Prog Britannia - Album Reviews

We're kick-starting the album off now with "Welcome for a Soldier". This opening number is as pleasantly surprising as opening the fridge door and expecting to find just one cold sausage in there and then discovering there's a whole smorgasbord of delicious delicacies to feast on. Harmony is the key to life, love, happiness and great music on this tremendous opening number. There's some gorgeous Beach Boys-style harmonising to be heard on this Pop meets Prog song. The keyboards are very much in evidence too and it's a case of Uriah Heep Lite, as it's not so Very 'eavy, or so Very 'umble. "Welcome for a Soldier" deserves a warm homecoming welcome in a glittering parade with flags flying and people partying in bunting-lined street parades, and with a fanfare of trumpets to add to the glorious occasion too. Yes, it really is that good! The second item on the menu is "Old Peoples Home", which have sadly become dangerous places to reside in these days for the vulnerable elderly residents, during these strange times we're living through with the lurking Chinese killer virus ever present. Anyway, back to the album and back to plague-free 1971. This charmingly gentle acoustic tune is as pleasant and laid-back and relaxed as nodding off to sleep on a rocking chair on a Sunday afternoon in an "Old People's Home". This unthreatening gentle tune leaves you feeling so safe and secure that the album should come with carpet slippers, a dressing gown and a mug of warm cocoa to take up to bed with you. We're in safe and familiar territory too with the third tune on the album "Classical Gas". It's an instantly recognisable piece of instrumental music, famously recorded by Mason Williams way back in 1968. Deep Feeling have given this classic tune their own magic touch by packing it with an almighty punch, making "Classical Gas" sound as high and mighty as a hydrogen-filled Zeppelin bomber. The acoustic guitar has never sounded quite so powerful as it does here in this dynamic slug-fest of thunderous keyboard-driven Prog, which comes right at you like a southpaw uppercut to the lower jaw from a heavyweight prize-fighter.

It's all chop and change now for the opening song on Side Two: "Guillotine". This dark and dramatic piece of music with its slow marching rhythm is a cut above the rest. The music features interlocking prime cuts of fast and slow organ passages with a haunting ethereal interlude thrown in too for good measure. The spooky music from the doom-laden church organist is in the eerily atmospheric style of the horror movie hokum "The Abominable Dr. Phibes", starring Vincent Price, one of the three kings of classic horror. There's nothing abominable about "Guillotine" though. It's a chip off the old block of pompous and glorious British Prog. Deep Feeling have executed a masterful performance with this sliced and diced album highlight. There's a complete change of pace now for the cleverly-titled "Country Heir". No prizes for guessing it's a Country song. It's a chance for the band to really show off their gorgeous multi-part harmonies in the best traditions of the Country Rock legends, The Eagles. This buoyant country-tinged slice of Sunshine Pop is instilled with all of the joyous sing-along energy of the sunny California band, The Association. It's an irresistably catchy tune that just makes you want to throw caution to the wind and sing along to it, so go for it, even if you've only ever sung in the shower before. Finally, the classic Little Richard song "Lucille" is given the thunderous Heavy Prog treatment with an absolutely storming cover version here, assaulting the eardrums in an all-out sonic attack, marking a VERY LOUD and memorable ending to the album. Deep Feeling are locked and loaded with emotion and going out in a powerful blaze of glory with all guns blazing!

This is the kind of timeless Progressive Rock masterpiece that should be handed down through the generations. If you don't already have a son or daughter to pass this album onto, then now might be as good a time as any to take your wife upstairs and make one. You could give her some amorous Deep Feeling whilst listening to this album, or alternatively, put on some Barry White baby-making music to listen to whilst making mad passionate love together.

