Category: Album Reviews

Review – Glass Hammer – Arise

“No, no! The adventures first, explanations take such a dreadful time.” – Lewis Carrol, ‘Alices Adventures in Wonderland’.

In music, most albums contain individual stories, the songs, and then some albums have a thematic link: concept albums. So, when one of my favourite bands tells me they are releasing a space-based concept album, trust me, I am going to be hooked…

Legendary American proggers Glass Hammer return with deep space exploration concept album ‘Arise’, this new release follows the extraordinary journey of an android dispatched by overzealous scientists to uncover the galaxy’s hidden wonders. 

So let’s delve into this musical space adventure, the explanation can come later…

An incredible amalgamation of prog-rock, 70’s hard rock, psych rock, doom and even a definite 80’s vibe, ‘Arise’ will at times leave you slack jawed and open mouthed at its audacity and in-your-face brilliance and, while definitively a Glass Hammer album, there’s new found confidence in every note.

A.R.I.S.E.
Android Research Initiative for Space Exploration

Statement From A.S.T.R.A. (Advanced Space Technology and Research Agency): Harnessing the powers of celestial-rift anomaly MARS-WRM-001, android ARISE ventures to deep space, unraveling cosmic enigmas and pushing the boundaries of exploration. Our audacious pursuit of knowledge shall illuminate the universe, leaving an indelible mark on the annals of cosmic understanding.

Let the adventure begin with Launch of the Daedalus, an urgent instrumental full of anticipation as we await the launch of the exploratory craft with the android on board. If anyone remembers Boston’s ‘Third Stage’ then The Launch comes to mind, painting a picture in your mind of a spacecraft rising majestically into a bright blue sky.

“Here I go, riding on a flame
Through the sky
I’m burning brighter
Than the sun, and can anyone
see me now.”

Wolf 359 hoves into view like a cinematic epic, the marching music full of pomp and circumstance before we hear the dulcet tones of Hannah Pryor and what a voice she has, a perfect match for the dynamism and majesty of the all-powerful music. It perfectly sets us on the interstellar journey. There’s a thought provoking keyboard section before the vastness of space is invoked once more.

The vastness of deep space unfolds, a testament to the extraordinary capacities of human and android intellect.

Like a majestic slice of hard rock infused electronica, ARION (18 delphini b) fires a warning shot with Steve’s effects laden voice leading us into the track before Hannah takes over again. It’s a wonderful thrill ride of galactic proportions and the funky keyboards add a touch of 70’s cool to the song.

“Thank God I found it
The only place I’d ever want to be
Thank God, who made it
My shining castle by the sea.”

Steve then trades solos with Reece’s scintillating guitar as our android protagonist stands upon the shore of Mare Sirenum marvelling at the singular beauty of its waters. Contemplating the wonders he sees here has conjured within him a deep longing for something he cannot name or explain. we then cleverly segue into the delicate wonder of Mare Sirenum, a delightful instrumental that pings and chimes and reminds me of early Sci-fi classic films.

“There I stood in perfect silence all alone Circled round by memories of all I’d known Then you called out from the darkness
All that I could do
Was turn and run away from you.”

A harsh and intense instrumental section ushers in Lost, invoking some painful feelings and memories before Hannah’s beautiful vocals begin, full of pathos and warmth. It’s a song of two extremes and they work perfectly, the alien intro a harsh reality against the beautiful pathos of the elegant vocals. There’s some delightful keyboards and drumming before that slightly off-kilter, almost alien back drop returns and then plays a game of cat and mouse with Hannah’s ethereal voice, what a superb track.

Transmission from Android Research Unit ARISE:
Curious anomaly detected at WASP-12. An indescribable rift emerges within the celestial expanse, heralding the arrival of unknown entities from dimensions uncharted. Their enigmatic presence evokes an inexplicable disquietude within me—a sensation both unfamiliar and captivating. It seems my neurosynaptic network is experiencing a cascade of perplexing algorithms…
[Intermittent signal disruption encountered}

Oh my, what a brilliant, thunderous monumental slab of space rock, Rift at Wasp-12 arrives like a homage to those legends of psych, Hawkwind, I love the way that, despite the heaviness (and I love the heaviness!), the music is instantly accessible but I keep hearing more and more with every listen! Steve provides a suitable demonstrative vocal and bass line hewn out of granite and there’s a brilliantly savage guitar solo from Fred Schendel that all adds up to a track that’s cooler than James Dean!

“I don’t know what calls to me from the rising mist at twilight
I don’t know what’s standing there wrapped in the glow of moonlight
I don’t know what’s led me here, this place on the verge of nightmare And I don’t know what you’ve been told but you really don’t want to go there”

We then segue into the even heavier Proxima Centauri B and there’s a joyous immediacy to the music, an intimacy and glorious flow. It’s a monumental piece of music, a sinister widescreen 70’s Sci-Fi soundtrack of epic proportions Reese once again fires his guitar like lightning bolts and Hannah’s evil twin turns up for vocal duties, it’s so good and puts a huge grin on my face. There’s a definite 70’s sci-fi feel to me, those great shows like Space 1999 but with a deliciously dark edge to it.

Regrettably, we must report the cessation of ARISE’s operations at Proxima Centauri B. The android, presumed destroyed, encountered insurmountable challenges, rendering it non-functional. Despite the emergence of sporadic “ghost transmissions” purporting to originate from ARISE, we must regard them as spurious and disregard any claims made therein.

Sinister and ominous in feel, the title track Arise ascends with a measured pace, like a leviathan of the stars, it’s a proper slow building track where the tension can be felt on every note and every word. Steve’s bass is disquieting and mischievous and the drums (which Steve played as well) are filled with a portentous tone. Hannah’s vocals are, once again, superb but they are just one cog in an ever impressive musical wheel. Reese delivers a slow burning, extremely bluesy, guitar section which just adds to the suspense, what a fine piece of music.

Statement from A.S.T.R.A. (Advanced Space Technology and Research Agency): Inexplicable sightings of the presumed-destroyed spacecraft DAEDALUS have emerged. False transmissions from an entity claiming to be android ARISE undermine our mission’s integrity. Urgent action is required to neutralize this deceptive presence upon its emergence through the Mars anomaly MARS-WRM-001.

