My lesser known and unknown new prog bands thread

Bootcut has released 3 albums and this one entitled De Fluff is the second (from 2004). The band is a duo featuring Rikard Sjöblom (Hammond B3 organ, Nord Electro2 and ARP Pro Solist synthesizer) and Petter Diamant (drums and percussion) with additional musicians on woodwind – and brass instruments, guitar and contrabass. In general the 12 melodic and accessible compositions sound fluent and swinging with strong echoes from jazz (Bootcut often played in jazz clubs) but also rock and blues. Their music often brings late Sixties and early Seventies bands to my mind like The Spencer Davis Group (after Eddie Hardin had replaced Stevie Windwood who had just founded Traffic), Hardin & York (also a Hammond/drums duo), Brian Auger and Trace. And of course late Sixties fellow Swedish band Hansson & Karlson but less complex, less soloing and more keyboard variation like the synthesizer in Quintus Quest, the clavinet in Funck The Living Dead and the Fender Rhodes electric piano in the bluesy Istället För Att Jag Kom Till Skogen Kom Skogen Till Mig. Although Rikard plays less self-indulgent, we can enjoy some swirling and propulsive work like in Fresh Free Fruit (funky sound), Funck the Living Dead, Hang Em High and especially in Crazy Cookie where he freaks out, goose bumps! The interplay between Rikard and Petter is strong and often dynamic. In some songs we can welcome guest musicians on guitar, flute, trombone and saxophone, it give the music a pleasant extra dimension. A funny track is the final song Mutta, a swinging blend of organ, guitar and Turntables (by D-Cuts), that sound of playing LP’s with the hand, quite original in prog!

This is a very tasteful CD that will please the Hammond organ freaks.

OBSCURA – Le Citta Invisibili (***1/5)

Although they still have to mature a bit in composing, to me this debut album by new Italian band Obscura sounds as a very pleasant blend of symphonic (tasteful vintage keyboards), classical and hardrock

NEVERNESS - Cuentos De Otros Mundos Posibles (****)

- This Spanish formation was founded in the late Nineties and in 2002 they released their debut album entitled Horizonte De Sucesos. The it took five years until Neverness produced a successor but if you listen to it, you can conclude that the time was worth waiting, the band has made a huge progress, what a wonderful and often exciting CD this second album is!

- The sound of Neverness has no obvious references, every track (between 5 and 13 minutes) on the album contains lots of flowing shifting moods with many interesting musical ideas and a dynamic rhythm-section. A very captivating element is the contrast between the rock-oriented guitar work and the varied ‘vitnage keyboard’ sound, from Mellotron and Moog synthesizer to Fender Rhodes piano, Farfisa organ and Solina string-ensemble. I was carried away during the strongly build-up and often very compelling guitar soli like in Muro De Cristal - Maldita Esperanza (from sensitive to fiery) and Sin Horizonte (long and bluesy with great support on strings and organ). Other great moments are the pyschedelic sounding intro during Desde El Silencio (the guitara n dorgan sound evoke Pink Floyd At Pompeii), the variety and wonderful vintage keyboards (Mellotron, organ and piano) in Mi Mundo Al Reves and the many goodmusical ideas in the captivating final song Mundo De Locos (4 parts).

I am impressed by this second effort by this new Spanish band, what a good musicians and what a wonderful and often compelling compositions, a big hand for Neverness!

SONIQ CIRCUS – Soniq Circus (**1/2)

- This Swedish band started under the name TP3 but in 2006 the band changed it into Soniq Circus. In September 2007 they released their eponymous debut CD that contains both early as new work (total running time at about 45 minutes).

Their sound on this CD is mainly in the realm of the neo-prog  with pleasant atmospheres but the music fails to keep my attention all the time. I enjoyed Bright Future (tasteful work on guitar and keyboards like the clavinet) and the dynamic songs Revolution (from dreamy and compelling to bombastic) and An Idiot (strong break with fiery guitar and lush organ and a synthesizer solo with propulsive guitar riffs). A nice and pleasant debut CD but in  my opinion Soniq Circus has to make more captivating music to compete with the many good new bands that als release debut albums.

KBB – Proof Of Concept (***1/5)

- KBB is a Japanese formation, rooted in the late Nineties but this new album is only their third studio effort after their debut CD from 2002 and the CD Live 2004.

