Martin Hutchinson – Page 19

Review – Tony Patterson – Equations of Meaning – by Progradar

“Life in the fast lane, surely make you lose your mind
Life in the fast lane..”

Those words are taken from the Eagles’ track Life in the Fast Lane, particularly poignant due to the untimely recent death of Glen Frey, one of the original songwriters.

I was only saying to a friend the other day that January had literally flown by and that life in general was moving way too fast, the years seemingly flashing past in the blink of an eye.

We don’t take enough time to just relax and chill nowadays. It is almost illegal to just take time to yourself and enjoy the moment rather than be rushing around filling that time with something that appears to be important (and quite possibly isn’t).

Perhaps the late Sir Terry Pratchett put it best when he said, “This isn’t life in the fast lane, it’s life in the oncoming traffic.”

So, what can you do to move out of that ‘fast lane’ ? For me, my own retreat away from the rigors and, sometimes, horrors of modern life is music. Music can whisk me away to another place, a place of calm solitude where I can reflect on things and see life slow down to a much more manageable pace.

Don’t get me wrong, when I’m hitting the gym I want something fast paced and upbeat but, when I’m at home and in a reflective mood, I want something that will match that state of mind, preferably with a glass of something old and red and alcoholic to complement it……

I am here today to let you know if Tony Patterson’s latest solo effort, ‘Equations of Meaning’ fits the bill as an accompaniment to that contemplative atmosphere.

Tony Patterson is a solo artist/musician from the North East of England. Probably best known as the singer with the UK Genesis tribute act ReGenesis, he has also recorded four previous solo albums as well as working for TV and short film.

His most recent work, ‘Northlands’, is a collaboration with fellow North-East musician Brendan Eyre (Riversea) and features guests including Steve Hackett and Nick Magnus.

I reviewed ‘Northlands’ and had this to say about this sublime release, “A totally bewitching musical experience that transports you to another place, Northlands has touched my soul in such a way that I will never be the same again.

I am left with a feeling of solemnity and grace, as if I am in a place where all is well with the world and I can come to no harm.”

The first thing that grabs you about ‘Equations of Meaning’ is the superb artwork and photography, also a highlight of ‘Northlands’. This comes as no surprise as both were done by the talented Howard White and is featured throughout this review. I’ve often stated in the past that I am a sucker for excellent album art and this is no let-down.

The album opens with the elegant instrumental track Ghosts. A quite delightful piece of music that leaves you in mind of elysian fields with the gentle acoustic guitar and ethereal keyboards. A really pensive guitar note then takes up the reins, thoughtful, intent and precise as it dances across your mind. A really meditative opening to the record.

‘All alone, chilled to the bone

Still your warmth flows through me

All around, beckoning sound

Though your ears can’t hear me…’

Nick Magnus adds his programming skills to The Magdalene Fields, a track that opens with a really delicate introduction before Tony’s gentle vocal takes centre stage. A song that seems to meander along, there is no fast lane in operation here, time is taken to relax and the ghostly aura puts you in a state of grace. The heavenly chorus is quite sublime in its subtle delivery. My mind is an open book and is waiting for these celestial notes to leave their imprint, totally at ease. Fred Arlington’s sax is an utter delight, velvety smooth and relaxing.

‘Young Billy takes his life and he throws it

all away

For a silly dream he has that would

somehow find a way…’

Each Day a Colour (A Dreamer’s Dream) sees Magnus take on occasional keyboard duties alongside Patterson and is another exquisite track. The opening section is dreamlike and graceful before an acoustic guitar lifts the musing aura and the vocals smoothly segue in and give a jaunty air to proceedings. There is a soothing and reassuring tone to Tony’s voice that gives it a really hypnotic air. Nick Magnus then delivers a superb slow burning, passionate guitar solo that is mesmeric and calmative at the same time, a real piece of magic to end the track with.

‘Ship sets out for sail today

Cast away, Cast away

Waking Dawn will show the way

Cast away, Cast away….’

Cast Away may be short but it is exceedingly sweet and gossamer like in its delivery. The tender guitar and haunting vocals give an almost surreal ambience, tranquil and soothing. It has a real calming effect, my heart rate dropping considerably. listen to this with headphones on and you will lose yourself in its benign embrace.

The Angel and The Dreamer

i) Vision ii) Journey iii) Reprise

This track is a more intricate instrumental with vocal embellishments provided by the luscious voice of Siobhan Magnus in addition to Tony Patterson. The first part, Vision, is full of eastern promise and a brooding longing hidden in the background, quite earnest in its delivery as the vocals are used as another instrument adding layers of intensity. Journey sees a return to the creamy, polished feel of the earlier tracks, Fred Arlington returning to lay down some jazzy horn to the track as it becomes effortlessly cool. Doug Melbourne adds the class of a the mopho synth as we move towards Reprise and a return the mysterious east.

‘Look to the sky

I’m not feeling this ground

See all the world

Something happening here..’

The intro to Beneath a Perfect Sky builds up steadily, becoming a methodical, repetitive backdrop to Tony’s melancholy vocal. The measured delivery of this track is extremely reassuring and relaxing as it washes over your psyche in its metronomic style. A beautiful lilting piano and choral voices leave you in blissful repose as this restrained piece of music continues to soothe your soul, the wonderful horn playing of Fred Arlington that closes out the song is just the icing on the metaphorical cake.

‘I saw your picture on your wall

Sent you a message, did you read it at all?

Just let me tell you, I like your style

Give me your attention, let me

stay for a while…’

I heard a clip of Sycophant when Tony put a teaser video up and, knowing he is a big fan, I asked him if it was his homage to James Bond, I’m sure John Barry would give a knowing nod as the introduction begins. It really is classy as the strings begin before it heads off in a more funky direction with the edgy keyboards. Tony delivers the vocals in his slick style and they really make this track the epitome of cool. The repeated use of the string and keyboard motif just adds to the feeling that you are in the middle of an EON Productions movie. Andy Gray’s fiery and yet cultured guitar solo adds another sheen of gloss to what is a rather excellent song and one that has one foot firmly in the mainstream. An homage to Bond? I’d like to think so and a song that could grace any of the movies.

And When the Sky Was Opened is another transcendental instrumental track that has a whimsical, almost insubstantial feel to it as it ghosts its way across your aural synapses, a musical Amuse-bouche perhaps.

‘There’s a fire that burns within my soul

And it drives me on towards my goal

There’s a burning fire that’s in my eyes

There’s a place that I don’t recognise…’

The rarefied air returns with Pilgrim, another urbane and congenial track that flows gently across the airwaves. Tony’s vocal is a bit more insistent but it reined back by the calming feel of the piano and keyboards. Fred Arlington’s horn makes a welcome return, just adding to the unhurried repose that this song engenders. Lay back, relax and let the harmonious charms of Fred’s sax free your mind and your soul.

Tony’s long time writing partner and friend Brendan Eyre co-wrote the piano based instrumental As The Lights Go Out and it is a little gem of a song. Brendan’s piano has an unseen depth to it that grabs your heart and soul and pulls you in, it is so beautiful it almost brings tears of joy, tinged with a small hint of nostalgic sadness.

‘Look at me

Time was never on my side

You and me

Survived the turning of the tides…’

All good things must come to an end and The Kindest Eyes is the final track on this wonderful album. A cultured acoustic guitar opens the song before Tony’s voice lifts your mind and takes you on a bewitching and whimsical musical journey. This track was written for Tony’s wife Angela and he admitted to me that it took a lot of courage to write. Well, I for one am glad he did, it is utterly stunning and just leaves a huge smile on your face. Nick Magnus, once again, provides the programming and the superb slide guitar and highly emotive guitar solo delivered by the outrageously talented Adrian Jones just lift it to another level. I would hate to pick one song above any of the others but this was the one that moved me most emotionally. The way the song closes out, fading to an enchanting acoustic guitar, just leaves you struck dumb.

