I can't believe I ignored this for so long. This album is as beautiful as it is weird but don't go into this with the mindset being this is "just another Post Rock album" maybe lie down and close your eyes and imagine your own imagery while the music plays. I should also mention to listen to this album in multiple sessions as the runtime is seven hours with songs spanning from ten to thirty minutes. But who is this album for? There's elements of Post Rock here but I'd say this is more adjacent to an Indo/Raga Rock album with Post Rock like soundscapes, and I should mention this is more like....Post Folk? I've definitely seen it labeled as Avant Folk but this here is something else. One could argue the album can get "samey" but there's some tracks on here that i can only just admire in awe. Devil's Fork and Curare are two highlights for me, I feel like they exemplify the albums acid folk and even psychedelic sound. Its hard to pinpoint this album so I definitely recommend it for anyone who wants music that not only breaks boundaries but also plays by its own rules

"Trust Us" is the sixth full-length studio album by Norwegian alternative/psychedelic rock act Motorpsycho. The album was released through Stickman Records (Europe)/Sony Music (Norway) in March 1998. It´s the successor to "Angels and Daemons at Play" from February 1997, so there is just over a year between the two album releases. Despite the relatively short time between the two albums, Motorpsycho have had time to write and record material enough to release a double album, featuring over 80 minutes of music. Trygve Seim (reindeer antler, flutes, saxophone, clarophone) has been added to the list of guest/sesson musicians, but the core of the band is still Bent Sæther ( vocals, bass, guitars, piano, percussion, harmonium, marimba, vibraphone, trident, mellotron, sitar, taurus, drums), Hans Magnus Ryan (guitars, vocals, mandolin, harmonium, rhodes piano, taurus, mellotron, piano, bells), and Håkon Gebhardt (drums, acoustic guitar, glockenspiel, mellotron, harmonium, percussion).

Stylistically the material on "Trust Us" pretty much continues the alternative rock/psychedelic rock style of "Angels and Daemons at Play (1997)". Sometimes a little more psychedelic and jam oriented than other moments which are more structured. Motorpsycho are a well playing unit and they obviously master both the improvised jamming and the more conscise songwriting parts. But when that is established the vocals have always been the weak link of Motorpsycho and they continue to be that on "Trust Us". Not in a manner which destroys the listening experience, but they do sound weak and it often feels like they are just there singing without a recognisable vocal melody. So maybe it´s not just that the voices of the two vocalists aren´t that strong or distinct sounding, but maybe also that the band just don´t write that great vocal melodies.

With that out of the way, Motorpsycho should still be praised for their organinic and powerful instrumental performances. "Trust Us" is also a well produced release, so it´s in the songwriting department that Motorpsycho are still lacking something at this point in their career. Six albums into a music career and I expect more, but I understand why others enjoy it more than I do. The combination of 90s alternative/indie rock with 70s psychedelia has been done by many other contemporary artists (The Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, and some of Radioheads early recordings are valid references) and it´s just a hard sound to nail.

"Vortex Surfer" is the most well known track from "Trust Us" and I agree that it´s slow layer building is effective, but the weak vocals almost ruin the track. Upon conclusion "Trust Us" is a good quality rock album from Motorpsycho if you (unlike me) are able to appreciate the vocals. I´ll play nice and give this a 3 star (60%) rating, but but you can add 0,5 star ekstra if you imagine that I could enjoy the vocals.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).

TUSMORKE are back with their eleventh studio album called "Dawn Of Oberon". Released in 2024 they are essentially a four piece of bass/vocals, flute, drums and keyboards on this one. The leader Benediktator besides playing bass and singing is credited with a list of instruments as long as my left leg. There are so many flavours of sound on this record. And of course the lyrics are about fairies and their king Oberon. Lots of mellotron and chirping birds. The organ is very active as well, and upfront bass. Yes! And there's plenty of flute and piano.

This was released by Karisma Records. That fourth track on the back of the cd is shown as being 7:78 long. Norway time is longer? Okay an error. They thank a lot of other bands including ACTIONFREDAG, CHRONICLES OF FATHER ROBIN, JORDSJO, WOBBLER and NEEDLEPOINT. I have their debut and this their latest and that's it! I do prefer the debut from 2012, it's more folky and uniform. It will be part of my "best of" Folk list when I get to that.

