Safe Asylum – Progradar

Progradar’s Best of The Year For 2016 – Editor’s Choice

So we have had a wonderful selection of Top 10 picks from some of my great collaborators and now it is my turn. I’m going to stray from the norm because mine is going to be a Top 20 to keep it in line with my TEP selection that I spoke with David Elliott about.

Yes, it is a bit of a cheat but it is my website so I don’t have to follow the rules. Anyway,without any further ado, here are my top albums of 2016,not in any particular order but they have all made a big impact on my life this year…

You will also notice that there are no Bad Elephant Music releases in my Top 20. The label I work with had another superb year but it would have been a bit unfair of me to include any releases from the artists on BEM.

Bad Dreams – Déjà vu

‘Déjà vu’ is an album that will stand the test of time and is a great achievement for Bad Dreams. I was impressed from the first note by the accomplished musicianship and the superb vocals, add in the exemplary songwriting and it was sure to be a winner in my book. What makes it stand out even more is the way the music becomes almost part of you and can make you stop what you are doing and just listen for the sake of it and that, my friends, is what truly great music can do to you.

Blue Mammoth – Stories Of A King

Proper seventies epic prog of massive proportions from these excellent Brazilians. The artwork alone is very striking but the music will literally knock your socks off, play it loud,VERY loud!

Cosmograf – The Unreasonable Silence

Thought provoking, questioning and inventive, ‘The Unreasonable Silence’ has all that I ask for in my music. A well constructed and intelligent concept brought to reality by a gifted musician with incomparable support from some incredible guests. It makes you really think about what you have heard and, above all, is a peerless, outstanding and incomparable listening experience that you will not forget any time soon.

Tony Patterson – Equations of Meaning

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.

Big Big Train – Folklore

It was always going to be hard to follow ‘The Underfall Yard’ and the ‘English Electric’ albums but the acknowledged masters of pastoral progressive rock and intelligent and incisive storytelling have returned with a fresh collection of stories and tales gleaned from our heritage and history. With their penchant for heartfelt lyrics and beautiful music it is an involving and mesmerising journey that everyone should take at least once in their life…

Damian Wilson – Built For Fighting

Funny how music fits in with your life isn’t it? I was listening to this album walking back home last night and it just struck me as to how much it was a soundtrack to how my life has turned out this year. Painful lows, beautiful highs and, ultimately, balance has been restored.Taking a break form his Prog-Metal roots, Damian delivers a solo release of sublime brilliance.

David Foster – Dreamless

The usually modest and self-effacing Dave Foster has stepped out of the shadows and onto centre stage to deliver his second solo opus and is to be applauded and admired for doing so. Such a variety of moods, styles and colours doesn’t always mix well but when it is done with consummate skill, like it is here, you are treated to a cornucopia of musical delights. While neither ground breaking or game changing, what it is is really rather good.

Gandalf’s Fist – The Clockwork Fable

Gandalf’s Fist truly believe that this is the finest musical work that they have ever created. There’s a mix of all of their influences and, were you to put all of the best bits of our discography into a huge melting pot, you’d end up with something quite close (but not as awesome) as what the guys have created! But don’t just take their word for it – head over to the pre-order store and have a listen to a whopping 10 minutes of audio previews!

Ghost Community – Cycle Of Life

‘Cycle of Life’ is a thought-provoking, beguiling and fulfilling musical journey that excites and satisfies at every turn. Ghost Community may have had to endure trials and tribulations while making this record but the experiences have enabled them to deliver something quite magical and rewarding that will stand the test of time, worthy of a place in anyone’s musical collection.

Glass Hammer – Valkyrie

With its insightful, thoughtful lyrics every bit as important as the mightily impressive music, ‘Valkrie’ is a concept album in the true sense of the word. With some delightful departures from what some would call their signature sound (The Beatles anyone?) Glass Hammer continue to evolve into one of the world’s foremost Progressive Rock bands. This iconic group of musicians lead you on a journey through the horrors of war with a totally immersive sixty-five minutes of music and you will come out the other side changed forever. I can’t recommend this album enough, one of the best albums of 2016? One of the best albums of recent years more like…

iamthemorning – Lighthouse

‘Lighthouse’ is an amazing musical journey from the first note to the last. It is bewitching and beguiling and removes you from your everyday life to a place of wonder. Darkly captivating, it is not all sweetness and light but is a musical legacy that iamthemorning can build on and the ‘Lighthouse’ can light the way. These two exceptional artists have now moved into the major leagues and it is well deserved, album of the year? why not!