This has been an excellent album and it ends on a suitably high note with The Return Of Daedelus, there’s a joyous immediacy to the music, an intimacy and glorious flow. Glass Hammer deliver music from a bygone era, digitally upgraded for the modern age. It’s like a mash up of 70’s rock and prog, the perfect union of early Rush and Deep Purple, like blues/Prog with an hard and improvisational edge.

Steve says, “It’s a huge guitar / bass jam and not something we usually do. I wanted to show Reese Boyd off. I usually end albums with a big triumphant victorious bit, but wanted something “catastrophic” for this one.”

He’s not wrong, it’s the long slow build that’s key and raises the tension and you end being completely blown away by the suave sophistication of the music and the incredible skill of the musicians. What a way to close out what has been a fantastic collection of songs, ones that combine together perfectly to deliver one of the best concept albums you’ll have heard in recent years.

There’s no weak link on this album, it just ebbs and flows beautifully, although the last three tracks go together so well. They’re possibly the best triumvirate of songs that the band have ever done back to back. With the Skallagrim series Glass Hammer proved themselves masters of the dynamic and grandiose and ‘Arise’ gives the impression that the creative skills of Steve Babb have gone into overdrive, is there a better storyteller in modern progressive music?

Released 27th October, 2023.

Order direct from the band here:

Glass Hammer official website


Review – Bruce Soord – Luminescence

Multi-instrumentalist, producer and The Pineapple Thief mastermind Bruce Soord’s new album ‘Luminescence’ was released September 22nd. This new album is his third solo offering. Inspired by the idea of finding inner peace, Soord’s latest solo release explores the difficulty of living in the metropolis of the modern world. Born from days exploring various cities whilst on tour, tracks from the album feature recordings from Soord’s various wanderings captured on his field recorder.

Recorded between January 2021 and June of 2023, the album was cut at Soord Studios with additional strings recorded at RAK Studio 3 in London, featuring arrangements from Andrew Skeet, long time member of The Divine Comedy and musical producer of the orchestration on many films/tv shows from Netflix’s smash hit Black Mirror to David Attenborough’s Green Planet and Dynasties II. 

You could draw parallels between Bruce Soord and Steven Wilson who, after many years building success with Porcupine Tree, segued into an equally successful solo career and has just released his latest solo offering, ‘The Harmony Codex’, to much acclaim. While being a fan of The Pineapple Thief, I do think that Soord’s solo output is every bit as good, if not as extensive, as Mr Wilson’s. However, with ‘Luminescence’, I do feel that Bruce Soord has created something more intimate and warm and one that, with its soul-searchingly sparse soundscapes, really resonates with me.

There’s Soord’s signature melancholy in the dark beauty of opener Dear Life, a poignant track sung from the perspective of an elderly parent, on their death bed, to their child. The elegant swathes of Andrew Skeet’s strings and the wistful guitar blend with Bruce’s heartfelt vocal to deliver something starkly elegant. The brevity of tracks like Lie Flat may appear uncomplicated but there are hidden meanings and nostalgic snapshots throughout. A more simplistic approach of stylish acoustic guitar and gentle electronica imbues a laid back, unhurried feel throughout while that inner peace is sought. One of my personal favourites is the glorious Olomouc where the ethereal strings work against the backdrop of that wonderful acoustic guitar to give a moment of pure clarity and the vocals’ nostalgic timbre just add to the stillness and calm.

There are moments of lucidity and purity brought by the stylish transience of songs like the lush So Simple and the delicate soundscape of Read to Me and a mental pause brought about by the iridescent shimmer of Never Ending Light where Bruce’s vocal is most definitely the focus, aided and abetted by the exquisite strings and classically played guitar. The pared back note of Day of All Days flowers into something altogether more seriousness with the unadorned guitar and more direct vocals and Nestle In explores the concept of the incessant speed of life causing humanity to not appreciate what is wrong in the world. Once again Andrew Skeet’s beautifully emotive strings accompany the minimalist yet emotive electronica bubbling in the foreground.

Instant Flash of Light adds a more urgent feel from the guitar and vocals to its Americana feeling sound, countered by the dazzling strings and sumptuous chorus to create yet another moment of sheer class. Rushing, with its faster pace and nimble electronica leaves you left in the middle of a crowded scene, a bar perhaps or even the concourse of a busy station. A wonderfully wistful and touching piece of music, Stranded Here is a study in thoughtful melancholy and one that left a lump in my throat and the album closes with the touching elegance of Find Peace.

There won’t be many albums created with as much love and affection as ‘Luminescence’. Bruce Soord has laid his soul bare and given us an intimate insight into the world he inhabits and, in exploring the difficulty of living in the metropolis of the modern world, Bruce has delivered an album of extraordinary songs and one that will stand the test of time.

Released 22nd September, 2023.

Order from ‘Luminescence’ here:

LUMINESCENCE – OUT NOW (lnk.to)

Review – Great North Star – II

“When, disturbed, a grouse hiccups into flight
Low through the mists which are thick with light;
When this could be some damp city alley
Where children and drunks meet principally

For love, and to solemnly keep their trysts
For all that the outside world still exists –
Know this, the old walker you overtake
Is yourself, setting a different pace.“

Taken from the poem ‘The North York Moors’ by Christopher Woodall

Music can be a soundtrack for many things and the ambient, chilled out and sparse soundscapes delivered by Great North Star remind me of wild places and, coming from Yorkshire as I do, they don’t get much wilder than the North York Moors so this insightful poem really resonated with me when listening to the insightful duos latest album, imaginatively titled ‘II’…

Great North Star are Dean Thom (guitars) and Phil Considine (production), two seasoned musicians from the UK progressive and alternative music scenes. Each brings to the table a wealth of writing, recording and live experience. Through a deep understanding of each other’s compositional strengths, honed through many hours of performing together, the music they create rewards the listener with a complex tapestry of rich textures and shifting moods.

Hailing from the wild moorlands of Northern England, Great North Star mould intricate guitar and muted electronica into a unique whole: haunting, introspective and expansive. Their sound draws from progressive and post-rock, electronica, krautrock and ambient influences to produce a panoramic and cinematic soundscape, the perfect soundtrack for long, lonely walks over rolling hills under brooding skies. Great North Star invite you to explore the lesser trodden path.

