Pihkasilmä Kaanakorva (72), Harakka Bialoipokku (74, aka B The Magpie), Keesojen Lehto (77, aka Mathematician's Air Display, aka Skuggornas Tjuvstart), Visitation (80), Kätkävaaran Lohikäärme (80), Urban Tango (82), Jokamies (83, aka Everyman), Space Waltz (85), Flight Of The Angel (86), New Impressionist (87, comp.), Sinfonia No.1 (90), Changing Waters (92), Live in Japan (95), Heavy Jazz: Live in Helsinki and Tokyo (95)

Onetime bassist for Wigwam (way back when), his solo stuff is unpredictable but always good. His first two are very jazzy, yet stylistically unique. Urban Tango and Space Waltz probably represent his more accessible side, combining classical tendencies, fusion, folk and more, using a full band. Impressionist is an excellent compilation CD that contains tracks from Everyman, Urban Tango, Visitation and Katkavaaran.. and is probably as good a place as any to start. Flight of the Angel is a smoker as well. Note: Symphonia is an orchestral piece which does not feature Pohjola, although the entire piece was written by him. The latest Changing Waters falls somewhere between Angel and Impressionist in style, with a couple of waltzes and classically inspired tunes, a good mix of his musical pallette.

Pohjola was the bassist for the excellent Finnish band, Wigwam. (Which, by the way, would be a good intro to Pohjola as well as Wigwam itselft.) I have two Pohjola albums, Space Waltz and the compilation New Impressionist. Space Waltz consists of six songs ranging from 4-14 minutes though most are in the 6-8 minute range. The sound is modern, somewhat fusionesque and, with up to three keyboards playing, can get quite lush. Pekka contributes excellent bass and there is also ample guitar. New Impressionist is an excellent introduction to Pohjola's early '80s solo work is it covers a variety of styles and includes some horn work. Either of these are a good place to check out Pekka's work.

I have heard his first two albums. Pihkasilma Kaarnakorva is very Zappa-influenced with lots of woodwinds and some fine bass soloing. Harakka Bialoipokku is more individualistic, the emphasis being more on composing than playing, ending up sounding more like something from Canterbury, but not suggesting any one band. The last ten minutes of this album really burn!. -- Mike Ohman

[See Group, The | Made in Sweden | Uni Sono | Wigwam]

Solid Earth (92)

Bill Pohl is a guitarist whose style recalls Mahavishnu, and, on some of the more aggressive passages, Brand X.

I've never been too fond of guitarists' "solo" albums. Mainly because that's what they tend to be: "solo" albums. The technical skill of a Satriani or Vai is a lost cause when they can't back it up with an interesting rhythm section. Even masters such as Allan Holdsworth have been guilty in leaving something to be desired in everything but the guitar lines. Steve Hackett is a notable exception on his very early solo work, with band-oriented music rather than virtuostic showing off, but how many guitarists put out albums that you can enjoy for more than just the guitar work? So along comes Bill Pohl. Hailing from the Midwest US (a hotbed for progressive rock these days?) he releases his first album on the Long, Dark Music label. Keeping the previous paragraph in mind, I was not expecting much. Well, well, well... Other than the first two songs, Pohl has made a commendable contribution to the US prog scene. His guitar style fits into that Satriani/ Malmsteen influenced group of youngsters, but his writing shows some maturity. But wait! Solid Earth is a good debut, but still owes too much to the gentlemen mentioned in the first paragraph. Pohl's playing puts him in their league, and he makes an attempt at band-oriented composition. However, he's a solo artist and it shows. Pohl plays bass on all tracks, sings on four while drum duties are taken by John Livingston and keys are played by Tom Main. Most cuts are the "power trio" guitar/bass/drum approach that sounds almost like at Rush at times. The only tracks that stand out as strong progressive music are "The Incognizance" and "Solid Earth." Most sound like a Rush/Brand X/Satriani combo, with classic rock stylings. Some people are going to have problems with the vocals. I found them weak at first but after several listens I'm beginning to like them. His voice is high and thin, something like a fuzzy Geddy Lee. I can see this having appeal beyond progressive rock, and getting airplay on AOR stations. Yet it remains a display on promising young musicianship, and like many of the newer artists it hides as much potential as it shows.

Pohl is an excellent guitarist who draws from both progressive and fusion influences. His overall style and tone reminded me quite a bit of Eric Johnson, a fellow Texan, as well as Mahavishnu Orchestra. Tony Spada's Holding Pattern also comes to mind when I hear Pohl's release, I'm sure by coincidence of style and not influence. To date, Pohl has released one album, Solid Earth, on Kurt Rongey's Long, Dark Music label. Most of the musical work is by Pohl (he also plays bass and sings) and drummer John Livingston. Tom Main on keyboards appears on a few songs. Functioning mostly as a trio of guitars, bass and drums, the album highlights Pohl's fiery, fusion-tinged guitar style in a Progressive setting. The sound is a bit fuller on the three tracks with keyboards, which I would like to see on all songs. The standout tracks are "Light Years" with its start and stop introductory rhythm and excellent keyboard work balanced against Pohl's blazing riffs and solos; at more than eight minutes, "The Incognizance," with its many changes and good musical development, highlighting the interplay of drums, keyboards and bass (it should be noted that Pohl does a very credible job on the bass guitar) with Pohl's blazing riffs and solos (am I repeating myself here?); and "Solid Earth," which is a good showcase for Pohl's sense of melody and quieter side with hints of Steve Hackett's guitar style. To be sure, all the songs on Solid Earth are equally worthy of note and Pohl shifts easily between all out chops and laid-back chordal work. He's not constantly assaulting the forelobe of your brain as does, for example, Mastermind. I think Pohl has more taste and variety of style than heard in Mastermind's barrage of MIDI-fied guitar. The music is great but the singing brought the album down for me just the slightest bit. I admit that I'm not much for vocals in any form. Pohl's singing was somewhat thin, perhaps tentative and lacking in confidence. They're not awful (far from it, in fact) but they're not great either. Happily for me, most songs are instrumental (or mostly so) and the vocals are at least not grating. The only drawback to the album is the production. The sound is rather thin as both highs and lows are rolled off. Hopefully, future albums (hopefully, there will be future albums) will have improved sonics. I had the pleasure of seeing Pohl live as The Bill Pohl Trio. These guys were incredible in a live setting. Gone were the thin sound and most of the vocals. Replacing them were a full, robust sound and lightning quick licks traded among keyboard, guitar and even drums. (Bass was handled by keyboards and Pohl's moog pedals.) The band played with blinding fury and energy that made for an outstanding show. The Trio sound much more cohesive as a live band than the "band" work on the studio release. Their set even included excellent Mahavishnu and Genesis covers in addition to original material, including a song not on Solid Earth. For a trio, they were very powerful and engaging. If you get the chance to see them, by all means, do so. In the meantime, check out Solid Earth. Aptly titled, it is a solid debut from an excellent musician. I am looking forward to another release from Bill Pohl.

Phantazia (77)

If you like Jean-Luc Ponty's fusion work, you'll probably like this, but it's nothing special. Pointer is a decent bow-man, and he's backed by a who's-who of the New York fusion scene (Dave Grusin, Earl Klugh, John tropea, Steve Gadd, Will Lee, etc.) Avoid anything after Phantasia, as Pointer went off down the born-again christian pop path - no prog or decent fusion to be found.

Poisoned Electrick Head (9?), The Big Eye Am (94)

Current psych. Apparently really over-the-top live.

Flying Through The Universe (80)

Hard-hitting space-rock.

Planetenwind (84), Auf der Seidenstrasse (86), Maschinenmensch (92)

Synthesizer electronics.

Sunday Walk (67), Electric Connection (68), Experience (69), King King (70), Astrorama (70), Open Strings (72), Live in Montreux (72), Ponty/Grappelli (73), Upon the Wings of Music (75), Imaginary Voyage (76), Cantaloupe Island (76), Aurora (77), Enigmatic Ocean (77), Cosmic Messenger (79), Civilized Evil (80), Taste for Passion (80), Mystical Adventures (82), Individual Choice (83), Open Mind (84), Fables (85), Gift of Time (87), Storytelling (89)

Starting with classical training, Ponty soon branched out into the jazz realms under the guidance of Stephane Grappelli and others. He's also played with Elton John, Frank Zappa (on the excellent Hot Rats), and Mahavishnu Orchestra. Apparently, fusion suited his taste, because after leaving MO, he started creating his own fusion based albums, beginning with the excellent Upon the Wings of Music. The albums following continued in that vein with little change, so they can get old. Prog heads would probably be most interested in Upon the Wings through Enigmatic Ocean, which includes Allan Holdsworth on guitar.