Nerve Toy Trio – Accidental Bar-B-Que

A really impressive and ultimately satisfying release that really gets into your psyche and has you reaching for the repeat play button again and again. Nerve Toy Trio has given us one of the best instrumental releases of the year with ‘Accidental Bar-B-Que’ and one with which the music really does stand comparison to the excellent album art. Seems my gut feeling was right once again, a highly recommended release.

I Like Trains – A Divorce Before Marriage

A real late comer to the party, in fact I haven’t reviewed it fully yet! This sublime and haunting collection of instrumental marvelousness from these Yorkshire musicians is a soundtrack to the film of the same name. Ethereal and yet solidly powerful, I haven’t heard anything like it all year and it demanded to be in this selection of top releases.

Patchwork Cacophony – Five Of Cups

There is intelligence and a wry humour than runs throughout this remarkable album. Ben Bell has an immense talent and really knows how to put it to good use. Intelligently crafted songs that make you want to listen to them show him to be a great songwriter and what he delivers proves what a notable musician he is as well. In the world of progressive rock a new star is set to rise.

Blue Rose Code – …And Lo! The Bird Is On The Wing

Blue Rose Code is Edinburgh-born songwriter Ross Wilson. At the edge of contemporary alt-folk, Wilson’s music evokes a meeting of Van Morrison and a young John Martyn, both shipwrecked with a bunch of Motown records. A deep emotive well of stunning music that affects you at a core level, another late discovery of 2016 for me but a band I will be keeping my eye on now!

Of the new record, Wilson says, “It’s an album for music fans and musicians. A challenging record, I think, and it’s abundantly clear that the process has been undertaken away from the cynicism of any record company.”

Ray Wilson – Makes Me Think Of Home

Ray Wilson has taken us on a deeply personal musical journey full of hope, despair, pain and, ultimately, salvation and I was hooked on every word, every note. This is music at its very best, written from the heart and full of the passion and soul of the artist. This is an album that I will return to again and again, no matter how much new music crosses my path and is surely a collection of songs that can, and will, stand the test of time.

Thence – We Are Left With A Song

What Thence have delivered with ‘We Are Left With A Song’ is no mere album, it is a breathtaking, creative powerhouse of sonic delight that grows to fill any space that it occupies to take on a life of its own. It is a life that you will want to share until your dying breath, above mere superlatives, it is an utter triumph.

Tilt – Hinterland

What TILT have delivered is a superb album by a cast of very accomplished musicians. Brilliant vocals, burning guitar solos, a thunderous rhythm section and songwriting of the highest quality combine to deliver one kick ass release that I keep returning to again and again. A fine combination of excellent rock music with all that’s best about progressive rock, these guys show how it really should be done!

Marc Atkinson – Home Grown

To me, this is what makes writing about music worth every single minute I take. I have been involved in this long musical journey in some small way from start to finish and when you hear the finished article, it is almost like welcoming a newborn into the world. Marc Atkinson will have agonised about every single word and note on this album and to my ears it has been worth every single second he has taken. This is music that takes over your mind and soul and which you can relate to on a very personal level. Fifteen songs that are extremely personal to this gracious man and we should be glad that he has released them for us to enjoy. A great album and one that I have no doubt is the complete pinnacle of Marc’s solo career to date, I am extremely proud to be able call him a friend.

Drifting Sun – Safe Asylum

Drifting Sun have delivered quite a work of art, one that touches on the past for influences but, also, has its own, confident vision of the future. Consume it in one listen to get the full effect of this great album, it is one that will live in the memory for a long time.

So, there you have it. 2016 was another brilliant year for music and I hope our End Of Year choices might make you go out and buy the music to support the artists involved. Please join me and my fellow authors at Progradar in 2017 for what I hope will be another stellar year for lovers of music.