This 2024 release has it all if your a Prog fan. It's adventerous and fun. Lots of wordless vocals too. They don't take themselves very seriously. I mean to sing "Born to be mild" to that same melody as "Born to be wild" is something. They make children's albums and I feel that comes through here at times. And again keep in mind this is a concept album about the king of the fairies. Funny, my favourite track is the one that is 7:78 in length. Okay 7:58 is what my stereo shows when it ends. That opening bass line as the organ comes in dancing along with vocals is a great start. The birds are chirping and the mellotron is flowing on this one.

I have to mention the opening title track at almost 18 minutes. It embodies so much that we all love about prog. The repeated themes and the instrumental excursions are well done. Lots of flute and organ as well here. I like the vocals a lot on this one. Reminds me of their debut. We get synths standing out on the closer along with those wordless vocals I like. You can almost smell the forests of Norway when listening to this record. A very brown and green recording that creates a woodsy atmosphere.

— First review of this album —

This group from San Remo has a great story to tell, formed in 1972 and releasing the legendary classic Il Principe del Giorno, with its effusive mellotron-painted landscapes, garnering rave reviews and cult status in the process. They disbanded in 1977, reformed briefly in 1991-1992 for two middling albums that fared poorly in comparison to their debut and promptly vanished from the scene. Drummer and keyboardist Ciro Perrino went on to reboot Celeste in 2019 with "Il Risveglio del Principe", a well-received return to past glories that kickstarted a series of releases such as "Il Principe del Regno Perduto" a year later. With the stunning 2022 album "Celestial Symphony Orchestra" , this stellar band kept raising the bar until achieving the impossible, surpassing their debut with the thundering beauty of last year's "Echi di Un Futuro Passato", one of my top choices for that year. It must be stated that the solid new crew of deft drummer Enzo Cioffi, Francesco Bertone on athletic bass and Mauro Vero on assorted guitars keep the pace tightly majestic but where the biggest 'leap forward' is to be found, lies in the important addition of flutes, recorders and saxophones , courtesy of Marco Moro, thus daubing a jazzier element that is simply, well, celestial! Throughout their career, the explosive mellotron reigned supreme and thankfully, it still shines brightly throughout all the arrangements on this new album "Anima Animus", the jazzier component further elevated with add brass guests on trombone, bass tuba, clarinet and , yes, more sax! Ciro mans the keyboard arsenal, not only the fabled white monster but also mythical instruments like the Solina string Ensemble and Eminent synths, made famous among countless others by Pink Floyd. Throw in an ARP 2600, Oberheim OBA and EMS AKS synthesizers and the deal is done.

The title track ignites the shimmering mellotron lantern, as if to remind us that what began once long ago has never left. Acoustic guitar, piano, bass and drums all playfully gather around the brisk atmosphere, where the delicately pastoral flute expands the aura with an elegant buildup towards a gigantic melody, symphonic prog at its finest. This wealth of serenity is the ideal platform for extended solos from the elegant piano (Marco Canepa) and delirious saxophone forays from Mirco Rebaudo and Paolo Maffei. The outro reaches into experimental realms where a vaporous tone shows the door to heaven.

Technically robust, the bold and brazen delivery on "Roots and Leaves" has an incredible pulse, with a slight hint of that Jason Bourne soundtrack melody, the bouncy piano careening delicately with the choppy percussives, the rolling bass keeping the tires adhering to the tarmac, steered by the vivid flute racing into the twilight, like a prancing black horse on a speed mission. The turbo charged sax backfiring until the mellotron sweeps in to take the checkered flag.

Percolating syncopation introduces the next chapter, the appropriately titled "Cosmic Carnival", an intoxicating festival of beats, guided by an up-front and to die for elastic bass line, twinkling piano and the airy brass and flute needed to keep the groove going. The piano takes the center stage as it carves the main melody with razor sharp precision, in alliance with the delirious flute for a brief interlude, before reverting to the previous shuffle. That bewitching bass is just pure sorcery and when the clarinet makes its appearance, what a sound to behold! Prog jazz symphonic prog, a new label is born.

