North (John Lees' Barclay James Harvest, 2013)

 Maybe John Lees' version of BJH doesn't change the story of his original band, band he still knows how to write beautiful songs and this is the case with the title track of JL-BJH's 2013 album. The usual pastoral sound is there, along with a tense musical background and - of course - a beutiful guitar solo. Most of all, the tune flows fresh and nice, and the instrumental parts are simply perfect. 

"North" was the first studio album released with the moniker 

John Lees' Barclay James Harvest

The way Mr. Lees regales his listeners by adding new ideas and lushing interludes always amazes me. Just try this track's coda: it's like following Alice into a musical Wonderland, in my humble opinion. The apparent simplicity of those songs underlines the skills of both the composer and the performers and that's why such a song really can light up a dull day.

Phase 1 (Karfagen, 2016)

Karfagen are a stunning band from Ukraine, the brainchild of  multi-instrumentalist Antony Kalugin. One of the most prolific acts I've ever known (21 studio albums during their first 19 years!), they produce mostly instrumental tracks, but this one, coming from their 2026 album "Spektra", also includes a choir section. As usual for Karfagen, this seven movement suite is simply unpredictable and deliciously varied. Classical music inspires many parts of "Phase 1" and if keyboards prevail all along the track, there is a good choice of instruments , such as violin, acoustic and electric guitars, some unusual percussions and, of course, a vocal trio, singing in latin. 

This is Karfagen's eighth studio album.

As you can imagine, tempos, moods and  arrangements are in a perpetual change, spanning from atmospheric to rock moments, including some very good guitar and keyboard solos and many lively interplays. Nonetheless, this is not a collection of sparse compositions. On the contary, there is a strong pattern all along the suite and each passage is there for a good musical reason, enriching the previous one and preparing in a way the next one. A beautiful, invigorating experience.

Hear My Voice Tonight (Seven Steps to The Green Door, 2019)

Seven Steps to The Green Door are an interesting band from Germany active since 2006 and producing an innovative musical mix ranging from neo-prog to hard rock and from melodic ballads to intricate long tracks. This song comes from their 2019 album titled "The ? Lie", a concept work dealing with religious fanaticism and its tragic outcomes. "Hear My Voice Tonight" is a ten minutes track with strong melodic roots and including unpredictable, strategically placed mood changes. 

There's more to this concept: "The ? Book" (2011) and "The ? Truth" (2024)

Jazzy passages, dreamy landscapes, intense progressions grace this track and made it a treat for the prog ears. I especially like the wind instruments that enrich this track providing a warm and rippled finale. The instrumental skills of the band members and their guest musicians are the final touch to this beautiful piece of music.

Vesper's End (The Id, 2017)

 The Id are a truly International band, with members coming from different countries and that apparently never met in the flesh. Nevertheless, they released six albums between 2015 and 2019. They play a melody-oriented neo-prog music and if they're in this blog is because I think they know how to do it. Even if their arrangements aren't stunning new and the production is just the best a self produced band can get, they write beautiful melodies and always put emotions first and that's exactly what I like. 

There's alway a disquieting eye on The Id's cover arts.

This 20 minutes suite taken from their 2017 album "Confluence 1", is one of their best tracks, IMHO. You'll find here instrumental skills, beautiful tempo changes, catching riffs, enlightening atmospheres and, of course, well found musical themes.  The solos are perfectly performed, but they're never showy and always functional to the big picture. Another good reason to love The Id.

Funeral (Mice on Stilts, 2016)

 Let's explore something from the dark, even mourning side of prog. "Hope for A Mourning" was the second album by Mice on Stilts, the brainchild of singer, writer and guitarist Ben Morley and one of the most interesting acts from New Zealand in recent years. Sure, the sombre atmosphere of "Funeral" reminds me of some Scandinavian bands from the '90s, but there is a special, thougtful way here, both melancholy and dreamy. 

What a beautiful and inspiring cover art!

Despite the mournful titles of both the song and the album, there is less proper grief than spiritual abandon in this music, like in a  misty dawn over still waters. It's an intimate journey, a dreamlike meditation and still we're far from the minimal approach of ambient music. The melody line and the arrangements are rich and set on a slow paced crescendo that drags the listener's soul through dramatic landscapes and a growing sense of wonder. A beautiful, enriching experience.

Universal (Anathema, 2010)

 Arguably one of my favourite tracks by Anathema, "Universal" has a very atmospheric mood, a beautiful musical theme, a dreaming guitar, some splendid keyboards and even a shoegaze-like section. No doubt, when it comes to slow paced and majestic sounds this Liverpool band is among the best you can find over there. Not only they know how to write and perform good music, but they also have sort of a Mida's touch and they totally deserve their success. 

