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Album Reviews :: B
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All of the pieces here are generally strong. "Before The Fall" feels a little pieced together and suffers from a lack of cohesiveness at points, but is still a good song. "Dreamfish" is the strongest piece here, a keyboard driven epic that rivals many of Genesis' best songs. Introducing and expanding upon various themes, the music is always moving forward and never stagnating. As can be expected, if you're not a big fan of the Genesis style, this might not be your cup of proverbial tea. For those of who dread the kind of "modernized" cloning like that of many so-called neo-prog bands, fear not. Babylon are firmly set in the ways of the classic 70s bands, with great analog keyboard work and extraordinarily adept musicianship. - Mike Prete [March 2001] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info  Bacamarte
- Depos Do Fim (1983)Depois do Fim is an album from Brazil that is a must for traditional symphonic prog fans looking to explore the South American gems. This album was originally recorded in 1977, but remained unreleased at the time due to lack of interest, that is until the prog-rock revival of the early 80s. For that reason, despite its release date, Depois du Fim remains a very solid, if typical, symphonic prog album with a sound that is firmly entrenched in the 1970s. Bacamarte has a tendency for incorporating both a beautiful pastoral feel with acoustic guitar and classical piano, along with hard-rocking sections that feature Tull-ish flute melodies and zipping synthesizers. The music is centered on the versatile guitar work and impeccable compositions, as well as the beautiful female vocals. "U.F.O." is a phenomenal instrumental the opens the album and makes a case for best track on the album, while "Smog Aldo" and "Contoversia" feature some phenomenal singing. As a whole, the album is extremely beautiful symphonic progressive, but with a definite "kick" to it. A more rocking, guitar-oriented PFM with a significant early Tull influence is a comfortable analogy, but with the addition of some very expressive female vocals. Also, like most great progressive albums, there is quite a bit of depth and subtlety in the arrangements and compositions, so that they become even more enjoyable with subsequent listens. - Greg Northrup [Feburary 2001] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info  Syd
Barrett - The Madcap Laughs (1970)[CD - Capitol - 46607 - 1990] Essentially a document of the disintegrating psyche of rock and roll’s most famous acid casualty, former Pink Floyd leader Syd Barrett, The Madcap Laughs is an appropriately fractured and obtuse work. Interviews with producer David Gilmour indicate a frantically disjointed recording period, after which the album had to be patched together from the limited amount of cohesive material available. Robert Wyatt, who, along with the rest of Soft Machine, played on the album, thought that the recordings that ended up being released were just rehearsals for the real thing. The classic track "Opel" was actually recorded for the sessions but left off of the final release, and no one seems to know why or what happened. Gilmour doesn’t even remember the tune. Page turning is audible in one track, studio chatter appears at various points, and the backing musicians, faced with the task of overdubbing their parts on Barrett’s awry and unpredictable pieces, are often noticeably behin d the beat. Of course, it’s a brilliant record anyway. The mythology surrounding Syd Barrett is significant, and really needs little elaboration here. The prime mover behind Pink Floyd’s seminal debut, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Barrett was ousted from the band after his behavior became too erratic. His legendary capacity for LSD is well documented, and it would inevitably lead him into a netherworld from which he would never return. It could be argued that The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was Sgt. Pepper’s evil twin; a definitive look at the darker, psychotic fringes of 1960s London counterculture, and really, at the psychedelic experience itself. There was certainly some awareness of social context, of self, and, if anything, a kind of paranoia regarding the potentially devastating power of hallucinogenics By contrast, The Madcap Laughs is utter lunacy. Notwithstanding the significant cult surrounding Barrett, The Madcap Laughs is often unfairly viewed by rock’s mainstream as a novelty item, or as merely a footnote to the blaze of glory that was Piper… It’s a shame, really, as that view overlooks Madcap’s rather significant musical merits, being a substantial and vital cross-section of pop, folk and full-on psychedelia. Obviously it’s more stripped down and “introspective,” though certainly not in the traditional meaning of the word. Mostly based around Syd’s voice and acoustic guitar, the