"Dorian Deep" has an eerie opening, sounding like a wind blowing over some vast windswept plain. Be prepared to be taken on an unpredictable journey into hitherto unexplored soundscapes of musical mayhem and delight. If this awesome 8-minute-long opening is anything to go by, this could well turn out to be an album of Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music - to paraphrase Hawkwind. "Dorian Deep" is such a perfect blend of all of the ingredients you'd expect from the very best of Prog- Rock, that it's almost impossible for any self-respecting prog aficionado not to like this. Not only will it delight Progressive Rock fans, but there's something here to suit Psychedelic Rock and Krautrock fans too, which is inevitably the reason why Marsupilami have found themselves in the Eclectic Prog section of ProgArchives. It's practically impossible to pin them down to one particular genre. If this band were ever pigeon-holed, then it would have to be a VERY big hole to include the tremendous variety of music on offer here. "Dorian Deep" is as multi-faceted as The Picture of Dorian Gray. It's the spooky musical equivalent of a crazy LSD-induced acid trip, so get ready for a wild ghost train ride on a Journey to the Centre of the Eye. This creepy manic music verges on hysteria, and almost goes off the rails - a bit like this album review. It may send a shiver up the spine and bring you out in goosebumps, so don't say you weren't warned!

Hallelujah Freedom! Be wild, be free, because it's time to celebrate another great piece of music with "Born To Be Free". This is a flighty flute-driven melody which opens as a fairly laid-back Jazzy refrain. Get ready for some more Marsupilami magic though, because barely midway through the song, freedom reigns with a wild excursion into supersonic Jazz-Rock territory with the afterburners glowing on full power. This tremendously inspiring music will take you soaring up into the stratosphere, where you can slip the surly bonds of Earth and touch the face of the Prog Gods. You can always expect the unexpected though with the complex and endlessly unpredictable music of Marsupilami, because there's a return to calmer Jazzier climes again for the extended play-out session. "Born To Be Free" has all of the unpredictability and latent energy of an untamed sleeping Lioness named Elsa, but that's another song and movie altogether.

Tie me kangaroo down, Sport! Never in the field of prog has so much been achieved by so few. Again, this scintillating sextet venture Where Eagles Dare to fly and other prog bands fear to tread with the inspirational epic: "And the Eagle Chased the Dove to its Ruin". The sound of the haunting ethereal organ in the opening instils the music with something of a religious devotional air. This first impression is soon shattered though by a crazy journey into the wild uncharted territory of prog. If Marsupilami were Australian, then this wild untamed music would represent a Walkabout in the wilderness of the baking hot outback. Marsupilami are as wild as a wandering band of wombats and wallabies. This extraordinary song may be less than seven minutes long, but there's plenty of exploring to do in this endlessly diverse piece of music. It's a song and album you'll want to boomerang back to again and again. Be prepared for the very sudden ending though.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do and learn Latin, and then we can translate the title of the opening suite on Side Two: "Ab Initio Ad Finem (The Opera)", which literally means "From the Beginning to the End" (with a little help from Google Translate). It might be an opera (in brackets), but you won't hear the likes of Pavarotti, Domingo & Carreras on this outstanding piece of music. This par excellence song and album is worth three tenners of anyone's money. The music opens to the tinkling sound of a musical box and this 11-minute-long epic is indeed a musical box of delights. This song has everything! There's something here for the hippyish Folkies, the psychedelic acid-heads, and even the religious spiritualists amongst us too. Above all though, this is a Progressive Rock masterpiece of unparalleled pomp and glory. From the beginning to the end, this album has been an absolute phantasmagorical dream of a prog-fest, which could give any of the major prog bands a good run for their money.

Hells Bells! Get ready for the wild men of prog to unleash Merry Hell for our final descent into the maelstrom. It's another Latin-themed 10-minute-long epic: "Facilis Descencus Averni", which translates as "Descent To Hell". It's a very apt title, as all Hell is let loose in the wildest and most unrestrained piece of music on the entire album. This epic suite represents a crazy helter-skelter ride into the darkest depths of prog and psychedelia. Don't despair though, because there are several uplifting Folky and Jazzy interludes thrown in for good measure to pull the listener out of the dark abyss. The crazy laughter and off- kilter vocals of the psycho singer only adds to the manic intensity and brooding atmosphere of the music. Even more bizarrely, there are brief spoken-word pieces too, voiced in an unmistakable charming English accent. This superb closing suite is undoubtedly a magnificent album highlight, combining all of the elements heard in earlier songs into an all- encompassing strange but magical Witches Brew of enchanting beauty and sheer delight. It's prog, but not as we know it.

Put another tinny on the barbie and drink a toast to the weird and wonderful music of Marsupilami. They're a breed apart. Join them as they go ape- crazy with an intoxicating blend of Wild in the Jungle Jazzy psychedelia and proggy Folk. Marsupilami explore the Outer Limits of Prog-Rock, so expect the unexpected. This superb debut album has to be heard to be believed. Dare you explore The Twilight Zone of Prog where nothing is quite as it seems!??

