I Recommend...

Long time no post....

Between the everyday work and studies I'm into, I've managed to get hold of some new and not so new music.

So what do we have this time? Several things:

Panzerballett

I hope to add this German jazz-rock group to PA soon. Their s/t album I recently got is filled with fierce energy, to the point that metal fans will take interest. Heavy fusion might be a good description. You want energy? Dynamic music? Powerful riffs? Go for this one!

See their official website - http://www.panzerballett.de/

Their myspace - http://www.myspace.com/panzerballett

Some reviews and comments in several websites:

http://www.metalperspective.com/reviews/panzerballett.php

http://www.dprp.net/reviews/200708.php#panzerballett

http://www.progressor.net/review/p.html#panzerballet_2006

http://www.geocities.com/prognaut/reviews/panzerballett.html

http://cdbaby.com/cd/panzerballett

Zypressen – s/t

A Japanese outfit which is on the ZART Chart and will probably get in. Interesting stuff, which still is sinking in. Some RIO/Chamber music here.

This is what ZNR (the website, not the band) says:

Japanese band who sound like a Asian version of Univers Zero. This is quite a bit less depressing than earlier UZ. It is actually more like the kind of thing UZ are doing now but without the electronic keyboards.The instrumentation here is drums/percussion, cello.violin/perc, electric guitar, violin/viola, piano - with guests on flute, violin, bass clarinet. Chamber music that just barely qualifies are 'rock'.

And this is from http://progressive.homestead.com/JAPANreviews2.html :

"Very good until outstanding RIO/Chamber Music Rock group. They have a second release which I couldn't trace yet. Any help is apreciated. The group is somewhat related to the Japanese chamber music rock group Lacrymosa. Recommended."

Now for an older one. Who knows the Canadian (Quebecois) band OPUS-5? Well, you should. Want to know why? Well, I’ll give you the bio and reviews from here in PA and you’ll see why (It’s here under JRF, but the album I have called Contre-Courant might find itself more at ease in symphonic rock and also has folkish moments):

As the progressive movement was making more and more adept in La Belle Province, more and more groups got contracts and as Celebration record lost Harmonium to CBS , they offered a contract to OPUS-5 . This band can be seen as a good cross in between HARMONIUM and MANEIGE or SLOCHE. Some GENTLE GIANT and JETHRO TULL influences are also evident. Their first album is full of delicious melodies with soft yet incisive vocals and great flute passages all on 5 superb compositions by five superb musicians. Unfortunately , their record label went bankrupt just as the recording of their second album was finished . That album will have to wait until 89 to see the light of day. Part of the band will form CONCERT that will release one album in 60 as the disco tsunami had swept everything in that part of Canada.

Opus-5 can be highly recommended to fans of the above-mentioned bands but also everyone who enjoy calm folkish fusion.

: : : Hugues Chantraine, BELGIUM : : :read more

Volume 1: Contre Courant

OPUS-5 — Volume 1: Contre Courant

Review by loserboy (James Unger)
PROG REVIEWER

OPUS 5 were a 5 Piece ensemble from Quebec Canada who released IMHO one of Canada’s finest pieces of 70’s prog rock with “Contre-Courant” in 1976. Line up included Olivier Duplessis (claviers, vocals) , Luc Gauthier (guitars, vocals), Serge Nolet (flute vocals), Christian Leon Racine (bass, vocals) and Jean-Pierre Racicot (percussion, vocals). OPUS 5 were essentially a mix of lighter fusion / jazz prog with folk leanings at times and somewhat reminiscent of the Canterbury school of prog (i.e. HATFIELD & THE NORTH, EGG…). Instrumentally these guys blend tempo challenging aspects with acoustic and synthesizer runs offering the listener quite a fine variety of rhythm and tones. “Contre-Courant” is a very expressive album with all 5 members adding vocalization throughout and is delivered with great emotion. Sometimes albums just seem to have everything and fulfills your mind, ears and spirit and that is the case with this album for me. Absolutely 100% essential.