tunes here are acid-laced nursery rhymes. The tone is more detached and self-satisfied, even sardonic and condescending (“The madcap laughed at the man on the border”), yet obviously rife with the same mixture of whimsy and biting pop genius one would expect from the brains behind Piper…. There are ample hints throughout that he knows something the rest of “us” don’t. Pointlessness and poignancy intermingle regularly, partic ularly in the lyrics. Musically, the entire affair is wrapped in a haze, due in no small part to the musicians barely being able to keep things together, as the fragile cohesiveness teeters threateningly on the edge of oblivion throughout. Sometimes it actually does tumble over the precipice, particularly on the second side. Most egregious is the studio chatter and false start in “Feel”, combined with a fairly dreadful vocal performance on Syd’s part. Upon first hearing it, I was sure it was a bonus track or outtake. Nevertheless, besides this and one or two other less impressive pieces, the album is full of gems. The fuzz guitar of “No Man’s Land” is sublime, as is the maddening, irresistibly tuneful trip-account of “Octopus,” and the surprisingly tender psychedelic ballad “Golden Hair.” The Madcap Laughs is undoubtedly an inconsistent listen, but that’s really half the fun. At the very least, it’s certainly intriguing throughout. Indeed, as often happens, sometim es the world’s most fascinating artistic statements are created by madmen. - Greg Northrup [October 2003] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info  Bellaphon
- Firefly (1987)[CD - Musea FGBG 4194.AR / MADE IN JAPAN MJC-1013 - 1996] Often regarded by many as a classic of the Japanese prog scene, Bellaphon's Firefly was the band's debut album, recorded in 1987, although there have been subsequent releases of previous demo and outtake material from earlier periods. Musea re-issued the album in 1996, bringing the band international recognition. The bonus track "Labyrinth" originally appeared on a flexi-disc produced by Monolith Records and was the first release of the band's music. Firefly is a strong example of the melodic and fluid instrumental music. Similar to what Camel were doing circa their Rain Dances album, but with a more modern edge closer to a band like Minimum Vital. The music is strongly rooted in the symphonic rock tradition, and revolves around dexterous keyboard playing, while occasional guitar solos spice things up. Fluid bass playing is provided by Masahiro Torigaki of Ain Soph. The extended songs go through a wide variety of twists and turns, and show a good sense of dynamics and compositional ability; at times with a jazzy underpinning. So is it a classic? I'd have to say no. All the makings of a classic album seem to be in place, and you get the feeling that this could have been a big hit were it released ten years previous. Purists might be turned off by the dominance of digital keys and 80s production style, but fans of latter day Camel and modern symphonic prog will be sure to find something to like here. - Mike Prete [January 2003] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info  Bi
Kyo Ran - Fairy Tale: Early Live, Vol. 1 (1987)[LP - Belle Antique - 1987] Originally
published in Reels of Dreams Unrolled No. 4, February 7,
1998 Fairy Tale opens with "Chaos," a creepy instrumental which easily sounds like one of the many improvs found on the Great Deceiver box set. (Of course if it really was, it would have been given a name like "Carless & High on Crack" or something like that.) Everything is here -- nasty fuzz-wah bass, rim shots, wood blocks and other Brufordisms, dense, ominous and dissonant Mellotron, and above all else, the most impressive imitation Fripp guitar ever. This guy has all of Fripp's '72-'74 guitar sounds and techniques down from the laser beam solo made famous in "Prince Rupert's Lament" to the angular, mind-bogglingly complex crosspicking of "Fracture." While much
of the album evokes the dark, improvisational landscape
of 1972-'74 Crimson, a couple of the tracks exhibit a more
symphonic, pretty approach. Both "Fairy Tale" and "Unfinished
Quartet" show a bit of a Gentle Giant influence in the use
of recorders and complex, multi-part vocal harmonies. Anyone
who is strongly opposed to one band being very derivative
of another would not care for this album. Audiophile types
would also balk at this album's bootleg sound quality, but
if you're an incurable Crimhead or a die-hard Bi Kyo Ran
fan, you would surely get a kick out of this -- if you could
find it. - Scott Hamrick [January 2001]  Biglietto
Per L'Inferno - Biglietto Per L'Inferno (1974)
