Non-Prog Album Reviews

Rexorcist wrote: It seems that being part of the local scene is all it takes, regardless of whether or not you're a part of the genre.  This is why some people call Def Leppard a hair metal band, and why some people say L7 isn't grunge.  Hell, Metallum's kind of a mess because of it.  The neo-prog tag is grossly abused because of it.  Plus, databases are always disagreeing with each other, so I form my own opinion.  But considering that neo-prog often gets overshadowed, this could be a contributing reason.  Seriously, listen to the last two Twelfth Nights and the It Bites debut, and tell me they deserve to be called prog.  Thankfully, some places, like RYM, are taking extra care to differentiate the scene from the genre by separating them into different categories, even on the album pages.

While I have not listened to the last two Twelfth Night albums, I have listened to It Bites' debut, and it does sound like prog to me, just a bit more poppy. I think we have different ideas for what prog should sound like, which is fine, agreed to disagree and all that, but I do find it still odd to not consider Vigil to be a neo-prog record, or even put your review for the album onto the actual album's page, but that's just me.

Dapper~Blueberries wrote: Isn't Fish in the progarchives database though?

Valdez wrote: I hear the phrase "Cash Grab" a lot .  There really isn't a whole lot of money to be made in this game anymore, at this point in time.  Streams and Downloads don't pay much.  Perhaps FISH has enough draw, but not sure. Well written review.

Edited by Rexorcist - March 11 2025 at 12:05

^It took me a while to warm to A German Requiem by Brahms, but now, I have, and have recordings with Toscanini, Walter, and Haitink which I like. As for the Klemperer, I have not heard it, but I bet you have a winner there! I will search for that version....

Elf - Elf (1972)

Genres: Hard Rock, Boogie Rock, Blues Rock

Rating: 3.5/5

Hard rock is a staple of rock n’ roll, that much is recognized. From the progressive twiddling of Rush, to the more buttsy grooves of AC/DC, hard rock has cemented itself as a tour de force that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Anyways, with all that said, it's a genre with a lot of start ups, and one such start up I was very surprised about was from the band Elf.

Now, I just had to hear this album no matter the quality because of its very goofy album cover. When I saw the genres on RYM, I knew what I probably was gonna get into, since a lot of hard rock mixed with boogie rock usually play on a bunch of boomer and gen X radio stations throughout America, but I still wanted to give it a shot because the album cover depicting a scrunched up little elf man was too good to pass up.

The music itself I think is just ok. Nothing too crazy. If you ever heard bands like Canned Heat or UFO then Elf’s music is kind of like that. Very bluesy hard rock songs with some boogie elements in between. The song lyrics are also kind of what you expect, with lyrics of manly men trying to hook up with ladies, or doing other manly stuff. Since I am not a manly man, and I am not really someone who gets the ladies (I am a prog rock fan, need I say less?), these lyrics don’t really appeal to me personally. In fact I’d say they’re the weakest element from the record. They’re not atrocious, but I think they're just too standard for them to be interesting. Even around in the early 70s, songs with this amount of masculine vibrato have been around for decades, so honestly even if I was born in the 50s or so I’d probably find the lyrics here to still be boring.

However, honestly the music isn’t the most interesting thing about this record. That actually has to go to the stellar vocals on it. While the lyrics aren’t the best, I think the singer does a great job at making them a bit more tolerable. Who’s that singer? Well, surprisingly, it's Ronnie James Dio! That’s right, before he was the main vocalist for Rainbow and his own eponymous band DIO, Ronnie was in this little known boogie rock group, singing songs like Hoochie Koochie Lady before he was making his Holy Divers or Stargazers.

Honestly, Dio’s vocals are iconic for a reason, and hearing him sing on here is a treat. I think he even had some hand with one of the tracks, because Never More, my personal favorite off this album, oozes a lot of charms that Dio would carry in his future musical ventures. More mystical sounding rhythm and grooves that go throughout the track, with Dio singing about Hell and holy fire...it's like a prototype of what Ronnie would be best known for in his songwriting.

So, while Elf may be just a really fine hard rock group, the fact they gave a start to such a legendary figure in rock n’ roll history makes them a bit more appreciated. Sure, you might not get the same music out of this band as you would with Rainbow, but not every start is gonna be a big break right off the bat. Look at some legendary singers like Björk. Björk’s first album that was released in 1977 did very badly, and only is known about now because she became an alternative pop icon within the 90s. Sometimes you gotta start small before going big, not everything is gonna be lightning in a bottle.

