New Releases - September 2024!

It's been a while!  I still kinda catching up on things, but I've worked out a plan that should get me back on track before the end of the year.  And for once, I'm not reviewing any metal!  All three of these albums are ones I have been looking forward to, each for their own reasons, but it is nice to see some older styles still be represented by artists both old and young.  Let's get this prog rock article started!

David Gilmour - Luck and Strange

So we finally have the latest from this guitar legend.  There's been some talk from him about maybe moving beyond Pink Floyd, and getting a producer who has no interesting in respecting Gilmour's past.  However, I don't think he can really escape it, especially with an album like this.  Once again, David takes us through another bluesy journey, this time with an emphasis on themes of aging and mortality.

Those looking for Pink Floyd vibes will certainly find them here and there.  The title track, which features a recording from Rick Wright as a basis, feels like it could have come off of Division Bell, and "Scattered" references some of the band's 70s ideas, including a heart beat and that reverby piano from "Echoes."  As for the rest, the album tends to drift between his last two.  "The Piper's Call," "Sings" and "Yes, I Have Ghosts" feel like a folky variation on the songs fom On An Island, while some of the darkness of Rattle That Lock shows up on "A Single Spark" and "Dark and Velvet Nights."  The latter one actually gets pretty funky.  If there's one that maybe feels like an odd duck out, it's "Between Two Points," which is sung by David's daughter Romany.  It's an interesting song, but the production feels much more modern, like a contemporary pop song.  I didn't mind it, but folks who like their Gilmour material to feel classic may find it jarring.

Of course, Gilmour hasn't lost a step in his guitar work.  He still has his tasty licks and legato-style solos, so fans will get their fill for sure.  However, I feel like this album was more focused on the song-writing than the solos, and I think it makes the album feel a little more whole.  I don't know if I can really compare it to his other albums too well; I'd have to really dig in deep to compare.  However, on it's own, it's a solid album that shows how well Gilmour is aging, despite what the lyrics might imply.

Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks - True

So the story goes that the Band Geeks were just a cover band who happened to include a lot of Yes covers.  When Jon Anderson joined up with them, fans were talking about how good they were at playing classic Yes stuff.  Then they announced an album, and despite that pretty terrible cover art, they did end up recording something that sounds like classic Yes.

While Jon Anderson's singing and lyrics give this a heavy Yes-like tone, I do wonder if maybe the rest of the band is trying a little too hard to be like Yes from multiple eras.  Obviously, there's some classic Yes stuff, mostly Tales of Topographic Oceans or Going For the One, but there elements of their 80s pop sound, especially on "Shine On," and even some symphonic flourishes making me think of Magnification.  The Band Geeks are due a lot of credit, as they're playing is definitely spot on.  They are eager to sound like the classic members of Yes, with keyboard runs like Wakeman, basslines like Squire, and guitar solos like Howe.  

I guess my main concern is whether this stands on its own as good music or if it's just reminding me of music I already love.  I know I struggled with Arc of Life's two albums, to say nothing of what Yes has been doing lately, for the same problem.  However, I can't deny that Jon and the Geeks have worked out the kinks and made something that really clicks with me here and there.  "Shine On" has a lot of good energy on it, "Build Me an Ocean" sounds like it comes from The Living Tree, and the 16-minute epic "Once Upon a Dream" sounds like a sequel to "Awaken."  I get the feeling that if I listen to this more, I'll start to come around on it, but for now, it's a solid collection of tracks that fans of classic prog will probably enjoy.

Monkey3 - Welcome to the Machine

After loving their last album so much that it was my album of the year for 2019 (and checking out their first), I was pretty excited to hear they had a new one in the works.  However, this came out back in February.  I didn't plan to set it aside for so long, but life happens.  In any case, I'm finally catching up.  Despite the five year gap, these guys haven't lost a step.

As if the title wasn't obvious, these guys have a very Pink Floyd influenced sound, mixing in elements of post-rock, stoner rock, and even some crushing, Tool-like segments.   However, they are able to weave this together so that it all flows really well.  Their tone remains intact, drifting between mysterious and uplifting as the songs build and breakdown.  There is a stronger mechanical feel in the songs (matching the title), but it's only sprinkled in here and there, adding another layer to their iconic wall of sound.  Another factor I love about this band is, while they are experts at creating a solid spacey atmosphere, they aren't afraid to jam it out for a bit, freeing up the band to let the guitars go wild for a while.  Playing this stuff live must feel liberating.