Well I was utterly mesmerised by ‘Northlands’, Tony’s collaboration with Brendan Eyre and this album deserves to be mentioned in the same breath. To get the utmost from the album you must listen to it from start to finish, preferably with headphones on, in a darkened room and with your choice of relaxing alcohol. To me, ‘Equations of Meaning’ is not merely a great release, it is a state of mind that we should all aspire to when our Life in the Fast Lane gets too much for us. Superb and highly recommended.

Released 26th February 2016

Order ‘Equations of Meaning’ from Cherry Red Records

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkM9lNWHPr4

Review – Endless Tapes – Brilliant Waves – by Progradar

I’ve always been a sucker for great progressive instrumental album and a fan of great bass playing so, when I heard about Endless Tapes’ first full-length release ‘Brilliant Waves’, I knew there was a good chance I was going to be seriously interested.

I just love the way that instrumental music leaves your own imagination to fill in where vocals would have before. That’s not to say that these aren’t complete releases in the first place that are missing something, no, it just leaves my imagination free to interpret what the musicians have presented before me.

Endless Tapes is a collaboration between bassist and composer Colin Edwin (PorcupineTree/Metallic Taste of Blood/Twinscapes/O.R.k etc) and drummer/multi instrumentalist Alessandro “Petrol” Pedretti.

Setting out their plan for an immersive and engaging album, early 2014 saw Endless Tapes “road test” their nascent material over a series of well received live dates in Italy with the duo expanded to a full live four piece band in conjunction with stunning visualsby video artist Danilo Di Prizio.

Consequently debut album Brilliant Waves, expands on their previously released eponymous EP, showcasing a kaleidoscopic collection of instrumentals inspired by the patterns in commonplace urban geometry and the recurring, cyclic themes in seemingly ordinary everyday surroundings.

Opener and title track Brilliant Waves is a delightfully ethereal track that trips along without a care in the world. The gentle tinkle of the somewhat randomly placed piano notes leaves a feeling of intelligent, yet alien, curiosity in your mind. Its unhurried grace and calm demeanour let the subtle tension build gradually, yet the purity and innocence leave you in state of harmonious grace. Terminal 1 is more direct and agitated from the first note, the strident bass and discordant drums leaving you slightly on edge. It has a science fiction feel to the grating vocal and guitar note and keeps you in a slightly nervous frame of mind.

Another reflective and insightful introduction opens up Il Guardiano, the delicately strummed acoustic guitar leads your mind on a serene journey, the hushed vocal adding an idyllic feel. An alien, astringent note roughly pushes everything aside as it takes on a denser, more muscular feel. A sinister note makes your skin crawl in a deliciously creepy way. Hypnotic and mesmerising it powers on to a captivating conclusion. In keeping with the track title, Saturn has a real out of this world tone to it. The repeated guitar note and relatively off-cadenced anodyne drumbeat keep in a state of flux. A slightly uneasy, otherworldly vibe runs throughout, lulling you into a perceived state of mind. On the surface it is soporifically alluring but, underneath, some thing strange and incongruous lurks.

Bass Collapse is deep, complex and transcendental. The bass feels like it has hidden layers and labyrinthine depths to it with its ponderous, unhurried delivery. The notes seem to lay heavy on your mind, elaborate and compounded. It is not a track for the faint of heart, there is no light in its delivery, it is dark and convoluted and all the better for it. Immersive, slightly dissonant and a tad antagonistic, Possible Mission is another track that feels like it has hidden depths, there is some feeling of density to the music. Serious and sombre with an intelligence deep at its core, it appeals to the contemplative and thoughtful among music lovers and gives more with each repeated listen.

Private begins in an introspective fashion, mood music with a cinematic depth. It inspires a reflective and thoughtful state of mind, one in which you may be pondering the nature of the whole universe, such is the crucial and weighty tone. Stylish bass and drums with a spaced out synth note leave a melancholy air touched with sentiment and warmth. The closing track on the album Last Days invokes a feel of wistful yearning yet with an uneasy tone just below the surface. Trading uncertainty and a slight note of pessimism with optimistic guitar notes, it leaves a reflective trail across your soul. I found myself thinking of far eastern shores, the warm sun falling on my body but knowing that, soon, I would have to leave it all behind, the sad side of nostalgic memories.

An extremely well constructed and immersive soundscape that requires your full concentration to enjoy it to the full. It is an album that has hidden depths and you discover something new every time you listen to it.

Released 15th January 2016

Buy ‘Brilliant Waves’ from Burning Shed

Review – Field of Vision – The Vicissitudes of Life E.P. – Review by Progradar

So, can you really get an idea of how good a band are from an E.P. with just two tracks on it? That is what we are here to find out today.

Glasgow’s Field of Vision’s ‘The Vicissitudes of Life’ E.P. runs out at a grand total of sixteen minutes and forty-five seconds across its two songs and I wanted to know if that short musical interlude can give me an idea of what the band are all about.

But, first, a little history……

Field of Vision was born in 1988 in a rehearsal studio in Glasgow’s West End.

After a brief spell in Glasgow prog band Abel Ganz, singer Martin Haggarty advertised for musicians, and found himself in a rehearsal room with keyboard player Graham Holley, who brought his friend, drummer David McDonald. Immediately striking up a rapport, the vocalist, keyboardist & drummer set about finding two other kindred spirits to make up Field of Vision.

In 1989, the fledgling 5 piece entered Glasgow’s Pet Sounds studios to record their debut ‘Lessons In Predictability’, and the more ambitious ‘How Are Things In Moscow Anyway?’.

Fast forward through lineup changes, wives, children etc until 2008, when the original 3 got together again, with a view to working together. Due to work commitments and other misdemeanours, the serious business of making music did not recommence until early 2013 when work started on the forthcoming EP, ‘The Vicissitudes of Life’, which was eventually released on the 24th November 2014.

Bloody hell, where did Rush suddenly appear from? The introduction to Sand is all edgy keyboards and staccato guitar riffs supported by some energetic drumming and could have come from ‘Hemispheres’ quite easily. Martin’s vocals kick in and his earnest, almost yearning delivery fits in perfectly with the excellent music. This is seriously polished stuff, the production, mastering etc. are top notch, only adding to the Power Trio comparisons. A touch of class is added by the elegant backing vocals of Holly Blair and I am already impressed. A polished progressive rock track with a powerful under current of hard rock that holds it all together, the ever present dynamics of Martin and Holly’s vocal interplay adding a refined depth. That is not all, however, step in David Porter with an intricate, searching guitar solo and another layer of class is added to this already stylish song.

There is a more 80’s neo-progressive feel to the opening of If Tomorrow Comes. The introduction even feels like a more mainstream rock track before the stylish, echoing guitar and persistent bass bring us back into a more progressive arena. I get a feel of early ‘Hogarth-era’ Marillion but with Haggarty and Blair’s vocals giving this track its own definitive identity. Soul-searching and emotive, it seems to be building up to a musical outpouring. The swirling keyboards add a real lustre to the background and that excellent and tasteful production comes to the fore once more. An intricate keyboard interlude precedes a cool jazz infused section that is seriously laid back and chilled before segue into a smart keyboard solo that Rick Wakeman would have been proud off. The vocals then take centre stage as Holly and Martin give a neat and soulful interplay, brooding and seriously passionate, the intense guitar work adding a real edginess to it. You almost find yourself holding your breath as this seriously earnest song fires at all your emotions and plays out with a deep felt lament.

Wow, that was seriously emotive, moving, stirring and, above all, impressive stuff. A two track E.P. that really is worth a listen and, as a forerunner of things to come, should see the band take a big step towards success.

Released 24th November 2014.

Download the WAV or MP3 files direct from the band.

Review – Magnum – Sacred Blood, Divine Lies – By Progradar

“Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be…” – anon

“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.” – Marcel Proust

Should we look to the past for inspiration when it comes to music? The whole point of progression is to move forward surely? To a certain extent, I would agree but we all sometimes like to listen to an album from those sepia tinged days gone by, don’t we?

