God, this is insane! Well, not really, but it is zany.

No review of this album would be complete without discourse on the lyrical themes of this irreverently titled French album ("God is Insane"). Unfortunately, French is not my lingua franca, and so, perhaps, an analysis of the music shall suffice (well, it won't, but...) However, not being a musicologist, and being rather tone deaf, I shall not be able to offer much in the way of learned observations of the music. Oh, I could bluff my way through it, focusing on tone, rhythm, harmony, and texture to make myself seem semi-intelligent, but instead I shall vaguely focus on my vague impressions, tangential commentary, and share my love of the music. Anyway, if music is the universal language, and French is the language of love, perhaps my love of this French music shall suffice.

This is a very good album to my ear, and this highly collectible and eccentric vinyl obscurity deserves a proper CD release. Since Duffard was able to secure the necessary requirements for such an ambitious and accomplished release with a large and talented group of performers, it is surprising that there is so little information readily available about him. However, he had worked on a project with Pascal Lami before who was quite a popular French pop artist, and so he must have been quite connected within the music industry. Both projects utilized a large array of performers, some of which worked on both.

I might say that this theatrical avant/ folk/ pop/ rock/ jazzy/ operatic/ Zeuhl-related album sounds as if it is Henri Gougaud meets Magma, meets Laurent Thibault, Pierrot Lunaire, and Ripaille. Additionally, I might say that it meets Hellebore, Zao, Ange, Schonberg's Les Miserables, Arthur Brown, Gyorgy Ligeti, Jerry Goldsmith and Claude Francois for a philosophical and ecclesiastical discussion over a cup of tea (champignon infused perhaps) . I could do this, or use a different set of names, but that seems excessively silly and I fear that it would not provide much help besides. Moreover, I would probably miss the best examples! More correctly, and inarguably, it is composer Pascal Duffard meets all those who participated on his project, and with some research on all those names, I could provide a more useful list than the one I presented. Suffice to say, I like to think of this project as an avant French answer to Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Jesus Christ Superstar." Musical theatre of the absurd in another way to describe this dramatic, wacky, and beautiful recording. Whether you think it absurdly good is another matter. Each vocalist plays a role in the pantomime which is unfolding -- from folk/pop to dialogue, to opera to chant, to laughter and ecstasy (each section has a dialogue of sorts with contrasting textures and tone, and the whole album feels cohesive despite jarring interjections/ juxtapositions and diverse musical expression). It seems a terrific concept even if the finer points of the concept elude me.

The album opens with a trippy, spacey piece (a la some music in "2001: A Space Odyssey") with bleeping electronics that would suit some acid-enhancing sci-fiish movie from the late 60's/ early 70's. From there, it moves into dramatic, operatic, weird free jazzy territory interspersed with experimental avant madness and beautiful poignant-sounding chanson and acoustic passages that provide good contrast and a satisfying playfulness. Bombastic, pretty, strange, pretty strange, and I think pretty wonderful. I also discern a delicious sense of irony in the proceedings.

The direction, arrangements, and performers are very good, as is the production. Although I fully want to give it five stars as it's one of my favourite albums, I find the finale a bit of a letdown. I would not expect an epic, majestic finale, but I would have liked it to end on a very dramatic note. Instead, it tails off and fizzles; not necessarily in a bad way, however. It may work well for the concept, but I would have liked something grander (perhaps of the Grand Guignal variety). The way it ends is just a bit too anti-climactic for me. So I give it four stars for the lack of "kaboom." The Earth getting blown up at the end due to a deus ex machina, now THAT'S a finale, but, though a rather Prog concept, may be too Hollywoody (especially if "the guy" and "the girl" were to live happily ever after against all odds). Considering that the vinyl can set one back hundreds of dollars, one may expect plenty of "bang" for the buck! If only there was a sequel....

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Posted Saturday, November 24, 2007 |  http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=17175#postAReview" rel="nofollow - Review this album  |  http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28343" rel="nofollow - Report  (Review #152588)

 These Trails are made for walking.

These Trails released just one album, which was a very limited, private pressing release in 1973. It wouldn't be until considerable years later that it got any significant attention, albeit this is still an obscurity. An obscurity that I find charming. While I place this roughly in the acid folk category, most of it is not really psychedelic. It's a mix.

I thought about doing a full track breakdown, but instead I'll mention some that may be of particular interest. While the initial highlight for me was the weird, psychedelic "Psyche I & Share Your Water", which starts off so beautifully, then turns so strange, the rather more conventional "El Rey Pescador" I find so utterly gorgeous that were I to make a mix album with but one song from this album, that would be my choice. It features the terrific vocals of Carlos Pardeiro, who clearly comes across, and was, a professional singer. Such beautiful guitar work, and that addition of sitar gives it something of a Spanish music meets raga quality. "Garden Botanum" is another of the stranger tracks, and the synths give it an unusual off-kilter feel. And tracks like "Hello Lou" and "Waipou" are wonderful.

While I wouldn't so much describe it as folk-rock, I think that the way the synthesizer is incorporated gives it more Prog appeal (of the electronic Prog, Dionne- Bregent ilk). Mostly I would recommend it to those who can appreciate both Acid Folk and sunshine folk,

I think it can fit alongside various acid folk acts in the archives such as Linda Perhacs ( Parallelograms), Vashti Bunyan, Shelagh McDonald, and various acid folk or acid folk related ones outside of it. It has some of Joni Mitchell's qualities, and in parts it reminds me of Comus' To Keep From Crying, which is hardly a bad thing in my estimation. While the mix of Hawaiian music, Spanish, hippyish folk, electronics, chamber folk , and psychedelia is quite unique, certainly to my collection, for those who like this, I would recommend listening to the wondrous Extradition's Hush as well as Linda Perhacs Parallelograms , Additionally, I would suggest that it has something of a "The Wicker Man" (1973) soundtrack (a favourite of mine) vibe to it, only more so if "The Wicker Man" took place on a lovely, breezy, laid back Hawaiian island and was more luau than sinister sacrifice. Still, I rather sense something slightly sinister lurking under the surface of this hippyish album, and perhaps a pig was sinisterly sacrificed for that luau (I'd rather think they were vegans). But that may merely be a product of my disturbed psyche.