Before we delve a bit more into the album itself, more on that title from Dean himself; “I do tend to have a picture of a time and place or a feeling/emotion in my head when I’m writing music, so I find it’s not too difficult to name individual pieces, but as for naming an album it just seemed odd to us to give a collective name to the eight pieces, so we figured calling it ‘II’ was just fine on the reckoning that it was ok for the mighty Led Zep and Queen.“

‘II’ is a musically concise release coming in at a mere forty two minute running time but Dean and Phil manage to fit a lot into that forty minutes. A wide and expansive soundscape where it’s often what’s between the notes that counts, as much as the notes themselves. Nothing is wasted, there’s no filler, any piece of music is there intentionally, down to the last note and this makes for a wonderfully immersive listening experience. Central to this is Dean’s wistful, delicate and eminently expressive guitar playing. Just sit back and listen to tracks like Towers Will Fall, Beginnings and Seven Stones on Hordron Edge with their deeply meaningful feeling, the guitar is like a nostalgic voice going back in time to regale us with tales once lost in the mists of time. Tales of wistful melancholy and sombre reflection that draw the listener into their welcoming embrace.

The ambient soundscapes created by Phil add the requisite mystery and contemplative yearning, especially on opener A Nightime Storm at Sea with its theramin style opening and staccato percussion before the delightful guitar joins in. The intelligent and insightful songwriting is at the core to everything that you hear and creates an ocean of harmonious serenity which comes to place perfectly on the closing piece Northlands, a brilliantly constructed beacon of calm attunement that left me chilled out and at one with the world.

Great North Star create wide, expansive soundscapes that speak of the wild and carefree, of places that our sensitive souls would rush to in a heartbeat, a musical oasis, so to speak and, with their sophomore effort, they have delivered an antidote to the mundanity and horror of the modern world in which we live.

Released 6th October, 2023.

Order from bandcamp here:

Great North Star II | Great North Star (bandcamp.com)

Review – Galahad – The Long Goodbye

“Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory.” — Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Music is essential and life would not be complete without it, where words fail, music can always express what we are feeling and Galahad have always had that uncanny knack of resonating with me on a sub conscious level. This long revered band have a new album in the offing and I was extremely honoured to have a very early listen and plenty of time to gather my thoughts before writing this review but, first, a short bit of PR…

This latest opus, Galahad’s twelfth studio album, was recorded before, during and after the recent Covid emergency, and, as was the case with the previous album ‘The Last Great Adventurer’, was recorded at several locations over the last couple of years by the various band members and was finally edited, mixed and mastered, as usual, by our engineer/producer supreme Karl Groom.

The album features the same line-up as TLGA of Stu Nicholson (vocals), Dean Baker (keyboards), Spencer Luckman (drums), Lee Abraham (guitars) and Mark Spencer (bass guitar).

As usual, a variety of topics are considered and written about on this album, some very personal, including the title track in which the ageing process and the difficult and tricky subject of early onset dementia is tackled, hopefully with a certain amount of  poignancy.

Those familiar with ‘The Last Great Adventurer’ will feel that album’s vibe immediately on the classy opener Behind The Veil Of A Smile. An elegant intro of Lee’s guitar and Dean’s keys leads you on a willing journey into superb prog infused metal, it’s not dissimilar to Threshold but couldn’t have come from anyone but Galahad as it’s much more intricate and ‘proggy’. The song really takes off when you hear Stu’s distinctive vocals, especially on the ever so cool chorus. There’s a brilliant keyboard solo that put a huge grin on my face and the song ends with a short but extremely satisfying solo from Lee, the band have certainly picked up on where they’d finished on TLGA and their creative abilities are still firing on all cylinders! A techno/electronica hue (I never thought I’d write those words about a Galahad release!) is all over the intro to Everything’s Changed, a more subdued piece of music than the opening song but one that is still full of the band’s signature sincerity, especially on Stu’s elegant vocals. There’s a world weary atmosphere to this nostalgic feeling song, it’s full of a wistful, almost melancholy, sentiment for the ages, mainly imbued by Dean’s contemplative keyboards, and blossoms superbly on another bewitchingly catchy chorus. It’s another stylish piece of music and the almost orchestrated ending is a touch of genius. More echoing, dynamic keys dominate the extended opening to Shadow In The Corner before Lee’s punchy guitar enters the fray and adds some drive to the song. Stu’s slow burning vocals add a touch of mystery and suspense to the track before a flowering chorus adds a cinematic, widescreen effect to proceedings. There’s a lush feel to the keyboards and guitar riffs and Lee gets to shine on a superb, funky solo that really gets under your skin. Once again I have to applaud the musicianship, Galahad certainly brings the best out of Lee Abraham who is on extraordinary form on this album especially but everyone is at the top of their game and Stu’s vocals are as immense as ever.

Now to the elephant in the room, the utterly brilliant, but totally left-field, The Righteous And The Damned. This epic piece of music really shouldn’t work but it does and brilliantly! Imagine System Of A Down crossed with ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and you won’t be far wrong. It is one of the best tracks I’ve heard this year but does need perseverance as it doesn’t click immediately. Stu said that,

“Oddly the intro melody for ‘Righteous’ came to me whilst we were in the Jewish quarter in Krakow a few years ago listening to the street musicians, it’s an incredibly atmospheric place. It will a marmite track for sure.”

The band have imbued that feel and atmosphere into an incredibly entertaining and engaging song that has touches of brilliance throughout. The violin is mischievous as hell, Lee’s riffs jump all over the place and, yet, it is still demonstratively a Galahad track. Stu sounds like he’s having the time of his life, Mark’s bass is funky and jazzy as you like and Spencer’s drums have never sounded as complex, it is just amazing and the band should be complimented on delivering a piece of music that could alienate some of their fans, although I would be very surprised if it did!

