Ingress One (Masque (86), Masque (89)

Excellent Japanese instrumental band which operates in the jazz-rock mode, not far from bands like Kenso and Black Page, but a little more sustained and less elaborate. They are featured on some of the Japanese sampler CDs, such as Canterbury Edge and Jazz-Rock Collection, both on the Made in Japan label. The only releases are cassettes, except for Ingress One which is LP.

Flesh that Understands (92), Ten Ways (94)

Masque is a Swedish band, based in Gothenburg (second largest city in Sweden). They released their first CD this year on a French label. The music is quite similar to how Saga used to sound in the early days. Since the texts are written by a poet, they are quite advanced and this kept the reviewers grade down when they were judged in the papers. I think the record is available in Europe, while America is more uncertain but it is of course available by mail from the record company.

New band on Musea. Their only release to date is Flesh That Understands. Their sound is neo, but overall not derivative sounding, with the exception of a couple pop tracks that sound like Saga. The balance of the album is well thought-out and explores plenty of original ideas. The playing is tight and the vocals are excellent, plus good lyrics to boot.

Massacre (??)

Lofcaudio (??)

Elephante post-Kansas. A lot like his version of Kansas but with Christian-rock overtones. Recommended: Lofcaudio

A christian metal band ... that's all I know.

Volume One (90), Volume Two: Brainstorm (92), Volume III (95)

Mastermind is a progressive band based in the Midwest, whose debut on CD is an excellent work, influenced to a large extent by ELP. One notable feature of this release is that no keyboards are used (!). The leader, Bill Berends, uses a MIDI-equipped guitar synthesizer to trigger keyboard sounds. From the sound, though, you would swear that he was playing all those fiery lead passages on those classic Moogs of yesteryear ! Of the nine tracks, three are instrumental. Highly recommended for all ELP-philes. Volume Two: Brainstorm is the second release from the ELP-influenced band that does not use any keyboards! All the Keith Emerson-style leads are still performed on a MIDI-fied guitar, articulated perfectly.

A new progressive trio from New Jersey. They manage to combine some excellent compositions with a distinctive '90s sound. The driving force behind the band is one Bill Berends and his guitar-synth, who writes all of the band's original material, along with his brother and Drummer Rich Berends. Bass is capably provided by Phil Antolino. There are no keyboards here, dont be fooled just because you hear something reminiscent of ELP...It's all guitar ! Comparisons might also be made with '70s Canadian trio FM, or the Japanese progressive outfit Social Tension, but they really have a unique cutting-edge sound with some energized hyper-drive guitar riffs and great vocals. They also have a knack (as ELP did) for butchering the classics - the versions of "Ride of the Valkyrie" and "William Tell Overture" on Brainstorm smoke from beginning to end. Both albums highly recommended.

Charging into the nineties is the US power duo Mastermind. They play a melodic ELP-styled energetic and bombastic progressive rock. There is a warlike theme to their debut album ("Tidings of Battle," "A Call to Arms," "Eye of the Storm," and "War Machine") but it is not as harsh as ELP's Tarkus. The music, a heavy metal, jazz fusion, and progressive hybrid, propels you at a breakneck speed from the opening notes to the final chord. Rich Berends is a consummate drummer of infinite energy and he contributes almost as much to the music as the rich arrangements and virtuoso musicianship of his brother Bill. At that there are only three instrumentals out of the nine songs on this CD. The one "quiet" moment on this album is Long Distance Love Affair, a love ballad sounding like Depeche Mode on acid. Volume One is an outstanding debut album that sets the stage for their next CD Brainstorm. Brainstorm contains more music than Volume One and again is the stage for the Berends to show off their multi-talents. There is so much energy in this music that the disc almost floats by itself! Having established themselves with Volume One, Mastermind flexes their muscles (figuratively and actually) and begins to explore classical themes like their mentors ELP. Bill Berends interpretation of "Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie" is the most accurate, bombastic, and energetic rendition I've heard. This song in concert would whip the crowd into a screaming howling frenzy! In addition their "William Tell Overture" is sure to bring you to those thrilling days of yesteryear. The title track "Brainstorm" is full of King Crimson Red-era savage guitar and drums. As on their previous effort, the music abounds with heavy metal guitar licks and lightning fast runs. Mastermind is a band to watch. They aspire to the fame and glory of ELP and I think they deserve it.

Ah, harken back to the days of Prime Prog when albums had multiple side-long suites, bombastic synthesizer relentlessly assaulting your frontal lobe. Add to that some of the most pretentious liner notes I have ever seen and it's no wonder progressive rock fell out of favor. But here we have a band that that takes those characters and wraps them up into a package called Volume 2: Brainstorm. OK, so the liner notes are pretentious: what about the music? Mastermind are the brothers Berends, Bill and Rich. Rich is a drummer who subscribes to the Carl Palmer school of drumming. He likes them loud, fast and furious. Brother Bill is the mastermind behind Mastermind as he writes all the songs, sings and plays everything except percussion. Bill plays guitar which he uses to control a rack of synthesizers to create a dense and aggressive sound that will immediately bring ELP to your mind. However, Bill's guitar (as a guitar) is the dominant force and he assaults your brain with scorching guitar licks for the entire 70 minutes of the album. At the end, you won't be surprised to find you've become a little numb. To be sure, Bill has got chops and uses them well. Occasionally he falls back on cliche and some of his changes among sections in the multi-part suites could be better, but as a whole Berends is an excellent and aggressive guitarist. Seventy minutes of assault such as that unleashed by Mastermind can be a bit difficult to take in one setting--I almost always break up the album into two sections. There are two long suites, the 21 minute "Brainstorm" and the 18 minute "Triumph of the Will." There is also a cover of Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyrie" and Rossini's "William Tell Overture." Generally a fine album when taken in smaller doses but there is nothing pastoral about this band--keep that in mind when deciding if you want to hear it. Their first, Volume 1 is similar though the synth textures are a little more prominent which gives a stronger ELP feel. The vocals are not as clear on their second album. They produced both so I assume experience played a roll there. Phil Antolino, their bassist for live gigs also plays bass on this album. Overall, Volume 1 is a less mature effort in the composition department. Start with their second. I bet this stuff is intense in a live setting!

Matching Mole (72), Matching Mole's Little Red Record (73)

This group was founded by Phil Miller, and featured some of the stalwarts of the Canterbury scene, including Robert Wyatt and Dave Sinclair. Of their two releases, their first was the more, er, pastoral sounding, with much of that deriving from the presence of Wyatt. His haunting vocals are present on a few tracks, with the instrumentation very reminiscent of the group Egg. Little Red Record is the 1972 release by the Robert Wyatt/Phil Miller/Bill McCormick/Dave McRae line-up and is undoubtedly the quirkier of the two eclectic works by this band. Robert Fripp was the producer, and Brian Eno guested on synth on one of the tracks. The music is probably best described as Hatfield and The North meets Soft Machine meets Gong, with much of the latter's influence presumably stemming from Robert Wyatt's association with Daevid Allen.

Cool Canterbury band, albeit a bit strange, led by drummer/vocalist Robert Wyatt (ex-Soft Machine) that featured Bill MacCormack on bass, Phil Miller on guitar and Dave Sinclair on keys. The sound is dominated by Wyatt's offbeat tunes and lyrical humor.

