Japanese Prog!

                                     Thanks for reanimating this thread, BrianB

             These are my finest Japanese progrock discoveries in the last years:

KBB – Live 2004
- After the awesome new Japanese progrock band Interpose, here is another great discovery from the ‘Land of the rising sun’, the new and very promising four piece band KBB. On this live CD you will find two tracks from their first album entitled Lost And Found (2000) and four tracks from their second one entitled Four Corner’s Sky (2003) along the new song Inner Flames. I knew KBB from the second CD and was very impressed about the high level and splendid violin work. Well, on this live CD I was even more impressed, what a dynamic sound, what an excellent musicians and what an exciting soli on violin and keyboards!_p_ The seven compositions sound pleasant and flowing, the focus is on the amazing interplay and the frequent soli. And these soli are often mindblowing: the violin alternates from warm and sensitive to flashy and very distorted (a kind of Ritchie Blackmore on violin!) and the keyboards from spectacular pitchbend driven on the synthesizer to swirling on the Hammond organ and swinging on the piano. The support by the rhtyhm-section is very dynamic and propulsive. KBB their melodic sound is close to fusion (like Mahavishnu Orchestra) but also worth to explore for symphonic prog fans, especially the Eddie Jobson aficionados although the violinist plays more in the vein of monsieur Jean Luc Ponty. Highly recommended!

By the way, I also own the Live 2005 Official Bootleg DVD by KBB but I can't find my review  ... sorry.

INTERPOSE+ - Interpose+

- WOW, this is an amazing debut CD from a Japanese band that has so much to offer and an incredible high level of musicianship!

1. Aircon (11:03): The intro delivers a slow and compelling rhythm with howling electric guitar, then a powerful mid-tempo rhythm with jazzrock overtones and great interplay. Lots of dynamic shiftings moods, pleasant female vocals and great soli on electric guitar, synthesizer and violin (Akihisa Tsuboy from KBB). Their sound reminds me of fellow Japanese band Providence because of the female vocals and jazzrock inspiration.

2. Dayflower (10:04): A slow rhythm with a dreamy atmoshpere featuring awesome violin-Mellotron flights. Gradually the music becomes more lush and dynamic featuring moving, often howling electric guitar runs and a spectacular synthesizer soli. The final part delivers a short piece on classical guitar.

3. Zitensia (8:30): This compositions contains dynamic an powerful interplay (guitar, piano, rhythm-section) and many fiery and howling electric guitar soli (including wah-wah). The level is very high and evokes the excellent jazzrock from Mahavishnu Orchestra, splendid!

4. Koibumi (10:55): A wonderful track with a great build-up, first dreamy with flute-like keyboards, warm female vocals and tender piano runs, then gradually more lush featuring a sensitive electric guitar solo. Again Providence is on my mind because of the powerful female vocals and dynamic interplay. The final part delivers some beautiful classical guitar and just another splendid, very sensitive electric guitar solo.

5. Last Sign (7:16): The atmosphere is dreamy with slow and sensitive jazzy guitar runs, soaring keyboards and strong drums. The music becomes more dynamic with sensational synthesizer flights and fiery electric guitar runs, the rhythm-section sounds strong and propulsive. The second part delivers exciting dynamic music with a swirling Hammond organ solo and harder-edged electric guitar, the interplay is amazing!

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST JAPANESE PROGROCK ALBUMS EVER MADE, I AM SURE IT WILL PLEASE BOTH THE SYMPHONIC ROCK FANS AS THE MORE JAZZROCK INSPIRED AFICIONADOS!!