This is another excellent Italian album from the 70s, but one with a definite hard rock touch, putting it in the upper echelon of Italian heavy progressive. This album is infamous for being obstructed by poor sound quality, and I definitely agree. However, it's no worse than on other acclaimed albums like Osanna's Palepoli for instance. Botched production is definitely one of my pet peeves, but I still managed to really enjoyed this album. The second song on this album, the magnificent "Confessioni", is the most overtly hard rock track here, and is utterly amazing. The song rails behind a heavy-ass guitar riff and venomous vocals during the verses, and then blazing into a furious instrumental workout with cascading flutes and engaging keyboard work. The 15-minute marathon, "L'Amico Suicida" is another highlight, incredibly complex but catchy nonetheless. For the most part, the rest of the album varies between energetic heavy sections and soft, tasteful melodic portions. All the music is of the highest quality, and Claudio Canali's vocals are one of the few items that really end up shining in the mix. This album would really kick ass with a good remastering job. Sometimes it sounds acceptable, and then it will randomly all go to shit. The worst aspect is probably the drums, which sound like they were recorded in a huge dumpster. Nevertheless, I find this to be an extremely solid addition to an Italian progressive rock collection. There is certainly a bit of a Jethro Tull influence (due to the flute mostly), as well as a pleasing hard rock edge, while still remaining squarely in the realm of heavy Italian prog. Very good. - Greg Northrup [January 2001]  Borknagar
- Quintessence (2000)
I hate myself. After enjoying, but not being blown away by, Borknagar's third album The Archaic Course, I picked this one up and unceremoniously shelved it after one, admittedly superficial, listen. Recently, I had heard some good things about Quintessence, which by this time had found its way into my "to sell" pile, and pulled it out for another listen. My ass is officially kicked. This is progressive metal like it should be done, and I hate myself for not having realized it the first time around. Quintessence is avant-garde black metal of the highest order, featuring psychedelic swirls, amorphous tempos and chaotic, unpredictable song structures. Still, this is won't at all be immediately gratifying. The production is intentionally muffled, great guitar and keyboard melodies are buried in the muddy mix, the rhythms simply don't grab you, and the songs aren't catchy at all. No, it would be too easy to just play it safe, Borknagar wants it to be tough on you. Only frequent, and careful, listening will reveal what is in fact a masterfully executed opus that places Borknagar into the big leagues of avant-metal artists. With the demise of In The Woods, and the growing irrelevance of bands like Amorphis, Tiamat and Moonspell, albums like Quintessence are a huge breath of fresh air for fans of the sub-genre (luckily we still have Opeth). The album is subtle in its beauty, but utterly unrelenting in its attack. The bad production is all part of the atmosphere, as funny as that may sound, but it all works out somehow. Severe guitar assaults blend with 70s sounding keyboard parts and killer melodies. Vocals are generally delivered in a demonic growl, but lead singer ICS Vortex proves extremely versatile, throwing in some mind blowing "clean" passages here and there. This guy can really sing. On "The Presence is Ominous" the opening drum pattern, which I initially hardly noticed, sounds totally driving now. "The Ruins of the Future" breaks down into a great proggy, syncopated attack marked by searing keyboard runs. "Colossus" simply kills with its grandiose clean vocals. Its amazing how different this album sounds after a few listens. It's frankly inexplicable how much is actually there that I hadn't heard before, and how much better the album gets with each listen. Quintessence just burns; sheer fury from front to back, but balanced with a sense of compositional intelligence and limitless depth, if initially unperceivable. It has managed utterly annihilates basically every so-called "prog-metal" album I've heard in the past year, closely contending with the latest Opeth release, Blackwater Park, as the primary nourishment for my occasional metallic cravings. - Greg Northrup [May 2001] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info  Astronomy
Made Easy (1997)[CD - Cuneiform Records - Rune 91 - 1997] Originally published in Reels of Dreams Unrolled No. 3, July 21, 1997 With the release of the second disc by this Virginia-based band, the suspicion that these guys are the best thing going for prog in the U.S. has been made stronger...at least to this reviewer's ears. Astronomy Made Easy, released on the great Cuneiform label is a far step above Boud Deun's first self-released job a few years ago. First of all the sound quality is great with the seperation of guitar and violin easily distinguishable which was'nt exactly so on their first disc. Gone is the muddy wall-of -sound-type feel, replaced by a pristine amalgam of Mahavishnu-type fusion, King Crimson-type neurotica and their own highly original take on the progressive rock