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erik neuteboom View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 07:15
 
 
 
                                               Two interesting new CD releases:
 
 
 TADASHI GOTO – Innervisions

 
 
- In the early Nineties I discovered the Japanese progrock when I listened to bands like Gerard, Ars Nova, Pageant, Novela and Cosmos Factory. I was delighted about many Japanese keyboard players with their jaw-dropping skills and super-bombastic sound, especially Toshio Egawa who played in many bands (like Novela, Gerard and Starless). In the late Nineties I was lucky to attend a Gerard gig during a Dutch progrock festival and blown away by Toshio his ‘over-the top’ keyboard wizardy. But listening to Tadashi Goto (keyboards and drum programming) on his second album Innervisions (after Soundscape in 2005), I have to admit that my Japanese keyboard hero Toshio Egawa sounds pretty subdued in comparison with Tadashi Goto his keyboardwork, way more ‘over-the-top’ and ‘super-bombastic’, what an overwhelming sound! Tadashi Goto was born in 1976 and grew up listening to classical music as a child. He began his musical career playing the organ at the age 5 and by the time he was 10 years old he had begun composing. His recognition for his creative talent grew when he joined the Yamaha Original Concert in Japan. While he was performing with the JOC, he met Yoshihiko Ujihara, professional guitarist and lead guitarist of former member of X-Japan. He taught Goto synthesizers oriented composition and progressive rock. Later, Goto was to meet Donny Schwekendiek, professional jazz pianist from Atlanta who taught him jazz rock. Goto traveled to Newcaslte, NSW, Australia and lived there for 2000 - 2001 and in 2005 he released his first solo album Soundscape, in 2008 followed by this stunning second effort entitled Innervisions.

- The 12 compositions mainly deliver heavy and bombastic atmospheres featuring thunderous drumming, strong bass lines (a wide range of guest bass players, including Tony Levin), blistering guitarwork and dazzling synthesizer runs with a variety of spectacular sounds, incredible! Some songs sound dreamy or more electronic/ambient oriened with a modern keyboard sound and the use of samples, for instance the final track The Spirits Within: a mellow blend of piano, voices and keyboards, halfway a sensitive guitar joines, very beautiful. But in general it’s a breathtaking keyboard driven progressive mix of several styles, very powerful, bombastic and dynamic, I am impressed!

 

MARTIN ORFORD – The Old Road

 


 
- In the booklet Martin Orford writes that “this is not a progressive rock album”, “it’s unashamedly retro” and “you may think that world has gone forever, but it’s still there if you know where to find it. And I have – I am on the old road”.
- Well, as a huge fan of Seventies Classic Progrock and IQ with the Peter Nichols line-up, I am very pleased with this very tastefully arranged and varied solo album that hosts a wide range of known progrock musicans like Nick D’Virgilio, Dave Meros, Gary Chandler, John Wetton and fellow IQ member Mike Holmes. The sound on The Old Road alternates between melodic rock (Take It To The Sun and Out In The Darkness), a warm solo piece on piano and keyboards (beautiful classically inspired Prelude) and dreamy climates with acoustic guitars and soaring keyboards (Ray Of Hope and Endgame) to compositions that are obvisously drenched into the compelling IQ sound featuring intense Mellotron waves, howling electric guitar runs, Moog Taurus bass pedals and flashy synthesizer flights, especially Grand Designs and The Time And The Season, what a joy! Guitarplayer John Mitchell does a very good job, often in the vein of Mike Holmes with many powerful and moving solos and great interplay with the keyboards like in Power And Speed delivering mighty Hammond organ and propulsive guitar riffs (along an outstanding jazzrock-oriented synthesizer solo). My highlight on this album is the alternating titletrack, from a dreamy intro with twanging acoustic guitar and warm vocals to slow rhythms and bombastic eruptions with majestic violin – and choir-Mellotron eruptions and great interplay between Hammond organ and dynamic drums.
- My conclusion: Martin Orford has pleasantly surprised me and I am sure that many progheads will be too!

 


Edited by erik neuteboom - January 19 2009 at 13:24
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 12:51
Hi Erik thanks for those Italian and LatinAmerican posts, you mentioned a lot of albums i adore and that i have not listened for a while. Specially the Germinale one which i love and i think is a lesser known gem of italian prog.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 13:21
 
Hola Memowakeman, muchas gracias Thumbs Up Last week I checked my Symphonic Prog Appreciation thread and stumbled upon those cascades of progrock specials I compiled out of my progrock database. By the way, how sad to notice in that thread that fine PA members like Andu and Bhikkhu have left....
 