Great violinist. Played on a Zappa's Overnight Sensation. I have two of his solo albums, but neither of them are all that good. I have heard some of them that I liked, but unfortunately, I have no idea which ones.

Prog fans would be most interested in the first four records from his fusion period - Upon The Wings Of Music, Aurora, Imaginary Voyage, and Enigmatic Ocean. After that the sound began to get a bit lighter, eventually becoming nothing more than new age fusak. There are some good moments on Cosmic Messenger, A Taste For Passion, and Mystical Adventures. Over time Ponty played less and less of his trademark violin and began noodling with keyboards and computers. When you hear a gem from the later efforts it invariably features the bow. Also should be of interest to fusion guitar lovers. Allan Holdsworth, Daryl Stuermer (Genesis), Scott Henderson (Tribal Tech), and Joaquin Leviano (Zazen) all spent time with Ponty's bands.

[See Holdsworth, Allan | Mahavishnu Orchestra | Zappa, Frank]

For Se Ancora Poesia (76), Boomerang (78), 1975-1978 (??)

Italian prog. For Se Ancora Poesia is reported to have excellent keyboard work.

Popul Ace (73), Stolen From Time (75), Curly Sounds (78)

I've just come to think of a final Popol Ace album from ca. 1978 called Curly Sounds. It's a real turkey, and should be avoided. (Typically for prog bands around that time).

[See Popol Vuh (Norway)]

Affenstunde (71), In Den Garten Pharaos (72), Hosianna Mantra (73), Seligpreisungen (73), Einsjager and Siebenjager (75), Das Hohelied Salomos (75) Music from the Film Aguirre (76), Letzte Tage - Letzte Nachte (76), Yoga (76), Perlenklange (76, comp.), Coeur De Verre (77), Singet, Denn der Gesang Vertreibt die Wolfe... (77), Bruder des Schattens - Sohne des Lichts (78), Die Nacht der Seele: Tantric Songs (79), Sei Still, Wisse Ich Bin (80), Agape-Agape, Love-Love (83), Spirit of Peace (85), Der Gesang Der Engel (88), Florian Fricke (90), City Raga (94)

One of the very best German bands, that exemplified "cosmic music" in its myriad of forms. Earlier stuff (Affenstunde, In Den Garten Pharao) is spacey and ethnic almost electronic music. Hosianna Mantra is close in style with ethereal and uplifting female vocals. My favorites, though, are the mid seventies albums like Seligpreisungen or Einsjager and Sibenjager This music is undeniably classic with spacy guitar/piano/percussion jams that spiral and reach amazing crescendos. And is always beautiful. Very peaceful and mesmerizing.

Best albums IMHO are the ones with Djong Yun on vocals: Hosianna Mantra and Das Hohlied Salamos. Beautiful stuff.

I've only heard part of Affenstude. Way out there space/psych with lots of electronics and quiet percussion. It will definitely carry you along for a mellow ride.

Popol Vuh are best known as early pioneers of the German rock scene, fusing folk and gospel music with rock influences, with releases that have spanned two decades. For You and Me is the latest release from the German group who have been making music since the early seventies. Their music combines elements from folk music, rock, and new age, with religious overtones. Rather than describe this album in my words, I will excerpt from the sleeve notes, which convey the effect very well " ... merging the styles of various cultures ... elements from the Himalayas, Ireland, Greece, and Africa ... instrumental base of new age/world/folk music with transcendent vocals ... eclectic mix of instruments, rhythms, and arrangements ...."

Categorized with the German space-rock of the seventies, Popol Vuh is a great place to start if you're looking to fill your collection with original sounding music. I've combined Einsjager and Siebenjager and Das Hohelied Salomos into one review because they go so well together they could be considered one release. The band is lead by Daniel Fichelscher on guitars and percussion and Florian Fricke on the piano. Aside from occasional guest musicians on vocals and various eastern instruments, these two create the Popol Vuh sound. The music on these two CDs consists mainly of multi-tracked bluesy guitar leads backed up by piano chording and jazz-inflected drumming. Fichelscher and Fricke and very good musicians, though not in the virtuostic way that Bill Bruford, Keith Emerson or Steve Hillage is. While complex enough to please prog-heads, they don't show off. Yet the music is not minimal. Many of the tracks feature vocals by Djong Yun and have a full, lush feel to them. This is excellent music to relax or meditate to. I surprised me to find how peaceful the music is, even when they are playing fast. I've been told the lyrics have a religious twist to them, but as far as I can tell they are in German. In any case the majority of the vocal tracks seem to be chanting rather than singing. I can't think of any bands to compare Popol Vuh to. Their style has diverse roots that I'm not going to attempt to guess. They sound like no other progressive band I've ever heard. These two CDs work well together and if you're thinking of ordering one, you might as well get both. An excellent addition to any collection, I highly recommend these recent and welcome re-releases.

Look out for this band. I've heard two albums: one is pretty good, the other sucks. My first experience with them was not good. Their album Hosianna Mantra has all the markings of some 1980's crystal-gazing mellow hippie new-age album, yet was made in 1972. Lighter than air piano, woodwinds, guitars and Indian instruments meander and go nowhere while a Japanese lady adds some very bloodless vocals. Boring with a capital B. I heard some of a later album, Seligpreisung. Still very mellow and acoustic, but this time the playing is spirited and colourful, not narcotic and bland. Th first two albums are electronics orientated, while recent (1980-present) albums feature ex-Amon Düül II vocalist Renate Knaup. -- Mike Ohman

[See Amon Düül II | Gila | Niagara]

Popol Vuh (72), Quiche Maya (73)

The Norwegian band is also called Popul Vuh and had to change their name in 1973-74, when the two bands became aware of each other. Before the name change they recorded two albums; Popol Vuh and Quiche Maya. Both these albums have their moments, some parts being probably the best Norwegian prog ever (apart from Akasha's elusive album from 1977). Popol Vuh used all sorts of guitars, flutes, keyboards etc. but usually they ended up playing straightforward and boring rock. However, there's about 10 minutes of startling prog on each of their albums. In 1975-76 they released a third album called Stolen From Time (under the name Popol Ace, this time). This is by far their best effort, with tons of mellotrons and synthesizers, but this tends to be a bit softer than their previous releases. As you would expect, these three albums are really hard to find on vinyl these days, but Polygram rereleased all of them as low-price CD's a few years back and should still be available.

I've heard one cut. Lots of mellotron and flute, but lots of psych elements, making it sound like a prog/psych hybrid. Vocals are in English with only minor accent. Can't offer much more as it was a short tune, but it didn't really grab me.