scene which is done in a fresh and exciting way. Secondly, these guys aren't afraid of hitting the road to flaunt their talents. I've been fortunate enough to see them twice in the last two years, and both times I was utterly blown away by the sheer musical intensity that can only be hinted at on a recording. Boud Deun (which I'm told means "definitely positive") consists of Shawn Persinger on guitars, Matt Eiland on 5 string bass, Greg Hiser on violin and Rocky Cancelose on drums. Together the four work as a tightly meshed unit that is able to play start-and-stop-on-a-dime arrangements with effortless grace. Most of the songs are in the four minute range, and they are so loaded with ideas that they virtually threaten to overflow. One minute they might be doing a Gentle Giant-like violin-led jam, only to abruptly change into a screaming dark King Crimson-like passage and then back again. As already mentioned, there are many influences thrown into the pot here. I hear elements of the aforementioned Gentle Giant and King Crimson, plus Mahavishnu Orchestra, Brand X, even Hawkwind. There are no vocals. In fact, the music doesn't warrant vocals. They would probably detract from the already sterling musicianship. It's in the way that the band presents these influences that makes Boud Deun so special. Yes, the violin does sound like Jerry Goodman at times but working against the jagged Fripp-like lines of Persinger it takes on a totally different feel. And yes, the drumming does occasionly remind me of Bruford but heard in conjuction with Eiland's clean, precise bass playing all thoughts of "Fracture" by Crimson disappear. What does appear though is a competely self-assured sound that is distinctly American. Everything from the short drum solo in "Jupiter" to the manic slaps and pops on the bass on "The Quince Tree" tells me that these guys are definitely a band to watch. Other songs like "Spiders," "Copper Ink" and "Coal Boxes and Daisy Cutters" are played with such precision that only drives home the point that practice makes perfect. With all the gigging the band has done, there seems to be a telepathic understanding between each musician giving me the impression that they can pull off all the complex charts they do in their sleep. Even during their improv jams the tightness remains. The rhythm section is seemingly joined together by the cerebral cortex. The front line of guitar and violin play off one another like two guys that have been playing together since childhood, each knowing the next move of the other. I'm
told that Boud Deun are supposed to be doing another disc
for Cuneiform. I'm waiting for its release with baited breath.
Live, these guys are monsters, but that's another story. Suffice
it to say that if they ever show up in your town, do yourself
a favor and check 'em out. You won't be sorry. In the meantime...get
the CD. A fantastic release from a band with a very bright
future. -
Mike Eisenberg [July 1997] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info  Christian
Boule - Non-Fiction (1979)
Best known for his cosmic Glissando guitar contributions to albums such as Clearlight's Symphony, and Steve Hillage's Live Herald, French guitarist Christian Boule recorded two solo albums in the late 70s, as well as touring with Hillage, Lard Free and Gong. Re-issued in 2002 by Musea, Non-Fiction is a rather strange album from someone noted for their 'kosmische' music - a bizarre mixture of funk, disco and Boule's more traditionally spaced out style. After getting over the initial shock, it's still quite hard to pin down what's going on. In between the soulful crooning or 'chunka-chunka' riffing, Boule will temporarily break out into a gliss filled solo that will have you prepared to be swimming with the salmon, only to be quickly be brought back to earth as the song resumes its conventional path. While an excellent cast of musicians who put together a professional sound, especially Boule, who's sometimes aggressive and torn guitar playing livens things up, but the stylistic clashing does not make for a cohesive whole. "Chance" and "Magic Fanfare" are pretty dreadful, save for the guitar playing, with overpowering and simplistic rhythms and that typical disco horn sound. The latter's singsong 'rapping' brings to mind the Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping" (which if you've ever been in the United States around Christmas time, you have bound to have heard it on the radio countless times). Yuck. On the other hand, "Psychedelik" and "Glissander Aquarian" give flashes of that brilliant cosmic playing Boule excelled during his tenure with Clearlight and Hillage, but can only do so much to offset the other songs. The bonus tracks, recorded in 1999, show Boule's recent interest in computer generated composition and electronics, and are pleasant, if not very memorable. An interesting album from the disparate stylistic combinations, but ultimately not one that really appeals to my tastes. - Mike Prete [August 2002] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info  Francois