Review by Sean Trane (Hugues Chantraine)
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog-Folk Specialist

James once again made an acurate description of the music and maybe the difference in rating might be due to the french singing on this album. Actually quite different than other Quebecois band but just as incisive in contents ( lyrics ) , here the singing is of crystal- clear French without the typically local accent and it is refreshing, but it does take some mastering of the languages to fully grasp how good this album is . Those texts on top of it are politically engaged , mind-challenging , thought-provoking , environementally-conscious and socially oriented . The music is accompanying such superb vocals and texts is in the same vein : Food for thoughts. Just like your cereal breakfast (and just as indispensible as that first meal ) it just crackles , snaps and rocks (it does not pop ) and will nourish your body and feed your brains so well that even your asshole boss cannot screw-up your day. If I must point out to other band , I would say fellow Quebecois Maneige with vocals , and sometimes G Giant and also Canterbury.

In short , this is another real gem from that part of the world , up there with Harmonium , Et Cetera , Sloche and Maneige. Mosts of the numbers present long instrumental passages only slightly interrupted by very on-the-dot lyrics ( Les Saigneurs instead of Seigneurs). The title says it all Contre Courant - against the flow (mainstream).

This album got a recent re-release on Cd by Unidisc with a new catalogue number AGEK-2401

Website - http://www.ab.cyberhome.ne.jp/~pochamal/pochakaite_malko/

Short bio from their website:

Pochakaite Malko means "just a moment "in Bulgarian

Hisory-

Pochakaite malko was born in Tokyo Japan ,August, 1996.
It begins in Kuwahara having met Ogino with the MAGMA copy band by Mr.Tatsuya Yoshida in 1995 .

Pochakaite malko started with five people including Vocal,Violin at first, but the member was not decided.

From August 1996, We rehearsed it with Kazuo Ogino(Piano),Shigekazu Kuwahara(Bass),Youichiro shin(Drums),
sharmin(Keyborad,ex Maria-Kannon),Shiho(Bulgarian vocal ).
We named "Pochakaite malko "in the band, that gave a live performance for the first time in May, 1997.

in December, 1997,We changed Shin Youichiro(Drs) for Junzo Tateiwa(Drs) and gave a concert,
but it is stopped afterwards so that ogino devotes itself to recording of "GHOST"
And Tateiwa and Kwahara formed "TON-DEN-HEI(Techno-Prog rock)"

Re-start　
December 1999 .We invited Mr,Tomohiro Ueno into Pochakaite Malko.
And Pochakaite Malko began a performance by formation of three keyboard + Bass + Drums.
　~ Tomohiro Ueno(Keyboards),Kazuo Ogino(Piano),sharmin(Keyborads),
　　Shigekazu Kuwahara(Bass),Junzo Tateiwa(Drums). ～

Sharmin left a Band in the begining of 2000.
　~ Tomohiro Ueno(Keyboards),Kazuo Ogino(Piano),Shigekazu Kuwahara(Bass),Junzo Tateiwa(Drums). ～

On December 4, 2000, We played music of " ZAMLA MAMMAZ MANNA" with Mr.Lars Hollmer ,and It was a very important event.

I started recording from April 2001,and We released 1st album on November 22, 2001

In the beginning of 2002, Mr. Ueno left a Band.
The current member - Shigekazu Kuwahara(Bass),Junzo Tateiwa(Drums ,Tabla & Perc),
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Kazuo Ogino(Piano & Keyboards),AKIHISA TSUBOY (Violin from "KBB") -

http://www.tutinoko.net/mp3/laya.mp3

http://www.tutinoko.net/mp3/hallelujah.mp3

http://www.tutinoko.net/mp3/itcamefrom.mp3

http://www.ab.cyberhome.ne.jp/~pochamal/pochakaite_malko/g13.mp3

http://www.ab.cyberhome.ne.jp/~pochamal/pochakaite_malko/ukraine.mp3

http://www.ab.cyberhome.ne.jp/~pochamal/pochakaite_malko/Lanka.mp3

http://www.ab.cyberhome.ne.jp/~pochamal/pochakaite_malko/5th.mp3

Reviews:

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=179

http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=pm-pm

There are some more albums I wish to mention, but as to not overload I’ll keep it for next time (look out for Upsilon Acrux, Bone, Shining, Ahleuchatistas, Tim Berne, PFS, Cartoon, and more…. )

Oh, and did I mention Yugen ?  ……

UUUU!!!!!! and i forget