The 9 minutes of "De Rerum Natura" harkens back to more orchestral backdrops, a carefully crafted pastoral composition that sits clearly in a more keyboard-centric classical vein, the bucolic main theme emerging after a long gestation period. The rhythmic sidebar is stately, there only to punctuate and underline, with a flurry of crashing cymbals. The theme returns for another reminder, a soothing piece of music that relocates the mind to another level.

Singer Ines Aliprandi takes out the microphone on the seductive "Lilith", an impressive scat-vocal that interferes perfectly with the space warble of colliding synthesizer cascades, a cosmic voyage that is sliced open with a thunderous lead guitar solo from Mauro Vero, and an equally abundant brass interplay that reaches back in time to some garden in Eden.

Back to the land of percussive puzzlement on "El Mundo Perdido", a rhythmic world of exotic sounds and lush soundscapes, featuring delicate 12 string guitars (Davide Mocini) and more vocalizations from Ines, a sublime bass interference with 'mellotronic' backdrop that adds intensity as well as beauty to the sound palette, and an overall sense of a tranquil journey in a lost world. The echoing choir effects are dazzling. 'Doobie-doobie-do' vocal on "Secret Crime" is nothing short of tongue in cheek humour in lieu of the title, a trait that characterizes the Italian culture, as it was never a country but rather will always be a grand theatre, as my grandfather once taught me. The Bertone bass highlights the lighthearted dolce vita mindset, the Cioffi drums roll like an Aperol Spritz down the gullet on a hot day.

Closing out with a marathon piece is always the right way to go, "Moon and Cloud Dancing" will take the listener on a dozen minutes of seriously pretty music, starting off as a flute and piano duet, all delicacy and flutter, the core theme leaping out and caressing the soul, acoustic guitars adding to the mellifluous luxuriance. The piano highlights the positive vibe, a most welcome delight, a serene lullaby to reflect on the beautiful things that life has to offer. Halfway through, the torrential string mellotron waves enter the fray, raising the atmosphere to heavenly heights, the operatic vocalizations appear once again and the flute signifies the eventual farewell as the night arrives, both the stars and the vapours enlaced in a tight and loving embrace, waiting for the sun to rise again.

Another fascinating chapter in this storied career, unafraid to endlessly evolve into new sonic regions, while maintaining their dedication to elegant symphonic prog undertakings. Intelligent, thoughtful, and eternally pleasing panacea for the tired 21st century mind , just plain gorgeous music.

5 peaceful souls

IQ, one of the founding fathers of the neo-prog movement, combines different styles and continues to fuel the '80s neo flame.

"The Unknown Door" opens symphonically, like "2001," with solemn trumpets; a typical Chamberlain narrative on the neo keyboard. Four minutes of takeoff on typical IQ before the first cinematic deluge leans toward "Flash Gordon" at eight minutes, with its Olympian air and heavy riff evolving their sound. A blend of electro, Peter's soft voice, and Michael's sharp guitar make for this track with a Genesis-like metallic prog sound, rather well crafted. The ambient, cinematic, dark, muffled break, distant trumpets, the opening fanfare, the apocalyptic icy cold, and the Floydian acoustics create a meditative calm. The synth has a hint of animalistic Pink Floyd before the cathedral keyboard explosion, in the style of Yes. Michael intervenes again, launching the fourth part, Peter as an angel, Neil as a liberator, and Neil as a Riverside-esque frontman. We feel Marillion for the dithyrambic melancholic finale of this unknown door.

"One of Us" features a folk arpeggio with acoustic guitar for the interlude and Peter's lyrics about a painful relationship. "No Dominion" follows with a symphonic intro drifting through Peter's signature phrasing, a melancholic Welsh poem about the persistence of life. A deep crescendo with Neil in the spotlight, piano and keyboards leading the way, the solemn air with Paul banging as best he can and Michael delivering a monstrous solo, velvety and deep. The outro features a clock ticking back in time, stunning. "Far from Here" with its lullaby, Peter narrating on a somber keyboard and bells in the background; The choruses vibrate, the drums create a menacing air, the crescendo begins with the orchestral part, the keyboards, and the smashing of the pads. It flirts with prog metal, surpassing it with a bloody riff; the electro break sounds modern, rhythmic, and groovy. The Rothery-esque guitar solo and the energetic Banks-esque keyboard burst forth before the angelic return of Peter Anderson for the nostalgic coda. A personal evocation of a dear loss. "Never Land" continues with a shimmering atmospheric keyboard, with Peter and his warm voice guiding the track in two parts; calm, ethereal, bringing us back to a flight to an imaginary island where weightlessness reigns supreme, even though the title is written in two words. The track is full of emotion for the nostalgic finale filled with hope, with rays of sunlight in the distance. The rise stops with the return of the velvety keyboard oozing with melancholy.