It's time to wake up and smell the coffee for the album opener "July Morning", which is no relation to the rowdy Uriah Heep classic. No, this is an altogether Folkier tune. It's an upbeat feel-good song which is positively bursting with the joys of summer. There's enough joyous optimism here to inspire you to make an acrobatic leap out of bed in the morning, instilled with energy and enthusiasm as you bathe in the warm glow of the vibrant music. Yes, this exuberant song has more Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go energy than a steaming mugful of cappuccino latte coffee. We're travelling down country roads next for "Say What You Like", which is very reminiscent of Buffalo Springfield and The Byrds. This is a virtually unknown "lost classic" which could potentially have been a big hit, given enough radio airplay at the time. Sadly though, this first independently-released album by String Driven Thing disappeared without trace and the original LP album is now like gold dust to record collectors. It's rumoured there were only around a hundred pressings made of the original album, making it about as rare as finding a diamond in the dust. "Magic Garden" is the next song on our musical adventure. This is an all-round good Pop song with a touch of String Driven magic, featuring a driving chug-along beat and an energising electric guitar. It's a wonderful fifty year trip back in time to the days when everything was fabulously hip and groovy, which inevitably brings to mind the old cliche:- "They don't make music like this any more!" - and more's the pity too. Continuing with our wonderful nostalgia trip comes "Wonderful Places", which features a truly heavenly chorus from Pauline Adams. This gorgeous song includes the lyrics "Wonderful places I'm taking you to" - and this lovely song will indeed transport you back to wonderful places where the birds were always singing and everything in the garden was lovely. There's no chance of getting the Bell Bottom Blues listening to this lively piece of music. This is without doubt, a flowers and beads late 1960's sun-drenched summer of love song, so put on those mini-skirts, culottes and go-go boots and get up on the groovy dance floor - and maybe the girls can join in too! The following song "I Don't Wanna Wake Up" will have to be put quietly back to bed, as it's not currently available on YouTube, so we'll move swiftly onto the next song, which is: "City Man". This exhilarating Folk-Rock number about a man making big money in the big city could quite easily have been a "Greed is good" tribute to Gordon Gekko of Wall Street fame. And on the subject of big money, this incredibly rare debut album from String Driven Thing is now worth a Fistful of Dollars, and For a Few Dollars More, you can buy their second self-titled album too!

The Side Two opener "Another Night in This Old City" sounds as lively and colourful as a busy London street filled with trendy Carnaby Street fashions. It's a typically joyous 1970's Folk Pop tune that could have come straight out of The New Seekers songbook. The 8th song "That's My Lady" sounds like a Folk Rock classic that could well have been written and sung by Bob Dylan, even though the song is barely known by anyone other than ardent fans of String Driven Thing. It's another sparkling crystal of a song in an album that's turning out to be a marvellous nostalgia trip. The 9th tune "Catch As Catch Can" appears to be the one that got away as it's not currently available on YouTube, so we'll quickly skip that elusive song and move onto Song No. 10 which is: "No More You and I". The song title implies the sad break-up of a relationship, although the music itself turns out to be the complete opposite. It's another pleasant Folk Pop song with a cheerful vibe that chugs along nicely on a wave of exuberant String Driven energy. Just like the album as a whole, it's a celebratory song imbued with radiant happiness and the joys of being alive. The feel-good vibe continues with "Lie Back and Let It Happen", so just lie back and think of England (or Scotland) and let this glorious sunny music happen to you. This is cheery music designed to brighten up the dullest and darkest of days and it's just the tonic we need right now in our troubled times. We're slowing the pace right down now and ending the album on a sad note with "One of the Lonely People", a melancholic and thought-provoking song about those of us who are unlucky enough to end up spending the rest of our lives living Home Alone.

Take a nostalgic trip back in time to 1970 with the (mostly) cheerful Folk Pop of String Driven Thing. Just wind it up and let the music play!