The final song on the album proper (we’ll come to the CD bonus tracks in a bit) is the glorious, heartfelt and emotional journey that is The Long Goodbye, It’s a wondrous musical journey that tackles the ageing process and the difficult and tricky subject of early onset dementia with pathos and the poignancy that the band intended and it’s one you never want to end. There’s a serious feel to the song as it breaks out from the thoughtful, almost mournful, introduction, Stu’s vocals delivered with calm gravitas and the music slightly subdued but still delivered with feeling. The softly delivered refrain of “I don’t know who I am, I can’t even remember my name, I don’t know what I’ve ever done, I don’t know where I’ve come from” brings home the seriousness of the subject matter in the most dignified of manners. This beautifully constructed piece of music will, at times, bring a lump to your throat and a tear to your eye but it’s the breathtaking final six minutes that take it to a whole other level as Lee delivers some gorgeous guitar, including a sublime soaring solo, and the stunning orchestration from Dean and Mark begins. Stu says he loves this part of the track and you can see why, it is utterly stunning and finishes the song and the album on the highest of high notes.

If you order the CD version then you will get two bonus tracks, Darker Days which harks back to the style of the first three tracks on the album, that high energy, dynamic sound with edgy guitars, pounding drums, forceful bass and compelling keyboards. Add in Stu’s charismatic vocals and another memorable chorus and it has everything you need. Open Water is another matter entirely, it’s a more sparse, sensitive and somewhat reflective track that has an almost ethereal quality with Stu’s laid back vocals, Lee’s exquisite guitar and the celestial piano and keys. Stu says it is probably the newest piece as it was written during lockdown and, to echo Stu’s sentiments, provides a relatively low key finish on the CD after all the bombast.

I chose ‘The Last Great Adventurer’ as my album of the year for 2022 and, in a fast paced world that never stands still, Galahad haven’t rested on their laurels. They have returned with ‘The Long Goodbye’, another wondrous musical journey that mesmerises and bewitches from beginning to end, and even surprises in places. Could this be another contender at the end of the year, I definitely don’t see why not!

Released 23rd October, 2023.

Pre-order direct from the band here:

Galahad – GALAHAD Merchandise (galahadonline.com)

Review – Head With Wings – Without Intervention

Making noise since 2009, Head with Wings has spent years shaping its sound and sculpting its episodic narrative. After emerging from the New Haven, CT music scene in 2012, the band went on to release ‘Living with the Loss’ (EP) in 2013, ‘From Worry to Shame’ (LP) in 2018 and ‘Comfort in Illusion’ (EP)in 2021. The current lineup consists of guitarists, Brandon Cousino and Sayre Whitford, vocalist, Joshua Corum, drummer, Mike Short and bassist, Joe Elliott, although it was Joshua, Brandon and Mike (with help from Vikram Shankar and Connor Oyster) who recorded the new album.

Head with Wings are storytellers of sound. Textured, ethereal, and blissfully haunting, the U.S. – based quintet creates boundary-pushing rock songs that straddle the aesthetic line between art music and narrative drama. A Head with Wings song is a cinematically evocative listening experience, built on the pillars of alternative rock and forged in the depths of prog. It’s varied, emotionally potent and obsessive by nature. It’s a sound 14 years in the making – one that took its time to get here; to the point of ‘Without Intervention’.  The new album is uncompromising in its vision and is acutely aware of the void that it fills in the modern rock landscape — an arena that is all too derivative.

I’ve been a long time fan and supporter of this band and they produce superlative music that just gets more sophisticated every time but the band never lose the connection with the listener. A sophisticated amalgam of alternative rock and prog but a sound that sits firmly in the latter, on ‘Without Intervention’ Head With Wings have finally integrated keyboards for the first time and it takes their sound to an even higher level.

It’s a hard hitting album, perhaps inevitable after the tough three year gestation period but there are still those moments of reflection and clarity that marked out the band’s earlier works. Joshua Corum has a very distinctive vocal and adds class and sophistication, though with a incisive cutting edge. The twin guitars give the requisite hard rock/metal chops when needed but also add a refined atmosphere where required. Short and Oyster on drums and bass respectively are an uber tight rhythm unit with Short’s drums especially adding layers of dynamism and added punch. To my ears, this band are like Coheed & Cambria in the early days with that hunger and energy that seems to be lacking from that band nowadays.

‘Without Intervention’, coming in at thirty-six minutes long, is short for a modern album but that leaves you wanting more, rather than outstaying its welcome. The songs are concise and yet deliver emotion filled angst in spades. The overwhelming feeling is one of a deep wistfulness, contemplating the world we live in and its anger, darkness and hatred but trying to find a chink of light and hope because, ultimately, life is worth living and , while it is never always sweetness and light, we need to make the most of it.

From the thunderous riffs of Brandon’s guitar and thoughtful vocals of opener The Dream Broker through the elegantly reflective Task of Breathing and upbeat pop-rock sensibilities of Galaxy, this is intelligently thought out and delivered music that entertains but asks deeply pertinent questions at the same time. I love the way the short interludes of Remnant and 26 Bell Chimes leave a bit of breathing space between songs. This works especially well for the latter as it breaks up the elegant cinematic soundscapes of Comfort In Illusion, eight minutes plus of glorious musical enterprise with Joshua’s passionate vocals and the classy cutting edge of Brandon’s guitar, from the powerfully dramatic and in your face brilliance of Three Months, without a doubt the heaviest track on the album, the intro alone will hit you like a hammer and leave you sat on your backside before this superb track then ebbs and flows between the thoughtful and the thunderous, a really clever piece of music where Vikram’s keyboards are used to wonderful effect. The album closes with Absolute Zero and the band finish on a high with his alt-rock gem. Soaring vocals and sweeping guitars, all backed up by Mike’s fantastic drums, deliver a fitting ending to this excellent album.

‘Without Intervention’, with its sophisticated widescreen soundscape and immersive listening experience, is Head With Wings most accomplished achievement to date. Intelligent songwriting and refined, polished musicianship are rapidly becoming hallmarks of the band’s releases and, with this latest album, the band are cementing their position at the forefront of the modern rock landscape.

Released 20th October, 2023.

Order from bandcamp here:

Without Intervention | Head with Wings (bandcamp.com)



Review – Karmamoi – Strings From The Edge Of Sound

In 2008, inspired by old and new progressive rock music, drummer and composer Daniele Giovannoni created Karmamoi , giving life to a musical project that was able to express his idea of music, inspired by old and new progressive rock music. Their unique sound and their continued research about musical form make them one of the most interesting bands in the Italian Prog-rock scene. The band members are Daniele (drums, keyboards and backing vocals), Valerio Sgargi (vocals, backing vocals and keyboards), Alex Massari (guitars) and Alessandro Cefalì (bass).