If I have a quibble, a minor one, the vibrato of Margaret Morgan can be a little too distracting, but I absolutely love this album. Not that ratings matter much methinks, but five for me, and four for PA purposes (although I would not claim that it is an "excellent addition to any prog rock collection". I would say that it's likely to be an excellent addition to well rounded folkies who like Hawaiian folk music, hippy stuff, and acid folk -- how odd that that is not an option for the rating. I would sooner recommend this to folkies than proggers, and to those into gentle, pastoral music rather than thrash metal, as one might expect of a folk album. This is an essential album in my collection that I have returned to again and again.

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Posted Thursday, February 13, 2020 |  http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=61921#postAReview" rel="nofollow - Review this album  |  http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28343" rel="nofollow - Report  (Review #2316056)

Now it's important to mention K.G. came under fire from some fans and critics of the band for sounding like the band was treading water and repeating themselves. Personally though, I just thought musically start to finish the album was really solid and at the end of the day, I had a lot of fun with it. I don't think such complaints are unfounded, as when I listen to a song like Some of Us or Straws in the Wind, it sounds comfortably King Gizzard to me, but this certainly wasn't something I felt across the whole record. Personally I always judge an album on its own merits, if I like the songs, than we're chillin! Now the reason I bring all of this up is because this record is coming under even more fire from some camps for apparently being a worse offender than the last one and i'm seeing a lot of people completely write it off for this reason. However... I don't know.... I just think this album is pretty... awesome honestly! After several listens I absolutely prefer this one to K.G. and I think this delivers on the same level as many of the high points of K.G. but on a very consistent basis between its 9 songs. The tracks all jive really well together for me and it makes a really groovy, fun and relatively easy listen. This record falls heavily into their psychedelic rock camp, while still carrying some of the odd times and unconventional riffage they've picked up over time. I love the production value here and all the super psychedelic ear candy sounds scattered throughout the songs. Listening through, I just feel like I've delved into a big dusty cloud of psychedelia and I love it.

Getting into the songs now, opening up is the aforementioned "If Not Now, Then When?" It opens with somewhat of an abrasive transition from The Hungry Wolf of Fate, K.G.'s closer. But it all fizzles out as this real crunchy clavinet comes in. When the rhythm section fires off it's a super groovy and satisfying payoff that I just have to move to while listening. Lot's of great melodies throughout, just a super solid opener and a pretty unique one for the band at that. Following that is O.N.E which reminds me of Automation off the last album because I feel they both serve a similar purpose, and that being getting the ball rolling and getting some momentum kicked off for the next suite of songs. This one opens with a bit of a hypnotic and floaty start, before kicking into that very driving rhythm section. Lot's of stuff to grab onto within this song with a cool little guitar breakdown in the middle. "Pleura," follows this up and this has a real headbanging riff to it, you kinda have to headbang in a weird rhythmic pattern though but it works. This ones got a pretty frantic feel to it, towards the middle it settles down a little into a slightly toned down sounding spin on the verse before calming completely down right before we hear a good ol' "woooOOOO" bringing us right back into that main riff coming through at full power. Awesome, high energy song. Supreme Ascendancy is where the album actually steps thing up a little bit for me, and I really feel it keeps the bar at this high level for the remainder of its runtime. It's got this super upbeat psychedelic Anatolian rock instrumentation opening things up, i'm actually having a little trouble describing it but for what that's worth, I think that's the mark of something pretty cool! Just a great vibe to this one, the instrumentals here are some of their most textured if you ask me with some nice organ coming through to accompany the main hook. The following track Static Electricity is easily one of the best songs, arguably the best for my money. It opens with this super menacing guitar riff backed by a real brooding electronic soundscape. The vocals got this ghosty tone to it while in the rhythm department I really feel the now singular drummer has really stepped things up and distinguished himself as a very key member of the band now that the two drummer dynamic is no more. Everything about this song just touches all the bases for me, I love the super earthy sounding passage at the 3:00 mark, the song reaches a sweet crescendo and playout towards the end, great stuff.

East West Link follows that awesome track up and keeps the album moving carrying a similar drive to Static Electricity. We see more nice subtle rhythmic choices with some bongos? Hell yeah! There's a really cool instrumental section around the halfway mark. On it's own, this is a song I have a little less to say about, but it fits like a glove in the context of a full album listen. The following track "Ataraxia," is another highlight and contender for the best song. The riffage in this song is tied for the best on the album for me, more on that later! When the full band comes in the main riff is just absolutely filthy and once again, I think a lot of credit for this can be placed on the drumming. When it suddenly moves right into the verse like a light switch, it's just so satisfying, pardon me for sounding like a broken record here but once again, the stars of the show here are the drums and bass seamlessly playing around the riffs and vocal melodies. I just cant rave about this track enough, a real mastery of rises and falls, build ups and payoffs. Now in the final stretch, "See Me" comes through next taking you through a dusty maze of music. It has a pretty bouncy feel to it with more of those uhhh... hard to describe psychedelic chiming instrumentals taking the lead. I'll group this one with East West Link as being less of a track you'll just throw on out of context, but in a full album listen, this is a nice bridge between two of the goliath songs. That brings me into the closing track, the familiarly titled "K.G.L.W" which ties these two albums all together. This song, clocking in at over 8 minutes King Gizzard pulls through with in my opinion, one of their best songs ever. Combing elements of Prog Metal, Doom/Stoner Metal and Pysch Rock, it's like a fever dream for me. I'd have to argue it's much more successful and original on all fronts than K.G.'s closer "The Hungry Wolf of Fate." The riffs are so crunchy throughout and these eight minutes and change just melt away as King Gizzard takes you on a hellish tour through evil L.W. land or.... something? One thing I really like about this song is that there's very little downtime and they come at you basically right out the gate with an aggression. At 2:07 it drops into this awesome rhythmic riff and I think the fact that it comes out of a stretch of 7/4 into this 4/4 section makes it a very enjoyable and hard hitting transition. Some of the more doomy elements follow with larger than life walls of muddy distortion followed by some sweet slow and fiery riffage. The band has proved to be more than competent at this style, and I'd love to see them embrace it more on a full album basis, even the fact that you could classify parts of this song as Progressive Metal makes me very excited. The prospect of King Gizzard tackling that style.... oh man.

So yeah, I just really love this record and I really can't really get behind some of the flak getting thrown its way. There's been times in the past where I feel like the band has missed the mark or undelivered a little bit, but that's just not the case for this album. Every song hits the mark, I have a ton of fun listening to this record on repeat and I think it stands sturdy and comfortably against some of their other really good albums! Thanks for reading, giving this one 4.5 stars. Am I going against the grain here? If so, that's okay, this bands got something for everyone in my opinion and I'm just happy that they're one of the premier modern rock bands and I get to be a fan during their reign! Cheers!