I am delighted about that live album, what a sensational work on violin and Hammond organ! On the new CD entitled Proof Of Concept again we can enjoy great and often exciting work on keyboards and violin by wizard Akihisa Tsuboy, especially his wah-wah drenched soli are spectacular, very similar to a distorted guitar sound. KBB their music shifts from dreamy and classical to compelling, propulsive and bombastic, loaded with spectacular violin soli, sensational synthesizer flights and great interplay between violin and Hammond organ. Remarkable tracks are Rice Planting Song (the atmosphere is close to the Roumanian folk due to the violin sound) and 40 Degrees featuring swirling Fender Rhodes electric piano and a powerful jazzy bass.

- KBB is not a band that delivers elaborate compositions but if you like exciting instrumental, jazzrock oriented music with violin – and kebyoard pyrotechnics, you will be delighted too!

PULSAR – Memory Ashes (***)

- Yes, this is the legendary French progrock band that made wonderful albums in the Seventies and Eighties, I still love Halloween (1977), what a mindblowing Mellotron sound!

Pulsar performed on the annual Mexican progrock festival Baja Prog in 2002, perhaps this has lead to a new album. The line-up features four members of the original line-up and the guest musician Louis Paralis joined Pulsar on their latest album entitled Gorlitz in 1988.

- So what about the new Pulsar sound? Well, that is a different story, it sounds more modern and quite atmospheric, let’s say ambient! Especially the first composition Memory Ashes (four parts) sounds as ambient delivering dreamy music with warm French vocals, some sound collages, sensitive electric guitar work (obviously inspired by Gilmour and Latimer) and a pleasant colouring by tin-whistle, clarinet and acoustic guitar. Only part III sound smore heavy with powerful electric guitar play. Then the song Monks, you can divide it into 3 sections: first Gregorian choir, blended with several instruments, then a compelling rhythm with Floydian slide guitar runs and finally a mellow part with flute, piano and cello. Don’t expect a Pulsar that sounds like their Seventies and Eighties albums, beautiful but for me a bit too laidback.

RITUAL - The Hemulic Voluntary Band (***1/5)

- In the mid-Nineties this Swedish band was very popular in Holland and I have seen Ritual a few times, they turned into a kind of ‘cult-band’ in those days because of their fresh blend of Classic Prog and folk and their enthousiastic approach on stage. And I remember that was on my friends had taken his 12 years old son to a Ritual concert, he was delighted with a signed t-shirt by the band a at that moment the youngest Ritual fan!

So I was very curious to this new effort, I haven’t heard a Ritual album for many years. But during my first listening session it was like “meeting an old friend’, very warm and familiar. To me Ritual still sounds as a blend of Classic Prog (Gentle Giant and Yes) and folk in which singer Patrik Lundström plays an important role with his distinctive voice. A captivating element on this CD is the swinging sound of the clavinet (Kerry Minnear from Gentle Giant is one of the few keyboard players who used it frequently), often in strong interplay with the guitar.

- I am pleasantly surprised by this new Ritual album, let’s say they are still ‘alive and Eclectic Progging’!

PHIDEAUX — Doomsday Afternoon (****)

- Last year I listened to Phideaux their previous effort entitled The Great Leap, I was quite disappointed and even decided not to review it, in general I cannot motivate myself to write about music I don't like. But this album is another story: because of the many positive, often sheer euphoric reviews worldwide I asked Hans to borrow me Doomsday Afternoon and from the first listening session I was pleased with their ‘new’ sound.

- The CD Doomsday Afternoon is a concept album with the subtitle An Eco Terro Tale, in a great way supported by mindblowing paintings that look like a blend of Hieronymus Bosch (madness and fear), Vincent Van Gogh (expressive colours) and Gerald Scarfe (venomous look on mankind). The music sounds as a blend of Art-rock, progressive pop and symphonic rock, on one hand melodic and accessible but on the other hand very alternating and elaborate featuring lots of good musical ideas and interesting shifting moods, from dreamy and atmospheric to compelling, a tight mid-tempo or bombastic. I am delighted about the omnipresent ‘vintage’ keyboard sound like in The Doctrine Of Eternal Ice (Part One with fat Minimoog flights and the warm ARP string-ensemble and Part Two with Minimoog, ARP string-ensemble, Fender Rhodes electric piano and the distinctive swinging clavinet sound) and Candybrain featuring an acoustic rhythm guitar with Hammond organ. We can also enjoy an orchestra with woodwind instruments (French horn, clarinet and trumpet) and violins and the both male as female vocals are strong and varied, including Matthew Parmenter who performed in 2005 on the USA Nearfest festival along Le Orme and IQ. My highlight on this new album is the final composition (at about 15 minutes): first soaring Hammond organ waves, then a tight mid-tempo with a very tasteful keyboard colouring and strong vocals. During the sparkling violin soli I am in Seventies Kansas Heaven! After a fiery guitar solo the final part contains a melancholical atmosphere (that matches perfectly with the subtitle and concept of Doomsday Afternoon) delivering dreamy paino work and wailing violin play, is this a musical prologue that warnes we are on the brink of polluting ourselves to a slow death?