Matching Mole consisted of Canterbury luminaries Robert Wyatt (Soft Machine), Dave Sinclair (Caravan), Phil Miller (Hatfield and the North, National Health), and Bill McCormick. Their self-titled first is an excellent album featuring spacey improvisation and extended jamming, except for the first couple of tracks. These are dominated by Robert Wyatt's vocals and are somewhat melancholy and jazzy in nature. In a few places, some trademark Sinclair keyboards shine through, or a Phil Miller guitar lick will be evident, but overall this album represents a unique blend of ideas. Probably not the best place to start exploring the Canterbury scene, but their first album is a must-hear for the Canterbury fan. I haven't heard Little Red Record but I do know it features Dave McRae on keyboards instead of Dave Sinclair.

Imagine Hatfield and the North meets Robert Wyatt head on. Two great albums of Wyatt-driven Canterbury material ... very atmospheric and cool. Little Red Record is bizarre and has a strange version of "Oh Len's Nature" with lyrics which you'll find on the re-released CD of Hatfield's debut. In the liner notes, Robert Wyatt says that people thought they must have been mad or stoned when they did that but he recounts that the frightening thing was that they weren't :-)

Quite an impressive pedigree: Robert Wyatt from Soft Machine, Bill MacCormick from Quiet Sun and Dave Sinclair from Caravan, plus newcomer Phil Miller. The first album, however, is a pretty scattershot collection of songs and improvisations. The songs sound like leavings from a Wyatt solo album, not bad, but I thought this was supposed to be a GROUP. The improvisations are really far-out and may not exactly appeal to you in certain states of mind. Heavy use of mellotron makes them resemble Tangerine Dream circa Alpha Centauri, honestly! Little Red Record is much more of a group effort. With ex-Nucleus keyboardist Dave Macrae replacing Sinclair (who had returned to Caravan), the band made a superb album of offbeat Canterbury fusion that provided the stamp for Hatfield and The North, National Health and others. Best tracks: "Marchides" which houses an incredible Miller guitar solo, along with some of some of Wyatt's best drumming, and "Gloria Gloom" which includes Brian Eno in a guest role, providing some ethereal synth textures. Can't be beat. -- Mike Ohman

[See Caravan | Grimes, Carol and Delivery | National Health | Soft Machine | Wyatt, Robert]

Oh Perra Vida de Betto (??)

Mellow Prog.

Temporary Music (80), Memory Serves (82)

Featuring Bill Laswell on bass and Cliff Cultureri on guitar. Laswell is now a leader of the New York "downtown" music scene, working with Fred Frith, Ronald Shannon-Jackson, Ginger Baker(!), to name a few. Temporary Music is actually a compilation of 2 EPs that offer an interesting fusion of jazz/rock and kind of a Euro-disco or techno feel. These guys blew me away at the Gong Festival in Baltimore back in 79, in fact they blew everyone away, just doing the 4 songs from the first EP, plus a killer version of Eno's "Somber Reptiles." Really tight ensemble playing from a traditional rock 4-piece outfit, and very high energy. I was less impressed with the subsequent releases, however.

The Wizard (78), Tale Of The Whale (??)

Fusion with heavy emphasis on synths, horns.

Matter (93)

If you like quirky psychedelic guitar-rock drenched with mellotron, read on... Matter is pretty much the two man project of Joe Albarran (chapman stick, bass, mellotron and guitar) and Mike Madden (drums and percussion) - although Spyder Powers contributes lead guitar on a few of the tracks. For a sound comparison, some paralells to a Djam Karet or Steve Tibbetts might be in order, with some of that everpresent King Crimson style mellotron thrown into the mix - yet one cannot say this sounds like any of the former other than as a quick reference - in fact the overall sound is far more jagged and psychedelic - for lack of a better word, bringing to mind some of the early german bands like Ashra Tempel or Guru Guru before they smoothed out their sound. Recording quality tends to be a little substandard for the nineties, which tends to further authenticate the seventies feel. No vocals here, to speak of other than some whispers and background screaming on one track. Some of the tracks, like the shimmering "Beyond The Fourth Dimension" or "Gravity Field" with its spastic guitar leads, tend to stand out among the others, yet even as such most of the album has kind of a sameness about it that maybe more variety of instrumentation could provide. "Bog" is a slower cut with fuzzy lead melodies walking over a bed of mellotron and percussive bass. This is one of those albums that beckons you back for more listens as it slowly reveals itself and its subtleties, its strengths and weaknesses.

Babel (78)

Maxophone (75)

One of the best of the 70's italian progressive re-releases, a high-energy six-piece, cohesive and forceful music with strong melodies and tight changes. Their album was released in both Italian and English versions.

Splendid Italian ensemble strongly influenced by P.F.M. and King Crimson. Their one album combines jazz, rock and classical ideas in a dazzling stylistic whirlpool where you never know what's coming next. So at one moment they're playing a gentle, romantic melody, the next they move into Dixieland jazz, then suddenly furious rock guitar comes out of nowhere. And so on. They use jazz (clarinets, saxes, trumpets) and classical (horns, flutes, strings, harp) instruments to give them a textural depth most such bands could only hope to achieve. Perhaps the best sample of their arresting style is the instrumental "Fase", which grips you immediately with the punchy Frippian guitar, then goes into some lighter classical-like moments, and not the other way around as many of the other tracks do. Nonetheless, a beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable album. -- Mike Ohman

Maxophone are another of the crop of Italian progressive rock acts, who recorded one quality release (in early 1975), and then disappeared. Their music was very much in the pastoral PFM vein, with similarities to bands such as Locanda Delle Fate, and, perhaps, Le Orme. The vocals are in Italian, and, interestingly enough, a version with English vocals was released in the US! In addition to the keyboards/guitar/drums line-up, Maxophone featured two players on wind instruments, including clarinet, flute and horns. This added a more symphonic dimension to their music, which should surely appeal to those who enjoy the bands noted in the comparisons above.

Ah yes, yet another great Italian band. The closest comparison that I can make is with Locanda delle Fate, but that doesn't quite describe Maxophone. While Locanda was a full, rich seven piece that composed some of the most beautiful multi-instrumental counterpoint I've ever heard, Maxophone uses a full, rich complex approach with a heavy guitar and some occasional harshness. Not only do they layer complex harmonies with ease, the point that pleased me the most when listening to this CD was the sudden, surprising changes of tempo and style. They switch from virtuouso classical piano melodies to mid twentieth century jazz between measures. Not only that, but with metalish guitar leads in some tracks, they move to gospel style vocal overdubs in others. This is a feast for those of you who like the 70's Italian bands or contradicting mood changes. Unfortunately, the CD was mastered off a record and loses its excellent sound quality occasionally on the high-end parts. But don't let that stop you from enjoying this masterpiece. Even at the import price, it is well worth the money. Highly recommended.

Maxophone were a top-notch Italian band playing a complex symphonic prog. The ample liner notes on the CD reissue I have are written in Korean so I can't garner much information about the band other than to guess that they were a six piece. Their style has references to PFM, Le Orme, Locanda delle Fate and Il Balletto di Bronzo. Their playing ranges from pastoral softness to searing and heavy but always lyrical and never overbearing. There are nice multi-part vocals that are never harsh. In addition to keyboards and guitar (including classical guitar passages) the band uses sax, flute, vibes and a variety of other instruments to round out their sound. Quite good!

The classic Maxophone shows Italian symphonic rock at its best, full of nuances and subtleties. The band of six offers rich instrumentation: keyboards, guitars, vocals (in Italian) bass, drums, flutes, percussions, clarinet, saxophone, trombone and horn. Guests also add harp, violin, cello and bass. The compositions show a most complete sound and take advantage of the versatility of the musicians by finding inspiration certainly in rock, but also in jazz and classical music. This energetic music is full of emotions and switches easily from one style to another within the context of the same track. An unavoidable production for fans of the style and era. -- Paul Charbonneau

May Blitz (70), The Second of May (71)

One of the earliest British progressive trios, similar to High Tide, but not as good on their first one. Second Of May is supposed to be great though.