IQ made IQ by adding electronic sounds and heavier riffs to surf the 2020s. Powerful atmospheres weaving intense emotional sounds, a distinctive sound keeping the fan on his musical base with a little more keyboards. A follow-up album is already planned, hoping for a small musical advancement because we only have IQ here. Originally on Progcensor. (3.5)

Rainbow's last studio album of the 70s, the generally successful and hard-rocking 'Down to Earth', is an eighth-track LP displaying a more "approachable" and stripped-down sound, compared to the charmingly epic musical world of the Dio era. This August 1979 album also sees the sole appearance of vocalis Graham Bonnet and marks the last work of the band to include Cozy Powell as the main behind the drums. Further shifting the lineup, Blackmore had invited ex-Deep Purple bandmate Roger Clover to take are of all production duties, ultimately playing all the bass parts on the album, with the lineup further completed by the addition of keyboard player Don Airey, currently of Deep Purple. The commercial edge of this then-new Rainbow album takes its toll and unfortunately comes at the expense of the unbridled and epic creativity that had defined the music of the previous iterations of the Blackmore-led group.

What we have here is a guitar- and keyboard-heavy rock with strong melodies and catchy choruses, and despite the overall radio-friendly dimensions of the LP, 'Down to Earth' remains a really solid collection of songs, on which Blackmore shines through as an ingenious riff-craftsman, giving us several of his most recognizable and sharp-edged licks. At the same time, Graham Bonnet's performance is satisfactory, and he impresses as a fine vocalist, nailing all of the hooks this record has to deliver. What this work really misses is the progressive edge that had prevailed on 'Rising' and the debut album, for example; Nevertheless, the music is decent enough and most of the songs do a pretty good job of "delivering the goods" - opener 'All Night Long' is an energetic rocker that sets the tone for the record, 'Eyes of the World' is interesting and somewhat daring, while other songs like 'Makin' Love', 'Love's No Friend' and 'Danger Zone' impress with the gritty Blackmore riffs. Ubiquitous radio hit 'Since You Been Gone' if the fifth track off the album, while 'No Time to Lose' and 'Lost in Hollywood' are pure rubbish, but this, of course, is not a flawless album. Just a fine hard-rocking collection of songs with excellent guitar playing, ballsy vocals, and an enjoyable production style, which renders 'Down to Earth' as lively and organic, as much as it can be.

1 Firefly opens and puts the SOLSTICE sound in the spotlight, soft and marshmallowy with the violin and the female vocals, flirting with South American jazzy sounds; good but lacking in soul. The guitar solo saves the appearance a bit, but I don't see anything new or innovative for this band I had so much hope for. 2 Life Suit, more jazzy soft melodic fusion; a beautiful ballad like in the 80s or 90s, or even the 70s. Yes, I'm thinking of FLEETWOOD MAC; I'm waiting to find that pearl drop to get going. The mid-tempo variation that follows, with the rise of the reverberating guitar solo, saves the notes; I'm starting to doubt the appeal of the novelty. 3 Plunk, with this synth sampled on a trumpet, becomes repetitive before really getting going, bordering on annoying. The heavy guitar solo, yes, I insist, saves the appearance, but you really have to love this nostalgic atmosphere to take off; Redundant and soporific

4 Frippa for its cinematic intro, its energetic vintage keyboard; we repeat the same pattern and the same flaws afterwards, unfortunately; too bluesy-jazzy and the neo-prog I'm still looking for. The folky violin ambiance to melt, yes, but it lacks the momentum. A neo-keyboard solo contradicts me, voiceover again launching the... guitar solo always enjoyable, Andy hasn't lost any of his energy; go for the violin full of Albion. 5 Twin Peaks for the nostalgic vintage moment, where I dive back into their 1992 album! Sweetness, the bucolic enchantment of this genre apart, flirting between folklore and neo-ambience with the best guitar solo on the album, rich, gripping, a bit like IONA in fact. The vocal, with the marshmallowy hints of FLEETWOOD MAC of yesteryear, is interesting but not stimulating enough. The mid-track break is clearly neo, perhaps Matrix-esque. Yes, I want to escape; in short, from hypnotic psychedelic synth to ethereal vocals, I'm finally taking off. It starts again with a light, buzzing pad, a trendy bolero launching the final, overwhelming chorus. Phew, finally, the synth outro really reassures me.