- I am surprised by this varied and tasteful new Phideaux album, I can understand the positive words in the reviews but this is not mainsream progrock or Classic Prog, this is ..... the new Phideaux!

 

OMNI – Solo Fue Un Sueno (***1/5)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Omni is a Spanish six piece band, rooted in the late Eighties. This is their third album, released in 2007 and again it contains pure instrumentally music.

The sound of Omni on Solo Fue Un Sueno has obvious echoes from Seventies Camel and also reminds me frequently of Dutch Camel-inspired bands Lady Lake and especially Odyssice (it could have been their new album!): very melodic, flowing and often sensitive guitar work (compelling in Noche En Malandar, fiery in Telescopio de Papel en biting wah-wah in Espíritu Libre), omnipresent interplay between guitar and keyboards, some pitchbend driven Minimoog sounding soli (like in Telescopio de Papel and the dreamy final song Salto al Abismo) and finally the use of saxophone (sultry in El Tren De Rota). Like Seventies Camel the sound by Omni is like a ‘warm bath’ as on the Camel albums Mirage and Moonmadness, my favorite Camel-era. Along the strong guitarwork, the keyboard player colours the compositions very tasteful with varied vintage keyboards like the Fender Rhodes electric piano, the violin-Mellotron (wonderful intro on Noche En Malandar), Minimoog synthesizer, Solina string-ensemble and the Hammond organ (swirling solo in the alternating highlight Espíritu Libre).

 

This is not very original symphonic prog but it sounds wonderful with very good work on guitar and keyboards and tasteful arranged compositions.

 

MOTIS – L’Homme-Loup (***)

- This is the unique French progrock band Motis their seventh album. The 11 compositions sound like a blend of folk/medieval music and early Ange with strong, typically theatrical French vocals (like Ange, Mona Lisa and Versailles). Motis uses a wide range of instruments, both acoustic (guitar, violin, flute) as vintage keyboards. This results in very interesting combinations like violin-Mellotronwaves and acoustic rhythm-guitar in P'tit Louis, trumpet and Hammond organ in Les Normands and runs on the acoustic guitar, accompanied by violin-Mellotron and the sound of the psychedelic organ like early Ange as in the captivating titletrack.

This is not really mainstream music but if you have an adventurous mind and you like folk, this is prog to discover!

 

MUSICAL WITCHCRAFT III – Psalms & Soundtrack (***)

- This is the third album by the Hungarian musical project Musical Witchcraft, led by Solaris fluteplayer Kollar Attila. He is accompanied by a wide range of musicians on acoustic instrument and one player on the electric guitar he joins the company in 3 tracks (he delivers a wonderful solo in the final track). The music sounds mainly as a warm and pleasant blend of folk and classical with a lot of room for the flute (also flute traverse evoking Ian Anderson) and violin along conga’s, some harmonica and acoustic guitar (one solo contains beautiful tremolo guitar work). If you are up to a sound that is based upon classical and folk, this is an album to discover.

 

GALLERY – Jas Grippen (***)

- This is a new Norwegian five piece band, their debut CD entitled Jas Grippen is released this year (2007). The music reminde me of their progrock neighbours Anekdoten because of the melancholical vocals and the dynamics between the mellow parts and fluent rhythms. But Gallery sounds more raw and but not Mellotron drenched, in fact you can categorize it as melodic rock with progressive tendencies.

Gallery plays tight and powerful, especially in the songs with fluent rhythms and propulsive guitar work, accompanied by an adventurous rhythm-section. The guitarplay is tasteful (from relaxed twanging chords to fiery and howling soli) and the keyboards sound functional but varied and pleasant (from piano and organ to even some violin-Mellotron. This band has chosen for tastefully arranged compositions instead of complexity and many soli. If you like melodic rock with progressive ideas, this is a band to check out.