Early UK rockers with progressive touches. Self-titled first opens with great guitar jamming song, including some hot acoustic guitar jams intertwined with electric guitar. Guitar-dominated work pervades the album but the music is rather uneven throughout. Some songs are pretty good, others go lacking a little. Vocals on most songs are somewhat reminescent of Jack Bruce. Overall, nothing really spectacular.

Lyle Mays (86)

Keyboardist with Pat Metheny group. His self-titled solo album is much like Metheny circa Off Ramp, but a little more low key, and of course all the music is piano-centered. Features Bill Frisell on guitar and Nana Vasconcelos on percussion.

[See Metheny, Pat]

Delusion (71), McChurch Soundroom (72)

From the underground scene.

Ages (75)

Rare South African prog album with psych-looking cover.

McDonald and Giles (71)

This titleless album by two under-appreciated contributors to the landmark In the Court of the Crimson King is in many ways the polar opposite of the Crimson King. Multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald (reeds, keyboards, guitar) and drummer Michael Giles left King Crimson in late-1969 because, according to an interview with McDonald, Crimson's music "is not happy music...And I want to make music that says good things instead of evil things". Crimson's venerable Robert Fripp, stunned by McDonald and Giles departure and offering to leave the band instead, attributed the band's break-up to McDonald and Giles "falling in love" during Crimson's Fall '69 US tour. Thus, this 1971 Atlantic record is an upbeat, happy, love-inspired counterpoint to the brilliant, yet haunting and moody, Court of the Crimson King. Ian McDonald's "Suite in C" (complete with pretentious Crimsonesque subtitles), with catchy jazz-like riffs, is part statement that McDonald can also handle a guitar (something he couldn't play while along side guitar virtuoso Fripp). "Is She Waiting" is an unabashedly sappy love song penned while McDonald toured with Crimson. "Flight of the Ibis" is the original version of Crimson's "Cadence and Cascade," with a more poppishly accessible melody, but dogged by weak lyrics. The album's highlights are Mike Gile's "Tomorrow's People," punctuated by snappy rim shots and nice orchestral interludes, and McDonald's "Birdman", a wonderfully crafted ode to man's eternal quest to fly. "Birdman" is the album's most Crimsoneque, prog-like piece, complete with music-laden imagery, crescendos, and tranquil interludes, and penned by Crimson's own Pete Sinfield. Crimson fans are likely to be perplexed yet intrigued by McDonald and Giles' sole joint-collaboration. Throughout the piece, McDonald even forsakes the mellotron (something which he almost single handedly popularized with King Crimson) in favor of an acoustic piano. Because the album never met commercial success, McDonald and Giles went their separate ways, with McDonald joining the very commercially successful yet most un-prog band, Foreigner (just after he was suppose to rejoin the disbanded post-Red King Crimson) and Giles holding steady gigs as a session musician (Ant Phillips, musical scores). This highly listenable album deserves a place in the collection of any die-hard Crimson fan if for no other reason than to suggest the direction Crimson might have gone had McDonald and Giles stayed with the group. -- Robert Cervero

Two renegades from the original King Crimson. The music on this album is in a much lighter vein than KC, with major keys abounding, making them much closer to Caravan. What guitar there is is acoustic, the emphasis is more on McDonald's keyboards and reeds (sax/clarinet/flute), plus the odd sundry instrument, like the lovely use of zither on "Flight of the Ibis", which contains the original, superior melody to "Cadence And Cascade". "Birdman" is the labum's sidelong opus, and perhaps their most influential piece of music. With its ear-catching melodies and tasteful orchestrations, it influenced bands such as Grobschnitt. Very good. -- Mike Ohman

[See Giles, Giles and Fripp | King Crimson]

McKendree Spring (69), Second Thoughts (70), 3 (72), Tracks (73), Spring Suite (74), Get Me To The Country (75), Too Young To Feel This Old (76)

A band to beware of. The way they give their electric violin/synth player (Michael Dreyfuss) top billing is very misleading. Usually he's relegated to playing countryish amplified fiddle behind the wimpy folk/country Grateful Dead-isms of singer/songwriter Fran McKendree. He gets about one song per album to stretch his legs, and it's often a letdown. On the one I have: it's "Light up The Skies", a noble but unsuccessful attempt to adapt themes from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" into a five-minute song. Anyone who knows me knows that I'll recommend you get Canarios' Ciclos, and pass this one up. Double beware: Spring Suite has very cool Roger Dean cover art, but I heard it sucked just as bad as Tracks. -- Mike Ohman

Elemental (85), To Drive the Cold Winter Away (87), Parallel Dreams (89), The Visit (92), The Mask and Mirror (94)

Loreena McKennitt is one of the most exciting musicians to come out of Canada in the past decade. Her music shows a heavy British Isles/Irish folk influence, often combined with a medieval sound and occasionally ventures into Spanish and Middle-eastern music. A lot of people compare her to Enya, but a much more apt comparison would be with Dead Can Dance-- or maybe with early Alan Stivell. Her music, though mellow, does not confine itself to the synth-ethereal sound that Enya's does, and incorporates a wider variety of rock and world instruments as well. Loreena's voice, furthermore, is much richer and more operatic than Enya's. Her arrangments are also more elaborate. Her first three albums, though quite good, might not be the best introduction to her music for a prog fan. They tend to be very relaxed, very melodic versions of traditional Irish, Scottish, and North American folk tunes, with lilting vocals, seasoned by very beautiful arrangements on harp, guitar, keyboards, bass, violin, and occasional pipes and percussion. There are a couple of compositions that feature spoken-word poetry over the music as well. Loreena really comes into full blossom on The Visit. It's a more eclectic album, containing tunes inspired by Persian and Argentinian musical traditions, and it's slightly more up-tempo and rockish as well. The centerpiece of this album is the 12-minute "The Lady of Shallott" which uses the words of Tennyson's poem for lyrics. (Loreena actually does this a lot-- she has set several Shakespearean speeches to music as well.) The Mask and Mirror continues these musical explorations even further with an attempt to capture the mood of medieval Spain and Morocco on several of the songs (like "The Mystic's Dream" and "Marrakesh Night Market"). With it's lush melodies, trance-like rhythms, rich vocal harmonies, and wonderful instrumental arrangements (featuring some great guitar playing by Brian Hughes), it's probably the best album of hers for a prog-fan to pick up. -- James Chokey

Medina Azahara (79), Paseando por la Mezquita (??), Andalucia (??), La Esquina del Viento (??), ...En Al-Hakim (89), Caravana Espanola (91), others?

Medina Azahara are a Spanish prog band who reportedly released several albums, starting from around 1979 and as late as 1991. I've seen this band listed as an incredible example of Spanish prog but the three albums I have tend not to bear this out. La Esquina del Viento is mostly 3-4 minute songs (the longest is 5:18) that isn't too progressive but rock with a few symphonic progressive tendencies. There is a strong vocal (Spanish of course) presence, lots of heavy guitar and occasionally some nice keyboard work. The rhythm section of bass and drums generally play simple and straightforward. All the songs follow the same general verse/chorus format. Andalucia is similar in that it has several commercial songs and a one or two tunes with vauge progressive tendencies. Paseando por la Mezquita is a better album with several fluid guitar solos alternating with liquid synth passages. They still suffer from a basic rhythm section, though. If you find any of their LPs at a bargain (doubtful), it might be worth picking them up. If they want a fortune (that you're willing to spend as a collector) you may want to audition them before you lay out the cash.