About Spanish formation Franklin, it's one of my discoveries of 2008, very unique early progressive rock!
 
 
 


Edited by erik neuteboom - January 08 2009 at 15:16
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 15:40
Erik, when can we expect your big special on DPRP about the 100 lesser known bands? I don't want to rush you in any way (take your time, so that it becomes a quality piece), but I am looking forward to it.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 16:54
Erik, I share your views about La Maschera Di Cera...what a great album. Thumbs Up
 
The Martin Orford album is on my list as a high priority so I'll hopefully pick that up in the next week or 2.
 
By the way, loving the new Nemo album Clap Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 08 2009 at 22:09
Erik, in your very first thread-opener, you said:  "... I was lucky to witness Journey on the annual Dutch Pinkpop festival in 1978 during their first tour with Steve Perry..."
I saw Journey at about the same time (they had just released "Infinity.") at an all-day concert in southern CA with ELO as headliner.  I do so agree with you on Journey's first and third albums.  Especially if they had kept with the inspiration of their first album, they might have been one of the great fusion cross-over bands of the 70s...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 13:00
 
 
                                  Hello fellow progheads and fellow symphomaniacs.
 
 
                            First I would like to thank you all for keeping this thread alive,
                                      I am very glad with your posts and viewing Thumbs Up
 
Moogtron 'Marcel' III: I am told that DPRP is busy with the lay-out, I hope my special about the 101 new progrock bands will be published in February/March. In fact we are both looking forward to it Wink !
 
Nightfly Paul: It's my pleasure to inform the longing progheads/symphomaniacs, good to read that you like the new Nemo, do you own the 2-CD version? About Martin Orford: I had read some negative words on the homepage but in my opinion it's both a very professional as a very tasteful progrock album with some great Mellotron eruptions and Moog Taurus bass pedal moments Clap
 
Prog4evr: Great that you witnessed the Infinity tour too, that was very special and I remember very vividly Neal Schon his many biting guitar solos and Greg Rolie his Hammond B3 work but I was not really pleased with the smooth presentation of singer Steve Perry, a kind of omen that day about Journey's forthcoming polishing of their sound Unhappy Anyway, my favorite Journey album is still their first, I agree with you that this should have remained their musical direction: a dynamic blend of rock, blues, jazz and Heavy Prog, great Clap 
 
 
 


Edited by erik neuteboom - January 09 2009 at 13:18
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 13:30

^ Yes Erik, I did get the 2 cd version of the new Nemo album, limited to just 500 I believe. I'll be investigating their back catalogue this year.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 13:46
 
             Paul, good idea to investigate their back catalogue, this year is still very long so time is
                on your side.


Edited by erik neuteboom - February 11 2009 at 12:59
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 13:51
Great review Erik, Thumbs Up no doubt I'll be doing one myself after I have lived with the album a bit longer.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 14:00
 
                           Thanks Paul, I was inspired by their Progfarm 2008 gig, I hope my camcorder
                           footage will be published very soon, it's really worth to be seen Thumbs Up And good
                           luck with writing the Nemo review about Barbares.
 
 
   On January 22nd I will attend a gig by Don Airey and his band in De Boerderij (Zoetermeer), check out:
 
DON AIREY - A Light In The Sky (****)
 
A light in the sky
 
- This new solo CD by Don Airey was recommended to me by a friend with whom I share a love for vintage keyboards. I have always been a fan of Don Airey who once joined ‘symphonic jazzrock’ formation Colosseum II, who was a guest on the interesting progressive Cozy Powell solo albums (recommended: Over The Top) and who is nowadays a respected keyboardplayer in Deep Purple. During my first listening session I concluded very quickly that my friend his words were true, what an exciting and varied album featuring mindblowing work on the Hammond organ and Grand piano!
- As a huge fan of the very distinctive Hammond organ I was blown away by the way Don Airey let his Hammond organ moan and groan and scream during swirling solos in Ripples In The Fabric Of Time, Space Troll Patrol, Endless Night and A Light In The Sky Pt.2. But also a big hand for his virtuosic work on the Grand piano like in Love You Too Much (wonderful ballad with warm vocals), Sombrero M104 (sparkling with flamenco hints), Into Orbit (swirling duet with a violin) and the strongly build-up final song Lost In The End Of Time (beautiful interplay between electric guitar and a melancholical violin). And what a variety: Rainbow-like Heavy Prog with powerful vocals in Shooting Star (Hammond sound like Jon Lord and a flashy Minimoog synthesizer solo with pitchbend) and A Light In The Sky Pt.2, ‘rockabilly’ (in the vein of The Strays Cats) with Hammond organ in Rocket To the Moon, fiery guitar with a jazzy Fender Rhodes elektric piano in Big Crunch and ambient keyboard sounds in several short songs like Big Bang, Lift Off and Metallicity.
- Especially during the 12 instrumental tracks Don Airey showcases his impressive skills on a wide range of keyboards, what an exciting, well balanced and ... very progressive album!
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Edited by erik neuteboom - January 09 2009 at 14:04
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 14:32
Barbares is magic - I'll put up a third review some time not too long from now. After The Tea Club and Baku Llama, probably in about 2 weeks from now.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 14:34
 