Get ready to strut your funky stuff and go wild in the jungle with the title track of Zzebra's second album: "Panic". These funky Jazz Zzebra's are really funking it up (not something you'd want to say out loud for obvious reasons) and firing on all cylinders. "Panic" certainly has a frenetic urgency to it - with it's pounding rhythm and storming horn section - even if it's not an all-out panic attack. This is heavy Jazz-Rock ramped up to 99 and then some! This stunning septet of musicians have really nailed it when it comes to getting down into the groove and pumping up the volume. WARNING! Don't even attempt to dance to this manic music or there'd be panic at the disco and you'd be absolutely knackered, quite honestly. There's no way anyone could keep up with these guys on the dance floor, not even Mr Saturday Night Fever himself, John Travolta. Zzebra have really earned their stripes with this very impressive opening. Panic over now, because we're in very familiar territory for our second song, as it's none other than "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", the old Righteous Brothers smash hit which received an after- burner boost from Tom Cruise in the blockbuster movie, Top Gun. This instrumental version by Zzebra is pretty much in cruise-control, with its mellow laid-back groove, so you may be inspired to relax and just chillout for six minutes whilst listening to this cool and sophisticated Jazz. Listen out for the sax solo, which is simply sensational. There's no clue as to what the third piece of music "Karrola" actually means, as it's an instrumental. One thing's for sure though, "Karrola" sounds like a wild beast (or maybe a wildebeest) on the rampage. It's a resounding percussive artillery barrage of storming Jazz-Rock which kicks like a mule (or indeed, kicks like a Zzebra!). Moving on now..... Is it a lamb? Is it a llama? No, it's a "Liamo", whatever that is!? "Liamo" sounds like a pretty tame animal, because the music is somewhat subdued compared to the previous sonorous stampede, so it's not likely to unleash any wild animalistic urges this time around. It's not so much a funky fusion, but more of a laid-back ethno-spiritual chant, where the only "lyrics" to be heard are "Liamo" repeated ad infinitum until the fade-out. It might not get the jungle juices flowing in the same way as "Panic" or "Karrola", but the song still has a powerful bite to it.

Look out! There's a psycho about! The grimly-titled "Death by Drowning" is the weirdest and creepiest piece of music on the album and a complete contrast to any of the four pieces of music on Side One. "Death by Drowning" has a very eerie and sinister air to it in the opening, sounding like the kind of atmospheric music you might hear in a psychological thriller just before the killer leaps out of the shadows. The Basic Instinct/Fatal Attraction-style music has a pleasant change of pace midway through though with a soothing alto sax solo, which somewhat lightens the dark sense of foreboding, so it should be safe to come out from behind the sofa now. The sixth piece of music "Tree" is also pretty subdued, invoking memories of some of the finest Canterbury Scene music. Wait a minute though..... What's this!?? Out of nowhere comes a thrilling synthesiser solo - ala Rick Wakeman - where caution is thrown to the wind in a magnificent display of keyboard wizardry. After that wild and unexpected outburst, the music returns to a mellower mood for the conclusion, in what turns out to be a three- piece suite - and all in the space of six incredible minutes too. The solitary "Tree" turns out to be an acorn that's grown into a mighty oak. In fact, the album as a whole is a veritable forest of great music to feast your ears on. Get funky! The seventh song "Put a Light On Me" features the funkiest groove on the whole album. This is a song you can really get down and shake your booty to, if you're feeling particularly energetic, or if not, you can tap your feet along to it without leaving the comfort of your armchair. This immensely catchy tune is so infectious, you may need to be inoculated against it. "Put a Light On Me" will light a fire in your Soul! It's time to unleash the wild Zzebras in the Zzoo now with the eighth and final piece of music, "La Si Si-La So So", a kick-ass improvisational free-for-all of raw, unrestrained Jazz-Rock energy and power!

Are you in the mood for some funky Afro-Jazz-Prog? Let's hope so, because that's exactly what you get with Zzebra's sophomore album. Zzebra play their own supercharged version of high-energy Jazz-Rock, instilled with an extra dose of Zzeal and Zzest. There's something here to suit almost everyone's tastes:- Whether you want a rumble in the jungle with some storming Jazz-Rock, or whether you want to swing though the trees like Tarzan with some funky gibbon grooves, or maybe even get into a mellower mood with some cool and sultry smooth Jazz. As you'll no doubt discover, Zzebra are a diverse band of many stripes and colours. It's not all black and white with the music of Zzebra. In the endless menagerie of prog, it turns out two Zzees are better than one in the musical Zzoo.