I'm not going to lie: this is a Top 5 contender for the year.  "Ignition" gets things started perfectly, "Collision" is a solid follow up with the mechanical bits, "Kali Yuga" dips pretty deep into their atmospheric side, "Rackman" builds up really well, and "Collapse" is a good closer with a lot of fun Pink Floyd references and excellent transitions and dynamics.  I don't know if it's quite as good as Sphere, but it's very close, and certainly a standout album for 2024.

Retro Reviews - August 2024!

Wow, where did the time go?  I was on a good schedule and then fell behind somehow!  I'll work on getting back on track, but I will admit that the next Anniversary Article is gonna be late as well because that's going to be another stack of reviews.  I'll keep trucking along, but for now, here's what I've been checking out lately.

David Gilmour - Rattle That Lock

With a new album coming out next month, I figured I should catch up on this legendary guitarist's solo discography.  I've already reviewed his first three albums, so this is the last one left.  While On An Island was very chill and pastoral, Rattle That Lock goes for a darker tone.

While we're not in Pink Floyd territory (though bits will feel that way with his guitar solos and some of the layering of strings and synths), this definitely feels like a more personal darkness.  The songs end up feeling a bit long with all these slow tempos, but if you can get into the somber headspace it's creating, the time flies pretty quickly.  Gilmour's solos are still beautiful, emotional, and majestic, but his voice sounds a little rougher this time around, but he makes it work.  The songwriting is interesting as well, leaning often into cinematic ambience and some jazzy sections here and there.

The album also flows well, but the songs shake things up here and there.  I did connect with some of the emotions on "In Any Tongue," and I felt that "A Boat Lies Waiting" is the closest to his previous album.  "Dancing Right In Front of Me," gave me some Dire Straits vibe, and the instrumental "Beauty" starts of pretty ambient before getting into some Pink Floyd territory, and I liked both halves.  "Today" was a jarring shift, going from a church hymn to this 80s alt pop thing.  It made me think it should have been on About Face instead of this album, given how upbeat it was.  Overall, I enjoyed a lot of this, and might considering it my favorite of his solo stuff (though I'd have to listen to the others more to really say).  It's a shame I didn't listen to this when it came out, as I did know about it, but I guess hearing it now means I get to share my thoughts with you here, for what they're worth.  Anyway, I certainly recommend this one as I think it's very accessible and easy to get into.

Iron Savior - Interlude

As I continue my quest through Iron Savior's discography, I'm a little baffled that this is considered an EP when it's over 50 minutes long.  Sure, half of it is live stuff, but it's really pushing the limits of "extended."  Then again, Sonata Arctica sorta did that with Successor, so maybe there's precedent.  In any case, this release carries on the story of the Atlantean super-computer with another chunk of power metal.

The live stuff is good enough.  Performances are tight, and there is a bit of stage banter in German with a crowd excited to be there.  The new tracks seem to lean more toward traditional metal, and capping it off with a Judas Priest cover really cements it.  The production seems a little weird, like the bass has been turned up, but without consideration of how it affects everything else.  However, that's just a nitpick for what is a handful of decent tracks.  "Controtions of Time" has some interesting gritty riffing and "The Hatchet of War" feels very Gamma Ray (though with Kai still on board, that's not a surprise).  I don't know if this is really a substantial release, but as an Interlude, it provides a solid collection of songs before the next chapter of the saga.

Angra - Rebirth

While I found their third album underwhelming, the band went through a pretty big change after recording it.  The vocalist, drummer, and bassist all left, so guitarists Loureiro and Bittencourt had to pull together a new band, thus the album title Rebirth.  As far as I could tell, it's not a concept album, but it's still a solid set of progressive power metal songs.