(For progarchives sake, I'm going to begrudgingly round down to 4 stars, time will tell where it ultimately falls!)

First: Foxtrot - Genesis 

 Foxtrot is my favorite album ever made, period. My list of top 10 changes quite frequently but in all my time listening to prog, this has remained constant

We open with the soaring Mellotron of Watcher of the Skies, if this isn't the best use of a mellotron in prog, I don't know what is. The band progressively joins in and holds no punches. It's also worth noting Collins also has some carpel-tunnel inducing drumming going on.

The production on Collins drums and the album overall is fantastic as well. Gabriel sounds great and everything has a punch behind it

We have two softer tracks with Time Tables and Horizons. Time Tables is more of a banks song, it has a real comfortable old-english vibe, it's got a nice hook. While horizons is Hacketts classical inspired piece. Makes me feel like in sitting on a beach all alone during the sunset.

Get em Out By Friday has always been a favorite, awesome explosive intro (drumming is worth noting) with a hard hitting verse. It's a song in the same style as Epping Forest or Hogweed where gabriel plays several different characters. My favorite part is when it turns to acoustic ("After all this time...") Gabriels vocals actually have some real emotion behind it in this section.

Can Utility and the Coastliners is a real gem. It starts light and builds into a heavy song with the dark organs found throughout nursery cryme. The band plays with such a great intensity throughout the song

Well... you already know Suppers Ready im sure!

I'll keep it short but it is never boring and the climax at the end is chilling. Its perfection, and I'll leave it at that.

In my opinion, this is the best album ever made, a few come close for me (Animals, Court of the Crimson King, Moonmadness) but I doubt that in my lifetime i'll hear an album better than this.

We've come a long way, foxtrot is no longer my favorite prog album ever made :) I think over the last couple years i've really improved my writing quite a bit, likely through reading others more descriptive reviews.

The new LP is right up there with Brave and Marbles, two works of utter genius, and by far the finest works by the band. Happiness Is The Road comes at a particularly creative period for the band.

I will not review track by track - it would take too long.

The LP is produced magnificently and the soundscapes and atmosphere are intriguing and beautiful. Mark Kelly's work is particularly to the fore in this LP and Steve Rothery is used somewhat sparingly, but, as ever, adds so much. And yes - Steve Hogarth dominates with his vocals, and rightly so. Listen to Essence to see why I regard the man as the greatest vocalist in modern day progressive rock.

So....you will not get any early Genesis sounding tracks (and I love these, by the way). What you get is a modern band still pushingthe boundaries of progressive music and creating true radical music - surely what we are all after?

Download this from the Marillion website. You will not regret it.

My latest of 343 reviews is Steven Wilson’s latest.

The answer to the (as far as the so-called hardcore fan base is concerned) "sellout" electronica pop/rock album that is The Future Bites is yes. I do like it. It is clever conceptually regarding rampant commercialism and its use of technology (Follower is a very clever commentary, as well as including a fantastic guitar riff). Musically, it is as tight as one would expect from a maestro musician. In terms of its sound, it is as polished as one would expect from the man most in demand for remixes on the planet. And in the 10 or so listens thus far, each time I find myself foot-tapping and head-nodding in appreciation at what I am hearing, most definitively on the quite marvellous 12 Things I Forgot, which, perhaps deliberately, reminds one strongly of my favourite Porcupine Tree track, Lazarus. 

Elsewhere, we have a guest slot by Elton John on Personal Shopper, an extremely clever exposé of all those utterly inessential "essential" items of shopping we are so addicted to, showing if nothing else that Sir John has a nice sense of irony about himself. The passage where he reels out the list of items is a dreamy sequence in stark contrast to the relentlessly upbeat opening themes, and this continues before the corporate electronica reasserts itself.

Most of the music here is beat driven and electronically upbeat, and certainly a massive contrast to the relentless, if brilliant, gloom of Hand. Cannot. Erase, although there are a couple of tracks which can be identified as natural progressions from that album in their melancholy, namely Man of the People and Count of Unease.

All in all, I admire this album and the driving force behind it. Wilson is progressing, and taking his musical vision to places he wants them to go, rather than the somewhat obsessive minority who demand a repeat of In Absentia every time he records something.

In closing, I might also add that this album reminds me quite a bit of that period in the early 1980's when every "proper" Genesis fan decried the commerciality of ATTWT and Duke, and wanted Collins strung up after the massive success of Face Value. Let me tell you something. There are a great many people about now who love a lot of the music we hold dear on this site because of the accessibility of those albums, and others such as 90125. They listened, and thought, "this ain't half bad", and explored further.

Steven Wilson is a man who I think is becoming more and more like the man he obviously holds in the highest regard (and it is reciprocated), namely one Robert Fripp, an artist and leader who spent an entire 50+ career reinventing himself and his music.

I for one look forward very much to the next instalment of Wilson's journey, because The Future Bites is an excellent album those with an open mind to class pop/prog/rock will take a great deal of enjoyment from.

And you know what? As much of a masterpiece I regard aforementioned Hand....this one will be on the deck quite a bit more often, even if it is as background whilst I work. Yep. Accessible. Easy to listen to, but still oozing intelligence in every note and word. That will do for me.

Here we have the humble beginnings of what will become one of the greatest prog bands of the 1970s. It's basically a collection of mellow 1960s pop songs, sorely lacking the musical and lyrical skill of Trespass and all other albums that followed. Still, you can hear potential here and there on this oddity of a record. On some of the songs, Gabriel's voice carries that raw energy he would be widely known for on later recordings, especially on the song "In the Beginning." The music though, has an almost demo feel to it.

Not the best place to start if you want to get into Genesis. I would recommend starting with Trespass and then acquiring each album chronologically after that. Only for the curious, thus two stars.

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Latest review was Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets - Live at the Roundhouse, December 3, 2020:

 This review is for the 2 CD/DVD version.

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets had its origins not with Nick Mason, but with guitarist Lee Harris (formerly with the new wave, post-punk band Blockheads). Harris realized that no one asks Nick Mason to do anything anymore and no one was really performing the ancient stuff from Pink Floyd's oeuvre. Harris happened to be good friends with bassist Guy Pratt, Pink Floyd's bassist since the A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour. Harris didn't think Mason would ever consider his idea, so he sold it to Pratt and Pratt loved it. And so Pratt took it to Mason and the idea took off.