I heard a couple of early tracks, enjoyable flamenco-prog with distorted guitar. Similar to Cai, but harder-rocking. -- Mike Ohman

Meisenfloo (72)

Prog.

Swaddling Songs (72)

Very nice female vocalist, she'll remind you of Annie Haslam of Renaissance or Sonja Kristina of Curved Air. The album falls squarely into a vague folk-prog category, with the vocals sounding very folksy, while the music varies over folk, psych, and progressive. Some nice piano is featured on many of the songs. Very nice if you like female vocals... lots of vocals. For me, sameness starts to creep in about half-way through.

I like folk-rock quite a bit but I've never heard any quite this busy! Something of a mix between Steeleye Span and Reniassance, this early 70's British band has really caught my attention. At first I didn't ever realize the traditional strains...I was so caught up in the keyboard/guitar work playing very *active* melodies across the vocals. And I must say that the vocalist (don't know her name) has one of the most lovely voices I've heard in quite some time. Her control is evident when she modulates pitch half an octave or more between words so smoothly. If there isn't a progressive-folk subdivision, maybe there should be. This is a truly virtuistic performance.

Et Apres (76), L'Ecume des Jours (79)

Obscure French band in the symphonic realms. Pretty good and pretty unique.

Men Of Lake (91)

Current italian band that plays more in the spirit of the 70's than most of their contemporaries. Good vocals (in english), strong melodies, dramatic themes, and lots of Hammond organ everywhere. Very good overall.

After Alan Freeman's rave review in Audion, I was very enthusiastic about hearing this band. Their use of Hammond organs was catching the nostalgic ears of long time progressive fans. The album certainly is listenable and appealing, but destined to be a classic? I don't agree. The keyboardist is no Keith Emerson, in fact he reminds me more of Marillion's Mark Kelly. While the band isn't untalented they spend too much time hitting chords in the background instead of playing together. There are some very nice moments on this album but too many average moments to make a difference. I will give this more listens since people I respect think its quite good but I can't conscienciously give it a thumbs up.

Try Your Brakes (90), Verdict (91)

Very good hard rock/metal progressive band, more darker sounding than Dream Theater, they use more bizarre chord progressions. Great keyboard player. They should have a CD out by early 1993.

Mephistopheles (74)

Orchestrated prog with opera overtones.

Vanish to the Moon (89)

Pretty bad neo-prog with male and female vocals. The flute parts are really amateurish. Possibly OK if you like very light neo-prog but avoid otherwise.

Liten Groda I Stor Damm (78)

Folky Prog.

Storage (90?), Cloud Cock OO Grand (??), Soundtrack For Bondage Performance (??), Rainbow Electronics (9?), Great American Nude: Live in USA (??), Live (??), With Memorial Gadgets (86), Grav (??), Others?

Japanese industrial noise band.

This is in the prog survey? I would hardly consider this akin to any prog! Basically harsh Japanese free-form noise, from white electronic noise to instrument torture, but in short, NOISE. Merzbow's sound is based on doing things to metal (scraping, banging, etc) then processing the sound using a myriad of electronic effects to create very noisy ambience. Be warned, there are basically no musical structures except for some early stuff that is rhythmic in nature. Merzbow makes stuff like John Zorn and Doctor Nerve sound symphonic and pretty in comparison! Merzbow will probably make your ears bleed. Way more harsh than other noise stuff like Lustmord, early Current 93, Nurse With Wound, Hafler Trio or even NON. Merzbow is usually one guy, Masami Akita, and not even Masami would be able to compile his own discography. He has a slew of recordings both authorized and un-, compilations, collaborations, tape releases, strange vinyl artifacts, etc. on many labels from many countries.

The Dawn Anew Is Comin' (71), From Books and Dreams (73), Message (75), Synapse (76), Astral Journey (78), Miles Of Smiles (80)

German euro-rock band in the vein of Nektar.

E Fu Il Sesto Giorno (72), Inferno (72)

A short lived Italian band only releasing two albums, the average ...E Fu Il Sesto Giorno and the classic Inferno. The latter featuring great use of the Moog as well as other amazing keyboard work, the band puts together an album length suite that is one of the classics in the history of symphonic progressive music. A must.

This heavy progressive album is a dark and intense moog workout. The keyboardist has his Emerson chops down, from the Hammond stylings to the barrelhouse/classical piano style. The Emersonian touches appear here and there throughout but this is not an ELP keyboard trio or anything near it. They explore dark corridors filled with cobwebs of intensity that ELP were too wimpy to explore. There is some wonderfully penetrating moog work on this (political?) concept album. Except for a couple of breaks, the many tracks flow together into a continuous piece. The vocalist strongly reminds me of Doug Ingle from Iron Butterly. The vocals are in Italian, but don't let that stop you. The lyrics are provided so you can sing along! Strongly recommended to fans of ELP and the moog synth.

The second album is the best with great keyboards and vocals (like ELP). It includes rock versions of the American and Soviet national anthems.

[See Spitaleri, Davide | Thor]

Bright Size Life (75), Watercolors (77), Pat Metheny Group (78), New Chautauqua (79), American Garage (79), 80/81 (81), As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita (81), Offramp (82), Travels (83), First Circle (84), Rejoicing (84), Song X (85) (w/ Ornette Coleman), Still Life (Talking) (87), Letter From Home (89), Question and Answer (90), Secret Stories (92)

Ones to stay away from: Song X and 80/81, due to their atonal free-jazz feel, I don't think many prog fans would enjoy these two. The rest of his catalog is pretty good, jazzy and easygoing guitar with piano, bass, drums and sometimes vocal accompaniment (no lyrics!) . Some of his best albums are: First Circle, New Chautaqua, Travels(live), American Garage, and As Falls Wichita So Falls Wichita Falls, just to name a handful.

Jazz guitar player who could be (and has been) good, but comes over sounding average most of the time. On Song X, he experiments with free-jazzer Ornette Coleman for some of his best work in the jazz realm. This may appeal to you if you are a RIO or free-jazz fan. It's some tough listening but can be very powerful. 80/81 is also one of his best works in the jazz field. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of his work varies in quality. I find that the problem is his use of guitar synthesizer. It tends to blur any distinction in his style, and it doesn't vary among tunes, giving albums a feel of sameness. However, if you're cautious, start with the live Travels which provides a cross-cut of some of his better material.

[See Egan, Mark | Mays, Lyle]

Metro (77), New Love (79), Future Imperfect (80)

Metro was Peter Godwin, Sean Lyons, and Duncan Browne. Their one and only self-titled album from '76 was a hyper-stylized pop with an ethereal feel which was created mainly by the unique vocal harmony style of Godwin and Browne. The extent to which this could be called truly progressive is doubtful, but it is unique enough to warrant a listen, as there are many prog fans that would definitely enjoy this.

[See Browne, Duncan]

Recuerdos De Mi Tierra (79)

Fantastic symphonic progressive from Spain. Layers of synth intertwine with electric and flamenco guitar to create a gorgeous work of intensity and melody. Vocals are in Spanish, which I think has to be one of the nicest singing languages. Native Spanish influences as well as the best ideas from the Italian symphonic progressive bands can be heard throughout the music giving a unique twist to this subgenre. The intensity never lets up. One of the best from Spain, or anywhere for that matter.