[See Popol Ace]

Tarquin's Seaweed Farm (89), The Nostalgia Factory (91), On the Sunday of Life... (92), Voyage 34 (92, EP), Radio Active (93, EP), Up the Downstair (93), Spiral Circus (94), Yellow Hedgrow Dreamscape (94), Moonloop (94, EP), The Sky Moves Sideways (95), Staircase Infinities (95, EP), Waiting (96, EP)

What to think of a man who calls himself Porcupine Tree and hangs out with guys like The Expanding Flan, Soloman St. Jermain and Master Timothy Masters? I'm not sure but I do know what to think of the 76 minute On the Sunday of Life.... Pretty damn good, that's what. Well, for the most part, anyway. Porcupine Tree is part of the British neo-psych scene, of which the Ozric Tentacles are the best known proponents. On the Sunday... contains four parts: "First Love," "Second Sight," "Third Eye" and "Fourth Bridge." Within each section are four or five songs that all flow together. Most of the album is excellent, mind-blowing spacy psychedelia reminiscent of early Pink Floyd circa Ummagumma. The only problem I have with the album is the interjection of occasional pop-styled songs. The lyrics are definitely acid inspired such as the very cool "The Nostalgia Factory" or the coy "Linton Samuel Dawson": Linton Samuel Dawson/Has just reached 25. You figure it out. And "Footprints" includes the "Tangerine Trees and Marmalade Skies" verse from the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds." I think you have enough clues to figure out the cerebral theories of Mr. Tree. But the beat for a few of these songs (that is, with lyrics) are very straight-forward pop. Fortunately, only half of the 18 songs have lyrics of any type and not all are set to a pop beat. Few are, in fact, but the sudden beat does dampen the overall aura just a tad. Fortunately, the long wordless interludes will carry you away to universes infinite to places where beat and meter slow and distort. All instruments are played by Porcupine with the exception of a few spots of guest work by the strange characters mentioned above. Porcupine Tree is well regarded in pyschedelia circles. On the Sunday of Life... is one good reason why. Highly recommended to psych fans.
Voyage 34 is a thirty minute and four second voyage that is summed up by the sticker on the cover: "A post rave space wave to the Darkside of the Moon." This CD consists of various atmospheric and more direct music, interrupted by narration. The opening narration claims, "This remarkable sometimes incoherent, transcript illustrates a phantasmagoria of fear, terror, grief, exultation and, finally, breakdown. It's highlights have been compressed on this recording to make their own disquieting points." This is followed by about one minute of atmospheric synths and seagull-like cries, before the host returns and says, "The time is 9:30 pm, one hour after the participants have eaten sugar cubes saturated with LSD. We hear Brian and his fellow travellers observing their gradual transformation." Treated as outside observers by the narration, the music brings you in as an active participant. I think you get the general gist of the direction of this EP. Knowing it's "philosophical leanings," you probably already know if this album is for you or not. The next instrumental passage brings back the atmospheric seagull cries but adds a distinct beat that comes directly from "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 3" from Pink Floyd's The Wall. Weaving in and out of the mix of this rave wave are various synths, voices, both background and ethereal, guitars and further narration. Their entrance and exodus is gentle, so that you often aren't aware of their arrival and departure; they are just textures that are there one moment and gone another. At times, there is pulse but no beat; other times the beat is distinct and direct. At 30 minutes, the trip is short but the journey far.
Nearly half way into Voyage 34, there is a reference to "down an up staircase." After that trip, we find ourselves going Up the Downstair, Porcupine Tree's follow-up release to Voyage 34. Though the 47 minutes of the disc is divided into 10 songs, they all flow together for a non-stop stellar journey. After a brief introduction of strange instrumental sounds, our host politely informs us, "What you're listening to are musicians, performing psychedelic music, under the influence of a mind-altering chemical called..." and the music starts again. The song, "Synesthesia," is layered synths over a dance-type beat that recalls many of the techno-pop bands of the '80s. I have a hard time getting into the trip of this type of beat though it's fortunately helped by a soaring Gilmouresque guitar solo for the final minute or so. Fortunately, too, the beat becomes less dance-like and the music becomes more drifting, shifting and nebulous, trademark of the psychedelic imagery of Porcupine Tree. In fact, I think Porcupine Tree excels in his use of synthesizers to create a cosmic atmosphere, dreamy and floating, while his guitar, under the influence of the soaring, slow hand of David Gilmour, adds intensity as needed. No where is this illustrated better than in the 10 and 11 minutes of "Up the Downstair" and "Burning Sky." On the latter cut, Mr. Tree switches among very ephemeral synths, a guitar riff similar to Twelfth Night's "Sequences," ticking clocks, and heavier guitar riffs and solos out of "Saucerful of Secrets." As one song flows into the next, the intensity rises up to a climax in "Burning Sky," then comes gently back to earth with the closing "Fade Away." Except for "Synesthesia," the beat is much less pop-like that some of the songs on On the Sunday of Life.... In short, Porcupine Tree's Up the Downstair is a bit like early Gilmour-era Pink Floyd using '90s technology, an Ummagumma with digital synths, if you will. If that sounds appealing, definitely check it out. You will likely not be disappointed.
Moonloop is a two song EP, that opens with "Stars Die." The promo literature claims, "'Stars Die' is one of those rare songs to justify the use of hyperbolic adjectives such as luschious, breathtaking, seductive and sensuous...because the mere word 'beautiful' is simply not enough." A very apt description for this dreamy song, with vocal harmonies, and acoustic and electric guitar that recall early Pink Floyd, yet with a uniqueness that belongs to Porcupine Tree. In the middle of the track is a tape snippet of President Nixon talking to astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. "Stars Die" dissolves into the 18 minute orbit known as "Moonloop." The first 13 minutes is a shimmering guitar excursion into the unknown, charted only by gentle drums, congas and ambient synth textures. After drifting along, the band bumps into a riff of solidarity, which builds into a frenzied plunge back to solid ground. Outstanding!
The Sky Moves Sideways could easily be Porcupine Tree's best effort yet, a drifting, surreal voyage of electronics, space and ambient music that delivers you with a warm, familiar ease to distant universes. Though still dominated by Steven Wilson, the majority of the music makes full use of the four-piece live band. Around Wilson's guitar work and reverberating vocals, Richard Barbieri drapes shimmering soundscapes of synth. The rhythms, provided by bassist Colin Edwin and percussionist Chris Maitland, shifts from '70s laid-back Teutonic hand percussion to '90s rave beats, all swirling in cosmic debris. The two phases of the title track, which open and close the album and total more than 35 minutes of mind-expanding music, are the heady highlights. "Phase One" launches with dark, Floydian organ chords amidst a rain storm and taped voices, migrates through gentle fields of synth, guitar and dreamy vocals, past gigantic slabs of Orb rhythms and swirling Hillage dervishes, before landing in pastures of acoustic guitar. "Phase Two" is equally explorative and inventive. A 17 minute version of "Moonloop" also appears on The Sky Moves Sideways, removed of one minute of quiet spaciness from the very end. Between the three tracks above is twelve minutes (three songs) of Wilson in solo form, but with all the hallmarks of Porcupine Tree. A booklet included with Porcupine Tree's debut cassette, Tarquin's Seaweed Farm detailed the history of the legendary "Incredible Expanding Mindfuck." This fictional legend has been given true life with The Sky Moves Sideways. Along with bands like Ant-Bee and Mandragora, Porcupine Tree continues to inventively propel cosmic space rock into new, unexplored realms, boldly going where no band has gone before. -- Mike Taylor

One of the most original, prolific,and energetic bands in the current prog scene, England's PORCUPINE TREE continue to defy convention with their 1996 release Signify. As with other PT releases, this album begins with ironic and often humourous snippets of spoken word dialogue which acts to keep the listener on their feet (or ears). The title track "Signify" shows PT's roots in the spacey hard rock mold of classic Hawkwind. The intensity of this opening riff rivals Metallica and features great electronic effects jumping around in the background. "Sleep of No Dreaming" begins with a mellow space jazz chord progression before gradually building into a powerfully orchestrated chorus. "Waiting" is the British single from the album and features head Porcupine Steve Wilson demonstrating considerable skill on slide guitar. "Every Home is Wired" is an incredibly beautiful soundscape built on a wall of sound and echo. This song demonstrates how effectively PT uses the recording studio as a member of the band. The shimmering cascades of keyboards, Wilson's ethereal voice, and the hook of the chorus will have this song in your head for days. This song is worth the price of the CD alone. PT has received a lot of positive press and publicity in the UK (including full page ads in the better mainstream music magazines) on the strength and popularity of Signify. Catch them now before they become HUGE. -- Antonio Ortolani

Up the Downstairs is in the style of the new bands with psychedelic inspirations. The music has a certain "pop" flavour and always relies on spacy atmospheres. The keyboard arrangements provide a lushious base on top of which vocals and electric guitar solos are added. The rhythms, a bit simple and mechanic, remain solid and adequate. Certain tracks evoke the style favoured by Ozric Tentacles while others are more "pop" oriented. Easy to listen to and very efficient. -- Paul Charbonneau

[See Rain Tree Crow; Radio Active and Spiral Circus were a promotional CD and cassette , respectively.]