6 Earthsong (Bonus CD) for the rehash of the track "Silent Dance" from the first album. The title track is too sugary and sticks, preventing me from taking off; a consensual tune without spark, far too melodic and predictable, a shame.

'Your Wilderness' from 2016 marks a general shift in the musical vocabulary of The Pineapple Thief, with the band experimenting with a silky-smooth production style and a rather minimalist alt-rock approach, developing a recognizable sound that borders on the acoustic, and centers around that elegiac, melancholic atmosphere that we have come to recognize the band for recently. This album also marks the first appearance of Gavin Harrison behind the drum kit, here only as a session musician, with other guests coming from Supertramp and Caravan and working on the clarinet and string arrangement parts of the album. This is an interesting album because it becomes so difficult to categorize it - the prevailing feel is that of melancholy, and the record is quite pensive and monotonous, gentle and atmospheric, almost to the point of having no recognizable or memorable melodies.

Undoubtedly the focus here is on the guitars, the drums and the vocals, and while some of the singing and the arrangements might seem infectious, beautiful and moving (don't forget about the scarce but acute use of the string arrangements as well as the punctuating Mellotron, which is to be heard on several occasions here), 'Your Wilderness' doesn't really deviate at all from the well-known formula of The Pineapple Thief, which kind of renders it less characteristic and less memorable. Yet this remains one of the band's more consistent and accessible albums, objectively considering its strengths, which is arguably why it has been seen as a general success. Notwithstanding, this record has given us some really fine songs, like the desperately astounding opener 'In Exile', the cryptic and semi-acoustic 'No Man's Land', the more eclectic and moodier 'Tear You Up' as well as the enjoyable numbers 'Take Your Shot' and 'Fend for Yourself'. All in all, an improvements in terms of songwriting, production and coherence compared to some of the preceding releases of the band is at place, which makes this an important step towards the magnificent work that is the near-perfect album 'Dissolution'.

— First review of this album —

Starting from 1967, the year it was established, Indexi were regular guests of the Sarajevo pop music festival "Vas slager sezone" (Your Hit of the Season), which they never missed until the release of this single, except in 1974 when Slobodan Bodo Kovacevic and Davorin Popovic were in the army. Therefore, "Vas slager sezone 79" was their 12th appearance at this "light music" event. It was held on April 7, 1979, in the KSC Skenderija hall in Sarajevo, and Indexi performed two compositions that would soon be found on their 24th 7" record overall, or their 11th single released by Diskoton record label. The lineup of Indexi at that time had stabilized with drummer Djordje Kisic and keyboardist Nenad Jurin, along with the standard bass guitarist Fadil Redzic, and the aforementioned duo. When talking about Indexi, the terms disco or punk rarely appear in the same sentence. Yet, although extremely opposed to each other, these two musical styles were very popular during 1979, both abroad and in Yugoslavia (albeit the former declining and the latter just emerging), which certainly did not bypass Indexi, who always listened to what new was happening on the world scene.

The A-side of the single featured a patriotic pop song with a slogan-like title, "Zivjela Jugoslavija" (Long Live Yugoslavia), for which Kemal Monteno wrote the music and lyrics, and Redzic made the arrangement. It was recorded on March 24, 1979. It begins with the strumming rhythms of an acoustic guitar, gradually joined by orchestral strings, vocals, and the rhythm section. Playful keyboards further embellish the sonic picture, and subtle influences of disco music can be felt in the beat pattern and the treatment of the electric guitar, bass, and drums. The lyrics are quite weak and banal, and seem as if they were "commissioned" by the country's political leadership for the purpose of promoting the policy of non-alignment ("Just come, just come/Black brother, white brother/Here a white dove flies to every heart/With a branch of peace"). To avoid any misunderstanding, Indexi were no exception in occasionally performing patriotic songs. On the contrary, it was standard practice during the seventies, and it would be much easier to list the performers of pop and rock music who did not engage in this. However, such songs were too often short-lived, and their artistic reach was usually minimal. Such is the case with this song too. Despite a solid musical performance - with which Indexi won fourth place at the festival - which also featured former band member Ranko Rihtman as the conductor of the RTV Sarajevo Revue Orchestra, "Zivjela Jugoslavija" remains only as an interesting historical reminder of the time in which it was created.