Spain's late seventies "progressive rock" scene was flowing in the abundance of new and creative talent and this short lived band was practically at the zenith of this genre's adherants. A heavily folk influenced symphonic rock with an abundance of minor second intervals, Mezquita's music owed much to flamenco and classical stylings and showed a tendency to drift to romantic or haunting melodies. As with many of Mezquita's contemporaries such as Triana, Iman, Ibio and Granada, there is a strong King Crimson influence. Yet the overt cultural folk references remain strong, bringing a distinct original flavor that nearly remains a standard for Spanish progressive rock. Mezquitas music at times sits close to the Italians, with hints of Osanna and Semiramis; at other times the French like Shylock or Artcane. The level of comparisons should bring it into perspective, this is one of the supremely classic examples of European symphonic progressive rock.

Transparencias (76) Magicos Juegos del Tiempo (??), Cornonstipicum (??), Conciertos (78)

[See Vitale, Lito]

Beyond the Clear Air (??)

UK like with violin/keyboard interplay.

Soulinside (94)

Midian are a five piece of Francesco Foggi (vocals), Simone Baldini Tosi (vocals, violin, keyboards), Lorenzo Bellacci (acoustic and electric guitar), Cristiano Bonci (bass, pedal keyboard), and Lorenzo Travaglini (drums, electronic percussion). Where some prog/metal bands, such as Alembic Virtual and Gerard, blend their metal style with decent portions of more traditional progressive qualities, Midian increases the alloy content and molten speed, at the sacrifice of some progressiveness. I didn't particularly care for Foggi's vocal traits, although I'm hard-pressed to put into words exactly why. I guess he's just too "up-front" for my tastes. Tosi's violin adds depth, and may cause some comparisons between Midian and fellow Italians Deus Ex Machina to be drawn. I think Midian pale in such a comparison, though. The guitar work is the focal point. Bellacci likes to display his fretting speed, running up and down musical scales as fast as possible. The rhythm section suits the style of a hard rock/metal band, heavy up front but lacking in detail. There is one notable exception, "Inside." This piece is a gentle, two minute acoustic guitar and violin piece. This brief interlude gives way to the power riffs and Midian are once again at the steel mill. Midian will probably appeal to those of you solidly into the progressive metal genre. -- Mike Taylor

Rainbow Band (70), Midnight Sun (72), Walking Circles (72), Midnight Dream (74)

Another band from Denmark. I found Midnight Sun (recorded around 1971 I guess, published on Teldec) recently and bought it because of the nice cover made by Roger Dean. The music is great Scandinavian jazzrock/fusion-stuff with a strong rock feel, maybe Colosseum or the compatriots Burnin Red Ivanhoe would be a good comparison. Among the six players (bass, guitar, drums, keybords, sax and vocals) is one Peer Frost who is said to be Denmarks best guitar player at that time (as the liner notes say), and he is really excellent. If you find this one, pick it up! Walking Circles also has a great cover by Roger Dean and is like Midnight Sun, so the best comparison is again Colosseum. -- Achim Breiling

Might of Coincidence (??)

Mighty Baby (69), A Jug of Love (71)

Excellent band from the early UK scene. The influences are more psych than prog. Dominated by the music of Martin Stone's excellent guitar work, the band's style can't be nailed to anything concrete. Their first album is a nice mixture that will remind you variously of the Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield, and no one at all. Hardly derivative, this band can boogie with the best. Nearly all the musicians were successful session men. Songs like "Same Way from the Sun," "House With No Windows" and "Trails of a City" are dynamic vehicles for Stone's driving guitar. Other songs, such as "I'm From the Country" highlight a country influence, while "At a Point Between Fate and Destiny" demonstrate an introspective quality. A Jug of Love reveals a band that has matured while remaining true to their unique style. The songs have gotten longer and more exploratory. Acoustic guitar jams are featured, such as in the wonderful "Virgin Springs." The comparison to early Grateful Dead is stronger in songs like "Keep on Juggin'," but this is better and more spacious. It is very unfortunate that this band was not very well known beyond its core of fans. The band was unique, imaginative, and quite innovative for that time.

[See Habibiyya]

Miklagård (79)

ELP influenced keyboard prog.

Milkweed (78)

Rare Canadian ensemble reissued on the Symphonic label. Rather dull actually.

Cutting Both Ways (88), Split Seconds (89), Digging In (91)

Yes, this is the same Phil Miller who played in several of the legendary Canterbury bands, most notably Hatfield and The North and National Health. He carries on in essentially a follow-on from the style of early National Health, an extended jazz-fusion sound pioneered by bands like Soft Machine, yet refined stylistically and sounding far more up to date. On the first of his Cuneiform releases Cutting Both Ways, tracks are split between those recorded with the band In Cahoots (which includes Pip Pyle, drummer alumnus of National Health, bassist Hugh Hopper and reedsman Elton Dean, both formerly of Soft Machine during their most productive period, and keyboardist Pete Lemer), and those recorded with Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin (both ex-NH). A later release Digging In shows Phil doing exactly that, more of a guitar show this time than the previous, with help from Pyle, Lemer, and Fred Baker. Both of these are exceptional releases that should appeal to fans of the Canterbury sound or fusion in general.

I've got Digging In and I was somewhat disappointed when I got it. Miller's trademark guitar tone is traded in for MIDI controlled sounds. Except for a few brief moments, you can't really tell it's a guitar playing. I don't mind some MIDI guitar, but if you're going to bury the essence of the electric guitar, why bother? The writing isn't the strongest either, the arrangements being mundane and uninteresting. Cutting Both Ways is said to be much better, and contains some of his In Cahoots work. -- Mike Taylor

[See Gong | Hatfield and the North | In Cahoots | Matching Mole | National Health]

Epic III (??)

Guitarist for Sebastian Hardie, Windchase.

[See Sebastian Hardie | Windchase]

The Lemmings Were Pushed (92), Guilty Until Proven Rich (95)

Canadian instrumental four piece who play a spirited symphonic fusion full of strong melodics, powerful rhythms, dynamic stretch and fluid arrangements. Comparable to Edhels, later period Maneige, maybe even Holding Pattern - but Mind Gallery have a more "psychedelic" feel and less of the delicate artiness of Edhels, more of a direct rock attack than the percussive complexity of Maneige. Like all good progressive music, emphasis is placed on the overall arrangements and not on soloing. Most progressive fans should enjoy this a lot.

The Lemmings Were Pushed is all instrumental, crisply executed guitar/ keyboard-based progressive rock from a new Canadian band. The guitar is quite prominent, and one could regard this as neo-progressive rock without the vocals, combining elements from 90125-era Yes with, perhaps, Magellan, with greater variety and power.

Mind Gallery are a relatively new Canadian quartet. Many have hailed them as an outstanding example of a new band with some Genesis influences that don't sound like neo. While I agree that they do show some Genesis and Yes (as well as fellow Canadians, Maneige) influences and don't sound neo-prog at all, I think they have been hyped quite a bit. Entirely instrumental, they have a bassist, a drummer, a guitarist and a keyboardist. The songs range from the short (less than two minutes) "Bent Straight" to the eight minute "Earth Rebirth." Most songs are in the 4-6 minute range. About two thirds of the way through the album I start to lose interest--it all sounds the same. They seem to me generally talented on their instruments so perhaps it is the writing; I just can't get very excited about these guys. Perhaps it is the lack of dynamics. Perhaps it is the lack of variety in the tonal palette. Perhaps it's the bassist and drummer to don't get actively involved. Whatever, the music fails to draw me in or get me excited. Not bad but there's much better.

Their entire new album is available for downloading from their new Web Page.

The Colours of Life (88)

M.O.M. is german synthesist Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock. The music on his album The Colours Of Life is of the very ethereal spacy brand, the melodies tend to unravel slowly, flowing from one musical thought to the next. Comparable to TD circa Stratosfear, but with more updated modern electronics.