Triton (76), Foetus (76), Nicolas II (78)

Surprise! I've finally found a band too meandering and themeless for even my tastes! :-) With a fair amount of talent and shifting time changes, these guys seem to noodle endlessly without any clear direction. However, from my experience, bands that sound like this intially tend to have an underlying structure too complex to grasp without serious effort. This was my experience with Magma, Henry Cow and Univers Zero, three bands that I appreciate quite a bit now.

[See Verto]

La Eternidad De Lo Efimero (87)

Iconoclasta spinoff. The sound is similar to Iconoclasta's earliest stuff but more guitar oriented. Instrumental.

Pre (94)

Pre formed in February 1973 in Kentucky, recorded an album and disbanded by December of the same year. The album was never released until 1994. Pre were a quintet of Alfred Collinsworth (vocals, 12-string guitars), Larry Collinsworth (electric 6- and 12-string guitars), Brian Paulson (Hammond organ, electric and acoustic pianos, Mini-Moog), Steve DeMoss (bass, vibes, glockenspiel) and Dwight Dunlap (drums, percussion). Pre is a mixed collection of styles. "The Path" is the opening instrumental, a brief acoustic guitar duet with dashes of piano. This is followed by "Who's Laughing Now," an acoustic guitar ballad of love scorned. "Bowing Down" is a three and a half minute of bowed electric guitar noodling on top of 12-string acoustics. At nearly 60 minutes of music, it is likely that some of these less than interesting songs would have been cut from an LP release, though historical value warrants their inclusion. The meat of Pre's style is represented by songs like the five minute "Water Meeting," the eleven minute "Ascetic Eros" and the side-long "Ballet For a Blind Man." Like many American bands in the mid-'70s, Pre shows strong influences of Yes circa The Yes Album and Close to the Edge. Not only do Larry Collinsworth and Brian Paulson show influences of Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman, respectively, but the arrangement and development of the longer songs, divided into multiple parts, are similar to Yes' episodic style. DeMoss and Dunlap do not compare to Squire and Bruford, nor does Alfred Collinsworth's somewhat forced vocal style compare to the ease of Anderson. Paulson's keyboard work also shows influences of Keith Emerson, but without the bombastic presentation, so some comparisons to ELP can be made. Additionally, Larry Collinsworth's bowed guitar adds an eerie sheen to the mix, particularly welcome in the varied and inventive "Ballet for a Blind Man." While few American bands tuly hold up against their influences, Pre adds enough melodic originality to make most of this resurrected music an interesting listen. -- Mike Taylor

Voyage (79)

Cosmic keyboard prog.

Storia Di Un Minuto (72), Per Un Amico (72), Photos Of Ghosts (73), L'Isola Di Niente (74), The World Became The World (74), Live In USA (74), Chocolate King's (75), Jet Lag (77), Passpartu (78), Suonare Suonare (80), Come Ti Va' In Riva Alla Citta (81), Performance (82), PFM? PFM! (84), Miss Baker (87)

Most should be familiar with Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM) through the Manticore releases Photos of Ghosts and The World Became the World. These, their third and fifth releases chronologically, are rather inferior remakes of their second and fourth LPs, Per Un Amico and L'Isola Di Niente. To make them more "accessible" to a "larger audience," (something that ruins progressive music no end) the Italian vocals on Nos. 2 and 4 were replaced with rather "unnatural" sounding English vocals on the Manticore releases, thus taking away some of the magic inherent in the Italian releases. In summary, Per Un Amico and L'Isola Di Niente as well as their first, Storia Di Un Minuto are all virtual classics of progressive music, obviously influenced by early King Crimson and Genesis yet sounding nothing like them. The instrumentation is superb with fluid guitar, highly original synthesizer sounds (at a time when innovation was at its prime), beautiful violin and flute, and ethereal vocals that are so important to the music, that replacing them with English vocals becomes a detriment. Subsequent albums saw a change in style (mainly for the worse), although Live In The USA aka "Cook," and "Chocolate Kings" are worth a listen. My recommendations are for Per Un Amico and L'Isola Di Niente.

THE classic Italian band, certainly the best-known. Their first three Italian albums are all must-haves. Storia di un Minuto is a very striking debut. Their music is very symphonic, mixing influences from King Crimson and Genesis mostly, but in the end arriving at something not like anything before, and providing the mould for many other Italian and other European bands. Guitarist Franco Mussida is most obviously classically trained, keyboardist/main vocalist Flavio Premoli's playing ranges from gentle piano etudes to wailing Moog. Adding a distinctively Italian flavour is flute/violin player Mauro Pagani. The mixture works best on tracks such as the beautiful "Impressioni di Settembre" and the exuberant "E' Festa". Per Un Amico is an equally fine album, neatly balancing between gentle contemplation and bouncy melodicism, never getting especially heavy, but consistently interesting and lovely. Photos Of Ghosts is a poorly remixed version of Per Un Amico, with English lyrics by Peter Sinfield, who obviously didn't know what the original Italian lyrics were, and didn't seem to care. Some of the songs are reedited and stuck elsewhere, vocals are added to the instrumental "Generale!" (retitled "Mister Nine-Till-Five"), and there's even a wimpy re-recording of "E' Festa" called "Celebration". PLEASE get Per Un Amico if you can, Photos Of Ghosts is NO substitute! L'Isola Di Niente features a minor personnel change, their original bass player is replaced by ex-Area (!) member Jan Patrick Djivas. It's certainly their finest hour, with the breathtaking title-track beginning the album with a BIG bang. The intricately multilevelled "Four Holes In The Ground" is a classic, and became a concert favourite (not hard to see why!). "Via Lumiere" is a fine fusion-y instrumental, while "Dolcissima Maria" is a beautiful ballad. Even the English-language (again with Sinfield lyrics) "Is My Face On Straight?" is excellent. If you're just starting out in Italian prog, this is one to get! Thw World Became The World is another English-language album, but this time with the same music, so it's not as bad as Photos Of Ghosts. Again there is a re-recording of a song from the first album: the title song is "Impressioni di Settembre" with English lyrics. Cook is a high-quality live album recorded in Canada and the US, and is the same as the erroneously titled Italian album: Live in U.S.A.. Marconi Bakery is a compilation of music from the first three Italian albums. Later albums feature ex-Acqua Fragile leader Bernardo Lanzetti on lead vocals. I haven't heard these, but from what I've heard of Lanzetti, I'd expect these to be less listenable than the early albums. -- Mike Ohman

I have only Photos of Ghosts, which is an English version of the original Italian release, Per un Amico. Supposedly the original Italian versions are much better. I can easily believe this, as it is pretty obvious that the vocalist is not singing in his native language. The music, however, is very good, similar to early Genesis.

Similar to my ears to Banco, maybe slightly better. Very dramatic and well crafted music. Classically influenced (in a Genesis sort of way) with a little folk too. Have only heard a few songs of theirs though.

They started out with a sound like Crimson, the first album being their best. The LP Photos Of Ghosts is an English lyrics version of Per un Amico. Chocolate Kings was boycotted by the american labels because the band made a gig in favour of ELP.

A wonderful band, both in their early "progressive" carrer as well as in their later rocky one.

Thought I'd put in a plug here for some of their later stuff which is generally overlooked. Jet Lag is a very fusionesque excursion, without losing the connection to the colorful progressive rock that marked its predecessor Chocolate Kings. Passpartu is the last one with singer Bernardo Lanzetti. Suonare Suonare marks a turn in a folky direction, and might elicit comparison to some of the mid-period Banco that relied heavily on melodies drawn from the spirit of italian folk music. Miss Baker is their last album from 87, a long way from Per Un Amico, but every bit as enchanting, sort of a mystic pop-folk w/ jazzy overtones.

PFM were probably the most "popular" Italian group to be associated with the progressive rock movement in Italy, and these three releases are from the late seventies when their direction changed a bit. Jet Lag, from 1977, had much of the original PFM spirit with a jazz inclination, akin to groups such as Arti + Mestieri, though somewhat more low-key. The pace, however, picks up in the latter half, so as to be comparable with Brand X, etc. Their next release was Passpartu, that came out a year later. This is probably the beginning of their most obscure period, during which time they released a handful of albums veering toward a more accessible format. Despite that, this is a very melodic, rhythmic release, with nimble acoustic guitar and washes of keyboards. Suonare Suonare came out in 1980, and saw PFM turning back toward their original sound, from the style of Passpartu. As before, all the songs are well in the melodic vein, but with a little more bite, and generally more upbeat. This was arguably their most well-liked work from this period, and many of the tracks from here are featured in PFM compilations.