"We're Here..." was Anathema's eighth studio album

Take this track (from "We're Here Because We're Here" album), for example: it flows away like springy water and cleverly skips redunancy thanks to a series of slight and effective changes, consistent and surprising at the same time. Building up a song is never easy, but Anathema know how to handle this and how to mix prog rock and mainstreap pop. Brilliant!

Standing Still as Stony Trees (Watcher of The Trees, 2017)

The Watcher of The Trees is the brainchild of Italian composer and multi-instrumentalist Dario Marconcini. Based on the banks of Garda Lake, Marconcini was inspired by the spiritual and ancestral beauty of the surrounding forests and after several experiences in local bands (namely The Electric Shields and Moonshiners), he decided to go solo with a new moniker and released "Fireflies in The Wood", an album where the woods - and mostly the trees - act as main charachters along the passing of the seasons. 

Four seasons and four colours in this beautiful cover art.

I especially liked "Standing Still as Stony Trees" not only because I find here so many and welcome prog hints, but especially for its majestic crescendo and the perfect balance of peaceful and up-tempo moments. Unlike many similar projects and despite his patent performing skills, Marconcini's music focuses on emotions and you'll find here all the wonder and the thrill of an inner discovery: instruments, melodies, words and arrangements merge to move the listener. And frankly I'm moved. 

Il vento cambia strada (Garybaldi, 2016)

 I'm usually wary when it comes to resuscitate old bands and old musical styles, so I must confess that I put off the purchase of Garybaldi's "Storie di un'altra città" ("Other Towns' Stories") album. And I was wrong. Not only it proved to be a very good work tro my ears, but I appreciated the variety and liveliness of these songs, the humour and the cleverness of the band, mostly based on new and skillful members. You'll find here all the different facets of '70s Italian Prog: jazzy moods, the acoustic feelings, mellow moments and of course rock edges. All in. 

A beautiful cover art by painter Pietro Spica.

I chose for my blog the closing track, a fully melodic ballad reminding me Le Orme or some of the sweetest PFM's songs, but with a slightly acid bonus touch. There are many instruments, including a guest string duo, melancholy keyboards and both acoustic and electric guitars. The bass lines are provided by Angelo Traverso, not exactly a guest musician, being a member of pre-Garybaldi band Gleemen. For sure, "Il vento cambia strada" (meaning "The Wind changes direction") is a magical trip. And this is not vintage.... this is evergreen music!

Solens Sirkulære Sang (Jordsjø, 2019)

Jordsjø are another fine example of symphonic prog made in Norway and with a folky twist... the way Scadinavians know so well. Håkon Oftung, the mind behind this band, is a skilled multi-instrumentalist and a talented songwriter, the latter being a quality not to be underestimated, if you ask me. This "Solens Sirkulære Sang" (meaning "The Sun's Circular Song"), taken from the band's fifth studio album "Nattfiolen" ("The Night Violin"), fully represents the colourful and varied palette of Jordsjø's musical world. 

This beautiful artwork is by Sindre Foss Skanke.

Tempo changes, loosely folk roots, a pastoral sound provided by Hammond, Mellotron and flute, beautiful guitars and a stunning grand finale too! The perfect blend of soft and dynamic moments in this song shows an accurate search for unexpected solutions and brilliant atmospheres and a special taste for unusual song patterns. The vintage sounds are never artificial, on the contrary they are so fresh and genuine that they add the final flavour to such a tasty delicacy.

Lies in The Sand (Raven Sad, 2011)

 Another Italian good band, but not what one usually labals as "Italan Prog". Raven Sad are an eclectic act, mostly into atmospheric sounds with beautiful guitar and keyboard solos. Space-rock, Psych Rock, yes, but with a strong emotional twist. They like down tempo songs, but they know how to rivet their listeners, even in long songs like this one, taken from their third album "Layers of Stratosphere". 

You won't find a more spacey cover art!

Raven Sad master mood changes, something they usually achieve by alternating the  foreground instruments, especially Samuele Santanna's guitars and Fabrizio Trinci's keyboards. Each musical shift opens new perspectives and deeper landscapes, like turning stages. It's kind of discovering new worlds and the sci-fi inspiration of "Lies in The Sand" adds a space-opera dimension to the big picture. 

Eins (Polis, 2011)

What a magical atmosphere! German band Polis has a very rich mood palette ranging from heavy rock to romantic tracks. This is a good example of the latter. Mostly instrumental, the song explores the most spiritual quiet realms, then offers an unpredictable finale where Christian Roscher's vocals and Sascha Bormann's drums come in to give their biting touch. As usual with them, Polis like vintage instruments and are inspired both by English prog masters and by German krautrockers, so that each song of theirs has its own flavour, even if they keep a recognizable dark and deep approach to songwriting. 