Progradar Best of 2016 – Emma Roebuck’s Top 10

Emma’s 10 for the year November 2015 to November 2016. It’s difficult to select 10 out of a whole year of frankly remarkable music. This selection is based on what I have listened to outside my radio show and reviewing schedule. No doubt I will change it in 2 days or more but this is the list as I type the words. I have looked at the albums I have played most at home or in the car since I acquired them. I apologise to any I have omitted but 10 is 10 and there has to be a line. It is not because the quality is less but more that these albums have spoken to me more than others. I think it is representative of what the year has given us musically from the independent sector to the ones with recording deals.

Red Bazar – Tales From The Bookcase

What can be said about this out of the Blue album that already hasn’t? A good instrumental band gets access to a vocal talent in the extreme that is a bit of a musical polymath. You get the final ingredient they needed. You get a collection of storytelling songs that bode well for the future of good solid melodic Progressive rock that is a delight to ears.

Steve Thorne – Island of the Imbeciles

Brooding, insightful, dark and political, no, not my facebook posts but Mr Thorne’s latest output. I have returned to this album again and again this year. He captured the zeitgeist so well in this album. The songs stand up to repeated listening and are musically outstanding as well as lyrically. He has the ability for the melancholic which suits me down to the ground.

Birdeatsbaby – Tanta Furia

One of my more oddball, leftfield choices for the Prog scene, their publicist asked me to give it a listen and I duly obliged. What hit me straight away is the desire to just follow their path no matter what genre they were placed in by others. This is high energy music where a Gothic mentality meets Prog avante guard and adds a little Lana Del Rey. Yet it is all about the song not the ability to play. It’s dark and seedy, the world of Birdeatsbaby but worth a visit.

Kyros – Vox Humana

Adam changes a band name and then gets a band to make an album by a band rather than a solo project with musicians helping. It’s a jump in maturity for the song writing and although not an actual concept it is a thematic album on the “Human Condition”. I look forward to seeing this album brought to life on stage live.

Drifting Sun- Safe Asylum

This is Neo prog in its finest tradition. I played a track from this to a fellow DJ at Progzilla Radio and he was blown away in a fit of nostalgia for the days of a renown pub in Walthamstow. It is neo Prog of the highest standard. Full on, no holds barred and unashamed in where it comes from and long may it remain so.

Under A Banner – TheWild Places

If you have ever seen New Model Army or the Pogues then you’ll have some idea of the passion and power in this music. Add a strong political lyrical undercurrent and a joyous love of the music with a progressive ideology then you get a vague idea of what the music is all about but you must listen to the album to get the impact. It felt like a slap in the face. The raw power yet the sophisticated arrangements and music. Despite coming from a strong folk tradition it screams ‘hear me and be stirred’.

We Are Kin – …and i know…

We Are Kin come out with a second album on Bad Elephant Music. The previous album was a studio project using musicians to add to the core tracks of the composers and was not really designed for live performance and, as such, felt like a studio project, a good one, but it was more of a compositional process. ‘…and I know… feels like a band has gone into a studio and a written and album together. The flow and format gives strength and depth. They are part of an up and coming group of new “Prog” outfits coming up that give me hope for the future of music in general not just the progressive scene.

Tilt – Hinterland

I have said it before but, like Dylan’s backing group stepping out from behind the star to take centre stage (as an independent band writing their own music and doing a great job), TILT have stepped up from being behind that talented behemoth Fish and found another amazing vocal talent and given freedom to some amazing power prog that any band would be proud of making. I need to see these guys live and Prog Dreams seems like a great festival to do it.

Napiers Bones – Hell and High Water

A truly artistically independent effort, Gordon and Nathan live over 250 miles apart, one close to the wilds of Yorkshire moors and the other in Dartmoor. These places form a cornerstone of their inspiration and writing. This album I reviewed for Progradar when it came out and was knocked back that not only was this album being given freely but also the rest of their catalogue was free too. Very well written and produced storytelling of a high standard. Classic Prog coming from the local mythology of both localities this is music that needs a wide audience.

Maschine – Naturalis

The perpetually busy Mr Machin gets the time to write his own stuff and put out an album that feels considerably mature and still full of the passion and energy only the young seem to be able to maintain. I am a fan of great musicianship but never at the cost of the music. Maschine strike this balance very well indeed. This is another thematic album this one on the struggle between man and the natural world. The future of Prog is in safe hands.