Perhaps we use it as a point of reference, maybe it brings back great memories, I don’t know? Also, the flip side could be true, we might not have liked that music at the time but, as we have got older and matured, we now come to appreciate it more.

One of the bands I grew up with, and was a big fan of, was the British rockers Magnum. I always felt they had a bit of a progressive tinge to their music on tracks such as ‘On A Storyteller’s Night’, ‘How Far Jerusalem’, ‘Kingdom of Madness’ and the like.

The core of the band has always been main songwriter and guitarist Tony Clarkin and vocalist Bob Catley, whose dulcet tones must be one of the most recognisable in rock.

Their success peaked in the late 80’s and early 90’s with the albums ‘Vigilante’, ‘Wings of Heaven’ and ‘Good night L.A.’, records with more of a hard rock and metal approach. The band seemed to fade away, for me, after this until the release of ‘Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow’ in 2007, an excellent return to form and they have produced four classy albums since.

2015 sees the release of the latest chapter in Magnum’s long history, ‘Sacred Blood, Divine Lies’, delivered by the band’s now stable line up of Tony and Bob plus Mark Stanway (keyboards), Al Barrow (bass) and Harry James (Drums).

Tony Clarkin started working on the resounding new album even before ‘Escape From The Shadow Garden’ crashed into the UK Album Chart at 38. Clarkin was inspired to write 25 new songs during and after the subsequent triumphant European tour, the most outstanding 13 of which were selected for ‘Sacred Blood, Divine Lies’.

Title track and opener Sacred Blood, Divine Lies sets the tone for the rest of the album, a really good, dynamic rock track. The first riff on the record is pulsating and driving and the drums hold everything in place, giving the rest of the band free rein to really rock out. Bob Catley’s vocals are as good as ever, the catchy chorus showing that his forty years plus at the front of the band has not seen the power of his voice wane a jot. This is a real ‘in your face’ rocking track and one which you can’t help bouncing along to, the ‘air guitar’ even came out for a dust off on Tony’s scorching solo. An impressive start to the album indeed, Tony goes as far as saying he thinks it will join the ranks of the great Magnum classics! The thundering riffs continue on Crazy Old Mothers but not before a more gentle piano led introduction. A slower paced track with a heartfelt vocal performance on the verse, the chorus drives on like a marching force and the whole track has a nostalgic feel. Mark Stanway’s piano playing gives a softer feel on the elegant verse but then Tony’s guitar hits you with a staccato riff on the chorus, all powered along by the superb rhythm section of Al and Harry. This couldn’t be anything other than a Magnum track with Bob’s trademark vocal key. Another great, if short, solo from Mr Clarkin and things are complete.

Tony Clarkin wrote Gypsey Queen after being inspired by a concert in St. Petersburg, a city which deeply impressed him with its unique atmosphere. This anthemic masterpiece begins with a mellow and laid back synth led intro, Bob’s vocal taking on a pleading tone before the drums kick in and the riff hoves into view, powerful and direct. The chorus is forceful and charismatic with a real addictive note and I’m hooked, a superb song gets better with another blistering solo from Tony’s guitar. One thing I’m noticing is their seems to be a real plethora of fiery guitar highlights building up as we move further into the album. An absolutely belting song and one that I am finding really hard to get out of my head but, when it is this good, why bother? Princess In Rags (the Cult) is another fast paced rocker that gets you up on your toes with its infectious riffing and energetic drums. The pulsating, edgy verses are highlighted by some great keyboards and then it opens up and flies off with the lively chorus, another welcome Magnum hallmark. This breathless song really does move at an electric pace as if it can’t be held back and the fluid solo is just as intense, a really full-on and red-blooded musical experience.

Now onto the first ballad-like track on the album, Ballads are another thing that Magnum excel at and Your Dreams Won’t Die is no exception. “To me, the title and lyrics have an almost religious depth,” says Clarkin of the song. “There’s a saying that somebody is not forgotten if their name is remembered.” The intro is slow and measured, lulling into a relaxed mood. Bob’s vocals begin emotive and sincere and the strings in the background give everything that poignant feel. The chorus is stylish and memorable and really moves you in only the way that a Magnum ballad can and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t like a really good rock ballad? A resounding riff-heavy introduction sets up Afraid of the Night, a song with really dramatic, almost operatic feel to it on the verse. A slow burning chorus opens into something really vivid and elemental. This track dances across your mind like a musical storyline, a clever and inventive track but one that doesn’t lose the power and dynamism of a proper rock epic.

A Forgotten Conversation has a subtle and understated introduction with Bob’s hushed vocals the highlight. The tone changes with the persistent drums, commanding guitar riff and stentorian vocals on the chorus and the interplay between the lighter verse and potent chorus works exceedingly well. Tony delivers one more trademark solo that really gets under your skin, another hard rocking addition to the album. The pulsating introduction to Quiet Rhapsody sets you up for the pounding riff that hits you like a ten ton weight, possibly the most assertive on the album. It spurs the track on with bulldozing force as each striking of the drum knocks you back in your seat. The chorus softens this slightly but only just, Bob’s voice has a forcible tone to it and you just get caught up in the irresistible force, one that is emphasised by yet one more superb solo.

Another elegant introduction opens Twelve Men Wise And Just, a haunting piano note adding to Bob’s great vocals before everything kicks off big style as the blue touch paper is lit. The pace increases tenfold and the energy and dynamism go off the scale. A track reminiscent of the great Magnum releases of the late 80’s, it wouldn’t have been out of place on ‘Wings of Heaven’. The whole song is captivating and addictive and I just found myself tapping my foot and singing along. A nicely judged harmonised section lets you get your breath back before the headlong rush begins again, another classic in the making. So to the final track on the album, Even Tony Clarkin was surprised by Don’t Cry Baby from the start, “Although I initially didn’t have a lyric, the melody kept going through my head, as well as the chorus with acoustic and e-guitars plus piano. We even kept the drums from the demo version because our drummer Harry James liked them so much. He said: “I love it the way it is. We shouldn’t change a thing about it”.” A really gracious track that begins with a warm and rounded vocal and rhythm section before the tempo increases and the vocals take on an unfeigned sincerity and passion that bleeds into the general feeling of the song. There is a superb piano section that makes the hairs on the nape of your neck stand up and you feel a little melancholy note rise in the vocals. Tony throws in some delicate, yet intense, guitar work and the song fades out to a close.

This is the sound of a band back at the peak of their powers, confident in their own ability. ‘Sacred Blood, Divine Lies’ takes me back to a time when Magnum were at the height of their popularity and should be a must for any fan of the band. Superb from start to finish, I take it Mr Clarkin has already started the next album and I, for one, can’t wait!

Released February 26th 2016

Buy ‘Sacred Blood, Divine Lies’ direct from the band

Review – Hat’s Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate – When The Kill Code Fails – by Progradar

“The music industry is a strange combination of having real and intangible assets: pop bands are brand names in themselves, and at a given stage in their careers their name alone can practically guarantee hit records.” – Richard Branson

So, is ‘Old Beardy’ right? To a certain extent, yes he is. You have probably gone out and bought an album, without hearing any of it, just because you know the band and like them. Their name imbues some sort of guarantee of quality, that you are pretty certain to be listening to a really good album. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule (in my case, the execrable ‘Van Halen III’) but this will ring true most times across the board.

Now, how many times have you looked up a band on Youtube, spotify or the like just because you liked the name of an artist you had never heard before? and, to flip it on its head, how many times have you ignored one because you hated their chosen moniker? We can be fickle when it comes to things like this and, because of our dislike of a simple rubric, we can be missing out on some rather excellent music.

No such chance with Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, that is one brilliant band name and made me want to listen to their music immediately. Thankfully, I was not disappointed!