So, Pratt was also friends with Gary Kemp, lead guitarist and backing vocalist of new wave band Spandau Ballet, and Dom Beken, keyboardist from The Orb and collaborator of Rick Wright who is responsible for maintaining Wright's archive. He suggested them to Mason and they started rehearsing just to see what would happen. A rehearsal with family and friends was well-received and then a sold-out test show at Dingwalls, a 500-seat club in London in May 2018. A couple more small shows eventually led to a European tour in September 2018, followed by a North American tour in 2019.

This package contains 2 CDs of the live set recorded from concerts held at The Roundhouse in London, on May 3 and 4, 2019. It also includes a DVD of the performance. The live set included performances of selected songs from Pink Floyd's albums from 1967 to 1972, all pre-Dark Side material. The only album that no material was taken from was the studio portion of Ummagumma. The set list also included the singles Arnold Layne, See Emily Play, and Point Me at the Sky. It also included the song Vegetable Man which was considered for either their second album or as their third single, but was scrapped (it later appeared in the The Early Years box set).

So, Mason didn't want this to be just a covers band. He let the members add their personalities to the songs. Some of them were extended, some of the bass lines were modified, additional guitar solos were added, more modern keyboards were melded into it, and slight rearrangements here and there. But although they had this freedom to put their own stamp on these early songs, they tried to be respectful of the originals. The end result is a refreshing experience giving us not just a taste of what these might have sounded like back in the day, but bringing them into the present in a very tasteful manner for newer generations to hear.

One thing that really touches me with this one is it's diversity. They pulled a wide range of different types of songs from a five-year period in which Pink Floyd was experimenting in many ways just find who they were as a band. From dizzying psychedelic wipeouts using many interesting effects, to whimsical fairy-tale psychedelic pop songs, to heavy rock and rollers, to grandiose and pompous displays of instrumental prog rock. The gang here really put some thought into these selections so that they would gel together in a seamless manner,

Highlights for me were performances of Astronomy Domine; the amazing riff of Lucifer Sam; the very robotic and electronic feel they gave to Obscured by Clouds/When You're In; a stunning performance of Remember a Day that would make Rick Wright proud; the seamless integration of the first part of "If" with selections from the Atom Heart Mother suite, ending with a reprise of the second part of "If"; the wonderfully complex bass riff of Let There Be More Light; an extended performance of Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun (complete with gong); the whimsical Bike; the fan classic One of These Days; and an amazing performance of the band's namesake, the instrumental A Saucerful of Secrets.

The band is tight, plays well together, and plays off of each other skillfully. Lee Harris is no David Gilmour or Syd Barrett, but he pulls off all the solos with grace and skill. Pratt's bass playing is, in my opinion, an improvement over Waters. Kemp's guitar work is also skilled and definitely has the effects down pat. Both Kemp's and Pratt's vocals are no replacement for the originals and that might be the only thing somebody might have something negative to say. However, they made these songs their own and stamped their personalities on it. The harmonies the two do together are a nice fit. Beken very much nailed Wright's style of playing and you even hear a little bit of his experience from The Orb here and there. He keeps with the original sounds when it seems right and ventures off into new territory in places where it seems to make the songs better than the originals. It's a nice and refreshing touch.

The star of the show is of course, Nick Mason. The pre-Dark Side period of Pink Floyd has some of the most complex and adventurous drumming Mason did during his career. At the age of 74 (at the time of the recording of this concert), he can still perform this amazing stuff in all its glory. I was quite impressed with his performance. And he hasn't forgotten how to use the mallets.

The lighting at the show was in the true Pink Floyd fashion. The Victorian features of The Roundhouse give it an almost surreal atmosphere. The building was originally constructed in 1847 and it contained a railway turntable inside of it. It reopened in 1964, first as a cultural centre with a theatre, and in 1966 as an arts venue. Both Pink Floyd and Soft Machine performed on its opening night. Performances were on a makeshift stage with power running from nearby buildings. So in a way, this 2019 performance was a way of making a full circle back to the beginnings of Mason's career.

The DVD also has some bonus features. There is a short film of some of their band rehearsals. This was nice and all that, but it was too short and not enough band banter to make it interesting. The meat of the bonus features are interviews with each of the band's members. This was a joy to watch to learn about how they all knew each other and how the band evolved and some of the history of Pink Floyd.

So, in closing, a big thank you to Lee Harris for having this gem of an idea. And a big thank you to Nick Mason for having the guts to bring this early period of Pink Floyd back to life and presenting it in such a refreshing and tasteful manner.

A well deserved five stars.

I was immediately drawn by the mysterious and colourful liquid painting cover by Tony Jimenez that reminded me of Tangerine Dream's "Atem", and I think it reflects perfectly the music found on this album.

The opener "Everlasting Footprints" was initially recorded in 2015 as an homage to Edgar Froese who had recently passed away but was shelved for a few years (as he didn't want to capitalize on Edgar's passing) and then was reworked for this album. In this 22 minute piece Michael explores the whole Tangerine Dream sonic universe, from Mellotron flutes, to wavetable synthesis and pulsating sequencers with glimpses of piano, organ, guitar and drums. While it could seem like a huge mess on paper, he successfully managed to create a mastercrafted tapestry of sounds. Some elements are used sparingly while others come and go to provide an anchor in this relentless and constantly evolving epic.

After that long musical journey, "The Sequence of Memories" brings some stability while never losing momentum, with its bright sequencers, wobbly synths and reverberating pads.

"Carbon" is a very odd and unpreditable track (in a good way), even after a few dozen listens I never know where it will take me. Slightly deranging at first, percussive the next moment and suddenly becomes contemplative. On the second half it starts shifting gears and all these elements collide to form the most fascinating and indescribable mood.

The album ends with "Space Suit", a cinematic three-part suite. The story I imagine is of an astronaut in awe with the sight of a strange yet beautiful quartz based planet. Suddenly the floor crumbles under his feet and after regaining conscience he finds himself in a luminous cave. Realizing that he lost communication with the ship, he has to find a way out before the oxygen runs out.

As usual, bonus tracks are provided, for those who want to dig deeper in his work and creative process. The CD has the 2015 recording of the opening track (simpler but not less engaging) while the download also comes working versions of the other tracks and improvisation sessions.

Once again Michael Brückner takes us on a colourful and emotional ride, constantly engaging and immensely inspired.

5 stars.