Fast forward to 2023 and the band have released their sixth studio album, ‘Strings From The Edge Of Sound’. This new release contains four brand new songs plus five songs from the previous albums rearranged and revisited for orchestra that giving them a new powerful sound, and a new vision of Karmamoi’s music.

Karmamoi have never really crossed my path before, though I have heard of the band and people I respect have given them very positive reviews, so when I got the opportunity to listen to this new release, I thought it would be in my interest to check it out. Boy, am I glad I did! This album is a pure joy to listen to, chock full of glorious melodic progressive rock with a highly polished sheen and with pure emotion right to the core.

Key to this, in my opinion, are the absolutely sublime vocals of Valerio Sgargi, who has the voice of an angel and gives what are already incredibly immersive and utterly theatrical songs the final polish that makes them even better. I’ve also not heard the original versions of the orchestrated songs on this album but, Daniele Giovannoni please take a bow, to create these songs is a work of genius, they are lush, spacious and simply magnificent. That should not detract from the four new tracks though, they are prime progressive rock at its finest.

Opener Black Hole Era is one of the new songs and gets things of to a mighty fine start with Alex Massari’s delicate guitar the foil to Valerio’s earnest vocal. It’s a gentle and low key start as the string like keyboards give an ethereal feel to the music. The energy builds as the music and vocals take on a more enlivened tone and Daniele’s stylish drums drive things along. This is intelligent songwriting and excellent musicianship woking perfectly together to give the songs life and you’d have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by it. As we come towards the end of the track everything ramps up a couple of levels and we are treated to a superb guitar solo from Alex, full of emotion and passion, what a way to start an album! Nashira is the first of the reimagined, orchestrated versions and comes from the band’s third album, ‘Silence Between Sounds’, released in 2016. It is almost ballad-like in its opening, a gentle piano note leads in to the elegant, wistful strings to give a warm nostalgic feel to the song, Valerio, once again, delivers a superb vocal before the song takes on a disturbing edge and things get all mysterious with the drums and Alessandro Cefalì’s dynamic bass giving an ominous feel. The track ebbs and flows between the gentle and the agitated and shows its true progressive nature, very clever and hypnotic in delivery. Take Me Home is from 2018’s ‘The Day Is Done’ and lends itself to the orchestrations perfectly. It’s a slow burning piece of music with cinematic qualities that has you holding your breath in anticipation. The vocals are more laid back and give the music room to move and envelop the listener. It’s like the soundtrack to one of those mysterious independent films in which you have no clue what is going on but they’re really enjoyable in a cool and enigmatic kind of way.

Tell Me is the second new song on the album and opens with an earnest vocal from Valerio over Alex’s chiming guitar, it’s all very contemplative and wishful in feeling and brings a lightness and a feeling of calm to your soul. The music is reflective and dreamlike as it washes over you and the little stabs of guitar are ingenious among the expansive soundscape and when Alex breaks into his soaring solo, it is just majestic. Adding the orchestration to Room 101, taken from 2021’s album of the same name, takes the word enigmatic to new heights, to put it simply, it is melodic progressive rock at it’s absolute finest and shows this impressive band are truly masters of their art. It rises and falls with an impish step and has an almost art-rock feel to it. Intelligence and perception abound in every word and every note and the musicianship is just amazing, the juxtaposition between the pomp and circumstance of the band and the elegance of the orchestra is totally inspired. I Will Come takes progressive rock to a dimly lit lounge where a singer/songwriter and his band are delivering a performance with decades of belief behind it. The vocals bleed emotion and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and the piano is just heavenly and exalted. You may shed a tear and there’s nothing embarrassing in that, it’s just how the music makes you feel and they’ll be tears of joy.

Your Name also come’s from 2018’s ‘The Day Is Done’ and has a really dynamic feel as it dances into your imagination, the orchestra this time adding to the complex and compelling feel. There’s almost a prog-pop sensibility to the music and I could really see this a theme from a Bond movie, it has that dynamism and feeling of exhilaration. Upbeat and fast paced, it’s a real highlight and one where everyone seems to be having fun. The last of the orchestrated versions is of Zealous Man, also from 2021’s ‘Room 101’, and this song has that glorious feel of musical theatre, I think it’s the wonderful vocals added to the brilliant orchestrations that make it like that. I find these versions all to be uplifting and ever so elegant in their composure and delivery and, perhaps, this song is the best of the lot. The track exudes power, nobility and a rock solid sensibility and the musical intricacies on show are just extraordinary, the violin solo is worth the price of entry on its own! The album closes with the short title track Strings From The Edge Of Sound, just under two minutes of music that seems to live right inside your head. The persistent tone and vocals almost hypnotic as this mesmeric piece of music captivates and tantalises leaving you in a state of complete calm. 

With ‘Strings From The Edge Of Sound‘ Karmamoi deliver music that feels like it has a life of its own and music that will live with you for a very long time. It is an utterly captivating musical journey and experience that will hold you in its thrall for all of its wonderful sixty-eight minute running time. One of the releases of 2023 and one I advise you to listen to as soon as you can.

Released 1st September, 2023.

Order from bandcamp here:

STRINGS FROM THE EDGE OF SOUND | Karmamoi (bandcamp.com)


Review – Massimo Pieretti – A New Beginning – by John Wenlock-Smith

I was contacted on social media and invited to hear this album, released completely independently by Massimo himself as an outlet for his own music, but also seemingly as a kind of therapy for feelings and issues in his own past. This makes this rather gentle album all the more profound really as a journey into new adventures, ‘A New Beginning’ an apt title in that respect. Massimo is a music lecturer and teacher in Rome and he has played in various progressive groups in Italy, his own music is actually rather sensitive and beguiling, it certainly has excellent keyboards (unsurprisingly enough).