(Photo by Emre Basala)

Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate, a proggy, rocky, funky, defiant and sometimes poignant band from London, UK, is led by Malcolm Galloway, either on his own, or with his colleagues Kathryn Thomas (flute), Mark Gatland (bass), Rudy Burrell (drums) and Ibon Bilboa (guitar). Malcolm is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, and part-time neuropathologist and medical school lecturer.

Their songs so far have been about invisible disabilities, artificial intelligence, and stuff like that. Their first album, ‘Invisible’, was about Malcolm’s experience of invisible disability due to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Malcolm is happy to be interviewed about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome to try to raise awareness of the condition.

“’When the Kill Code Fails’ is a fascinating expression of the angst and wonder of an AI as it learns to live. It’s science fiction rock: sometimes moody, sometimes serene, with a positive message – no AIs taking over the world here. If you ever wondered what music an AI would listen to, this is it.” – Dr Peter Bentley, Fellow and Honorary Reader in Computer Science at UCL.

(Photo by Jazz Dhillon)

Opener and title track When The Kill Code Fails begins in a spaced out fashion with an electronica infused introduction before the vocals begin, all hesitant and low key. This song introduces the AI character, Vic, and how he offers to help defeat a virus that could cripple the whole world. It is edgy with crashy guitars and a funky rhythm section but it is Malcolm’s striking vocals that carry everything along in his role as storyteller. Fast paced, rushing headlong to a potential global disaster, it keeps you on your toes and begins the album in a very dramatic manner. Broken Wave is a stylish instrumental that represents the nascent aspects of our AI character floating in and out of focus. It is like a slumbering giant, the electronica inspired music washing through your consciousness. You can almost touch the tendrils of the recombined DNA that drifts through this musically created world, it is quite eerie and spooky. A sombre guitar and drums open up Layers, a hard rock driven track that deals with the awakening of certain iterations of the AI, specifically Vic, the first one to act as if he believes he is alive. The punkish vocals really give the song impetus and the impressive bass playing gives an ominous feeling, all in an Iggy Pop style. Throw in an uber cool guitar solo and it just drips intelligence and class as it flies along with reckless abandon.

Another instrumental, Connections sees Vic exploring and developing via the internet. Again, it is really sci-fi inspired and quite dramatic and, to be honest, creepy and wouldn’t have been amiss on the soundtrack to Bladerunner, bringing images of a dystopian future. It feels like an awareness that is waiting for something, brooding, not in any hurry as it knows it has Millennia ahead of it. Now onto an in your face and rock orientated track. Head In A Jar, is a metaphorical song about how Vic feels he was brought into the world and his unhappiness. A harsh, staccato riff and siren like keyboards open the track before the irascible, excited vocals begin. This is angst ridden and just drips with a snarly discord. You can really feel the bitterness that is flowing form our character, he’s not very chipper at all. Link is an electronic instrumental, the AI is exploring more of the virtual world. This track has a real 80’s synth feel to it, almost Kraftwerk like in effect with its retro-futuristic note.

Vic is getting fed up with being repeatedly confused about what he is and that feel runs throughout the dark feeling Going Down. A really low down and rumbling riff spurs the whole song on, Malcolm gives his voice a touch of disquiet and disharmony and the real stylish touch is the flute of Kathryn Thomas that adds a tangible sense of dangerous gaiety. I Still Remember You is the longest track on the album and is real brooding, slow burner of a song. Vic gets a bit angsty that the person he thought he’d been married to for many years is actually a false memory created from stock photography images. He can intellectually accept that, but not emotionally. The low key vocal delivery and subtly haunting rhythm create a real melancholy atmosphere which is only slightly lifted by the impressive chorus. There is a real depth of feeling to the song, an underlying hopelessness that grabs at you and won’t let go in a real addictive manner. The balladic aura is only emphasised by the deeply moving guitar solo that comes alive towards the end. The slow fade at the close gives emphasis to Vic’s artificial memory of a person dissolving. We move on to Vic’s acceptance of what he is on My Clockwork Heart and his belief in the substrate independence of consciousness. Jangly guitars and an insistent drum beat open the track before it runs off like a really good rock track. There are real similarities with fellow Brit proggers Traffic Experiment and an overall feel of a pared back singer/songwriter vibe running throughout the song. The rather excellent guitar solo, provided by Iban, adds a final coat of gloss to what is a short but sweet track.

Freerunning is a darkly compelling instrumental, Vic is running free and exploring his abilities. It gives me a feeling of being followed, chased even, by an unseen and unknown force and is quite chilling. Solace, Vic has become aware of the threat to both the virtual and non-virtual world posed by the virus. He decides to do what he can to fight the virus. This song is a reflection on mortality and the lazy, soul filled guitar is a knowing back drop to our protagonist giving up his virtual room, and moving into a more more authentic and dangerous (but still virtual) reality. The vocals drip with a heartfelt emotion and this quite beautiful song leaves you just about drained. Powerfully stirring, it really does move you in many ways. Glass Lithium, the final instrumental, Vic has had his virtual chains unlocked, and is out in the wider internet, dividing himself to attack the virus. He subdues the virus, although it can’t be completely destroyed everywhere and takes on the role of a protector, diffusely distributed across networks, watching out for a resurgent virus. This track could have been taken straight off the soundtrack to The Matrix and reminds me of Rob Dougan, sleek, smart and stylish. The undulating keyboards and swirls of sound emanating from the synths light up the way in your own imagination, beguling and mesmerising.

This inventive and intriguing musical release comes to a close with Alive, Vic has saved the real world from the effects of the virtual world being virus-ridden (hooray) and has come to terms with his identity. He is confident that he is both alive, and passionate about experiencing life. A jazzy and retro feeling song with a funky guitar riff and cheerful vocals it really does bring things full circle. The uplifting, fast-paced chorus takes you on an animated jaunt and the tight guitar work on the solo is a joy to behold. There are touches of early Who amid the classically elegant guitar work and it leaves you on quite a high as this charming record comes to a close.

I love it when new music lands on my desk with no fanfare or previous knowledge. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate may have a brilliant name but they also produce excellent music. Sometimes progressive, sometimes more rock orientated but, overall, it is an enthralling listen.

Read the story behind Vic and The Kill Code at this link and it will add even more layers of enjoyment to your listening pleasure:

The Story Behind When The Kill Code Fails

Album released 1st January 2016.

Buy the MP3 album from amazon

Review – Osta Love – The Isle of Dogs

(Featured image of the band courtesy of Chris Noltekuhlmann)

“Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.” – Martin Luther.

I have oft mentioned how I see myself as a modern day treasure hunter, searching the jewels of musical endeavor that would otherwise lay hidden due to the fickle nature of the modern music industry. However, I don’t do this alone, there are a lot of us Indiana Jones-a-likes out there and it is often thanks to these fellow musical pursuants that I will be introduced to another wonderful piece of music from a previously unheralded artist.

One fine and upstanding gentleman who I trade musical discoveries with is the Prog Guru™ himself David Elliott, founder of Bad Elephant Music and the Amazing Wilf of The European Perspective fame.

David pointed me in the direction of Berlin based progressive band Osta Love and their latest release ‘The Isle of Dogs’ and it was, yet another, excellent recommendation!

A quick visit to their website elicits the following information:

“Osta Love unite Rock with Jazz, Pop with Baroque, catchy hooks with complex rhythms and add just the right dose of melancholic dreamscape to form a unique sound that touches hearts and heads.

The band was founded by Tobias Geberth and Leon Ackermann as a studio project, after they left their hometown Heidelberg for Berlin in 2010. The two had met in school and had been playing music together since 2006. Soon the first songs were written, recorded and also performed with a live band. In 2013 they released their debut album ‘Good Morning Dystopia‘ that earned them some attention and many favourable reviews.

The line-up was completed when Oliver Nickel joined on bass and Marcel Sollorz on keys and vocals. Over the years Osta Love played live in almost every club in Berlin and played support shows for Boy & Bear and The Pineapple Thief.

