Galaxy - Visions (1978)

Not too be confused with another, more renowned, German group of the same name, which in the same year released the album Nature’s Clear Well, the Bremen-based Galaxy are yet another in a series of mega-obscure bands uncovered by Germany’s Garden of Delights label. Unfortunately, this is one item that probably deserves its underground status. Originally released in a small, 500 copy pressing, which was essentially sold to friends of the band, this album sort of has “garage band” written all over it. The most obvious comparison would be to early Eloy, but with perhaps even more of a hard rock vibe. To be fair, the band has some good ideas, as the songwriting displays a knack for catchy hooks. Unfortunately the album is rather bogged down by the unimaginative, lead-footed drumming, which lends an air of amateurishness to the entire affair. Indeed, the band does not sound particularly tight here, despite the fact that they had apparently been together for almost three years prior to the recording of the album. Having been recorded in the band’s home studio, the production also leaves something to be desired, as the trebly bass and the loud, consistently behind the beat, hi-hat have a tendency to grate on the nerves. Vocals are delivered in English, by way of a German-accented caterwaul. At times, they can actually be appealing, but unsurprisingly tend to wear thin due to overuse.

Songs like the melodically varied “Warrior of the Endless Time,” the mellow, symphonically inclined “Morning of the Magicians: Part One,” and, in particular, the dynamic title track, all contain a wealth of nice ideas, particularly by way of the guitar and keyboard playing. Many of the pieces begin with tasteful acoustic guitar, before moving into more anthemic, keyboard led portions, or into heavy electric guitar passages. Opener “Ladies in the Wind” is an aggressive rocker, and has what could have potentially been a great hook, but one which is unfortunately driven into the ground over its six plus minutes. To be sure, there is probably enough here to appeal to the hardcore German rock aficionado, those who would probably forgive the decidedly unpolished, unprofessional feel of the album in any case. However, with that said, casual fans will probably want to pass on this one. - Greg Northrup [December 2002]

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Garybaldi - Astrolabio (1973)

Those of you slightly bored with the leagues of same-y sounding Italian symphonic groups from the 70s might find Garybaldi's excellent Astrolabio a refreshing palette cleanser. The band is spearheaded by the often intense, often exquisite guitar work of Bambi Fossati, whose playing and soloing drenches pretty much the entire album from front to back. Though clearly inspired by Jimi Hendrix, his backing band adopts an almost symphonic feel at times, with soaring keyboards (oddly uncredited) providing a textured backdrop to Fossati's seething guitars. At times the overall effect is almost, for lack of a better term, "Floydian" in its sheer grandeur. This is particularly true on the phenomenal first side, "Madre di Cose Perdute". This piece is definitely an example of a perfectly executed sidelong piece in which every moment is accounted for. Energetic, surging guitar solos trade off with effective melodic themes, swooshing synthesizers and melodic bass. Vocals are sparse and unimportant, though effective when present. One comparison that comes to mind is Grobschnitt's classic Solar Music Live, given a similar sort of sound and semi-improvisational vibe. The second side was apparently recorded live, and features some audience banter in the very beginning. Musically, "Sette?" is slightly closer to Fossati's Hendrix roots, sounding a little raunchier, with a backbeat-heavy groove at times.

Brilliant moments abound here as well, and even our mystery man keyboardist is afforded the opportunity to trade licks with Fossati. The playing is wonderful and there is a tangible sense of enjoyment and energy on the part of the band throughout, bringing the piece to similar climatic heights as the first side. Astrolabio is a solid addition for Italian progressive rock fans. A little different than your typical Italian fare, but great nonetheless. - Greg Northrup [January 2002]

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Gentle Soul - Gentle Soul (1969)
[CD - Sundazed - SC11123 - 2003]

Gentle Soul were a California folk duo who released this, their only album, in 1969. Released on a major label and featuring well known musicians like Ry Cooder and Van Dyke Parks as guests, the album was nonetheless released to little fanfare, and subsequently descended into obscurity, becoming quite rare in the process. New York’s Sundazed label recently reissued the record, billing it as something of a ‘folk-psych’ gem, which of course piqued my interest. Unfortunately, the album leans much more towards the folk end of things, in a very conventional fashion at that, without much psych in sight. The album as a whole projects a fairly safe vibe, leaning precariously close to soft-rock territory, or the work of Peter, Paul and Mary, and even Cat Stevens. Not that this is a bad thing necessarily, but Gentle Soul don’t do a whole lot to distinguish themselves.