Well Angelo, good to read your euphoric words about Nemo and I am looking forward to your reviews about bands I don't know but The Tea Club seems to be very interesting ...  isn't it?
 
 
 
                       My Friday Evening Progrock Listening Session just began and has started with:
 
 
ANGEL - Same
 
 
- I had the idea that USA formation Angel their second album Helluvaband was more progressive but today I listened to their eponymous debut LP (1975) and I am delighted this debut album! Keyboard-player Greg Giuffria (who looks like a member of other USA band The New York Dolls) ownes an impressive array of vintage keyboards and he colours almost every of the eights songs very tastefully.

- The album (almost 38 minutes) starts with the hit single Tower (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n07qiAo1lM ), this was my introduction to the sound of Angel and I am still blown away by the huge tension between the mellow parts (with flute- and choir-Mellotron and twanging guitars) and the bombastic pieces (with fat Minimoog flights, fiery electric guitar runs and dynamic drums), topped by Frank Dimino his excellent vocals, what a wide range his voice has! Then my highlight of this album, the long composition Long Time (at about 7 minutes): the intro contains violin – and flute-Mellotron, blended with warm vocals, then a slow rhythm with an omnipresent Mellotron along harpsichord  and sensitive electric guitar, halfway interrupted by a powerful break with R&R guitar. Again the vocals lift the song to a higher level! Another wonderful song is the ballad Mariner with warm Grand piano play, emotional vocals, floods of beautiful Mellotron waves and halfway a swinging piano. The other five tracks are rock-oriented but less straightforward than on the second album, I notice more inventive arrangements with exciting vintage keyboards like bombastic Hammond organ, spectacular Minimoog flights and majestic Mellotron waves, especially the final song Angel (Theme) featuring a slow rhythm with all Mellotron sections (flute/violin/choir) and fat synthesizer runs, goose bumps!

 
 
                                                            
  
 
 


Edited by erik neuteboom - January 09 2009 at 14:36
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 15:45
 
 
                  Now I am listening to Heavy Prog/Prog Metal with flamenco, both unique as exciting:
 
 
TAIFA – Alhambra (***1/2)
 