Osta Love belief in the album as an artform and like to combine memorable songs with musical ambition and complexity, to form a cohesive listening experience that works on an emotional and on a cerebral level.”

For a progressive album ‘The Isle of Dogs’ is relatively short, coming in, as it does, at 43 minutes but it does have a 16 minute epic on there so that’s definitely heading in the right direction!

Album opener, and title track, The Isle of Dogs opens in a subdued manner before blossoming into a jaunty edged little number. The vocals have a haunting quality to them and the keyboards and drums give a real 70’s psychedelic edge at times. Throw in some rather excellent guitar work and it is a fine bit of nostalgia tinged progressive rock. There is a very finely worked sense of humour running throughout too, especially on the intricate instrumental session that would’nt be amiss on a Caravan album from the 60’s and 70’s. All in all a rather fine opening to the album. Down to the River has a more modern feel to it taking its pointers from Moon Safari, Mew and the like. Upbeat and cheery with cool and classy jazz infused keyboards making an appearance at regular intervals. Marcel’s vocals have a real feel of quality to them with an occasional halting tone and, once again, the guitar work is rather good.

The next track is one of my favourites, a really haunting little ditty that evokes so many different images in your mind. The Sea has an almost portentous opening before opening into a brilliant song that keeps you on edge with the eerie feeling harmony of the vocals and the persistent drumming and melancholy note of the keyboards and piano. A somber and wistful track from beginning to end, it has a bleak beauty deep in its heart, quite superb. Velvety smooth and super cool, Black Beacon Sound wouldn’t be out of place on any modern jazz album. It literally floats along with an air of nonchalance and aloofness and the Martin Taylor-esque guitar solo just oozes class. The vocals are subdued and sultry and the keyboards add another layer of sophistication to this elegantly refined and intelligent track.

A subtly building, haunting introduction heralds the prophetic Green Hills of Home. Marcel’s pensive vocal delivery adds a hushed reverence to the song and the gently undulating piano note gives it a strong gravitas. It grabs you and draws you into its sombre embrace. There is a stark grace that is the core of this humbling track, never more so than on the pleading guitar solo and the austere harmonies. Moonshine at Midnight begins with a low-key introduction before it breaks out into an upbeat track with a note of Franz Ferdinand. Inventive and knowing, it is a clever, complex song with a lively feel running throughout. The vocals are sometimes solemn and restrained and at other times buoyant and optimistic. The gifted keyboard playing is a particular highlight on this track.

Perhaps saving the best until last, the final track is the 16 minute majesty of Translucent Engineering. A delicate acoustic guitar introduces Marcel’s soft and fragile vocal, leaving you hanging on every word. There is a dreamlike feel to this opening part of the track, ethereal and rarefied. Gossamer like, it leaves you in hushed contemplation as it continues to play out before you, a ghostly synthesiser taking up the baton. There is a pause before things get a little more exciting and seriously progressive, a repeated note underlying a wandering guitar and laid back keyboards, quite a spaced out atmosphere in fact. The vocals join in again and lend an aura of 90’s neo-prog to proceedings, it’s all getting very interesting as the captivating guitar transfixes you. Onto the third part of the song and a subtle bass takes over, driving things along with an increased urgency before the guitar, once again, shoulders the burden and takes an uplifting route to your inner soul. Osta Love are extremely skilled in the construction of emotive music and they use every trick in the book on this epic track, the hairs on the back of your neck start to rise as it comes to a powerful conclusion with Marcel’s voice and the incredible guitar playing of Tobias Geberth adding that final layer of polish to a very impressive release.

It is discovering or being introduced to little gems of musical brilliance like this that really makes me smile. Music is one of the greatest treasures that our world possesses and, when it is as good as this, it is a treasure that the whole world should know about and have the chance to enjoy.

Released 27th November 2015

Buy Isle of Dogs direct from the band

Review – Profuna Ocean – In Vacuum

“You can either be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It all depends on how you view your life.” – Paolo Cuelho

Well, to quote Mr Cuelho once more, “I’m an adventurer, looking for treasure”, and the treasure I seek is music, not any old music but music that can move you and stir your soul, music that can ask questions and then answer them with amazing clarity.

If I can take some liberty with the original quote, maybe you are a victim of the world if you have to listen to the dirge that is anodyne, bubblegum chart music. This is music that is only ever created for commercial gain and not for passion or just because it can be brought to life and it is anathema to me.

It can take a while to unearth a true gem and, on a recent short hospital stay, I had an interesting conversation that became somewhat an analogy of my musical treasure hunts.

While laid on the hospital bed I struck up a conversation with the gentleman opposite who just happened to be an avid metal detector devotee who would spend hours on a cold and frosty day criss-crossing fields searching for that elusive big find.

While never unearthing anything of large value himself he went on to avail me of the many great finds that his fellow detectorists had come across and, while having the interminable wait of any hospital visit, I came to see how it actually coincided with how I will listen to hundreds of albums to find that one peach of a listen.

Well, my friends, my travails of 2016 haven’t taken long to reveal an early musical gem, Profuna Ocean’s ‘In Vacuum’ and what a jewel it is!

“Profuna Ocean is a contemporary progressive rock band from the Netherlands, founded in 2008. With their sequences of thought out compositions, vivacious melodies and powerful rock sounds their music constantly takes the listener on a musical trip and introduces him of her to the musical world of Profuna Ocean.”

Or so says the PR material that came with the album, the band consists of Fred den Hartog (drums), Raoul Potters (vocals, guitars), Arjan Visser (bass guitar) and René Visser (keyboards) and they self released their first album ‘Watching the Closing Sky’ in 2009. ‘In Vacuum’ was released through Freia Music and sees the band refining and redefining their own unique sound.

To be fair, I was blown away on first listen as an imposing riff awash with heavy guitar and swirling keyboards introduces Thousand Yard Stare with no unnecessary frippery. This then breaks into a stylish melodic section with nicely harmonised vocals a la Steven Wilson before thundering into a dynamic chorus where the keys and flared out guitar take centre stage again. The music grabs you from the start and Raoul’s dulcet tones are perfectly matched, whether playing the melodious troubadour or hard-edged rocker. Throw in an aggressive, hard rock infused solo and some almost deviantly classy instrumental sub-sections and you are left mightily sated by this excellent album opener. The question is, can the rest of the album keep up the incredibly high standard? I find myself transported back to the grunge days of the early 1990’s with the fuzzy guitar and dynamic drums that open Awakening, a really upbeat and aggressive track where the vocal gives it an edgy feel. The melody is really catchy as it dances across your mind and the staccato riff that underpins the verse has you up on your metaphorical toes. I really enjoyed the nostalgic feel of Nirvana and Pearl Jam that emanates from every note, although this track has more smile and less frown at its core.

Hanging in the Balance has a feel of alternative rock to it, the pensive introduction is all guitars and keyboards before a halting vocal takes over, a touch of early Foo Fighters perhaps? Although the chorus seems to come straight from the 80’s with the harmonised vocal and elegant keyboards. There is an undercurrent of intensity running throughout as the drums drive this energetic track along. Raoul Potters shows he has an incredible variety to his vocal delivery, his voice perfectly matched to the individual feel of every song. There is a polished note to the delivery and the mix, mastering and production without it losing any emotion or feeling. The instrumental interlude in the middle of the track builds in intensity, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you await the next step, a trance-like section that evokes the feelsome progressive rock of bands like Riverside, Votum and Vly. The skill of these accomplished musicians has to be heard to be appreciated as they take you on a sonorous journey through your mind punctuated by perfect chords and notes. This track then seems to segue into yet another direction and style, one inhabited by the giants of progressive and symphonic metal, punctuated by soaring guitar runs and stuttering riffs before coming back full circle to finish on the sharp guitar and keyboard tones of the introduction. Losing Ground is sassy, sharp and smart from beginning to end with a funky guitar riff and polished drums leading the chase. This then opens up into a harder-edge chorus where the vocals, guitars and keyboards swell up and hit you hard before that snappy verse grabs your attention once again. These guys know how to take influences from all sorts of genres and mould them into a cohesive whole, one that is definitively Profuna Ocean and the surprises come thick and fast as they bounce around like a pinball machine. It never gets dull and always feels fresh and innovative, you need more than one listen to pick up every nuance and snippet that is included and you never stop smiling or nodding in acknowledgement at what the band have created and delivered for our delectation. Thunderous guitars, powerful drumming, swathes of elegant keyboards and the ever present bass combine to knock you over with a sonic boom of immense proportions, you just laugh, pick yourself up and return for another helping….