These Jersey boys really know how to Rock!! The album opens in barnstorming style with the rip-roaring Jazz-Rock number "Forgotten Dreams". There's no chance of sleeping through this song though. It's a Hammond organ driven blast from the past (with shades of Brian Auger) that barrels along relentlessly for nearly three incredible minutes. The peaceful island of Bergerac and Beaujolais and Jersey cows will never be the same again. Onto Song No. 2 now and we're about to meet the "Pretty Haired Girl", a bright and bubbly Pop concoction about a girl who's sweet and nice, which sounds as warm and refreshing as a glass of pink champagne on ice. You can take comfort in the next lovely song too because it's "Springs' Sweet Comfort", a dreamy psychedelic flowers-in-your-hair number that's just as gently laid-back as the song title implies. You can almost smell the aromatic incense wafting over you in a purple haze of smoke. This song's as psychedelic as an explosion at a paint factory. After that dreamy song, it's time now to wake up and smell the coffee for "Early Morning Eyes", a lively jingly-jangly guitar number that's very reminiscent of the high- flying Byrds, and very good it is too. You can Turn Turn Turn and shake your Tambourine along to this danceable early morning wake-up call, or if you're not feeling that energetic, you can simply tap your feet along to the beat. It's all aboard the train now for "Follow Me", another catchy upbeat song to close out Side One, where the singer repeatedly urges us all to follow him around the mountain, until he finally runs out of steam.

And now we arrive at the big production number and the highlight of the album so far: "Evening". This gorgeous song features heavenly harmonies to die for, dynamic power chords and soaring vocals backed up by the tremendous sound of the Hammond organ. In fact, it's everything you could wish for in the best of Prog-Rock and had the potential to be a huge hit, if only... Sadly, the song was never released as a single, so it wasn't even a hit in Jersey, never mind the rest of the world. Anyway, don't be sad, because as Evening draws to a close it's time for some midnight romance with "Don't Be Sad". It's a gently lilting Folk refrain, so just lie back and relax and let this beautifully-crafted mellow ballad carry you away on a sea of blissful sweet dreams. This very impressive album continues with "Little Goldie", a warm- hearted song that sounds as sweet as honey and features some simply sublime guitar vibes. The penultimate song is an uplifting salute "To Happiness", when you're already halfway to happiness if you're lucky enough to have this wonderful long-lost album in your treasured prog collection. And finally, "Home" is where the prog is for an epic 3- piece suite to close the album. This sweeping seven-and-a-half minute long masterpiece is very reminiscent of The Beatles and makes a suitably fitting tribute to a marvellous album.

The Parlour Band's superb one-off album Is A Friend that deserves a warm welcome in any Prog-Rock fan's home.

Is it considered fair or unbiased to write a review for an album if you were involved in its making? I don't see why not, as long as you stay honest with yourself.

In the late 70's and early 80's I performed sound engineering duties for BUSKER both live and in the studio. Northern Fantasies existed only as a demo recording, recorded in 1975 on a 4 track reel to reel using bounce tracking. It was with great satisfaction that I finally convinced BUSKER keyboardist Steve McCann to turn this demo into a proper release. The music was slightly rearranged and a few single songs from the band's past were added to round out the Northern Fantasies album in 2007. I personally mixed, edited and mastered this release as well as photographed and designed the CD packaging.

Production :

This album was recorded at the BUSKER home studio and mixed and mastered at my own White Pine Media studio. The overall sound of the album has stayed true to its '70's roots in order to capture the mood of the pieces at the time they were written (1974). Many of the keyboard parts utilize the vintage sound that listeners of early prog may appreciate. But rest assured, the production is modern, clean and dynamic and shows what can be accomplished without a big studio budget when the music comes from the heart

16/20

Song Writing :

Northern Fantasies is comprised of 20 tracks in all, although they are presented in a 'concept album' format with most songs running into the next for a full 45 minute piece of music. I prefer to think of it more as a musical travelogue since all of the pieces are written about, or inspired by visits to various locations across the great nation of Canada. Not to mention that when originally performed live Northern Fantasies was accompanied by a multimedia stage show that included film and a slide show. This eclectic collection of music spans everything from progressive rock "Overture, Run Sun, Finale" to east coast folk "Uncle Alexander Newfoundlander, Inverness", classical "Winterlude" to jazz "Gastown" to straight ahead rock "Dangerous Dan McGrew" and just a little comic relief for good measure "Looney Bird, Lumberjack's Song (Fifi)"

17/20

Originality :

Northern Fantasies is a very original piece of music. While it's hard not to hear the influence of ELP in "Rocky Mountain Fanfare and Fugue" or Gentle Giant in the vocal stylings of "Run Sun" and "Coureurs de Bois" this is by no means a copy cat band who strives to sound like any other. While many prog listeners might associate Rush with the voice of Canadian prog, BUSKER presents a truly Canadian voice that captures the diversity of the country and its people with unmistakable originality.

20/20

Performance :

In listening to Northern Fantasies it's clear that Steve McCann and Randy Dawdy are proficient musicians (see band bio). What's refreshing is that the band doesn't suffer from DTS (Dream Theater Syndrome) or MGM (Musical Gymnastic Meanderings), that sometimes annoying habit of speedy scales to prove ones musical ability. Here BUSKER shows that they are players, being thoughtful when the mood is right "Atlantic Fisherman's Saga" or downright pompous "Finale" when it suits their purpose. Admittedly Steve is not a top gun on the guitar, but the fact that there are only two musicians to create this full symphonic sound shows what masters the are in their respective fields.

15/20

General Impressions :

Northern Fantasies is a valiant effort by an independent band that has not let the fact that a recording contract eluded them stop them from turning out some incredibly interesting and unique music. Always a band to hold high the flag of Canada, BUSKER proudly waves the maple leaf banner and serves up a nice slice of Canadiana for all to hear. This is by far the band's best overall album both for production and continuity. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to hear more of the Canadian progressive scene

17/20

Total = 85/100 (85% of 5 stars)

4.25

The Last one was Dec. 25 2014

Keith Emerson / Greg Lake Live From Manticore Hall

19 ratings with an average of 3.49

Slow and steady may win the race But some of these tunes need to pick up the pace

Full Disclosure :

Emerson shaped my youth with his brash, attacking style and Lake's smooth full voice filled my head with wonder, but as is life, we all have our "Time and a Place". As much as I still tell people who care about such things that ELP is my favorite band, this is a 'stroll' down memory lane and not an 'invigorating raunch' as would have been preferred. So this 'Rocker Walker' tour release must be viewed from that perspective.