With that said, the album is clearly well done for what it sets out to do. The high harmonies of Pamela Pollard and Rick Stanley are impeccable and, when given an interesting melody to work with, quite striking. There are a few gems to be found here; “See My Love (Song for Greg)” is aided by some expanded instrumentation, with piano, organ and harpsichord forming a moving tapestry of melody, and “Empty Wine” has a particularly gorgeous melody. However, I’m not convinced that these moments make the album worth purchasing on their own. Folk rock fans may find quite a bit to enjoy here, and Sundazed does their usual commendable job with the CD reissue, piling on the bonus tracks. Even so, Gentle Soul is a little too saccharine for my tastes. - Greg Northrup [April 2003]

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Gerard - Sighs of the Water (2002)

Gerard's tenth release sees the band mining the same territory that has had fans of big keyboard bombast the world over excited for more than fifteen years. Obviously inspired by Emerson Lake and Palmer, this trio takes over-driven keyboard pyrotechnics and powerful rhythms and runs with them, literally, as a description of ELP on speed wouldn't be too far off. Keyboardist Toshio Egawa shines in particular, coaxing scorching leads out his Korgs, which while a bit too digital sounding, come equipped with tasteful patches replicating those dirty, grinding Hammond and heavy Moog tones. Hasegawa and Goto don't hold back either, injecting a strong rhythmic force.

While the band certainly has impressive chops, the relentless nature of the music leaves some breathing room to be desired. Unfortunately, when they do try to mix things up with some vocal cuts, the singing is pretty dire. Goto is a fine drummer, but his singing is processed down into harsh, guttural tones that are basically unintelligible, even with the lyric sheet. Guest vocalist Nakaji's crooning isn't a highlight either. That said, the instrumental passages do make a more concentrated effort to vary the use of dynamics than on previous releases, but it still seems that the band only knows either 'fast' or 'slow', and has trouble combining the two into a cohesive composition. Of course, if an all-out keyboard dominated chops-fest is your thing, you will no doubt enjoy this album, as Gerard are some of the finest purveyors of this style around. I on the other hand, would really like to see them trying something a bit different next time around. Note: this is the Musea Records version, which contains a different version of the title track, as well as a bonus track exclusive to this release. - Mike Prete [August 2002]

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Glass Hammer - Chronometree (2000)

Someone call the police. The FBI. The NSA. The Army. The Navy. The Marines. The Coast Guard. Those evil meter maids. Call anyone and everyone, and spread the word: Keith Emerson has been kidnapped! He's being held at gunpoint in a tiny studio somewhere, and is being forced to play for Glass Hammer!

At least, that's what was running through my mind when I listened to the first track of Chronometree. Indeed, the band's keyboardist (Fred Schendel) has his Emerson impression down pat. As I continued to listen, I discovered that the entire band is ready and able to doppelgang classic prog bands at will. But, just as joke impersonations tend not to make for great comedy, these musical impressions leave much to be desired. Billed as a "throwback to the 70s", this album plays like a pasticcio of ELP, Yes, Pink Floyd, et al, while displaying little originality on Glass Hammer's own part. The album will probably appeal the most to old ELP and Yes fans, especially ones that stared at Roger Dean artwork while spinning Relayer for hours on end. Given that I was born in 1981 and thus lack any such nostalgia, this disc does little to move me. Chronometree has its moments (my favorite being the bass and drum-heavy middle section of "The Waiting"), but the album on the whole suffers from prog cliché overdose.