I have Per Un Amico which has to be one of the most beautiful symphonic albums ever made. Additionally, if you think all Italian lyrics are harsh, then listen to this album. It reinforces, in my mind anyway, the lyricism that seems to be inherent in all Italian lyrics. Moog, mellotron, electric and acoustic guitars, and violin are all used to create a sonic tapestry that will leave you breathless. If you are burgeoning prog-head, this album (not the inferior US version, Photos of Ghosts, with English lyrics) is a *great* place to start. I highly recommend it.

I have Chocolate Kings and it does absolutely nothing for me. Apparently, Per Un Amico is their best, and I haven't gotten around to buying it yet.

[See Acqua Fragile | Area | Katharsis | Krel | Pagani, Mauro]

Triskaidekaphobie (80), Le Poison Que Rend Fou (85), Live! (96)

Present is led by Roger Trigaux, the former guitarist and co-founder of the Belgian band Univers Zero. Daniel Denis and Christian Genet are also Univers Zero alumni and lend a hand (or four) on percussion and bass. The first two Present albums were released by Cuneiform on a single CD. As you might expect, these albums are in the same vein as Univers Zero with angular, dark melodies that manage to create a tense and dense atmosphere, despite (or because of) the somewhat sparse instrumentation. Triskaidekaphobie ("fear of the number 13") was the first Present release, which I believe was originally released on LP in 1980. Trigaux plays with a Fripp-like intensity within the stylistic framework first defined by Univers Zero. If you've heard the first two Univers Zero albums (1313 and Heresie) you know exactly the style of the music heard on Triskaidekaphobie. Although Trigaux left after Heresie, Denis and Genet played with Univers Zero and Present simultaneously. In addition to guitar, percussive piano, played by Alain Rochette, is also strongly featured on both albums is mainly the interplay between Trigaux, Rochette, Genet and Denis that creates the taut atmosphere in the three songs of Triskaidekaphobie. The first two cuts are greater than 15 minutes each and highlight the parlay between all four musicians, building in statement and ferver until the very end. I don't know how long I held my breath but I visibly relaxed at the end of each tune. These songs a prime examples of tenseness and intensity. Le Poison Qui Rend Fou ("the poison that drives you to madness") is a little more accessible than Triskaidekaphobie. Of course, this is all relative. Released five years later, only the bassist changed, with Genet replaced by Ferdinand Philippot. On Le Poison..., Triguax has more extended soloing on top of the melody, rather than being an integral part of the whole piece. Though still very angular, the music feels more free-form and relaxed (certainly less rigid) but tension still abounds through out. Fans of Robert Fripp (not just King Crimson) would do well to give Trigaux a listen. Though Fripp displays lightning quick runs that aren't heard here, Trigaux matches Fripp in overall technique and force. This isn't "plug and play" music that you fully appreciate after the first, or even a few, listens. Rather, this is for the experimental person, one who appreciates a musical challenge and is willing to give the music time to fully reveal itself. With Present, Univers Zero, Daniel Denis, etc., it takes many listens to fully appreciate the quality. But if you give it the chance, you will be rewarded.
Present dissolved soon after Le Poison... was released but Trigaux, joined by his son Reginald, formed Present C.O.D. Performance in the early '90s. As a duo, they toured small clubs and coffee houses all around Europe, culminating with a self-titled release in 1993. As they gigged, the Trigaux's were joined variously by Daniel Denis and other musician friends. Eventually, a full band evolved back into Present. In late '95, Present toured Europe and the four songs on Live! draw from the 9 December 1995 show in Wuerzberg, Germany. Bruno Bernas played bass and U Totem/5uu's drummer Dave Kerman is also with the band at this point. Opening with the strangely named "Laundry Blues," the listener quickly becomes aware that the dark, horrifying atmosphere didn't get any lighter. Ostinato bass, guitar and drums give foundation to searing guitar from Roger Trigaux. This quickly gives way to a dank cellar of scraping strings, feedback and graveyard vocals that can only call to mind the otherworldly musings of Devil Doll's Mr. Doctor. Half way through the twelve minute song, Roger Trigaux evaporates the dampness with a solo of terrifying intensity. And the show has just begun! Next up is the seven minute "Contre," a more "typical" Present-type song that could have fit next to "Ersatz" on Le Poison.... Sustained feedback and frantic soling on top of a taut rhythm once again compels the listener to hold his breath, waiting for a release of tension that seems never to come. The 11.5 minute "Alone" begins with a groove that even a casual listener can grab hold of, but as soon as he grasps it the nightmarish sequence begins to cradle the listener with a quiet unease. Somber vocal and guitar lines lull you deeper and deeper before exploding with hellish fright. Finally, comes a 22 minute rendering of "Promenade au Fond d'un Canal," which first appeared on Triskaidekaphobie. After 16 years, "Promenade" is changed slightly, partly with age, partly because of Kerman's different style from Denis's, partly because of a brief vocal passage added to the middle and partly because it's live. But the ferver is as hot as ever. A must. -- Mike Taylor

Present is a band started by ex-Univers Zero guitarist Roger Trigaux. The listener will find many similarities between the styles of the two bands: dark chamber-rock stylings, dissonance and dynamic intensity - avant-rock with a 20th century classical touch - the chief difference here being the almost exclusive use of electric instruments to achieve this type of sound - no saxes, cellos, violins or bassoons here, just a standard four-piece guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion - the latter played by none other than Daniel Denis. At times the music briefly gets into a repetitive mode and offers a slight reminder of early Magma circa MDK, but this will typically pass quickly into some dark and moody soundscape or a tense and violent orgy of rhythm and dissonant melodics. There are two albums - the first is Triskaidekaphobie ("fear of the number thirteen") which is a completely instrumental effort, and generally the more abstract of the two; the second album is Le Poison Qui Rend Fou (The poison that drives you to madness), a far more spirited and powerful effort, it does feature one track with vocals and an overall higher energy level. Cuneiform has made it easy to choose between them by reissuing both of the albums on one CD. Roger Trigaux has since formed a guitar duo with his son.

[See 5uu's | Present C.O.D. Performance | U Totem | Univers Zero]

Present C.O.D. Performance (93)

Present C.O.D. Performance is a guitar duo of Present's Roger Trigaux and his son Réginald. They performed in small clubs around Europe in the early '90s. Eventually, they evolved back into Present.

[See Present]

Electromantic (82)

Keyboardist with Omega and Locomotiv GT

[See Locomotiv GT | Omega]

Vile Foamy Ectoplasm (93)

Long-time Zappa fans will recognize keyboardist Don Preston as one of the Mothers of Invention. Other ex-Mothers, including Jimmy Carl Black, Roy Estrada and Bunk Gardner, contribute to several tracks. Given this assemblage then, you would be correct to assume that the style of the original Mothers is evident on this release. An anthology of sorts, Vile Foamy Ectoplasm consists of Preston tunes dating as far back as 1967 through 1981. The work ranges from the outlandish moog noises of "Contruction in Slow Motion with Sharp Interludes" to the incredible fusion of "Moon Unit," "Bannon Call" and "Sweet 15." In particular, "Sweet 15" is an incredible fusionesque romp with excellent solos by Dave Prichard on guitar and tasty vibe work by another ex-Mother, Emil Richards. Some of the tracks are seamed together by "The Street Urchins," short samples of kids in a rabble-rousing fun state of mind. Another brief seque is "Voices from the Past," an eleven second ditty with quickie soundbites from some ex-Mothers. The last and longest track is the 15 minute "Death Lights," culled from a year's worth of recordings from 1967-68. Preston cleaned up the tapes and put together this bizarre piece which ranges through avant-garde stylings, general moog sounds, interjected voices and body noises, spacy electronics, psychedelic ruminations, and other strange artifacts. There's a little bit of everything on this disc, from the strange patchwork of "Death Lights" to the excellent fusion stylings of "Sweet 15" and several other tunes. At 53 minutes, Vile Foamy Ectoplasm is a must-have for any good Mothers fan, as well as for adventurous fusion freaks.