Turn down the intensity a few notches and enjoy the lush tones of Ghost. Earnest vocals and a delicate guitar note pluck at your heartstrings as this delightful track soothes your soul and allows a peaceful interlude from the high energy excitement of what has preceded it. I found myself rapt in attention as each note danced across my aural receptors. This track has a grace and tenderness deep at its heart and leaves you in a state of ethereal calm, quite beautiful. This release has impressed me at every turn but the highlight for me is the next track, the magnificent Beautiful Sunrise. It begins with a seriously compelling and dominant riff that rides roughshod over everything in its path, attention grabbing all the way, underscored by a mysterious feeling keyboard tone. Now you have taken notice it pulls back into an absorbing piece of music that wouldn’t be amiss on any of the classic Porcupine Tree albums. Slightly halting vocals on the verse, accompanied by intricate instrumentation, followed by a captivating chorus with lush harmonies and music, all intelligently produced and delivered. This is musical education, you feel that your whole life and being is enriched by every listen, I must have put this track on repeat for 4 or 5 plays deducing every slight insight and gradation as the brilliant keyboards take centre stage before the track graduates into an sophisticated and inventive instrumental section dominated by a dexterous guitar solo. This is where the band’s creativity really takes flight and leaves you slack jawed. I’m sure that Profuna Ocean will admit readily to their influences, as would most bands, but it’s what you do with them that counts. As the song comes to a close it goes a bit psychedelic on you for a minute before it confidently strides off into the distance, satisfied in a job well done.

The title track In Vacuum is a dramatic, cinematic instrumental that holds your attention as this great release moves into its final phase and track Clean Slate which opens with a seriously addictive toe-tapping riff and confident drums, Raoul’s vocals are precise and determinate though the verse before they deliver a heartfelt and compelling tone to the chorus. Grunge, alternative rock, progressive rock, hard rock, you name it, they are all thrown into the crucible and melted down to deliver Profuna Ocean’s signature sound. The influential guitar break and dreamlike synth section, once again, paint a precise picture in your mind as this innovative band continue to inventively mix their musical metaphors to perfection and with superb results. At times it wanders off into a more relaxed vista but it isn’t long before the hard-riffing guitars come and grab the track by the scruff of the neck and set it back on its obdurate trajectory once again. It’s like having four musical seasons in one song but ones that dovetail perfectly to deliver an experience that leads you to the water to drink time and time again. As the song and album come to a close there is another fantastic piece of guitar work that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up before everything starts to slow down and a plaintive piano note runs things out to the final note.

So we are only in January and I have had a proliferation of great music land at Progradar Towers already. There have been some absolutely dazzling releases but, for this music writer, the best of the lot has been Profuna Ocean. A more hard-edged and aggressive take on Progressive Rock but one with a beautiful fragility hidden below. A brilliant start to the year, this is one release that could possibly have been my album of the year if it had surfaced in 2015, as it is, it will take something rather fantastic to top it now!

Released 8th January via Freia Music.

Buy In Vacuum from Freia Music

Live Review – The Prog Before Christmas – CCA Glasgow 18/12/15 – by Progradar

(Your intrepid correspondent and Jon Hunt, aka jh)

No matter how long and arduous the journey, if the destination deserves it, it was a worthy one. Trust me, the trip up to Glasgow and back for The Prog Before Christmas was decidedly long and, at times, extremely arduous. However, what transpired and unfolded before me on that magnificent night of entertainment at the CCA was utterly magical and entirely worth every mile of train track I covered.

‘Ambitious’ could possibly have been the first word used when I heard that Denis Smith of Abel Ganz was organising a gig on the Friday before Christmas, and way up north in Glasgow too! But, in the inimitable style, they said , “build it and they will come…”and we did…..

The line up was pretty impressive too, legendary Scottish proggers Abel Ganz would be joined by the irreverent brilliance of Peter Jones’ Tiger Moth Tales and the whole darn shebang would kick off with the new kids on the block, Manchester’s own We Are Kin and this, just to top things off, would be their debut live performance. No pressure then eh guys?

Joining me on this jolly adventure way up North would be my mate, the brilliant Jon Hunt and we met at my hotel for a beer before heading over to Sauchihall Street and the impressive CCA venue where we met Adam and Dan from We Are Kin (featured image) outside before heading in for what would turn out to be a superb evening’s musical entertainment….

Heading up stairs to see Denis doing ticket duties, we walked into the room and I said a few hellos before We Are Kin took to the stage with hardly a sign of nerves and proceeded to leave a puzzled frown on gathered faces. Why a frown? well, did I tell you this was their debut live gig, first……one…..ever….? You would not have believed it as they delivered a superb live performance full of emotion, heart and soul, the twin vocals of Emma C and Nuru holding everybody rapt.

Home Sweet Home opened the set with Nuru taking lead on this superb track, disarming the audience with its warm embrace. There was more immediacy and an electronic edge to Hard Decision, a joint vocal delivery and underlying grittiness delivering a fast paced, energetic feel and the first sign of Adam McCann’s guitar virtuosity.

A brilliantly earnest track and one which captivated everybody, Without Them is a slow burner that builds gradually into an eye opening crescendo, Adam’s solo just made the hairs rise up on the back of your neck. The band then followed up with probably the song I had been looking forward to hearing the most. Tides of Midnight has been a favourite of mine since I first heard this unique band back in 2013 and it didn’t let me down, Emma C’s vocal adding layers of gravitas and the keyboards of Dan Zambas adding a polished veneer to the poignant guitar. This music stares deep into your soul and leaves you in a place of contentment.

Another favourite is Weight of the World, its inspired 80’s synth intro alway makes me smile and it just seemed to come to life in Glasgow with Gary Boast’s intricate drumming and Lee Braddock striding around the stage like some 70’s pimp-daddy with his feather embellished bowler hat. A great live experience indeed. What this band do best is ethereal, endearing and just downright beautiful and the delicate acoustic guitar and vocal that opened The End ticked all those boxes. A moving and yet, slightly sad track that has a mournful grace. I didn’t know whether to smile or cry at the end…

All good things must come to and end and this utterly wonderful debut performance came to a close with the delicate and soothing charms of The Door. One thing that We Are Kin do extremely well is to make you feel central to the music and this passionate song left me speechless and lost in its allure.

So, a first debut gig and a triumph, time to nip off to the Gents and the bar and then await the arrival of the outrageously talented Peter Jones, the man behind the much loved Tiger Moth Tales.

Peter is funny, not in any contrived manner, he is just a funny guy who is full of life and he has a guitar and keyboard combo with drum pedal that makes him appear to be some sort of modern day maestro of the one man band and he is fantastically good at it.

The first track, following some typical Jones banter, is Tigers in the Butter from the first TMT album ‘Cocoon’ and it just leaves you gobsmacked and in awe. Powerful and animated, Peter delivers an utterly convincing performance. A true troubadour, he has the audience in the palm of his hand as he moves onto Story Tellers from the follow up album. A magical album full of fairy tales and fantastic characters, it is Peter Jones whose voice and skill bring them to life on songs such as this. Bewitching all those around, his voice has a wonderful lilt to it as he recounts the tail in his own inimitable style.