This is a concept album about a prog fan named Tom. When listening to his favorite prog albums, Tom begins to hear things in the music that other people don't hear. He hears voices... alien voices... trying to reach him. Tom starts to understand these messages, and through them the aliens instruct him "... in the science called Chronometree". I swear to you, I am not making any of this up. Luckily, most of this album is instrumental, but every time the vocals do kick in, the listener is reminded of the cheesy storyline behind this album. While the story wasn't really meant to be taken seriously, it doesn't succeed at being good parody, either. The band certainly contains some capable players. In addition to playing the keyboards, Fred Schendel plays the drums on all tracks except for "Chronos Deliver" (which is handled by the band's live drummer, Walter Moore). The band outsourced the lead guitar duties to guests Terry Clouse (of Somnambulist) and Arjen Lucassen (of Ayreon). Along with bassist Steve Babb, the group forms a solid playing unit. Vocals are a problem area, though. Brad Marler's voice often seems strained, sometimes creating an overdramatic effect even when he's not trying to.

If you *really* like the old '70s prog dinosaurs, and you don't mind music that's incredibly derivative, then you are Glass Hammer's target audience. Still, you might get more out of just re-listening to those old classic albums that Chronometree draws so heavily from. - *Legion* [August 2001]

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Goblin - Roller (1976)

Roller is a very nice album of traditional symphonic progressive rock from the Italian group Goblin, most widely known as the soundtrack group for cult director Dario Argento's 70s horror flicks. Roller is one of two non-soundtrack album that they've done (unless you also count the pre-Goblin band Cherry Five), and is pretty damn good, giving hints of their atmospheric soundtrack background, but remaining focused on creating solid instrumental rock. The band is generally fairly energetic, creating driving and moderately complex pieces with great whizzing synths and punchy bass lines. While the pieces do contain some utterly mind blowing moments at times, the album does unfortunately let down at points. The opener "Roller" is awesome, and probably the best track on the album, riding on an absolutely intense guitar and Moog theme and a pulsing background. The middle three tracks are the most inconsistent here. "Aquaman" is nice enough, building into a nice guitar solo that is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd, but is still a let down after the phenomenal opener. "Snip-Snap" is kind of lame, featuring a funk-rock groove and jazzy bass riff that does very little for me. The album builds back up with the excellent "Goblin", a token epic that harkens back to the pure energy of the opening track, while moving through a variety of interesting themes.

Again, Roller is nice, but certainly trumped by a number of other Italian albums, including many of their own soundtrack works. Also being a tad short, the album suffers from the inclusion of the one or two boring tracks. Newcomers to the group will want to investigate their heralded soundtrack albums first, particularly Profundo Rosso and Susperia. - Greg Northrup [April 2001]

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Gomorrha - I Turned to See Whose Voice It Was (1972)

Gomorrha was a potentially fantastic German group that played in an early 70s hard rock/proto-prog style, bordering on the many strains of contemporary experimental rock being played in Germany at the same time, while having a decidedly more Anglo-American element than the other guitar freak-out bands like Ash Ra Tempel or Guru Guru. Not only were the lyrics in English, but the group had a more distinct hard rock style, like a psychedelic Black Sabbath with a more eccentric and frenzied version of Robert Plant on vocals. The main instruments are organ and guitar, which make for some volcanic moments, as in titanic opening riff. There is also, oddly enough, something of an American soul or blues influence that rears its head throughout, especially in the vocals. The band's essential elements make for a fairly incredible mixture of German noise rock and embryonic British heavy metal. Unfortunately the good parts aren't really pulled off for the duration of the album, which is watered down by some fairly poor meandering sections and wordy narratives for the sake of the album concept.