I suppose I should state the struggle I had getting these 10 from the amazing releases that 2016 has had has been huge. The list of bands not in here because of making my criteria so strict is immense – Cosmograf, Opeth , I am The Manic Whale, Kate Bush, Verbal Delirium, Marillion, Steven Wilson, Van Der Graaf Generator, Twice Bitten, jH , The Tirith etc etc etc . These albums in my selection have the highest personal play numbers of any others in my list. I commend you to try them but also do not be afraid to listen to an album from any act despite having never heard of them. With streaming from most sites now like Bandcamp you can try before you buy. Go on you know you want to.

Review – Drifting Sun – Safe Asylum – by Progradar

“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”
― Gustav Mahler

“Tradition is a guide and not a jailer.”
― W. Somerset Maugham

I like using quotes in my reviews, they can give some instant idea of what I am trying to get across in a pithy and memorable way.

Maybe you would say the phrase ‘Taditional Progressive Rock’ is an oxymoron (a figure of speech that juxtaposes elements that appear to be contradictory), how can something seem to progress if it’s traditional and, by definition, resistant to change?

Well, look at it from another angle and maybe the artists in question are not blindly following or copying what they admire but are being influenced by it to take their music to a different level. As W. Somerset Maugham said above, they are using it as a guide to produce something quite unique in its own way.

And to further Mr Mahler’s statement, they are preserving what is loved and respected by taking it further and, yes, progressing what has gone before.

Drifting Sun are a UK-based Progressive Rock studio project which dates back to the early 90’s when Keyboardist/Composer Pat Sanders left his native France for England with Bass Player Manu Sibona. Their music has been described as dramatic, theatrical, & atmospheric, in the true style of prog rock giants such as Dream Theater, Queensryche, Genesis and Jethro Tull, to name but a few of the bands that influenced their sound.

Drifting Sun’s eponymous debut CD was released in December 1996 to positive reviews from across the globe. Following line-up changes, ‘On The Rebound’, the band’s second CD was released in the autumn of 1998. After taking a long break from the music business during which time he pursued other interests, Pat decided to revamp his project, and, armed with a brand new line up, released their third opus ‘Trip The Life Fantastic’ in January 2015.

Now Drifting Sun return with their most ambitious project yet. The current line-up of Pat, Manu, Peter Falconer (vocals), Dan Storey (guitars) and Will Jones (drums) recorded the new album ‘Safe Asylum’ and it was released on the 21st May 2016.

Opener King Of Hearts starts with some dramatic keyboards giving a feeling of apprehension as the track builds before the vocals begin, Peter Falconer has a rather special voice, melodic and very pleasing on the ears. A rising keyboard wail introduces a staccato riff and drum beat that gives the song more impetus. The guitar almost becomes lyrical as it backs the more insistent vocal on the verse. Everything then begins to flow nicely in a song that has more than a hint of the medieval to it. Excellent guitar runs and precise backing form the rhythm section deliver a really progressive feel. This track ebbs and flows nicely between the low key and laid back sections, that are sung in a sort of minstrel style, and the harder edged, more metallic interludes of stylistic prog. Music telling a tale in a jaunty fashion, it holds your attention throughout and the delightful guitar runs and intricate soloing that punctuate the song towards the end are really rather good. An excellent opener to the album.

The Hidden Truth begins with an offbeat keyboard and drum combo that gives it a slightly jazzed up feel. Peter’s vocal then joins in, quite sublime in its delivery. He really does have a voice full of warmth and compassion and it is the true focal point of this track. The music acts as a wonderful canvas on which the vocals can be painted. The delicate guitar and precise harmonies give a feel of a laid back Moon Safari to the song and the graceful solo adds some serious panache. This song draws you into its wistful, gossamery embrace before a burning guitar solo breaks out to add some fierce passion to the fine-grained aura of the rest of the track.