The balance of Helloween and Dream Theater continues on, but some synthisized strings give them a touch of Rhapsody of Fire, provided by Günter Werno on loan from Vanden Plas for this album.  He even gets a few noodly solos along with the guitars.  New singer Edu Falaschi feels like a cross between James LaBrie and Fabio Lione, so he fits in pretty easily.  Aquiles Priester and Felipe Andreoli are the new drummer and bassist, and they keep pace pretty well, while still squeezing in a few tribal beats for some of the more groovy sections.  The songs themselves are an interesting blend of ideas, going from soft to hard, slow to fast, sometimes even within the songs.  For what it's worth, I'm not saying that Angra is a copy-cat; they definitely have their own sound, and it's pretty iconic.

This album just seems to take the best of what worked before and polish it with more modern production for the time.  I remember hearing "Nova Era" a long time ago, and it's still a great power metal track, while "Running Alone" is an interesting blend of power and prog.  The rest is solid, though maybe a bit ballady at times.  They're not bad, but the energy does kinda go up and down across the album, ending on a piece of Chopin that sorta feels like the album deflating.  Overall, there's a lot to like, though, as it's pretty similar to Holy Land, and about as good.

Retro Reviews - May 2024!

This may be a bit different, doing a bunch of albums after the Anniversary article, but there were a handful on my 1984 list that I wanted to get to for various reasons.  While I didn't exactly love two of these albums, they certainly reflect the variety of rock sounds available at the time.  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

David Gilmour - About Face

After enjoying Gilmour's first solo album for being pretty chill, I expected more of the same with his second.  Wrapping up the tense Final Cut sessions, he wanted to pull together a bunch of talent for his next effort, eventually tapping into the talents of Pete Townsend of the Who and Jon Lord of Deep Purple.  The result, however, is something very 80s, like somewhere between Bryan Adams and Dire Straits.

To be clear, this is still Gilmour, with his guitar licks and vocal harmonies, but the songwriting goes for more of an 80s movie soundtrack vibe, mixing in walls of synths and some funk sections here and there.  It definitely feels like David wanted to branch out and explore some other ideas instead of the moody epic art rock he had been doing.  While the results are certainly varied, they're definitely not boring, as the songs shift around in tone.  From the hard rockin' of "All Lovers are Deranged" to the cinematic flair of songs like "Until We Sleep," and "You Know I'm Right."  Meanwhile, "Blue Light" gets very funky, "Cruise" throws in some reggae at the end, and "Murder" brings back the Pink Floyd vibes, starting as a folky acoustic ballad only to build into something like the angry side of "Comfortably Numb."  Unfortunately, "Let's Get Metaphysical" features no Olivia Newton John, but is another cinematic piece as Gilmour plays a slow, melodic solo over a piano and some strings.

In short, it's a weird album with some interesting stuff.  Perhaps this effort in more diverse music helped expand Gilmour's songwriting, as I can certainly hear how this evolves into the sound we got on A Momentary Lapse of Reason.  I may have to listen to it a few more times to really decide how I feel about it, but it certainly has plenty worth listening to.

Helstar - Burning Star

Despite being a classic US power metal band, I haven't really listened to them before now.  However, I've always been curious and have heard plenty of good things, so I figured I should check out their debut.  Unfortunately, it's some of the most average metal I've heard.

To be clear, they don't really make any mistakes.  The production is clear enough, but just kinda flat.  The songs aren't awful, but seem to lack the energy of other metal releases at the time.  The performances are fairly tight, and there's some good guitar noodling, but nothing really sticks with me once the songs are done.  Even vocalist James Rivera sounds pretty good, though he does tend to wail too much.

In the end, it ends up feeling like just another 80s metal album.  While I do think "Run with the Pack" did have some interesting ideas, especially the uptempo section at the end, not much else sticks out to me here.  I did notice that the lineup changes quite a bit after this, so maybe it took a bit before the band found their sound.  I'll try to get to their other albums at some point, but I think I won't be coming back to this one anytime soon.

Marillion - Fugazi

These guys continue to be a fascinating band with their second album, despite what are some mixed feelings.  After picking up a new drummer, they carried one with Fish's iconic lyrics and their unique blend of sounds, as they still lean into Genesis and Pink Floyd territory here and there.  It's just so unfortunate that the album can't seem to balance the lyrics with the music very well.