The album seems to follow a Biblical concept involving the Apocalypse of St. John. Incidentally, it tends to fall into the same sort of traps as did Aphrodite's Child's 666, another concept work relating the same saga. "Opening of the Sealed Book" definitely sounds like it could have been on that album, featuring a simple guitar riff droning on behind an excessive relation of endless biblical imagery. The opener, "Dance on a Volcano" starts out great, with a heavy organ/guitar riff blazing beneath the aforementioned Robert Plant-style vocals. Unfortunately, the song loses itself midway through with some random acoustic guitar diddling. "Dead Life" is one of the better tracks, a heavier song playing towards the group's strengths, and keeping the experimental portions somewhat interesting. The album picks up big time towards the end with "I Try to Change this World" and "Tititsh Child", which feature some intense guitar solos, heavy riffs and cool vocals, along with some great organ playing on the latter. It would have been great if the whole album sounded like these tracks.

Overall, mileage may vary on I Turned to See Whose Voice it Was, and I guess it depends most on how much tolerance you have for the potentially endearing naiveté of a concept album that's not entirely cohesive or pulled off. It can certainly be excusable for such an early album from an apparently young band, especially coming out of the already noisy and experimental German scene. For me, it's somewhat tiresome, but definitely has a cool, obscure early 70s vibe that makes it worth having. - Greg Northrup [April 2001]

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Gotic - Escenes (1977)

Escenes is an excellent Spanish progressive album which is steeped in a pleasantly jazzy, symphonic quality. The band relies sparsely on synthesizer work, lending a nice organic feel to the proceedings. In general, the instrumentation here is dominated by classical piano and guitar, with bright and distinctive flute melodies leading the way. Often compared to Camel circa The Snow Goose, Escenes does indeed possess a similar sort of restrained, yet profoundly beautiful, melodic quality. One is definitely reminded of pieces like "Rhyander" on various points throughout this album, with the flute way out in front, leaning on a sublime, enchanting melodic foundation of active bass licks and punchy drumming.

Lacking vocals, and with all the individual tracks strung to together in one continuous work, the album succeeds in holding the listener's interest throughout, as various themes are developed, altered and reintroduced in unexpected, yet satisfying, ways throughout. Certainly, given Gotic's reliance on generally unchanging instrumentation, as well as their often sedate, mellow feel, the album may fail to do more than provide adequate background music for some listeners, lacking much in the way of edge or energy. For that reason, I don't find Escenes as immediate as other Spanish classics like Mezquita's Recuerdos di mi Tierra or Atila's Reviure. Nonetheless, careful attention to its intricacies is rewarded, and Escenes certainly falls into the upper tier of progressive rock albums from that country. A more than worthy addition for anyone exploring that scene. - Greg Northrup [February 2001]

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Guadalquivir (1978)
[CD - EMI Spain - ECD4556 - 200?]

Named after the river Guadalquivir in Spain's southern Andalucia region, this group displays many of the tendencies you would expect in bands from the area, as well as some that you might not. While Guadalquivir incorporates many of the folk and flamenco elements that tend to creep into the progressive rock of bands like Cai and Mezquita, the band tightly meshes these influences with a fusion and jazz-rock edge that distinguishes them significantly from their contemporaries. Additionally, while the vocals of the other Andalucian bands tend to be a defining factor, Guadalquivir presents us with an entirely instrumental platter of folk-influenced prog/fusion, for better or worse.

Personally, I tend to be a tad ambivalent towards the more fusion-oriented end of things. And indeed, an overemphasis in this direction, combined with the relatively slick-sounding production, tends to make the band sound faceless, much like a lesser version of Catalan greats Iceberg, without ever really catching fire like they should. When the folk and flamenco elements are given equal footing, however, listeners are treated to a distinguished and spirited cross-section of influences. Woodwinds and guitar trade solos over exotic bass lines and deft, tasteful drumming. Ethnic percussion often finds its way into the mix, making things all the more interesting.

The group actually has much in common with another Andalucian group, Iman Califato Independiente. Like that band's albums, Guadalquivir will almost certainly drift into the background on early listens, thanks to the restrained playing, clean production, and an apparent lack of intensity. In spite of this, the album has much to offer to the dedicated Spanish progressive rock fan. Those with a predilection towards ethnic-influenced fusion, especially Al DiMeola circa Elegant Gypsy or even Santana, will find much to like here. - Greg Northrup [February 2004]