Envol Triangles (85), Les Saisons Marines (87), Sarabandes (90), La Source (93)

The absolute monsters of new French symphonic progressive. Absolutely mindblowing.

The core of this French instrumental band are the brothers Thierry Payssan (keyboards) and Jean-Luc Payssan (guitars and voice), who write all of the band's material. The rhythm section of Eric Reyberol (bass) and Christoph Godet (drums) round out the sound. A few tracks have vocals, but mostly not. In general, their sound is a dynamo of guitar-keyboard interplay, with a strong classical presence. They truly have their own sound, but some vague references might be found in the group Sky, Girls Who Grow Plump period Caravan, seventies Soft Machine, and possibly even early Camel. The first album Envol Triangles has an overt yet subtle zeuhl presence, connecting it with the sound of bands like Zao, Weidorje, Paga and others, not overwhelming it, but adding to the unique sound of the band. Also felt is a hint of the band Shylock. For the second Album Les Saisons Marines they further developed the unique aspects of their sound, and shed some of the more derivative ones. The result is a positively stunning album of colorful acoustic-electric guitar and keyboard interchanges, odd time signatures, and compositional complexity. The CD reissue puts most of the material on Envol and Saisons on a single disc. For the third album Sarabandes, there is a stronger classical presence within their development, and a greater propensity to cut loose. Tracks like "Danza Vital" and "Hymne et Danse" offer ripping guitarwork and equally astonishing keyboard pyrotechnics. Others like "Porte Sur L'Ete" and "Cantiga De Santa Maria" showcase a more gentle side of the band's work. Any of these discs are an excellent introduction to what is probably one of the top five instrumental bands on the planet today.

Envol Triangles and Les Saisons Marines were the first two releases by the band Minimum Vital, and were available on cassette and LP formats, respectively, until the CD reissue, by the foremost French prog rock label, Musea. Minimum Vital's brand of music is very much in the French style, as characterised by bands such as Edhels, Asia Minor, and the like. The music is a blend of fusion and progressive rock, and all-instrumental, driven by guitars and keyboards, with a prominent flute presence on Envol Triangles. With two releases on one CD, the music clocks in at a little under 72 minutes. Also available is their subsequent release, Sarabandes. On this, the band really seems to have matured, and cover more ground than the previous releases, in that they employ a wider variety of moods and sounds in their musical pallette. This is probably the release with which one may gain an introduction to the band.

Minimum Vital groups four musicians on keyboards, guitars/voice, bass and drums. The music on Sarabandes is based on the compositions and interactions of the Payssan brothers (keyboards and guitars) who can count on a dynamic rhythm section. Their style is inspired by a strange mixture of symphonic rock, jazz et medieval folk. An excellent production blends acoustic and electric sonorities et usually maintains a certain lightness, except for truly heavier arrangements where the electric guitar work intensifies. Fresh music with a variety of influences that can reach the tastes of many. The foursome returns for La Source, with the compositions of the Payssan brothers (keyboards and guitars). Bass and drums still provide dynamic rhythms and guests on vocals (strange language) are now added. The music retains its lightness, symphonism as well as heavier guitar breaks. Dancing melodies and "modern" keyboard sounds can discourage fans of a more dramatic style; at least until the electric guitar kicks in. A strange blend of folk, rock, classical and jazz where multiple influences are fused in a contemporary sound. -- Paul Charbonneau

These folky French instrumentalists have received wide acclaim for their brand of modern French symphonic. Influenced by some of the early English bands as well as Atoll, Ange, and other French sympho outfits, Minimum Vital produces a very laid back sound. While "progressive," Minimum Vital takes the stylistic approach of bands like Eloy. Their pieces are solidly written, yet lack any dynamics or staying power for me. The drumming is especially a turn off - very mainstream, highly repetitive, etc. As a whole they are talented and their sound is more original than derivative, but it does little to keep my attention. The writing evokes nice melodies and catchy rhythms, but it is anything an amateur musician could play. Complexity level is low to mid. Many progressive rock fans regard this band highly, so keep that in mind when I add this to my list of overrated modern prog. Standing on its own, Minimum Vital is fine music, but compared to the best that the genre has to offer, they are completely mediocre. If you like the MV style, try out Italy's Nuova Era for a more energetic example of it. Many sympho fans would appreciate this offering, so I recommend they at least give it a listen before buying. If you're more oriented towards the fusion or RIO styles, give it two listens...

Combining elements of classical, jazz, and progressive, Minimum Vital creates a very unique sound. La Source is packed with loads of digital keyboards and a wide array of guitar sounds, and the textures keep changing to make it even more interesting. This band is masterful at creating a style within a song and wrapping it up into a coherent package. Each song on this album has its own flavor, and every one of them is fresh and unique. The performances by the keyboardist and guitarist are brilliant. The bassist also turns in a lively performance. And, best of all, someone (finally!) lit a fire under the drummer this time. His work on their previous albums was so lifeless, I thought for months that it was actually a drum machine programmed poorly. But here, he's turned it up several notches for an vibrant performance. The music is very bright and uplifting for the most part, sounding a little bit like Camel meets Kit Watkins. The sheer amount of digital keyboards and the occasional electronic drums make some of the passages seem a bit too cold and mechanical unfortuantely. Although each track has some vocals, they are used in a supporting role, rather than a lead role. This gives the album a predominantly instrumental feel. Easily the best work they have turned out to date, highly recommended, even to those who didn't like their earlier efforts (like me).

Perhaps the best-known, and nearly the best, of the new crop of French progressives on Musea. Envol Triangles establishes their sound, a distillation of late-period Canterbury music (mostly National Health), centred around Jean-Luc Payssan's guitar, which is very much in the Phil Miller mould. Digital keyboards give the music a decidedly modern feel, and Thierry Payssan is one of those rare few who can use them without sounding frigid. And while the drummer occasionally falls into foursquare rock pounding, he never stays that way for long. The band's debut, Envol Triangles, displays a strong flute presence in Anne Colas. It was her first and last album with the band, as both she and the original drummer (Antoine Fillon, replaced by Christophe Godot) left afterwards. Les Saisons Marines then appeared with no major alteration to the band's sound apart from some light vocalizing. (by guest vocalist Pascale Jakubowski) I haven't heard the band's third album, Sarabandes, but their latest album, La Source is my favourite. It is, if not their best album, their most memorable set of songs, and possibly the most representative of their sound. It also has the most vocals, with no less than three tracks with vocals. (by Jean-Luc Payssan) "Danse Des Voeux," "La Ville Emo" and "Tabou" are three of the most stimulating tracks here. Perhaps I'm just biased because La Source was the first Minimum Vital album I heard, but I'd say it's probably the best place to start, followed by Envol and Saisons. If you like National Health et al, you'll probably find Minimum Vital an entertaining continuation of the Health-y sound.

Given all the positive reviews on La Source, I had to throw my two cents in. Whats all the fuss about? The album opens with a horn (keyboard samples) section that sounds like it would fit on the next Phil Collins' studio album. To tell you the truth, Minimum Vital have always fallen short of my expectations, and I would rather have seen them try out the more instrumental side of their music. All of the songs are fairly simple (yet fleshed out a considerable degree), almost formulaic and have a digitally pristine sound that reminds me of most of the neo progressive groups. This is one album that many people are really going to like, its accessible, the melodies are often sunny, and its certainly symphonic. I suppose stylistically (with all the guitars and synth string chords) this is a progressive album, but to me it just sounds like a better than average pop album. Im sure this album will attract a lot of people overall, but if you're progressive tastes range to the more compplex, you'll probably be bored (especially with the boom thud drumming). It seems to me that MV succeeded doing what they wanted, although this is really not my style.