Maybe it was just the mood I was in when I listened to it, but I'm really struggling with Fish's lyrics here.  Many of the songs seem to be about relationships (both with friends and lovers) and how they go sour.  While there's some interesting wordplay here and there, I couldn't shake the feeling that all the flowery words and purple prose were just to cover up the fact that he was whining.  It may be a mistake to conflate the voice of the lyrics with the creator, but it did make me wonder what Fish was going through at this time to compel him to write all these things.

Which is such a shame because the rest of the band is doing pretty well.  They sound tight and energized, with Trewavas and newcomer Mosely holding down the rhythm well, while guitarist Rothery and keyboardist Kelly provide great riffs, licks, and solos.  The production is clearer and the songs flow so much better than their first album.  I really do want to like this album as it's much stronger musically than their debut, and maybe it will grow on me with time, but the lyrics make me think of the kind of people who cannot acknowledge that the problem is with them and just want to complain how everyone else is inconveniencing them like it's a grand tragedy.  Fish certainly has a flair for the dramatic, but here, it just comes across as alienating.

Last Played - March 2023!

It's taken me a bit of time to get back up to speed, but I think I'm finally ready for another year of rock and metal.  As always, I plan on checking out both new and classic releases, and this article is no different.  This time I'm starting off with some bombastic metal before mellowing out towards the end with some comfy blues rock.  I always try to get some good variety when I write up these Last Played articles.

Twilight Force - At the Heart of Wintervale

I remember when Twilight Force showed up around 10(!) years ago as being a big new power metal band.  However, their debut album left me underwhelmed, and so I set them aside for a while.  After starting this blog, though, I've started to enjoy some of their singles.  Between the high-speed fretwork of DragonForce and the symphonic bombast of Rhapsody of Fire, Twilight Force seems to have found their own little niche in the power metal spectrum.

The epicness is at high levels right from the start, as things kick off with some high-speed power metal, and outside of some interludes, they don't really let up.  Anyone looking for intense melodies, noodly guitar solos, massive orchestrations, high-speed rhythms, and epic vocals backed by choirs will find plenty for their needs and more.  Still, Twilight Force isn't just a knock-off of other bands, as they do have a distinct sound.  Not to get too nitty-gritty about it, but if Rhapsody of Fire leans more into classical opera, then Twilight Force feels more like a Disney musical, and to be honest, I think I prefer it.  Half the time, I was wondering when Michael Bolton was going to sing about "going the distance," and I mean that as a compliment!  (One of Disney's more underrated songs, in my opinion.)

Still, this is some pretty cheesy stuff, with each song telling a kind of mini-epic.  Those not on board with fantasy tropes from numerous video games and tabletop RPGs will probably find little to like.  However, that's very much my wheelhouse, even if it does get a little difficult to take seriously.  The longer tracks are a little too bloated, but I liked the high-energy stuff in the songs "Twilight Force," the title track, and "Sunlight Knight" (Latin jazz section, notwithstanding).  I know it's still early in the year, but this is a strong start for the power metal genre.  It will be interesting how well anyone else will do compared to this.

Kamelot - Haven

I know folks are probably talking about the new Kamelot album, but I wanted to get caught up on their last two albums before I took on their latest, so here we are.  As far as I'm able to tell, this one doesn't have a concept behind it (though I could be wrong), and given how much it leans into the symphonic metal style, it's very similar to Ghost Opera, for better or worse.

Once again, we have plenty of lush orchestrations matched with some solid riffing and Tommy Karevik's dramatic vocals.  In fact, he sounds quite a bit like Roy Khan on this album, making sure that the lyrics have the necessary theatrical heft.  Oliver Palotai gets in a few keyboard solos along side Thomas Youngblood's iconic guitar work, giving them a bit of a Stratovarius feel.  However, I do feel like the band has streamlined their songwriting this time, as there really aren't any of the proggy touches that have defined some of their work.  Like Ghost Opera, it's focusing on a much more straight-forward symphonic metal style, with standard structures and ideas, resulting in an album that feels a little more by the numbers.