Production :

If only ELP had had this same production value on earlier live albums, clean, clear and punchy. But that's only a part of production. Not having a real drummer is one of the first scars I find on this recording. Through no fault of their own (or maybe it was?) Carl Palmer is clearly absent. This leaves the recording a little thin and as much as I appreciate what Keith and Greg wanted to provide here they should have had a drummer in the wings to provide that vital support.

15/20

Song Writing :

During Greg's intro to this concert he speaks of he and Keith getting together in his studio to write some songs as the inspiration for this concert. Yet no new songs appear on this album. I find this to be one of the biggest issues I have with this album. What better way to thank the fans that have stuck around this long but to dish up some new music. Unfortunately it's not to be. Instead we get another greatest hits live outing. There is really nothing to draw an audience to this album short of completionism and I plead guilty as charged.

5/20

Originality :

I've mentioned in other reviews that live albums are tough for me to score high unless the musicians make a concerted effort to elevate the songs beyond their original arrangements. Few musicians or bands have done this well although I place ELP among them for re-arranging their own songs from time to time to keep things interesting. Opening the album is a very pleasant rendition of "From the Beginning" which promises an album of sonic bliss to come. For the most part it does deliver. Tarkus on the other hand is the counterbalance to this with a slow trodding version that ends in a distracting noisy synth solo that does nothing to enhance this once excellent piece of music.

6/20

Performance :

Like the 40th anniversary High Voltage concert this performance suffers from a lack of raw energy. But at 70 years of age for Emerson and 67 years for Lake what's to be expected. All our bodies break down over time and none expose it so much as athletes or musician who built their legacy around sacrificing their bodies for the love of their craft. The speed that made many of these tunes legendary has been slowed considerably and still the boys have trouble staying in time with one another.

Without Carl's involvement here, turning to the infamous 'Japanese Drummer' when needed left me feeling hungry for a more rhythmic performance. A complete re-arrangement of songs like 'Bitches Crystal' to a more, jazzy piano guitar piece might have saved this album a little.

One of the few saving graces I found was the beautiful guitar serenade on "From the Beginning" and the sweet piano intro to Luck Man that concludes the album. There is little to no improvisation here and it's a quality I greatly miss in this recording, even the Lucky Man synth solo is weak and dull.

8/20

General Impressions :

This was certainly a disappointment after waiting so long to hear it. It could have been an excellent memoir of two of Prog's greatest contributors but instead turns out to be a soon forgotten night of two buddies kicking back, not quite sure how to remember the times of yore.

8/20

Total = 42/100 (42% of 5 stars)

2.10

Maybe a little harsh for my hero, but I had to be honest. After his death His partner, Mari did an interview...

"He read all the criticism online and was a sensitive soul. Last year he played concerts and people posted mean comments such as, 'I wish he would stop playing.' He was tormented with worry that he wouldn't be good enough. He was planning to retire after Japan. He didn't want to let down his fans. He was a perfectionist and the thought he wouldn't play perfectly made him depressed, nervous and anxious."

It made me more sensitive to what I had written.

At the very first listen I had to wait for this song before something clicked in my mind, but I don't regret having waited enough, as with the following listens all the tracks deserved to be listened to.

What clicked is the similarity, at least what I think is a similarity, with the experimental side of Franco BATTIATO. So, having in mind something to be used as a key for the listening experience, I later appreciated the whole EP.

I (still) don't know the previous works of Metronhomme, so I can't say if this is different. For sure having composed, performed and recorded it by exchanging files via network during the lockdown must have had its impact on the overall process.

But let's speak about the music: Quarantine is a short instrumental mainly based on electric piano and keys. A bit jazzy with electronic percussion which are not sequenced but "played by hands" as the drummer Andrea GHEZZI proudly states on the bandcamp page. Short and light, not as dark as a quarantine can be. Come La Neve (As the snow), has lyrics and a lazy tempo. It gives me the idea of a naif painting or a b&w photograph. Very atmospheric.

As already said, "..di una moneta che cade" is my favorite track here. Experimental in the choice of sounds, with that bit of electronic which is not too invasive, so that the track can show its structure and continuity. But there is continuity throughout the whole EP. The sounds and the lazy tempo of the tracks, even when it gets more rhythm as in this one, are consistent with a dreaming soundscape. It gives the idea of a very unusual situation, like in some dreams, but far from being a nightmare.

"Supermarket" is very interesting. Experimental again, with the weird female voice speaking of trivial things like her favorite supermarket. The banality of daily life even during the pandemic.

Arkhe' is a greek word, meaning "beginning" or even "ancient". "Ark" derives from it. A piano based track, similar in some ways to the album opener. I'm not able to say what language is spoken below the music. Arabic or Russian?

Il rumore del Mare (The sound of the sea) is a proper song and the lyrics are about the strange summer of 2020. "L'estate dipinta su un muro" means "Summer painted on a wall". Curiously, "Son y Myr" (sound of sea) is one of the few things that I know in Welsh. Nothing to do with the album, which is closed by the darkest track: La citta' di K. (The city of K,) which I suppose has something to do with Franz Kafka. I wonder whether the SciFi sound in the first part of the track is a theremin.

Not "essential" in the progarchives sense, but surely not wasted time. About 25 minutes of dreamy soundscapes and the intention of digging the Metronhomme music further.

Note: 3 PA stars can have a different meaning if instead of "good but not essential" it's read as "not essential but good". And good is what I mean.

Compare this review to my recent review of To A New People. Most of what I wrote there applies, except that the two tracks here: Arabesques and Up the Pass, are quite a bit harder rocking! They have a similar sound to some more heavy Post/Math rock (such as Russian Circles). The longer track, Arabesques, has a hypnotic deep beat and melody, switching in the middle to a quicker bridge with an amazing bass-line. There are no vocals, but some cool vague talking at the end. Up The Pass has an up-tempo complex rock beat with some spacey-jazzy synth lines and a bit of funkiness.

Quite an enjoyable "album", (except, too short to be a real album). In spite of the length, I like it quite a bit more than To a New People (though mostly listen to them together, like they're a single album). 4.3 stars for sure. Recommended If you like heavier spacy, jazzy-rocking instrumentals.

My first review was this, for Shadowfax, (a band that had very few reviews/ratings at the time in 2013). Looks like I'm still the only non-collaborator to have reviewed it.