This short album is best heard in one continuous setting as it will take you on Massimo’s journey to contentment and completeness. It also makes political comments about Italian society along the way, in addition, it seems a lot of the songs are reflections on relationship issues that Massimo has experienced over the years. The music ranges in style from short vignettes to more pop based structures. Throughput the album there are some good keyboard tones and sounds employed to good effect. Out Of This World uses a sample taken from Charlie Chaplin’s 1940 film The Great Dictator to good effect to address the need for democracy in Italy after the era of Ille Duce (Mussolini)

In the information sheet that comes with the album Massimo gives some information that is pertinent to the album. He states “It is a largely autobiographical concept album, through which I tried to express my point of view on today’s society by taking a cue from my own personal problems and life experiences. Of the songs, the most autobiographical ones are Oh Father, Growing Old, Things To Live And To Die For and Family and Business. Other tracks like In November, Is That Girl Right? and Out of this World reflect my passion for cinema and film music. Finally the tracks A New Beginning parts A and B and I Hope You Will Always Be Here With Me are representative of my background in progressive music and my respect for others and environmental concerns. There is also an effort to present circularity in order to merge genres, my important academic studies and previous plays.”

Whether or not this succeeds on that score is possibly up to you, the listener, to decide but, in any respect, Massimo has crafted a deeply personal album with definite progressive elements and some fine keyboards in a very lush sounding recording. He has also started work on a second album that will utilise the talents of John Hackett, Nick Fletcher and Laura Piazzai, to name but three and I eagerly await that one too.

The album opens or commences with the brief but exciting synthesisers of Intro that gently swirl and create an atmosphere of warmth. Oh Father is a recollection of memories of Massimo’s father and the lessons he taught and showed about life and love. It seems the relationship was a difficult one, fraught with conflict but now, looking back with hindsight, Massimo understands his father’s interest was in shaping him. In November is a gentle song, although it has a good guitar line played throughout which sounds exquisite really, as does the the intro and opening section of Growing Old which reflects on ageing, the track is aided by a gorgeous fretless bass which definitely adds to the atmosphere created. Next is the song Is That Girl Right? which reflects on a relationship Massimo experienced, one that seemingly didn’t work out the way it was hoped or expected to.

Out Of This World is a political diatribe against inequality and division. This is followed by a jazzy Interlude with sax, piano and fretless bass that is short and segues into the next track, Things To Live And Die For, which sounds a little like an 80’s song but by whom eludes me at the moment. Family and Business has a harder edge provided by the excellent riff and Bowie-like vocal, it’s a proper rocker and one I really enjoyed. A New Beginning Parts A & B seems to be a call to treat each other with kindness, decency and dignity and also to care for our environment. I Hope You Will Always Be Here With Me is a plea for companionship on life’s journey, its better together than alone. The album proper ends with Intro Reprise which is, you guessed it, a reprise of the elegant opening tot he album and works really well to bring things to a close. The bonus tracks on this album are reworked, stripped down versions of the album tracks In November and Things To Live And Die For with a more spartan approach, This allows the beauty of the songs to shine through more clearly, although some might prefer the original, more layered, versions.

To be honest and fair whilst I have enjoyed this album, I don’t feel that it is one that I will reach for often, rather more one to listen to quietly later in the evening. For now though, there is plenty of thoughtfully considered musical performances on offer on this album. Massimo Pieretti I applaud this fine effort.

Released 1st September, 2022.

Order from bandcamp here:

A new beginning | Massimo Pieretti (bandcamp.com)

Review – John Lodge – Days of Future Passed – My Sojourn – by John Wnelock-Smith

The deaths of Ray Thomas in 2017 and Graeme Edge in 2021 were the final nail in the coffin (sorry) for the almost sixty year period of existence for the Moody Blues, an era which the band had seen many highs and lows. This period saw their early transition from humble beginnings as a R n’ B band in Birmingham, along with contemporaries like The Idle Race and the Spencer Davis Group, through to their reinvention and revitalisation with the addition of John Lodge and Justin Hayward, replacing Denny Laine and Clint Warwick. This led to a the string of successes including their debut album ‘Days Of Future Passed’ in 1967 and the legendary Nights In White Satin single that took the charts by storm, not just once but three times, in1967, 1972 and 1979! It was an album that introduced the world to a new sound, aided in part with the unveiling of brand new sounds with the Mellotron.

‘Days Of Future Passed – My Sojourn’, this new interpretation from John Lodge, will take you back to that time in 1967 when ‘Days Of Future Passed’ was initially released on the new progressive imprint of Decca Records, Deram, that was created in order to publicise the new Deramic sound from the label. This sound was actually a false stereo sound, until this time most music was released in mixed in mono, both for ease of mixing but also because the public tended to hear music from single speaker playback like the Dansette or transistor  radios. The Decca Panoramic Sound (later shortened to Deramic) was a huge step forward to the stereo sounds that emerged shortly afterwards and this album was the flagship release to unveil this new sound and ,with which, Decca hoped to sell their radiograph to the public.

It is possibly hard to conceive today just what a huge improvement in sound this system was. It was actually ground breaking and innovative and this album was able to reap the benefits of the system and, as such, was a major step in sound engineering, even now, nearly 60 years on, this is still astonishing. I often think that The Moody Blues did not receive the full respect and admiration that they were due, as without them their innovations prog as we know it would not have existed. Now, 56 years, on John has revisited this pivotal album and recreated it anew with a few tweaks and additions. To my ears, he has done an excellent reinterpretation of this seminal work.

John has utilised his 10,000 Light Years Band on this album, with particular mention to musical director Alan Hewitt who has done a wonderful job in the orchestrations the album utilises in such an enlivened manner, meaning it is not just a pale recreation, it is a really impressive piece of work. This new imagining really benefits from the time that has elapsed since the original album, as the technological advances in that time allow for a fuller sound, one in which every instrument has space to be heard clearly. I also really like that John was able to get Graeme Edge involved in the project, with his poetry on Morning Glory opening the album and, on Late Lament, drawing the album to a close.

The album is composed of seven parts across its 17 tracks, these range from very brief interludes to the longer tracks that round out the album and the album sounds really spacious. The record also has Jon Davison of Yes singing on Tuesday Afternoon and Nights In White Satin, alongside John himself. I was especially taken with the great bass sounds the album has and the excellent ensemble playing of the 10,000 Light Years Band, especially the guitar work of Alan Duffy and the keyboards of Alan Hewitt, who both shine throughout.

You tend to forget just what a huge step forward the original album was and the run of success that followed in its wake, as the run of albums that followed bridged the gap between the past and the present. The Moody Blues were at the forefront of progressive music at the time and were really pushing the envelope in terms of sound and craftsmanship.