That's not to say the album is bad or boring.  "Fallen Star" and "Insomnia" do a great job of establishing the tone and atmosphere of the album, while "My Therapy," "Beautiful Apocalypse," and "Revolution" bring some heavier riffs, and "Under Grey Skies" is a nice ballad featuring Charlotte Wessels, who was with Delain at the time.  I also liked "Veil of Elysium" and "Liar Liar" for bringing back some of the classic uptempo Kamelot energy.  However, I do wonder if perhaps I'm clinging too much to the hope that they will go back to power metal, and so I'm left feeling that this album is solid dramatic stuff, but not really blowing my mind the way the Khan albums did.

Arctic Rain - Unity

Arctic Rain was a highlight for me when I listened to their debut a few years ago, taking the AOR sound further than most other artists in the style do.  So when I saw they were working on a follow up at the beginning of this year, I put it quite high on my to-listen list.  Once again, it's more 80s-styled hard rock, with big riffs and synths designed to fill arenas, or at least your headphones.

However, I do think there is a stronger emphasis on the guitars this time, as they have some pretty metal licks here and there.  While there is certainly plenty of Night Ranger and Europe vibes on these songs (the ballads are especially cheesy), on some of the uptempo songs, Magnus Berglund clearly put in some grittier, crunchier work this time around.  Not rest of the band is slouching here, by any means: I do think they've all pushed themselves just a little more this time.

Of course, this is just picking at the details.  Compared to the field, this is still very much the same, high quality hard rock that the first album provided.  The opener "One World" is a pretty solid start, and songs like "Fire in My Eyes" and "Peace of Mind" have some really good energy.  "Kings of the Radio" is a pretty fun one as well, as it has tons of references to classic rock songs and bands, showing respect to their influences.  Overall, it's another excellent set of melodic rock, and here's hoping they carry on like the heroes that inspired them.

David Gilmour - David Gilmour

Despite being a massive Pink Floyd fan, I haven't really listened to much of the individual members' solo albums.  Sometime after the release of Animals, David felt like he wanted to do something on his own, and the result is his first solo album.  Understandably, it sounds like a 70s version of A Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell.  While he does get some help with drums and bass, and brings in the classic female singers on a few songs, it's very much Gilmour's show, and that's perfectly fine by me, as I've always loved his guitar playing.

To say that it sounds like Pink Floyd might feel redundant, but there is a difference here that can only be described as a more content tone.  Gone is the tension and anxiety of Animals and The Wall, in favor of something that's more chilled and laidback, with maybe a dash of aloofness.  However, that describes Gilmour to a T, if I'm being honest.  So perhaps there aren't any surprises, but what isn't there does help elevate this album as feeling more than just some Pink Floyd b-sides.  It just kinda grooves along pretty easily.  The synthesizer-heavy "Deafinitely" is probably the closest to classic Pink Floyd the album gets.

Of course, Gilmour is on point with is playing.  There are plenty of blues riffs and licks all over, and his solos are as iconic and beautiful as ever.  The album definitely leans into the blues as a whole, as there are bits of harmonica and jazzy organ in there, creating a great mood across the album.  I liked the instrumentals "Mihalis" and "Raise My Rent," and "Short and Sweet" was a nice, reverb-heavy jam.  While I have listened to On An Island, I found that to be a little too chill, and comparing it to Gilmour's debut, I like the debut more, as it still has a stronger blues-rock backbone to it.  While it may not be as grandiose as the material he would be best known for, it's still a very solid album that I enjoyed all the way through.

Pink Floyd Retrospective!

You had to know that, once I started doing these retrospectives, one for Pink Floyd was inevitable.  This time, I'm including live albums, though there are only 3 official ones.  Well, 3 and a half, but I'll get to that.  Also, with live albums, you may notice two years listed.  The first is when it was recorded, and the second is when the album was released.  I'll be placing them when they were recorded in this retrospective.

To be honest, I'm not sure what I can really add critically to these that hasn't been said a million times, so I'll be mostly focusing on more on the personal side for these and what these albums have come to mean for me.  I should also establish some expectations, though.  While I grew up listening to the band due to my father, he was never very interested in the psychedelic stuff, largely focusing on the 70s and the handful that came out after.  As such, my remarks about every album before Meddle are going to be more historical than personal, as I generally listen to them in more of an academic mindset.