Best track: Never More

Worst track: N/A

Dr. Dre - Compton (2015)

Genres: West Coast Hip Hop, Gangsta Rap, Pop Rap, Trap, Conscious Hip Hop

Rating: 4/5

I suppose if I had reviewed The Chronic and 2001, I might as well finish up Dr. Dre’s discography.

The year is 2015. Hip hop has practically ruled the world at this point, with many names like MF DOOM, Kendrick Lamar, and Travis Scott gaining much popularity. As well as this, 90s hip hop had become a source of massive inspiration to both new and old rappers. Not only all of that, but there was also a biographical movie coming out about the legendary gangsta rap group N.W.A, named after their most popular record of Straight Outta Compton. Because Dr. Dre was also practically in the high life with his massively profitable electronics company of Beats, and his producing efforts had become the stuff of legend within the hip hop scene, it’d make sense he’d go out of his way to gather some new and old rappers in order to create an album for the city that he grew up in as a tribute soundtrack of sorts.

Since it was 16 years since his second record of 2001, the hip hop scene had changed heavily, and so in comparison between The Chronic and 2001, Compton is very different soundwise. While it is still rooted in a west coast hip hop sound, Compton is more clean, you could say, with probably the best production out of any Dr. Dre album yet. Not only that, but the album is certainly a lot more modern sounding, using pop rap structures and trap hi-hats in more of a basis than before. I think Dr. Dre is an amazing producer, and honestly Compton really shows that off as a modern day example. Tracks like Darkside / Gone or Deep Water showcases Dr. Dre’s magnificent talents he has in the studio. He’s like the Brian Eno of hip hop, and I mean that in the most sincere way possible.

Like every Dr. Dre records, the features are certainly what makes this, however the usual fray of Snoop Dogg and Eminem don’t show up much on here. In fact I think they only appear on two songs, One Shot One Kill for Snoop, and Medicine Man for Eminem. Instead, the best feature this record has is the legendary Kendrick Lamar. I have become quite a fan of his work, especially his album of good kid, m.A.A.d city, and it's very clear he is an excellent rapper at what he does considering he is practically world famous now in the wide world of modern day hip hop. Plus, in 2015, prior to Compton’s release, he’d release his magnum opus of To Pimp A Butterfly, marking him as a part of the many pillars of hip hop.

Honestly Kendrick’s flows and verses here are really incredible. He has a way to make lyrics go from just bars to something akin to modern poetry. If you have ever even listened to one of his songs before then you’ll understand. No wonder he won a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018.

Hyping Kendrick aside, the other features on here are great, such as Xzibit on Loose Cannons and King Mez on Talk About It and Satisfaction. Features have always been what made Dr. Dre’s albums for me, and Compton certainly still delivers.

However, where the album falls back on is that personally I find this record to have the opposite problem of 2001. Where 2001 was too dirty and comical, outweighing the balance that The Chronic had, Compton feels too clean and serious. While this is certainly the best produced Dr. Dre record of the lot, I do miss the grit and grime that The Chronic and 2001 had, especially the stark lacking of a notable g-funk sound.

As for the seriousness this album has, while I do think it's preferable than the overstimulating humor that 2001 mostly had, I do kind of miss the skits and more juvenile comedy that his previous two records created. While they weren’t my favorite aspects of the albums, it just doesn’t really feel the same without some quirky little skit Dr. Dre and co. made for fun. Honestly the only ‘skit’ that’s on here is at the end of Loose Cannons, and it’s not even funny, (I mean I didn’t think most of the skits were funny before but it's the thought that counts) it's just sad.

While I do think Compton is quite underrated in Dr. Dre’s catalog, it does have some faults that most certainly make it a stark contrast from his usual affair. However, it’s still quite the hip hop record if you get down to it. It may not be a classic like The Chronic, or super noteworthy in modern internet humor like 2001, but Compton is still nothing to scoff at. Check this out if you wanna see what an older rap legend can do in the modern day.

Best tracks: Genocide, Darkside / Gone, Loose Cannons, Deep Water, Medicine Man, Talking to My Diary

Worst track: Intro

I haven't looked up this thread for some time. Very interesting! Keep them coming! I only know very few of these. The Getz/Gilberto one is 5/5 without a doubt. 

^I agree that it's a a very worthy album to check out. I had stumbled upon it about a month and half ago.

I didn't know about the angel number. 867 is also the area code of the Yukon where Dukart is from.