It helps if you can hear the two versions together as you can hear the difference in sound immediately and can enjoy the journey the album takes you on. For me, the longer and rockier tracks like Tuesday Afternoon, Peak Hour and Nights In White Satin are the standouts, the guitar runs on Tuesday Afternoon are magical, light and dextrous, as are the two poetry/spoken words segments with Graeme Edge’s Brummie voice clearly present. This is the first time he had actually read his own poems on record, normally Mike Pinder had read them on the albums. This was Graeme’s last ever recording as he sadly died very soon after this, so, for this reason alone, it is good to hear him on this album,

The production is lush, crisp and clear and the album artwork is really warm and wonderfully crafted with the definite touch of Roger Dean, although this is not credited.

This is an album that will reach into your heart with its gentleness and beauty and will refresh your soul as its hidden depths are re-discovered. I urge you to hear this masterpiece as a balm for modern times, it is most highly recommended.

Released 22nd September, 2023.

Order from Burning Shed here:

John Lodge (burningshed.com)

Review – Andreas Schaerer, Kalle Kalima Invting Tim Lefebvre – Evolution

“Music is the tool to express life—and all that makes a difference.” – Herbie Hancock

Music is a unique form of art. It allows us to express our emotions and creativity through beautiful notes, melodies, and lyrics. It can influence and exert a substantial effect on us, making music a compelling art that helps us in so many ways.

Music accompanies us on life’s great highs and gives us solace when we suffer life’s great lows. Without music, life would have no colour and the greatest music lights up our lives in so many ways and, every now and then, these musical gems come unbidden into my life. Thanks to JazzFuel music, this gorgeous album born from a collaboration between renowned vocalist Andreas Schaerer and esteemed jazz guitarist Kalle Kalima, arrived recently and It has been a totally immersive and emotive musical journey while I got to know it.

‘Swiss vocal acrobat Andreas Schaerer and Finnish guitarist Kalle Kalima have some things in common. As artists, each is essentially in a category completely of his own. Both are musicians who can always conjure something special from their chosen instruments. Both are known on the international jazz scene for the completely distinctive and original ways their music constantly crosses genres. Both have played together for several years in the quartet A Novel Of Anomaly. And now they have recorded a first album together in which the focus is on the two of them. However, for this “evolution” (as the album title has it), they have also involved – and drawn inspiration from – a musician whom they both admire, Tim Lefebvre. The American bassist has worked with many pop and jazz stars, notably Sting, Elvis Costello, David Bowie, Mark Guiliana, Wayne Krantz…Lefebvre’s involvement in the Michael Wollny Trio’s breakthrough was, incidentally, anything but tangential. In other words, his playing is at home in practically every context.

Listeners familiar with Schaerer’s and Kalima’s previous work may find “Evolution” somewhat surprising. “An album is such a different platform from playing live on stage,” explains Schaerer. “Over the course of our many recordings, we have become increasingly aware quite how differently one has to play.” That awareness has also resulted in a particularly careful focus on the post-production phase of ‘Evolution’.

Taking turns, Schaerer and Kalima each contributed both an idea and a song text (three of these are in fact by Kalima’s wife Essi) before developing these versions in the studio together. Each piece therefore bears an unmistakable and very personal signature, not just musically, but also in the lyrics. “Kalle and I are also processing some deeply personal and intimate thoughts and experiences in some of the lyrics. And, of course, it’s also about things that are currently bothering us in the world, from artificial intelligence to the question implicit in the album title, as to whether evolution is stagnating.‘

This splendid jazz evolved release opens with the delicate Rapid Eye Movement where Kalle shows his penchant for the ever changing colours of folk music, his guitar dancing lightly in your mind as Andreas’ vocal flows warmly over the top, a superb lesson in how less is more. The haunting, psychedelic tension of Trigger is highly evident in Andreas Schaerer’s falsetto vocal and the edgy, spine-tingling guitar, it’s all very disturbing in a deeply creative way and gets under your skin as it crawls menacingly along. There’s a laid back, almost funky vibe to the stylish charms of Pristine Dawn, Andreas low vocal reminiscent of Bob Dylan in places as Kalle’s chic, jazzy guitar lays down a cool groove. Evolution does just that throughout its five minute running time. There is a definite free-form jazz atmosphere to this clever, intricate piece, especially as we get further into the song and Kalle’s guitar gets wild and dramatic before the song comes to a close with a wonderfully improvised ending.

I’ve got to give special mention to the brilliant bass playing from Tim Lefebvre, a musician who has been such an inspiration for both Andreas and Kalle, on this album he just stays there in the background and delivers the most sublime bass playing, sometimes on electric and sometimes on double bass. “We played with Tim for the first time at the big Jubilee concert celebrating 30 years of ACT. The chemistry was so good, we decided we would keep in touch. When I called him about ‘Evolution’, he didn’t hesitate for a second”, Schaerer remembers. “It was then really impressive how quickly he could connect emotionally with the music. It’s crazy how he grooves on a track like SloMo, and how we were able to play ourselves into a frenzy over Kalle’s guitar track.” And he’s not wrong about SloMo, the bass is simply superb and Kalle’s incendiary guitar trades blows with Andreas’ vocal tricks, clicking and popping sounds, beatboxing and polyphonically layered vocalise, to deliver a free-form jazz extravaganza. Song Yet Untitled has a layered, cinematic feel to its slow burning atmosphere and Kalle’s guitar almost talks to you while Andreas delivers a haunting, ethereal vocal performance that has you holding your breath. There’s a calm reflection about the glorious Untold Stories, a song that has more of a singer/songwriter feel than pure jazz. The guitar has a more of a formal feel to it, as if following guidelines but this does not make it any less than the other pieces on this sublime album, especially on the intricate, flowing solo that Kalle delivers mid way through the track. Andreas’ vocal has a keening edge to it, although there is still a warmth at its core, and the whole piece leaves you in state of rapt contemplation.