 

(GAVIN) O’LOGHLEN – The Poet And The Priest (***1/5)

This Australian is a very versatile and creative mind: actor, author, composer, musician and responsible for many album releases, theater productions, plays for movies, he has a grade in ‘drama’ and lots of experience in music, theater music, drama and as a session-musician he joined on many records. Quite an impressive curriculum vitae that started to shape when Gavin began learning bagpipe at the age of eleven. He took part in Highland competitions in several groups and then he focussed on learning guitar, keyboards and flute. Influenced by the progrock by early Genesis, King Crimson, The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd and Peter Gabriel started to integrate the keyboard sound in his theater productions that became more and more bombastic and complex. If you visit his website, you will discover how prolific Gavin is!

On the CD The Poet And The Priest the concept story is about two young friends and the development of their friendship and life. The music sounds like melodic symphonic prog featuring lush vintage keyboards, sensitive electric guitar work and pleasant vocals that reminds me of fellow Australian Les Dougan (from legendary Australian neo-progrock band Aragon) and Fish because of the tonation. Although the sound is often laidback, this is not an album to get asleep because of some varied and dynamic tracks like the alternating Lovers (heavy church-organ sound, a delicate strings-sound and fluent synthesizer runs), The Open Road (great build-up with howling guitar and sumptuous keyboards), The Pit (wonderful keyboard sound delivering The Mighty Tron, church-organ and spectacular synthesizer flights), the Marillion-like The Open Road Revisited (mid-tempo with inspired vocals and moving guitar), the very symphonic Bird Of Life (beautiful work on the Mellotron and a lush Hammond organ sound) and the strong final song The Dance (very compelling with fine vocals and keyboards).

Don’t expect groundbreaking or complex prog, just enjoy this honest tribute to symphonic prog featuring tasteful arranged tracks and wonderful vintage keyboards!

 

SENOGUL — Senogul (****)

 

- One of the trademarks of the Spanish progressive rock is its originality: in the past from bands like Ibio, Carmen, Atila, Itoiz and the flamenco inspired Prog Andaluz bands like Triana, Cai, Mezquita and Azahar and in the present from bands like Bijou, Unoma, Kotobel and …. Senogul. I was very pleasantly surprised with their debut album entitled Transitos but I am really delighted about their eponymous second CD, what a wonderful and varied progrock!

This new CD contains 12 compositions including new versions of all five tracks from the debut album entitled Transitos. The music sounds on one hand very melodic and in general accessible and on the other hand varied and elaborate. The band has progressed on all levels: a better sound, very matured compositions, a more lush and varied keyboard sound, the guitar work is excellent and the interplay great. To get an impression: a classical sounding piano intro, soon blended with sensitive electric guitarplay and halfway a female choir, conga’s and dynamic drums in Dr. Gull I, a swinging piano, howling guitar and a jazzy guitar solo in the catchy Racionalidad, an intro with bagpipe, then varied, often swirling piano work and a wide range of instruments (from the fiery guitar and powerful saxophone to a strongly build-up Minimoog synthesizer with pitchbend) in the captivating La Verbena Hermetica, lots of variety and strong duo-guitarplay with an exciting blend of the guitar soli in La Maha Vishnuda, lots of brass and fiery guitar in the Alquin-like Agua, Fuego & Porexpan and dreamy featuring sensitive guitar and soaring keyboards in Travesia De Las Gaviotas. And in some tracks you can enjoy the sound of the flute traverse, variety rules! My highlights are the two compositions in which Senogul blends several styles and we can enjoy lots of shifting moods: first Tango Mango that sounds as a hybrid of tango, symphonic prog, avant-garde, classical and jazz delivering both synthesizer – and guitar soli as sparkling play on accordeon and harpsichord and second La Mulatta Electrica, loaded with tension and exciting musical ideas, from Al DiMeola-like symphonic jazzrock (fiery guitar and a propulsive rhythm-section) to Prog Andaluz (including palmas/handclapping and jaleos/cheerful shouts) with swinging piano and moving electric guitar runs, how captivating!

In my opinion Senogul has made a very pleasant, alternating and captivating album that showcases the huge talents of this band, highly recommended! 

 

 

  I am looking forward to your reactions/opinions/recommendations