Let’s turn up the tension a notch and move into firmer neo-prog territory with next track Intruder. This was the first song that Pat let me hear from the album and the one which hooked me in immediately. A repeated synth note opens proceedings before a calming bass line and drum beat underpin a swirling guitar and the vocals begin, adding a sense of momentum. Hold for a chugging riff and we are off on a heavier musical trip. The powerful crescendo of the chorus is quite addictive and, as Peter’s voice starts to hit the high notes, the transformation is complete. Heavy and precise riffs join stylish keyboard runs and everything is held together by the glue of the superb rhythm section. It comes in at over ten minutes long but never feels like it is outstaying its welcome. Properly progressive and yet quite dynamic and compelling, the repeated ‘I’m The Intruder’ line sticks in your mind long after the song has finished. Intricate keyboard wizardry is joined by some sophisticated guitar playing to lift this above the ordinary and into the arena of the distinctive and, as it comes to a close, replete with chugging riff and repeated chant, I find myself silently nodding in rapt appreciation.

That medieval bard-like feel returns with the ethereal and winsome delights of Alice. A calm and collected acoustic guitar and tender piano begin the song before Peter’s bewitching vocal joins in. The addition of the pleasing flute and string arrangement adds even more gravitas to this charming song under which there runs a slightly melancholic tone. There is an aura of nostalgic sombreness running throughout, a longing for something lost and never to be found perhaps? I can feel a lump forming in my throat and I must have something in my eye! The superlative strings and flute add an almost otherworldly feel to this beauteous piece of music and, when it comes to a close, you feel ever so slightly lost for words.

Wonderland opens with a keyboard introduction, backed by acoustic guitar before the storytelling continues in a superior vein. All echoing harmonies and precise instrumentation, it is captivating and quite wonderful. It is progressive rock but with a theatrical edge, in fact, when the pace picks up and the guitar riff breaks out, I am reminded of early Queen, Peter does have a touch of the Freddy Mercurys in his vocal delivery at times and the guitar has a magical voice all of its own. With the titles Alice and Wonderland you don’t need to guess the subject matter of these two tracks (and album) which weave their own little conceptual ideas around your brain. The dynamic section in the middle of the song just knocks you back with its energy and dynamism and the guitar work that follows is pure genius, Dan is seriously channeling his inner Bryan May here with a solo of technical wizardry and yet one that is full of emotion. These are some seriously clever and extremely competent musicians that are on a real high with this album and it shows on this ever impressive track.

That theatric and showy feel returns with the melodramatic Gods. This is not just a collection of songs, it is also a collection of stories and tales and one that you could just about imagine watching in the West End of London as some sort of Rock-Opera. Again that showy feel, reminiscent of Queen, is present in large quanitities, Peter’s vocal brilliance and the virtuoso playing of Dan give it tongue-in-cheek pomposity. The keyboards swirl and envelop everything with this musical sheen and the drums and bass sit there supremely confident in the background, the rock on which everything else is founded.

The next two tracks are so entwined you could see them as one. The yin and yang of Desolation and Retribution. Two sides of the same coin, the dark and the light. Desolation has a feel of the darkness of Opeth mixed with the subtleties of Mystery. Almost mantra like vocals, subdued and solemn, give an occult feel and the music plays out as if it is a Greek Tragedy, the nebulous solo a case in point. It is quite ominous in tone and atmosphere, leaving you crestfallen and subdued. The segue into Retribution is some edgy and jazzy drums followed by a riffing guitar and Peter hitting the highest of high notes, the blue touch paper is lit and we are off! Fast paced and upbeat, this track is a stellar opposite to Desolation with its great harmonies and irrepressible riffs that are delivered in a symphonic prog hue. Overblown and unapologetic it fires off into the distance strutting its stuff. The solo is forceful and in your face and the whole song just rides over anything that gets in its way like an irresistible force.

There are two instrumental bonus tracks on the version I received and, in the interests of completeness, I must mention them.

Emphasis (For Sienna Joy) is a lovely little piece just over one minute long that just dances lightly over your aural synapses to leave a very satisfied feeling in your heart and soul and Vagabond is a more potent and charismatic piece that focuses on the guitar to give a feel of a Joe Satriani song. The excellent interchanges between guitar and keyboards give it some added zest. These two tracks, while not exactly necessary, just give the album something extra and I really enjoyed them.

Released 21st May 2016

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