[See Ant-Bee | Zappa, Frank]

The Pretty Things (65), Get the Picture (65), We Want Your Love (67), Emotions (67), Electric Banana (67), More Electric Banana (68), S.F. Sorrow (69), Even More Electric Banana (69), Parachute (70), Freeway Madness (73), Silk Torpedo (74), Savage Eye (75)

Very popular in UK, didn't make a dent in the States. S.F. Sorrow is first rock opera, predating and possibly inspiring The Who's Tommy.

Floating Tangibility (94)

Another neo-prog band that sounds much like a Fish-era Marillion or Saga clone but it lacks some of the punch of these two bands. Minimalistic melodies featuring ambient synth noodling and prominent guitar with vocals. The guitarist/vocalist, Nick Sheridan, whose lead reminds me of Saga's Ian Crichton and rhythm style of U2's The Edge, is the backbone for this band. His voice is very similar to that of Fish. Not really bad but nothing that great either. "Hypnotic" is a 6:44 instrumental that has a Genesis-Steve Hackett quality with nice guitar but the drumming is pretty lame and the keys are pretty weak. Best cut on the album is the nearly ten minute, three part "Triludan" which would sound quite at home on a Saga album. Mostly recommended for those really into neo-prog scene. They are on the Cyclops label, the same that features Grey Lady Down. -- Steve Staub

Frizzle Fry (90) Sailing the Seas of Cheese (91) Pork Soda (93), Tales From The Punchbowl (94)

They also have a few EPs, live stuff and compilations out (The two Making Plans for Nigel things with a cover of Floyd's "Have a Cigar," the live Suck On This and also Does Primus Really Fry?) but the above are the only official album releases to date in August 94. Well, a lot of controversy about whether these are "progressive" but I'm gonna stick my neck out and say "Yeah the're progressive enough to be in here." Not a serious band by any means, Primus are a three piece that play very original material. That bass player, Les Claypool is one-of-a-kind. He use 5 and 6 string basses with whammy bars, tunes down radically to get weird bubbling bass sounds and has been known to use an electric cello. They play sort of funky, sort of noisy usually up-beat stuff with the highlight being Claypool's amazing basslines which are worth getting the albums for on their own. The guitar generally just makes a noise to thicken the sound but I really like it. The percussion is very competent indeed great sense of timing with the weird (and I mean *weird*) time sigs. Start in the middle with Seas of Cheese and work outwards. Check out "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" on this for an example of the incredible bass-lines. A bit silly at times so don't take it seriously and the vocals take some getting used to but you'll learn to love them. Highly recommended.

American band that you've probably heard of; they're generally considered "alternative," but also happen to be popular enough to get on the radio. Nevertheless, I think they certainly deserve mention in a progressive rock context, so here goes. Their first two albums, Frizzle Fry and Suck on This and Suck on This (the latter a live album) are where they earned something of a reputation as "Rush with a sense of humour" (although I would emend that to "Rush with an American sense of humour" -- anyone who has read Rush's liner notes knows they have a very dry, subtle, Canadian wit that simply hasn't translated to their music). These two early albums have a great mix of energetic, extended jams and alternating goofy/dark lyrics; later albums have toned both down a bit in favour of *slightly* more straightforward songs. Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) is essentially more of the same, but it just feels a tad more polished. I would give Frizzle Fry the nod as the album to start with, but you can't go wrong with Sailing. Primus' mainstream success started in 1993 with Pork Soda, which is another little tad more polished; I certainly wouldn't call this commercial, but it has their highest concentration of more-or-less straight rock songs in favour of instrumental interludes. (Although nothing could really be called "straight" in Primus' world; this is still weird, twisted music.) (Most of those instrumental interludes, incidentally, tend to come inside songs -- for a band of such instrumental prowess, Primus have very few wholly instrumental tracks.) Their most recent album, Tales from the Punchbowl (1995) is quite a bit better than Pork Soda, and that's a high compliment. As usual, it packs a considerable punch (pun not intended), both instrumental and lyrical. Finally, in recent years Les Claypool (the man responsible for those wacked-out basslines and the crazy lyrics) has had a couple of side projects: in 1994 he and some old bandmates called themselves Sausage and made *Riddles Are Abound Tonight*. This is probably the best Primus album that never was; the instrumental heat is cranked up another notch, with (as usual) strange lyrics delivered in Claypool's inimitable brood/rant style. And 1996 saw the release of Highball with the Devil by "Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel", a mostly solo effort. This ditches a lot of the great guitar/bass/drums interplay of Primus and Sausage, leaving behind mostly Claypool's bass and still more bizarre lyrics. However, it is quite good, and if you've read this far you'd probably like it. -- Greg Ward

Canadian synth-oriented rock band. I like them, but they're not progressive. If you like Saga's Worlds Apart, you'd probably enjoy Prism's Canadian best-of album called Over Sixty Minutes With Prism.

Prisim (77), Second Thoughts/Second Move (78)

This is a fusion six piece led by guitarist Akira Wada, I'm not sure how many albums they have out, I have one (self titled) on the Japanese Polydor label, and I'd like to hear more. Their style reminds me a little bit of a completely instrumental Santana, with some vague Mahavishnu echoes.

Frontiera (72), Fiaba (74)

The first album is acoustic, while the second (the best) has a more vangard sound. When the band split, Gianfranco Gaza sang in Arti+Mestieri.

[See Arti E Mestieri | Capra, Marcello | Venegoni E Co.]

Procol Harum (67-aka Whiter Shade Of Pale), Shine On Brightly (68), A Salty Dog (69), Home (70), Broken Barricades (71), Live in Concert (72), Grand Hotel (73), Exotic Birds and Fruit (74), Ninth (75), Something Magic (77), The Chrysalis Years 1973-1977 (7?), Prodigal Stranger (91), The Early Years (92?)

Early classically influenced rock that paved the way for many of the prog bands that would follow. Their sound was characterized by dual keyboards of Matthew Fisher (organ) and Gary Brooker (piano and vocals) and the blistering blues-influenced guitarwork of Robin Trower. Driven by the mysterious lyrics of Keith Reid, their albums covered a lot of ground, but had a very distinct sound due primarily to Brooker's vocals. After Salty Dog Fisher quit, and the sound became more guitar dominant, as Trower stepped up to the vacancy. Then Trower quit after Barricades. The band carried on with Brooker, new organist Chris Copping, and several recruits. They produced a couple gems in Grand Hotel and Birds and Fruit, but then they began to stagnate, and the period from 75-77 pales in comparison to all that had preceeded it. The band reformed in 1992 for a tour and an album, which featured originals Brooker, Trower, and Fisher. Best Albums: early period - A Salty Dog, Trower period - Broken Barricades, later period - Exotic Birds and Fruit.

Put these guys on to unwind after a day of hard listening. Also a good choice when having friends over since your usual taste for complex-time-signatured, contrapuntal mind music may drive them away. Nothing very flashy, and they mostly stick to basic song structures, but Gary Brooker has to have one of the all time classic voices. Recommended: Salty Dog.

The music does not fall specifically into the category of "progressive rock," the way the term is used, and is probably more similar to some of the organ-based rock groups of that time, such as Argent and the like. However, the music should appeal to the "rock-n-roll crossover" crowd, in that it is a blend of the rock-n-roll, almost bluesy, approach with some of the complexity and poetry that spawned the prog rock scene.

An excellent proto-progressive group whose first hit single, "Whiter Shade of Pale," sold 4 million copies world-wide, and also ensured their oldies-station immortality, all thanks to an unforgettable organ line borrowed from J.S. Bach, and perhaps its oblique reference to Chaucer. These two elements, in fact, account for much of their material's appeal: Tasteful respect for the classics (doubtless because of Gary Brooker's stint at the Royal Academy of Music) and the fascinating, unique lyrics of Keith Reid. Another attraction would have to be Robin Trower's superb guitar-leads, bluesy sustain-and-bend jobs done over tight organ and piano playing. Nevertheless, it must be stated that this group really isn't progressive; they're more art-rock in the old-fashioned sense - rock that's so good it seems on par with art compared to the rest of the dross. Everyone should give this group a chance, though, particularly their output from the late 60s, their heyday. For an overview of this period, I'd recommend The Early Years. For albums of that period I suggest primarily A Salty Dog, or the insanity concept album that preceded it, Shine On Brightly, with its sidelong hippie-parody "In Held 'Twas I" [After five years of contemplation, a student goes to his guru and inquires about the meaning of life. The response, "Well, life is like a bean-stalk, isn't it?"]. Of the later stuff, Home and Grand Hotel are most memorable, and quite good. The band burned out after GH though, and the rest are repetitious.