"Eins" was Polis debut album in 2011.

Then I always like bands singing in their native tongue, something reminding me how universal good music and good prog rock are. Finally, the band's eclectic attitude and the way they dig into the darkest side of life could make of them the latest incarnation of the most original bands from the past, the likes of Uriah Heep or Popol Vuh. Well, at least, let's hope so!

Stifinner (Jordsjø, 2019)

Norway is home to a good deal of symphonic rock bands. Jordsjø's core line-up is a duo, namely Håkon Oftung (vocals and keyboard) and Kristian Frøland (drums), backed in their 2019 album titled Nattfiolen (the  lesser butterfly-orchid depicted on the CD the cover art) by five more musicians... including two keyboardists! "Stifinner" (meaning "pathfinder") is a pastoral-oriented song with louder Mellotron riffs and a lot of acoustic passages including beautiful flutes and acoustic guitars.

I also happen to like this beautiful cover art...

 

As usual with Jordsjø, the Seventies smell is strong and enticing, flowing through folk roots and symphonic arrangements. I like the melodies and the mood changes, and the Norwegian lyrics add a Nordic atmosphere to such a beautiful mix. Last but not least, even if there are several quiet and dreamy passages, you'llfind here a dynamic and creative drumming, an uncommon feature in pastoral tracks.

Washed Away (Edison's Children, 2019)

This is the only song included in Edison's Children's fourth CD titled "The Disturbance Fields". It's a very long suite (some 68 minutes) divided into 14 movements and several sub-movements too. Still, like most of this band's songs, it's as fresh as a mountain spring. Edison's Children came out with their new release in 2019 just in time to take their own part of the Apollo 11 50th anniversary celebrations and with a very good reason, as Rick Armstrong, the son of Neil, plays guitars and even bass guiitars on many movements here. Of course, Edison's Children is mainly the brainchild of Marillion's bassist Pete Trewavas and his American friend Eric Blackwood, a multi-instrumentalist a special FX Technician in many films and TV shows. As we already knew, both Eric and Pete are in love with the most dramatic and sci-fi oriented side of Pink Floyd and this is the background sound you'll find in "Whashed Away".

Warning: an emotional hurricane is approaching!

But there's more than this. Each movement has its own pace and mood, describing the approaching, the fury and the aftermath of a natural disaster. And after all the band should know about that, having suffered both hurricane and earthquake during their previous studio album sessions. Dark and majestic, this suite lines up arcane electronic movements, fresh acoustic ballads and rockier passages, all well written and performed. Changes and solos are each in its right place and the listener never gets bored, despite the track's huge duration time. If you like spacey moods, sweet melodies and sharp riffs, listen to this...

Fonte perenne (Celeste, 2019)

Celeste released their first album in 1976 (see the post titled "Favole antiche" in this blog), a record that gained increasing reputation after its re-release in CD format, thanks to Mellow Records. The fairy, gentle and mainly acoustic style of Celeste perfectly embodies the melodic side of Italian prog and their long awaited new album, "Il risveglio del Principe" ("The Awakening of the Prince") resumes in 2019 the same charming features. "Fonte perenne" ("Perennial Source") is a good example of the delightful way Ciro Perrino, the mind behind the band, has to paint Celeste's sensitive universe.

Laura Germonio provided this beautiful artwork for Celeste. 

It's a clean musical watercolour, both vivid and delicate, flowing all around the listener's ears, exploiting a good deal of instruments such as sax, violin, cello, piano and flute, carefully arranged and beautifully blended. A very special mention goes to the keyboard sound carpet (oh, that Mellotron again!) and the delicate percussions, providing the common ground for such a diversified instrumental palette. Last but not least, Perrino's very nice voice gently outlines the main theme of the song, giving the final touch to the big picture. Believe me, this is magic. Progressive magic, that's to say.

La Dame de braise (Magnésis, 2015)

One of the most prolific bands in  the Neo-progressive galaxy and in the everchanging French national scene, Magnésis are fond of dark and Medieval atmospheres, but also of tempo changes and long compositions. This title track comes from their "La Dame de braise" album, released in 2015 and is a melodic ballad, part  of this folk-inspired concept, dealing with phantoms, unlucky love stories, wars and noble families. Nothing new, that's true, but everything here is very well done. 

A somber story of love and fire...

If Magnésis's longest tracks are sometimes a little artificial and even weak in some of their passages, this band is perfect when it comes to gentle and shorter songs. This is the case with "La Dame de braise" (meaning "The Embers Lady"), a lunar, dreamy piece of music, including a beautiful guitar solo and a long coda of burning sound effects linked to the concept story. In short, a pretty, evocative song for your collection.