A much better track, however, is on the B-side, which was often the case in Indexi's singles discography. The music and arrangement for "Prazne noci, a beskrajni dani" (Empty Nights, and Endless Days) are the work of Bodo Kovacevic, while the lyrics were written by another former member, Ismet Arnautalic. It was recorded in a Sarajevo studio on March 9th. The instrumental introduction is characterized by a fierce riff on the electric guitar that Bodo employs in a hard rock manner. This extremely catchy and effective sequence was used in the early eighties as the opening theme of a popular music show on Radio Sarajevo. The boogie/rock and roll pattern is also enhanced by the electric organ, which gives the track the "old style" of classic Indexi, while the chorus also shows influences of punk in the way the guitar is played. Bodo's acrobatics with a pick scratch, on the other hand, also evoke the style of "guitar heroes" in the heavy metal genre. Only the funny and long-outdated electronic drum effects, with their high- pitched tones like those from arcade video games, clearly date the track to 1979, when these sound effects, thanks to the market availability of Simmons instruments, were very popular and often used without measure or taste. In any case, it is one of Indexi's rockiest songs in the second half of the seventies, at a time when they were gradually moving away from rock and inevitably falling into oblivion by their previously loyal audience. It is indicative, for example, that in the text summarizing the domestic scene for 1979, published in "Hit strana" of "Politikin zabavnik" youth magazine at the end of December of that year, Indexi were not even mentioned, nor did any of their songs enter the selection of 20 domestic hits. However, in the same magazine, "Prazne noci" managed to enter the top 10 chart of domestic singles during September and October, peaking at the 4th position.

The record was released during the summer of 1979 (the vinyl matrix was cut on July 16th) in a standardized graphic design of the cover, which Diskoton used for a series of single records with hits performed at "Vas slager sezone 79". On a blue background, a photograph of the band is framed to resemble a TV screen, and it shows the current lineup of Indexi. However, the image was taken from an earlier photo session done for the cover of the album "Modra rijeka" (The Blue River), which can be concluded from the somewhat Elton John-esque extravagant dark glasses worn by drummer Kisic. All in all, this single is not among the Indexi's more significant releases, although the B-side song has enough interesting moments, which remind us that even in their most pop mainstream phase, Indexi knew how to dust off energetic rock and roll when they wanted to.

PA rating: 2/5 Personal rating: 3/5

This sole studio album by Horrific Child, which was essentially just the French artist Jean-Pierre Massiera going under an alias, originally caught my eye with the awful album cover, and I just had to investigate what it was. After repeated listens, I can say, without a doubt, the album cover isn't the worst thing about this album. It has a generally good idea in terms of where the album wants to go, but it doesn't live up to how it goes there. Normally I would be ok with experimental music, but this album just doesn't do it right. The entire time the record can't decide whether it wants to be avant-prog, a sound collage, or an experimental world album. It goes in so many directions, but the execution is horrible. The inconsistency of how much of each of these varying genres is implemented into the actual passages is also very noticeable. I understand that this was under Massiera's creative freedom, and he wanted to make an experimental record, but there's not much originality on the album because artists had already experimented in these fields and pushed these boundaries decades before this was released. Also, from what I heard, the production was mediocre at best and annoyingly lackluster at worst.

In conclusion, the rating this album already has on Progarchives is pretty good at representing what this album is like. It's truly a shame because Massiera worked on a really impressive album, Atlantide's one and only album (which I reviewed a couple of months ago), and this is the next piece of music I hear that he had a more active role in writing. And so combined with all these factors, this is a 2/5 for me, and a lot of aspects could've been improved on Horrific Child's only testament to time. I would absolutely not recommend this album.