As this retrospective article is much longer than the last one, I'll be hiding it behind a jump break on the main blog page so that it doesn't dominate the blog.  I thought about splitting it up into multiple articles, but then I realized that I generally don't like it when other sites do that, so instead, here's the whole discography all at once.

Last Played - March 2019

Time for another round of "Last Played."  As always, these articles are about older stuff, but good music doesn't get old, it just ages with grace, right?  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

The Alan Parsons Project - Pyramid

When I was working on the final installment of The Big Three here, I decided I needed to listen to some Alan Parsons to get into the mood, and decided to go with this one.  It’s one of the earlier ones, so we get more of a progressive rock feel with the symphonic flourishes and the songs blending from one to the next.

As I mentioned in that other article, the APP tend to focus on topics for their albums, and this one is obviously about the Egyptian Pyramids and Egyptology in general.  Using this material, the songs focus on the eventuality of humanity’s mortality and how even the things we build will eventually crumble or lose their original meaning.  Even the song “Pyramania” focuses on the silly and shallow nature of how the symbols of Ancient Egypt still crop up on modern culture.

However, don’t get the impression that the album is downer.  It’s more of an observation on how much this one culture has affected so many others, and made us wonder.  Even the instrumental songs portray the grandiosity of Egyptian folklore and mythology, tying the whole thing together.  Definitely a great album from beginning to end!

David Gilmour - On An Island

Despite being a big Pink Floyd fan, I admit that I haven’t really bothered much with the solo work of any of its members.  I knew that of the members of Pink Floyd, I would be most interested in David Gilmour’s solo work, so I decided to give On An Island a shot, as I’d heard good things about it.

As expected, I got a set of some nice, mellow bluesy pieces, full of nostalgic moods and textures.  However, I noticed there wasn’t any of the Floyd’s melancholy or bittersweetness, with this one settling in to something more calm and leisurely.  It does have its darker moments, but they are often swept away by the breezy, almost pastoral vibes.

I don’t know if there is anything really mind-blowing here, but I do think I need to give a few more spins before I can really collect all of its pieces.  It’s certainly nice to hear Gilmour play his seemingly effortless licks, but the song-writing doesn’t seem to be as strong as the playing.

Dragonland - Holy War

Last time, I listened to Dragonland’s first album, so now I’ve giving the second one a go, and to be honest, it’s really more of the same.  Epic grandeur, lighting fast guitar riffs and solos, sweeping symphonic scores, all telling a fantasy story.

This album does seem to have some better songwriting than the first one, though.  There are still a few rough lines, as the lyrics are forced into melodies, but things seemed to shift from moment to moment a little more naturally, making it easier to follow.  No real surprises, but a better effort from clearly talented musicians.

Oh, and their cover of “Neverending Story” is amazing!

Pearl Jam - Vitalogy

While I know I focus on classic rock and melodic metal sounds, I wouldn’t want anyone to think I’m above styles and impact of alternative rock, especially grunge.  I’m always in for good, crunchy riffs.   That being said, I admit that my knowledge base for this genre is not as strong, so every now and then, I’ll pick something up from the early 90s sounds to try and broaden my horizons, and (due to other circumstances) I decided to give this one a shot.

My only real knowledge of Pearl Jam was listening to Ten a few years back and thinking it was okay.  This album, while still very grungy, has the band dipping more into late 60s psychadelia for inspiration.  While I think it works for songs like “Not For You,” “Tremor Christ,” and “Corduroy,” they do take it pretty far, with “Bugs” being a strange, accordion-driven track, and “Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me” being more of a sound collage of psychiatric patients.

Still, there’s good rock to be heard here.  While your mileage with grunge may vary (and depend on your nostalgia for the time period), this album serves as a solid example of the sound at its peak while also trying to break out of the box at the same time.  Perhaps not something I’d listen to often, but not bad while it’s on.

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I feel like I'm getting into more of a groove with this blog.  I admit I haven't been covering new stuff as I would like, but I'm getting there.  Hopefully, I can maintain this kind of consistency moving forward.  Until then, rock on! \m/