Alhambra
 
- In the late Seventies I discovered the exciting sound of early Triana, from that moment I started my quest for Rock Andaluz bands. During the years I bought the albums of Cai, Azahar, Alameda, Medina Azahara, Mezquita and musical projects like Rock Encounter With Joe Beck by flamenco guitar legend Sabicas and Picasso Portraits by the known flamenco guitarplayer Juan Martin. A few weeks ago I was ‘Googling’ Rock Andaluz and stumbled upon the name Taifa, I got very excited when I read the description of Taifa’s progressive blend of several styles (including flamenco) on their second CD entitled Alhambra (2008). The prime mover of this promising new Spanish progrock band is Luis Massot (vocals, bass and ‘laud’). In the late Eighties and early Nineties he was a member of Elikat (described as ‘melodic metal’ and ‘neo classical hardrock’), this band released a demo (1987), an EP entitled Caught In Love (1989) and the album Electrikat (1991). Then he joined Mr. Cheese in London where the idea to blend rock and an ethnic Spanish sound resulted in the foundation of a new group named Ziryab. A few months later and after many concerts, the band was signed under the new name Taifa by the Spanish label Avispa Records that also hosts the popular Spanish Rock Andaluz band Medina Azahara. Their singer Manuel Martinez produced the first Taifa album Más Allá Del Sur in 1999. The self-produced video clip Guitarra- Espejo De Mi Alma was warmly received by the media and the public. Then Taifa did numerous gigs in Mallorca, Andalusia and the rest of Spain and they joined the Al-Lama festival in Oued Laou (Tetuan-Morocco). In 2004 the demo CD Fe (3 tracks) was released, four years later followed by the second album entitled Alhambra. The trio Taifa recorded it in Mallorca, Andalusia and Morocco and invited guest musicians with different musical and cultural backgrounds who used a wide range of ethnic instruments. Taifa also released a video clip entitled Las Torres De Babel, filmed in the north of Morocco, you can watch it on the Taifa website, to me it looks very professional.
- On the new album Alhambra (10 songs, 42 minutes) Taifa is scouting the borders between heavy metal, Rock Andaluz and ethnic music. Although at some moments the climates are a bit similar, in general Taifa their music sounds as an exciting musical encounter of two different worlds: metal featuring a thunderous rhythm-section, heavy guitar riffs and blistering and biting guitar solos with spectacular use of the wah-wah pedal and the art of the flamenco with sparkling guitar runs (reminding me of Vicente Amigo his splendid work on Medina Azahara their album En El-Hakim), expressive vocals with that typical wailing undertone (to me often evoking Medina Azahara and in the more mellow parts Alameda) and some palmas and cajon. An extra dimension in Taifa their progressive musical stew is the use of keyboards, samples and ethnic instruments like the Andalusian violin. This instrument turns out to be a wonderful combination with the flamenco guitar and a great contrast with the heavy metal guitar and powerful drums in many songs. And I love the captivating duel between the violin and a fiery electric guitar in Mendigos De Una Ilusión. I am also very pleased with the sultry sound of the laud (a 12-string Spanish lute) in the intro of the song Fe. My highlights are the tracks Nunca Es Tarde (from mellow with warm vocals and tender piano to compelling with heavy guitarwork), La Casa Del Olvido (sensational blend of heavy metal climates and the sound of the flamenco guitar and violin) and Por Un Trocito De Cielo (to me it sounds like “Alameda meets Metallica” with emotional vocal parts).
- If you are up to Heavy Prog/Prog Metal atmospheres and a strong touch of flamenco with emotional Spanish vocals (often in the vein of Medina Azahara’s singer Manual Martinez), this adventurous progressive music will appeal to you. I am very curious to the development of this promising new Spanish formation, a big hand for Taifa!
 
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Edited by erik neuteboom - January 09 2009 at 15:49
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2009 at 16:42
I think you should have a listen at The Tea Club, Erik - Iván gave them four stars, and they're not even Symphonic.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2009 at 12:03
 
                                         See my PM about The Tea Club, Angelo Wink
  
 


Edited by erik neuteboom - February 11 2009 at 13:00
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2009 at 08:24
 
 Wink


Edited by erik neuteboom - February 11 2009 at 12:42
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2009 at 08:31
 
 
                                                       
 


Edited by erik neuteboom - February 11 2009 at 12:43
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 11 2009 at 15:20
 
                                        And now for something completely diferent Wink :
 
 
THE STRANGLERS - The Raven
 

 

The sound of this musical chameleon has often appealed to me, from the agressive and energetic early ‘Punk Plus Sound’ to the interesting progressive mid-era. In my opinion it started with the album The Raven that I bought in the LP version with the hologram cover.

The Stranglers were a band that played a lot in clubs and pubs, you can hear that in their sound: they have a raw energy and the interplay between the musicians is very strong. On this fourth studio album The Stranglers deliver 11 compositions in which the band showcases their huge talent as tune-smiths by delivering inventive arrangements, often cynical lyrics about our crazy world, some fine shifting moods’ and a varied keyboard sound: catchy beats with a propulsive bass sound, fluent Minimoog flights and strong interplay between guitar and keyboards in The Raven, Ice, Duchess and Genetix, a mellow atmosphere with tender piano in Don’t Bring Harry, a hypnotizing climate with spacey keyboards, distorted vocals and a tight drum beat in Meninblack and an ominous atmosphere with double bass play in the dark Dead Los Angeles. How ironical a group that is often described as punk band made such a progressive album in the late Seventies when the symphonic rock dinosaurs were artistically close to dead!

 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 15 2009 at 02:41
Hello, erik...nice thread and great reviews! Clap
 
You're surely a Japanese-prog freak!
I guess most of us Japanese don't know Japanese prog because we have a longing for English prog.
Not sticking to a few genres, I wish we could enjoy prog over the world.
 
Anyway, i've read your thread a little and got full-stomach. Wacko
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