Bortglömda Gårdar (All Traps on Earth, 2018)

All Traps on Earth are the new musical cresture of bassist Johan Brand from Änglagård, one of the most popular Swedish prog bands ever (see elsewhere in this blog). This side project also includes other members or former members of Änglagård, namely keyboardist Thomas Johnson and drummer Erik Hammarström, along with vocalist Miranda Brand (not featured in this song),a number of guest musicians and even a foursome wind ensemble.

Like for Änglagård, a Nature-based dreamy cover art.

As you'll find listening to this song, All Traps on Earth share some essential points with Änglagård's musical approach: you'll hear the same creative and everchanging sound, and also that special, sensitive sound we all like. But you'll also observe a more experimental taste, midway between King Crimson and early Kaipa. Jazzy moments and melodic passages build up this Bortglömda Gårdar (meaning "forgotten farms") like an enchanted garden, full of delicate flowers and strong trees. A treat.

Entering The Gallery / The Man on The Hill (Huis, 2016)

All progfans know the flourishing Québec prog-scene during the '70s, but that land still offers tasty treats to our appetites (see Mystery, for example). This is the case with Huis, a Montréal-based band founded by keyboardist Pascal Lapierre and bassist Michel Joncas in 2009. As this mini-suite (taken from the album "Neither in Heaven") will prove, Huis mix good melodies and a dynamic sound to conjure up a captivating, everchanging kind of prog, where full-bodied rock passages and acoustic melodies build up emotionally enthralling songs. 

"Neither in Heaven" is the second album by Huis.

This double sided track displays - among other good things -  the usual amount of keyboards, an energetic guitar and a brilliant vocal performance by Sylvain Descôteaux. I'm also sure my progfriends will like the peculiar way the band have to launch their rockiest moments taking advantage of piano accelerations. In conclusion, a well written, well arranged and perfectly balanced music.

Breathe (Silhouette, 2012)

Silhouette come from The Netherlands and their prog rock music has the right amount of strength, melody and changes I like. Take this "Breathe", an eleven minutes song from the album "Across The Rubicon", released in 2012. You'll find powerful guitar riffs, atnospheric passages, a lot of keyboards, an effective rythm section, enthralling solos and - last but not least - well written themes. Sure, this is largely inspired by some British early '80s bands, but good roots make a solid tree, and this one seems to me a fresh and beautiful one.

"Across The Rubicon" is the third studio album by Silhouette.

Keyboardist Erik Laan provides the lead vocals for this track (there are at least three main vocalists in this band) and his voice perfectly matches with the track's texture. Some of the tempo changes are simply perfect and I think this is one of the most welcome features of Silhouette's songs and especially of the longest ones, than never go boring or predictable. In short, if you like very good and highly dynamic neo-prog, this one's for you.

Absent Lovers (The Aaron Clift Experiment, 2018)

The Aaron Clift Experiment is a highly skilled trio based in Austin, Texas and leaded by Mr Clift with an open wided and eclectic approach to prog. Their records include many of my favourite features: tempo changes, unpredictable passages, acoustic/electric mix and, last but not least, an enviable balance of old glorious sounds and up-to-date solutions. That said, "Absent Lovers" comes from the band's 2018 album "If All Goes Wrong" and deliciously swings between dreaming moods and vigorous progressions. 

"If All Goes Wrong" is the third studio album by the band.

As usual, Aaron's voice is strong and tense, while the guest string trio (violin, viola and cello) and Fred Springer's classical guitar add a special charm to the composition. You'll find some welcome King Crimson  and early Genesis hints here and there, but also a remarkable coherence of such a rich musical plot. "Abesent Lovers" is divided into three acts, kind of a mini-suite following the sea scented lyrics, based on the hero's return, an emotional rendering of the Odyssey I really appreciate. Here I point up another highlight of Aaron & friends: despite their literary references and their lushing instrumentation, they never go showy and their music has the grace and the soundness we expect on good prog rock. 

Time Travellers (Riverside, 2015)

Riverside go on changing and exploring, that's why I like them. This song, taken from the album "Love, Fear And The Time Machine", is a dreamy ballad, and it also includes beautiful mellow instrumental passages, never too sweet and never too long. The lyrics are beautiful too, about life's recurring times and chances. Mariusz has a beautiful voice, both srong and soft and this is a brilliant performance.

...And what about this misty cover art?

The moody way the band has to build up transparent, fluid atmospheres easing deep meditations is slways surprising and the more their song gets plain, the more they reach the listener's soul. This is exactly what "Time Travellers" does, so it doesn't need a longer ntroduction.