There is a warmth and humility to the banter that flows from Peter between tracks and he had us all in stitches but what he is at heart is a first class musician and he writes songs that draw you in and take you on a fantastical journey like Don’t Let Go, Feels Alright. Like stepping through into Narnia, it takes you to an altogether more exciting place where just about anything can come true. The beautiful guitar work on this song nearly brought me to tears, as if it was really alive with its soaring grace. Now Peter never hides the fact he is a huge Genesis fan and his next track was a cover of More Fool Me and a great homage to his heroes. There was passion and soul in his delivery and he even had the crowd singing along, well those that knew the words anyway…..

There was a huge shout when another Genesis track was announced, this time Harold the Barrel, fast paced and humorous, even I was tapping my feet at this one and the more knowledgeable really seemed to join in the fray. After the cover-version interlude we were back to Peter’s original material and the brilliant The Merry Vicar. Quite a tongue-n-cheek and pompous song that has a really wry sense of humour. The way Peter can fit his voice to any song and nuance really comes to the fore on stage. I found myself smiling and chuckling away to the obvious comedy in the song. Not merely a song writer but a consummate entertainer and amazing musician too!

Well the time was surely flying as Peter strode confidently into the penultimate track of this astute and accomplished set, the fan favourite A Visit to Chigwick. It is on songs like this that Peter Jones sometime eccentric English persona comes to the fore. I have called him ‘Batshit Crazy’ in the past but only in a complimentary manner, it is that minor lunacy that allows him to write songs as near perfect as this and ones that appeal to wide audience. The final song was the traditional The Wassail Song (well it is Christmas isn’t it?) and the lengthy cheers and applause that followed the end of his performance are testament to his enduring appeal. If you have never seen Tiger Moth Tales live then you are missing an utter treat.

After shaking the great man’s hand it was another trip to the gents and the bar before the main event.

It was going to take something rather special to top what had already gone before but, if one band could do it, Abel Ganz could and they stood astride the stage like a Scottish Prog Colossus, time for the music to start……

What a way to open with the instrumental splendour of Rain again, end of rain. Sending shivers down your spine it really set the tempo and the anticipation. Full of highs and lows, powerful and yet a calming influence. The band then followed with a great track from the last but one release ‘Shooting Albatross’, Ventura. It fits seamlessly into the new style of the band from the last self-titled release, a wandering journey into your mind. The musicians all at the top of their form, working together in harmony (no, not THAT song). Mick MacFarlane’s instantly recognisable voice puts its arm around you like an old friend and you are left under its control. A brilliantly reassuring and heartening piece of music.

If there is one track that typifies the last album it is the five-part Obsolescence, more a self-affirming musical pilgrimage than a mere song. In a live setting it takes on a whole different aura and tonight these guys gave it wings and a life of its own. Davie Mitchell, Iain Sloan and Mick play their guitars with sheer grace and finesse (Iain’s lap steel dexterity needs a further mention, stunning!), Jack Webb animates the keyboards and Stevie Donnelly parades around his patch, his bass almost like a weapon. The glue holding this all together is the maestro Denis Smith on drums. I love this song even more hearing it played like this, utterly mesmerising.

A song full of emotion, Recuerdos adds a layer of delightful simpleness to proceedings. Gentle acoustic guitar and Mick’s soft vocal just lull you into a true sense of security. Ethereal and divine, I felt myself lost in wonderment until it came to a close.

Up next was the fourteen minutes of Prog near-perfection of Unconditional, a song that opens its soul and lets you in. Musically it delves deep into our collective knowledge and it darts from style to style but, ultimately it is very satisfying. Lilting piano, funky keyboards, scorching guitar and jazz style drums all combine to lift you off your feet into a place of musical nirvana. Maybe it is the fuzzy memory from one too many beers but I recall the band playing one of the tightest gigs I’ve seen. One of my favourite bands has now become THE favourite.

I’ve made it no secret in the past that I absolutely love the track Thank You, it feels exceedingly personal to me so, when it was brought out as the first encore, guess who was shouting and cheering louder than most. Mick’s vocal is a thing of utter refinement, beauty and style and the lap steel guitar backing just adds a subtle grace and dignity (hats off to Mr Sloan again). I was singing at the top of my voice and was that a tear in my eye? Yes, so what, I bloody loved it!

And to the final song of an unforgettable evening and a tribute to the recently deceased Chris Squire. A great version of Yes’ Running With The Fox closed proceedings with aplomb and a lengthy standing ovation followed that was seriously well deserved.

A Prog Before Chritsmas, worth 11 hours on a train? what do you think?, of course it was,it was utterly bloody brilliant. Shall we do it all again next year? Denis!!!!!!!!

All artist pictures thanks to the excellent David Stook.

Live review – Lee Maddison at The Rabbit Hole – by Progradar

“…there’s nothing more intimate in life than simply being understood. And understanding someone else….” Brad Melzer.

The juggernaut that is mainstream music is a big, ugly bloated behemoth that just tramples all and sundry underfoot. It is a money making machine, long gone are the reasons why people created and performed music in the first place and I am saddened by this loss.

The fact that electronics are much more simple to use and cost relative pennies means that music can be worked on, mixed, mastered and changed beyond all recognition from the first notes that were written. Yes you can achieve near perfection but, surely, you are losing the heart and soul of what the artist intended?

Thankfully, every now and then, something awe-inspiring happens which restores my faith about all that is good in the music industry and, to a lesser extent, humanity in general.

Some artists can strip the music back to the bare essentials, to the core of their creativity to take part of their own soul and create something that is full of joy, sadness and, above all, wonderment.

Lets take a step back a bit to earlier this year when I first heard Lee Maddison’s gorgeous ‘Maddison’s Thread’ album. A release full of folk tales of wonderment, sadness and joy performed beautifully by the self-effacing musician. Like you do, I struck a conversation up with Lee on social media and ended up reviewing the album for this very website, which you can read here:

Maddison’s Thread – Review

Now things may get convoluted here but the brilliant artist Amanda White did the rather superb album cover for this record:

And, by a stroke of luck, I already knew Amanda’s husband Howy White through his association with the Brendan Eyre and Tony Patterson ‘Northlands’ project for which he photgraphed the cover art (still with me so far?).

Both Howy and Amanda are long time supporters of Lee Maddison and have arranged a couple of small and exceedingly intimate gigs for Lee in the cellar of their Hartlepool home, imaginatively re-christened The Rabbit Hole. I was lucky enough to be invited to one of these hallowed gatherings this last weekend. Now, does it all make sense?

Howy is decidedly passionate about these little soirees and had decorated the cellar but would not let any of us go down until gig time so the 15-20 guests had a great time chatting while Lee and his fellow musicians were setting up.

Joining him on this night were acclaimed fiddle player, the ‘ever ready with a smile’ Stewart Hardy and the laconic and laid back Nigel Spaven on 5-string acoustic bass. What we were about to experience would be nothing short of life-affirming and magical……

When the word was given we all filed down the, decidedly uneven, stairs into the wonderful olde-worlde cellar which was an incredibly intimate and quite surreal setting.

A mixed selection of chairs, benches and stools had been set up for the audience and we were literally only feet away from the performers. It doesn’t get any more intimate than this.

The atmosphere was one of hushed expectation and excitement and then Lee relaxed everyone with a little quip before starting out on the first half of the set. He has a quite outstanding vocal and one that is instantly recognisable. The first song was the upbeat and whimsical One Day and got everyone in the mood, toe-tapping and clapping along. This was followed by Misty Morning Blues, an enchanting and heartfelt journey into Americana and the first of the new tracks that Lee was showcasing, a more stripped back and natural folk song entitled Charlatans and Blaggers. This was a rip-roaring sing along that really got the audience inspired and nodding along appreciatively and this mood was carried over to the first request of the night, the opening track from Lee’s first album, The Viking’s Daughter, a lilting delight of a song where the vocals really are the key and the deft skill of Stewart’s fiddle playing comes to the fore.