Multitasking, with its humorous plays on words and philosophical theme, is typical of Andreas. It’s a fast paced track where his vocal tricks are brought into play again, especially the grin inducing ‘mouth trumpet’ solo and Kalle plays along merrily, his guitar almost dancing as he plucks each note. Despite there being no words, there’s a wondrous lyrical quality to the wistful and nostalgic So Far, a quiet, hushed piece of music that will lift any anger or stress that you may be feeling. Tim Lefebvre leaves his talented mark on Piercing Love with a beautiful solo intro on his elegant double bass before Andreas delivers a mesmerising vocal. Kalle contributes his usual exquisite guitar playing, including a stunning solo, and we are treated to another fine ‘mouth trumpet’ performance by Kalima. The album closes with the hypnotic, melancholy Sphere where Kalle’s superlative guitar once again sings out, entrancing every listener. Andreas’ voice has a sorrowful catch to it which, along with the heartbreaking guitar, gives the song a stark and yet darkly beautiful aura. It is a beautifully plaintive way to close out the song and the album.

To be honest, I don’t know if you can call this ‘Jazz’ in the true sense of the word, with ‘Evolution’ Andreas Schaerer and Kalle Kalima have ripped up the rule book and rewritten what a jazz album can really be. What I can say about it is that is is a truly incredible collection of highly personal and intimate songs that will resonate with anyone who takes the time to explore this fascinating musical journey. It certainly expresses life in all its glory and that is so important in this day and age.

Released 29th September, 2023.

Buy from ACT here:

Evolution | CD | ACT 9746-2 (actmusic.com)

Buy from Juno in the UK:

Andreas SCHAERER/KALLE KALIMA/TIM LEFEBVRE – Evolution Vinyl at Juno Records.

Review – The Wood Demons – Angels Of Peckham Rye – by John Wenlock-Smith

I first came across this rather interesting and somewhat unusual sounding band very recently when they supported the Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate chaps at their album launch for the splendid ‘Light Of Ancient Mistakes’ in that there London, my first time in “The Smoke” for several years, well March 2021 to be precise. I had not heard anything by The Wood Demons anywhere and, despite seeing their name in various gig promotions, I knew nothing about them,

Well, I saw and enjoyed their brief set, several songs from which appear on this great album. These includ the album’s title track Angels Of Peckham Rye, Arithmomania and All Heaven’s Breaking Loose, to name just three, although they might have also played The Odd Particle, come to think of it.

Their sound is rather different, mixing in styles of progressive rock, psychedelia,  folk and even ambient and classical touches. Their line up consists of Rick Startin (keys, guitar, vocals), John Silver (bass), Simon Carbery (lead vocals, guitar), Ed Kontargyris (drums) and they also have a secret weapon in the lush and enticing violin of Naomi Belshaw. The album is a very satisfying listen but, for me, it’s the elegant violin parts that add the icing to a very tasty cake. In places I was reminded of Caravan as Simon Carbery has a similar vocal style to Pye Hastings and several of the tracks are in a ‘Caravan’ type sound.

Opener Arithmomania certainly made my ears prick up with stylish arpeggio guitar and clever juxtaposition of lyrics and how we can count numbers to show the scope of the world and help us define it but also not just reducing it to a series of measurements. This song reveals a sense of wonder in our world and will hook you in as it is a terrific opening track and one that shows what The Wood Demons are all about. It distils their craft into one decent length track that is blessed with that sublime violin. I’m waxing lyrically as this track has rapidly become one of the best things I’ve heard in ages, believe me when I say that, in a year full of exciting and often excellent music, this one stands out and confirms just how good a track this really is, utterly compelling. The Odd Particle is a busy instrumental that allows John Silver’s classy bass to lead us on a merry saunter whilst Naomi struts her stuff with superb pizzicato playing and plucking and Simon lays down some great guitar tones. It’s a shorter piece, very atmospheric and almost cinematic wide-screen in sound and has the whole band blending together in a glorious melding to create a really worthy piece of music.

This is in turn followed by the equally as memorable Big Game Fishing, which is simply a gorgeous song with a gentle but very sweet acoustic guitar part and earnest yet warm vocals. This is very folk like and almost like a sea shanty in parts although when the mellotron kicks in with its lush sound, you can tell this is actually a rather more intricate track. There are great harmonies in this song too and some great understated and dexterous bass playing on offer from John. Of course Naomi’s lovely violin swoops and soars throughout making it all very splendid indeed. Starstruck is a very fine song too and one that works well, it’s harder sounding with the guitars very much to the fore here, they have a real crunch and bite to them. This song is chock full of chunky, chugging riffs and excellent dynamics and it also has a somewhat discordant guitar break, which works especially well with the sax of Michael Wilkins to make a really great sounding track. This is in part powered by more fine bass work before the song enters a more gentle section with keyboard effects and chiming guitar arpeggios and fingerpicking. It’s all very pastoral and in complete contrast to how the track began, unsurprisingly the momentum gathers pace again and the whole band sound urgent as they return to the harder sound once again. This is very impressive and dynamic and a fabulous track ends on sustained guitar riffs.

Angels Of Peckham Rye is inspired by the story of poet William Blake who, aged 8, saw visions of angels in an oak tree in Peckham Rye. Blake also wrote the classic Jerusalem, as made famous by Emerson, Lake and Palmer on their ‘Brain Salad Surgery’ album and also Tyger Tyger Burning Bright, which was covered by Tangerine Dream for their ‘Tyger’ album in the 1980’s. This track is really rather good too, mixing eastern sounding violin lines into the overall sound to create some epic sounds and a riff not dissimilar to Rainbow’s Gates Of Babylon. It is all very impressive sounding and yet another excellent track. This leads into the album’s final track, All Heaven’s Breaking Loose, which is hinged on busy bass and guitar riffs, above all of which there is a soaring violin. This song is actually very energetic and there is a lot going on, with everyone seemingly doing their own thing but, somehow, it all seems to work and the track impresses greatly. There’s an excellent guitar solo from Simon, whose playing here is very effective and eloquently delivered and it ends the song, and indeed the album, in style.

At the live gig, the band also showcased a couple of new tracks that will, hopefully, appear on their next album but, for now, this will do very nicely. ‘Angels Of Peckham Rye’ is truly a splendid, interesting and engaging listen and one that you will want to return to frequently, I know I will. I do recommend this band and album to you, it’s worth it to hear that great violin!

Released 4th December, 2020.

Order from bandcamp here:

Angels Of Peckham Rye (album) | The Wood Demons (bandcamp.com)