The only album I have is Exotic Birds And Fruit. Not 100% prog, but pretty good. The pretty "The Idol" is the best track.

Tretikniha Dzungli (81)

Tretikniha Dzungli was originally a double album released in 1981, and on CD it clocks in at a few seconds shy of 80 minutes! From Czechoslovakia, Progres 2 is at times symphonic, at times more electronic, at times maybe even a bit "euro-techno," and at times simply unique. I can't really think of any pointers, but if I had to try (be aware this is stretching it a bit); maybe a vocal SFF? There are some fine musical moments that, even listening from a prog point of view, one can't help but find delightfully "catchy," in the best sense of the word. The sound on Tretikniha Dzungli is defined by a heavy synth presence, though never leaving the strong guitar and rhythm section far behind. There is a somewhat dark, aggressive edge that runs through the album, and the songs for the most part flow into each other, with shorter pieces serving as interludes or introductions to some wonderful 6 - 8 minute tracks. The vocals are strong and clear and are sung Czech. All in all an excellent album and an excellent value on one CD.

Progressiv TM (7?), Puterea Muzicii (7?), Dreptul de a Visa (73)

Italian-styled prog.

Dabblings in Darkness (95)

Dabblings in Darkness features the work of a duo on guitars and keyboards. Guests bring their contributions on saxophones, bass, percussions and violin. This fairly light music often relies on a keyboards and percussion base with melodic work by the acoustic guitar, often doubled by soprano saxophone. Jazz (improvisation) and electronic (meditation) elements are present in the music but rock elements are practically absent. The presence of Percy Jones on most tracks introduces a sound familiar to Brand X fans. -- Paul Charbonneau

Prometheus (94)

Prometheus are built around the core of Steve Ball and Sanford Ponder on guitars. Support is provided by Pat Mastelotto on drums, Nigel Gavin and Steuart Liebig on bass and Chris Rhyne on synth and organ. Ponder is active in the Los Angeles underground scene, while Ball has worked with Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists. Fripp's influence is the undercurrent throughout Prometheus. The album opens somewhat tenuously with "Dark," a seven minute track featuring Ball's soft vocals and a vague pop direction, but with some nice, jazzy instrumental breaks. "Orphan" also has an uptempo rhythm and pop sensibility. "Angst" and "Enough's Enough" pay homage to Crimson's Discipline. Crimheads will recognize the similarity between riffs of "Angst" and "Frame by Frame," and "Enough's Enough" and "Matte Kudasai." Prometheus head off in their own direction, particularly for "Angst," but the comparison can not be denied. "Sardukar" and the 10 minute "Assault on the Consensus" are dual guitar shredfests that ardent Crimheads are sure to love. Interestingly, "Sardukar" would fit in nicely with Crimson's Thrak, though I believe this song was recorded before the new King Crimson formation was finalized. "Assault on the Consensus" covers a range of territory, and features excellent synth soloing and fine drumming, in addition to the guitar interplay. The ninth (and final) track is a 180 degree Frippertronic-type turn from the rest of the album, a 23 minute exploration of soundscapes and texture. While Prometheus probably should do more to remove themselves from Fripp's shadow, their debut has much to recommend. They incorporate and cross many different styles and rhythms, play complex patterns with deceptive ease, and demonstrate top-notch musicianship. -- Mike Taylor

One Day on a New Horizon (82)

British prog rarity.

...And I'll Recite An Old Myth From... (90), There Once Was A Night of "Choko-Muro" The Paradise (96)

This was an extremely powerful band in the neo-prog vein fronted by powerful vocalist Yoko Kubota, their music having threads to bands like Quasar, mid-period Genesis, Marillion, and mid-period Renaissance, but still a very original sound, not imitative. The four tracks on ...And I'll Recite an Old Myth From... are all in the 9-20 minute range. They also have other tracks (not on the CD) on some of the Japanese compilation discs.

...And I'll Recite an Old Myth From... contains four songs, two in the 8-10 minute range, one 14 and one 20 minute cut. Providence create a very forceful and energized form of prog rock. The band consists of the usual bass, drums, guitar, keyboards and the powerful, dramatic Japanese vocals of Yoko Kuboto. Christian Beya, of Atoll, contributes guitar on the excellent 20 minute title track. Digital synths and modern guitar tones give the band a current sound but you'll also hear mellotron-like sounds that recall the past. I guess comparison-wise, the closest I can do is some middle-era Genesis (say around Wind and Wuthering) and perhaps Quasar. Yoko's vocals are somewhat similar to Tracy Hitchings of Quasar, though Kuboto is much, MUCH better. Overall, though, the sound is pretty unique. Good new progressive that successfully straddles the border of neo-prog and retro-prog. Recommended.

There Once Was A Night... features a reformed lineup with new singer, who is every bit as good as Yoko Kubota (from Myth) but different too. The music remains heavily symphonic, featuring 12 string, bass, drums and an array of keyboards. Sounds like there's some Mellotron too, but it's not listed in the credits (may be "Vintage Keys"). Seven tracks, ranging from under two minutes to almost twenty, several are smokers, the general direction is more complex and technical when compared to the first, but the band hasn't lost their power. A good one, fans of the first album should be pleased.

Ever Since The Dawn (71)

Folk/prog on Moody Blues' Threshold label.

Tomorrow May Be Vanished (72) , Drunk and Happy (73), No. 3 (74), Takk de Dokk (75)

I've heard two cuts from Tomorrow May Be Vanished on a sampler tape. The first was kinda folk/psych/prog, pretty decent decent actually, but not my gig. In addition to electric guitar, it included mandolin and accordion and a definite Scandanavian folk presence. Next cut was great, with acoustic and electric guitar in a great jam, similar to Culpeper's Orchard in execution, though not as intense. Probably a little more rock influence is detectable, though the Norwegian folk influence is still evident. Not bad! Drunk and Happy is an eclectic blend of Tull-like flute, electric psych, acoustic folk and a large dose of lighthearted silliness. I imagine these guys were pretty drunk and happy at the time they recorded this. The folk/psych is the most prevalent style. Like the one cut described above, you'll hear mandolin, accordion and electric guitar. The humor is evident in the title of the longest song (almost six minutes) called "I Hope We Never Get to Serious About the Music so This is Just a Joke." It also happens to show some pretty strong Jethro Tull influences combined with folk and is the standout track on Drunk and Happy. The other nine songs are all in the 3-4 minute range for the most part. I doubt too many Prog fans would like this. Psych fans will probably want to audition first, if possible. Mostly of interest to "students" of the entire Scandanavian scene.

The Extasie (95)

The Extasie was a hard album to review. I continually drowned in the drifting, ebbing waves of cosmic rivers and couldn't take any notes! Psychomuzak is Dean Carter on guitar, transforming the sound through delays and effects manipulations, much the same as Manuel Gottsching on Ash Ra Tempel's Inventions for Electric Guitar. Dean later rounded out the sound with a few synths, plus he is helped out by Cliff Stapleton, and the album was produced by Mr. Porcupine Tree himself, Steven Wilson. Apparently starting as a tripping fave of the British underground, The Exstasie ranges from "stroboscopic mind warps" to ambient drones afloat in psychedelic waters, with the layers of processed guitar bobbing among synths and even hurdy gurdy (Hillage fans take note!). Drum machine patterns sometimes dive in to the cool rave wave. A clear winner, The Exstasie is a killer cosmic chasm of '70s sounds in a '90s mindset.

