track as a bonus. Essential music for body and soul!
| | Updated: 16/01/2022Posted: | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | PFM ~ PHOTOS OF GHOSTS (EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC / MANTICORE 1006 (Barcode: 5013929380622) ~ ITALY ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2010
Italian Prog Giants PFMFind albums by this artist (Premiata Forneria Marconi) was among the very few non-UK European Prog groups to actively pursue international exposure outside of their native country. An incidental meeting between the band and Greg LakeFind albums by this artist led to the signing of PFM to the ManticoreFind albums on this label label owned by Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which started to issue English language version of the band´s albums in UK (and US), in parallel to the release of the Italian language versions released in Italy. As a result, several of PFM albums exist in two different versions (and with different titles), creating quite a confusion among record collectors. This album is the first of these "twofold" releases and the band´s 1st album released in UK. It is almost identical to the band´s 2nd album "Per Un AmicoFind albums with this title", re-recorded with English lyrics written by Peter SinfieldFind albums by this artist, who also produced the album.
PFM consisted of keyboardist Flavio PremoliFind albums by this artist, guitarist Franco MussidaFind albums by this artist, violinist / flautist Mauro PaganiFind albums by this artist, bassist Giorgio PiazzaFind albums by this artist and drummer Franz Di CioccioFind albums by this artist. Among them they possessed incredible instrumental powers, compositional ability and vocal delivery and harmony, which was almost unparallel with any other Prog group at the time. Long and complex instrumental passages, performed mostly on keyboards, quiet contemplative moments of gentle flute and deeply melodic and harmonic compositions and arrangements turned their albums into Prog heaven.
This expanded edition solves the sound quality issues of the earlier releases and adds a massive amount of bonus material. Essential music for body and soul!
| | Updated: 16/01/2022Posted: | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | PFM ~ THE WORLD BECAME THE WORLD (EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC / MANTICORE 1005 (Barcode: 5013929380523) ~ ITALY ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 - 1974 Released: 2010
Italian Prog Giants PFMFind albums by this artist (Premiata Forneria Marconi) was among the very few non-UK European Prog groups to actively pursue international exposure outside of their native country. An incidental meeting between the band and Greg LakeFind albums by this artist led to the signing of PFM to the ManticoreFind albums on this label label owned by Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, which started to issue English language version of the band´s albums in UK (and US), in parallel to the release of the Italian language versions released in Italy. As a result, several of PFM albums exist in two different versions (and with different titles), creating quite a confusion among record collectors. This album is the second of these "twofold" releases and the band´s 2nd album released in UK. It is almost identical to the band´s 3rd album "L`Isola Di NienteFind albums with this title", re-recorded with English lyrics written by Peter SinfieldFind albums by this artist, who also produced the album.
PFM consisted of keyboardist Flavio PremoliFind albums by this artist, guitarist Franco MussidaFind albums by this artist, violinist / flautist Mauro PaganiFind albums by this artist, bassist Patrick DjivasFind albums by this artist and drummer Franz Di CioccioFind albums by this artist. Among them they possessed incredible instrumental powers, compositional ability and vocal delivery and harmony, which was almost unparallel with any other Prog group at the time. Long and complex instrumental passages, performed mostly on keyboards, quiet contemplative moments of gentle flute and deeply melodic and harmonic compositions and arrangements turned their albums into Prog heaven.
This expanded edition solves the sound quality issues of the earlier releases and adds a massive amount of bonus material. Essential music for body and soul!
| | Updated: 16/01/2022Posted: | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | QUILL ~ SURSUM CORDA
SYN-PHONIC 10 ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 - 1977 Released: 1993
1st album by short-lived US Prog group QuillFind albums by this artist, which is one of the greatest but sadly little known gems of the US 1970s Prog Movement, brought to life only by this CD reissue. The band also recorded another, even more ambitious project, which remains unreleased to this very day. The album is a concept story in two long movements, almost entirely instrumental, performed by the three Quill members: keyboardist Ken DeLoriaFind albums by this artist, bassist Keith ChristianFind albums by this artist and drummer Jim SidesFind albums by this artist. The obvious keyboard trios come to mind (NiceFind albums by this artist, Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, etc.) but the band deserves to be remembered by its own merits, as it is truly remarkable. The complex and intertwined musical themes and the spectacular instrumental solos (especially on the Hammond organ) are amongst Prog´s finest moments and the album is definitely a minor masterpiece in its own right. No serious Prog collection would be complete without this shining gem!
| | Updated: 29/01/2019Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PETER SINFIELD ~ STILL (EXPANDED EDITION)
ESOTERIC / MANTICORE 1003 (Barcode: 5013929380325) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2009
Only album by legendary lyricist / producer Peter SinfieldFind albums by this artist, the man behind the first four landmark King CrimsonFind albums by this artist albums, where he lurked in the shadows as an informal virtual member of the band. His lyrics and production were an integral part of the magic of these milestone Prog recordings. Once Sinfield and King Crimson terminated their cooperation, he turned into a successful producer for other bands and finally found time to record his only album, which in many ways is a continuation of the work done by King Crimson Mk I. Supported by an assemblage of Prog and Jazz stars, Sinfield created another masterpiece, which although initially callously received by fans and critics alike, in retrospect sounds great today and does not lose ground to the King Crimson recordings. The supporting musicians include Greg LakeFind albums by this artist, Mel CollinsFind albums by this artist, John WettonFind albums by this artist, Ian WallaceFind albums by this artist, Keith TippetFind albums by this artist and numerous other illustrious musicians. The material is often atmospheric and introspective, but some heavier moments are also present. The original album was released on the ManticoreFind albums on this label label, owned by Emerson, Lake & PalmerFind albums by this artist, and the new edition adds a plethora of previously unheard alternate tracks and mixes, obviously to the delight of the fans. A must for all Prog-heads!
| | | CD 2 Slipcase Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
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