La Source is Minimum Vital's third CD and marks a break from the baroque and medieval flavor of their earlier releases. Although the CD artwork contains photos of medieval statues, the Minimum Vital quartet of keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums now plays a French form of jazz fusion. The lyrics of the opening song "Dance of Wishes (Song of May)" almost sound English but they are some sort of chant. "La Source" is mostly instrumental music by these accomplished musicians occasionally enhanced by soft falsetto vocals. The two songs that differ from the rest are "Les Mondes de Miranda" and "Ce Qui Soustient." "Les Mondes de Miranda" has a folk music theme reminding me of Amazing Blondel except for the brass samples. "Ce Qui Soustient" is a medieval rondo from the 14th Century by Guillaum de Machant given a wonderful treatment by Minimum Vital. I could almost picture myself in a cloister listening to this song. La Source is an interesting album that marks the evolution of the band.

Minimum Vital is a very good, relatively new band from France. They now have several albums released. My personal favorite, based on what I've heard are Envol Triangles, followed by Les Saisons Marines. The music is rather difficult to describe. Both albums have engaging compositions that are neither overly complex nor overly simple. The digital keyboards and acoustic and electric guitars create a rich sound with both a folk-like quality and a fusionesque edge. Minimum Vital can be soft without being pastoral. Other times, they rock pretty good. The music is often colorful and has very nice texture. Despite the digital synth (and occasional use of digital brass which I hate) the band gets some really cool sounds that, while not as fat as analog, are quite weighty. Part of the reason I like Envol Triangles better is the original drummer who I felt was a more engaging player. His style contributed greatly to the sound, making the album much more involving. There is also flute which contributes greatly to the texture. A new drummer and no flautist on Les Saisons Marines tends to make the album somewhat less exciting for me. I've heard one track from La Source which, to me, showed the band leaning toward a slightly more accessible or commercial sound. I give a high recommendation to Envol Triangles and Les Saisons Marines and suggest you move forward from there.

Mike Deville (77), Cabretta (77), Return to Magenta (78), Le Chat Bleu (80), Coup De Grace (82)

Sort of a seventies basic retro-rock and roll band led by Willy DeVille. Was a good anecdode to the regular snarly punk nonsense that pervaded the latter half of that decade. Very good and very fun stuff, but nothing I'd consider particularly progressive or enlightened.

Foreign Exchange (80)

Mink was the violinist/mandolinist with the canadian trio FM. His solo album features all the members of that band, plus other guest musicians, in a rock- fusion violin driven smorgasbord of different musical styles, with classical and Cajun being most prominent. Anyway, this is all instrumental, and a very worthwhile find if you can track it down.

[See FM]

Rain Over Thessalia (70), Fly Away (71)

German symphonic prog.

Live (94)

A Camel/Caravan hybrid with Peter Bardens, Andy Ward, Dave Sinclair, Pye and Jimmy Hastings and others.

Madra (91), Iris (92)

Miranda Sex Garden are a relatively new all female, well apart from the odd session musician on Iris, band. Madra their first album is an album of 17th century madrigals set to some music, but the harmonies are mostly vocal. An enjoyable uplifting album, but the second album Iris is even better. The tracks are very ethereal, but have menacing undertones. The vocal harmonies are ever present. Fear, on Iris, is particulary good. They are one of those bands whose music is hard to describe because there are no similar bands to compare it to. It is sort of classical meets progressive meets general strangeness.

Recontres (86), Tot Ou Tard (88?), Miriodor (88), Third Warning (91)

Miriodor combine equal parts jazz, progressive rock and chamber music into a powerful sound that may remind of better known artists like Univers Zero or Art Zoyd, full of fire and eclecticism, but a bit more heavy on the melodic end. From Montreal, Miriodor started out as a six piece in the early 80's - their first album Rencontes released independently in 1986 featured flute, clarinet, violins, saxes, bass, guitars, piano, synthesizer and drums, for a very full sound of intense depth, and to date stands as their best effort. A couple of years later, a second cassette-only release Tot Ou Tard was released, which showed evidence of the band's shrinking headcount, yet still offered an incredible level of originality and very advanced compositional ideas. By their third release Miriodor, the first for Cuneiform, they were down to a trio of saxes, piano and drums, with all three doing some work on synthesizers. As might be expected, the band took on a more lean sound, steeped in technology, while the compositions became less extended, more direct and to-the-point (note: the CD reissue of Miriodor contains about 1/2 of the Tot Ou Tard cassette-only release as bonus material). Their most recent release Third Warning from 1991 builds upon the previous release in the same general style.

If you can deal with the progressively RIO bent of the music, Miriodor would be an excellent addition to your collection. Someone described them to me as "Univers Zero in a good mood.." Lacking a better description, I'll reuse that one. If you like the instrumental complexity and power of UZ, coupled with that band's lack of any mainstream influence, chances are you'll find Third Warning to your taste. And even if you're a novice to the RIO sound and are looking for a place to start, Miriodor is probably the best place. They combine musical prowess and creativity with a certain amount of accessibility. While not lacking the dissonance of Henry Cow or Magma, they serve it up in smaller doses. A three piece, Miriodor consists of Pascal Globensky on piano, Sabin Hudon on Sax, and Remi Leclerc on percussion. All three double on synths. Leclerc drives home the UZ comparisons with his Denis-esque classically influenced percussives. The others weave intricate melodies and counterpoint. For a threesome their sound is remarkably full - lots going on. While no individual instrument is doing blistering solos, they will impress you with mature, complex writing. Like most of my favorite bands, the emphasis is on the writing rather than the playing. The result is a tightly composed 45 minutes of excellent progressive music. I highly recommend this new Canadian band to anyone with an ear for experimentation.

Mirkwood (73)

Ultra-rare private-label prog.

Daybreak (78)

A somewhat chamaeleonic album. It opens with a bright organ riff reminding of Yes' "Yours is no disgrace," but soon transforms into a long, spacy guitar solo a la Pink Floyd. The rest of the album is mainly instrumental, shifting seamlessly between the symphonic and the spacy. Singing keyboardist Paula Mennen has a wee little voice. On the slightly poppy short tune "Dear Boy," the effect is similar to a French pop chanteuse like Françoise Hardy. The use of woodwinds, oboe in particular, lends an unique quality to this album. One drawback is that the homemade sound sometimes shows through, primarily in the ticky-tacky keyboard equipment used like the Farfisa combo organ used on the balance of the album. Otherwise, a rarity worth keeping an eye out for. -- Mike Ohman

[See Lethe]

For You the Old Women (75)

American group from the 70's, their reissue For You The Old Women may remind of Gentle Giant at times, Focus at others, maybe even old Yes. The music is magically complex in a busy sort of way, with colorful multiple-melodies that compliment one another, lots of stop-and-go, rhythm changes, pyrotechnics... This is an album that grows on you with each repeated listening.

Mirthrandir hailed from New Jersey, and originally recorded this in 1975. The music on For You The Old Women is slightly "heavier" than on previous Syn-phonic releases, and the band that is the closest comparison is, in my opinion, Focus. Led by keyboards and guitar, the compositions are all very much in the traditional "prog" style, with alternating moods, shifting time changes, and competent vocals that remind of Derek Shulman of Gentle Giant at times. The music strikes me as being quite similar in style to that on that long-lost masterpiece by England, Garden Shed, for those of you who are familiar with that. As with recent Syn-phonic releases, the insert is lavish, featuring photographs from the band's days on stage and lyrics.