Psychomuzak, with The Extasie on Delerium records is actually just one guy, Dean Carter, playing synths, processed guitars, bass and other electronics, with some help from Steven Wilson (aka Porcupine Tree) on programming and a guest player on "Hurdy Gurdy" on one of the five tracks, which all clock in between 10 and 22 minutes. There is no percussion, and little rhythm per se, other than some repeating electronic sequences, and the whole project fits squarely into the droning electronic style not far from early works of Michael Garrison, but perhaps a bit more psychedelic. Not bad.

Ptarmigan (74)

Ptarmigan's style is a laid-back, dreamy blend of psychedelic music with folk elements. Instrumentation consists of an abundance of acoustic guitar, wood flutes, hand percussions, plus male and female vocal harmonies. There are no organs, pianos or other keyboards, nor is there any electric guitar. "Go Dancing" is very folky, kind of like a psychedelic Mamas and Papas. On "The Island," the psych vibe trips into the sea breeze, as wood flutes float like gulls over sand beaches of acoustic guitar, voices swaying gently, carrying you off too remote islands within your mind. By now, some comparisons can be made to German "cosmic" bands like Popol Vuh, particularly with the flutes, bongos, finger bells and so forth. As they continue through the remaining three songs, Ptarmigan take you past the frantic "peak" of deep space (particularly, the trippy, free-form "Night of the Gulls" and "Coquihalla") to no-man's land. An excellent psych/folk album.

Nightlines (92), Tides (94), Campaign (9?)

Stay away from Nightlines. Hollow Dutch sympho. No feeling, emotion, or whatever it is that makes a band a good band.

Rather poppy neo-prog band on the SI Music label. Nightlines has a few interesting moments, but tends to wash away in neo-mediocrity. To be fair, this is a first album, and they are not untalented, there is a lot of room for improvement on their second (esp.in the originality department) if they get that far.

With all songs on Tides falling between 3-8 minutes (well, one at 2:35), PTS write music that is direct and to the point. The 60 minutes of music, while not complex and usually lacking development and progression with a song, is solid and nicely arranged. They didn't try to stretch three minute ideas into 12, nor did they try to incorporate a dozen schizophrenic and incoherent key and meter changes into that time. While I can't say that I particularly cared for PTS, it was easy to appreciate their approach to the neo-progressive style. Except for a couple of slower ballad-type songs (e.g., "Where Are You?"), the songs generally had a quick, rock 'n' roll pace encompassing both vocal (mostly) and instrumental tunes. The drummer, Marco de Haan, was more energetic and active (e.g., "Down to Zero) than many boom-chick neo-prog drummers, which is partially why I found PTS more interesting than other SI-label neo-prog bands. Other PTS members are Marco Kerssies (bass, backing vocals), Ron van Kruistum (guitar, backing vocals) and Simon Veenhuis (keyboards). Lead vocals are delivered by de Haan. The guitar is the predominant melodic instrument, while keyboards are generally used for atmosphere and texture. Though not as technical, I was reminded a bit of Rush's shorter songs -- not a comparison; I was just reminded of the concise rock format with a dash of proginess -- as well as bands like Jadis and Twelfth Night. I think many of you with a neo-progressive bent will like this album very much. -- Mike Taylor

Public Foot The Roman (73)

Prog.

Pollen (75?), The Strands Of The Future (76), Halloween (77), Bienvenue Au Conseil D'Administration (78?), Melodie Boreale (86), Gorlitz (89)

Early Pulsar was supposed to have covered Pink Floyd a lot - Pulsar's space progressive was like a mixture of Pink Floyd and Klaus Schulze albeit with a symphonic edge. These guys created a startling spacious music with the accent on melody and instrumental prowess. Different from many French bands due to English vocals on their first three releases. Their debut Pollen showed a band in progress quite good, yet slilghtly immature. Their second, Strands of the Future was their most spacious at times resembling early Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze, yet in a symphonic mode. The side-long title track is escpecially amazing. Their third and acclaimed best is Halloween. This is a fantastic album full of conflict between spaciousness and dynamics, and very haunting. Although maybe slightly slightly inferior, their fourth Bienvenue Du Conseil D'Administration is maybe their most explorative, with shorter more concise tracks - yet rarely in song format, this album was originally written for theatre. I haven't heard their reunion album as of yet, but am led to believe that Gorlitz, although a good neo-progressive album, isn't on a par with the previous four, but don't take my word for it!

Pulsar are a French progressive rock band, who were widely regarded as France's answer to Pink Floyd. However, though the music is very atmospheric at times, they add a symphonic edge to it, with many little musical twists that give them an original style. Pollen was their first release, and is typical of the mellotron-based prog rock of the mid-seventies. Strands of the Future and Halloween are the two classic releases by one of the best French progressive groups ever. Though influenced to some extent by Pink Floyd, they combined that with the magic of the mellotron to create these two releases of spacy progressive rock. The music is also very much in the style of the seventies' groups, with long, melodic passages over minor-chord washes of keyboards, with long tracks and thematic compositions.

Pulsar is a French band most often compared to Pink Floyd, supposedly even doing Floyd covers in early gigs. Pulsar's third album, Halloween, reveals this to be a valid comparison. I have never heard any band create a Pink Floyd-type atmosphere more successfully than Pulsar, though the sound is distinctly French and unique. They create a haunting atmosphere that is very tense at times and very relaxing at other times. A comparison could also be made to Eloy, another band sometimes compared to Pink Floyd. Halloween can be compared to Wish You Were Here in that a central core of vocal "songs" are surrounded by long instrumental passages. Approximately the first 15 minutes and the last seven minutes of this disc are pure instrumental, the former being the most Floyd-like in atmosphere. Of particular note is "Fear of Frost" with Emerson-like moog (from "Aquatarkus") on top of a Brand X-like fusion underpinning, though sounding nothing like ELP, Brand X, or Floyd. It jams! Pulsar is a unique band and Halloween is an incredible album. You should consider adding this disc to your collection as I feel it is "a must have" album from both the French and space-style progressive scenes. Their first album, Pollen, is similar with lots of flute, but is a somewhat less mature work. Start with Halloween and work your way back to Pollen.

Shades of Jean-Michel Jarre, Alan Parsons, Camel, and Styx! The tune "Colours of Childhood" (I heard only a 6 minute excerpt) is reminiscent of all these bands. The low vocals are similar to Camel's Andy Latimer, but they get wimpy at times, soaking in reverb. This band makes good use of the studio, both in sound quality and special effects. The second tune, "Sorrow in my Dreams," was slow and dull. I hardly noticed it.

Symphonic French band with a very unique, ethereal feel to their sound. Although I've not heard the first, Strands and Halloween bridge a french symphonic sound with additional influence from the Pink Floyd school. The vocals are NOT so out front and all dominating as in so many other french groups (Ange,Atoll), but more subdued and relaxed. Lyrics are in french, except for Halloween which is english. Gorlitz, is a reunion project from 89, and captures well the spirit of the band in the early years. The sidelong title track Gorlitz is a stunner.

I recently got Pollen, and haven't really listened to it enough to give a sound judgment on it, but it's very nice with Floydian guitar, Schulze-ish synths and symphonic mellotron. The Strands Of The Future refines these techniques into a smoother, more uniform style that works excellently over the 18-minute title track. The Latimer-like flute is more pronounced here, as are the organ and mellotron. Halloween is their masterwork, dreamy pastoral pieces dripping with mellotron and spiced with acoustic guitars and flute, heavy, complex prog rockers bristling with intensity, and moody impressionistic soundscapes using electronic keyboards alongside classical instrumentation (cellos, clarinets). Great for an introduction to the French scene. -- Mike Ohman

This French band of five musicians play keyboards, guitars, flute/keyboards/vocals (in English), bass and drums/percussions. On Halloween, the two long tracks offer symphonic arrangements, slow but progressive developments and a softness that's often dark and menacing. Rich keyboard textures dominate the sound and the other instruments' contributions are episodic. The intensity of the performances varies but the tone remains tormented. This convincing production favours haunting atmospheres more than flashy performances. -- Paul Charbonneau

Laughing Acadeny (79)

Art rock meets heavy metal. Only one LP that I know of - Laughing Academy 1979, various singles too.

Pussy Plays (69)

Rare prog/psych monster.

After The Silence (81)

Electronic music.