Breant - Sons Optiques (1979)
What amounts to a labour of love, having been recorded in borrowed studio time over three years, Francois Breant's Sons Optiques is a refreshing, and thoroughly enjoyable album. Composed as an all-instrumental soundtrack to an imaginary film, each track conveys a different mood, much like the different scenes of a movie. The album has a strong symphonic aspect, due to the abundance of layered ARP synthesizers, and Francois' skilled piano playing adds a distinctive jazzy touch. The line-up of guests is rather impressive, with, among others, Guy Delacroix (Magma), Albert Marcoeur and Didier Lockwood. Even though this is clearly Breant's show, all the guests contribute great parts, blending in perfectly with Francois' lush keyboard orchestrations, especially Didier Lockwood's fine violin and the sax duets by Jean-Louis Chautemps and Eric Latourneux. If I were to draw comparisons, an easy one would be a guitar-less Clearlight, or a less downright jazzy version of Benoit Widemann's Tsunami album. The Musea CD reissue has the usual lavish booklet with information both in English and French, as well as two bonus tracks, originally from the early 80s but recently re-worked by Francois. These are not as good as the material on the original album, but as far as bonus tracks go, they're not bad. Overall, this is an excellent reissue, highly recommended for fans of the the more tranquil side of symphonic prog. - Alex Siufy [October 2002] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info  Bill
Bruford - The Bruford Tapes (1980)[CD - EG Records - EEGCD-6 - 1992] Originally
published in Reels of Dreams Unrolled No. 2, May 15, 1997
The highlights are "Hell's Bells" (NOT the AC/DC song) with its jubilant keyboard theme, the "quick little fellow" called "Beelzebub" (what's with the evil song titles, Bill?) which features some wacky time signatures and "5g," with the super fast slap and pop of Jeff Berlin's bass. Speaking of Jeff Berlin, he is truly amazing. All bass players should buy this album, you'll either be inspired or discouraged (or maybe both, like me.) Dave Stewart fans should get a kick out of his jazzy, yet heavily distorted organ playing on this album as well. Bruford? Well he's one of the best drummers on earth without being a stick-twirling wanker, and this album shows him in top form. The only drawback to this album is the fact that Allan Holdsworth is not on it. (John Clark does a real good Holdsworth impression and is an excellent guitarist, but there's nothing quite like the real thing). The style
of music is much like that of the much-celebrated National
Health, due to Stewart's presence, but a little more rock
oriented and energetic. It is intelligent, yet exciting
music that straddles the fence between jazz fusion and progressive
rock. Personally, I'll take Bruford over National Health
any day. -
Scott Hamrick [May 1997]  Bubu
- Anabelas (1978)
Bubu is an Argentine group that definitely fell from some branch on the King Crimson side of the prog family tree. With influences spanning the gamut of progressive rock sub-genres, from Rock-in-Opposition, Zeuhl, Canterbury as well as straight-up symphonic rock, Anabelas is easily one of the most stylistically diverse and satisfying albums from the latter half of the 70s. The group's expanded instrumentation makes for a varied mix of intriguing melodic passages, dissonant textures and driving horn arrangements. The bass player in particular is exceptional and helps provide the band with an extremely solid and satisfying rhythmic foundation. The GEPR cites numerous references to Magma, and there is definitely a King Crimson meets Magma feel here, alongside a classical air that reminds of the finest Italian albums. "El Cortejo de un Dia Amarillo" is an epic instrumental that presents the band at their angular, experimental peak. The track is full of marching rhythms and bleating horns within a perfectly executed compositional framework. It is an extremely satisfying piece in which the chaos is intercut with moments of plaintive beauty. The next track is a tad more accessible, utilizing some pleasant Spanish vocal lines before breaking into an insane circus-like section that actually really rocks. Overall this is easily among the finest albums out of Argentina, along those by Crucis and MIA, and is pretty much a must-have album for fans of more avant styles of progressive rock, especially those with an affinity for mid period King Crimson, Magma or melodic RIO. In a sense, this is perfect progressive music, recalling the groundbreaking spirit of early 70s luminaries and retaining a definite sense of originality. This is an overlooked release because it's not from England or Italy, but is still a phenomenal album. - Greg Northrup [February 2001] Click
Here for Tracklist and Lineup Info |
Babylon
- Babylon (1978)