Review for Watercourse Way:

For my very first album review on Progarchives, I've decided on one of the better albums I've heard that seems to be less well-know and perhaps doesn't get quite the attention it deserves. In fact, I'm a little surprised, as this is just such a great album; one of the better jazz-rock/symphonic albums that I have heard to date. True, Shadowfax is classified as "crossover", and considering their later career, I suppose they are. But Watercourse Way is much heavier, and to my ears, sounds more passionate than at least some of their later albums (four of which I have heard as of writing this review). Shadowfax went much lighter, more like New Age music after this album. I wouldn't say the band's path was necessarily a mistake , as I don't know the details of their history and can't judge. However, after hearing Watercourse Way, I can't help but wonder if they could have become one of the more preeminent Prog acts had they chosen to continue with a similar sound, rather than moving into new agey territory.

In any case, Watercourse Way is worth a listen for anyone who really likes jazz/rock, symphonic, and/or eclectic prog. It just sounds so progressive, with all the elements: multiple instruments, (including ethnic ones like the sitar), shifting time signatures, a mix of harder and softer tunes, and complex arrangements, which are, IMO, very good ones, on par with many of the best Prog bands of the 70's. As it is, I suppose the album could be classified as a "hidden gem". A solid 4.2 stars.

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=4823" rel="nofollow"> http://www.progarchives.com/Collaborators.asp?id=4823" rel="nofollow - micky Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator

this is an easy album to review. If you are reading this you are probably familiar with the music and language of Magma. If not.. get acclainted with a copy of Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh. This album is an 'official' bootleg recorded in Brussels at Theater 140 the 12th of November 1971. The date is significant for a couple of reasons. First off this was the first public performance of Mekanik Kommandoh which of course became the basis for their landmark (and essential album of prog) Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh. Secondly as a huge fan of the fusionairy debut album Kobaia, I wanted to hear live versions of songs from that album. On both counts the album left me completely satisfied. Being a offficial 'bootleg' I feel a word about the quality of the album should be said. It is a released bootleg so don't expect 100% perfect sound quality. This album is for probably for Magma fans only. That said the quality was never a hinderance to my enjoyment of the album. Now on to the album itself The album contains three songs off of Kobaia. Stoah, Kobaia, and Aina. The whole of the 1001 degrees Centigrade album, and two works in the formative phases at that point. The aforementioned Mekanik Kommandoh, and Sowiloi which would turn up later on the outakes album Inedits. The one thing that really stood out between this album and the previous versions of songs I noticed, was the Rhodes Piano and it's central place in the live Magma sound. Many accoustic parts in Kobaia were played instead by the Rhodes. That took a bit of getting use to for me since part of my love of Kobaia was the great accoustic piano playing. The highlights for me... Stoah. Those opening vocals are impressive. Even more so in the live environment. The vocals are so massive on this album. Must have been an incredible live show. Iss Lansei Doia. My least favorite song off of 1001 is transformed here into a favorite by a simple shift in instruments. The menacing intro riff instead of being played on the bass is instead played on the accoustic piano. Adds a whole new darker vibe to it. Mekanik Kommandoh a showcase for Blasquiz's vocal improvisations. A fascinating listen. 18 minutes of total musical freedom. Magma is not for everyone so I'm torn in trying to rate the album. Much like my ELO album earlier today, my personal score will be several stars higher than I actually rate it. For myself 4 stars. In general for the prog community. Magma/Zeuhl completionists only but that is no reflection on the incredible quality of this music. micky micky | 2/5 | 2006-4-6

It should be natural for listeners like me to love prog-metal. I enjoy prog, and love metal. Yet for some reason the mixture of the two just never really connected. I had long thought I had simply been missing a group or album that connected with me. I think a large part of it was continually having Dream Theater pushed upon me as the 'gateway' band and finding that group was for myself, and likely many others, exhibit A why prog-metal inspires such negative feelings. While the musicianship was stellar, the songwriting was not on par with the abilities of the musicians. The sum of the parts can often exceed the sum of the groups work. The vocalist was also a HUGE turn-off for me. Some years ago I reviewed their 'masterpiece' and, while I hated the album, I still rated it quite highly as it was regarded a masterpiece of the genre - and who am I to disagree. I did often long to hear a consensus masterpiece of the genre that I really enjoyed. Well? I finally found one? this album.

Why does this album connect to me whereas others have not? That begins with the incredible vocalist of Symphony X, Russell Allen. Allen's singing is powerful, clearly inspired by one of the greatest of all metal vocalists, the late great Ronnie James Dio. Vocals pleasing to the ears and so full of color, and nuance. In this band I found a vocalist who is a vital component of a group's sound, not a distraction to that sound, or a mere deliverer of lyrics. Musically this album is prog-metal, but what does that really mean? As it is a metal album, you want to hear great riffage, and it is the riffs themselves that often separate great metal from the not so great. The riffs are driving and brutal in their intensity and often drive me to fits of insane headbanging. It is music full of intensity, and life, one of the main things I and many others love so much about metal. If this was just a metal album, however, I wouldn't be reviewing it. As a prog fan, I want to hear great musicians playing their asses off and with some sort of nod to what made prog, prog: the merging of 'high art' and music. Prog for many has come to be a password for long compositions, and outstanding technical ability. That is especially true, in my opinion, in classic prog metal and shown not in an ensemble context but through the soloists. The album has plenty of great solos, mandatory I suppose for prog-metal albums, but what I love about this album is the relative lack of emphasis on the soloists, thus the album has less a feel of 'look at me' and there is more an emphasis on group playing and the songs themselves. Yes, there are solos galore but - unlike some albums I've heard - I thought the solos fit well within the music itself and were tastefully done rather than jarring departures from the original song itself.

Prog to me is so much more than about technical ability. Otherwise we'd be reviewing bluegrass and country albums. Prog is about, and art-rock was based upon, highly educated musicians merging classical music and classical literature and creating a thinking man's music. This is what appeals most to me about this album. The album has direct inspirations and quotations from classic literature and classical music. Songwriting is not an easy task, especially in prog, with its penchant for extended song lengths and albums based on themes. Many have tried, and most have failed to deliver unique concepts that can hold a listener's interest throughout the course of a full album. What I perhaps love most about this album is it is NOT some original kitschy concept, but a album whose musical centerpiece, the nearly 21 minute title track, is musically grounded in one of the great classical pieces immediately recognizable to music lovers. It is an album a music lover, especially a prog fan, can immediately gravitate to. One special bit of praise, and what in the end make this a masterpiece and worthy of recommendation to those like me unable to make progress into the world of classic prog-metal, is the overall length. Many modern albums simply drag on FAR too long and would be best served by trimming the least effective tracks and making stronger overall albums. At 65 minutes it is only slightly longer than traditional long play albums and does not approach the excess of many bands that use the CD format to expand albums out to nearly 80 minutes in length. It is tightly packed and it never overstays its welcome.