The absolutely mesmerising performance continued with The Country Song, another great sing-along track that just flies along and in this setting it lent a real buzz tot he proceedings, the catching, heartfelt Come The Springtime where the emotional performance brought a lump to your throat and two stunningly delivered cover songs, Tree By The River (Iron and Wine cover) and Lady Eleanor (Lindisfarne cover) where the three musicians led a merry dance through your soul. Sandwiched between these two was one of the highlights of the evening for me, the velvety loveliness of the jazz inspired Night Circus (my request actually) and it just left an utterly relaxed feel to my whole being, the hairs on the back of my neck rising from the unique experience of these matchless musicians in such an iconic venue.

The small crowd walked back up the stairs for the interval talking in hushed tones of reverence after the sublime experience we had just been party to.

Set 2 began with a great, upbeat cover of Paul Simon’s Slip Sliding Away and then Lee, Stewart and Nigel then proceeded to treat us to the sparse beauty of an utterly spellbinding version of Where Eagles Fly. Haunting and quite hypnotic, it just left me numb with admiration. This was followed by another new track Tumbleweed, a more deliberate and contemplative track that shows where Lee will be going with his new album. The enthralled audience were showing silent appreciation at the skill and artistry of the players and every track was greeted with very appreciative applause. The solemn and melancholy A Crooked Mile Home left a slight feeling of sadness in my soul but its sheer beauty just left me slack jawed.

The complete contrast of the tongue-in-cheek light and airy Making The Morning Last had us all bouncing around with its breezy and carefree delivery and Stewart’s impish fiddle playing was a joy to listen to. A delicate and poignant cover of Galway To Graceland (Richard Thompson) was followed by the biting satire of Parasiteful, a song delivered with edgy aplomb and a biting vocal and then Wonderful Day, a slight more serious track and one which really captivated the entranced audience on this night, pared back but with lustre and finesse with the ever impressive Nigel Spaven and Stewart Hardy really coming to the fore. I know it’s a cliche to say all good things must come to an end but I really could have stayed in that cellar all night listening to these peerless performers go about their work, unfortunately The Way You Shine was the last offering they had to give us. A song that never made the cut of the first Maddison’s Thread album but one that fits this special setting perfectly.

Life gets so convoluted and complicated at times that we forget that, at its simple best, it is a joy to behold. That night in Howy and Amanda’s cellar, that shall forever be known as The Rabbit Hole into perpetuity, was quite an uplifting and moving musical experience and one that shall stay with me for all my life. Music does not have to be complicated to be life-affirming and amazing and that night just emphasised this fact immensely.

All pictures are courtesy of the amazing Howy White.

Review – Djam Karet – Swamp of Dreams – by Progradar

“We pass through the present with our eyes blindfolded. We are permitted merely to sense and guess at what we are actually experiencing. Only later when the cloth is untied can we glance at the past and find out what we have experienced and what meaning it has.” – Milan Kundera

When you have accomplished a lot of things in your life, it is sometimes worth stepping back and taking a retrospective view of what you have achieved. Not to say that what you did in the past was better but, perhaps, to say, “That was where I started, this is where I am now….”

Yes, always looking back can actually be self-defeating but only if you do not progress and use those memories to become bigger and better than what you were originally.

For musicians especially, I think it is great to re-visit some of your earlier music and remember what it was that influenced you originally and how you took those influences to improve on your sound and songwriting.

I am not advocating dragging out the old hits to produce a cash cow for retirement and the new release from Djam Karet is a perfect example. ‘Swamp of Dreams’ is a collection of older tunes that were originally only available as individual tracks on different compilation CDs and fund raiser albums, released between 1990 and 2006.

With this album, their 18th full-length release, Djam Karet are making this long-lost music available again to a much wider audience. The six tracks are sequenced chronologically with each song taking you further back in time. Re-mastered with greater clarity and increased dynamic range, it retains all that is good about the music of Djam Karet, a band who have been making music since 1984.

The first track on this release, Voodoo Chases The Muse is a funky, psychedelic fun-fest that is a musical acid trip for the mind. The driving rhythm section warps your psyche while the excellent, sharp-edged guitar work really strikes a chord. The weird 70’s edge is kept together by some distinctly freaky keyboards and you are left feeling like you are caught in someone’s feverish imagined version of what 70’s music is all about. Stoner Rock? No….. Totally Stoned Rock would be more like it….

The next step back in time is The Shattering Sky, now the band openly state that they make their music with no regard to potential radio play or commercial success and this track is a true testament to that ideal. It starts quite interesting, like a sci-fi soundtrack before some fuzzy guitar blurs the edges. Urgent and edgy, as if it is just about to flee, it gets right into the little nooks and crannys of the deepest parts of your mind. A musical mind control drug maybe as it looms ominously in your consciousness. The second part of the track sees some incredibly flexible bass playing, backed energetic drums which all adds to the psychological drama.

Using our musical TARDIS, we edge back through the years with the equally creepy Pentimento, a track with an utterly otherworldy feel to it. If you told me that this was a song that was intended for use on the soundtrack for 2001 : A Space Odussey, I wouldn’t be surprised. It sits in the back of your mind, influencing your thoughts with tribal-like percussion and convoluted guitars. You never quite feel comfortable with the music, it is like something darkly dangerous, like a fix you know you shouldn’t take but need nonetheless. Let’s just say it is very ‘out there’, the undulating beat and heavy, portentous rhythm are quite hypnotic and trance-like in their execution.

Heading further back through the eons we arrive at New Light On The Dark Age, which begins with a slight note of alien dissonance. Another mysterious journey to the deepest recesses of your inner soul. This is a slow burning, deliberate voyage with sequencer driven rhythms and leaves you holding your breath, your heart hammering in your chest as you wonder what awaits around the next corner. With an atmosphere vaguely reminiscent of Krautrock and Stoner Rock, it opens up into a much more composed mind-set, as if the destination is more paradise than hell-hole.

With the musical treadmill still in reverse Inventions of the Monsters begins with a feel of being lost in a prehistoric jungle, surrounded by fabulous, incredible creatures that you only thought existed in your mind. It is a hesitant, ominous atmosphere, as if you are the alien and your surroundings are foreign to you. You feel at a disadvantage, uncertain as the brooding music washes over you. As you step cautiously through the menacing synthesised sounds, a huge sense of foreboding descends upon you. I let out a nervous laugh when the sound of cat emerges from the speakers and it doesn’t sound like a happy feline either. This song is spine chillingly spooky in deliciously eerie manner, don’t turn the lights out whatever you do, I did warn you…..

Our travails in the H.G Wells time machine reach their end with the title track Swamp of Dreams and it feels like a nostalgic track, mysterious, supernatural and uncanny. I’m sure this so-called ‘Time Machine’ has dropped us bang in the middle of an episode of Patrick McGoohan’s ‘The Prisoner’, are we now Number 6 ? Unique and quite single minded, it really does have a feel of something totally experimental before it opens up into a funky 80’s style instrumental with jangling guitars, spaced-out synths and one of the best basslines you’ll hear in many a year. It has a more sparse, natural feel to it than the previous tracks, perhaps due to it being the earliest track on the album and yet it is still distinctly Djam Karet with the wailing guitar solo and analog synthesisers and is a fine way to close this retrospective.

I have been a fan of Djam Karet for a while now, their deeply felt commitment and uncompromising vision do not make for music that will appeal to everyone and, to be honest, they don’t care. Their critical acclaim and long time cult following prefer this ‘in your face’ attitude and I’d include myself in that. What they do is make brilliant, spaced-out, psychedelic music that could only come from Djam Karet and ‘Swamp of Dreams’ is a perfect example of their skill and flair. Take the inflexible and obstinate route and you may find that you’ll love it too!

Released 9th October 2015

Buy Swamp of Dreams direct from Djam Karet

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