Mirthrandir are proof that the USA was capable of turning out high quality progressive rock in the 1970's. Like all good prog bands they take their influences and combine them into a unique and original sound rather than wearing them on their sleeves. In Mirthrandir, I hear traces of Gentle Giant and Yes, maybe a little Jan Akkerman and Steve Hackett in the guitar player. At no place do I hear a copy-cat or wannabe. I hear quality music from a quality band. Accolades to Syn-phonic for this release.

Syn-phonic has done it again. I've got to hand it to Greg Walker for his ability to dig up the most obscure US prog bands that hardly *anyone* has ever heard of. Mirthrandir recorded in the early to mid seventies in the Northeast US but never got a release out the door on a major label. For You the Old Women, consisting mainly of live studio recording with minimal overdubs, was released last month. The lengthy liner notes (which is always a plus with Syn-phonic releases) discuss the bands approach to music and their quest for perfectionism. Their goal was to produce a full-orchestra rock sound with a six-piece band. Often they would argue for weeks over the composition of just a few seconds of music. And what was the result? Mirthrandir produced a full-bodied, lush symphonic album, with a fair amount of interlocking rhythms. Full of complexities, I found myself unable to swallow most of it with just a couple of listens. With each instrument buried under several others it is hard to take apart to see what each is doing and the overall feel you just is a fast, chaotic business. They have a distinctly American approach, that is reminiscent of other obscure US groups such as Lift and Cathedral (both on Syn-phonic). What I'm referring to is a style of hard-driving Yes/Genesis/ELP derivative sound, but with enough uniqueness to eliminate them from clone status (though one could argue that Cathedral sounds a lot like Yes). My only caveat so far is occasional harsh screaming by the vocalist and that the overall production quality could have been better. But considering that most of it was "live" and that the master tapes have been sitting around for 18 years, it could be a lot worse. With only a few listens under my belt I think this could be a winner, though it's hard to tell. I felt the same about Lift when I first heard them, but now they sit on my shelf for longer and longer between listens. If you like your music upbeat and intricate, check 'em out.

Mirthrandir was an obscure progressive band from New Jersey formed in 1973 during the heyday of Yes. Originally released in 1976, Syn-Phonic remixed For You the Old Women and released it on CD in 1992. Mirthrandir was Robert Arace (drums), James Miller (bass and flute), Simon Garrett (keyboards), John Vislocky III (vocals and trumpet), Richard Excellente (guitar), and Alexander Romanelli (guitar). This album has a dated sound to it. Mirthrandir only flirted with progressive music ending up sounding like a Styx clone band, the result being mediocre music. Mirthrandir were at their best during the instrumental breaks from Vislocky's annoying falsetto. However, much of For You the Old Women suffers from uncoordinated instrumentation. Normally as bands start to record and mature they learn how to make economic use of the sonic space. "Light of the Candle" is the only song on the album that demonstrates this ability. I think that with more practice and guidance Mirthrandir could have developed in to a decent band. Unfortunately they broke up before recording another album. Being the uneven and immature release that For You the Old Women is, it is best to avoid it and ponder why Syn-Phonic chose to reissue it on CD.

Stranger (??)

Unusual electronic rock and prog ballads.

Spring Session M (82), Rhyme and Reason (84), Color in your Life (86), Best of MP (??)

A real good pop-rock band, slightly prog, very commercial. Terry Bozzio's drumming prowess doesn't really show, as he's basically kicking back and playing simple, tasteful rock beats. The musicians in this band are all very good though (but I don't really like Dale Bozzio's voice).

A couple guys from one of Zappa's bands. Terry Bozzio is a great drummer, but he never stretches out here. His sister, Dale, has an ok voice, but not great. They were pretty much just a pop group, with the posible exception of the all too short "US Drag" on Spring Session M.

Nara Asst Insence (70, aka Missus Beastly?), Missus Beastly (74), Dr. Aftershave and the Mixed Pickles (76), Spaceguerilla (78)

German jazzrock/fusion band. The first one was a private pressing and featured bluesrock (a very rare collectors item, but musically uninteresting). The other three are quite good and the music is much the same like Embryo's mid-'70s stuff (fusion with strong percussion). Indeed they were tightly linked to Embryo and they shared several band members. Try Dr. Aftershave..., which is probably their best. -- Achim Breiling

[See Embryo]

Mr. Albert Show (71), Warm Motor (71)

Hard rock lineup plus sax. Comparison would be Colosseum or Blodwyn Pig. Mostly lengthy tracks with guitar and sax solos. They are very heavy from time to tome. Good stuff. -- Achim Breiling

Mark of the Beast (??)

Solo release by the lead singer and mastermind behind Devil Doll.

[See Devil Doll; Mr. Doctor is apparently quite a well-respected guitarist in his native Slovenia (formerly part of Yugoslavia).]

Barren Dream (87), Dirge (90), Crystal Voyage (90, compilation of pre-Mr. Sirius work as Sirius)

Mr. Sirius's Barren Dream is a rather hard album to describe though it is quite wonderful and unique. With styles covering classical, jazz, Canterbury and even a tad of Emersonian synth you can see why. The most dominant sound, I'd say, is very soft and pastoral with a classical feel. This mood is created with piano, soft acoustic guitar and flute. Add to this a female singer (singing sometimes in English, sometimes in Japanese) with a lovely clear voice (reminiscent of Annie Haslam) and you have a very lush sound without sounding sickly sweet. For some sections though, they get the synth, organ and mellotron going to create a more defined progressive sound that is very jazzy with more than occasional nods to the Canterbury sound. There is also occasional guitar, drums and even accordian. Because the sound is so mellow, this is an album you can enjoy late at night to relax or with your non-prog listening significant other. As long as you don't need your prog hard and heavy, and you like a strong classical feel then you will really go for this album.

Mr. Sirius is multi-instrumentalist Kazuhiro Miyatake, with female vocalist Hiroko Nagai (later of Pageant) and drummer Chihiro Fujioka, with a supporting cast of all stars. This was the lineup on his best known LP (now out on CD) Barren Dream, but there are several other albums as well, including a much newer Crystal Voyage - Anthology with a different lineup. On Barren Dream the sound ranges from pastoral to symphonic to jazzier stylings. Most of Hiroko's vocals are in English. IMO, Crystal Voyage is not as impressive.

[See Pageant | Pazzo Fanfano di Musica]

Paraphenelia (92), Compendium (94)

Mr. So and So is a four piece neo-prog band originating in St. Helens in Merseyside, UK. The band is fronted by a very capable vocalist/6-string bassist named Shaun McGowan. This talented fellow also designed the cover art for the band's debut album, 1992's Paraphenelia. Mr. So and So is best described as an energetic prog rock band similiar in nature to It Bites and Big Big Train. Vocal harmonies are important to the band as are powerful guitar and bass playing. This is one of the few prog bands around where bass is one of the prominent instruments. My only regret is the "so so" quality of the production on the band's two albums. But this is a minor point, for those looking for a band placing a premium on strong songwriting and an energetic, modern sound this is the one. Paraphenelia, on Pagan Records, contains the insanely catchy opener "So Near, So Far" and the beautiful ballad "Again." The emphasis is on strong songwriting and changing moods reflected in the interplay between the bass and guitar. Guitarist Dave Foster moves effortlessly from Hackett-esque arpeggios to Rush-like power chords. Their second album, 1994's Compendium (on CYCLOPS RECORDS) is even more developed than their first. This album offers energetic gems such as "Hobson The Traveller", the shimmering guitar backdrop to the intro of "Primrose Days", to the highly original use of a simple and melodic trumpet line in "Sixes and Sevens". -- Oliviero Ortolani