In summation this is, I believe, an album that those who are not fans of prog-metal but enjoy both root forms can like, even love. An easy album to grade, 5 stars in my book, and for the site I agree it deserves the classic prog-metal album status it has. It is a prog-metal album that non- prog-metal fans might really enjoy.

As a member of ProgArchives for many years I decided to write my first review, overcoming my panic because of my poor English language skills.

The first band I chose is Differences, because in my opinion they created one of the best albums of the 80s and which unfortunately was unknown, I guess because it was promoted by a small label (Frizzbee) and then was reissued by SI Music that broke the mid-90 `.

Differences have strong influence of bands like Camel (I recommend listening to the third track of this album, "True or False") also can recognize the influence of bands like Genesis of the era of "Wind and Wuthering" and Novalis.

The structure of the songs is not very complex, but has very good arrangements, typical of bands like Amenophis, Osiris, Rousseau, Coda and Arkus.

The jewel of this album is the penultimate song called "The Melody", a song full of nuances, very melodic guitars and many layers of keyboards.

Recommended as it represents a transition between the symphonic rock of the late 70s and early neoprog 80.

Solid 4 star (8/10)

Cheers

Rodrigo

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=7655" rel="nofollow - NUMB EYES, THE SOUL REVELATION

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=1631" rel="nofollow - Harnakis

HERE NOW

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=401" rel="nofollow - Poor Genetic Material

Thematically, "Here Now" seems like the antonym and antidote for predecessor "Absence". The here and now is all we have, and, particularly in the centerpiece "The Garden" (sung by papa who name checks my favourite Beggars Opera track), the present has the capacity to be anything but a gift to the more sensitive among us. But who says we can't create our own, better reality, even if just for a vacation, or an evening for that matter? Musically, "Here Now" kicks off simply, with a string of shorter and progressively better tracks that converge while remaining well demarcated. As before, the group plies its trades comfortably at the intersection of simple and complex melodies, verse chorus structures and variegated suites, spacey ambience and funk, chill and edgy, solos and ensemble. My personal favourite is the touching "Note from my Younger Self", the complete package encapsulating all of the above.

In typical PGM fashion, all will be revealed in time, in my case almost 6 months, not that I think I have it, or anything figured out for that matter. But I can tell you that the arrangements, in particularly how Pia Darmstaedter's flute comingles with each other lead as called for, continue to mature, which might not be a requirement for this fan, but, inasmuch as it makes the band more likely to stick around for another decade or so, I'm all for it. Oh yeah sorry, I am just happy they are here now.

Opening track 'Into the Blue' might be my most favorite thing from this band, it is absolutely majestic and memorable, it has some genius vocal harmonies by Neal Morse and the performance of all the other members is top notch. 'Shine' is a nice ballad-type band effort that was released as a single, if I am not wrong, with everyone in the band taking the spotlight on different parts of the song. 'Black as the Sky' is a punchy and proggy track with great vocal harmonies and an in-your-face chorus, much in the spirit of some of their 70s favorites like Tull or Focus. 'Beyond the Sun' is a little Neal solo piece leading up to the 32-minute title track ' which I feel is not as strong as 'Into the Blue' but quite spectacular as well. The instrumental sections on this one are the least to say impressive, and the chemistry between the players is enviable!

Excellent music, another really good release from Transatlantic, and a great addition to symphonic prog lovers' (and not only) collection.

My latest review concerns Beardfish's 'The Void' from 2012, and was posted just some minutes ago!

Beardfish's heaviest fantasies come to life on their mighty seventh album, 'The Void' - an exploration of existential dread and fear, cloaked in the romantic drapery of hopeless romanticism and wishful expectation.

The Swedes are certainly one of the trailblazers of 21st century progressive rock, handily but confusingly labeled symphonic/retro prog, they never stopped reinventing themselves, thus supplying the mythical creature that Beardfish has managed to become, with loads of dedicated fans, despite the lack of overly commercial success. This album is no exception to the typical Beardfish approach to music - ever-changing and gripping, full of memorable melodies and punchy instrumental passages, with intelligent and adventurous lyrics.

An album that sometimes gets neglected or overlooked due to the fact that their well-known keyboard-centered sound is put at the back seat, in favor of a much heavier, distorted and headbanging sonic body, it should not be left unmentioned that is an excellent symphonic prog album at its very core, it is just skillfully masked in the almighty riffs and gnarly bass sections.

A sore spoken word introduction by The Tangent's Andy Tillison serves as the entrance to 'The Void', a place that Rikard Sjöblom successfully paints as dark and uninviting, allowing the listener to embark on an emotive journey through his mind. From then on, the acrobatic main riff of 'Voluntary Slavery' crushes every expectation that one could have had for this album. The band is aggressive but certainly well-behaved, while Rikard throws in some guttural shrieks just to keep the listener alert. 'Turn to Gravel' is another heavy piece that seems to sounds nothing like your usual Beardfish, the lyrics are enduring and reflective, the tone is menacing and unsettling. 'They Whisper' is the piece that finally gives off the impression that the ambitious new direction of this band will come to a very satisfactory result, given the shockingly blissful mixture of heavy guitar riffs and memorable, resonating melodies. 'This Matter of Mine' might be a bit more laid back than the cannonade of heavy songs coming before it, yet it still finds Rikard screaming at the top of his lungs once!

'Seventeen Again' is a beautiful instrumental that begins with a very stripped-down piano progression, unfolding into a very Wakeman or Emerson-esque pastiche, craftily performed by the band's leader. Spiraling through the excellent love song 'Ludvig & Sverker' and the jazzier 'He Already Lives in You', the band reach the apex of the album with the nearly 16-minute epic 'Note', just to finish off on a high (or rather low) note on the cerebral 'Where the Lights Are Low'.

All in all, 'The Void' is a fantastic exercise in beautifully-ornamented and rich songwriting, penetrated by the bombastic nature of the riffs; something that hardly let the listener disregard this album as anything less than excellent. This album proves that no matter how many times the mighty Beardfish reinvents itself, it always remains one of modern progressive rock's finest exponents.