This Is The Glasshouse - 867 (2024)

Genres: Indie Rock, Post-Rock, Art Rock, Progressive Rock, Noise Rock, Jazz-Rock, Emo, Post-Hardcore, Math Rock, Chamber Pop

Rating: 4.5/5

Wowie zowie my last review for 2024! What a wild year, huh? I mean it's a year in the 2020s, right, it's gonna be a rollercoaster. Anyways, luckily for me, I think we’ll be ending this year off with a bit of a bang. I mean last year we did as well with Earthside’s Let the Truth Speak. However, this year we’ll be doing something a tad different. It’ll still be a prog record, but it’s something more in vain to Ugly’s Twice Around the Sun, being an indie progressive rock album. And what a great record it is, because 867 by This Is The Glasshouse is quite an amazing rendezvous through styles of jazzy inflected prog, with juicy emo and post rock elements.

This record instantly caught my eye when spotify recommended it to me, with such a stark yet beautiful album cover. Obviously one shouldn’t judge an album by its cover, but a good cover can really entice someone into checking what a band can be all about. I mean, it's kind of how records were sold in general back in the day, right? I mean, I doubt King Crimson would be as big as they are in the progressive rock community if it wasn’t for the stellar artwork done by Barry Godber for In the Court of the Crimson King. A good cover can really help an album, and I am very glad this album had the cover it did, because my god is it really good!

This Is the Glasshouse, or if you wanna go by his full name of Ezekiel Dukart, showcases an amazing understanding of musical intellect, ranging from styles of emo driven post hardcore, to virtuous post rock. I have always been a bit of a sucker for these kinds of records that really push more in all sorts of directions within the medium it plays in. That’s sort of why progressive rock is one of my favorite genres, as that genre in its entirety likes to shift things around, and around again. 867 is no different for me, but with this being a one man band, it feels just a bit more personal, which I very much love.

And I do mean personal, as Ezekiel has stated in the bandcamp page that this record took quite a long time to make, and quite a toll on him. But it's clear by the quality of music, he really wanted to make something that really does invoke a sense of love for the art of sounds and instrumentation. Through the tears and the pains this record showcases, you can tell that it has all been worth it in some way. It’s music that isn’t just some done deal, but rather music that feels like a sketch of the musician’s soul. It honestly is quite beautiful.

Trust me, it is very beautiful, but its beauty lies in its furious, yet saddening lyrics. There is a strong feeling of bitterness found in the song lyrics, both from a very struggling world around, and possibly of a deeper connection to love, and the loss of such love. Yet, despite it all, it feels very somber, like the words Ezekiel sings aren’t hateful, just frustrated and bothered, only lashing out because there is no other way to calm down. However, it could possibly go deeper than that, as a lot of the lyrics symbolize relationships in a way that mimics those within the LGBT community. It feels like a vent piece from a member of a minority group, and as someone who is bisexual it definitely feels more than just relatable, it feels almost calming knowing that someone out there also feels something similar to me, even in an aggressive way.

The title of the album and the cover with the two headed calf may be more than just random little details, as I believe they showcase what the album has going for. After all, 867 is supposedly an ‘angel number’, which is a sign from a guardian angel. A number in safety, if you will. The title using that number may be a way of showing that this album is a safe space to lash out, while also to shed a few tears. It’s like those destruction rooms you can rent out and just break stuff in if you’d like to destress. As for the two headed calf, I think it symbolizes how those who aren’t in the LGBT community may view us. Obviously there are those who aren’t in the community who’re very supportive, but of course there are those who are quite...not so fond of us to say the least. In a way, they may very well view us as the two headed calf, freaks of nature that only exist to be looked at and pointed at; circus freakshows. However, this record’s cover showcasing it in its natural homestead flips the script on its head, showcasing that, no, it’s not wrong to be gay or trans or bi, or that you’re some freak for feeling certain ways. The two headed calf may have two heads, but they’re still quite happy, living its life as it looks into the sky. Who’s to say this ‘freak of nature’ is merely a freak in our eyes, and Mother Nature views it as a beautiful and unique life within her world.

Now, you may be thinking that this’ll be a sure fire Dapper~Blueberries five star, right? Well actually I do have one problem, and that I think the instrumentation might not fully be attuned with the lyrics. As in, the instrumentation feels less brutal and raw than I wish it could be. Sure, I do really like Ezekiel’s playing styles, so it's not a major deal breaker, but I kind of wish it felt more like how the lyrics describe his world.

Despite that, 867 is a really amazing record in most facets. It is a gripping, hopeful, yet angry love letter to both music, love itself, and the LGBT community, all rolled up into an hour long package. This is a definite recommendation for me, and most certainly an album that I bet will become quite the indie classic soon in the future. If you enjoy projects like Vylet Pony, Ugly, Glass Beach, or you simply just wanna try something a little new in the progressive rock landscape, then absolutely check this album out.

Best tracks: Streetlight by Streetlight, Before Machinery, January, 867

Worst tracks: N/A